| Wednesday, August 10, 2022 |
| MSU student newscast brings home top regional award | |
 | Mississippi State University's student-produced weekly newscast, "Take 30 News," is the winner of a Best Newscast award from the Student Production Awards presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Southeast Chapter. "Take 30 News" -- produced entirely by MSU students -- received the top prize from the NATAS Southeast Chapter for their "pursuit of excellence in television journalism" displayed in a production from this spring. "How exciting for the students and what a testament to their hard work," said Chris Misun, "Take 30 News" co-advisor and MSU broadcast instructor in the Department of Communication. "We are beyond proud of their progress throughout the semester to earn this achievement." Victoria Baily, an MSU broadcast instructor, is the lead advisor. Terry Likes, professor and head of the Department of Communication, said, "Given this is the same organization that awards Southeast Emmy's to media professionals, this accomplishment offers the external validation which shows our faculty are achieving best practices in teaching. The volume of awards and accolades our students have received in recent years is a testament to the quality of instruction of our faculty." |
| Famous Maroon Band training for the football season | |
 | It's day two of a week long band camp for the Famous Maroon Band. This year's band is made up of 386 members. They spent most of the morning on the practice field getting their sets together for the show this fall. Last night's rain members say put them a little behind. Their days start at 8:30 in the morning and end around nine every evening. Associate Director Crag Aarhus says they're working on about five different shows for fans to enjoy this football season. "Football is obviously an exciting season here in the SEC so being a part of the game day atmosphere is something we're looking forward to, but also just having things back to normal. more back to normal than last year," said Craig Aarhus, associate director. |
| SOCSD approves $3.8 million in facility upgrades | |
 | The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board approved bids totaling almost $3.8 million for three facility projects during its Tuesday evening meeting at Greensboro Center. SOCSD will pay for the improvements through a combination of district funds and federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) money it has received during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two of the project bids, one to renovate the interior of Armstrong Junior's A building and another to renovate Armstrong's gym, were awarded to Ethos Contracting Group, a Starkville based firm. The other, to replace the HVAC at Overstreet Elementary, was awarded to McLain Plumbing. The bid for Armstrong's A building came in at $1.3 million and will include new light fixtures, a renovated library, makerspaces and new labs, according to Architectronics owner Thomas Stewart, who presented the bids to the board. The Armstrong gym renovations are less costly, with the bid totaling $761,688. In other business, the board approved SOCSD's Fiscal Year 2023 budget and a request to levy ad valorem taxes for the upcoming school year. Taxes will not increase as a result. |
| Mississippi businesses learn how exporting can help their bottom line | |
 | Arun Venkataraman says Mississippi is in a prime position to take advantage of the ever-growing global export market. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service was in Jackson on Tuesday leading an all-day discussion as nearly 100 of the state's business and political leaders gathered for the multiple breakout sessions at the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University. "Businesses that export generally earn higher revenues, create more jobs, pay higher wages and are less likely to go out of business," Venkataraman said. "My priority is to expand the pool of exporters to include (Mississippians) and diverse businesses." The event, Building Bridges to Global Markets, provided free in-person exporting expertise to the Jackson community and encouraged small and medium-sized enterprises to consider global markets as part of their business strategy. Venkataraman pointed out that Mississippi's Blue Economy, which is a strong exporter, is one of the strongest in America, the third largest in the country. "Combining strengths in tradition maritime industries like shipbuilding, fishing and seafood processing with growing coastal tourism, advanced technology, and professional services, the Mississippi Gulf Coast boasts the third most Blue Economy jobs," Venkataraman said. |
| New water park to make large economic impact in the Hub City | |
 | Serengeti Springs, a water park that will be an expansion of the Hattiesburg Zoo, is a $10.5 million project. However, the park is set to bring in roughly $2 million more in revenue than it cost to build within its first season. "Very, very conservative estimates at this point show that it would put $12 million in visitor spending," said Rick Taylor, Executive Director, Hattiesburg Convention Commission. According to Taylor, the goal of the water park is to supplement the zoo's 230,000 annual visitors with the hope that tourists stay in Hattiesburg longer to visit both attractions. "Destinations bring people here," said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. "People don't just go to the destination and then go home. Usually, they stay, and they eat a meal or two meals. Maybe they stay the night at one of our hotels. Either way, that just compounds the economic impact of those destinations." Barker said he hopes the projects will help push Hattiesburg ahead of Gulfport in sales tax revenue collected. "Gulfport is a big town during the summer," Barker said. "They have a lot of casinos. They have other amenities down there, and most of the year, they're number two in sales tax. We're number three. One of our goals is by the end of this decade for Hattiesburg to be the largest retail economy in the state." |
| Market Rout Sends State and City Pension Funds to Worst Year Since 2009 | |
 | Public pension plans lost a median 7.9% in the year ended June 30, according to Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service data released Tuesday, their worst annual performance since 2009 and a fresh sign of the chronic financial stress facing governments and retirement savers. Much of the damage occurred in April, May and June, when global markets came under intense pressure driven by concerns about inflation, high stock valuations and a broad retreat from speculative investments including cryptocurrencies. Funds that manage the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters and police officers returned a median minus 8.9% for that three-month period, their worst quarterly performance since the early months of the global pandemic. "It was a really, really bad quarter for investing, there's no way around it," said Michael Rush, a senior vice president at Wilshire. The results underscore the pain felt by many investors in a year characterized by a rare combination: simultaneous sharp declines in both stocks, which are understood to be risky, and bonds, which aren't and accordingly are often purchased by investment managers as hedges. For state and local governments around the country, the losses will mean higher annual retirement contributions in the coming years, forcing many public officials to raise taxes or other revenues or to cut services. Pension investment managers are reminding their governing boards to focus on long-term returns, which in recent years have been good until 2022. |
| Inflation eased in July from a year ago, as energy prices fell off summer peaks | |
 | July inflation climbed 8.5 percent over the past year, easing slightly thanks to falling gas and energy prices and raising new hopes that inflation will continue to simmer down. In one of the most encouraging signs in more than a year, inflation in July was also flat from the month before, as a major drop-off in gasoline prices helped offset increases in food and shelter. Officials have been closely scrutinizing the inflation picture each month, and the latest inflation report offered fresh hope that overall prices might be moving in the right direction after months of gains. The latest figures marked the lowest month-to-month inflation reading since May 2020. "These kind of swings should be a reminder of how far our economy is right now from some semblance of normal," said Claudia Sahm, founder of Sahm Consulting and former Federal Reserve economist. "We should take a deep breath today, but not do a victory dance." June's inflation report was bleak, notching a new pandemic peak of 9.1 percent over the year before, as prices at the pump averaged above $5 per gallon. But by July, families felt more relief in their gas and energy bills. The gasoline index fell 7.7 percent in July, and the energy index fell 4.6 percent over the month. Airfares also fell at a sharp 7.8 percent, and prices for used cars also dipped slightly. Grocery and housing costs continue to strain peoples' budgets -- and will also need to see months of steady declines for overall inflation to get closer to more normal levels. |
| Pressure mounts to fix water issues in Mississippi capital | |
 | A business group and one of Mississippi's largest unions have issued separate statements urging renewed action to address Jackson's "water crisis." In a Monday joint letter and news conference, 46 business owners in the capital city said back-to-back citywide boil water notices and citywide water outages have had "dramatic negative consequences" for restaurants. "This letter serves as our first formal attempt to focus attention on this crisis and to engage with our City, County and State leadership with the intent of applying pressure to get action," the letter reads. The letter outlined the added costs for restaurants when the city's water supply is interrupted. Demand for ice has spiked as vendors are required to obtain it from vendors with access to an approved water supply. As a result, some restaurants are using vendors as far away as Meridian, a city about 92 miles (148 kilometers) east of Jackson, the letter said. To prepare food and for employees to wash hands, wares and utensils, restaurants have to either boil or purchase water. They also have to buy canned soft drinks instead of using beverage fountains. Coffee service grinds to a halt, the restaurant owners said. "All of this comes at a tremendous cost to restaurant owners. Some owners reported spending as much as $500 each day on these items," they wrote. |
| 'People continue to struggle': Lawmaker asks governor to reconsider decision to end rental assistance program | |
| Mississippi Senate Minority Leader Derrick T. Simmons is asking Governor Tate Reeves the rethink his decision to end a federal rental assistance program. Last week, the governor ordered Mississippi Home Corporation to stop accepting applications to the federal government's Emergency Rental Assistance Program on August 15. In a statement to the media, Simmons pleaded with the governor the "have compassion on the poor and needy." The program is referred to as the Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program, or RAMP. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was initially designed to help those who had a hardship caused by COVID-19. However, Reeves said the program's second tranche of funding has strayed widely from the program's original purpose and intent because it no longer requires applicants to provide proof that they cannot pay their rent or utility bills due to a hardship caused by COVID-19. |
| Grand jury declines to indict woman in Emmett Till killing | |
| A Mississippi grand jury has declined to indict the white woman whose accusation set off the lynching of Black teenager Emmett Till nearly 70 years ago, most likely closing the case that shocked a nation and galvanized the modern civil rights movement. After hearing more than seven hours of testimony from investigators and witnesses, a Leflore County grand jury last week determined there was insufficient evidence to indict Carolyn Bryant Donham on charges of kidnapping and manslaughter, Leflore County District Attorney Dewayne Richardson said in a news release Tuesday. The decision comes despite recent revelations about an unserved arrest warrant and the 87-year-old Donham's unpublished memoir. The Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr., Emmett Till's cousin and the last living witness to Till's Aug. 28, 1955, abduction, said Tuesday's announcement is "unfortunate, but predictable." "The prosecutor tried his best, and we appreciate his efforts, but he alone cannot undo hundreds of years of anti-Black systems that guaranteed those who killed Emmett Till would go unpunished, to this day," Parker said in a statement. |
| Red wave? In 2022 Senate races, McConnell seems to be curbing his enthusiasm | |
 | For many months, Mitch McConnell expressed optimism about the favorable political conditions that could deliver Senate control to Republicans this November. Now, with just under three months from Election Day, he's curbing his enthusiasm. The Senate GOP leader isn't amplifying talk of a "red wave" that's being hyped by many on the right. In fact, he's acknowledging Democrats could very well hold on to their slim majority. "We're likely to have a very, very close Senate still," he told Fox News last week, "with either us up slightly or the Democrats up slightly." McConnell largely avoided being saddled with the most politically risky and abrasive candidates of the cycle: Mo Brooks, a longtime congressional antagonist, lost his bid in Alabama; Eric Greitens, who called McConnell "a disgusting coward," was easily defeated in Missouri. But the slate of nominees who have emerged from the primary season -- most with former President Donald Trump's backing -- have proven to carry their own set of problems connecting with voters in their respective states. And fresh Democratic enthusiasm -- bolstered by the Supreme Court's abortion ruling and passage of a massive climate bill geared to arrest carbon emissions -- has handed the party reasons to turn out. "McConnell put it the best way, it's a toss up. If you're in leadership in the Senate, you should be disappointed in the candidate selection," said Tony Fratto, a deputy White House press secretary in the Bush administration. "It's hard to see where they have crossover appeal beyond the Trump base...You're asking establishment Republicans to swallow hard, you've got to go out and get independents and that makes it challenging." With a 50-50 Senate and a half dozen highly competitive races, every race on the map is a potential majority maker. |
| Thompson says he hopes the public will learn what the FBI searched for at Mar-a-Lago | |
| Congressman Bennie Thompson is speaking out about the FBI search of former President Donald Trump's home in Florida. Thompson is the chairman of the House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Thompson said he doesn't know exactly what the FBI was looking for when they executed a search warrant at the Florida home of former President Donald Trump, but he hopes the public will get to know. "In any investigation, you follow the facts," Thompson said. "I'm not certain as to the specifics of why the FBI did the raid on Mar-a-Largo, but as you know, a judge had to approve the affidavit for the warrant." Thompson, a Democrat from Bolton, went on to say while many people see this as a political move, he does not blame the FBI for doing their job. |
| 'I am deeply troubled': Congressman Guest responds to the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago | |
| Congressman Michael Guest responded to the FBI raiding former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. On Tuesday, Congressman Guest wrote a letter to the chairman of the Committee of the Judiciary, Jerrold Nadler, and the chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Carolyn B. Maloney, expressing his concern about the raid. "I am deeply troubled by the raid conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home," said Congressman Guest. "I urge your committees to conduct immediate investigational hearings to ensure proper Congressional oversight of this matter." Congressman Guest says these hearings should take top priority and be conducted immediately to preserve the American people's trust in the judicial system. Congressman Guest says he is concerned about the motive of the Department of Justice for executing the search and the standard that it sets for our Federal government and political system moving forward. "Little is known yet of the rationale, legal basis under which the FBI acted, or other details surrounding this unprecedented decision. Therefore, it is critical for Congress to perform our essential oversight responsibilities and work to obtain needed answers," the congressman said. |
| Biden in a tough spot on Trump after FBI Mar-a-Lago search | |
 | President Biden is in a tough spot following the FBI's search of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, facing a delicate dance of handling the situation while steadfastly appearing not to politically taint the Department of Justice (DOJ). Republican lawmakers almost immediately lashed out at Biden following news of the search, which was shared by Trump himself, raising questions about how soon the former president might announce he's running again in 2024. It comes as Biden navigates skepticism within his own party about whether he should seek reelection -- a potential repeat match-up of 2020. The White House insisted on Tuesday that Biden had no advance notice of the FBI search in Florida the day before, telling reporters that he learned of it through public reports and distancing itself from the DOJ's investigation into Trump. Democratic strategists argued that is the White House's best move. "Unlike Trump, who explicitly politicized the DOJ, and every Republican who cheered him on as they now cry crocodile tears, Biden is doing the right thing by letting the DOJ and FBI --- whose director is a lifelong Republican appointed by Trump -- do their job without notice to or direction from the White House," said Democratic strategist Eddie Vale. The search comes as speculation grows over whether -- and when -- Trump will announce his candidacy in 2024 and whether Biden will be too old if he runs in the next presidential election cycle. |
| Sen. Graham says FBI search will only fuel Trump's likely 2024 bid to regain White House | |
 | U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said the FBI's unprecedented search of former President Donald Trump's Florida home will likely only strengthen Trump's resolve to run in 2024 to return to the White House. "I believe he was going to run before. I'm stronger in my belief now," South Carolina's senior senator told reporters Aug. 9. "I think President Trump is determined now more than ever to straighten this country out." His comments came as he stood beside Gov. Henry McMaster to blast Democrats for the $740 billion spending package narrowly pushed through the U.S. Senate two days earlier on a party-line vote, which they contend will worsen rather than reduce inflation. Graham said he and McMaster talked to Trump by phone before the news conference. It was the second conversation in a day Graham said he had with Trump. The Associated Press reported that FBI agents searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, which is also a private club, on Aug. 8 as part of a federal investigation into whether the former president took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence. The only explanation Attorney General Merrick Garland has given publicly is that "no one is above the law." Graham, who's had a sometimes rocky relationship with the former president, said the timing stinks. For the Republicans blowing up his phone, he said, it has only further convinced them Democrats have politicized the Justice Department to go after Trump at all costs. "We're 90 days before an election. The FBI sent agents to the home of the former president, the leading contender to be a nominee for 2024, and I want to know why," he said. "Nobody's above the law, but the law needs to be above politics." |
| Trump says he invoked 5th Amendment in deposition for New York investigation | |
 | Former President Donald Trump said in a statement Wednesday that he invoked the 5th Amendment during his deposition under oath as part of the New York attorney general's civil investigation into the Trump Organization's finances. In the lengthy statement, Trump blasted New York Attorney General Letitia James as politically motivated and alleged he "did nothing wrong." "I once asked, 'If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' Now I know the answer to that question," Trump wrote, in explaining his decision to invoke his right against self-incrimination. "When your family, your company and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors and the Fake News Media, you have no choice. James' investigation began after former Trump attorney Michael Cohen told federal lawmakers in 2019 that the former president regularly inflated the value of his properties and net worth to get better insurance and loan rates. Her office said in May that it was nearing the end of its probe and that investigators had amassed substantial evidence that could support legal action, such as a lawsuit, against Trump, his company or both. Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said Trump's decision still has ramifications because James is conducting a civil investigation, not a criminal one. "Trump was right to take the Fifth, but that decision has consequences," Mariotti said. |
| Renaming Army bases that honor Confederates would cost $21M | |
| Renaming nine U.S. Army posts that honor Confederate officers would cost a total of $21 million if the installations rebrand everything from welcome marquees and street signs to water towers and hospital doors, according to an independent commission. The Naming Commission released its final report on recommending the new Army base names to Congress on Monday. It included a 17-page list of assets that are tied to the Confederacy, from the decals on 300 recycling bins at Fort Bragg in North Carolina to the sign for a softball field at Fort Hood in Texas. The report is the latest step in a broader effort by the military to confront racial injustice, most recently in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The renaming process was laid out in a law passed by Congress in late 2020. The secretary of defense is expected to implement the commission's plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. Monday's report provided detailed -- and sometimes unflattering -- descriptions of the Confederate officers whose names would be removed as well as the accomplishments of those whose names would replace them. Fort Bragg is the only base that would not be named after a person. It would be called Fort Liberty. Fort Bragg, which is home to the 82nd Airborne Division, was named after a "slave-owning plantation owner and senior Confederate Army officer," the report said. Braxton Bragg is "considered one of the worst generals of the Civil War; most of the battles he was involved in ended in defeat and resulted in tremendous losses for the Confederate Army; highly consequential to the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy," the commission wrote. |
| More Than a Third of U.S. Teens Are on Social Media Almost Constantly, Survey Says | |
| The number of teenagers who say they are chronically online has nearly doubled since 2015, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center that also illustrates how rapidly the competitive landscape for social media is changing. YouTube is the most popular platform among U.S. teens, with 95% of the coveted demographic saying they use the site or its mobile app, the survey found. ByteDance Ltd.'s video-sharing platform TikTok, which was launched in the U.S. in 2018 and thus didn't exist the last time Pew performed a similar survey, is now used by about 67% of those between 13 and 17 years old. Almost half of U.S. teens reported that they are online "almost constantly," a jump from the 24% who reported similar behavior to Pew in 2015. On social media specifically, 35% of U.S. teens reported that they were on at least one of the major platforms almost constantly. Pew didn't survey teens on that question in 2015. The popularity of Meta Platforms Inc.'s flagship app Facebook plunged among teens in recent years, according to the study. While 71% of teens said in the 2015 survey that they used Facebook, 32% said they are on the platform today. The report also showed how deeply social media is ingrained in the lives of many teenagers, in ways that those surveyed say aren't always positive. More than half of teens said giving up social media platforms would be challenging -- with teen girls more likely to echo that sentiment -- while a third of teens said too much of their time is used on social media apps and websites. |
| Cook's return to MSMS 'like coming home' | |
| Coming back to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science was a lot like coming home, Executive Director Donald Cook told the Columbus Rotary Club on Tuesday afternoon at Lion Hills Center. Cook is a graduate of the inaugural class at MSMS. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and pre-medicine at Mississippi State University, as well as a master's degree from Mississippi College. He earned a doctorate in education from Liberty University. He has taught at the high school and community college level and also worked as a chemistry instructor and resident assistant at MSMS. He took the executive director's position June 1, replacing Germain McConnell. Cook said the first time he ever heard of the school was in a conversation with his high school guidance counselor. After being accepted, Cook said he wasn't sure he would go. Despite Cook's initial doubts, the decision turned out to be a great one. "When I got there I found a home," he said. "I found people who were like-minded, and it was really a shared experience. ... We were the first, and there's a camaraderie that comes with that." "We're at a crucial point now," he said. "Dr. Julie Jordan at MSU was one of our original faculty members, and she has showed me some of the things schools are doing these days. They play with drones, all kinds of things. I want our students to connect with these new professions so we stay relevant." Cook said he wants input from the community about needs, as well. |
| Prosecutor shares videos, internet search history in making case against bail for man charged with murder of missing Ole Miss student Lee | |
| After nearly five hours of testimony, a Lafayette County Circuit Court judge denied bail for the man charged with murder in the disappearance of a University of Mississippi student. This was Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr.'s second appearance in court since he was charged with murder in the disappearance of Jimmie "Jay" Lee. Herrington's bond hearing was initially supposed to be held on July 27. However, Herrington's defense attorney Kevin Horan requested that the bond hearing be postponed. Circuit Court Judge Franklin "Gray" Tollison presided over Tuesday's bond hearing. According to testimony presented on Tuesday, Herrington was the last known person to have contact with Lee on the day he disappeared. Authorities said the two met at Herrington's apartment for a romantic encounter on the morning of July 8. According to Oxford Police Detective Ryan Baker, police only became involved with Jay Lee's disappearance when they were alerted that something was amiss by Lee's mother, Stephanie Lee. Baker testified that police received more information about Lee and Herrington's relationship from a friend of Lee, who said Lee had reportedly had an argument with a romantic partner on the night of July 7 and subsequently blocked the partner on social media. Baker said that the romantic partner was Herrington. |
| Prosecutors say Herrington strangled missing Ole Miss student Jimmie 'Jay' Lee | |
 | Shortly before an Ole Miss student went missing on July 8, the man accused of killing him Googled, "How long does it take to strangle someone?" Timmy Herrington, 22, of Grenada, is charged with first degree murder in the death of Jimmie "Jay" Lee, 21, of Oxford, whose body has not been found. Following a nearly six-hour long preliminary hearing on Tuesday in Lafayette County Circuit Court, Judge Gray Tollison ordered Herrington held without bond. "Based on the evidence presented, there is probable cause that a felony was committed and I agree that the case should be bound over (to the grand jury)," Tollison said. "As to bond, the proof is evident and the presumption great that the defendant committed first degree murder. Bond is denied." Authorities have said little about the case, even following Herrington's arrest more than two weeks ago. But during the preliminary hearing, Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Kilpatrick laid out most of the state's case against Herrington. Officials said the two men had a casual sexual relationship, but things went awry. Authorities have still not found Lee's body, but believe he is dead. "In 2022, you don't need a body. It's not the 1870s," Kilpatrick said, noting that prior to July 8, Lee was extremely active on social media and called his mother multiple times per day. "We have proved that he is no longer with us." |
| Getty Images helps historically Black colleges digitize and archive their photographs | |
| Four historically Black colleges and universities have embarked on a journey with Getty Images to digitize tens of thousands of archival photographs. The global visual media company says the partnership will help preserve the culture and history of some of the most important images of Black American lives. North Carolina Central University in Durham, founded in 1910, is participating in the inaugural grant program. University archivist Andre Vann said the institution has a lot of photographs to share with the world. The goal is to "elevate up images that have sort of been hidden in plain sight," Vann said. NCCU has attempted to digitize thousands of its most important historical photographs, but thousands more need attention. It is not just the picture, he said, but the story behind the picture that counteracts a monolithic view of African Americans. "And what you see is a depth and diversity of thoughts and actions that comes out of those photographs," Vann said. "You can't make that up. You can't stage that. It is just a reality." The digitized images will be placed, along with photos from other HBCUs, in a special Getty collection. Half the revenue from the images will go back to the school; some of the money will be channeled into a scholarship fund for HBCUs. Prairie View A&M in Texas, Jackson State in Mississippi and Claflin University in South Carolina are also included in this initial $500,000 grant to set up an archival process. It will guarantee that some images that might have faded away over time will be preserved. |
| Longtime William Carey president set to retire after leaving lasting impact on Coast | |
 | Dr. Tommy King is leaving a legacy at William Carey University. "Dr. King is an educator, he is a man of God, and he is a visionary," said academic and administrative dean Dr. Cassandra Conner. Dr. Conner worked with King for 12 years. She had an up-close view of the impact he's made in South Mississippi. "In every decision that he makes, I can see that he has the needs of our students first and foremost," she said. Since becoming the school's ninth president 15 years ago, King has accomplished a lot. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast campus in 2005, he selected and established the Tradition location, opening in 2009. "He wanted to move up north like a lot of people did after Katrina so we purchased this land," Connor recalled. "We started off with two buildings: an administrative building and an academic building." The campus has grown tremendously since then. In 2018, Dr. King led the way in opening Sanderson Hall, housing the pharmacy school as well as Scianna Hall with biology and chemistry classrooms. Now, the pharmacy school is fully accredited and, as Conner says, the only professional school on the Coast. It's one of only two in the state. |
| A booming Bid-ness: Why the U. of Alabama's Bid Day is a big deal | |
 | Bid-ness will be booming this week at the University of Alabama. Bid Day, is UA's annual sorority fall recruitment event and will be held Sunday on campus in Tuscaloosa. That's when the participating students will find out which sorority has accepted their membership bid. Thousands participated in the first round of open house events for the sorority recruitment period known as "rush week," which began Aug. 6. Rush weekends with Bid Day, where the girls meet inside Bryant-Denny Stadium and they are handed a manila envelop which they are told to sit on. Thousands of girls open their envelopes at the same time and then "run home" to their new homes. While Bid Day has been a big deal in Tuscaloosa for years, thanks to social media the influence of Alabama sororities now reaches far beyond Tuscaloosa. The #bamarush and #alabamarush hashtags on TikTok have millions of views during the past couple of years. According to the Division of Student Life website, more than 35 percent of UA's undergraduate student body belong to Greek letter fraternities and sororities. That means that 11,000 students belong to UA's 68 Greek organizations. Since 2011, UA has had the largest overall fraternity and sorority membership in the nation. Classes at UA are scheduled to begin on Aug. 17. |
| Veterans United Foundation donates $100K to help U. of Missouri Ukrainian students | |
 | Quietly and behind the scenes, Veterans United Foundation donated approximately $103,000 to the University of Missouri's Ukrainian Emergency Fund early this summer, to assist Ukrainian students attending MU. The donation will benefit Vlad Sazhen and Alina Rohulia, a couple who were reunited Friday when Rohulia arrived at the Columbia Regional Airport before the start of the fall semester. Sazhen has been studying at MU since January. They are both from war-torn Kharkiv. It also will benefit Daniil Rakov, a recent high school graduate from Zaporizhzhia, in southeastern Ukraine. "I didn't know who made the donation to me" until now, Rakov said in a Monday phone interview. "That means a lot." He said he hopes to show his gratitude any way he can. "I will be able to study," Rakov said. "I hope to give back and volunteer with them and be a good student." His hometown in Ukraine isn't occupied by the Russian military, but he said missiles sometimes fly over. Rakov said he wants to keep information about his family there private. The region is home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has been damaged in the combat. Sazhen previously mentioned a foundation had made a substantial donation that included funds to pay for Rohulia's airfare to Columbia. |
| This University Laid Off Dozens of Professors. The Pain Didn't End There. | |
 | Angela Bilia made $18,000 last year as an adjunct at the University of Akron. She once made more -- triple, in fact -- doing nearly the exact same job. In the early months of the pandemic, the Ohio university laid off close to 100 faculty members, including Bilia. But the service Bilia had provided to the university -- teaching "the bread and butter courses" of the English department for over 15 years -- was still needed. So the university hired her back as an adjunct. "For people like me," she said, "it was like an assassination of our careers." Before the layoffs, Akron had been struggling. From 2011 to 2020, undergraduate enrollment dropped nearly 40 percent. "The sky has been falling," one professor said. Discussion of faculty cuts over time was already underway. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, in the spring of 2020, everything changed. And layoffs were needed sooner. Akron's leaders say the layoffs were necessary to protect the institution. But for the 96 faculty members who were part of the "reduction in force," moving on has been nearly impossible. They call themselves "the RIF," pronounced like "riff." They see themselves as the human toll in a nightmare version of higher ed's future, plagued by declining enrollments, cuts in state funding, assaults on tenure, and a bottom-line mentality more suited to a business. |
| Rhodes College alums lobby for removal of Amy Coney Barrett from school's hall of fame | |
| A Facebook group of Rhodes College alums with a focus on abortion and reproductive healthcare access are lobbying the school to remove Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett from the Rhodes Hall of Fame. The group's reasoning is stated in a posted online petition that analyzes Barrett's answers to questions posed during her Senate confirmation hearing in October of 2020. In short, the petition states, Barrett lied about her position regarding the recently over-turned Roe v. Wade legal precedent. Her dishonesty, the petition contends, is in direct conflict with the Rhodes Honor Code. "She did testify that she had no agenda for overturning precedent such as Roe or Casey. This statement seems not only disingenuous in retrospect after the Dobbs decision, but at the time it would have been at odds with her scholarly writings. It was, at the very least, misleading," the petition read. A spokesperson for Rhodes College issued the following statement in response to the circulating petition: "We are aware that some alumni are soliciting signatures for a letter regarding Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The letter has not yet been delivered to Rhodes, so we have no comment at this time." Barrett, a native of New Orleans, attended Rhodes College in the early 90s. After her nomination, the Rhodes administration said it was a notable moment for the college's legacy -- even if a contested one given the proximity of the nomination to the 2020 presidential election. |
| Colleges focus on educating students as they prepare for the possibility of monkeypox on campus | |
 | With nearly 9,000 confirmed monkeypox cases nationwide, there is growing concern that US college and university campuses could become monkeypox "hotspots" this fall. Educators are working to reduce the public health risk while some students worry about how their campus experiences might be affected by the virus -- a virus that the nation is still trying to control and that was recently declared a national public health emergency. The CDC says the most common way monkeypox spreads is from person to person through direct contact with the rash, scabs or body fluids of someone who's been infected. Such contact can happen during intimate activities such as sex. However, the virus can also spread if a person touches an object, fabric or surface that has been contaminated. Texas A&M is also making efforts to educate its students. "We have an active webpage and social media content ready to send to our students," Dr. Martha Dannenbaum, director of Student Health Services at Texas A&M, told CNN in an email. "We have well established processes for pushing out educational content to our students which we will continue to follow. "University Health Centers are intimately involved with public health efforts on their campuses so managing potential outbreaks of monkey pox or other new infectious diseases is part of the work we do," Dannenbaum wrote. "Most (including Texas A&M Student Health) were very involved in the planning and execution of the plans for their campus related to COVID. We can expect a similar response to monkeypox." |
| Report: College Endowment Returns Drop | |
 | During the last fiscal year, colleges had the strongest endowment returns in 35 years. But what goes up must eventually come down and a new report on fiscal year 2022 shows a downturn for endowments across the sector compared to last year. The median return before fees was 27 percent in the 2021 fiscal year, according to data from the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service. But more recent numbers indicate that college endowments fell by a median of 10.2 percent before fees in the 12 months leading up to June 2022, according to data released Tuesday by Wilshire and first reported by Bloomberg. However, colleges with larger endowments of more than $500 million performed better. The drop-off for fiscal year 2022 was dramatic. Wilshire data shows that U.S. college endowments suffered their biggest loss since 2009 when returns fell by 17.6 percent. But if the news sounds negative, it isn't all bad. Higher ed experienced strong returns compared to other sectors. "Endowments actually did fairly well," said Mike Rush, senior vice president at Wilshire. That's especially true for larger institutions with more diverse investment strategies. The change in returns seems to be largely the product of market volatility. And even amid a difficult fiscal year of weak returns, college endowments still beat out the traditional 60/40 investment portfolios where 60 percent of allocations go to stocks and the other 40 to bonds. |
| Why Americans are increasingly dubious about going to college | |
 | Even as freshmen nervously arrive on campus for the fall semester, policymakers are grappling with what they say has become an "alarming" decline in the number of high school graduates willing to invest the time and money it takes to go to college. A little-understood backlash against higher education is driving an unprecedented decline in enrollment that experts now warn is likely to diminish people's quality of life and the nation's economic competitiveness, especially in places where the slide is most severe. "With the exception of wartime, the United States has never been through a period of declining educational attainment like this," said Michael Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University's Miller College of Business. There are 4 million fewer students in college now than there were 10 years ago, a falloff many observers blame on Covid-19, a dip in the number of Americans under 18 and a strong labor market that is sucking young people straight into the workforce. But while the pandemic certainly made things worse, the downturn took hold well before it started. Demographics alone cannot explain the scale of this drop. And statistics belie the argument that recent high school graduates are getting jobs instead of going to college: Workforce participation for 16- to 24-year-olds is lower than it was before Covid hit, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, reports. Focus groups and public opinion surveys point to other, less easily solved reasons for the sharp downward trend. These include widespread and fast-growing skepticism about the value of a degree, impatience with the time it takes to get one, and costs that have finally exceeded many people's ability or willingness to pay. |
| Colleges Weigh New Admissions Strategies | |
| Colleges have considered applicants' race in admission decisions for decades. Starting next year, that could be curtailed or even illegal, depending on the outcome of cases before the Supreme Court. So college-admissions officials are rushing to figure out what it would mean to enroll a diverse class of students if the law changes. They say that would mean widening recruiting efforts, looking more closely at applicants' backgrounds and proactively offering spots to students before they even apply. As the Supreme Court prepares to rule on two lawsuits challenging how Harvard University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill use race as a factor in whom they admit, it will be looking at whether to overturn decades of precedent allowing some consideration of race. The Court is expected to hear the cases during its next term, which begins in October, with a ruling expected by June. Many colleges say having students from a range of backgrounds enriches the educational experience and helps prepare them for a world in which they'll interact with people unlike themselves. Past Supreme Court rulings have cited educational benefits derived from diversity. But challengers say that factoring race into the admissions process has led schools to discriminate against white and Asian applicants. If the Supreme Court decision bars the consideration of race in admitting applicants, universities might be able to improve how they tap into applicant pools. "Most of the elite schools are fishing in the same pond," says Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program. "There's a series of ponds outside their sightlines they need to be casting their lines into." |
| Bill to rework Veterans Affairs 85-15 rule reporting passes Senate | |
| A bipartisan bill that would rework parts of the 85-15 rule, a federal law meant to ensure veterans enroll in quality college programs, passed the U.S. Senate last week. The 85-15 rule forbids students from using Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to pay for programs in which more than 85% of students enrolled receive GI Bill benefits or other VA aid. The statute exempts colleges with low shares of veterans enrolled. But proving institutions qualify for the exemption has become tricky, and the new bill means to streamline the process. The 85-15 rule tries to ensure that GI Bill and other benefits are not subject to waste and abuse. The rule reasons that if some non-veterans are willing to pay out of pocket for a program, it is more likely a quality one. Colleges with student populations with less than 35% veterans enrolled do not need to follow the rule. However, the VA recently revamped its policies, requiring colleges to resubmit proof of their exemption and submit calculations for each of their programs. This put colleges in a Catch-22, "where they are unable to receive the exemption without first computing the ratios," wrote the American Council on Education, the higher education's top lobbying group. ACE supports the new bill. "As a result, campuses spent multiple days computing 85-15 ratios for hundreds of programs, most of which did not have any veterans enrolled," ACE wrote. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, and Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, would make the 35% exemption explicit in the law, and clarify the statute's requirements. |
| Borrowers, lenders left in limbo as deadline to extend student loan payment pause nears | |
| With the pause on federal student loan payments set to expire at the end of the month and no announcement yet from President Joe Biden about whether he will issue another extension, borrowers and lenders are growing increasingly frustrated over the lack of clear policy direction. Although most debt forgiveness advocates, policy experts and loan servicers don't expect Biden to restart federal loan payments so close to the midterm elections, the White House's drawn-out decision-making process has led to uncertainty for both borrowers trying to plan their finances and servicers who are unsure whether they need to start notifying loan holders about coming payments. "Financial stress is the No. 1 stressor in people's lives, and this is adding even more stress and confusion," said Natalia Abrams, the president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center. "Education Secretary [Miguel] Cardona said he would give borrowers ample notice -- we are now just three weeks away from a financial cliff." Biden has extended the federal student loan moratorium, which began under former President Donald Trump, four times. The White House hasn't said whether he will continue to extend it. The White House didn't reply to a request for comment. The lack of guidance from the White House this close to the expiration of the moratorium has also made planning difficult for loan servicers, who are responsible for clearly communicating with borrowers about when their payments are due. |
| We Asked College Health Centers How They'll Deal With Abortion Restrictions. They Aren't Saying. | |
| Ask a college health center how it's planning to support students' reproductive health this fall, and at most you'll get a generic statement like this one, from the University of Oklahoma: "Our top focus is supporting the needs, aspirations and well-being of our students. While the university must and will comply with all applicable laws, we remain unwavering in our commitment to serve our students to the fullest extent possible." Six weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, opening the door for states to ban abortion, and days before the start of the fall semester, most colleges in states with restrictive abortion laws aren't making their plans public. From mid- to late July, The Chronicle called and emailed 50 campus health centers in states with strict limits on abortion to ask whether the ruling is reshaping their policies on contraception, abortion, leaves of absence, and prenatal care. Just over a dozen institutions responded, most with vague statements from the public-relations office. One referred a reporter to a list of services on the campus website; another said the health center was awaiting direction from legal counsel and senior administration. Only three agreed to interviews. Professional associations, which typically speak on behalf of their members, are treading carefully, too. Colleges have reason to be cautious, according to Kimberley Harris, a visiting assistant professor at Texas Tech University School of Law. The legal landscape around abortion is still shifting, with some state bans on hold, and other states threatening to punish people who "aid and abet" an abortion, even if they don't provide it themselves. This leaves college leaders unsure what they'll be legally allowed to say and do come fall. |
| Their mentor was attacked. Now young OB-GYNs may leave Indiana | |
 | Early on a Monday morning, a group of young obstetrics and gynecology residents gathered for a daily meeting. The young doctors, dressed in blue scrubs and white coats, sat in the auditorium of Indiana's largest teaching hospital. The meeting was a chance to share updates and make announcements. But they also had to address the elephant in the room. "Any more abortion care questions?" Dr. Nicole Scott, the residency program director, asked the trainees. One of the residents spoke after a few harsh moments of silence: "How's Dr. Bernard doing?" "Bernard is actually in really good spirits. I mean, relatively," Scott answered. "She has 24/7 security, has her own lawyer." They're referring to Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indiana abortion provider and one of the physicians who trains residents at this university hospital. Bernard was recently caught in a political whirlwind after she spoke to a reporter about an abortion she provided to a 10-year-old rape victim who crossed the state line from Ohio. The doctor was the target of attacks from pundits and political leaders on national television, including Indiana's attorney general. The vitriol hit home for this group of residents. Bernard has been a mentor for most of them for years. Many of these young doctors were certain they wanted to practice in Indiana after training. Lately, some have felt more ambivalent. These days, Scott, the residency program director, has found that the scope of her job has expanded beyond clinical and academic responsibilities. Her meetings with residents include political updates, and she tells them there are mental health services available if they need them. "I mean, our residents are devastated," Scott said, holding back tears. "They signed up to provide comprehensive health care to women. And they are being told that they can't do that." |
| Medical schools, students review training amid abortion bans | |
 | Ghazaleh Moayedi credits many of her strengths as a Texas-based obstetrician-gynecologist to training related to abortion. Outpatient abortion training builds bedside manner and teaches practical technical skills outside of a hospital, she says. "Having so much experience in abortion care has actually really trained me and prepared me in handling other situations," said Moayedi, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health and a mentor to many residents. She pointed to her adeptness with early ultrasonography, used to identify complications in early pregnancy. But since the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, broad bans on most abortions in Texas and other states could hamper training for future medical providers. "I had a medical student that messaged me and said they were on their obstetrics rotation and were saying, like, 'People are coming in, and we're having to tell them, like, their bag of water broke, but we can't do anything until they have a fever.' That's not how we should be training people," Moayedi said. The questions arise just as medical school applications roll in and as medical school graduates plan for the next matching of residency programs in March 2023. |
| U.S. Department of Energy research gets a surprise boost in inflation-reduction bill | |
| The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) science programs are poised to get a windfall of $1.5 billion over 5 years in the massive climate and health care bill awaiting final passage later this week by the House of Representatives. The money is primarily for the construction of new facilities and major upgrades funded by DOE's $7.5 billion Office of Science, although the bill does not call out specific projects. "This is a nice little bump for the science budget," says Bill Madia, former director of two DOE national laboratories. "I'm surprised science got anything in this bill." Leland Cogliani of Lewis-Burke Associates, a science lobbying firm, cautions that the extra money is really only a down payment for many projects in the pipeline. "It may sound like a lot of money, but $1.5 billion doesn't really go very far," he says. The new legislation, dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, is a much-streamlined version of a $3.2 trillion blueprint for sweeping social, environmental, and economic reforms proposed last year by President Joe Biden. That ambitious agenda, called the Build Back Better Act, included nearly $13 billion for DOE's Office of Science and tens of billions of dollars for other federal research agencies. That figure was the high-water mark for the national labs in legislation that went through many iterations and names. Even so, IRA retains a sizeable investment in DOE lab infrastructure while removing funding for the other research agencies. |
| APLU President Praises Biden's CHIPS and Science Act, Urges Congress for Further Action | |
| Following his attendance of the signing of President Biden's CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities President Peter McPherson praised the move, but urged Congress to take further action. The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act includes almost $53 billion in funding to encourage domestic manufacture of semiconductor chips and research, Scientific American reported. The act also includes funding increases for multiple departments. And it extends support for the International Space Station through 2030 and sets policies to reorganize a program for sending humans back to the moon and eventually to Mars. "This multi-pronged approach to bolstering American scientific leadership will enable public research universities to tackle vexing global challenges, spark innovations, and promote widely shared prosperity." "The bill authorizes critical new resources for STEM scholarships, fellowships, and traineeships to support new workforce pathways as well as new programs to support research capacity at HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions," said McPherson. "And to help foster economic development in often-overlooked regions, the bill authorizes key new resources for the creation of 20 geographically distributed regional technology hubs for technology development, job creation, and expanding U.S. innovation capacity." McPherson and the APLU also asked Congress to enact policies that were left out in the bill, such as streamlining green card paths for international students with STEM degrees to bolster innovation and economic growth. |
| Technology, global politics make CHIPS and Science Act a necessary investment | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: Mississippi Republican U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are in near-lockstep on their votes -- skewing conservative on fiscal and social issues and reflecting the views of their conservative Mississippi constituencies. But on the matter of the CHIPS and Science Act, Wicker and Hyde-Smith found themselves on opposite sides of the legislation. Wicker voted in favor of it. Hyde-Smith voted against it. The split vote of Mississippi's U.S. Senate delegation becomes even more interesting when one considers that a year earlier, Wicker and Hyde-Smith were united as signatories on a bipartisan letter calling on President Joe Biden to increase U.S. semiconductor production in reaction to the global computer chip shortage after the COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the tenuous global semiconductor supply chain. The original legislation under U.S. Senate consideration was a measure that would have provided $52 billion in subsidies/incentives to encourage chipmakers to open U.S. semiconductors production/fabrication plants. The bill that passed the Senate, the House and went to Biden's desk was a much larger, more expansive legislation that analysts put in the $280 billion range to supercharge research and development for America's domestic semiconductor industry and to fuel direct competition with China in these economic sectors. |
SPORTS
| Wide receiver Jaden Walley transitioning into leadership role for Mississippi State | |
| Jaden Walley is never late. It's one of the attributes Austin Williams sees in his fellow Mississippi State wide receiver: Whether it's practice or a team meeting, a treatment session or recovery, Walley is always on time. Going into his junior season in Starkville, Walley has begun to make the transition from young player to leader, and his teammates have noticed. "He's grown a ton," Williams said. "He's really matured into a leader. He works really hard." It remains to be seen if that growth will translate into production for Walley, a junior from D'Iberville. After one of the best seasons by a freshman wide receiver in Mississippi State history, Walley's production took a slight step back in 2022 instead of the expected leap. Walley totaled 718 yards on 52 catches as a freshman but had just 628 yards -- as well as six scores -- last season. Part of that drop-off was due to a deeper wide receiver room led by Cal transfer Makai Polk and featuring another standout freshman in Rara Thomas. Inside receivers coach Drew Hollingshead on Tuesday noted Walley's total production thus far -- over 1,300 yards and eight scores in just two years. "That's really impressive, but just like everybody else, there's always something you can get better at, right?" Hollingshead said. |
| Looking for a tricky game on UGA football schedule? It may be a November trip to Starkville | |
 | The way things look inside four weeks before Georgia football kicks off its season, the Bulldogs will be a two-touchdown favorite in every game this season leading up to the SEC championship game. In lines already published by FanDuel, Georgia is picked by 17 ½ points over Oregon, 15 over Florida, 15 ½ over Tennessee, 16 over Kentucky and 29 ½ over Georgia Tech. There is no mention of Mississippi State, a team that was tied with Georgia in the fourth quarter on Nov. 21, 2020 in Athens before the Bulldogs won 31-24. "We let one slip a little bit at Georgia," sixth-year wide receiver Austin Williams said recently. "That's always left a sour taste in our mouth." Could the Bulldogs' first visit to Starkville since 2010 on Nov. 12 be a dangerous game following rivalry games against Florida and Tennessee? "They're a very, very tricky team," Kentucky linebacker De'Andre Square said. "It's a very, very good team. You have to prepare for them because they bring something to the offense that you don't really see. You don't really see too many teams run the Air Raid. If you don't prepare right, they'll sneak up on you. You have to rally to the ball. That's the most important thing." If you give credence to the USA Today Sports AFCA coaches poll released Monday, Mississippi State is the fourth toughest SEC opponent on Georgia's schedule. Only No. 21 Kentucky and Tennessee and Auburn, in others receiving votes, are ranked higher. |
| Natalie Poole hired to lead Southern Miss softball program after 11 years at Memphis | |
 | Southern Miss announced Wednesday that Natalie Poole has been hired as its new head softball coach. Poole arrives from Memphis, where she spent 11 years leading the Tigers' program. Poole replaces Brian Levin, who resigned July 12 to spend more time with his family. "(Poole) brings a great deal of experience, energy, and knowledge to our program," Southern Miss AD Jeremy McClain said in a statement. "Her extensive experience as a Division I head coach gives her the ability to come in and hit the ground running, allowing our student-athletes the best opportunity to succeed. We look forward to supporting her in building a championship culture here at Southern Miss." Poole resigned from her post at Memphis following the 2022 season, and posted a 241-340 overall record while in charge of the Tigers. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Poole takes over a Southern Miss program that went 29-23 overall and 9-15 in conference play in 2022. Poole will lead the Golden Eagles in their first season in the Sun Belt Conference. |
| Belhaven alumni donate water to university's football team amid Jackson's water crisis | |
 | Belhaven University alumni helped provide water to the Belhaven football team during the City of Jackson's water crisis. "It wasn't even a question," said Frederick Terry, who organized the donation. "I just called coach and said, 'Hey, we got some stuff coming.' Reached out to some other alumni, and everybody just started sending in donations, so we could get water to the guys." Dozens of cases of water and Powerade were donated to the team this week. "To some people, we're just the school down the street. To 25 years worth of men, this is a pretty special place," said Blaine McCorkle, head football coach at Belhaven University. Their first game will be on September 1st against Millsaps. |
| One SEC school added more fans than Alabama over the last five years | |
 | With more than 4.1 million fans, the Alabama Crimson Tide have the largest fanbase in the Southeastern Conference - and the second largest in the nation. That fanbase keeps growing, but just one SEC school added even more fans than Alabama since 2017. That honor goes to the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs. It turns out winning championships is good for building a fanbase. "Tiger Woods once said that winning takes care of everything. This is certainly true when it comes to growing a fanbase," said Darin White, the executive director of Samford's Center for Sports Analytics. "Both Alabama and Georgia have seen double digit growth in their fanbase thanks to recent national championship seasons." Some SEC fanbases actually shrank over the last five years. Four teams - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Ole Miss - lost fans from 2017 to 2018. South Carolina and Ole Miss each saw their fanbases cut in half, with the Rebels seeing a league-worst 57% decline, despite a popular, social-media savvy coach in Lane Kiffin. White noted that Ole Miss has a strong fanbase among Gen Z fans, but not as strong with other generations. According to the data, Ole Miss now has the second smallest total fanbase in the SEC, trailing only Vanderbilt. |
| Alabama football takes step for alcohol sales at Bryant-Denny Stadium, applies for liquor license | |
| Alabama football took an important next step toward alcohol sales at Bryant-Denny Stadium this fall. UA's concessionaire, Levy Premium Foodservice LP, has sent an application to the City Council of Tuscaloosa for a liquor license. Required notice was recently posted outside Gate 5 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The public hearing on the application is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16 in the council chamber room at city hall. If approved by the city council, the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board's license approval bureaucracy will have to give final say. "Over the last couple months, we've revisited the opportunity for alcohol sales at select athletics events," Alabama Athletics Director Greg Byrne said in a statement to The Tuscaloosa News. "We're currently working with our concessionaire through the liquor license application process for Bryant-Denny Stadium." Pending those approvals, it would signify the first time alcohol has been sold to the general public at Bryant-Denny Stadium or at any Alabama athletics event on campus. The SEC gave the green light for alcohol sales at all on-campus stadiums in the spring of 2019 when it lifted a previous ban. The decision was left up to the schools whether to sell alcohol. |
| Georgia plans $68.5M overhaul of football stadium | |
| A year after the University of Georgia's football team won a national championship, UGA is starting a $68.5 million project to overhaul its football stadium, making it easier for Bulldogs fans to get around and building more suites for premium donors. University System of Georgia regents voted Tuesday to approve the plan for Sanford Stadium, which will be paid for with private donations and borrowing by the private UGA Athletic Association. Construction on the first phase is planned to begin after the 2022 football season and the second phase would be built after the 2023 football season. The first phase would build a new entryway and plaza and widen the lower-level concourse to make it easier for fans to get around the 92,000-seat stadium. It would add new concession stands, expand bathrooms by adding more toilets and sinks and relocate and expand seating for people with disabilities. UGA President Jere Morehead called it "long overdue." "We're improving the ability of our fans to get in and out of the stadium, to have better services, to really improve the overall fan experience," Morehead told The Associated Press after a regent committee approved the work. "So it's all focused on the fans, which are the lifeblood of college football." |
| NIL opportunity for Gators: Florida announces custom T-shirt deal with Fanatics | |
| Florida announced a Name, Image and Likeness deal that will allow its student-athletes to profit off personalized T-shirts with their name and number sold through the Gator Sports Shop. The partnership involving Fanatics, OneTeam and the Florida Gators will allow student athletes to earn compensation and use official university trademarks on the T-shirts. The program is set to launch during the upcoming 2022-23 athletic season. Fall sports football, volleyball and soccer will jumpstart the program, while winter and spring sports such as men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball will be phased in throughout the year. In addition to being sold at the Gator Sports Shop, the merchandise will be sold on Fanatics.com and its network of sites around the country. The NCAA created an interim policy to allow student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness in July 2021, shortly after several states, including Florida, passed legislation granting college athletes the right to profit off NIL deals. |
| At flood-relief fundraiser, Kentucky basketball announces series with Gonzaga | |
| John Calipari and Mark Few have known each other for years. Their teams have met before on the court. But for the first time, the basketball coaches at Kentucky and Gonzaga are set to get their current programs together for a series that will begin this season. The Wildcats and Bulldogs will play games Nov. 20 in Spokane, Washington, and next season in Lexington, the coaches announced during Kentucky's telethon/practice Tuesday to raise funds for flood relief in Eastern Kentucky. Few appeared via Zoom on the video screens at Rupp Arena. In announcing the game, Calipari joked Few wanted to play UK, "but everything's gotta be on his terms." "I thought we were Kentucky," Calipari said. Still, the Wildcats will open the series in Spokane. Few said on the call that Gonzaga "will absolutely come back" and play UK at Rupp Arena. UK's November game against Gonzaga will be the first time Calipari at Kentucky has coached against Few, but the two have a long history. Calipari's Memphis teams played Gonzaga four times between 2005 and 2009. The Tigers went 4-0 in those games. In addition to the Gonzaga series, UK announced Tuesday this year's Blue-White Scrimmage will be played in Eastern Kentucky. Point guard Sahvir Wheeler told the crowd this year's game will be played in Pikeville. |
| Big Ten says deal for football media rights deal not yet finalized | |
| The Big Ten seems to be close to establishing its new media rights deal. The conference is working with partners to complete multifaceted media rights agreements, a representative from the Big Ten said in a statement. "The overall constructs of the new rights agreements have not been finalized," the statement says. "The conference continues to have productive meetings with both linear and direct to consumer media partners. We are committed to delivering unparalleled resources and exposure opportunities for Big Ten Conference member institutions, athletic programs, student-athletes, coaches and fans. We are very thankful to the media companies who recognize the value of Big Ten programming and want to deliver it to our fans around the world in a forward-thinking manner." According to the Sports Business Journal, CBS and NBC have emerged as the front-runners to secure rights to the Big Ten, along with Fox Sports. The Big Ten is expected to be the first college conference to eclipse $1 billion per year in rights fees. At Big Ten football media days, commissioner Kevin Warren said the media rights deal is being "finalized" and would be announced "sooner than later." Warren also said he is focused on the "creativity" of how to deliver content in the next media deal. |
| Removing Hurdles for Religious College Athletes | |
| A new law went into effect in Maryland this summer permitting college and school athletes to wear articles of clothing with religious significance while playing, or to make changes to their uniforms in line with their religious ideals. The Inclusive Athletic Attire Act, requires the governing bodies of public colleges and universities, community college boards of trustees and the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association to allow athletes to "modify an athletic or team uniform to make the attire more modest to conform to the requirements or preferences of the student athlete's religion or culture." This means athletes can now wear head coverings, such as a kippah, hijab or turban, or wear additional clothing such as undershirts or leggings for religious reasons. The law was drafted based on a similar law passed in Illinois last year which prevents public K-12 schools, colleges and universities from requiring athletes to obtain a waiver to wear ritual clothing or modify their uniforms for religious reasons. Utah also adopted a resolution this March that encourages colleges and universities and public and private K-12 schools "to allow youth to wear religious clothing or headwear or to modify their uniforms to accommodate religious beliefs or personal values of modesty without barriers or limitations." Ayah Aldadah, a cross country and track and field runner at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said the NCAA allows her to run with her hijab, leggings and undershirt without an issue. But in high school, she had to get a waiver every year to modify her uniform, which her coach had to show Illinois High School Association officials at races. She believes the waiver process likely deters other Muslim women from getting involved in high school athletics. This can pose an obstacle to them pursuing college and professional sports. |
| Judge rules against LIV golfers seeking to play in FedExCup Playoffs | |
| Memphis will not be the site of any on-course clashes between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf series thanks to a federal judge in California. Judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled against LIV golfers Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford after they sought to force their way into the FedExCup Playoffs. Last week, the trio jointly filed for a temporary restraining order as part a larger antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour. The three golfers -- who defected to the LIV Golf series after already earning enough points to qualify for the PGA's postseason -- argued they should be allowed to compete in the FedExCup Playoffs largely because it would cause them irreparable financial harm. The postseason begins Thursday with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. Freeman's ruling is a significant victory for the PGA Tour in the first of what is expected to be a series of legal battles. The FedEx St. Jude Championship is scheduled to tee off at 7:15 a.m. with Brandon Wu, Trey Mullinax and Brendon Todd on No. 1, and Matthew NeSmith, Gary Woodland and Beau Hossler on No. 10. All told, there will be 121 golfers in the field. |
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