| Tuesday, November 1, 2022 |
| Sen. Roger Wicker, Boeing visit MSU for updates on impactful research, student opportunities | |
 | Mississippi State University is sharing its growing research and development capabilities with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and officials from The Boeing Company this week. MSU President Mark E. Keenum and other campus leaders welcomed the visitors for a day of tours and briefings to update them on a wide range of projects that are helping reach solutions to some of society's most pressing challenges. MSU was also able to highlight its robust national defense research portfolio that includes several Department of Defense partnerships. During the Monday [Oct. 31] visit, Boeing presented the university with a $30,000 donation to fund scholarships and programs for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. "I greatly appreciate Boeing's support for our students and the opportunity to host company leaders and Senator Wicker for a series of meaningful discussions," Keenum said. "Innovative research like the work we carry out here at MSU is critical to both advancing our economy and ensuring a strong national defense. We are also training the future leaders who will be charged with solving critical challenges in the decades ahead. It was a pleasure to discuss current priorities and opportunities with a leading global aerospace company and leaders in government." |
| Military, private industry benefit from MSU's High Voltage Lab | |
 | David Wallace, like his blond mullet hairstyle, was a good mixture of business and party as he intrigued his audience on Monday afternoon. Wallace, assistant clinical professor and manager of the Paul B. Jacob High Voltage Laboratory at Mississippi State University, spoke to the Starkville Rotary Club about the work he and his students do at the largest university-led high voltage lab on the continent. "The mission of my lab is to literally blow stuff up," Wallace said. "For me, electricity is the lifeblood of the nation. It runs everything, so we ensure everything works." The lab began in Patterson Engineering Building in 1950, but when Simrall Electrical Engineering Building was constructed in 1977 specifically for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at MSU, the high voltage lab found a permanent home. Wallace and his students test products for various industries from airlines to electric companies, and they even work with the Department of Defense. He said the mission is to test products' durability, sometimes under extreme conditions. To simulate different environments, the lab contains various chambers such as a salt fog chamber, thermal chambers with temperature changes, a UV-A chamber and a UV-B chamber. "I tell my students it's not a passion for me; it's a religion," Wallace said. "The higher the voltage gets in that lab, the happier I get in that lab." |
| Mississippi growers report best sweet potato crops in years | |
 | Several sweet potato growers in Mississippi said the quality of this year's crop is the best they've seen in 20 years. Lorin Harvey, a sweet potato specialist with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service, said he expects this year's total acreage to be around 28,500. The amount is slightly less than what he expected before dry, hot conditions left very little moisture for potatoes that were transplanted after May. Transplanting started in May with good conditions, but growers saw a 30-day period starting in early June with temperatures between 90° and 100° and no meaningful rainfall. The dry spell greatly impacted sweet potato stands in fields that were transplanted when soil surface temperatures reached 160°. "The early-transplanted crop looks great, but the same can't be said for later transplanted material, which suffered from severe heat stress and lack of moisture," he said. Mississippi ranks second behind North Carolina in national sweet potato production. Calhoun and Chickasaw counties are responsible for a majority of the crop. Production also takes place in Humphreys, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Tallahatchie, Tate, Webster and Yalobusha counties. |
| MSU Division of Research employees decorate offices for Halloween | |
| It's Halloween, so workers in the Mississippi State University Division of Research are making the workday fun. The departments each decorated their hallways and offices using themes. They used their creativity to bring popular stories and movies to life -- even the Super Mario Brothers game. The departments were previously spread out into different buildings on campus. Now they're all in the former Sitel building in the Thad Cochran Research Park. "We've all moved into the same building and really wanted to find something to do that would be fun and get everybody with each other. And so we came up with the idea to decorate the halls for a competition. And it was a secret. You weren't supposed to divulge what decorations each hall was and they would have people come in Friday and again today to vote to see who won," said Katie Echols, MSU Research Initiatives & Innovations. The departments spent several days decorating their hallways and offices. Visitors to the building have been voting since Friday. |
| School bus wreck on Hwy 25 causes injuries | |
| A school bus wreck on Highway 25 this morning caused multiple injuries, according to Sgt. Derrick Beckom with Mississippi Highway Patrol. A Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District bus and a private vehicle collided near the highway's intersection with Longview Road, Beckom said. The bus was occupied with sixth-12th grade students at the time. Both drivers sustained more serious injuries, Beckom said, while any student injuries were "minor as far as we know." Beckom said MHP would release more information on the incident later today. "The bus driver, bus monitor and all students were transported to OCH Regional Medical Center for evaluation," an email from administrative assistant to the superintendent Emily Ward reads. "Parents of all students involved in the accident have been notified and a parent or guardian for each student is currently at the medical facility. (The district) has not been made aware of any serious injuries to students." |
| Reeves calls Mississippi special session for jobs project | |
 | Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is calling lawmakers into special session Wednesday to consider incentives for an economic development project that he said would create 1,000 jobs with an average salary of $93,000. "Biggest economic development project in MS history coming to Golden Triangle," the Republican governor wrote Monday on social media. Reeves said in a news release that the company would make a $2.5 billion investment, but he did not name the company. He said the project includes "a flat-rolled aluminum production facility, biocarbon production facilities and certain other industrial facilities." The governor did not immediately say what kind of incentives he will ask the Republican-controlled Legislature to approve. The special session will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Democratic Rep. Kabir Karriem of Columbus told The Associated Press that the project will be for Lowndes County. The governor's news release said that the jobs for this project will be more than double the existing average salary in Mississippi. "One of my top priorities will always be to raise the per capita wages of Mississippians," said Reeves, who is expected to seek a second term next year. "This historic economic development deal does exactly that and will have a remarkable impact on communities across Mississippi." |
| $2.5B aluminum mill project planned for Lowndes County | |
| A special session of the legislature on Wednesday will address an incentive package for a $2.5 billion aluminum mill development project in Lowndes County, according to multiple sources. In an official press release issued Monday morning, Gov. Tate Reeves announced a Legislative special session. He said the project is expected to include a $2.5 billion initial investment and create more than 1,000 jobs with an average annual salary of $93,000. State Sen. Chuck Younger told The Dispatch Monday afternoon that the special session was to vote on an incentive package for an aluminum mill. "I'm going to vote for it, or I'll commit suicide," Younger joked. Officials from the Golden Triangle Development LINK -- the region's economic development organization -- said they would not comment on the project until after Wednesday's legislative special session. An entity named Aluminum Dynamics LLC filed organizing papers with the Mississippi Secretary of State's office on Oct. 26. The registered officer of the company is Steel Dynamics Vice President and Treasurer Richard Poinsatte. SDI, which already operates a steel mill in western Lowndes County, is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Golden Triangle Development LINK representatives CEO Joe Max Higgins, COO Meryl Fisackerly and Vice President of Economic Development Betsy Young will attend the session Wednesday, according to The LINK's press release. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves calls special session for $2.5B project in Golden Triangle | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves has called a special legislative session to consider a $2.5 billion investment for an economic development project in the Golden Triangle. The Daily Journal first reported the possibility of the special session after obtaining a text message sent by House Speaker Philip Gunn telling House members on Monday to make plans to be in Jackson this week for a potential special session. "There is the potential of a special session Wednesday and possibly Thursday of this week," the text message reads. "Please make plans to be in Jackson." The only person with the power to convene a special legislative session is the governor. Reeves has historically been reluctant to call such sessions. The regular session of the Legislature typically runs from early January to early April. But the Mississippi Constitution gives the governor the power to call the 122 House members and 52 senators back to Jackson when the public interest requires such a session. |
| Gov. Reeves calls special legislative session on record $2.5B economic development project | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday called a special session of the Mississippi Legislature to convene Wednesday regarding a possible $2.5 billion business investment that would include aluminum and biocarbon production facilities. The session will begin 10 a.m. Wednesday, the governor announced in a tweet Monday, and he said it may only last one day. The economic development project "includes a flat-rolled aluminum production facility, biocarbon production facilities, and certain other industrial facilities," according to a news release. "It will also include infrastructure improvement projects. The facilities will be located in the Golden Triangle Region." The project would bring 1,000 jobs to the "Golden Triangle," an area encompassing Starkville, Columbus and West Point. According to Reeves, the average salary for those jobs would be $93,000, roughly twice the state's median household income. According to 2020 census data, the median household income in Mississippi was $46,511 while per capita income was $25,444. While it is unclear exactly what actions the legislature will need to take in order to secure the project, the state has provided incentives to large employers in the past. In a tweet, Reeves said he has been in discussion with Speaker of the House Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, the leaders of the legislature's two chambers. |
| Gov. Reeves calling in lawmakers to pass incentives for $2.5 billion aluminum plant | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday announced he was calling lawmakers into special session Wednesday to approve incentives for what he called the largest economic development project in state history. Reeves did not name the company, but in a release said it includes a flat-rolled aluminum plant, "biocarbon production facilities and other industrial facilities" in the Golden Triangle area of the state, which spans from Starkville to West Point to Columbus. Sources familiar with the project say it will be a major expansion of an aluminum or steel company already located in the Columbus area. The Legislature will be asked to provide between $150 million and $160 million in incentives to help with the construction of the plant. Over the summer, Steel Dynamics, which has a plant in Columbus, announced it was planning to build three large facilities in North America to supply the automotive and packaging industries with recycled aluminum materials. In July, the company said it planned to build a flat-rolled aluminum mill in the Southeast as part of the expansion. Typically, major economic development projects require legislative approval when the state spends large amounts of tax dollars on incentives -- such as for infrastructure or on tax breaks. House Ways and Means Chair Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, who most likely will handle the incentive package in the special session, said, "I am looking forward to adding jobs to the Mississippi economy." |
| From Nashville to Tupelo on the Natchez Trace Parkway | |
 | Colleen Creamer writes for The New York Times As I pulled away from the Loveless Cafe, near the northern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway, the rain clouds that had been brewing southwest of Nashville unleashed a shower over what, in the distance, looked to be tiny Bon Aqua, Tenn., where I once lived. There was a welcome touch of fall in the air, so I was willing to gamble on a little rain. Nashville to Tupelo, Miss., 222 miles, is one half of the winding, verdant, 444-mile-long All-American Road known as the Natchez Trace Parkway. Overseen by the National Park Service, the route is free of billboards, traffic lights, stores, gas stations and commercial vehicles. It flows from Music City, where I now live, to the southern Mississippi town of Natchez, and memorializes the Natchez Trace, a frontier route used over the centuries by Native Americans, hunters, soldiers, early postal carriers, itinerant preachers and Kaintucks, traders who floated goods down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from roughly the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s, then traveled north to their homes on foot. Thousands of years before its use by bipeds, the path was tamped down by what historians believe to be bison headed to the salt licks around Nashville. |
| Portion of Highway 45 renamed in honor of senator who helped build it | |
| A strip of highway in Baldwyn has now officially been renamed in honor of a former state senator who helped build it. Officials gathered in Baldwyn on Thursday, Oct. 27, to dedicate a segment of U.S. Highway 45 as the Senator John White Memorial Highway. During the 2022 Legislative Session, Senate Bill No. 2520 was signed into law, designating a segment of U.S. Highway 45 located in Prentiss County, Mississippi, beginning at the boundary between Lee County and Prentiss County and extending north for two miles, as the "Senator John White Memorial Highway." White was born and raised in New Albany, then later settled in Baldwyn. He was elected to the Mississippi Senate District 5 in 1983, and served six terms. One of his greatest accomplishments serving as senator was leading the charge to pass legislation, to fund the construction of the four-laned U.S. Highway 45, a Highway that now shares his namesake. |
| Underfunded public defender system penalizes Mississippians | |
| For over 20 years, Stephanie Mallette has served as a public defender working on part-time contracts with Oktibbeha and Webster counties in Mississippi. Like most public defenders in Mississippi, Mallette was appointed by a judge. She represented an unlimited number of defendants for a fixed payment that often did not cover the cost of investigators or expert witnesses for the cases. Many times when Mallette filed a motion for her client she said she thought twice to make sure she could prove to the judge she was not wasting time and money. "My first priority is to my clients, but that is always balanced and tempered against how bad this is going to piss the judge off," she said. Mallette's experience is not unique. In Mississippi, attorneys who represent the indigent in criminal cases have to deal with an underfunded public-defender system that lacks statewide funding and oversight. In an ideal criminal justice system, the three components, law enforcement, prosecution and defense would be balanced in order to work fairly. But Mississippi spends significantly less money on the public defender system than its counterpart, the district attorney's offices. This funding discrepancy results in a decentralized indigent defense system that fails to provide state oversight and ensure independence from the judiciary. |
| EPA: Water in Mississippi's capital city is safe to drink | |
| The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed Monday that the water in Mississippi's capital city is safe to drink, after months of sampling at a treatment plant overwhelmed by August flooding that caused wide supply disruptions. The beleaguered O.B. Curtis water treatment plant fell into crisis after the late summer flooding left 150,000 people without running water for several days. People waited in lines for water to drink, bathe, cook and flush toilets. The crisis also added to the rising costs for business owners already saddled with a labor shortage and high inflation. The city had already been under a boil-water notice since late July because the state health department found cloudy water that could make people ill. But current water samples pass muster for safe consumption, the EPA said. "Current sampling confirms water delivered from J.H. Fewell Water and O.B. Curtis Water Treatment is safe to drink," said Maria Michalos, a spokesperson for the EPA, referring to the city's two water treatment plants. The agency encouraged Jackson residents to stay vigilant about updates and follow all future boil water advisories, as "localized issues" may resurface. |
| Staying Pink: Jackson Women's Health Organization is closed, but 1 group continues the fight | |
 | Outside of the former Jackson Women's Health Organization, also known as the Pink House, stand two older men with poster boards nearly as tall as them. In bold, Sharpie-written letters, the signs read "Honk for Choice" and "Roe Roe Roe Your Vote." Every weekend, they occupy the sidewalk where the Pink House's sign used to be, reminding people that while abortion and privacy rights have been upended in Mississippi, the fight is long from over. John Osborne, co-creator of Stay Pink and one of the men holding up the signs, decided to take a stand in support of abortion rights during the summer after the Dobbs decision leaked. The streets around the Pink House descended into chaos soon after, with abortion rights opponents on one side, supporters on the other and media from all over the country in between. Now, it's fall, and the historic Fondren neighborhood is quiet, but Osborne is still here. "It's a women's health issue, and it's none of my business," Osborne said. "But the choices women make, nobody has to explain to me or justify to me any decision they make to their health care. That's their business." Stay Pink's mission is to keep abortion rights at the front of mind, especially as election day comes closer. Osborne hopes people driving by will see them on the street and ask themselves what they can do to restore abortion rights -- whether it's to join them one Saturday outside of the Pink House, or to pay closer attention to elected officials who have voted against improving the conditions many Mississippians live in, such as poverty, rural hospital closures, inadequate health coverage and food inequality. |
| Republican Election Prospects Rise as Inflation Overshadows Abortion, WSJ Poll Finds | |
 | Voters are giving Republicans a late boost in support just ahead of the midterm elections, as pessimism about the economy and the direction of the country jump to their highest levels of the year, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds. The survey, conducted about two weeks before Election Day, suggests that abortion rights are less important in voting decisions than voters indicated in the summer, after the Supreme Court in June ended the federal constitutional right to abortion. Republicans have regained momentum since then and now hold a slight edge over Democrats, 46% to 44%, when voters are asked which party they would support in their congressional district if the election were held today. "The focus on the economic stuff, particularly inflation, is helpful to the GOP headed into the final stretch," said Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster John Anzalone. Mr. Fabrizio said that voters who haven't decided which party to back for Congress show high levels of concern about the economy and "look more likely to break Republican than they do Democrat, if they vote." The shift in preference for the GOP comes as views of the economy have turned more dour than at any point in the past year. Only 19% say the economy is headed in the right direction, down 11 percentage points from August, while 71% say the economy is on the wrong track. |
| Biden bashes oil sector for 'war profiteering,' warns of windfall tax on profits | |
 | President Joe Biden accused oil companies of "war profiteering" Monday after they posted record profits -- and urged Congress to impose a windfall tax on the industry if it fails to lower consumers' costs. Biden's comments were his sharpest yet against the industry that has seen its earnings soar as oil and gasoline prices surged this year, boosted by tight supplies as the economy emerged from the pandemic and the disruption in Russian oil supplies after it's invasion of Ukraine. But his call is mostly likely a futile one, since Congress won't meet before the election next week that's expected to deliver control of at least one chamber of Congress to Republicans, and the idea is unlikely to draw strong enough political support even among his own party. He reiterated his call for the oil industry to use the surging profits to increase its oil production and refining capacity, and said it was time they looked beyond "the narrow self-interest" of their executives and shareholders. But business groups and the oil industry said the latest calls are a politically motivated attack on the sector that Biden has targeted since his campaign and won't help bring down prices. "Experience proves that adding new taxes to punish companies actually hurts consumers," said Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "In this case, it will raise gasoline prices by removing the incentive to produce and refine more oil. To lower our energy costs we need a long-term energy strategy focused on boosting production, not finger-pointing." |
| Chief Justice Roberts grants Trump temporary hold in dispute over tax returns | |
 | Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday temporarily blocked the House Ways & Means Committee from obtaining former President Donald Trump's tax returns, giving both sides until later this week to submit arguments in the case. The administrative order will put any action in the case on hold. Trump on Monday had asked the Supreme Court to intervene in his long-running legal battle with the House Ways & Means Committee over access to years' worth of his tax returns. The request came to the nation's highest court days after the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to reconsider an August ruling by a three-judge panel that unanimously sided with the House committee in the dispute. Trump is asking the Supreme Court to pause enforcement of the appeals court ruling so that he has time to submit a formal appeal of the decision to the high court. "This case raises important questions about the separation of powers that will affect every future president," Trump said in legal papers Monday. "The committee's purpose in requesting President Trump's tax returns has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the IRS and everything to do with releasing the president's tax information to the public." Roberts, who handles emergency appeals from the D.C. Circuit, gave the Ways and Means Committee until Thursday to respond. |
| New Paul Pelosi attack details debunk conspiracy theories | |
 | More details emerged Monday after the Department of Justice filed federal kidnapping and assault charges against David DePape, the man accused in the attack last week against Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. DePape, 42, is accused of attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer after breaking into the Pelosis' Pacific Heights home in San Francisco Friday morning. The federal complaint has debunked conspiracy theories that have spread on the internet, fueling rhetoric in right-wing circles and casting doubt on some of the facts of the attack. The conspiracy theories have gone from fringe to the mainstream, with members of Congress sharing them. A Times review of his online accounts show that DePape had been drifting further into the world of far-right conspiracies, antisemitism and hate. Though police haven't publicly specified a motive for the attack, San Francisco Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins said Monday that based on the comment DePape made to Paul Pelosi and his own statements, the attack was "politically motivated." "It's very sad to see that we are once again at the point in history where people believe that it's OK to express their political sentiments through violence," Jenkins said. "It demonstrates that we have to calm things down. We have to decide that we're going to be more respectful as an American society." |
| Judge blocks Penguin Random House-Simon & Schuster merger | |
| A federal judge has blocked Penguin Random House's proposed purchase of Simon & Schuster, agreeing with the Justice Department that the joining of two of the world's biggest publishers could "lessen competition" for "top-selling books." The ruling was a victory for the Biden administration's tougher approach to proposed mergers, a break from decades of precedent under Democratic and Republican leadership. U.S. District Court Judge Florence Y. Pan announced the decision in a brief statement Monday, adding that much of her ruling remained under seal at the moment because of "confidential information" and "highly confidential information." She asked the two sides to meet with her Friday and suggest redactions. Penguin Random House quickly condemned the ruling, which it called "an unfortunate setback for readers and authors." In its statement Monday, the publisher said it would seek an expedited appeal. Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division praised the decision, saying in a statement that the decision "protects vital competition for books and is a victory for authors, readers, and the free exchange of ideas." The publishing industry has been consolidating for years with little interference from the government, even when Random House and Penguin merged in 2013 and formed what was then the biggest publishing house in memory. The joining of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would have created a company far exceeding any rival and those opposing the merger included one of Simon & Schuster's signature writers, Stephen King, who testified last summer on behalf of the government. |
| JSU student, professor fear SCOTUS' affirmative action case could put minority students in jeopardy | |
| A U.S. Supreme Court case has the potential to change the college admission process indefinitely. Monday, court justices heard arguments on whether race should continue to be a factor in that process. Challengers in this case target Harvard and the University of North Carolina's admission programs. They argue the programs violate equal protection principles, eliminate the process of a color-blind society, and discriminate against Asian Americans. "I feel like affirmative action being repealed is kind of like America taking two steps back in the wrong direction," Jonas Goss said. Goss -- a freshman at Jackson State University -- said minority students all over the country could be in jeopardy. It all depends on how the supreme court rules. "Affirmative action was created for people of our background to get a fair shake and to be allowed in some of those historically white spaces," he said. Some feel race shouldn't be considered in higher education admissions whatsoever. On the other hand, Jacobi Grant -- a professor at JSU -- said diversity plays a crucial role in getting students ready for life after college. "For our academic institutions of higher learning to properly prepare its students for work in America's workforce, they should probably expose them to situational circumstances and diverse settings that they will encounter during their occupations," he said. |
| Mississippi College unveils new logo and raises Choctaw National flag over stadium during homecoming game | |
| Mississippi College welcomed the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) Chief Cyrus Ben and other members to raise the Choctaw Flag over Robinson-Hale stadium. "On this campus to be able to acknowledge us as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and embrace that is just wonderful," Ben said. The College also revealed a new athletic logo featuring an Eagle on Friday which was on display at one of its sporting events for the first time for Saturday's homecoming game against Delta State. Mississippi College worked closely with the tribe to come up with a design that embodies Choctaw culture. You can read more about the logo here. "They've done a great job of unveiling the new logo and also the mascot for Mississippi College and embracing what the tribe is and some of the applications that we utilize in our culture as well," Ben said. Mississippi College (MC) has used the Choctaw logo for over 100 years and have had a long-standing relationship with the tribe. The bond strengthened to new levels after Chief Ben and MC President Dr. Blake Thompson took their respective offices in 2019. "The chief and I have decided that the relationship between our two organizations is perhaps the most important thing that we could build," Thompson said. Ben, an MC football alum, and Thompson have worked closely to ensure an open transfer of culture and education between the two tribes. |
| New U. of Alabama facility could transform brain research and more | |
 | The University of Alabama has opened its new $10 million, 9,700-square-foot MRI Research Facility, an addition to the University Medical Center. The move is a big step forward in furthering the university's capacity to conduct research across a number of academic disciplines. The centerpiece of the addition to the University Medical Center complex at Fifth Avenue and Fourth Street is a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging machine. The unit is roughly twice as powerful as MRIs commonly used in clinical settings. Sharlene Newman, executive director of the Alabama Life Research Institute, said, "It has a higher magnetic field strength, and it is the most widely used type of MRI for research in the world." The unit has a 3 Tesla rating, which is a number that describes the strength of the magnetic field the machine produces. The 3 Tesla machine can operate faster at the same resolution as a 1.5 Tesla machine and it can produce higher resolution imagery with less interference so researchers can see more detail. "Most of the research, at least initially, will be focused on neuroscience. Most of us who use the MRI scanner currently study the brain. We have faculty from across campus who study everything from education neuroscience, to substance abuse, to autism, to aging and dementia," Newman said. |
| U. of Kentucky student dies in Seoul Halloween crush | |
| A University of Kentucky student who was studying in South Korea was one of more than 150 people killed when a huge Halloween party crowd surged into a narrow alley in a nightlife district in Seoul, the school said Sunday. Anne Gieske, a nursing student from northern Kentucky, died in the crush of people in the Itaewon area of Seoul on Saturday night, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said in a statement posted on the school's website. Gieske was studying in South Korea this semester with an education abroad program, Capilouto said. The university also has two other students and a faculty member there, but they have been contacted and they are safe, he said. "We have been in contact with Anne's family and will provide whatever support we can -- now and in the days ahead -- as they cope with this indescribable loss," the statement said. The school has offered online and phone resources for students who are grieving, including the services of a mental health clinician. The university has nearly 80 students from South Korea, the statement said. "As a community, it is a sacred responsibility we must keep -- to be there for each other in moments of sheer joy and in those of deepest sadness," Capilouto said. "That is what compassionate communities do." |
| Fuchs has full confidence in Sasse | |
| UF President Kent Fuchs found sole presidential nominee Sen. Ben Sasse's search more effective than his own. While there are three weeks between Sasse's announcement and the Board of Trustees' vote on him, there were only about three days between Fuchs', he said. The extra time allowed the presidential search committee to do more research and more thoroughly understand Sasse before his confirmation. "This search committee had what my search committee didn't have," Fuchs said. "That is, opportunity to talk to references, to grill, to ask tough questions as a group." Ideally, Fuchs said the search process should be completely confidential: The president would be selected behind the scenes and announced to the public without their input, mimicking the selection process at top-ranked public and private universities. An outside consultant said all top five public universities -- University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Michigan Ann Arbor and the University of Virginia -- also named a sole finalist in their recent presidential searches, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said. Although Fuchs wasn't involved in the presidential search and doesn't sit on the Board of Trustees, he met with Sasse in early October to give a tour of the presidential mansion. In that time, and based on opinions from colleagues he'd spoken to, Fuchs said he gained full confidence in Sasse. "People say, 'Well we ended up with you, so it must be an OK process. And I say, 'You could've gotten somebody much better," Fuchs joked. |
| Survey on Campus Technology: Student Priorities and Problems | |
 | Student interest will continue to grow when it comes to virtual courses and remote learning options for live courses, the desire for creating richer academic and on-campus experiences, and new technology options. Yet, on many campuses, technology dollars are limited, with a wide variety of initiatives competing for that funding. Even at higher ed institutions that value student input in making allocation decisions, student desires must be weighed against other priorities, such as cybersecurity. "Campus IT dollars are stretched more than ever before at our institution," says Bill Balint, chief information officer at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. "We have to figure out what initiatives are truly important to student success---and remember that a lack of proper investment in cybersecurity carries the most risk, even if students don't perceive it. Cyberbreaches shut down campuses." More than one-third of college undergrads believe students should have a significant amount of input on the tech investments their institutions make, and an additional half think they should have some input, according to a Student Voice survey conducted Sept. 19 to 27 by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse with support from Kaplan. On the cybersecurity front, only 6 percent of the 2,000 respondents are very worried about their college being targeted by a cybersecurity breach or attack. Campus technology investment decisions can represent delicate balancing acts between security, student preference and the institution's future plans. |
| The Pandemic Generation Goes to College. It Has Not Been Easy. | |
| Colleges are now educating their first waves of students who experienced pandemic learning loss in high school. What they are seeing is sobering, especially because the latest dismal results from the national exam of fourth and eighth graders suggest that they could face year after year of incoming students struggling to catch up. In almost all states, there were significant declines in eighth-grade math, and most states also showed a dip in reading for fourth and eighth graders. In interviews across the country, undergraduates discussed how their disjointed high school experiences have trailed them in their first years of college; some professors talked about how grades are down, as well as standards. Many students are tentative and anxious. For many low-income students and students of color, who have historically faced bigger obstacles to earning a degree, classes seem to be that much harder and graduating that much tougher. As it is, in many states, high school graduation rates fell for the class of 2021. And undergraduate enrollment has declined 4.2 percent since 2020, according to preliminary data published recently by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The swirl of issues "all demonstrate that we've got a crisis," said Stanley Litow, a visiting professor of public policy at Duke University and a former deputy chancellor of the New York City public schools. It's especially bad, he said, for low-income students and students of color. "The population that we're most interested in doing the most for seems to be moving in the wrong direction," he said. |
| Justices appear skeptical of affirmative action | |
| How important were Monday's Supreme Court arguments on affirmative action? Matthew L. McGann, dean of admission and financial aid at Amherst College, camped out Sunday night starting at 10:00 p.m. to watch the historic deliberations in person. When the five hours of hearings started at 10:00 a.m. Monday, he wasn't let in but was wait-listed. He had to wait for some people to leave. They finally did, and he was able to see most of the arguments in the Harvard University case, which followed those about the policies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (He listened to audio of the rest of the arguments.) He attended the district trial nearly four years ago where Harvard won. And he still hopes for another victory. But many observers would say it's going to be a long shot when the Supreme Court ultimately rules on the cases next spring. In arguments before the Supreme Court Monday, six justices with a history of opposing affirmative action -- and new justices expected to oppose affirmative action -- asked questions and offered comments that reflected skepticism about the practice at both universities. For instance, Justice Clarence Thomas said, "I've heard the word 'diversity' quite a few times, but I don't have a clue what it means." And he rejected the answer from Ryan Park, who was defending UNC, about the educational benefits of diversity. Thomas said he didn't "put much stock in that." |
| Supreme Court sounds skeptical of race in college admissions | |
 | The conservative-controlled Supreme Court appeared ready to curtail the use of race in college admissions during five hours of oral arguments Monday that focused on what schools can do to encourage a more diverse student body. The six conservatives on the court sounded skeptical of the admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina as they mulled whether to toss a 19-year-old precedent that has allowed those schools to consider race as one of multiple factors in admissions. The court's three liberals stressed the importance of the use of race as just one part of college admissions decisions. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the newest justice and the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, argued race was one of more than 40 factors that the universities used to assess potential students. "They're looking at the full person with all of these characteristics," said Jackson, who did not participate in the part of the arguments related to the Harvard policy. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar defended the continued usefulness of race in admissions programs and cautioned that overturning Grutter would "reverberate through every institution in America," including the U.S. military. |
| Survey: Dobbs Ruling May Impact Where Med Students Study | |
| The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and rescind the constitutional right to abortion will have an impact on where aspiring doctors choose to attend medical school, according to a new survey conducted by Kaplan, an educational company that offers preparation courses for admissions exams, including the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The survey, administered to pre-med students who took the MCAT, elicited 328 responses during September and October. Almost half of the respondents said the ruling would likely affect their educational path, with 26 percent saying it probably will and 21 percent saying it definitely will. Another 26 percent said it either definitely or probably wouldn't, and 27 percent weren't sure. The results confirm what many practitioners and professors feared might be a trickle-down effect of the Dobbs decision. Those who said the ruling would impact their decision cited everything from moral opposition -- one respondent wrote they "refuse to apply to any medical school in states where women don't have rights to their bodies" -- to practical concerns about lack of access to hands-on training for abortion procedures. "It's clear from our survey results that the Supreme Court's decision is causing waves among pre-medical students, since this issue intersects both science and, for many, deeply held moral views," said Jennifer Moore, executive director of premed programs at Kaplan. |
| Agency leaders need Legislature's help | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney asked the Legislature for help after breaking off mediation efforts between the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi. Chaney called "horrendous" the complaints his office has gotten from affected patients. "It's deplorable that the citizens of our state are being used as pawns to settle this dispute," he said. Chaney has recognized he needs more authority to avoid such patient harming disputes. "I will be pursuing legislation in the 2023 Legislative Session to protect consumers in the future from getting caught in the middle of these types of contract disputes," Chaney wrote in his mediation suspension notice. Maybe his criticism of both parties and outreach to the Legislature will have impact. Rumors abound that the two will end their bitter dispute prior to year-end. Chaney is not the only agency head frustrated with helplessness to deal with critical problems. |
SPORTS
| AD John Cohen leaves MSU for Auburn | |
| On Nov. 4, 2016, John Cohen became Mississippi State's athletic director after Scott Stricklin left for Florida. Almost exactly six years later, Cohen will follow in Stricklin's footsteps. Cohen became the latest Mississippi State AD to leave for another Southeastern Conference program, resigning Monday to accept the athletic director job at Auburn. Cohen's departure was confirmed Monday morning by MSU, which now begins the search for a permanent athletic director. Auburn announced Cohen's hiring Monday evening. Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Bracky Brett was named the Bulldogs' interim AD. Brett has worked for Mississippi State since January 2002. "Bracky is well known and highly respected in the Southeastern Conference and across the NCAA and I know he will maintain stability and focus as we move forward with a search for a new athletics director," MSU president Mark Keenum said in a statement. Keenum thanked Cohen and his wife Nelle for their time at Mississippi State and said MSU is a "victim of our own success" when it comes to MSU athletics directors leaving for other SEC positions. "Together as the Bulldog family, we will move purposefully to find a new leader who can both embrace and build on that culture of success," Keenum said. |
| MSU names Brett interim athletic director as Cohen resigns | |
 | A national search is underway at Mississippi State University for a new athletic director after MSU President Mark E. Keenum announced that John Cohen resigned from the position to accept the role of athletic director at Auburn. "In many ways, MSU is a victim of our own success in that several former MSU athletics directors have transitioned into similar roles at peer institutions in the Southeastern Conference," Keenum said. "That fact speaks to the growing culture of success among our student-athletes and the commitment of our university, our alumni and friends and our fans to competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics and doing so in the right way. Together as the Bulldog family, we will move purposefully to find a new leader who can both embrace and build on that culture of success." Keenum has named MSU executive senior associate athletics director for compliance Bracky Brett, a Koscuisko native and MSU alumnus, interim athletics director. "Bracky is well-known and highly respected in the Southeastern Conference and across the NCAA, and I know he will maintain stability and focus as we move forward with a search for a new athletics director," Keenum said. |
| Nationwide search underway for new MSU Athletics Director | |
| Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum is searching for a new Athletics Director at Mississippi State University (MSU) after AD John Cohen announced his immediately departure from MSU. Keenum named longtime MSU Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance Bracky Brett as interim athletics director. Brett, a Kosciusko native, is an MSU alumnus. Cohen, an MSU alumnus who served the university as a varsity student-athlete, a head coach, and finally as athletics director, leaves an enviable legacy in Starkville. During Cohen's tenure, MSU won the 2021 College World Series in baseball -- the first national championship in the institution's history -- and a total of five Bulldog programs have turned program-best seasons under Cohen's tenure. "We thank John and Nelle for their long and dedicated service to MSU. In many ways, MSU is a victim of our own success in that several former MSU athletics directors have transitioned into similar roles at peer institutions in the Southeastern Conference. That fact speaks to the growing culture of success among our student-athletes and the commitment of our university, our alumni and friends and our fans to competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics and doing so in the right way. Together as the Bulldog family, we will move purposefully to find a new leader who can both embrace and build on that culture of success," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. |
| With game looming, Mississippi State coach Mike Leach finds it easy to be 'distracted' from John Cohen's departure for Auburn | |
| When Mike Leach and Mississippi State take the field Saturday, a familiar face will be in unfamiliar colors. Athletic director John Cohen left MSU on Monday to take the athletic director position at Auburn, which just so happens to be visiting Davis Wade Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. In an odd twist of fate, Cohen will don orange and blue this weekend in Starkville, but Leach said Monday it won't affect much. "Whoever you're playing that particular week has a funny way of keeping you distracted from all that stuff -- from all the little ironies and things that are cute and fun to think about once you're retired," Leach said. Even a Tigers team in complete disarray is enough to keep Leach occupied. Auburn (3-5, 1-4 Southeastern Conference) fired head coach Bryan Harsin and much of his offensive staff on Monday, shaking things up considerably ahead of Saturday night's game at MSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC). Not even Harsin's ouster in the middle of his second season will change Mississippi State's preparation, though. Leach said he doesn't expect the Tigers to overhaul everything on short notice under interim head coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, the team's running backs coach and a former star at the same position. And while Auburn might not have a head coach, the Tigers "definitely have players" of whom the Bulldogs must remain aware. |
| Mike Leach, Chris Jans react to John Cohen's departure from Mississippi State | |
| What Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach expected to be quick chats with athletic director John Cohen often turned into hourlong conversations. The dialogues were part of a strong working relationship between the two. "I thought John was great -- got along good with John," Leach said Monday. " ... I always enjoyed working with John." Cohen resigned Monday after almost six years as MSU's athletic director and in a matter of hours accepted the same position at Auburn. Asked during his weekly press conference about his reaction to the news, Leach said he wasn't expecting Cohen to jump ship but that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility when it comes to college football. "I'm surprised this happened, but I'm not surprised something surprising happened," Leach said. "Something surprising happens every week, and you just don't know when it's going to manifest itself." First-year MSU men's basketball coach Chris Jans was asked about Cohen's resignation shortly after news broke Monday morning. Jans had little comment on the news but said he would wish Cohen well and move on "if that is in truth the case." "I haven't really had any time to digest it," he said. "Not going to speak on any other man's professional decisions that they have to make. "John and I have had a great relationship since I arrived." |
| MSU-Georgia Kickoff Slated For 6 p.m. On Nov. 12 | |
| Mississippi State's home matchup against No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 12, is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN. The matchup will be the 26th meeting all-time between Mississippi State and Georgia. The last meeting came in 2020 when Georgia came away with a narrow 31-24 win over State in Athens. The game between the two teams will mark the first meeting in Starkville since 2010 when MSU secured a 24-12 victory over the visiting Bulldogs. The MSU-Georgia game has officially been declared a sellout. Stubhub is the official secondary ticket provider of Mississippi State Athletics. Please visit www.Hailst.at/stubhub for more information. |
| State Faces Alabama in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals | |
| The No. 8 seeded Mississippi State soccer program turns its sight toward the No. 1 seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (17-1-1, 10-0 SEC). Tuesday's game (Nov. 1) will kick off at 5 p.m. CT and will air, nationally, on the SEC Network. In the regular-season meeting between the Dawgs and Crimson Tide, State dropped only its second home loss of the season, 4-1. Despite the loss, MSU's Haley McWhirter scored her sixth goal of the season. MSU secured its first appearance in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals after a 2-1, overtime victory over Texas A&M. Two members from the 2022 senior class scored the goals, while the underclassmen picked up their 13th and 14th assist of the season. Alabama, meanwhile, is coming off a 1-0 win over their in-state rival, Auburn, to secure its undefeated run through conference play. The West Division champion outshot the Tigers 14-12. Tuesday's match against State will be their first of the tournament after securing a first-round bye. For the first time, the SEC Tournament is being held in Pensacola, Florida. For the previous 18 of 19 years, the Tournament was held in Orange Beach, Ala. |
| JSU's Game Day generates millions for the Capital City | |
| The Capital City is coming off a win-win weekend for football fans and local businesses. The Jackson State Southern Boombox Classic garnered national attention with ESPN's Game Day Broadcast. Visit Jackson officials said local hotels, restaurants, and businesses were packed, generating millions for the city. From the stands to the stadium parking lot, fans turned out for the Jackson State Southern Game; crowds heighten by ESPN's Game Day coverage. Visit Jackson officials were expecting about 40,000 but reported an estimated 54,000 in attendance. President and CEO Rickey Thigpen describes the event as a perfect storm despite the rain. "ESPN Game Day being in Jackson the second time they've ever been to an HBCU. Florida A&M the first time I think in 2008," said Thigpen. "So it put Jackson again on the national stage. So that's what we do at Visit Jackson and again, to partner with Jackson State University to make that happen was an amazing opportunity." According to preliminary figures, Visit Jackson estimates an economic impact of $4.4 million for the Capital City. "That means every restaurant, every hotel, every gas station, every grocery store selling ice and supplies for tailgating," said Thigpen. "That's what we do at Visit Jackson. That's what our hospitality industry is so proud to do to bring that new money into our economy to help support the Capital City." |
| Finebaum: Bryan Harsin fired '2 weeks late,' says John Cohen should target Lane Kiffin, Hugh Freeze | |
 | Auburn's decision to part ways with football coach Bryan Harsin was the right move, Paul Finebaum said. In fact, it was late. "Two weeks late but the correct move," Finebaum told AL.com on Monday, not long after the university fired Harsin. "Harsin had no support left, and it seemed the school was clearing the decks for the new athletic director." As reported by AL.com, the Tigers are set to make Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen the athletics director on the Plains. AL.com confirmed Saturday that Auburn was zeroing in on Cohen and working to finalize a deal. Cohen informed Mississippi State president Mark Keenum of his resignation, effective immediately, the university of announced late Monday morning. "Hiring John Cohen was very smart, and he's well respected and someone very capable of conducting a search," Finebaum said. "But I think the hunt for the new coach really involves two people -- Lane Kiffin and Hugh Freeze." Auburn canceled its weekly football news conference about 90 minutes before Harsin was scheduled to speak. The school didn't immediately name an interim coach. The Tigers play at Mississippi State on Saturday. |
| Auburn hires ex-Mississippi State athletic director Cohen | |
| Auburn named former Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen to the same position on Monday, charging him with hiring a new football coach. The school announced Cohen's hire about six hours after saying that President Chris Roberts had fired second-year Tigers coach Bryan Harsin. Cohen had been athletic director at Mississippi State since November 2016 after a long career as a baseball coach. He hired Joe Moorhead for a short-lived stint as the Bulldogs coach and then replaced him with Mike Leach. The Tigers and Mississippi State play Saturday in Starkville. "John has a wealth of experience in college athletics, particularly in the Southeastern Conference and his resume and references are impeccable," Roberts said. "His leadership and success as a head coach and an athletic director speak for themselves." Cohen, who played baseball for Mississippi State, was a two-time SEC coach of the year. "Auburn is an incredibly special place as is demonstrated by the hall of fame coaches and athletes that have been a part of its storied history," Cohen said. "I understand the traditions and values at Auburn and look forward to continuing those traditions. I'm humbled and honored to be joining the Auburn family." |
| Report: Yurachek rebuffs Auburn | |
| University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek turned down an offer to take the same job at Auburn, according to reporting Monday by Arkansas Business. The publication reported that Yurachek was offered $2 million per year by Auburn, and first reported that Yurachek will receive an amended contract as a result of Auburn's interest. According to information obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, Yurachek's salary will be increased to $1.5 million per year beginning in January 2023 and his contract will be extended through Dec. 31, 2027. Yurachek was previously under contract through June 30, 2027. Beginning in 2028, Yurachek will be eligible to receive $250,000 in deferred funds from each year of the contract. He is also eligible for additional raises consistent with increases in UA faculty and staff pay. The contract amendment has not been formally finalized, but details were outlined in an Oct. 27 email from UA System President Donald Bobbitt to other UA leaders. That email was provided as part of the FOIA request. The Razorbacks' most profitable programs, football and men's basketball, have experienced a resurgence under head coaches hired by Yurachek in 2019. |
| Carnell Williams named Auburn's interim head coach | |
 | Auburn football has tabbed Carnell "Cadillac" Williams as the program's interim head coach in the wake of Bryan Harsin's firing, the school announced Monday night. The school in announcement said Williams will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. Williams has been Auburn's running back coach since 2019, previously that same role Alliance of American Football's Birmingham Iron, IMG Academy and the University of West Georgia in what's been a seven-year coaching career. This season, Auburn's rushing attack is No. 50 in rush yards per game (171.8) in the FBS. Williams is also an Auburn legend from his days as a player, when he garnered the nickname "Cadillac" for becoming one of the most prolific rushers in the school's history. He holds program records for career rush attempts (741) and rushing touchdowns (45), and he's second all-time in career rush yards with 3,831, second only to Bo Jackson. The former running back's tenure as interim head coach is expected to last four games, as Auburn will close out its season at Mississippi State, hosting Texas A&M and Western Kentucky, and then traveling to Tuscaloosa for an Iron Bowl. Williams, though serving on an interim basis, is the first Black head coach in the history of Auburn's football program. |
| Can the SEC stop Auburn football from hiring Hugh Freeze as coach? | |
| Auburn football is looking for a new coach in the wake of Bryan Harsin's firing Monday. A candidate whose name has come up in discussion, at least among fans, is that of former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze. With a background that includes major NCAA sanctions under his watch at Ole Miss, would the SEC welcome him back? And if not, could the league do anything to stop it? Freeze, now at Liberty, left Ole Miss under an NCAA investigation. Additionally, an internal school investigation uncovered a pattern of calls from his university phones to numbers found in ads for escort services. Ole Miss was accused of 15 Level I violations, and the NCAA infractions committee said the school lacked institutional control and fostered "an unconstrained culture of booster involvement in football recruiting." The NCAA penalties resulted in the school vacating 33 wins over six seasons. He was hired at Liberty prior to the 2019 season and has gone 33-12, including a 10-win season in 2020 and a 7-1 record so far this season, landing the Flames at No. 23 in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll. He has won bowl games after each of his previous three seasons. Given his background and unceremonious exit from Ole Miss, however, the SEC might have reservations about allowing him back into its coaching ranks. Alabama coach Nick Saban was reportedly interested in hiring Freeze on his staff in 2018, but indicated the league office convinced him to back off when asked about it. So if Auburn decided to pursue Freeze, could the SEC do anything about it? The short answer is no, but there would be a discussion. |
| New AD hires are about being excellent in one sport above all others | |
| The Daily Journal's Parrish Alford writes: When trying to sell the accomplishments of an athletics director, one of the "go to" bullet points is general excellence. If a team is going to suit up and play, the people around it want to associate with a winner. Mississippi State praised one of its own Monday even as John Cohen was walking out the door to Auburn. "A total of five Bulldog programs have turned in program-best seasons" under Cohen, the news release said. That's nice, but this isn't about non-revenue sports. Any AD hire in the SEC is about football. ... Whoever becomes the next Auburn football coach will be attached at the hip to Cohen. They will be branded as the turnaround team for the Tigers in their quest to keep from being overshadowed by Nick Saban, their in-state rival. There's more weight in John Cohen's checkbook today, and on his shoulders too. |
| MU settles lawsuit over Title IX probe involving former Mizzou basketball player | |
 | Two women who sued the University of Missouri in federal court over alleged mishandling of their Title IX complaints regarding a former university basketball player have settled with the school. MU will pay $400,000 to the women, who are only identified as Jane Doe 1 and 2 in the lawsuit. Under the agreement's terms, the university doesn't admit any wrongdoing and the women dropped their claims. The Missourian obtained a copy of the settlement through an open records request. The unnamed women sued MU in December 2019 for "failing to adequately and properly investigate allegations of sexual harassment, stalking and sexual assault" related to former basketball player Terrence Phillips. According to the lawsuit, Phillips texted one woman a picture of his genitalia and would appear at her home and the bar at which she worked. He allegedly drugged and raped the other woman. MU's Title IX investigation largely cleared Phillips of wrongdoing, according to the lawsuit and his social media posts at the time. The anonymous women argued that they were not properly informed about hearings during the investigation and that the university did not investigate adequately. n the nearly three years since the lawsuit, MU amended its policy around resolving sexual harassment complaints twice. In February, the university changed the name of its Office for Civil Rights and Title IX to the Office of Institutional Equity. |
| Michigan football's Gemon Green retains attorney after suffering concussion in tunnel incident | |
| Michigan defensive back Gemon Green has retained Tom Mars of Mars Law Firm to represent him in a lawsuit against Michigan State players after he was "assaulted" in the tunnel on Saturday night following U-M's 29-7 win over MSU, Mars confirmed to the Free Press. "When college football players brutally attack a member of the opposing team with their helmets, resulting in the player suffering a concussion and other injuries, an apology won't suffice," Mars said in a written statement. "There has to be severe consequences for this kind of misconduct. Not only does Gemon Green deserve to be compensated for his injuries, severe consequences in this case will deter others who might think they can get away with brutally beating an opposing player and only get a slap on the wrist. I've got news for the MSU players who did this to Gemon. They are going to feel the full wrath of the law." There were no further specifics on who the charges will be filed against or the specific nature of the charges. This comes just hours after Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said he "can't imagine that this will not result in criminal charges," and identified the two Michigan players who were attacked as Green and fellow defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. Harbaugh explained that in addition to the videos circulating on social media, he saw a "tunnel cam" by ABC that comes from a higher angle that showed even more that he'd initially seen. |
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