| Monday, February 6, 2023 |
| Artificial intelligence is changing the education landscape | |
 | A student bogged down with assignments logs onto OpenAI's ChatGPT website and types, "Write a five paragraph essay explaining the themes of '1984' by George Orwell without plagiarism with quotes in MLA format." In roughly one minute, the online artificial intelligence chat system writes a five-paragraph, 500-word essay detailing how the dystopian book discusses the danger of totalitarianism, the power of language and the manipulation of truth through its characters, setting and action. ChatGPT is one of dozens of artificial intelligence services that have become widely available to the public in the past few months. AI is not new, but the emergence of its accessibility and ways it can be used are. Mimmo Pairsi, director of the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center at Mississippi State University, said AI is the decision-making process behind movement, and it is all possible because of collecting available data. It is used every day with online banking, Netflix and TikTok suggestions based on your watch history and Amazon suggestions. However, it is still up to the human using AI to decide for themselves what they want to watch or buy. "Instead of having a human to make the decision on whether or not something is to be done, that process is now automated by artificial intelligence," Parisi said. "... AI is an automation of the decision-making process, so the next thing is in order for AI to work, you need data. It's like humans – you make a decision based on what you know. ... The question right now for AI is at what point should humans intervene in the decision-making process, and that debate is still out there." |
| Starkville firm earns $1M contract to develop AI for military vehicles | |
| United States military vehicles may soon be able to detect upcoming maintenance issues thanks to an artificial intelligence system being developed by a Starkville-based company. Technology research and product development company, Camgian Microsystems, has partnered with Ohio-based manufacturer Parker-Hannifin to develop artificial intelligence and data collection software to improve the maintenance of U.S. Army vehicles. Camgian founder and Chief Executive Officer Gary Butler told The Dispatch Parker-Hannifin contracted with the company to work on a U.S. Department of Defense contract to build an AI-based software program that will use sensor technology to monitor and diagnose the condition of military vehicles to predict when repairs and maintenance will be needed. "(The military's) systems are used in many high-end critical operations," Butler said. "Last thing you want them to do during an operation is to go down, so if we can forecast a failure in advance, they can address it when the machines are in the normal downtime and improve the overall productivity of the operation." Founded in 2006, Camgian is located in Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park at Mississippi State University. |
| WISPR takes off in Mississippi | |
 | Founded in 2016, WISPR Systems is a Mississippi-based drone manufacturer providing versatile, rugged, and reliable commercial drones. The company was started by Conor Ferguson and Austin Ratcliffe, now CEO and COO, respectively. According to Ferguson, WISPR started out as a small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) manufacturer and software provider for telecommunication companies. He credits Mississippi State's entrepreneurial and investor networks as well as InnovateMS for the early assistance in turning the vision into a reality. "To get the business off the ground, WISPR received a ton of help from Eric Hill and Jeffery Rupp with the Mississippi State University Center for Entrepreneur & Outreach, Tony Jeff at InnovateMS, and from Wade Patterson and the Bulldog Angel Network to raise the money needed to get started," Ferguson, the MSU grad, told the Magnolia Tribune. The company officially began operation in 2017 and has grown into a success story for MSU and InnovateMS, both of which help entrepreneurs plan and launch startup companies. WISPR says Mississippi provides its employees with a lower cost of living and its company with a lower cost of doing business. Add in the quality of engineers coming out of Mississippi State and the local hometown support they enjoy, and Ferguson believes there are major benefits to keeping the company in the Magnolia State. |
| MSU alums gather: Student leaders reunite with mentor | |
| Photos: More than 300 former Mississippi State University student leaders recently gathered at the Old Capitol Inn to reunite with their former leader and mentor, Dr. Jimmy Abraham and his family. Dr. Abraham served in several leadership roles at Mississippi State University over his 38-year career including director of College & School Relations/Enrollment Services, associate vice president for Student Affairs, and executive director of the MSU Alumni Association/Associate vice president for Development and Alumni. Shown are scenes from the evening. |
| MSU Extension report could help Horn Lake build eco park | |
 | Horn Lake is hoping a positive report from Mississippi State University Extension Office will help the city get state funding to help build a proposed 400 acre eco park. MSU Extension agents toured the site last week where they learned about the land's connection to the Chickasaw Indians and helped identify all of the different flora and fauna species. Mayor Allen Latimer said the state scientists were very impressed with what they saw. "They really liked it," Latimer said. "They pointed out all of the different trees and plants and really got a feel for the lay of the land." Horn Lake is hoping to transform the city-owned land into a nature park honoring the Chickasaw Indians, who were the area's first inhabitants. The land sits in the flood plain of Horn Lake Creek and dates back more than 15,000 years. It was once the hunting grounds of the Chickasaws. The visit last week included Dr. Sherry Surrette from the MSU-Extension program, Mayor Allen Latimer, Horn Lake Aldermen Dave Young and Robby Dupree, Supervisor Ray Denison, and Rob Long, curator of the DeSoto County Museum who has served as the go-between with the Chickasaw Nation. Long said the museum has maps dating back to the 1820s and 1830s that shows the location of the Chickasaw village. He led Dr. Surrette to a brook containing fresh water mussels and mentioned that the property has a natural stone bridge and at least two waterfalls. |
| New curbside recycling proposal comes with $15/month cost for participants | |
| A new proposal for an opt-in curbside recycling program came Friday with hard cost estimates and considerable sacrifices. At a work session Friday morning, Ward 3 Alderman Jeffrey Rupp and Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk presented a "bare bones" curbside recycling plan estimated to cost $136,900 per year to operate. To fund it, it would need 800 households to sign up and agree to pay $15 per month, which was highlighted in the proposal as the target participation. If 1,000 signed up, the program could charge each $12 per month. For only 625 households, the monthly charge would be $20. Rupp and Sistrunk, along with sanitation department director Christopher Smiley, crafted the proposal as part of an ongoing conversation to bring back curbside recycling after the city discontinued the service in 2020. "Whether we support this idea or not, we really need the numbers if we're going to talk about it," Rupp told The Dispatch after the meeting. I think that number ($136,900) is realistic." The proposed program would be conducted by the sanitation department with existing equipment and include twice a month pickup -- one exclusively for cardboard and one for aluminum, steel and paper. The program would not accept plastic or glass. The new opt-in proposal starkly contrasts with one proposed last month by Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty, which he estimated would cost participants $6 per month and include recycling some plastics. His proposal did not nail down a cost estimate for the city to operate the program, however. |
| Ribbon cut on new manufacturing facility in Philadelphia, Mississippi | |
| Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and area lawmakers were on hand Wednesday in Neshoba County as the New York Blower Company and Kiln Drying Systems & Components cut the ribbon on their new facility. "This is an example of what's happening all around Mississippi," Reeves told the crowd gathered, calling the investment a grand slam for the local area. Reeves touted the local leaders that helped make way for the companies' efforts in the area. He said that while the state adds resources, it's the environment created by local officials and economic development professionals that make the deals happen. "A great partnership between the local community -- the city and the county and the area development partnership and the state of Mississippi -- all coming together to create jobs in this particular area of our state. It's exciting," Governor Reeves said. The two companies manufacture batch and continuous lumber drying kilns, wood waste heat plants and industrial air moving products. |
| Regional slates feature late additions, switching of names and positions | |
 | The last few weeks of qualifying in Northeast Mississippi saw a slow trickle of new candidates. It also saw incumbents drop out, a candidacy switch that stayed in the same house and a judge trying her hand at a new post. David Little initially qualified to run for the District 4 supervisor position in Oktibbeha County. When he realized the supervisor job would require more time than his regular job would allow, he pulled out of the race and his wife, Pattie Little, qualified in his stead. There are plenty of crowded elections. Four people are running for the Prentiss County coroner job, including the incumbent. There are numerous races with six or more candidates, including two eight-person races. The August primaries will trim that number down to a more manageable figure before the November general elections. On the other end of the scale, at least two positions across the Daily Journal's 16-county coverage area have no candidates. No one qualified for the county prosecutor slot in Benton County. Tishomingo County had no one run for surveyor. Both counties will have to wait until after the election cycle ends, declare the position vacant, and then hold special elections. |
| States Are Flush With Cash, Which Could Soften a Possible Recession | |
 | State governments are entering 2023 with record-high reserves, which could help the overall economy weather a recession this year. The rapid economic recovery from the pandemic combined with an influx of federal stimulus money has filled public coffers, allowing governments to squirrel funds away for emergencies. States will hold an estimated $136.8 billion in rainy-day funds this fiscal year, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, up from $134.5 billion a year earlier, when they represented 0.53% of gross domestic product, the highest in records going back to 1988. This year's figure would represent roughly 12.4% of their total spending. Unlike the federal government, most state and local governments must balance their budgets every year. That means that a fall in tax revenues must be offset, most often by cutting spending and laying off workers, which exacerbates economic downturns. Healthy reserves could make such cuts unnecessary. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said state and local governments "are really flush these days," which could support economic growth this year. Moody's Analytics estimates 39 states have the reserves necessary to offset all the revenue expected to be lost in a relatively mild recession. Four more are within striking distance. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal see a 61% probability that the U.S. enters a recession this year. On average, they expect a recession to be shallow and short-lived. |
| Mississippi weighs easing restrictions on public hospitals | |
 | The Mississippi Senate voted Friday to ease some restrictions on community-owned hospitals by letting them consolidate or collaborate with health care facilities outside their current service areas. Republican Sen. Joey Fillingane, of Sumrall, said the bill is an effort to maintain access to health care in a state where several hospitals face financial difficulties because they serve large numbers of uninsured patients. "There's all sorts of barriers that we're trying to eliminate to allow these hospitals to have as much flexibility as they can in order survive and thrive," Fillingane said. Under current state law, government-owned community hospitals are not allowed to operate outside of service areas that are established when they first open, he said. Those areas are typically restricted by city or county boundaries, or slightly beyond. Removing some barriers would allow those hospitals to consolidate or to work together by sharing some business functions, Fillingane said. Senators voted 48-0 to pass the bill, sending it to the House for more work. The state health officer, Dr. Dan Edney, told legislators in November that 54% of Mississippi's rural hospitals are at risk of closing because of financial pressure. Mississippi has a large number of uninsured residents, and health care facilities have faced rising expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Bill to make hospital collaboration, mergers easier passes Senate amid rural health crisis | |
 | The Mississippi Senate unanimously supported a bill Friday that would allow hospitals to merge or collaborate without seeking explicit state permission. The bill, which would bring major changes to the state's certificate of need regulations, is an attempt to help struggling hospitals survive, as Mississippi faces the grim possibility of more than half of its rural hospitals closing in the near future. After having its scope expanded in committee, Senate Bill 2323 would allow all hospitals, whether government-owned, non-profit or for-profit, to engage in partnerships and explore consolidation efforts without violating the state's strict medical anti-trust laws. It has been a key aspect of chamber leadership's plan to address the state's rural healthcare crisis. During a January news conference, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said hospitals should be able to operate like other businesses, and that as population has shifted across Mississippi some places have been left with too much capacity while other areas have too little. "We have discussed this with virtually all of the hospitals around Mississippi, major hospitals particularly and a number of rural hospitals," Hosemann said. Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, sponsored the bill and presented it in detail on the Senate floor Friday before passage. He said it would allow for anything from small amounts of collaboration between hospitals to full mergers. |
| Q&A: Rep. Missy McGee calls postpartum Medicaid expansion 'most impactful thing' state can do for women and children | |
| State Rep. Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, says it's her mission to advocate for women as one of few females in the Mississippi Legislature. Health Editor Kate Royals met with McGee to talk about her experiences as a lawmaker and her push to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage for new moms in Mississippi. Editor's note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length. |
| Wicker, Kelly receive top committee assignments on military affairs | |
| Two Lee County officials who represent Mississippi in Washington have received top committee assignments related to military affairs, ensuring the Magnolia State has a large influence over military projects. Republican colleagues last week chose U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker as the ranking member for the Senate Armed Services Committee, making the Tupelo Republican the highest GOP member on the committee with jurisdiction over military affairs. After former U.S. Sen. Jim Inhoffe, a Republican from Oklahoma, retired from the Senate earlier this year, Wicker had a clear path to becoming the ranking member on the committee. Wicker in a statement said he intended to follow the footsteps of Inhofe's leadership on the committee. He called the former senator "a relentless champion of peace through strength." "Mississippi and its thousands of veterans, civilian personnel, and active duty troops have a vital role to play in ensuring our country remains the strongest in the world," Wicker said. "I look forward to representing our great state in this position of national significance." In the House, Republican leadership named U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, a Republican from Saltillo, as the subcommittee chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces on the House Armed Services Committee, which has oversight over Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force programs. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure our warfighters have the tools they need to defend America," Kelly said. "As Chairman, I will have the opportunity to serve our Nation and the State of Mississippi during a time of unprecedented threats." |
| Biden 2024? Most Democrats say no thank you: AP-NORC poll | |
| A majority of Democrats now think one term is plenty for President Joe Biden, despite his insistence that he plans to seek reelection in 2024. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that shows just 37% of Democrats say they want him to seek a second term, down from 52% in the weeks before last year's midterm elections. While Biden has trumpeted his legislative victories and ability to govern, the poll suggests relatively few U.S. adults give him high marks on either. Follow-up interviews with poll respondents suggest that many believe the 80-year-old's age is a liability, with people focused on his coughing, his gait, his gaffes and the possibility that the world's most stressful job would be better suited for someone younger. "I, honestly, think that he would be too old," said Sarah Overman, 37, a Democrat who works in education in Raleigh, North Carolina. "We could use someone younger in the office." As the president gives his State of the Union address on Tuesday, he has a chance to confront fundamental doubts about his competence to govern. Biden has previously leaned heavily on his track record to say that he's more than up to the task. When asked if he can handle the office's responsibilities at his age, the president has often responded as if he's accepting a dare: "Watch me." |
| Biden Prepares for State of the Union Speech as China Tensions, Job Gains Take Center Stage | |
| President Biden will give the State of the Union address before a newly divided Congress on Tuesday, hoping to build off positive economic signs but facing fresh tensions with China and the lingering war in Ukraine. Following the speech, Mr. Biden will travel on Wednesday to Wisconsin, a 2024 presidential battleground, and tout union jobs during a visit to Madison. On Thursday he is scheduled to visit Florida -- the home of two potential 2024 GOP rivals, former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis -- to highlight plans to strengthen Social Security and Medicare and reduce healthcare costs, the White House said. On Friday he will discuss his economic agenda with the nation's governors and meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The week is likely to be dominated by questions over the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon the U.S. shot down on Saturday. Republicans have criticized how long it took that to happen and lawmakers in both parties expressed concern over what was already a tense relationship with Beijing. The Biden administration has defended its actions, saying taking the craft down over the Atlantic Ocean was safer than doing so over land, where debris would pose a risk to people on the ground. Mr. Biden on Tuesday night is expected to talk up legislative accomplishments and ways of moving his agenda forward while calling on Democrats and Republicans to find common ground. |
| Trump's '24 game plan: Be the dove among the hawks | |
 | Donald Trump is settling on a simple foreign policy pitch in his second bid for the White House: Want World War 3? Vote for the other guy. Over the past week, Trump has assailed President Joe Biden's handling of Afghanistan. He has said he could end the almost year-long conflict in Ukraine within "24 hours," but without any indication how, and suggested sending tanks to the country could spark nuclear war. He has railed against China and called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a "globalist." The claims are a continuation of a posture Trump sought to project both as a candidate for president in 2016 and while in the White House -- one occasionally contradicted by his record. But his renewed focus on international affairs also comes as the Republican primary field is expected to get crowded with potential challengers likely to pitch their own foreign policy bona fides. That includes two former Trump lieutenants: former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and former secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Those close to Trump's campaign operation say he plans to try and paint himself as an anti-war dove amongst the hawks. They believe doing so will resonate with GOP voters who are divided on, but growing wary of, continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Aware that his instincts aren't as hawkish as some of his potential Republican challengers, Trump and his aides have started to draw contrasts and set the parameters of the debate. Trump's team was also eager to tout a Wall Street Journal op-ed endorsement this week from Sen. J.D. Vance, the populist Republican from Ohio, who touted Trump's inclination against getting into foreign entanglements. |
| Gen Z's political power: new data gives insight into America's youngest voters | |
 | For 19-year-old Jenna Ruiz, voting for the first time was a thrill. "My group of friends and I were really excited," Ruiz said, a sophomore at Miami Dade College who serves as student government president. Ruiz and her friends are just a few of the millions of young Americans newly eligible to vote in the 2022 midterms. Still, that excitement didn't smooth over some of the uncertainty Ruiz experienced when it came time to actually cast her ballot. "I felt, I'm not going to lie, a little bit lost on some of the things that were on the ballot," Ruiz told NPR. She said she was mostly motivated to vote because she disagreed with the conservative social policies of Florida's current Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ended up winning reelection. "I do identify more towards the Democratic Party, but I still felt like I didn't really know everything that was on the ballot," Ruiz added. "I just was excited to vote." Ruiz is part of Generation Z, which is still just getting its feet wet in politics, since the oldest members of the generation turn 26 this year. Along with millennials, Gen Zers turned out in historically high numbers for a midterm election, second only to the 2018 election. And while Gen Zers voted decidedly with Democrats last year -- and say they were most concerned about issues related to abortion -- some still wish they were better informed before voting. That's all according to a new post-election report on Gen Z from the education advocacy organization Murmuration, the Walton Family Foundation and the public opinion firm SocialSphere. |
| A Foreign Spy Craft. Superpowers on Edge. But It Was 1960, Not 2023. | |
 | A foreign spy craft miles above the earth. A missile fired to bring it down. A flimsy cover story: just a weather plane! A high-stakes diplomatic meeting ruptured and tense superpower relations inflamed. History, like good television, may not repeat, but sometimes it reaches back to earlier seasons for inspiration. To students of the Cold War, the saga of the Chinese balloon crossing American airspace seemed eerily reminiscent of the U-2 spy plane incident that provoked a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was one of the most fraught moments of the four-decade conflict pitting East against West, with enduring consequences. In that case, the nation spying on a rival was the United States, which regularly sent the high-altitude U-2 surveillance planes over Soviet territory confident that they were beyond the reach of Russian surface-to-air missiles -- until just such missiles knocked one of its planes out of the sky on May 1, 1960. Most Americans have no firsthand memory of the U-2 incident, of course, though President Biden is an exception because he was 17 at the time. But it was brought to modern audiences in 2015 in "Bridge of Spies," a movie starring Tom Hanks. The echo from the episode, though, serves as a reminder that powerful countries regularly spy on one another, which generally becomes a problem when it goes public or leads to misunderstanding or tragedy. But the latest incident may also prompt a change in spying. John McLaughlin, a former acting C.I.A. director, recalled that the downing of the U-2 meant the United States had to develop better satellites to make up for the lost intelligence. "One lesson is when you lose the capability to use a collection tool," he said, "you start to think of more ingenious ways to get at the target. The Chinese are undoubtedly doing such an analysis." |
| Farmland Becomes Flashpoint in U.S.-China Relations | |
| For more than two years, the mayor of this city near the Minnesota border backed a Chinese company's plans to build a $700 million corn mill on the outskirts of town, citing the prospect of new jobs, added tax revenue and another place for farmers to sell their corn. Then last week Brandon Bochenski reversed course, hours after the release of a letter from an Air Force official declaring the corn-mill project a security risk because of its proximity to the Grand Forks Air Force Base 12 miles away. "When it comes to national security, I don't think the economics matter," said Mr. Bochenski, a former professional hockey player who previously played in Russia and was elected mayor in 2020. "You've got to draw a hard line there." Mr. Bochenski said he and other officials who had supported the project would now block the development by the U.S. branch of Fufeng Group Ltd., which still owns the 370 acres of land. Fufeng didn't respond to a request for comment on what steps it may take. The episode reflects intensifying concerns over whether the U.S. should be restricting the ability of foreigners, particularly from China, to buy American farmland or agricultural businesses. |
| Powerful quake rocks Turkey and Syria, kills more than 2,300 | |
| A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria on Monday, killing more than 2,300 people and injuring thousands more as it toppled hundreds of buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble or pancaked floors. Authorities feared the death toll would climb as rescuers searched through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a region beset by more than a decade of Syria's civil war and a refugee crisis. Residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside in the rain and snow to escape falling debris, while those who were trapped cried for help. Major aftershocks, including one nearly as strong as the initial quake, continued to rattle the region. The quake, which was centered on Turkey's southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus rushing into the street and was felt as far away as Cairo and Beirut. The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999. Bitterly cold temperatures could reduce the time frame that rescuers have to save trapped survivors, said Dr. Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University. He added that the difficulty of working in areas beset by civil war would only complicate rescue efforts. |
| Teresa Hubbard: Trailblazing Mississippi CEO | |
| As President and CEO of Cite Armored -- a major truck manufacturing company based in Holly Springs, with an additional location in her hometown of Batesville -- Teresa Hubbard has become one of the leading entrepreneurs in the state. Quietly and without fanfare, Hubbard made a total pivot from her accounting background to running a worldwide business, which just celebrated its twentieth year, from her lifelong home state of Mississippi. Along the way, Hubbard has also consistently contributed and given back to her beloved state, including serving a current term as a Trustee with the Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning. "Teresa Hubbard is a self made American success story," says fellow IHL Trustee and former CEO of Delta Council, Chip Morgan. "She took the initiative and used her skills and her strengths to move a company from fledgling business risk to a major player in the business sector of a business that is extremely competitive. As a Trustee, Teresa has exhibited the same work ethic on behalf of our eight public universities that she has successfully led in the private sector. My personal view is that all State agencies are served best by those who have been a success in their private life -- and certainly, Teresa is the model for that formula." |
| Cotton receives The W's Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award | |
| Mississippi University for Women has announced Catherine Cotton as the recipient of The W's Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award. She will be honored alongside faculty from each of Mississippi's public universities Feb. 16 at the annual Diversity and Inclusion Awards ceremony of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning in Jackson. "Cotton's intentional work to foster discussion, insight and growth in the realm of diversity, equity and inclusion -- in addition to her academic and clinical instruction, is preparing our students to better serve their clients and better advance inclusivity and equity within their spheres of influence in the State of Mississippi," said University President Nora Miller. Cotton, assistant professor of speech language pathology, consistently co-leads first-year speech-language pathology graduate students and faculty members through discussions surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion related topics. Students and faculty regularly reflect upon selected articles, videos and questions geared toward connecting the monthly topic with personal and professional interactions, as it relates to current and future clients and colleagues. The monthly discussions allow students to view experiences through the lenses of their classmates, peers and current and potentially future clients. |
| Ole Miss researchers probe technology spending, use during pandemic | |
| Virtual and hybrid learning is a boon to student prosperity and continues to be a priority for state and local leaders. That is the main takeaway from state-funded research conducted by University of Mississippi education professors who analyzed the impacts of virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the Governor's Emergency Education Relief fund awarded the School of Education a $500,000 grant to study in-person, virtual and hybrid PK-12 instruction during the pandemic. More simply, researchers wanted to know, what did we learn? "Technology is an amazing tool to enhance teaching and learning if used effectively," said David Rock, UM education dean. "The pandemic caused one thing that I think is critical: it forced us into the 21st century whether we liked it or not. "How are we going to use the lessons learned during the pandemic to help teachers and students across the country succeed?" Sara Platt, assistant professor of special education, and doctoral student Elizabeth Young Sweeney led the research, which concluded in September 2022. |
| USM Online Programs among nation's best in U.S. News & World Report Rankings | |
| Online programs at The University of Southern Mississippi continue to rate among the nation's best in rankings released recently by U.S. News & World Report. In its Best Online Programs 2023 rankings, U.S. News ranked USM's online bachelor's program at No. 65 nationally, the bachelor's in business at No. 44 and the veterans-bachelor's at No. 41. All three programs are ranked No. 1 in Mississippi. USM also earned a No. 83 ranking in the best online MBA for veterans category, marking the first time that USM has been included in those rankings. "These rankings are definitely due to our faculty's desire to offer the highest quality programs in the country," said Dr. Tom Hutchinson, Dean of Online Learning and Enrollment at USM. "As a university, we strive to support our students and ensure our degrees will elevate them in their careers or open new opportunities for them." |
| USM holds memorial concert for longtime professor | |
 | Family, friends and former students gathered at Marsh Hall to honor the legacy of Denny Behm, who was over the University of Mississippi Horn Studio and left a huge impact on students' lives. "A lot of really, really amazing players came through his studio, and is just phenomenal to see how many people are doing different things in their lives now," said Mary Wood, who helped to organize the event. "Not necessarily all within the music profession, but successful in each of their careers, and that's all because of Denny's nurturing them as a teacher." One former student, Brad Gemeinhardt said Behm had a significant impact during his formative years, leading him to a successful career with the Metropolitan Opera. "He really introduced me to a lot of ideas and concepts and ways of approaching music that I had never experienced before, and it's something that's stuck with me throughout my whole career," said Gemeinhardt. Behm worked at USM for 29 years. |
| Millsaps College names Keith Dunn interim president | |
| Dr. Keith Dunn, provost and dean of Millsaps College, has been selected as the interim president effective June 1, 2023. Dunn will replace Dr. Robert Pearigen, who last week was named vice chancellor at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. The vice chancellor position at Sewanee is the equivalent of university president. Pearigen announced his resignation as president of Millsaps also last week. He will officially step down as president, effective May 31, 2023. "I am grateful to our board of trustees for their faith and confidence in me, and I look forward to working with the entire community to move Millsaps forward during this time of transition," Dunn said. "Keith and I have worked closely together for twelve academic years, and throughout that time he has been a wise, caring and dependable influence in the administration and among the faculty," Pearigen said in a release. "I value Keith's trust, forward-thinking mindset and friendship, and I'm confident he will guide the college with strength and steadiness." Dunn earned his B.S. from Erskine College (cum laude), where he majored in chemistry and minored in music and mathematics. He earned his Ph.D. in chemical physics at Indiana University. After 19 years at Centre College, where he served as a professor of chemistry and associate dean of the college, Dunn accepted the position of senior vice president and dean of Millsaps College in 2011. He was named provost in 2017. |
| Richard Shelby earmarks $100 million for U. of Alabama faculty: 'Unprecedented' | |
 | In a closing act before leaving Congress, longtime Sen. Richard Shelby marked $666 million in federal funding in this year's spending bill. Now, $100 million of that funding will establish an endowment for distinguished faculty at the University of Alabama. The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the endowment at the University of Alabama on Friday, Feb. 3. They also approved a $10 million Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership at UA, which will house Shelby's congressional papers. In a news release, Shelby said he had "dedicated several years" to securing the faculty endowment, which would support the recruitment and retention of about 30-40 faculty members in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. "Education is key to unlocking opportunity, which is why I believe one of the most important investments we can make is in our classrooms," he wrote. Chancellor Finis St. John IV called the appropriations "unprecedented," remarking that it would be the "largest single contribution to go down in the history of our system." This year, omnibus funds also will support research efforts at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Auburn, University of South Alabama and UAH, a nursing program at Spring Hill University, and a math and science building at Marion Military Institute, according to The Associated Press. A UA System spokeswoman said $181 million of those funds went to UA System initiatives. |
| Auburn Board of Trustees approves construction of new STEM and agriculture complex | |
| On Friday, the Auburn University Board of Trustees granted final approval for the construction of a new science, technology, engineering, mathematics and agricultural academic building complex. Initially approved on Sept. 20, 2020, the project will consist of three buildings totaling 265,000 sq. ft. to replace existing spaces no longer suitable for use as the University moves forward with its campaign to modernize and upgrade facilities across its flagship campus. The facility will provide future students and educators with state-of-the-art wet and dry research labs, principal investigator offices, collaborative spaces, shared lab support spaces and instructional labs for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Geosciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and Department of Horticulture. Expected to cost approximately $200 million, the complex will be funded through a combination of $50 million in Public School and College Authority funds, which the University does not have to pay back to the state, $21 million in college reserves and gifts and $129 million in University bond funding. While no concrete timeline was provided by the Board of Trustees, the completion of the facility would pave the way for the immediate demolition of Parker Hall and the eventual demolition of both Funchess Hall and Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. |
| Auburn University researchers combining alligator, catfish DNA: 'Who would have thought to do this?' | |
| It sounds like the start of a Southern gothic horror thriller. Auburn University scientists have been putting alligator DNA in catfish. It's delicious, but with less chance for infection. Don't worry, it won't bite back. MIT Technology Review recently highlighted the work of Rex Dunham, Baofeng Su and their colleagues at Auburn University, who have used genetic modification to reduce problems of disease in catfish farming. The alligator gene, which Dunham's research turned up as a potential answer, codes for a protein called cathelicidin. The antimicrobial protein is believed to help alligators avoid infection from wounds sustained when alligators fight and bite each other. Dunham proposed artificially inserting that gene into catfish genomes to make them more resistant to infections. The scientists also worked to ensure the transgenic fish couldn't reproduce and cause unintended harm by overtaking natives species in the wild if they were to escape the farms. Dunham, Su and colleagues used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to insert the alligator gene for cathelicidin into the part of the genome that codes for an important reproductive hormone. Without the hormone, fish are unable to spawn. Their testing showed the genetically altered fish seem more resistant to infection. They put two different types of disease-causing bacteria in water tanks and found that gene-edited fish were much more likely to survive than fish that did not have gene editing. |
| LSU students, faculty implementing campus safety measures | |
 | When walking to and from her night classes across dark areas of campus, LSU sophomore Najada Magee often doesn't feel safe -- and she knows many other women feel the same way. "We need something for us," she said. "Like an escort or buddy system where you can call people and go to class together." Many female LSU students say they generally feel safe on and around campus during the day, but are concerned about walking around at night. Those fears have only been amplified by the death of Madison Brooks last month. Authorities say Brooks, a 19-year-old sophomore, had been drinking at Reggie's, a Tigerland bar, and got in the car with three men and a 17-year-old she met there after not being able to find her friends. Deputies say one of the men and the 17-year-old raped her before she was dropped off in a neighborhood near Burbank Drive -- the street where she was later hit by a car and killed. "This terrified all female students of LSU, myself and my friends," said freshman Alisha Ortolano. "Just knowing what she went through that night makes me absolutely sick and I wish that upon no one." LSU officials say they are taking steps to make students feel more secure at night, including new lighting, more security cameras and later hours for campus buses. And state leaders as high up as Gov. John Bel Edwards have acknowledged the need to do more to protect students, asking for input from higher education leaders at an event Wednesday. |
| President Sasse to face protests and demands on first day | |
 | Ben Sasse promised political neutrality as the incoming president of the University of Florida. But that may be impossible for the former Republican senator from Nebraska, given the heated political environment Governor Ron DeSantis has created by introducing reforms to end what he called "woke activism" and which his critics say threaten academic freedom. Recent rhetoric and actions from the DeSantis administration have sent a clear message to leaders of Florida's public colleges: get in line. And, so far, that's exactly what they've done. Last month 28 presidents signed off on a joint statement denouncing critical race theory, a once-obscure academic concept examining the role of racism embedded in American society that conservatives have turned into a national issue by conflating it with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Sasse -- who resigned from the Senate in January after serving for eight year -- formally begins his tenure at UF today. He faces organized protests and a list of demands from campus constituents urging him to reject DeSantis's efforts to impose his conservative vision on the state's institutions of higher education. Sasse's trust deficit on campus largely stems from two issues. The first is the clandestine search process that led to his hire. The second issue for many on campus is Sasse's record on LGBTQ+ rights. |
| U. of Arkansas unveils its plan for common course numbering across system | |
| The University of Arkansas System is rolling out a common course numbering system that will, among other things, make transferring between UA System schools simpler for students. The change should help remove barriers to higher education, offer operational insights, and realize cost-savings for students and institutions, according to Marla Strecker, Student Lead for Workday Enterprise Management Cloud in the office of UA System President Donald Bobbitt and a catalyst for this project. The common course numbering "will go live" for the UA System's two-year institutions next year, and for the four-year institutions -- and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences -- in 2025. "So many students transfer -- it's a normal and affordable path -- and this will be a clear benefit to students and parents," Strecker said. The UA System enrolls more than 70,000 students and includes two medical school campuses, which have a number of undergraduate programs; an exclusively online school that offers 22 undergraduate degrees; five traditional university campuses; and seven community college campuses. The largest higher education institution in the state is the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, with over 30,000 students. |
| ChatGPT in college classrooms: UT professors on uncertain future, potential positives | |
| Since ChatGPT was introduced late last year, there have been many questions raised about how it will be used in classrooms, both as a tool teachers can use and as a means of cheating for students. ChatGPT was introduced in November of last year by OpenAI, a research and deployment company with a mission "to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity." OpenAI has an array of features, like DALL·E 2, which produces images, and OpenAI Codex, which can turn written prompts into code. But ChatGPT is the feature making waves in the news and in classrooms. It can have a conversation, write prose, write code and generate information. Sean Morey, an associate professor in the English department and the director of the first-year composition program, is hesitant to immediately qualify this new technology as bad for classrooms, though. "We don't want to be anti-AI," Morey said. "Practically every writing technology that has been invented was initially met with detractors and a huge pushback. I mean, this includes things like the pencil." Several University of Tennessee English professors stated that they did not yet know enough about ChatGPT to feel comfortable discussing it in any certain terms. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the UT English department met to discuss the implications of this new technology in classrooms. But more than warning against it, they also discussed what purpose it could serve. "We would like to find ways to incorporate these technologies into our pedagogies," Morey said. |
| Why are colleges offering up more DEI degrees? Demand for diversity expertise is growing | |
 | Anyfern González, an undergraduate student at Bentley University near Boston, switched her major four times before settling on a relatively new degree program. Her chosen course of study is one offered at few other institutions: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI. The term has become contentious. Most recently, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed removing DEI programs from the state's public universities on the grounds that they're too ideological. But at its core, advocates say, these programs are about helping different groups achieve representation, participation and a sense of belonging. Bentley's DEI degree programs -- a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts -- were the country's first undergraduate-level offerings of their kind. Amid mounting demand for DEI experts in everything from education to finance, the number of colleges with undergraduate and graduate DEI programs has been growing. At least a half-dozen colleges across the country either offer DEI degree programs or soon will, according to a USA TODAY analysis. There has also been an explosion in DEI certificate programs, which tend to be less rigorous and more narrow. Dozens of colleges offer minors or concentrations with titles such as "diversity studies," from Texas State University to Michigan Tech to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. And more than 100 schools now offer programs categorized as intercultural or multicultural diversity studies, up from about 50 in 2012, according to research by the consulting firm Eduventures. But participants and advocates say these degrees make perfect sense in a society rife with identity-related conflict and ripe with opportunities for professionals trained in bridging divides. |
| State support for higher ed up for second year in a row | |
| State fiscal support for public higher education institutions is up 6.6 percent for fiscal year 2023, according to the latest report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, or SHEEO. It's the second year in a row that overall state funding for higher ed has risen significantly, according to Sophia Laderman, SHEEO's associate vice president, who attributes the trend in part to state budget surpluses and federal stimulus funding. State support increased in 38 states, jumping by 10 percent or more in 14 states. Funding decreased in just five states and Washington, D.C., according to the report. Laderman said that because SHEEO's data don't account for inflation, they usually show at least some year-over-year increase in state funding. Still, she said, this year's numbers are "definitely a strong positive," building on a strong fiscal 2022, which already represented some of the largest boosts for state higher ed funding since the 2008 recession. "I think it's a sign that we're continuing to work towards restoring prior levels of funding for higher education," Laderman said. "I would say it's more positive than we've seen in the last two decades." For the past two years, SHEEO has also tracked data on the COVID-19 federal stimulus funds that states allocated to higher education. In FY2023, states spent $1.2 billion of federal funding on higher ed. Laderman said the federal stimulus funding is partly -- but not fully -- responsible for the overall increase. She thinks states have also responded to concerns about college affordability by granting funding requests attached to promises for a tuition freeze -- as state lawmakers did in Tennessee and are contemplating in Texas -- or to help with financial aid in general. |
| Alondra Nelson to leave White House science office | |
| Alondra Nelson, who led the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) during a tumultuous period last year, is leaving next week to return to her faculty position at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey. Her decision was first reported by Axios. A 54-year-old sociologist, Nelson has a lengthy resume of "firsts" as she has climbed the ranks of academia and government, including being the first Black person, and first woman of color, to lead OSTP. She took over as acting director from then–OSTP Director Eric Lander after he acknowledged bullying behavior and resigned in February 2022. Nelson acknowledged the challenges she was facing in an interview with Science. "We are turning a corner here, there's lots of change that needs to happen," she said 1 month into the role. She served for 8 months until the current director, Arati Prabhakar, became the first woman of color to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the president's science adviser. President Joe Biden initially appointed Nelson to the new position of deputy OSTP director for science and society, a post she resumed after Prabhakar came on board. In that job, she oversaw the administration's efforts on ethical artificial intelligence, research integrity, and greater transparency in science. Her work included an August 2022 memorandum directing all U.S. research agencies to make federally funded papers free on publication, as well as the underlying data. |
| Colleges start to prepare for losing Supreme Court case | |
| Colleges aren't saying so publicly, but a few are starting the process of figuring out what they would do if the U.S. Supreme Court, as expected, rules this year against affirmative action. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers last week recommended that colleges "establish a review team in early 2023 that includes your institution's legal counsel" to prepare. AACRAO hasn't given up on the Supreme Court. It filed briefs in the cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that endorse the universities' position that their use of affirmative action is legal. But AACRAO also remembers what happened when the University of California Board of Regents banned affirmative action in 1995, and the state followed a year later: Black and Latino enrollment fell by half in the first year of the new policy at the Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses. While the policy from AACRAO doesn't state that that it expects a loss for affirmative action, it certainly raises the possibility. Melanie Gottlieb, executive director of AACRAO, said she hasn't heard of many colleges starting commissions, but the recommendations just recently went out to members. Jon Boeckenstedt, vice provost for enrollment management at Oregon State University, said, "This all seems to be good advice, but nothing seems to be new or extraordinary, and most of these components are things institutions should already be doing." |
| 'It's about damn time': College workers organize amid nationwide labor unrest | |
| Frustrated by low wages and new laws limiting what they can teach -- and buoyed by President Joe Biden's pro-union bent -- campus workers across the country are moving with new urgency to organize. A historic strike at the University of California kicked things off in November. And the six-week standoff among 48,000 campus workers, a broader surge in labor strikes across industries, a depleted pandemic workforce and a friendlier atmosphere in Washington has culminated in a wave of uprisings. University of Illinois-Chicago faculty went on strike for four days last month. Hundreds of graduate students at Temple University in Philadelphia took to picket lines earlier this week. And the University of Washington averted a scheduled walkout by librarians and other campus employees in December just three hours before staff planned to hit the streets. Workers are demanding increased wages, better health benefits, more job security and improved working conditions, and so far colleges are scrambling to meet them. Even in Southern states, including Tennessee, Arizona and Mississippi, organizers are pressing school leaders about pay and fights over free speech on college campuses. |
| Senate bill takes voters out of voter initiative proposal | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: In 1992, legislators reluctantly yielded to growing public pressure and created an initiative process that allowed voters to bypass the Legislature and place issues directly on the ballot. At the time, legislators were not crazy about it. They barely hid the fact they intentionally made the process cumbersome and time consuming in hopes it would seldom, if ever, be successfully used by the electorate. In other words, legislators were not crazy about being circumvented. But even those legislators from 1992 would have been embarrassed and too afraid to try to approve a ballot initiative proposal as cumbersome and unworkable as the one that passed out of Senate committee last week. Under the new proposal, initiative sponsors would have to gather at least 10 signatures of registered voters from each of the more than 300 municipalities across the state. The proposal mandates at least 10 signatures from Jackson, which has a population of about 150,000, and from Satartia, with a population of 41. ... But it gets better. The proposal more than doubles from what was passed in 1992 the required number of signatures needed to place an issue on the ballot. |
| Main Street is Economic Development | |
| Thomas Gregory, the executive director of the Mississippi Main Street Association, writes for the Magnolia Tribune: When Mississippians think about Main Street, they probably think about their historic downtown. They might think about the community festivals that their local Main Street organization helps plan or the historic preservation projects that their Main Street organization spearheads. Perhaps they think about shopping at their favorite boutique retail store or taking their family to their community's summer concert series or the downtown parades that celebrate our holidays and local culture. The truth is, Main Street is often the driving force behind these quality-of-life initiatives in Mississippi's communities. These events and projects create communities people want to live in and visit with their friends and family. Creating quality of place is a big part of what Main Street is about, but at the end of the day, Main Street is really an economic development organization. The activities that create quality places also generate new business opportunities, create new jobs, and build a local economy that is ripe for public and private investment. ... One of the ways that Main Street helps create jobs and businesses is by providing a place where entrepreneurs can start and grow their ventures. Main Street is often the first place where budding entrepreneurs can get their feet wet and begin to build a customer base. The presence of a vibrant Main Street district in a community encourages more entrepreneurs to try their business idea, which sparks more job creation. |
| Hassell Franklin -- a life well lived | |
| Scott Reed, the CEO of Hardy Reed LLC in Tupelo and a Daily Journal contributing columnist, writes: J.P. Sartre, a well-known philosopher, said, "To do is to be." Hassell Franklin did a lot, and what he did over the past 87 years defined who he was. Now, this is a financial column and Hassell was a financial success, so many of you might think that I would want to focus on the success of his company. Franklin Corporation is one of the largest privately owned furniture manufacturers in the country, employing almost 1,000 people in Chickasaw County. But I don't think that is what you should focus on if you want to be more like Mr. Franklin. I think he was successful and his company was successful because of everything else he did. Rule No. 2 in my book "Top 40 Rules of Investing" is, "Getting Involved Benefits Everyone." There is no doubt that spending time in the pursuit of helping others is noble, and it is valuable to the community, but it is not completely selfless. Some of the most successful business people I know have dedicated their life to service. Hassell was the epitome of that. He served on the board of CREATE Foundation Inc., Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal and North Mississippi Health Services for decades. He also served on the boards of the Chickasaw Development Foundation, the Mississippi Economic Council and countless boards at Mississippi State University. In 2019, he was honored with the Red Rasberry Humanitarian Award. He has created scholarships for students to go to college and worked in his church. The list goes on and on and on. Mickey Holliman said, "His legacy is giving back." And that statement describes Hassell Franklin perfectly. |
SPORTS
| 37th Annual Super Bulldog Weekend presented by Pearl River Resort set for April 14-16, Features Brett Eldredge Concert | |
| Headlined by an on-field concert with country music sensation Brett Eldredge at Dudy Noble Field, the 37th annual Super Bulldog Weekend, presented by Pearl River Resort, will be held April 14-16, on Mississippi State's campus. Bulldog fans have plenty to look forward to during the spring homecoming tradition with softball, baseball and women's tennis all competing against Southeastern Conference opposition throughout the weekend. Additionally, football will host their annual Maroon and White Spring Game, while volleyball will host Ole Miss in a spring exhibition match at Newell-Grissom. Chris Lemonis' 2023 Diamond Dawgs will host in-state foe Ole Miss for a three-game SEC set at The Dude. Following Saturday's game, fans who were in attendance will be treated to an on-field concert with Brett Eldredge. No separate tickets for the concert will be sold. Coming off its NCAA Super Regional appearance a season ago, Samantha Ricketts' nationally ranked softball program welcomes Alabama to Nusz Park for a three-game series. Head football coach Zach Arnett's 2023 squad is set to hold its Spring Game at noon on Saturday, April 15, at Davis Wade Stadium. Admission for all fans is free. |
| Mississippi State basketball boosts NCAA Tournament dreams with win vs. Missouri | |
| As a remix of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" echoed through Humphrey Coliseum, Mississippi State basketball took the court with a calmness. Just moments after guard Shakeel Moore was chest-bumping teammate Cameron Matthews and Tyler Stevenson was shouting after an alley-oop to force a Missouri timeout, the Bulldogs took the court with little emotion. There was energy in Saturday's 63-52 win against Missouri (17-6, 5-5 SEC). But when it came time to play, when coach Chris Jans' squad took the court to play defense again, it was business-like. That approach kept Mississippi State (15-8, 3-7) afloat when late December arrived and brought along a stretch of eight losses in nine games. That approach has suddenly lifted the Bulldogs to three straight wins -- two of which are at least a Quadrant 2 victory. The team which stayed calm during its lows in January is suddenly inching toward the NCAA Tournament bubble in February. Mississippi State stays home to face LSU (12-11, 1-9) on Wednesday (8 p.m., SEC Network). LSU has lost its last 10 games, capped by a 79-69 loss to Alabama on Saturday. |
| Smith's double-double leads Mississippi St. past Missouri | |
| Tolu Smith scored 25 points and collected 12 rebounds and Mississippi State won its third straight, beating Missouri 63-52 on Saturday night. The effort marked Smith's 10th-career double-double. The only active player in the SEC with more career double-doubles is Oscar Tshiebewe of Kentucky with 25. Smith finished 8-for-12 shooting and made 9 of 12 at the foul line. D.J. Jeffries, Cameron Matthews and reserve Tyler Stevenson each scored 10 points for the Bulldogs (15-8, 3-7), who never trailed. Backup Deandre Gholston scored 12 for Missouri (17-6, 5-5) which scored a season low and saw its three-game win streak come to an end. Dmoi Hodge scored 11 and Kobe Brown 10. The Tigers shot 16 of 50 including 6 for 23 from (26%) 3-point range. Missouri entered shooting 43% at home but just 20% on the road. Mississippi State has won seven straight since 2018-19 and 12 of the last 13 meetings in the series dating to 2014-15. Overall, the Bulldogs have a 13-5 series advantage, winning eight of nine meetings in Starkville. Missouri hosts South Carolina on Tuesday. Mississippi State hosts LSU on Wednesday. |
| Mississippi State tops cold-shooting Missouri, runs win streak to three games | |
| During his postgame press conference Saturday night, Mississippi State coach Chris Jans cut off a question including the phrase "when the team loses seven of eight." "I don't remember that," Jans said with a smile. The way Mississippi State has been playing, the Bulldogs don't seem to recall it, either. MSU held Missouri -- and the nation's seventh-best offense -- almost completely in check Saturday evening at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs (14-8, 3-7 Southeastern Conference) limited the Tigers (17-6, 5-5 SEC) to just 32 percent shooting from the field in a wire-to-wire 63-52 win in Starkville. "I thought our guys had great intensity and focus from the get-go," Jans said. Mississippi State never trailed Missouri, which was one spot away from cracking the AP Top 25 on Monday, and ran its winning streak to three games. MSU picked up another big win behind a friendly home crowd, never truly dominating the Tigers but leading by a respectable margin for nearly the entire contest. The Bulldogs are playing good basketball ahead of another home game against LSU, loser of 10 straight games. The Tigers (12-11, 1-9 SEC) visit Humphrey Coliseum at 8 p.m. Wednesday. |
| How Mississippi State basketball coach Chris Jans is making The Hump bump again | |
| Mississippi State basketball forward Tolu Smith was roaming on his own. Walking toward midcourt and over the banner M logo, Smith wore the exhaustion from his 25-point, 12-rebound performance in MSU's 63-52 win against Missouri on Saturday. But he found the last ounce of energy left to lift his arms and motion for the raucous crowd at Humphrey Coliseum to cheer once more. The maroon-and-white faithful responded, voicing their approval for their team and their star forward. There haven't been many moments such as these for Smith -- who's playing in his fourth season at MSU. There was the COVID-19 pandemic which limited capacity. There was also plenty of losing keeping the crowds away. That's not the case anymore. Mississippi State (15-8, 3-7 SEC), in its search for an NCAA Tournament bid under first-year Bulldogs coach Chris Jans, has made The Hump bump again. "Big shoutout to the fanbase," Smith said postgame. "Big shoutout to coach Jans. He did an amazing job of getting the fans here. We love every second of it. It's very electric. It's like a sixth man out there." It doesn't mirror the hours he put into assembling a roster and implementing a style of play, but Jans has been heavily involved in ensuring fans are aware of their importance. He spent nights in the fall walking down Greek row and stopping by fraternities and sororities to encourage students to come to games. A day before last week's win against TCU, Jans stepped away from game preparation to meet with fans, sign autographs and shoot balls into an inflatable hoop on campus. |
| WBK Preview: vs Tennessee | |
| The Bulldogs are back in action Monday night inside The Hump after having a week off. Mississippi State will host Tennessee at 6 p.m. Monday in the first of its three games this week. Tennessee leads the all-time series 39-7 with a record of 18-2 when the game is played in Starkville. The Lady Vols have won the last two meetings in the series, including the first meeting of the year back on Jan. 5 (80-69) in Knoxville. MSU's last win against UT came on Feb. 6, 2020 in a 72-55 victory in Knoxville. State's last win over UT in Starkville was Feb. 10, 2019 when MSU defeated UT 91-63. Mississippi State has won seven of the last 10 meetings against Tennessee. Head Coach Sam Purcell earned his 15th career win on Jan. 22 vs Kentucky. He is one win shy of having the most wins by a head coach in their first season at MSU. 15 is the record currently held by Doug Novak. No coach at MSU has ever had a winning SEC record in year one. Tennessee and head coach Kellie Harper come to Starkville on a one-game winning streak after defeating Ole Miss 65-51. Prior to their win over Ole Miss, UT lost to LSU 76-68 in Baton Rouge. Mississippi State will be on the road Thursday when they travel to Gainesville, Fla. to take on the Florida Gators. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT. |
| Mississippi State women's basketball vs. Tennessee: Scouting report, score prediction | |
| For the first time since her midseason departure a year ago, Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson is set to make her return to Humphrey Coliseum in a matchup against Mississippi State women's basketball. Jackson was a highly touted prospect recruited to MSU by coach Vic Schaefer. However, the two spent only one season (2019-20) together in Starkville before Schaefer left for Texas. Jackson spent the past two seasons playing for Nikki McCray-Penson and Doug Novak, but the change in staffs didn't slow her play. Jackson averaged 16.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with the Bulldogs before entering the transfer portal last January. She spoke out in May about her end in Starkville, saying the coaching changes and lack of a core goal among players were why she left. How Mississippi State fans view her departure will finally be on display Monday (6 p.m., SEC Network). If Myah Taylor is an example, it won't be kind. Taylor, who transferred from MSU to Ole Miss in the offseason, was met with scattered boos in her return to The Hump on Jan. 1. |
| Tennessee Lady Vols basketball vs. Mississippi State: Scouting report, score prediction | |
 | Rickea Jackson makes her return to Starkville for Tennessee's next game. Lady Vols basketball (17-8, 9-1 SEC) faces Mississippi State (15-7, 4-5) on Monday (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Humphrey Coliseum. It will be the first time Jackson has played at MSU since her first three seasons as a Bulldog. Tennessee won the first matchup at home against the senior forward's former team 80-69. MSU has an All-SEC center in Jessika Carter. The senior forward had 21 points and nine rebounds last time the two teams met, and limiting her production is a priority. Vols sophomore forward Jillian Hollingshead has reached another level in recent games, making significant contributions on both ends of the court. Tennessee has worked to get more paint touches and offensive production for the sophomore, and her contributions on defense and in rebounding will be key in the matchup. The Lady Vols may not be able to grab 25 offensive rebounds Monday, so they need to be disciplined on the boards and keep MSU from getting offensive rebounds. |
| Bulldogs Complete Sunday Sweep | |
| Sunday was certainly a success for Mississippi State men's tennis. The Bulldogs (8-1) proved they could win inside as well as outside during their doubleheader sweep of Presbyterian and Jackson State. MSU blanked the Blue Hose 7-0 inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion to start the morning and finished off the Tigers 6-1 outdoors at the Pitts Tennis Centre later that afternoon. "It's not always easy to get up and get ready for an early 9 a.m. timeslot and take care of business," said assistant coach Jake Jacoby. "But we came out really focused in doubles and it was cool to see guys get a ranked win in doubles and a ranked win at No. 1 singles." After clinching both singles and doubles and also earning a ranked singles win during the victory over Tulane on Friday, Nemanja Malesevic continued to carry that momentum into Sunday's match against Presbyterian (2-6). Malesevic knocked off his fellow countryman Dusan Milanovic in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to clinch the match for the Bulldogs and also clinched the doubles point with his 6-1 victory with partner Carles Hernandez over 22nd-ranked Milanovic and Max Benson. Matt Roberts' Bulldogs will be back in action next Sunday as they travel to No. 12 Florida State for a noon CT start. |
| Bulldogs Earn Sunday Sweep | |
| Mississippi State women's tennis earned a doubleheader sweep of Memphis and Jackson State on Sunday. The Bulldogs (8-1) began the day by dropping the doubles point to Memphis (1-6) only to battle back to earn the win with four singles victories for a 4-1 win over the Tigers at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. MSU then shutout its second opponent, Jackson State, 7-0 for a twin bill sweep inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion. Chloé Cirotte and Emily Surcey were the only Bulldog doubles tandem to pick up a win against Memphis (1-6), defeating the Tiger duo of Carlota Carreter and Miriam Grosmann, 6-4. Emmanouela Antonaki and Gia Cohen came close to claiming the crucial doubles point for State but fell 7-6(2) to Aran Teixido Garcia and Emily Meyer. "Overall, I think we handled it really well and we keep preaching to them that if they keep fighting no matter the score good things are going to happen," associate head coach Sachin Kirtane said. "Proud of the team and proud of the effort today." The Bulldogs will complete their eleven-match homestand on Friday Feb. 10 against Belmont at 11 a.m. and Alabama A&M at 3 p.m. |
| Fox sells out Super Bowl ads: crypto out, alcohol in | |
| Fox says it has sold out all of its Super Bowl LVII ad space as of the end of January. The big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles takes place on Sunday. The Super Bowl is advertising's biggest stage, with advertisers jockeying to get their products in front of the more than 100 million people that watch each year. Mark Evans, executive vide president of ad sales for Fox Sports, said a few ads went for more than $7 million for a 30-second spot. Most sold between $6 million and $7 million. Anheuser-Busch remains the biggest advertiser with three minutes of national airtime. The beverage giant gave up its deal to be the exclusive advertiser this year, so Heineken, Diageo, Remy Martin and Molson Coors are also in the game. Other big categories advertising include packaged food like Doritos and M&Ms, movie studios and streaming services, automakers and tech companies, Evans said. Out this year: crypto companies. Last year's Super Bowl was dubbed the "Crypto Bowl" because four cryptocurrency companies -- FTX, Coinbase, Crypto.com and eToro -- ran splashy commercials. But in November, FTX filed for bankruptcy and its founder was charged in a scheme to defraud investors. This year, two crypto advertisers had commercials "booked and done" and two others were "on the one-yard line," Evans said. But once FTX news broke, those deals weren't completed. Now, "There's zero representation in that category on the day at all," he said. |
| Mississippi company makes paint to be used on field at Super Bowl LVII | |
 | In days, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will hit the field to compete in Super Bowl 57, and when they do, they'll be walking on a piece of Mississippi. Everything from the white lines marking the sidelines to the logo on the 50-yard line was made right here in the Magnolia State. "No one knows that this magic is occurring in the Mississippi Delta," Pat Dickens said. In the small city of Leland, Mississippi, lies the eco-friendly paint and custom stencils company World Class Athletic Surfaces. It is a company likely known to few but seen by millions. The company started nearly four decades ago after a former Belhaven tennis player began making paint for tennis courts. Then, transitioned from courts to painting fields, beginning with the one right inside of Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State. Shortly after, other college teams like Auburn and Alabama took notice of their work, and it wasn't long before that same work was being displayed on the Super Bowl Stage. "Interestingly enough, Kansas City Chief and the Philadelphia Eagles are two of our big clients," said Dickens. So, we're thrilled with their success. A lot of the NFL teams are our clients. Great paint. Great service, and we love the fact that we get to see our product out there on the field for so many momentous occasions occur." The company uses specific technology to create team's unique and exact colors. Then, they take a plotter printer the size of an endzone to make custom stencils, but seeing it out there on the field always seems to be the best part. |
| Forget the per capita, Mississippi will have most Super Bowl players | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: You probably knew Mississippi produces more NFL players per capita than any other state. It has been that way for a long time. What you might not have known is this: Mississippi will have more natives playing in the 2023 Super Bowl than any other state. And, as you may notice, there's no mention of per capita there. The Magnolia State will have more players in the game than any other state. Period. Eight native-born Mississippians dot the rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, who will play Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. Texas, Georgia and Ohio all tie for second in representation in this year's Super Bowl with seven players each. The figures were provided by BetMississippi.com, citing ProFootballReference.com. What you should know about all that is this: Texas has a population of just under 30 million. Georgia and Ohio have populations of more than 11 million. Mississippi's population is just under 3 million. ississippians who play for the Philadelphia Eagles include All Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and running back Kenneth Gainwell, both of Yazoo City; quarterback Gardner Minshew of Brandon; wide receiver A.J. Brown of Starkville and linebacker Nakobe Dean of Horn Lake. Mississippians who play for Kansas City include All Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones of Houston, Willie Gay of Starkville and linebacker Darius Harris of Horn Lake. Amazingly, the towns of Horn Lake (population 28,000), Yazoo City (10,000) and Starkville (24,500) all boast two players each on football's biggest stage. |
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