| Tuesday, May 23, 2023 |
| Mississippi State hosts swim camp for those with special needs | |
 | Mississippi State University is helping a group of campers make a real splash this Summer. The Mississippi State Department of Kinesiology is teaming up with the non-profit group, iCanShine, to teach swimming and water safety to people with special needs. Director Dr. Gregg Twietmeyer said the school has hosted the iCanBike camp since 2016 and wanted to provide new opportunities to the community. This year the school is taking to the pool with iCanSwim. Swim instructor, Georgia Starr said it's important to make learning fun and stimulating, especially for the youngest participants. "We call it play with a purpose so everything has a reason so we are not just playing games or using toys like there is a purpose behind it. With our older, or with the parachute we are doing a big circle, and we are going around and singing a song but they are also getting to feel what it's like to be in the water on their own but supported," said Starr. Starr said the best part of the program is seeing her swimmers grow in their abilities, and have fun doing it. |
| Mississippi's black bear population focus of June research project, here is how you can help | |
 | Black bear sightings are continuing to flow in including a viral video of a bear seen in Pass Christian this week to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It is good timing too as the department nears a research project to better understand the black bear population in this state. Private landowners in Southwest Mississippi can help the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks trap and conduct research on black bears. MDWFP is looking for private properties which have regular black bear sightings to participate. Black Bear program coordinator Anthony Ballard is asking anyone who has regular sightings on their property or lease south of I-20 to contact him at anthony.ballard@wfp.ms.gov. The counties of interest were originally Adams, Amite, Claibonre, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Pike and Wilkinson Counties but a broader net has been cast in the past few weeks. Landowners participating in the program will aid a collaborative research project put on by Mississippi State University and MDWFP which will start in June. |
| National Beef Quality Audit results yield homework for cattle industry | |
 | Results from the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit showed that the cattle industry has made great progress on past key areas of focus, but it also shed light on issues that need addressing. "The audit is a snapshot of where we are in the industry; it gives us an idea of some things we need to be focusing on," says Dr. Trey Patterson, chief executive officer of Padlock Ranch. "For anyone who is serious about the cattle business, this is really a must read." Looking back at some of the earlier issues, such as carcass defects, wasteful fat, and food safety, tremendous progress has been made. "We measure, we analyze, and then as an industry, we respond," Patterson says, adding that the industry has to keep the momentum going. Dr. Brandi Karisch, associate professor at Mississippi State University, says one thing producers "can hang their hats on" from the audit is the improvement in quality grade. "This audit saw the highest amounts of Prime and Choice carcasses, so that means producers are doing a good job of selecting those genetics that we know are going to produce that high-quality beef." |
| 3 Pivot irrigation strategies for the Midsouth | |
| Timely irrigation alleviates crop stress, and with pivot irrigation it is important that farmers do not fall behind. Knowing the soil moisture status in a field and how much water the crop needs is critical to staying ahead of the game. So, does your pivot system meet crop demand? Based on research conducted in the Blackland Prairie in Brooksville, Miss., Dave Spencer, assistant professor at the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute (MWRRI), Mississippi State University, offers three pivotal strategies as farmers prepare to crank up irrigation across the Midsouth. Spencer said 2022 was the first year to develop threshold and volume recommendations for pivot irrigation in the prairie. There, the soil is underlaid with lime rock, providing a much smaller soil profile for plant roots to extract water. This year, an additional study will be conducted in Stoneville, Miss. to see if these recommendations hold up in the Delta. "I think that a lot of this research translates well to pivot irrigation in the Delta. The big takeaway about irrigating earlier with a pivot is that you can only apply an inch at a time. It takes much longer for that pivot to walk across a field, compared to furrow irrigation where you can draw the water down to threshold and apply water very quickly." |
| Fact check: Post misrepresents contrail as a 'chemtrail' based on size | |
 | A May 10 Instagram video shows a blue sky with two white streaks across it. One is significantly larger than the other. "Chemtrail vs contrail and the moon as a witness to the sickness," reads the post's caption. It also includes the hashtags "#chemtrailawareness" and "#wedonotconsent." It was liked over 200 times in nine days. Chemtrails do not exist. Both of the white streaks in the sky shown in the video are airplane contrails, experts told USA TODAY. Airplane contrails are white streaks of water vapor left in the sky from airplanes. They have been the subject of conspiracy theories for decades. Some believe they are made up of chemicals purposefully sprayed on the public by nefarious actors, but that concept is baseless and has been repeatedly debunked. The magnitude of contrails can be influenced by other factors, including the size of the aircraft and the direction of the wind, said Jamie Dyer, a meteorology professor at Mississippi State University. "Contrails need specific environmental conditions to form and persist, and those conditions can and do change relatively rapidly with height, location and time," he said. "Besides environmental conditions, different types of engines produce different levels of exhaust, which can further change the potential for contrail formation." |
| Grandmother and Retired University Professor Thrives After Stroke Thanks to Quick Action, Expert Care | |
| Retired Mississippi State University professor Nancy Hargrove no longer plays tennis four times a week, but she is plenty busy with other activities: low-impact workouts, volunteering on the boards of directors for the library and Rotary Club and writing and publishing academic essays. All this, despite having had a stroke just six months ago. On Thanksgiving Day 2022, Nancy, 81, was in a Charlotte hotel room, getting ready to join family for turkey dinner when she noticed a circle-shaped floater in her right eye. "Oh no," she remembers thinking. "The start of a migraine." Having had migraines before, Nancy remembered her vision being similarly affected. "Terrible timing," she muttered. The words came out garbled. Nancy stayed calm -- migraines had sometimes affected her speech, too. But this time, the migraine never materialized, and her symptoms did not improve. When Nancy didn't arrive for dinner, her family called and shortly after, they were at the hotel knocking on her door. She hadn't been able to answer the phone and now couldn't get up to open the door. But they persisted and within minutes, were in her room along with emergency medical technicians. "Raise your arms," they instructed. "Touch your nose. Tell us how you are feeling." Nancy was unable to do any of those things. She remembers hearing her niece, who is a nurse, say, "She might be having a stroke." |
| Marshall Ramsey draws cartoons to make people think | |
 | Marshall Ramsey's cartoons always seem to get a reaction, whether they are based on sports, politics or national disasters. But more than anything, Ramsey hopes they make people think. "I think about the impact of what I want to say," Ramsey told The Dispatch. "At the end of the day, I know that the cartoons are going to cause a reaction and I just want to be thoughtful about what kind of reaction. ...I don't really care if I make them mad or happy. I just want them to think about it." Ramsey, editor-at-large of Mississippi Today and editorial cartoonist, has been working in news for over two decades and is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. He shared the story of his career and some of his cartoons with the Starkville Rotary Club on Monday. Ramsey said he moved from San Diego, California to Mississippi in 1996, after he was offered a job at The Clarion-Ledger. He said he originally expected to work in Mississippi for two years, but 8,000 cartoons later, he is still in the state. "Something happened along the way and I totally fell in love with the state," Ramsey said. "... My wife and I would agree that there are some times that you want to choke each other in a marriage, but there are also great moments of great joy, and that's the way my marriage has been to Mississippi." |
| Tate Reeves, Brandon Presley pitch different tax cuts to voters. Who, exactly, would benefit? | |
| Mississippi's two leading candidates for governor want to chip away at state tax rates, but they have drastically different proposals on which taxes should get axed. Who, exactly, their respective tax cut proposals would help could emerge as a key deciding issue for the 2023 election for governor. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves continues to advocate for abolishing the state income tax, and Democratic candidate Brandon Presley wants to eliminate the state's tax on food and cut fees on car tags in half. The Legislature in 2017 and 2022 passed significant reductions to the state income tax, which will eventually leave the state with a flat 4% tax rate on all earned income over $10,000 once the cuts are fully implemented. But Reeves, the first-term governor running for reelection, believes the tax should be ended entirely. "I pushed to eliminate our state income tax, and we've achieved the largest tax cut in state history," Reeves said in Gulfport earlier this month. "And we can do more because this is Mississippi's time." Democrats, including Presley, and even some Republican officials for years have called on legislative leaders to ax the state's 7% tax on food, commonly called the grocery tax, the highest such tax in the nation. The core argument that proponents often make for ending the grocery tax is that it's a cruel policy to force people on all ends of the economic ladder to pay extra money for a basic necessity like food. |
| Federal judge extends temporary halt on appointed judges in Mississippi capital | |
 | A federal judge on Monday extended his order that temporarily stops the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice from appointing judges in the capital city of Jackson and the county where it's located, both of which are majority-Black. U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate's new order could last until June 9, giving attorneys time to further develop arguments about citizens' right to elect judges. Wingate heard hours of testimony Monday in a lawsuit filed by the national, state and local chapters of the NAACP, which challenges a state law that Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed in April. The civil rights organization argues that the law passed by the majority-white and Republican-controlled state Legislature creates unequal treatment for residents of Jackson and Hinds County compared to residents of the rest of the state. The capital city and Hinds County are both majority-Black and governed by Democrats. Rex Shannon, a special assistant state attorney general, said Hinds County is different from other counties because Jackson is the state's largest city and the seat of state government. Shannon also said Jackson and Hinds County have high crime rates and "dysfunctional" local government, and Hinds County circuit court has a backlog of cases. "It's a problem that affects everyone, Your Honor, regardless of race," Shannon said to Wingate. |
| McCarthy: No deal yet, but debt limit meeting 'productive' | |
 | Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he and President Joe Biden on Monday had their best meeting yet on how to lift the statutory debt limit but that "there's nothing agreed to" in the negotiations. McCarthy, who was joined at the White House by two of his top aides and Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C., said negotiators were able to better explain to one another the policies they were fighting for or against, and they all agreed on the need to quickly secure a deal. The meeting lasted just over an hour. "I think the tone tonight was better than any other time we had discussions," the California Republican said. "I felt it was productive ... I think we were able to really focus on the areas of difference." The top disagreements in negotiations have been over spending caps for fiscal 2024 and beyond and work requirements for low-income benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. McCarthy said those matters remain unresolved and that other issues under discussion, like overhauling permitting regulations, also have yet to be hammered out. He later told reporters at the Capitol that Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., another lead negotiator for the GOP side, is an expert on the energy infrastructure permitting issue, and that whatever doesn't get agreed to in the debt limit package could move separately later. |
| Teen accused of deliberately crashing U-Haul truck into security barrier at park near White House | |
| Police have arrested a Missouri man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House. The box truck's driver smashed into the barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday at around 10 p.m., Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Chesterfield, a St. Louis suburb. No one was injured in the crash. Officers from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department searched the truck after the crash. Video posted by WUSA-TV shows a police officer at the scene picking up and inventorying several pieces of evidence from the truck, including a Nazi flag. Based on a preliminary investigation, investigators believe the driver "may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square," Guglielmi said. Authorities offered no additional details about the possible motive. Lafayette Square, which offers perhaps the best view of the White House available to the public, has long been one of the nation's most prominent venues for demonstrations. |
| Survey: Surprising to some, veterans are less likely to support extremism | |
 | The Pentagon continues to investigate the case of Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, accused of leaking sensitive intelligence. The military apparently missed signs that Teixeira was possibly stockpiling guns and preparing for a race war. Last week Pentagon officials admitted that they only implemented one of six major recommendations to counter extremism in the ranks. And the recent guilty plea of an active duty Marine who broke into the capital on Jan. 6, 2021, gives the impression that veterans and some military fill the ranks of extremist groups in America. But those individual cases give the wrong overall impression, according to a new nationwide survey of veterans by the RAND Corporation, a nonpartisan think tank. "We found that support for extremist groups and also extremist ideologies were lower than what we see in representative surveys of the general public," said Todd Helmus, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND. Extremist groups recruiting from the military and the veterans community has been on the Pentagon's radar for years. In the wake of the Jan. 6 riots, significant numbers of veterans were charged, and many media reports suggested this was a nationwide phenomenon. But the actual number of military members and veterans with extremist links turned out much lower than many expected, Helmus says. Still, the narrative had been established. "Those initial reports spurred a lot of fear and concern," he said. "But no one's actually looked at the numbers." |
| Former Oktibbeha Road Department employee who carried old state flag on Jan. 6 guilty for role in insurrection, jury finds | |
| A Washington, D.C., jury has found Thomas Smith of Mathiston, Miss., guilty of nine felonies, including assaulting officers, and two misdemeanor charges for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Images of him waving the retired Confederate-themed 1894 Mississippi state flag emerged online after supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol in a bid to stop the certification of Joe Biden's victory. Smith and his cousin, Alabama native Donnie Wren, traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend Trump's Jan. 6 rally, where the defeated president urged supporters to march to the Capitol and told them to "fight like hell" or "you're not going to have a country anymore." The jury found Wren guilty of two felonies and one misdemeanor. Smith's sentencing is set for August 17, 2023. Both the assault with a dangerous weapon and obstruction charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His other assault charge comes with a maximum of eight years in prison. Previously, Smith was an employee of the Oktibbeha County Road Department. He was charged with embezzlement in March 2021 for allegedly hiding fuel containers on the side of the road to siphon gasoline from a county-owned vehicle for his personal use. State Auditor Shad White issued a $627 demand letter upon Smith's arrest. |
| South Carolina's Tim Scott says he's the 2024 presidential candidate the 'far left fears the most' | |
 | U.S. Sen. Tim Scott grew up poor, and his divorced mother worked 16-hour days to raise him and his older brother, Ben. In his official 2024 presidential launch, South Carolina's junior senator portrays his life not of struggle but one of opportunity: he nearly failed out of high school, started his own business and was elected to statewide political office. But is that positive message enough to convince Republican Party voters to abandon the party's frontrunner, former President Donald Trump? Scott, 57, thinks so. "We live in the land where it is possible for a kid raised in poverty by a single mother in a small apartment to one day serve in the people's House, and maybe even the White House," Scott said. "This is the greatest country on God's green Earth." Scott formally launched his 2024 presidential bid Monday at his North Charleston alma mater, Charleston Southern University, becoming the second South Carolinian to run for president, behind former Gov. Nikki Haley. To the friendly crowd of 1,000, Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate and the second Black candidate to launch a bid after conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder, on Monday described the country under "retreat." Scott joins a growing race that so far includes high-profile hopefuls Trump, Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to jump into the race this week. Former Vice President Mike Pence also is considering a run. |
| New Chinese Ambassador Departs for the U.S. Under a Cloud of Uncertainty | |
 | China's new ambassador to the U.S. is set to arrive in Washington to take up his post on Tuesday, a potential signal of Beijing's willingness to improve communications despite a recent cascade of diplomatic dust-ups. Xie Feng, a veteran diplomat with extensive experience in managing U.S.-China ties, left Shanghai for the U.S. around noon local time on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter. He arrives at an uncertain moment in relations between Beijing and Washington, as contradictory messages emanate from the two capitals. On Sunday, following a meeting of Group of Seven leaders in Japan, President Biden struck a surprisingly optimistic note, saying he expected a thaw in U.S.-China relations "very shortly." His comments came after the G-7 issued a communiqué that called on members to counter China's "malign practices," including illegal technology transfers and economic coercion. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning brushed off Biden's hopeful remarks, questioning the "sincerity and significance" of American efforts to improve communication with Beijing "while resorting to any means to suppress and contain China." U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, met earlier this month in Vienna in an effort to stabilize the relationship. China's commerce minister is also slated to visit the U.S. in the coming days, while Biden suggested on Sunday that the U.S. could ease sanctions on Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu. |
| Steel sector is carbon-intensive. 'Green steel' could be a game changer. | |
| Steel is essential in today's economy. It's in everything from cars and buildings to medical equipment and wind turbines. But making steel from scratch is not great for the climate. At least not the way it's been manufactured since the Industrial Revolution, in a process involving coal. The steel sector is responsible for roughly 8% of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. The Global Steel Climate Council just released a framework to change that. Some environmental groups are pushing for "green hydrogen" to replace coal in steel manufacturing. If ever there was a moment for U.S. steel companies to invest in the transition to green power, it would be now, argues Nick Messenger, an economist and senior research fellow with the Ohio River Valley Institute, a policy think tank. "The Inflation Reduction Act and the infrastructure bills passed by Congress and the Biden administration have really put an incredible amount of money on the table" toward meeting the administration's climate goals, he said. Messenger recently co-authored a report on decarbonizing steel production in western Pennsylvania using green hydrogen. "So it's really an effective way to still reduce iron ore down to make steel," Messenger said. The idea is if you use renewable energy to make hydrogen and you use the hydrogen to manufacture steel, the process is greener from start to finish. This so-called green steel is pretty new. |
| From birth to death, legacy of racism lays foundation for Black Americans' health disparities | |
| From birth to death, Black Americans fare worse in measures of health compared to their white counterparts. They have higher rates of infant and maternal mortality, higher incidence of asthma during childhood, more difficulty treating mental health as teens, and greater rates of high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses. The Associated Press spent the past year exploring how the legacy of racism in America has laid the foundation for the health inequities that Black people face. |
| Community Profile: Columbus couple touches lives around the globe | |
| Loretta Shelton spends each Mother's Day reading through hours of text messages and mailed letters from her family. Not just her immediate family, but her extended family that has spanned across the globe over the last two decades. Along with her husband Keith, Loretta Shelton, the owner of Flower Girl Wedding & Florist in Columbus, has helped hundreds of international students that attend The W in an effort to get them acclimated to the Columbus lifestyle. In return, the Sheltons have become known as the "Mom and Dad" of the university. "It's been incredible," Loretta Shelton told The Dispatch in a recent phone call. "We have learned a lot of culture (from the students). You understand a lot more things worldwide after you get to know them and see how they lived. ... It's been incredible for us." Shelton said she has had "children" from mostly Nepal, but also Nigeria, Jamaica and some European students since 2000, when she began helping students by picking them up at the airport for the university, providing linens for beds and helping to furnish apartments. |
| USM professor expects above-average 2023 hurricane season | |
| The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. These dates historically describe the period each year when most tropical storms occur in the Atlantic -- more than 97 percent. Dr. David Holt, associate professor of geography in the School of Coastal Resilience at The University of Southern Mississippi, says hurricane experts and models are predicting a slightly more active than average hurricane season for 2023. A big factor will be how an El Niño plays into the weather patterns. "We are predicting a pretty strong El Niño by the end of the year," Holt said. "It's about a 90 percent chance." According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an El Niño is described as trade winds weakening and warmer weather pushed east toward the west coast of the Americas. Many areas in the U.S. become warmer. Along the Gulf Coast, the weather is wetter and may bring increased flooding. An El Niño tends to curve many storms into the Atlantic, while a La Niña tends to pull many storms into the Gulf -- though Holt said an El Niño does not mean we won't see Gulf storms. Now is the time to plan and think about what storms to evacuate from, Holt said. Planning is essentially, especially regarding food and supplies. |
| Education: 45 students graduate from Golden Triangle Early College High School | |
| A commencement ceremony for graduates of the Golden Triangle Early College High School took place Saturday in the Lyceum Auditorium on East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus. Of the 45 graduates, 36 -- roughly 80% -- also received an associate's degree or career technical certificate from EMCC during one of the college's graduation ceremonies earlier in the month. Alexis Turner, who graduated GTECHS in 2019 with an associate's degree, was the guest speaker. Turner went on to earn a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Mississippi University for Women. She will graduate in December with a master's degree in education. She currently teaches seventh grade math at Partnership Middle School in Starkville and spoke about overcoming adversity. "You have endured some rainy days, but instead of giving up, you persevered and kept pushing on," Turner said. "Whether you enter the workforce or continue your education, it is essential that you hold on to both perseverance and endurance. Use those as guidance to get you through any obstacles." |
| Surgeon General issues advisory that social media is contributing to youth mental health crisis | |
 | Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is issuing an advisory that social media use may be harmful to the mental health of young people, citing growing evidence that online content is hurting the development of the nation's youth. "I'm issuing this advisory because we're in the middle of a youth mental health crisis and I'm concerned that social media is contributing to the harms that kids are experiencing," Murthy told The Hill. Murthy specifically pointed to the possibility of a link between time spent on social media and depression and anxiety. He cited one 2019 study that found adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 who spent more than three hours on social media daily had double the risk of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Teenagers on average spend 3 1/2 hours on social media every day, according to data cited in the advisory. The advisory acknowledged social media can provide some benefits to young people. He said companies must play a part in ensuring social media does not harm kids. Murthy called on higher transparency from tech companies, noting that independent researchers have told his office tech giants have not provided the full data needed to make a complete assessment of the risk for harm. |
| Survey: stress is hurting college students | |
 | Like many college students, Sarah Nadzan, a junior telecommunications major at Youngstown State University, has a complicated relationship with stress. On one hand, she says she relies on it for motivation. "I need the stress to do things, to have that deadline looming over me," she says only half-jokingly. "Like, 'Come on, you gotta do your thing, Sarah.' It helps keep me like keep on track." On the other hand, stress can be overwhelming. Nadzan, who works as a line cook, said she had to leave work during finals week this term due to lightheadedness, nausea and fatigue. "It's like a fever but without the hot part," she says of how stress manifests physically for her. "I'm just super out of it." Finals are finally over and Nadzan, 23, is feeling much better (a visit to a campus Puppy Palooza de-stressing event, where she petted dogs from a local shelter, also helped). But Nadzan's ability to bounce back from stress was hard-won: she had to leave college for four years after enrolling the first time around because stress exacerbated underlying mental health issues. Nadzan certainly isn't alone in having suffered from stress, acute or chronic, or mental health concerns more broadly. That's based on findings from the new Student Voice survey of 3,000 two- and four-year college students at 158 institutions concerning health and wellness. |
| 'Bama Rush' director talks body image, TikTok, race and more in explosive new sorority doc | |
 | However you might feel about college Greek life, seeing is believing. And once you come face to face with the University of Alabama phenomenon, the way seen in HBO's new documentary "Bama Rush" (now streaming on Max), you may gain a new understanding. Rachel Fleit, the doc's director, set out to explore the sorority system in Tuscaloosa that went viral on TikTok the last two years. And while she certainly had her own idea of what that culture was from her own college experience, she set out to make a movie about what it's like to be a modern woman. In the film, Fleit follows four young women as they prepare for rush (UA's annual sorority recruitment) in 2022. "In this nuanced and revealing documentary, Fleit explores the emotional complexities and stakes of belonging in this crucial window into womanhood," HBO says. Fleit (who also made "Introducing, Selma Blair") explores body image, race, class, social media pressures and the desire to belong through the lens of the Greek system. Above all, her film unlocks identity, as women seek to find a sense of self and purpose. And while some find it and much more in sororities, some don't. |
| A lifelong Baton Rouge resident is getting her sixth LSU degree -- the one Joe Burrow got | |
 | For thousands of LSU students, graduation this weekend will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But for Sharon Pol, it will be a sixth-in-a-lifetime experience. Pol, 72, will add a master's degree in liberal arts to the five LSU degrees she had already acquired over 50 years, starting with a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1971. What inspired her to start racking up the credentials? "The only way to make money teaching school 50 years ago was to get more degrees and that gave you raises," she said. "There was a program with the state called the Professional Improvement Program and they paid for my tuition." While teaching and serving as a librarian, Pol continued her schooling. She earned two master's degrees, in education and library science, along with an education specialist degree. By 1986, Pol had her fourth degree and was able to retire with more than two decades of educational experience. She had time on her hands and was only 30 credit hours away from earning a doctorate in educational administration and research. So she figured she might as well keep going to school. "It took me seven years to get the PhD," Pol said. "And that was 25 years ago." Pol said that of all six degrees, the doctorate proved to be the most difficult. "Classwork is easy," she said. "I like to go to school, but it took me the whole seven years to do class and to write the dissertation." |
| U. of Tennessee's $309M plan for three new residence halls gets the fast track | |
 | Three big new residence halls will help alleviate the University of Tennessee's housing crunch, with construction starting soon. Work can move forward after the state selected a private developer to build them to speed up the construction process and shield the university from risk. It's a critical step as the university reaches record enrollment numbers and hopes to meet students' desire to live on campus longer. This is the first agreement of its kind for a university in Tennessee. UT received a record 49,790 first-year applications as of Feb. 14. Even though administrators are reducing the school's acceptance rate in order to strike the right balance, they are expecting a record number of students this fall. The three new residence halls, expected to have about 2,500 beds, will be built in the next three years for an estimated $309 million. All three have similar brick and roofing colors to blend in with UT's aesthetic. To house students before the new dorms are built, the university has signed a five-year master lease for students at Lakemoor Station Apartments in South Knoxville. The state selected RISE Real Estate from Valdosta, Georgia, to build the residence halls after a request for proposals process. UT will own the land and is contracting with RISE to "design, build, finance, operate and maintain each development," according to the RFP. UT can buy the buildings later. |
| UGA Performing Arts Center announces eclectic lineup for 2023-24 concert season | |
 | The Performing Arts Center (PAC) at the University of Georgia continually sets the standard for excellence in entertainment for the Athens community, and its schedule for the 2023-24 season promises to be one of its most eclectic and exciting to date. From such American pop favorites as Nickel Creek and Indigo Girls to international stars Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Mariachi Sol de México, shows at the PAC can sonically transport you to places you've never been. Priced at just $10 for UGA students and $25 for general admission, single tickets are far more affordable than the average major concert, and there's no extra fee for parking. |
| Utah professor to lead U. of Missouri School of Music | |
 | Jared Rawlings will be the new director of the University of Missouri's School of Music, the College of Arts and Science announced Friday. Rawlings comes to MU from the University of Utah's School of Music, where he served as an associate professor of music education and associate director of the music school. He was one of four candidates for the director role. Rawlings will take over for Julia Gaines, who stepped down in May after nine years. He will step into the role on July 1, according to an MU news release. He has taught instrumental music and courses on the foundation of music education at the University of Utah, as well as supervising student research. His research has appeared in leading journals, including work on bullying in music classrooms that has been recognized by the American Educational Research Association. |
| Bennett named priority candidate in next chancellor search | |
| Following a national search, the University of Nebraska has named Rodney D. Bennett -- a 30-year veteran of higher education with a track record of growing research, student success and impactful partnerships -- as the priority candidate for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bennett most recently served for nearly a decade as president of the University of Southern Mississippi. "We launched this search with a goal of finding the right leader who could articulate an ambitious vision for Nebraska's flagship university. Dr. Rodney Bennett is that leader," said Ted Carter, president of the University of Nebraska system. "At every turn during his impressive career, Dr. Bennett has made his institution stronger than when he arrived." As required by state law, Bennett's candidacy now undergoes a 30-day vetting period (starting May 22), which will include a series of public sessions during which members of the university community and the news media can meet Bennett and ask questions. At the conclusion of the vetting period, if Carter deems appropriate, he will bring Bennett's candidacy to the Board of Regents at its June 22 meeting for consideration. If approved by the board, Bennett would become the first person of color to become chancellor of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. |
| U.S. News changes undergraduate rankings methodology amid upheaval | |
| Turmoil around U.S. News' rankings began late last year when contingents of law, and then medical schools, announced they would no longer cooperate by giving data to the publication. Their reasons for rejecting the rankings varied, but many cited concerns that U.S. News' system did not reflect their institutions' educational accomplishments and that it hurt colleges focused on improving social mobility. Most of the upheaval occurred with law and medical schools, though a few colleges have said they would not participate in the undergraduate rankings, which is U.S. News' most prominent product. Now, the publication has changed its methodology for determining undergraduate rankings ahead of their next release -- likely in response to some of the criticism. Those rankings typically come out in September. "Helping students find the school that is right for them is the core of everything we do in our education vertical," Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News, said in a statement. |
| Number of Colleges in Distress Is Up 70% From 2012 | |
| The number of distressed institutions in higher education is up 70% in the US compared to a decade ago, according to a report by Bain and Co. Inc. About 910 schools met at least one risk indicator like declining tuition revenue or number of applications, the report released Monday said. About 364 schools met four or more indicators. Authors of the report attributed the schools' challenges to factors including inflation and higher interest rates, the threat of tuition cuts during a recession and declining domestic enrollments. Their analysis of over 1,500 schools shows improvement with the outbreak of the coronavirus when colleges and universities received $76 billion in stimulus to help cushion enrollment declines. But with that aid set to expire, the authors expect the sector's overall stability to fall below pre-pandemic levels within three years. "The industry really needs to continue to rethink itself," said Jeff Denneen, global head of Bain's higher education practice and one of the authors of the report. The top tranche of schools will likely be stable. "For everybody else, they're going to hit a wall coming out of Covid," he said. The pool of students graduating high school in the US is expected to peak in 2025 at 3.9 million before sliding back down to 3.5 million over the following decade, according to a 2020 report by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. |
| Success coaches 'dig a little deeper' to help community college students | |
| Daisy Donjuan's family never saw the value in college. After graduating from high school, she did what was expected of her -- dropped education, worked and pitched in at home. When she enrolled in Dallas College after a five-year break in school, she had to navigate a dizzying array of options and decisions as she sought a career outside of retail management. With the help of a success coach, Donjuan created a plan to graduate through the college's paralegal program. She avoided taking classes that didn't advance her goals and stayed on top of coursework. "It felt good, the fact that someone is actually checking up on you and that they're keeping up with you," Donjuan, 24, said. "They actually care about us succeeding." Amid declines in enrollment in community colleges nationally and low completion rates, Dallas College invested nearly three years ago in hiring counselors who take a more hands-on approach to advising. The program pairs students with success coaches to navigate any challenges that stand in the way of their graduation. Supporting students -- particularly those who come from nontraditional paths -- is key as difficult circumstances, unclear pathways to a career and uncertainty about the value of a college degree can derail their education, experts say. |
| Colleges face new responsibilities as states require abortion medication access on campus | |
| Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe vs. Wade nearly one year ago, access to abortion on college campuses has taken on heightened importance. In the aftermath, some states are mandating that public colleges provide students with access to medication that ends pregnancy. In August, New York will join California and Massachusetts in requiring certain public colleges to provide abortion medication to students. "Young people are always on the front lines of attacks on bodily autonomy," said Niharika Rao, a senior at Barnard College who has been campaigning for the law through advocacy groups. These laws highlight some of the new responsibilities colleges are undertaking to broaden abortion access following the landmark court ruling. And some research suggests that these kinds of policies may influence where students ultimately decide to enroll. Rao said the Supreme Court's decision last year has affected New York, even though abortion remains legal in the state. Increased demand from residents of states where abortion is now inaccessible, as well as protesters at abortion clinics, have put up more hurdles for students. Research suggests that policies broadening students' reproductive access could influence where they choose to go. An April study from the Lumina Foundation and Gallup found 72% of students said reproductive health laws in the state where they attend are at least somewhat important to their decision to stay enrolled. |
| House Republicans look to line up student debt relief votes amid White House opposition | |
 | House leaders are preparing to vote this week on legislation that would block President Joe Biden's student debt relief program and nullify the pause on federal student loan payments and interest. The White House on Monday confirmed that Biden would defend his program, issuing a veto threat against the GOP measure, which is scheduled for a floor vote on Wednesday. "This resolution is an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery and would deprive more than 40 million hard-working Americans of much-needed student debt relief," the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement. "If Congress were to pass H.J. Res. 45, the President would veto it." Nearly every House Republican already voted last month to block Biden's student debt relief as part of a sweeping package of policy proposals in the GOP bill to raise the debt ceiling. But this would be the first time an attempt to undermine Biden's loan forgiveness program, which offers up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, would get a vote in the House as a stand-alone measure. It'll gauge the strength of Democratic support for the policy in Congress, especially among some moderates who have been cool to the idea of canceling student debt even as it's been championed by the party's progressive wing. The vote on Wednesday is the latest effort in an multi-pronged attack that Republicans have waged against Biden's loan forgiveness plan, which they say is too costly for taxpayers, unfair to Americans who didn't attend college, and an illegal abuse of executive authority. |
SPORTS
| Women's Golf Finishes 13th as NCAA Championships Conclude for State | |
| Mississippi State concluded its run at the 2023 NCAA Women's Golf Championships on Monday finishing stroke play in 13th place (13-over par, 1,165). Monday marked the third time in Mississippi State history that the Bulldogs advanced into the final round of stroke play and was their second-best finish overall (6th in 2014). As State wrote the last chapter in the 2022-23 book, the Bulldogs showed fight and determination to card their best round of the event as a team. On the final day, MSU was 3-under par (tied for the second-lowest NCAA Championships team round in school history). In the final round of stoke play, Lopez Ramirez delivered her third straight under-par performance behind an eagle on the seventh hole and five birdies (2-under par, 70). Julia Lopez Ramirez captured the second-best finish individually in program history, finishing 13th with a 4-under par four-round performance for the event. Senior Hannah Levi shined in her final round in the Maroon and White, capturing yet another round of par or better golf to propel up the leaderboard 13 spots in the fourth round and finish tied for 37th. Levi sunk three birdies on the day en route to carding a 2-under par (70). And finish 2-over for the event. Tied for 37th is the best finish for Levi in the NCAA Championships in her illustrious Bulldog career. |
| Mississippi State's Hunter Hines named to All-SEC First Team; Dakota Jordan on All-Freshman Team | |
| Throughout this year's baseball season, Mississippi State's Hunter Hines and Dakota Jordan were menaces for opposing pitchers in the middle of the Bulldogs' lineup. On Monday, the Southeastern Conference honored the two MSU sluggers with postseason recognition. Hines, a senior designated hitter and first baseman, was named to the All-SEC First Team, while Jordan, the Bulldogs' everyday left fielder, was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. They were the only two MSU players to be named to all-conference teams after it failed to qualify for the SEC Tournament for the second consecutive season. Hines, from Madison, put together one of the best power hitting seasons in MSU history, tallying 22 home runs, which fell seven short of the single-season record, held by Bruce Castoria (1981). Hines finished the year batting .297, with 60 hits, 44 runs, 12 doubles and 61 RBIs to go along with his 22 long balls. His .683 slugging percentage led the Bulldogs. Jordan, from Canton, instantly established himself as an offensive force in his first SEC season, batting .307 with 47 hits, 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. |
| What AD John Cohen is saying about Auburn football, basketball facility upgrades | |
| Renovating the north end zone in Jordan-Hare Stadium has been an idea floating around Auburn football for nearly a decade. Back in 2015, former athletic director Jay Jacobs said the department was "still studying" renovation plans that could include additional suites and a new scoreboard, among other things, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. That never came to fruition. Current AD John Cohen told the Advertiser in an exclusive interview in February that "even the most casual fan looks into our north end zone and sees that we have room for improvement there, and I think we're gonna get there." So, what's the latest update from Cohen three months later? "Everything's been on the table in terms of facility updates, and the north end zone is something that has come up conversationally between myself and (AU president Dr. Chris Roberts)," Cohen said at an AMBUSH event in LaGrange, Georgia on Wednesday. "I'd say we're just very much in the research phase of that, looking at the history of that. I do think that there are many parts of Jordan-Hare that can be updated, worked on." Cohen also touched on the potential to add a new basketball facility. Coach Bruce Pearl has been pushing for more space for years -- men's and women's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics all use the two floors located in Neville Arena -- but he took his foot off the gas recently in hopes that donors could focus on giving money toward NIL, rather that facilities. |
| ACC coach calls out Deion Sanders over transfer portal: 'Looks bad on college football coaches' | |
| Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi didn't hold back when expressing his opinion on the transfer portal and how new Colorado coach Deion Sanders uses it. In an interview with 247Sports, Narduzzi called into question Coach Prime's tactics after the Buffaloes overhauled their roster since Sanders took over. "That's not the way it's meant to be," Narduzzi said at ACC spring meetings. "That's not what the (transfer portal) rule intended to be. It was not to overhaul your roster. We'll see how it works out but that, to me, looks bad on college football coaches across the country. The reflection is on one guy right now but when you look at it overall -- those kids that have moms and dads and brothers and sisters and goals in life -- I don't know how many of those 70 that left really wanted to leave or they were kicked in the butt to get out." In December, Sanders told his Colorado team to hit the portal. "We got a few positions already taken care of because I'm bringing my own luggage with me," Sanders told the Buffaloes in a meeting with players released on social media in December. "And it's Louis, OK?" Earlier this month, Colorado AD Rick George stood by Sanders' decision to overhaul the roster. More than 50 players hit the portal since Sanders' arrival. |
| Schembechler son resigns at Michigan after offensive social media activity revealed | |
| A son of longtime Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler has resigned from his position with the Wolverines, with the school saying it was aware of his social media activity that may have caused "pain" in the community. Glenn "Shemy" Schembechler stepped down Saturday, just days after he had been hired as assistant director of recruiting on Jim Harbaugh's staff. The Detroit News reported Saturday that Schembechler's Twitter feed contained posts and likes of offensive material, including some that suggested slavery and Jim Crow were positives to strengthen Black individuals and families. "We are aware of some comments and likes on social media that have caused concern and pain for individuals in our community," Harbaugh and athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "Michigan Athletics is fully committed to a place where our coaches, staff and student-athletes feel welcome and where we fully support the University's and Athletic Department's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion." Schembechler played for his father, who coached Michigan from 1969-89, and was later an NFL scout. In a statement released Sunday night, Schembechler said that his life, and that of his father and family, has been devoted to the best in people, regardless of their race or religion. He said he had "inexplicably and irresponsibly" liked items on social media. |
| Nebraska set to hire Rodney Bennett as chancellor: What it means for Cornhuskers' athletics | |
| The University of Nebraska is set to hire Rodney Bennett, former president of Southern Mississippi, as the chancellor of its flagship Lincoln campus, system president Ted Carter announced Monday. Bennett, 56, will take part in a 30-day "vetting period," required by state law, before his hire is made official. During that time, he will be featured in public forums and media sessions. Bennett served in the role at Southern Miss from 2013 until the expiration of his contract this year. Bennett, in this position, would supervise athletic director Trev Alberts and work in a position to assist in maintaining stability ahead of a critical time in Nebraska's bid to stay financially strong. Nebraska is the only athletic department in the Big Ten to operate without debt. It is set to open a $165 million football-complex upgrade this year and has begun plans to formulate a proposal to renovate Memorial Stadium -- in what is likely to rate as the most expensive construction project ever for the school. Bennett was appointed by Carter, who was key in the hiring of coach Matt Rhule after last football season. Alignment from Rhule, who signed an eight-year, $72 million contract, to Alberts, the new chancellor and Carter is essential for Nebraska to compete in this era of rising stakes in the Big Ten and around college sports. |
| NIL bill expected in House would provide legal help sought by NCAA, letter says | |
| The U.S. House of Representatives this week will see a "discussion draft" of a college-sports bill that would cover athletes' name-image-and-likeness (NIL) activities and provide schools legal protection being sought by the NCAA, according to a letter from Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, that has been circulated among college sports officials and other member of Congress. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports on Monday evening, says the draft will come from Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce. The panel held a hearing on NIL and other college-sports issues in March. This would be the first NIL-related bill introduced since Republicans gained control of the House in the 2022 election. Meanwhile, on Monday, the California state Assembly took the last procedural step needed to set up a floor vote on a bill that would create the possibility of revenue sharing for college athletes in the state, as well as an array of other benefits and protections that would be overseen by a new state oversight/regulatory panel. |
| If ESPN goes to streaming, what happens to cable? | |
| There's been talk in the media industry for years that ESPN's flagship cable channel would eventually be available on streaming. ESPN is owned by Disney, and in an earnings call last week, CEO Bob Iger said the migration was "an inevitability." Then the Wall Street Journal reported this week that the company is actively preparing for such a shift under a project with the internal code name "Flagship." There's no timeline given, but such a move might shake up the streaming landscape, and would definitely shake up the cable industry. If ESPN was a person, it'd be a young Gen X-er. It was born in 1979, and the way we watch ESPN kinda dates back from that time, said Charles Schreger, a professor at both NYU and Fordham. "It's old-school media," he said. "It makes money through selling advertising and subscription." Research from the consulting firm Madison and Wall estimates there are 77 million pay-TV subscribers in the U.S., which is down about 25% from a peak in 2012. That means that content providers have to meet viewers where they are, said Adam Deutsch, who is with Deloitte Consulting and used to work for ESPN. "You have to try to make sure that you can capture the people that are leaving that ecosystem, but still want your service. So the way you do that is you go direct-to-consumer," he said. Streaming sports isn't all that different from watching them on cable, Deutsch said -- except that it is easier for people to stop watching. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
