| Tuesday, October 17, 2023 |
| Mississippi Cyber Initiative continues momentum with quarterly summit at Keesler AFB | |
 | Since launching in 2021, the Mississippi State University-led Mississippi Cyber Initiative has built a strong network of collaborators that works to identify and address cybersecurity needs. The accomplishments of the initiative to date include direct support to law enforcement for digital device investigations, the establishment of a cyber training range, and outreach to raise cybersecurity awareness and capabilities among groups like K-12 students and small business owners. That momentum was on full display during MCI's Quarterly Cyber Summit, held Oct. 12 at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. "The success of this initiative is based on collaboration," said Jim Martin, MSU associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development and MCI lead. "I am very proud of the way this collaboration has resulted in all of us working together to leverage our unique strengths to solve critical problems." Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann also spoke at the summit, noting the need for cyber protection as hospitals, school districts, local governments and casinos have all come under attack in recent months within the state. Participants also visited the planned future site of the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center, a 100,000-square-foot building on Keesler Air Force Base. The facility will serve as the headquarters for Mississippi Cyber Initiative activity, with space for cyber training, events and private industry. This summer, MSU Research and Technology Corp. was selected to develop the property through a competitive bid process led by the Air Force Civil Engineering Center. |
| MSU-Meridian thanks local foundations at reception | |
 | Saquena Alford knew fate was opening a door when she first learned about a new doctoral program in psychology being offered this fall at Mississippi State University's Meridian campus. A mental health therapist for Youth Villages, Alford is one of 20 students currently enrolled in the Doctor of Psychology in Combined Health Service Psychology program. Offering the program locally is what made her pursue her doctorate. "It allowed me to be able to stay here and still be able to take care of family business, work and then go to school, which is my dream to become a doctor," said Alford, who already has earned a bachelor's in psychology, master's in clinical mental health counseling and Educational Specialist in counseling from MSU-Meridian. She said she participates in the doctoral program mostly at night, "so I am able to get through with work, come home and get online." Alford was one of several students who joined MSU faculty and community residents on Monday afternoon to salute the generous contributions three local foundations have made to the campus. Altogether, The Riley Foundation, Phil Hardin Foundation and The Paul and Sherry Broadhead Foundation have pledged more than $4.6 million to help MSU expand clinical and behavioral health programs on the Meridian campus. Terry Dale Cruse, associate vice president and head of the MSU-Meridian Campus, noted that the MSU Riley Center downtown, where the reception was held, is a good example of the foundations' past endeavors. "We are truly fortunate to be in a community that supports Mississippi State University but also in a community that has leaders who invest in bettering the community," Cruse said. |
| MSU again wins national HEED award for advancing student access and success | |
| A university-wide commitment to innovative academic programming, memorable campus experiences and student well-being is signifying Mississippi State's latest national recognition -- the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award. The HEED honor, awarded by Insight Into Diversity magazine, culminates for MSU in a current campus-wide effort of "serving the whole student," outlined in the university's Transforming MSU strategic plan. The plan is a redefinition of the institution's role in solving some of the world's most critical challenges by starting locally, "or in our own backyard," as the initiative explains. MSU is among a select group of just 108 colleges and universities across the U.S. achieving this status from the oldest and largest diversity magazine in higher education. Also a HEED recipient last year, MSU is the only Mississippi postsecondary institution -- and one of only 13 land-grants nationwide -- on the publication's prestigious list. "Mississippi State University is focused on serving the people and communities of our great state, and that includes providing our students with access to exceptional academic programs, hands-on research experiences and service opportunities to develop their leadership skills," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "Student success is the foundation of all that we do, and it is very gratifying to see our efforts recognized with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award. I appreciate the students, faculty and staff who are working so hard to ensure that our campus is a community where people are encouraged and welcome." |
| Analysts explain why Louisiana Governor's race isn't good predictor of what's to come in Mississippi | |
 | Democrats are losing control of the Governor's seat in Louisiana after this weekend's jungle primary. We're on your side asking what, if anything, that could signal for Mississippi's upcoming election. It's just a state over, so should we expect more of the same in 22 days in Mississippi? "A lot of reporters and pundits try to compare one state to another. Will this happen in Alabama or Georgia? How does that compare to Mississippi or Louisiana? It's very difficult to get a real apples-to-apples comparison," explained Republican analyst Austin Barbour. "Just about all of the different factors, you would look at polling...money is different," said Brandon Jones, Democratic analyst. Analysts from both sides of the aisle agree on that. For Republicans, they're hoping Louisiana is a reminder not to be complacent. "In this race, Brandon Presley has been funded millions of dollars from Joe Biden and the National Democratic party. That has allowed him to build an organization that has allowed him to buy millions of dollars of television commercials," said Barbour. "So, for Republicans in Mississippi, unless you want to go back to Democratic control ‚unless you want Joe Biden to have massive influence of our governor's mansion...you've got to make sure that you are enthused." Both sides of the aisle say turnout will be a key factor and point to Louisiana's low turnout as a warning sign. |
| Mississippi Dems tout unity at fundraiser with Rep. Jim Clyburn | |
| Mississippi Democrats hosted influential South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn at a Sunday night fundraiser that appeared to serve two purposes: energize voter turnout in Nov. 7 statewide elections and project the image of a newly focused state party prepared to grow in strength in future races. Three months after the messy public ouster of the last state party chair, attendees said this weekend's event was the most significant party fundraiser they could recall in years. "We see Democrats who've probably been away for a while are here tonight. And new faces," chair Rep. Cheikh Taylor told the Daily Journal. Demographic trends suggest it will be 12 years until Mississippi is statistically competitive for Democrats, he said, but he argued this year presents a "perfect storm" of a strong candidate slate, a worsening hospital crisis and an unpopular incumbent governor who has refused to expand Medicaid to the working poor. Democratic nominees, party leaders and officeholders, including Congressman Bennie Thompson, presented a unified front in a hotel ballroom three blocks from the Governor's Mansion. "Jim Clyburn is spending three days in Mississippi, trying to get the message out that Democrats can win," Thompson told the crowd. Clyburn extended his stay after U.S. House Republicans delayed a Monday vote to choose a new Speaker. |
| Holdouts could blunt Jordan's momentum as House braces for Speaker floor vote | |
 | House GOP Speaker nominee Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio) is projecting confidence as he moves to put his colleagues on the record with a floor vote on his Speakership at noon Tuesday. But several GOP lawmakers Monday evening said they plan to withhold their support from the Ohio Republican when his nomination hits the floor --- enough opposition to sink Jordan's chances of clinching the gavel and make way for another multi-ballot Speakership race. Some of them left a closed-door conference meeting Monday night pledging their support for another candidate. Others suggested they would announce their final decision on the House floor. Jordan can only afford to lose four Republicans and still win the Speakership, assuming all members are present and voting for a candidate. Still, Jordan signaled that the House will move forward with a vote Tuesday. "Look, I felt good walking into the conference. I feel even better now. We've got a few more people we want to talk to, listen to. And then we'll have a vote tomorrow," Jordan said while leaving the meeting. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) said Monday night that he is opposed to Jordan "right now" but noted that he was scheduled to meet with Jordan later that night. One matter he wanted to bring up, he told reporters, was the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. "If he's gonna lead this conference during a presidential election cycle, particularly a presidential election year with primaries and caucuses around the country, he's gonna have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn't win the election," Buck said. |
| Biden Faces Risks in Wartime Visit to Israel | |
 | President Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to show solidarity with America's closest ally in the Middle East, in a wartime trip to bolster the country's resolve to eradicate Hamas but also to urge limits on what seems bound to be a casualty-filled ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. It will be a trip fraught with risks, both political and physical. The White House announced the visit on Monday evening after Mr. Biden met with his top intelligence officials and his closest advisers in the Oval Office to debate whether to accept the invitation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended over the weekend. In a briefing to reporters Monday night, John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said Mr. Biden would focus on "the critical need for humanitarian assistance to get into Gaza, as well as the ability for innocent people to get out." He said the president would have meetings in Tel Aviv and in Amman, Jordan, with the leaders of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. While Mr. Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken have backed the overthrow of Hamas, they have also stressed to Mr. Netanyahu's government that once Israel is seen blowing up buildings and triggering Palestinian casualties, public sentiment around the world could change dramatically. Before the announcement, two administration officials, noting the pro-Palestinian marches in Europe, in New York and on some American college campuses, said in interviews that they could already sense the narrative shifting. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's internal assessments. The visits by Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Mr. Blinken, and now Mr. Biden, are partly intended to force Israeli officials to think about how to go into Gaza without getting stuck there -- and without being seen as indifferent to the Palestinian civilians. |
| A new foreign war and a different type of top general for the U.S. | |
 | The U.S. military is embarking on its campaign to support Israel with a different type of top general: one who speaks softly and stays far away from Washington's political battles. Just two weeks ago, Gen. C.Q. Brown took over as the chair of the Joint Chiefs from Gen. Mark Milley, who tended toward long speeches during his four years in the top job and whose blunt comments drew criticism from the left, the right, and even at times within the Biden administration. Brown, by contrast, is an introvert known for listening more than he talks: a steady operator with no desire to get entangled in politics. That approach is getting its first test. Brown was less than a week into the new job on Oct. 7 when he woke up to an early morning phone call informing him that Hamas had launched a deadly assault on Israel. He spent the day in calls with other senior military officers and monitoring reports of the unfolding -- and escalating -- violence. The Hamas attack and the fighting that has followed puts Brown in a challenging position -- that of overseeing U.S. support for two foreign wars at once: Israel and Ukraine. And he'll likely make more of his moves behind-the-scenes than Milley did. Some analysts say Brown's quiet approach will enable military leaders to keep their heads down and focus on the job at hand. "I think it will be so good for the relationship between the American public and its military, and between political leaders and the military, to have someone who listens as carefully and talks as little as Gen. Brown does," said Kori Schake, the director of foreign and defense policy at the conservative American Enterprise Institute |
| U.S. Tightens Curbs on AI Chip Exports to China, Widening Rift With U.S. Businesses | |
 | The Biden administration is tightening restrictions on China's ability to buy advanced semiconductors, fueling friction with U.S. businesses that sell to the vast Chinese market. The Commerce Department on Tuesday said it would significantly constrict exports of artificial-intelligence chips, making it tougher for U.S. companies Nvidia to sell existing products in China -- or to introduce new chips to circumvent the rules. The move aims to close perceived loopholes in export controls announced a year ago, which themselves had faced strong opposition from the global semiconductor industry and escalated tensions with Beijing. The goal, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters, is to limit China's "access to advanced semiconductors that could fuel breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and sophisticated computers." The chips are critical to Chinese military applications, she said, a nod to concerns that the U.S. could fall behind China in key defense technologies. The updated rules significantly expand the U.S. government's authority to determine what products U.S. companies can and can't sell in the name of national security. Shipments of high-end AI chips, including those developed by Nvidia and Intel for the Chinese market, are banned without a license. And "gray zone" chips just below those thresholds will now require notification to the government, which can then deny their sales. The Semiconductor Industry Association, a U.S. chip-industry group, blasted the rules in a statement. "Overly broad, unilateral controls risk harming the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem without advancing national security as they encourage overseas customers to look elsewhere," the group said. |
| Lawyers, Trump and money: Ex-president spends millions in donor cash on attorneys as legal woes grow | |
 | Donald Trump's political fundraising machine is raking in donations at a prodigious pace, but he's spending tens of millions of dollars he's bringing in to pay attorneys to deal with the escalating costs of the various criminal cases he is contending with as he moves further into the 2024 presidential campaign. Campaign finance experts say using the money to pay for lawyers in cases not related to the campaign or officeholder duties appears to conflict with a federal ban on the personal use of donor dollars, even though the Federal Election Commission has ruled the prohibition doesn't apply to so-called leadership political action committees. The massive amount of money going to lawyers also amplifies the urgency Trump is feeling to raise money both for the campaign and his legal defense, which is unfolding on multiple fronts. Trump's Save America political action committee has paid nearly $37 million to more than 60 law firms and individual attorneys since January 2022, Federal Election Commission records show. That amounts to more than half of the PAC's total expenditures, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance filings, and represents a staggering sum compared to other political organizations. Footing the legal bills for co-defendants and potential witnesses raises additional thorny ethical questions: Will the attorneys paid by Trump be more loyal to him or their clients? If clients feel indebted to Trump, will they be less forthcoming about what they know? "The way these cases get built is you persuade the little fish to testify against the big fish," said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor and criminal law professor at George Washington University Law School. "Well, if the little fish's lawyer is being paid by the big fish that's less likely to happen potentially." |
| Justice Barrett expresses support for a formal US Supreme Court ethics code in Minnesota speech | |
| U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said Monday that it would be a good idea for the nation's highest court to adopt a formal code of conduct, but she said the nine justices already agree that they should hold themselves to the highest ethical standards possible. Barrett spoke at a University of Minnesota Law School event just two weeks after the high court opened its current term in October with fresh cases on guns, abortion and the power of regulatory agencies on its docket, but with ethical concerns high on many observers' minds. "I think it would be a good idea for us to do it, particularly so that we can communicate to the public exactly what it is that we're doing -- and in a clearer way than perhaps we have been able to do so far," Barrett said. "I will say this, there is no lack of consensus among the justices -- there is unanimity among all nine justices --- that we should and do hold ourselves to the highest standards, highest ethical standards possible." But when asked by her host, former Law School Dean Robert Stein, how long it might take the Supreme Court to reach consensus about what its own ethics code should be, Barrett demurred. Barrett spoke as part of a lecture series named for Stein that has also brought to the university Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Chief Justice John Roberts. But security in and around the auditorium was notably tighter than for the other justices, following calls by activist groups to protest against Barrett's appearance. |
| Community Profile: Historic marker brings Greene-Leech's MUW story full circle | |
 | There are two occasions when Mississippi University for Women evoked tears from Laverne Greene-Leech. About a week ago, the tears came when she was informed a state historical marker would be unveiled Thursday on the MUW campus honoring her and the five other Black students who integrated what was then known at Mississippi State College for Women in 1966. "Tears of joy," she said, when asked about her initial reaction to the news. "I was happy that we did play a little part in the story. I cried because I look at the institution and see what it has become." There are other types of tears, of course -- tears of rejection and isolation, of the emotional trauma of being tolerated but not embraced For years, those were the kind of tears Greene-Leech associated with her time at MUW. "It took a long time for me to feel like I was really a part of the university," she said. ... Greene-Leech said she didn't give The W much thought for years. Slowly, though, she began to notice things changing. Gertrude Lewis and Marjorie Carter became The W's first Black faculty members in 1970 and Black enrollment built steadily over the years. Male students joined the study body in the '80s. "When I saw Black students and Black faculty members and later, the boys, I knew it was finally a school for all people," she said. "That was when I was proud of The W and the part we played in it becoming what it is today." The marker will be unveiled at 3 p.m. Thursday. It will be placed in Pioneers Plaza, beside Carrier Chapel. |
| Award-winning authors to discuss new works at UM | |
| Eudora Welty Prize-winner Ethel Morgan Smith and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jane Smiley will discuss their latest books at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in Nutt Auditorium at the University of Mississippi. The event is free and open to the public. Smith won the 2023 Eudora Welty Prize for her "Path to Grace: Reimagining the Civil Rights Movement" (University Press of Mississippi). The book gives accounts from "heretofore unsung champions" of the civil rights movement through 11 original interviews. "I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the community at Ole Miss and excited to be coming to Oxford," Smith said. Acclaimed author Smiley said she was happy to join Smith for the event. She praises Smith's work in a review stating it is "a terrific read -- shocking, amusing, enlightening and mesmerizing, beginning to end." Smiley won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for her book "A Thousand Acres," which reimagines William Shakespeare's "King Lear" in the 20th century. Her most recent work, "The Questions that Matter Most" (Heyday Books, 2023), is a collection of nonfiction essays. Bruce Levingston, artist-in-residence and Lester Glenn Fant chair, will lead the conversation. |
| Court of Appeals takes oral arguments on the road Wednesday | |
| The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene at the University of Mississippi School of Law to hear oral arguments in two cases on Oct. 18. Three-judge panels of the Court of Appeals will hear appeals at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Robert C. Khayat Law Center in Moot Court I, Room 2035. Each oral argument is expected to last approximately an hour with 30 minutes per side. Judges will answer questions from law students after each oral argument but will not talk about the cases. Spectators should be seated in the courtroom 15 minutes before each proceeding. Through its Court on the Road program, the Court of Appeals schedules oral arguments on college campuses as a teaching tool to give students and the public opportunities to watch proceedings in cases on appeal. Court on the Road offers a unique learning experience for students with an interest in law, government, journalism and a variety of other fields. The general public may attend to gain a better understanding of appellate court proceedings. "Our court is fortunate that statutes permit us to convene in places other than the state capital," said Court of Appeals Chief Judge Donna Barnes of Tupelo. "That allows anyone, especially students, to attend in person and see first-hand how the appellate judicial system works." Court of Appeals Judge Jim M. Greenlee of Oxford, who helped coordinate the visit to his hometown which will include scheduled visits by the judges to classes at Lafayette and Oxford High Schools Wednesday morning before the afternoon oral arguments. Judge Greenlee noted that this gives local high school students the opportunity to meet and interact with judges. |
| USM celebrates Transfer Student Week | |
 | This week the University of Southern Mississippi is celebrating its transfer students during National Transfer Student Week. This week gives transfers the opportunity to reflect on their journies and the chance to make new connections across campus. "I get to work with an amazing group of students," said USM Coordinator for Transfer Student Success Emily Thorton. "I get to see them from the first part of the semester to the end and see them celebrate not only their grades but their social connections and their academic achievements and it's just an honor to be a part of their story," she said. USM provides several resources for transfer students including the honor organization Tau Sigma, Transfer Student Association (TSA) and peer mentor program, Transfer Transitions. Ashton Husband is one of those peer mentors. A transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, he said he joined the TSA in the fall of 2022. "It was something I wanted to join just because I know the transition from junior college to university was really hard for me, especially during Covid," said Husband. "I didn't really have nobody to talk to, nobody to lean on. It was just me and my classes and I didn't really know how to go about that." |
| Shooting at Jackson State University in Mississippi kills student from Chicago | |
| A student from Chicago was shot and killed late Sunday at Jackson State University in Mississippi, authorities said Monday. The university identified the victim as Jaylen Burns, an industrial technology major. The shooting was reported at an apartment complex on campus. The university's acting president, Elayne H. Anthony, issued a statement saying classes were suspended Monday. Additional security personnel were on campus and students were urged to keep their university identification with them at all times. Anthony's statement said the Jackson Police Department and Mississippi State Capitol police were investigating and looking for a person of interest. No suspects were identified and no other details were immediately released about the shooting. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jaylen's family, friends and all those who knew him," her statement said. "He was an ambitious and bright young man, who believed in being of service as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and president of the C100 Chapter at JSU, an affiliate of the 100 Black Men of America. We grieve the tragic loss of his life due to this act of violence." |
| 2024 Rose Parade to feature Jackson State's Sonic Boom of the South | |
| California will be getting a taste of Mississippi with the Sonic Boom of the South set to perform at the 2025 Rose Parade. The Jackson State marching band announced on social media that it had accepted an invitation to play in the world-famous event held annually in Pasadena --- a New Year's Day tradition dating back to 1890. The parade will run from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. CT on Jan. 1 and will occur prior to the 12 p.m. kickoff of the 110th annual Rose Bowl Playoff Game, which will be played between two teams fighting for a spot in the National Championship. Dubbed The Sonic Boom of the South in 1971, the Jackson State marching band has performed many halftime appearances for the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Cincinnati Bengals. The Sonic Boom has also been featured in a television special for Motown's 30th Anniversary and the 34th NAACP Image Awards, with a special guest performance by "Cedric the Entertainer." The band is a popular entry in halftime performances during football season as well as for parades across Mississippi and other states. |
| For Book Fairs, Scholastic Will Separate Titles That Deal With Race and Gender | |
| Scholastic, the children's book publisher, said that its elementary-school book fairs would now have a separate section for titles that deal with race, gender and sexuality -- a response to dozens of state laws that restrict how those subjects are discussed in schools. Those organizing book fairs can include -- or exclude -- that set of books, known as the "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice" catalog. School fairs can also choose to include specific books from the list. The separate catalog of 64 titles includes a children's biography of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson; a fantasy novel about a Lakota girl; a graphic novel featuring the Black Panther superhero; and a book about different family types, such as adoptive families and families with same-sex parents, according to a list provided by Scholastic. "We don't pretend this solution is perfect -- but the other option would be to not offer these books at all -- which is not something we'd consider," the publisher said last week in a statement. Alongside PEN America, the free speech organization, Scholastic has signed onto an open letter opposing state laws that effectively ban books in schools. But the publisher's decision shows the difficulty of navigating this new legal environment, with its tough sanctions. In Florida, for example, educators could lose their jobs, and school districts can be sued and fined. There are more than 120,000 Scholastic book fairs annually, according to the publisher. It launched the fairs in 1981, and shares profits from the sales with schools, generating $200 million in contributions, according to the company. |
| New STEM + Ag Sciences Complex highlights university growth | |
| Just a few months before announcing the largest freshman class in university history, Auburn began construction on a combined STEM and agricultural sciences complex, set for completion in 2026. Six departments, split evenly from COSAM and the College of Agriculture, will move from their respective buildings into the new complex upon its completion. From COSAM, biological sciences, geosciences and mathematics and statistics will move. Crop soil and environmental sciences, horticulture and entomology and plant pathology will represent the College of Agriculture in the complex. Currently, these programs are housed in Parker, Funchess and Comer Halls, as well as the Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. These buildings are some of the oldest on campus used for academic spaces and are often subject to continuous repairs. The complex will contain three buildings, all close to Samford Avenue and Mell Street. Notable aspects of the complex include an outdoor classroom, a teaching garden as well as "more laboratory space... than any other type of space," according to university briefings from facilities management officials. Vini Nathan, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, believes the decay and necessary repairs are "chronic." After the completion of the complex, many of these buildings will be demolished, paving the way for further construction. "Nobody should be in the coliseum," Nathan said. "Geosciences is in the coliseum, and so that complete department is going to move." |
| A New Republican Governor Is In, and This Professor Is Out | |
 | A longtime professor at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge will resign rather than work under the state's newly elected governor, Jeff Landry, a Republican. Robert T. Mann Jr. wrote on the social-media platform X on Sunday that he had "no confidence the leadership of this university would protect" the Manship School of Mass Communication, where he is a tenured professor, from "a governor's efforts to punish me and other faculty members." Mann's announcement sparked a flood of somber reactions from other professors and former students. Mann told The Chronicle that he'd been mentally preparing for this moment for nearly two years -- ever since he and Landry, the state's attorney general, came to virtual blows. In December 2021, one of Landry's staff members visited a Louisiana State Faculty Senate meeting to read a letter stating her boss's position on mandating Covid-19 vaccinations, which Landry wrote were "problematic" and a violation of religious-freedom principles. At the time, Mann criticized Landry on Twitter for "sending some flunkie" to the meeting, adding that dismissing vaccination mandates was "quite the move from a guy who considers himself 'pro-life.'" Landry hit back, saying he'd written to William F. Tate IV, Louisiana State's president, to express his "disdain and expectation for accountability" for Mann. In the end, Tate released a statement affirming the institution's commitment to "free and open scholarship and the freedom to debate ideas and principles without interference." |
| University administrators from around state defend programs, policies that aim to increase diversity | |
| Administrators from Arkansas' public universities defended their schools' programs and policies that aim to increase diversity and provide services to underrepresented groups on campuses during a meeting with legislators Monday at the state Capitol. State Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, a critic of college diversity programs, called Monday's hearing to give fellow lawmakers an opportunity to grill college administrators on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, often referred to as "DEI." During the last legislative session, Sullivan introduced a bill that would have ended state and local affirmative action programs in Arkansas. The state House of Representatives voted down Senate Bill 71, with 33 Republicans joining the chamber's 18 Democrats in voting against it. Sullivan said he hoped Monday's session could be useful in constructing legislation for the next session in 2025. Prior to Monday's hearing, at Sullivan's request, representatives from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; UALR's William H. Bowen School of Law; the University of Central Arkansas; and Arkansas State University responded to questioners on their school's diversity policies. College administrators told the Arkansas Legislative Council's Higher Education Subcommittee the programs provide ways for universities to either recruit students from underrepresented backgrounds, such as Black and Latino students, or give access to services for students on campus who may need additional support. |
| From camels to goldfish, here are the exotic animals treated at UGA recently | |
 | The Veterinary Hospital at the University of Georgia hasn't treated a lion recently, but a tiger and bears (oh, my!) have paid them a visit. Recently the vet med team treated Athena, an 8-year-old Bengal tiger, who lives at the Wild Animal Safari zoo in Pine Mountain. She was experiencing complications with cystic ovaries, which was remedied by a procedure at UGA. "The team at UGA did an incredible job working with Athena as they always do with our big cats,' " said Katie Harrison, zoo director at Wild Animal Safari. While a tiger is quite the eye-catching patient, exotic animals are not uncommon at their facility. In Fiscal Year 2023, more than 100 exotic animals were treated at UGA, according to UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine website. Animals are considered exotic when they fall outside the normal curriculum of animals that are widely taught, such as cats, dogs, horses, cows, goats and sheep, said UGA's Veterinary Hospital professor Joerg Mayer, who was at the clinic when Athena was treated. Mayer said that treating exotic animals is similar to treating an animal that is seen quite often, such as cats or dogs, and goes through the first steps of getting a diagnosis. However, the technique used in getting a diagnosis is different. The trick is then how to get that radiograph or bloodwork without harming the animal or the vet school's staff. With so much animal science literature available to everyone, Mayer said that there's "literally no excuse anymore" to not treat exotic animals since there's so many books that explain how to sedate a bird, for example. |
| TAMU BUILD to send five shipping container clinics across the globe | |
 | The genesis of TAMU BUILD, a Texas A&M University student organization aimed at helping others, came out of the 1999 Bonfire tragedy that claimed 12 lives. Now the organization is set to complete five new clinics that will be sent around the world, from Corpus Christi to Ukraine. BUILD 2023 CEO Kate-Riley Rogers said the organization was founded by students who wanted to find a way to honor those who were lost in the 1999 Bonfire collapse. "So, it started off [as] kind of the brainchild, or the creation, of multiple different students," Rogers said. "They all had a very similar idea of finding a way to honor Bonfire, both the '99 Bonfire collapse and also the spirit of what Bonfire is ... bringing people together for a physically demanding service project." BUILD was founded in 2013 and had originally partnered with the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity to help build a home for a local family. However, in 2014 BUILD started a project that would come to define both the organization and its mission when it began the construction of 12 medical clinics built out of old shipping containers. Since then, the student-led organization has completed 47 container clinics that have been shipped to over 22 countries and helped an estimated 200,000-plus people. Each of the first 12 clinics built over a three-year period was dedicated to an Aggie who lost their life in the collapse, said Rogers and Marketing Team Leader Lauryn Kastenschmidt. |
| U. of Missouri enrollment flatlines while neighboring universities grow | |
 | Undergraduate enrollment at the University of Missouri is slightly down from the fall 2022 semester, but MU says it's right on track to meet its own short-term and long-term recruitment goals. Even so, MU's enrollment isn't growing like many of its neighboring public universities, many of which have set enrollment records for their freshman and total undergraduates for the fall 2022 semester. According to data published by MU, there are 23,629 undergraduates enrolled at the Columbia campus for the fall semester, marginally smaller than last year's total of 23,752. However, the number of first-year students has increased by over 3% compared to last year. "We're really happy with the class that we brought in," said Kim Humphrey, vice provost for enrollment management and strategic development. "We're right where we thought we would be for (this) fall. Next year's goal is a little bit higher, and we're going to try to bring in 5,500 new freshmen for next year." "Mizzou is in a really good place right now," she said. "I think the freshman class that we brought in is exactly where we want it to be." Though MU has essentially flatlined in terms of total undergraduate enrollment in the last four years -- no class has had more than a 300-student difference from one year to the next in that time -- other comparable universities in the Midwest have reported growth, and in some cases, large growth. |
| WVU Professors Get Their Layoff Notices | |
 | It's been a month since West Virginia University's Board of Governors rebuffed students' and faculty members' pleas not to slash academic programs and positions. Last week, Provost Maryanne Reed told the Faculty Senate that the 143 positions the board approved axing would only result in 69 people receiving layoff notices. But, she said, that's because "there were a significant number of faculty that voluntarily retired or resigned." "I realize that is of little solace for those faculty members who will be losing their positions," Reed said. "I recognize this is going to be very difficult on those individuals and their families. I think we all know people who will be impacted." Reed gave her remarks as WVU was sending layoff notices to individual professors, making the universitywide number of terminations even more personal. April Kaull, a WVU spokeswoman, said the notification process continues this week. Professors have been sharing details about the layoff notices individually on X, mirroring how they broke the news in early August of just how many positions and degree offerings the university was planning to eliminate. WVU is offering tenured, tenure-track, teaching-track and service-track faculty members who are laid off severance packages of 12 weeks of their base salary, starting after May 9. But accepting these packages includes a caveat. "Any severance agreement shall contain a statement indicating that the faculty member releases all claims against the university," board policy states. That includes legal and state grievance claims. |
| Scrolls were illegible for 2,000 years. A college student read one with AI. | |
 | A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student was at a party in August when he received a text that would help him decipher a nearly 2,000-year-old message. In the previous few months, Luke Farritor had joined a worldwide competition to translate ancient Roman scrolls that were damaged by a volcanic eruption in A.D. 79. The 21-year-old computer science major had developed an artificial intelligence program to detect the charred Greek letters written on papyrus. The text message he received at the party included an image from one of the scrolls. Farritor sat down in a corner to review the picture and uploaded it to his AI program before returning to the party. When he was walking back to his dorm room around 1 a.m., Farritor pulled out his phone from his pocket and was shocked at what he saw. His AI program had detected about a dozen letters from the image. "I was completely amazed," Farritor told The Washington Post. "I freaked out a little bit, jumping up and down, yelling, screaming." Papyrologists later translated the Greek letters into a complete word -- "porphyras," an ancient Greek word for purple. The Vesuvius Challenge, a project created by University of Kentucky computer science professor Brent Seales to decipher the Herculaneum scrolls, has since awarded Farritor $40,000 for his discovery. He is believed to be the first person in nearly 2,000 years to be able to read a part of the scrolls. The scrolls are "something that people said you would never be able to read because it's too hard to extract the text," Seales said at a news conference Thursday, explaining that he has tried to decipher the letters for about two decades. "And yet today we're talking about exactly that." |
| A dozen education groups press Education Department for FAFSA release date | |
| A dozen education organizations are pressing the U.S. Department of Education to announce a firm release date for the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, arguing that "every day counts" when supporting students through the process. The Education Department announced earlier this year that it would unveil the FAFSA form sometime in December, two months later than its usual Oct. 1 release. The delay is meant to implement changes to make the form simpler, but it also shrinks the window for college officials to make aid offers to applicants. The organizations -- which include prominent higher education groups like the American Council on Education and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities -- argue that the lack of a release date could hinder a smooth rollout of the new form. An Education Department spokesperson said Monday the agency received the letter and is "working expeditiously to make an announcement on this as soon as possible." But with less than three months until Jan. 1, the latest date by which the Education Department can release the new form, the lack of a firm rollout date "compromises our members' ability to do all they can to support a smooth rollout," the organizations wrote. |
| Presidents Break With Supreme Court on Affirmative Action | |
| Scores of college presidents released public statements disagreeing with the U.S. Supreme Court's June decision on affirmative action, in a case that involved Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but had implications for all of higher education. A new survey of college and university presidents from Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research reveals the scope of that disagreement: more than two-thirds (68 percent) of the survey's 136 respondents oppose the court's curbing of race-conscious admissions, nearly half (46 percent) of them strongly. Just 17 percent of the presidents in the survey, supported by Lumina Foundation, somewhat or strongly support the court's decision. An additional 15 percent of presidents are neutral. Similarly, just three in 10 respondents somewhat or strongly agree that that the decision reflects a realistic sense of race in the U.S. today. Nearly six in 10 (57 percent) strongly or somewhat disagree that it does. The remainder neither agree nor disagree. Differences in perspective emerge by region: presidents from the South are significantly more likely than those in the Midwest to agree that the court's decision reflects a realistic sense of race today, at 41 percent versus 17 percent, respectively. |
| Exclusive: University presidents unite in support of Israel | |
| A multifaith coalition of U.S. colleges and universities has issued a public statement supporting Israel and opposing Hamas, it tells Axios exclusively. Founding signees include the presidents of Jewish schools (Yeshiva University), Catholic schools (University of Notre Dame), HBCUs (Dillard University), Christian schools (Baylor University), and public systems (SUNY and CUNY). Plus the presidents of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the United Negro College Fund. "We are building a broad coalition that can articulate inhumanity when we see it," says Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University. "This is the greatest atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and one of the most significant attacks of international terrorism." Berman declined to specifically address the impact Israel's military response is having on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, except to reiterate the statement's mention of suffering "under Hamas' cruel rule." |
| Middle East Tumult Reverberates on U.S. Campuses | |
| ollege campuses in the U.S. continue to be roiled by tensions over the war between Israel and Hamas, with donors and politicians pressuring institutions to take stronger stands and reports surfacing of alleged threats against students. The Wexner Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish leadership in North America, said it was "formally ending its financial and programmatic relationships" with Harvard University and its Kennedy School of Government. The president of Drexel University, John Fry, said in a message to the campus Saturday that "someone within our community" defaced a women's restroom on the Philadelphia campus with antisemitic graffiti. The president of the University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, released a statement Sunday in the wake of intensifying criticism about the university's perceived failure to condemn antisemitic rhetoric. Some donors and alumni have called on Magill and the university's board chair to resign because they hadn't responded as forcefully as the critics wished to the attack by Hamas and to a Palestinian writers' conference on the Penn campus last month. Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling on Columbia University to dismiss a professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history whose essay this month appeared to support Hamas's attacks on Israel. |
| War in Israel exposes 'free speech' hypocrisy on college campuses | |
| The Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino writes: More than 4,000 Israelis and Palestinians have died since Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel last Saturday. Between chai lattes and frisbee on the quad, student groups on America's college campuses have something to say about it. Early last week, more than 30 student groups at Harvard University made news when they signed onto a letter stating they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence," and "the Apartheid regime is the only one to blame." These students, at the most prestigious university in America, skipped right past the left-wing's standard drawing of moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas to outright victim blaming. Counter-culture hot takes were not limited to Harvard. Student groups on dozens of other college campuses issued similar, and in some cases, more egregious, statements. Some students actually found ways to celebrate Hamas's attack. ... n poll after poll, Palestinians reject a "two-state" solution. Israel can either defend itself or commit suicide. Those are its options. It has constantly faced and pushed back on these sort of extinction level threats for the last 75 years. Which brings us to the diabolical. There is a strand of radicalism being pushed on campuses that is not naive, but which fully appreciates and endorses the goal of wiping the nation of Israel off the map. Even so, both strands of pro-Hamas students should be allowed to speak, as long as they are not directly inciting actual physical violence (none of this "words are violence" nonsense). Free speech is not only a hallmark of a functioning democracy because it allows for good ideas to rise to the top. Free speech is also vital because it allows the dumb and diabolical among us to identify themselves. But allowing speech and accepting speech are not the same thing. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State aims to get healthy following bye week, begins prep for Arkansas | |
| Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett declined to provide definitive injury updates on several key Bulldogs players, including quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jo'Quavious "Woody" Marks, at Monday's press conference following the bye week. "We gave them limited reps last week because they've played the vast majority of the snaps," Arnett said. "Every single guy on our roster is on a day-to-day evaluation, and everyone who is medically cleared to play and able to play will play." Rogers left MSU's win over Western Michigan on Oct. 7 with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury in the fourth quarter, while Marks, who was also banged up against South Carolina and Alabama, left the Western Michigan game in the second quarter after twisting his leg. The Bulldogs (3-3, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) were also without receiver Justin Robinson, running back Jeffery Pittman and defensive lineman De'Monte Russell against the Broncos. Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright will be the starting quarterback if Rogers is unable to go Saturday at Arkansas (11 a.m., ESPN). Wright attempted 10 passes against the Broncos after having thrown the ball just once in the Bulldogs' first five games, although he remains more suited to a run-heavy offense based around misdirection. "There are things we do with Mike in there at quarterback that are structured more for him," Arnett said. "When he's in there, we're going to play to the strengths of our personnel. It's going to look very similar to when he's in there any other time." Arnett said the bye week was about getting MSU's younger, less-experienced players more time playing with the first-team practice in practice, in the name of resting the players who have rarely come off the field during games. |
| What Zach Arnett said of Mississippi State football's plan vs Arkansas if Will Rogers is out | |
 | Mississippi State football coach Zach Arnett gave no update Monday regarding the status of Will Rogers for this week's game at Arkansas. Arnett hasn't provided an updated since the senior quarterback was injured in an Oct. 7 win against Western Michigan. The same goes for running back Jo'Quavious Marks, wide receiver Justin Robinson, defensive lineman De'Monte Russell and running back Jeffery Pittman. "Like with every other guy, we gave them limited reps last week because they've played the vast majority of the snaps," Arnett said. "Every single guy on our roster is on a day-to-day evaluation. Everyone who's medically cleared to play and able to play will play. If they're not, then they don't." If Rogers is out against Arkansas (2-5, 0-4 SEC) on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN), backup Mike Wright is expected to start. Wright, who joined MSU (3-3, 0-3) in the offseason after three seasons at Vanderbilt, has played 66 snaps this season while serving in special packages for offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay. His highest snap count (11) was in a season-opening win against FCS foe Southeastern Louisiana before he saw 32 snaps against Western Michigan, most of which came before Rogers was injured in the fourth quarter. Of Wright's 66 snaps, 53 have been running plays, according to Pro Football Focus. Rogers has played 197 passing snaps to 129 rushing snaps. |
| Pittman: Hogs have to win in return home | |
| No pressure, Arkansas Razorbacks. Even though they're riding the longest losing streak during his tenure at five games, fourth-year head coach Sam Pittman said Monday the green, green grass of home better be good for his Arkansas team, which still harbors bowl aspirations. The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4 SEC) showed pluck in road losses at current No. 19 LSU, No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 11 Alabama over the last month, but they lost those three games by a combined 13 points. They return to Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 11 a.m. on Saturday against a Mississippi State team (3-3, 0-3 SEC) that had a bye week to prepare. "We've got to win," Pittman said, raising his hands as if making a bottom-line assessment at his Monday news conference. "We have to win on Saturday to reach ... When the season starts, you have all these goals. There are some still attainable goals that we have. Our kids know." The frustration of a series of close-call losses did not faze the Razorbacks after falling behind 24-6 at Alabama. The Hogs closed by scoring the final 15 points and had the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead against the Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter before a third-down sack forced a punt. Arkansas never got the ball back in its 24-21 loss to Alabama, its 17th in a row in the series and its 10th straight at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Pittman mis-spoke to start his Monday news conference, saying, "We're excited to go to Mississippi State," but he later came back with a reference to the Hogs' merciless schedule, which featured a home loss to BYU before the month-long slog through the SEC West. |
| Auburn's Hugh Freeze holds back comments on facing Ole Miss after scandal-ridden exit | |
 | Several times, Hugh Freeze seemed on the verge of making a comment Monday about the unceremonious and controversial end to his tenure as the Ole Miss head coach. Sometimes, it doesn't take much translating or reading between the lines to figure out exactly what Freeze means. But he left a lot more in the air Monday. "I have a lot of friends there and a lot of people that I think appreciate the good things that we did and certainly wish that some things were different at the ending, just like I do," Freeze said. "But I think time, I mean time -- " And Freeze cut himself off. Based on his remark leading up to that point, it appeared as if Freeze would comment on if time had mended a bridge. "We're, what, 7-8 years now removed from my seasons there," Freeze said instead. Then, he cut himself off again in the next sentence. "So I think most people have -- ," Freeze stopped himself. "I don't know, I've got a lot of friends there." Again, he seemed on the verge of saying something to the effect of people moving on. He cut himself off twice before potentially making a larger comment on his scandal-ridden end at Ole Miss. Freeze's resignation from Ole Miss in 2016 came on the heels of a report Freeze used a school-issued cellphone to call a phone number associated with an escort service. It was reported Freeze had a "pattern of misconduct." |
| Auburn's home game with Mississippi State gets afternoon kickoff | |
 | Auburn football returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium for a two-game home stretch next, and kickoff times for both games have been announced. Auburn's game Oct. 28 against Mississippi State will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on SEC Network, the conference announced Monday. First, Auburn hosts Ole Miss on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. with that game being televised on ESPN, as previously announced. Auburn returns home after an open date and a 48-18 loss to LSU. Auburn's game against Mississippi State went to overtime last season in Starkville, Miss., as Carnell Williams made his debut as interim head coach. This season, Mississippi State sits 3-3 and 0-3 in the SEC. Mississippi State plays at Arkansas this Saturday before preparing for its trip to Jordan-Hare. Ole Miss is 5-1 on the season with its only loss so far coming to Alabama on the road. |
| Mizzou to propose upgrades for all athletics facilties to U. of Missouri Board of Curators in November meeting | |
| Mizzou Athletics will present a plan to the UM Board of Curators on Nov. 16 that includes upgrades to all of MU sports facilities, the athletic department announced via a news release Monday. The plan is the result of a July partnership with Kansas City-based architecture firm Populous, which will join the athletic department in presenting the plan to the Board of Curators during the November meeting at Missouri-St Louis. Per the release, the plan "would impact every Mizzou sports program and feature sequential construction projects to address current facility needs. The roadmap includes the construction of several new competition venues and practice facilities and explores a reimagination of the north concourse of Memorial Stadium." The north concourse, the hill side of Memorial Stadium, has not been renovated since 2013, when the hill was moved closer to the field to expand the concourse area. Specific renderings for the reimagined space will be released Nov. 16. MU previously partnered with Populous to complete Memorial Stadium's "Tiger Deck" space in 2014. The firm also designed Mizzou Arena, the home of MU's basketball teams, which opened in 2004. |
| How taxpayers will be on the hook for the UW's football moves | |
| The story of the University of Washington leaving its athletic conference after more than a century is not a sports story. Some people seem to get this -- only they're down in Oregon. There, state lawmakers held a hearing recently on what larger effects the decision is really going to have -- not on the college football rankings, but on state budgets, on students and on small towns in both Oregon and Washington. "The implication to the state is in the tens of millions of dollars," one legislator laid out, about the likely wake left by both UW and the University of Oregon leaving the Pac-12 conference to play in the Big Ten. Said Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy: "The decision to pull out of the Pac-12 by (these) two state institutions was made very quickly and with little regard for the fallout to sister institutions, and to the taxpayers." Taxpayers? We haven't heard much about any of this up here in Washington. It's been mostly all hype and hoopla about football. There was no study of the economic effects of the moves, either on higher education budgets or on the surrounding towns where these sister institutions live, Murthy said. Testimony at the Oregon hearing, held in its House Higher Education Committee, estimated that Oregon State alone would lose $42 million just in 2024 due to the collapse of the conference and it being left behind. "These are public institutions, and this is going to have major ramifications on the higher-ed budget," said Michael Baumgartner, a former Washington state senator. "The issues should have been decided in public, not by university presidents and TV executives in back rooms." |
| ACC's Jim Phillips: Challenges Accepted: Phillips faces his responsibilities as commissioner with confidence and an eye toward contingency options | |
| The door to Jim Phillips' uptown Charlotte office swings open just after 3 p.m. Phillips, now in his third year as Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner, rises from his desk chair, a maroon and gold Boston College-colored tie dangling from his neck. The ACC moved its headquarters from Greensboro, N.C., where it had been for 70 years, to Charlotte in August. The swanky new offices on the 12th floor of the Bank of America Tower buzz on this day as staffers bounce from one office or cubicle to the next. Phillips' suite enjoys a corner view, overlooking the south end zone at Bank of America Stadium, and looks into uptown Charlotte courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows on two of the room's four main walls. Still, it's a work in progress. "I need to get more things on the wall," Phillips quips of his fresh digs. Frankly, the league's fifth commissioner has had little time to hang pictures. The ACC added Cal, Southern Methodist and Stanford last month in what could be the final key dominoes to fall in this latest round of realignment. That in and of itself has been a heavy lift for the league and Phillips, who took over for longtime Commissioner John Swofford in February 2021 after more than a decade overseeing the athletic department at Northwestern along with spells at Northern Illinois, Tennessee and Notre Dame. Nestling into one of the cushioned seats in the front of his office, Phillips takes a moment to reflect on all that's occurred in his brief tenure. |
| Live Updates: Latest news and analysis from Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on NIL | |
| For the 10th time since 2020, college sports and NIL will have another moment on Capitol Hill. The Senate Judiciary Committee hosts a legislative hearing on Tuesday morning, featuring a who's who of the college sports landscape with seven witnesses scheduled to testify. How the meeting plays out remains to be seen. Previous hearings have turned into a pep rally, while last month's questioned the NCAA's motives for turning to Congress for assistance. Among the NCAA's top wishes in a federal NIL mandate include an antitrust exemption, preemption over state NIL laws and codifying athletes are not employees. Listeners should also be prepared for discussions centered around conference realignment, collective bargaining and revenue sharing. The meeting comes as the 118th Congress is currently dealing with war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict and a looming government shutdown. Beyond that, a presidential election is on the horizon and the House is attempting to elect a new speaker. |
| Charlie Baker Op-Ed: College sports are overdue for change | |
| Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, writes for The Athletic: College sports deliver $4 billion in college aid annually to 500,000 student-athletes, serve as the premier U.S. stage for many women's athletic competitions, and are America's Olympic pipeline with 75 percent of 2022 Team USA attending NCAA schools. College sports are a uniquely American treasure, providing life lessons to its participants while contributing to society in so many ways. But for too long, rules meant to govern and protect one generation of student-athletes have been broadly applied to a generation whose needs and priorities have shifted dramatically. Putting student-athletes' interests first, helping them fairly and securely capitalize on the economic opportunity associated with their name, image, and likeness (NIL), and enhancing protections for their physical, mental, and academic health are long overdue. At the NCAA, we have begun making those changes. ... While we can --- and are --- adapting the NCAA, we can't expand our own legal authority. Our new NIL bylaw proposals will improve outcomes for student-athletes in an uncertain environment, but there is opportunity to do more. We want to partner with Congress to go further in curtailing inducements and empty promises from would be agents, preventing third parties from tampering with students and setting a national standard where an unworkable patchwork of state laws currently exists. |
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