| Wednesday, February 14, 2024 |
| Mississippi State installs SEC's largest on-campus solar farm | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) recently installed a solar farm intended to help power Starkville. The 3,420 solar panel facility is the largest on-campus solar facility in the Southeastern Conference. The four-acre field between R.L. Jones Circle and Blackjack Road is energizing Mississippi State as part of its 30-year renewable energy efficiency project. The 2.4 million kilowatt hours of energy created annually with this project and others will help save the university roughly $885,000 annually. A $265,000 one-time rebate incentive from the Tennessee Valley Authority also applies. But for Saunders Ramsey, executive director of MSU's Campus Services, the benefits on campus will be recurring. "We're taking innovative action now to generate renewable, sustainable power right here on campus. This solar structure is a visible symbol of Mississippi State's commitment to reach our clean energy goals." Ramsey said. MSU officials believe pre-professional, hands-on learning in design, production and solar farm maintenance and management could boost graduates' employment potential as they enter the job market. Les Potts, interim vice president for Finance and Administration and CFO at Mississippi State, said as solar farms continue to develop, more Mississippi landowners and utilities will consider the use of solar power on their property. |
| 140 trees planted along one-mile pathway at Mississippi State University | |
 | A one-mile pathway at Mississippi State University got a transformation. The university says that 140 trees were planted along the College View Connector walking path that links the campus to Highway 182 on Friday, February 9. MSU says faculty, staff and students planted large hardwoods and cedar trees, and the committee plans to add flowering trees, shrubs and other plants in the coming years. |
| Bailey enlightens Kiwanians on MSU Idea Shop | |
 | The Starkville Kiwanis Club was treated to an informative session by Steven Bailey, a landscape architecture graduate student at Mississippi State, shedding light on the diverse resources available at the MSU Idea Shop. From state-of-the-art equipment such as laser cutters and CNC machines, to high-end woodworking tools, to workshops and mentorship programs, Bailey highlighted how the Idea Shop serves as a catalyst for turning ideas into tangible projects. His firsthand experiences and stories showed Kiwanians just how big of an impact the Idea Shop has on promoting innovation and collaboration. For just a small price, anyone has the opportunity to use the space and machines to bring their ideas to life. Bailey spoke on the Idea Shop's purpose and their goal to combine different programs to bring creativity to all. "...Our sectors really fall into three different regions. Education is a big mission of ours, service is, of course, and outreach. We are all about helping all of those things converge and overlap...there are a lot of places that offer a piece of all of those things, but we try to bring as much of this together and really offer enriching programming and exciting things for the Starkville community and the students of Mississippi State." |
| Relocated University Florist faces Valentine's Day rush | |
 | The University Florist is experiencing its first Valentine's Day rush since relocating to the A.B. McKay Food Research and Enology Lab last September. Mississippi State University's University Florist has sold fresh flowers, gifts and ornamental plants since 1928. Previously located on Lee Boulevard, the store moved due to the construction of new dining options in the area. Retail items are now available at a pop-up shop within the MAFES Sales Store at 925 Stone Blvd. Lauren Baskin, store manager and senior horticulture major, has been preparing to take over the store from the previous manager, Lynette McDougald. She said the move to A.B. McKay has been bittersweet. "I do miss the old location and the tradition about it," Baskin said. "I really enjoy having the space, and it's pretty out here. It's calming and like a little escape, so it's good. But I do miss being in the center of campus." London Hunt, the florist's marketing manager and a senior horticulture major, said she has been working at the University Florist for a year and a half and has been busy preparing flowers for everyone who wants to spread love and joy on Valentine's Day. Hunt said the University Florist staff has prepared meetings to discuss marketing for Valentine's Day and has posted different floral designs on social media to showcase their inventory. Deliveries can be placed by calling the University Florist at 662-325-3585. |
| Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day fall on the same day this year | |
 | Feb. 14 is a holiday heavyweight this year due to a calendar collision of events. Yes, it's Valentine's Day, the fixed annual celebration of love and friendship, marked by cute couples, eager elementary school students -- and critics who deride its commercialization. But it also happens to be Ash Wednesday, the solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Christianity's most penitent season. Ash Wednesday is not a fixed date. Its timing is tied to Easter Sunday, and for most Christians, Easter will fall on March 31 this year. Easter also moves annually, swinging between March 22 and April 25 based on a calendar calculation involving the moon. Not all Christians observe Ash Wednesday. For those who do, they typically attend an Ash Wednesday church service, where a priest or other minister draws a cross -- or at least what is intended to look like one -- of ashes on their forehead. The distribution of ashes underscores human mortality, among other themes. The history of Valentine's Day and St. Valentine is a bit murky, but the holiday began as a liturgical feast day for a third-century Christian martyr, according to Lisa Bitel, a history and religion professor at the University of Southern California. n the Conversation, her article titled, " The 'real' St. Valentine was no patron of love," explains there may have been more than one St. Valentine executed for their faith in the same time period, but none of them appear to have been romantics. The emphasis on love appears to have come later. |
| A cake that isn't a cake... with a baby inside? | |
 | While Lent may have already started, some sweet treats are harder to give up than others. For the past month, local bakers have been creating King Cakes, a dessert traditionally used to celebrate Epiphany and Mardi Gras. Even though Proof Bakery's storefront has been closed since the end of last year, owner T.J. Manna said that since she opened orders for King Cakes to the public through social media on Jan. 6, demand has stayed steady -- and high. "Everybody's always looking for the best King Cake in their area," Manna said. "...I think that the demand is always there. In this area, people love King Cakes. It's a tradition and it means something to them." Manna started learning to bake King Cakes about five years ago, she said, even before she opened Proof, since so many people love them. With Fat Tuesday and Valentine's Day falling so close together, she even made a few heart-shaped King Cakes for those that wanted to celebrate both holidays at once, Manna said. While Manna has been making her King Cakes more unique by offering a wide variety of the desserts, other bakeries in the area have approached the Mardi Gras season a bit differently. Kirk Hutchinson is the owner of Power of the Almond Bakery, a Starkville-based bakery specializing in gluten-free products. The bakery started making King Cakes for the first time this year, he said, due to high demand. Hutchinson said the bakery uses almond flour or coconut flour instead of wheat flour to create its King Cakes. Otherwise, the process of creating a King Cake remains largely the same. |
| Moreland cruises to Ward 1 special election victory | |
| Kim Moreland has won the special election to represent Ward 1 on the board of aldermen. She easily defeated Timothy Bush by a 155-38 margin Tuesday to claim the seat. She replaces Ben Carver, who was elected to serve District 1 on the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors and resigned as alderman Jan. 2. Moreland will join the board of aldermen Feb. 20. Moreland has represented Ward 1 on the planning and zoning commission for about four years. She also previously served on the board of adjustments and appeals. Professionally, she is a licensed general contractor and manages rental properties, among other duties. |
| Wood Pellet Maker Enviva Prepares to File for Bankruptcy | |
 | Enviva, the largest U.S. wood pellet exporter, is preparing to file for bankruptcy within days after a bad bet on future prices of the commodity triggered nine-figure losses, according to people familiar with the matter. The Bethesda, Md.-based company last month entered into a 30-day grace period that expires on Thursday after missing a $24 million interest payment owed to its bondholders. Enviva is making preparations to file for bankruptcy as soon as the end of this week, but it might push the filing back to continue negotiations if the bondholders agree to extend the grace period, the people said. A group of Enviva's bondholders is offering the company financing for the chapter 11 process, the people said. Enviva didn't respond to requests for comment. Enviva has grown to become the nation's largest seller of wood pellets, cylinders of compressed wood about the width of a piece of chalk. Last year, the company said its gambit to buy pellets to resell them for a profit had backfired. Enviva was on the hook to pay $296.3 million for 800,000 metric tons of wood pellets that would only be worth $156.9 million on the open market, according to a November securities filing. Enviva markets its wood pellets as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, and operates 10 plants across the South as well as six marine terminals. While the company reported a year-over-year increase in metric tons sold during the most recent quarter ended Sept. 30, revenue declined and its net loss widened due to lower prices. |
| Bill of the Day: How much do you love the sweet potato? | |
| This may come as a surprise, but Mississippi has never designated a "state vegetable." But don't fret. According to House Bill 989, Mississippians could soon celebrate the sweet potato as its main vegetable of choice. The bill, authored by Representative Sam Creekmore (R), was recommended to him in a letter by a third-grade class at East Union. He said the students suggested the sweet potato as the state vegetable. "I hope Mississippi will get behind it. I think it's important for tourism to recognize things like this because it brings a good light to Mississippi. You never know what sweet potato lovers out there will hear about it," said Rep. Creekmore. He went on to say he thought the students' suggestion was a unique and novel idea that would also honor the state's sweet potato farmers. According to the Mississippi State University Extension Service, sweet potato growers in the Magnolia State plant more than 20,000 acres of the crop each year. This ranks Mississippi second in the U.S. for sweet potato acreage and third in production. "Mississippi sweet potato growers are committed to growing the safest, most nutritious, and affordable sweet potatoes. We are excited about this opportunity to elevate the states largest specialty crop," said Caleb Englert Mississippi Sweet Potato Council President. |
| Lawmakers set to tackle judicial redistricting in Mississippi | |
| Every ten years, Mississippi's judicial districts undergo a redistricting process. According to state law, the process must be completed by the fifth year after the Census. The last census was performed in 2020, putting the Legislature's cutoff in 2025. Lawmakers plan to address judicial redistricting during the 2024 Legislative session. The redistricting affects not only judges, but also district attorneys. State Senator Brice Wiggins (R), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary A Committee, said the process traditionally goes through his committee before being considered by both legislative bodies and the Governor. If the Legislature fails to enact new judicial maps by its deadline, the responsibility is left up to the Chief Justice. "The next elections for the judges will be held in 2026. The idea is, once it passes, then anyone interested will know what the districts are a year ahead of time. If we wait, it won't be effective until July 1, 2025, they start qualifying at the beginning of 2026, that doesn't leave much time," said Wiggins. Current law dictates that lawmakers must consider district population and current case load, but also gives the Legislature freedom to consider interests specific to individual districts. Based on the 2020 Census, population shifts have occurred in the state, particularly out of the Delta. In that region, counties such as Quitman, Sharkey, Coahoma and Tallahatchie have seen near 20% population declines since 2010, while counties in other parts of the state have experienced growth. Lafayette, DeSoto, Lamar, Madison, Rankin and Harrison all showed double digit population gains during the same 10-year period. |
| State Auditor working with lawmakers to expand Open Meetings Act | |
 | When it comes to pushing for new laws during this year's legislative session, State Auditor Shad White is still hoping the Legislature will consider his proposal to expand open meeting laws, as well as a few other items. White told the Clarion Ledger he thinks lawmakers should take a long hard look at the Open Meetings Act, which dictates when and how public bodies in the state are supposed to meet, as well as how they are defined. White first became aware of an issue with Mississippi's meeting laws in 2018 when representing the Natchez Democrat during a Mississippi Ethics Commission case between the newspaper and the city council, which chose a contract with a garbage company in a closed meeting. The commission later found the council violated open meeting laws, but it was not required to reverse its decision or to revote in a public setting. Over the years, White has seen several other instances where county and city government boards have taken advantage of this loophole, he said. "I stumbled upon this when I was a baby lawyer before I ever became state auditor," White said. "We do care in the auditor's office that taxpayer money is spent in the way that the law requires, even if the Open Meetings Act violations wouldn't get reported to us. To me, advocating for strengthening these law means that we're less likely to see cases in the auditor's office in the long run. I think transparency is a powerful disinfectant." |
| The first Black woman in the Mississippi Legislature now has her portrait in the state Capitol | |
| Former Rep. Alyce Clarke was the first Black woman elected to the Mississippi Legislature, and now she is the first Black person -- and first woman -- to have a portrait on display in the state Capitol. She smiled Tuesday as fellow lawmakers, friends and supporters honored her during a ceremony to unveil the oil painting, which has a prominent spot in the room where the House Education Committee meets. Clarke, an 84-year-old Democrat from Jackson, served 39 years before deciding not to seek reelection in 2023. "Thank God, I've had more good days than I've had bad days," she said during a ceremony. "And I'd just like to thank everybody who's here. I'd like to help everybody who's helped me to get here because I did nothing by myself." The artist, Ryan Mack, said he based the portrait on a photo of Clarke from the mid-1980s. "I'm a true believer and witness of the good she has done," Mack said, citing her work on education and nutrition programs. Democratic Rep. Robert Johnson of Natchez said Tuesday that Clarke was persistent in seeking support for her alma mater, Alcorn State University. |
| Trailblazing state Rep. Alyce Clarke honored with portrait in state Capitol | |
| Former state Rep. Alyce Clarke, the first Black woman to serve in the Mississippi Legislature, sat patiently in her motorized wheelchair Tuesday as her many feats and accomplishments were listed inside the Capitol. But when it came time to unveil her portrait, the 84-year-old Clarke stood. Clarke had said it was important to have her portrait hanging in the Capitol so that "little boys and little girls who come to the Capitol could see someone who looks like them." Perhaps Clarke wanted to make sure that those little boys and girls saw her standing next to her portrait. When Clarke was elected to the Mississippi House in a 1985 special election, there were three women serving in the Legislature. She is the first woman to have her portrait hung in the Capitol. A bust of former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Gandy is located prominently in a Senate committee room. Clarke's portrait was painted by Jackson artist Ryan Mack. The portrait was based on a photograph from 1985 when she was first elected to the Mississippi House. During Tuesday's ceremony, current House Pro Tem Manly Barton, R-Moss Point, praised Clarke's persistence in getting legislation passed. For years she filed bills to create a state lottery. When it was finally passed in 2018, Clarke's colleagues chose to name the lottery in her honor. |
| 'Jacksonians deserve to live in peace': Gov. Reeves announces new safety initiative for Jackson | |
| "Jacksonians deserve to live in peace." Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said those words at a press conference Tuesday announcing a new safety initiative for the capital city. The large-scale operation, which began in mid-January, is called Operation Unified. It is a coordinated effort between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies to get drug traffickers and violent criminals off Jackson's streets. "Jacksonians should not have to fear for their safety while running errands or commuting to work," Governor Reeves said. "Together with our local and federal partners, we will put a stop to it. As one unified front that is committed to stopping violent crime, this operation will help us to do exactly that. I'd like to thank our law enforcement partners for helping us tackle the crime plaguing this fantastic city." The governor also had a message for criminals operating within Jackson. "Your time here is over," said Governor Reeves. "You don't run this city, and you are not immune to the law. We will not surrender our streets to you, and we will never -- and I mean never -- rest until you are behind bars. Your partners in crime are getting caught, one by one. And I promise you this: all those who prey upon the residents of Jackson and our great state will be caught, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Law and order will win the day here, and you will be brought to justice." |
| House sends Mayorkas impeachment to Senate on second try | |
 | House Republicans voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, sending the historic push to a Senate that is unlikely to convict and remove him from office. The 214-213 vote came after months of conservative furor at Mayorkas and the Biden administration over immigration and border security policy. It was the chamber's second attempt to adopt the impeachment resolution after a few Republicans bucked their party last week, sinking the effort in the closely divided House. This time, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., returned from cancer treatment to put Republicans over the top, while three members of his party again voted against the resolution. The House last impeached a Cabinet member in the Grant administration in the 1800s. The impeachment resolution contained two articles, "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and "breach of public trust." Democrats and the Biden administration have called the impeachment a political stunt. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called the vote a "sham" and accused Republicans of playing politics with the border. "They haven't done anything competent to run on, so they created a circus. Even their own people think it's a joke," Castro said. |
| How Democrats flipped the script in House special | |
 | Democrat Tom Suozzi is heading back to the House. His victory over Republican Mazi Pilip to replace the scandal-scarred George Santos is a relief for Democrats, who can point to a clear victory in a bellwether suburban House seat. Republicans now face a new political reality. The migrant crisis alone will not be their political salvation in New York in a presidential election year. Former President Donald Trump, the odds-on favorite to lead the ticket, is highly unpopular in the deep blue state. New York will play a key role in determining which party controls the closely divided House next year with a half dozen seats up for grabs. The two ambitious party leaders from New York in the House are facing off this year. Round one went to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. Their political futures run through the state. New York is a special project for Jeffries, who would become the first Black House speaker if Democrats gain a majority. He has launched a multilevel effort at the state and federal levels to make gains in key swing seats around the New York City suburbs. Jeffries placed a bet on Suozzi retaking the seat that paid off. Stefanik, a potential running mate for Trump, has launched her own effort to defend Republican freshmen in New York, pouring money and resources into her home state. Stefanik campaigned for Pilip in the final days of the race. |
| Biden turns to TikTok as concerns over young voters mount | |
 | President Biden's reelection bid is now on TikTok as the 81-year-old incumbent looks to reach younger voters amid rising anxiety about his age. A 30-second video from "Biden-Harris HQ" showed Biden running through a series of questions about the Super Bowl, with the quippy caption "lol hey guys." The move to join the video-sharing app popular among young Americans comes as Biden's campaign battles enduring concerns about its traction with young people and a surge of new critiques against the president's age after a special counsel report labeled him an "elderly man with a poor memory." But the decision has also sparked controversy because of national security concerns about the app's Beijing-based parent company ByteDance. Last year, Biden signed a bill that included barring TikTok from government devices. "I'm a little worried about a mixed message," Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said of the campaign's decision, citing concerns about China. Republican opponents seized on the move for the same reasons. "Biden campaign bragging about using a Chinese spy app even though Biden signed a law banning it on all federal devices," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. More than 150 million people in the U.S. are on the app --- and a growing share of Americans, including roughly a third of U.S. adults younger than 30, say they regularly get their news on TikTok, according to a Pew Research report released late last year. |
| Nikki Haley returns to Bamberg hometown hoping SC delivers for her presidential bid | |
 | When Nikki Haley arrived in Bamberg, South Carolina, on a bright and windy morning, she stepped off her 45-foot long presidential campaign bus and into the arms of the hometown that raised her. She stopped five, six, seven times -- maybe more -- to hug the people who knew her, the people who felt like they knew her, and the people who wanted to show their support as Haley finds herself in the toughest political race of her life. And so, with her own arms outstretched, Haley embraced her hometown right back. "This sweet little town is the town that raised me," Haley told a crowd of about 100 people. "This is the town that taught me strength. This is the town that taught me grace. This is the town that taught me faith," she continued. "And this is the town that taught me no matter what, neighbors take care of neighbors." Bamberg was Haley's first stop of the day as she continued to crisscross the Palmetto State on Feb. 13, a day after early voting opened for the South Carolina GOP presidential primary in less than two weeks. The trio of campaign stops -- held in Bamberg, Bluffton and Summerville -- was part of a larger, high-touch effort Haley is deploying with a roving bus tour across her home state as she tries to cut into Donald Trump's popularity in South Carolina, a tour being sometimes drowned out by what the former president is doing. Trump is holding a rally at the Charleston Convention Center in North Charleston the night of Feb. 14, while Haley will spend Feb. 15 in Texas, a Super Tuesday state, for fundraising and campaign events. Haley's event in Bamberg was different: stripped down, raw, simple. |
| CDC plans to drop five-day covid isolation guidelines | |
 | Americans who test positive for the coronavirus no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days under new guidance planned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency is loosening its covid isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021 to align it with guidance on how to avoid transmitting flu and RSV, according to four agency officials and an expert familiar with the discussions. CDC officials acknowledged in internal discussions and in a briefing last week with state health officials how much the covid-19 landscape has changed since the virus emerged four years ago, killing nearly 1.2 million people in the United States and shuttering businesses and schools. The new reality -- with most people having developed a level of immunity to the virus because of prior infection or vaccination -- warrants a shift to a more practical approach, experts and health officials say. "Public health has to be realistic," said Michael T. Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota. "In making recommendations to the public today, we have to try to get the most out of what people are willing to do. ... You can be absolutely right in the science and yet accomplish nothing because no one will listen to you." The CDC plans to recommend that people who test positive for the coronavirus use clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation. Under the new approach, people would no longer need to stay home if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication and their symptoms are mild and improving, according to three agency officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions. |
| Wynbridge State University of Mississippi proposed as new MUW name | |
| The Mississippi University for Women will propose Wynbridge State University of Mississippi to the legislature as its new name. MUW President Nora Miller announced the proposed name during an unveiling ceremony Tuesday on the steps of Poindexter Hall. The university will continue to be known as "The W," and the current logo and trademark will continue to be a staple in the school's marketing and identity. The new name was chosen after a lengthy process that began nearly two years ago. In surveys sent late last month to faculty, staff, students and alumni, respondents preferred Wynbridge over two other concept names – Wynbright and Welbright. Wynbridge, the survey said, combines the Old English word for the letter "w" with a "bridge" that symbolizes the connection from the university's past to its present, students to alumni and the campus to the community. The new name will be proposed to the state legislature during the current session with hopes of it going into effect by July 1. The university currently budgets approximately $500,000 for recruiting, advertising and marketing to prospective students. It is anticipated the budget will increase in those areas when the new name goes into effect, according to the university website. |
| Wynbridge State University of Mississippi, proposed new name for MUW, has support from area lawmakers | |
| More than 40 years after going coeducational, Mississippi University for Women will ask lawmakers this session to approve a new name: Wynbridge State University of Mississippi. President Nora Miller asked the university community to support the new name Tuesday during a presentation in front of the university's historic Poindexter Hall. It comes out of a multi-year process that saw the university engage a consulting group, conduct listening sessions and surveys, propose a name that flopped, apologize to alumni who felt excluded, then pivot to keeping "The W" brand it had decided to move away from. "After all, it is 'the W' that bridges us all together," Miller said to cheers. In Jackson, Sen. Charles Younger, R-Columbus, told Mississippi Today he filed a bill Tuesday to open the code sections pertaining to the university's name. In the House, Rep. Kabir Karriem, D-Columbus, said he will co-sponsor a bill next week with the chair of the Colleges and Universities committee to support the university's desired new name. Younger said he likes Wynbridge State University of Mississippi compared to two other options the univeristy had floated -- Wynbright and Welbright -- and that the new name will support the university's efforts to grow its male athletic teams. "This is gonna make things better for the W," he said. |
| Mississippi University for Women announces new proposed name change | |
 | The Mississippi University for Women announced a new proposed name change -- Wynbridge State University of Mississippi -- Tuesday after walking back its first proposed change last month. President Nora Miller, addressing a crowd at Poindexter Hall on campus, said the university will continue to be known as "The W" while changing its formal name to Wynbridge State University of Mississippi. Miller credited the university's alumni and stakeholders with helping to re-center the nearly 18-month process to select a name. The first proposed name, Mississippi Brightwell University, was scrapped following feedback from students, alumni, the broader community and legislators, Miller said in a previous statement. Wynbridge was submitted for consideration by alumni and faculty after the university's Naming Task Force was called to prioritize a meaningful "W" name. "Wynbridge creatively pairs the Old English word for 'W,' using it as a 'bridge' that connects past, present and future W graduates," Amanda Clay Powers, task force co-chair and Dean of Library Services, said. "With our commitment to keeping 'The W,' we feel this is the perfect name for the university that looks back at our illustrious past as the first publicly supported university for women, keeping our tradition of looking forward into the future." |
| What is The W's new name now? Whatever it is, it will still be 'The W' | |
| For the second time in a month, the Mississippi University for Women is trying on a new name. Wynbridge State University of Mississippi is now the name of choice for the university which has struggled with its identity in recent years. "We have been challenged by a name that does not represent our diversity," said President Nora Miller during a ceremony to unveil the W's new name. "The 'for Women' creates confusion and is a barrier to education for men and women. Now our graduates, past, present and future will remain united." Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin praised the new name even though he realizes not everyone will like it. He encouraged others to get behind the name to move the university forward. "Regardless of the name, it will still be the W," he said. Gaskin said the university is a big economic driver for the city and the state and deserves to have a name to be proud of. Mississippi University for Women was chartered in 1884, when it became the first state-supported college for women in the United States, according to the university's website. |
| A Mississippi university tries again to drop 'Women' from its name | |
| Leaders of Mississippi University for Women made a new proposal Tuesday to shed the school's gender-specific name in a way they hope will be accepted by alumni who fondly call their alma mater "The W." The public institution would become Wynbridge State University of Mississippi and would still market itself as "The W," if legislators approve the plan. The name change would happen July 1. It's the second time this year that MUW leaders have rolled out an idea for renaming the university in Columbus. MUW has also enrolled men since 1982, and about about 22% of the current 2,230 students are male. But university leaders say having "women" in the name complicates the recruiting process. A backlash by alumni caused the university to backtrack from a proposed new name that was unveiled in January, Mississippi Brightwell University. Previous attempts to remove "women" from the name, including the most recent one in 2009, have brought strong backlash from alumni. The president of MUW in 2009, Claudia Limbert, proposed changing the name to Reneau University to honor Sallie Reneau, who wrote to the Mississippi governor in the mid-19th century to propose a public college for women. That renaming effort fizzled amid opposition from outspoken graduates. The school was chartered in 1884 as Industrial Institute and College and was on the campus of an existing private school, Columbus Female Institute. The original mission of the college was to provide higher education and vocational training for women. |
| Itawamba Community College, Southern Miss partner for construction management program | |
| Itawamba Community College has announced a new partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi to make the process easier for construction management students to get their four-year degrees. Eliminating any hiccups when it comes to transferable credits, the new "2 + 2 program" will ensure those who graduate from the Construction Management Technology program at ICC will be eligible to complete their degree work at Southern Miss in two years. "This collaboration is a new and slightly more direct route for ICC's students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management at Southern Miss," said Scott Emison, director of ICC's Construction Management Technology program. "This 2 + 2 program allows our ICC students the opportunity to fully transfer credit of 60 hours and to seamlessly enter the third-year cohort with the rest of the USM-BCM track students." "In addition to facilitating a smoother transfer process, we are delighted to announce the establishment of merit-based and financial need-based scholarships specifically designed to support transfer students continuing their studies at Southern Miss," said Dr. Emre Bayraktar, professor and director of the School of Construction and Design at USM. |
| Alcorn State's interim president could be another IHL internal hire | |
| Alcorn State Univerity's interim president appears to have at least some campus support if he wants the full appointment. But if Mississippi's public university governing board forgoes a national search and appoints Tracy Cook, it will mark the ninth time in 10 years that it has hired an internal candidate as a top leader. One was a university president already. Some were acting or interim presidents when given the full appointment. Others had worked as commissioners within the Institutions of Higher Learning. Cook, who was the vice president of student affairs when he was tapped as interim, did not respond to inquiries from Mississippi Today asking if he wants the job. But he has what it takes to bring life back to the waning campus, some students, faculty and alumni told members of the IHL Board of Trustees last week. Either way, IHL makes an unusually high number of internal hires for a public university system, said Judith Wilde, a George Mason University professor who studies presidential searches. She added internal hires are more common at private universities where presidents are often appointed on the strength of their connections. On the other hand, internal hires could mean that Mississippi's universities are growing their own, which Bill Crawford, who served on the IHL board from 1992 to 2004, said is a sign of healthy institutions. What makes the difference, Crawford said, is proper vetting. |
| Pearl River Community College sees higher overall enrollment, defying state trends | |
| Pearl River Community College (PRCC) celebrated new all-time highs for enrollment and credit hours among its students across its three campuses and online. The 10th Day Enrollment Report published by the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) arrived with news of the record-setting enrollment of 5,061 students for the spring semester. This marks the first time in the institution's history that spring enrollment topped 5,000 students. There has been a 17.75% growth in enrollment from 2018 to 2024 while the state average saw a drop of 12.3%. According to PRCC officials, it is the only community college in the state to experience a headcount gain in that period. Credit hours are also up for the spring semester, with 67,073 credit hours registered. From 2018 to 2024, credit hour enrollment increased by 23.75%. According to the college, it is the only Mississippi community college with a credit hour gain during that period, while the state average dropped 14.5%. Additionally, online enrollment at PRCC has more than doubled since 2017. These enrollment developments follow news of its record-setting enrollment of 5,646 students last fall. PRCC president Adam Breerwood is pleased with the increase in students. "Our focus has been on remaining affordable, accessible and efficient. Our unprecedented growth is a testament to the diligence and efforts of our entire faculty and staff," Breerwood said. |
| Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives limited at Kentucky colleges under Senate bill | |
| A Republican-backed measure to limit diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Kentucky's public universities won approval from the state Senate on Tuesday after an emotional debate that delved into race relations and what the bill's sponsor portrayed as the liberal bent on college campuses. The bill cleared the Senate on a 26-7 vote after a nearly two-hour debate, sending the proposal to the House. The GOP has supermajorities in both chambers. One Democratic lawmaker, predicting a legal challenge, said the final arbiters could be the courts. Debates revolving around initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion -- known as DEI -- are playing out in statehouses across the country. So far this year, GOP lawmakers have proposed about 50 bills in 20 states that would restrict DEI initiatives or require their public disclosure, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural. Meanwhile, Democrats have filed about two dozen bills in 11 states that would require or promote DEI initiatives. In Kentucky, opponents warned the proposed restrictions on campuses could roll back gains in minority enrollments and stifle campus discussions on topics dealing with past discrimination. On Tuesday, one of the most emotional moments of the Kentucky Senate debate came when Republican Sen. Donald Douglas talked about his own life experiences, recalling that some classmates believed he got into medical school because he was a Black athlete, despite his academic achievements. |
| UGA medical school gets approval with hopes of 'alleviating physician shortages' | |
 | With its vote on Feb. 13, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents authorized the University of Georgia to establish a new independent School of Medicine in Athens. The initiation of a school of medicine at Georgia's flagship university comes at a time when the state faces a significant shortage of medical professionals. In recent years, Georgia's population has surged to approximately 11 million residents, straining existing medical infrastructure and resulting in longer wait times for appointments and reduced access to care. Georgia -- the nation's eighth largest state -- is forecasted to experience further population growth in the coming years, while nearly one-third of the state's physicians are nearing retirement. "This is a very important decision by the Board of Regents and a historic moment for our state and university," said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. "As a land-grant and sea-grant research university, our commitment to Georgia is unwavering, and the new University of Georgia School of Medicine will expand our positive impact on Georgians in many critical ways. The School of Medicine will significantly expand the pool of medical professionals in Georgia, attract more top-tier scientists and researchers to the state, and produce more physicians to serve underserved and rural Georgia communities." |
| U. of Missouri associate provost plans to leave for Emerson College | |
 | Alexandra Socarides, associate provost for academic programs at the University of Missouri, will be leaving MU this summer. Socarides has accepted the role of provost and vice president for the Office of Academic Affairs at Emerson College in Boston and is set to begin July 1. Socarides began her career at MU in 2007 as an assistant professor of English and over the last 17 years has held a variety of leadership roles. In the English department, Socarides worked as the director of undergraduate studies, then as the department chair. She moved to the Provost's Office working as a faculty fellow prior to taking on associate provost roles. "I've been at Mizzou a long time, I've been here my entire career," Socarides said. "It's been an amazing place for me as a faculty member and administrator, and I am going to miss all of my colleagues very much." As Socarides will continue in her position through June, MU is still in the process of determining how and when the search for a new associate provost will proceed, according to MU spokesperson Christian Basi. "I am working closely with her on a transition plan to ensure that you continue to receive excellent support from our office," said Matthew Martens, interim provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, in an email to staff. |
| The Small University Endowment That Is Beating the Ivy League | |
| Baylor University has traded its way to the top of the university endowment performance rankings. Many universities allocate their money among different assets and adjust periodically. Baylor, led by a former trader, seizes on market moves frequently to boost or cut exposure to its managers. "The only thing I'm doing is what the market tells me to do: If the market goes up, we take some money back. If the market goes down, we give it money," said investment chief David Morehead. "It is finance 101." Morehead regularly touts Baylor's performance compared with other endowments to its outside fund managers. He takes particular pride in beating the Ivies, which Baylor has largely done over the past five years despite those endowments' larger staffs. Besides Morehead, Baylor has four investment staffers, all women. The endowment gained 6.4% for the fiscal year ended June 30, beating all the Ivy League endowments. Over the past five years, its 10.9% annualized return outpaced that of all the Ivies except for Brown University, which notched a 13.3% average annual gain. Baylor ranks in the top 5% of all U.S. endowments for the period, according to Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service. The private Christian school in Waco, Texas, has 20,000 students and a $2 billion endowment. That figure is up from $900 million when Morehead arrived in 2011. It is far easier to notch big gains on a smaller pool of assets than it is on the tens of billions that some Ivy League endowments manage. Baylor's strategy, which has flourished in the volatile markets of recent years, might not do as well if things get calmer. |
| Transferring from community college to a four-year school isn't often successful | |
| Going to community college and then transferring to a four-year school is often considered one of the best ways to get a degree for significantly less money. More students are choosing community college at the outset. Enrollment last fall at community colleges rose 2.6%, far more than any other institution type, according to the National Student Clearinghouse's latest research. However, nationwide, only about one-third of students who start at community colleges ultimately transfer to four-year schools, and fewer than half of those transfer students earn a bachelor's degree within six years. That means just 16% of all community college students attain a bachelor's degree, according to recent reports by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. "Students often believe their chances of success are much greater than they are -- that's terribly unfortunate," said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. Meanwhile, 69% of students who start at a four-year public university complete their degree within six years. At four-year private schools, the completion rate is 78%. Research shows that students who complete an associate's degree at a community college before transferring have higher success rates, as do students who start coursework in high school through dual enrollment. |
| Most HR leaders say half of workers will need reskilling in coming years | |
| About 90% of HR leaders believe up to half of their workforce will need to be reskilled in the next five years, according to a Jan. 23 report from PeopleScout and Spotted Zebra. However, only 7% noted an active investment in their reskilling programs, and 45% said they had no plans to undertake a workforce transformation initiative to prepare for the changing skills landscape. "Skills-based talent strategies are essential, and the clock is ticking for employers across all regions and industries," Nick Shaw, founder and chief customer officer of Spotted Zebra, an HR tech company, said in a statement. "Without future-focused skills strategies for both hiring and development, organizations will suffer lost revenue and productivity when critical jobs are left unfilled," he said. In a survey of more than 100 senior HR and talent acquisition leaders, 80% said their top workforce challenge is recruiting skilled talent, followed by retaining key personnel and upskilling current employees. Talent shortages seemed to be the most widespread in education, hospitality, healthcare, technology and manufacturing, according to the report. Skills gaps and talent shortages are most severe in areas related to automation, AI adoption and the green economy. In particular, technology adoption is driving the need for reskilling, according to the report. About 50% of HR leaders said job roles at their organization would transform due to shifts in required skills, yet 34% of employers lack plans for workforce adoption of automation and AI. |
| 'Time for Plan B': The FAFSA Waiting Game Is Forcing Colleges to Adjust on the Fly | |
 | Rob Reddy knew things were about to unravel. Late last year, as everyone and their dog was waiting for the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to finally become available, he saw exactly what college officials everywhere saw: "It was very apparent that this thing was gonna go bad and there were going to be delays." Then, just a few days into the FAFSA's rocky rollout, Reddy, interim vice president for enrollment management at Saint Louis University, reached a conclusion: "It was time for Plan B, and we knew that we could take matters into our own hands." So SLU created its own institutional aid application that replicates the FAFSA's questions. Families who complete the optional form will receive a "comprehensive" aid award listing institutional grants and scholarships, plus any state and federal aid that the university determines that a student is eligible for. And applicants who submit the form promptly will get their offers by the end of February, weeks before colleges expect to begin receiving processed FAFSAs. SLU's experimental workaround is just one example of how higher education is responding to major delays in the federal-aid process this year. Since the U.S. Department of Education announced that it wouldn't start sending data from completed FAFSAs to colleges until the "first half of March," many institutions have been assessing how, or if, to adjust their financial-aid processes and timelines -- and what to tell anxious families who are waiting for answers. |
| Culture wars are raging on US campuses. Will they affect research? | |
| It's been a tumultuous time for higher education in the United States. Since early December, the presidents of two high-profile universities have resigned, both following comments they made during a congressional hearing about the Israel-Hamas war. The resignations are part of a growing politicization of higher education in the country -- one that is having an impact on science and could lead to upheavals in the US research community. In the past few years, conservatives at think tanks and in government, especially in right-leaning states, have pushed through laws and political appointments that they say are intended to reform universities. Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute in New York City and a trustee of Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, told Nature: "For higher ed to survive, for science to thrive, we must restore academic freedom and colour-blind meritocracy in place of identitarian social-justice activism." But the interventions have left some scientists looking to move to less conservative states, while others worry that their research and funding could get caught in the crossfire. Barbara Snyder, president of the AAU and a former president of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, says Republicans are putting the reputation of the US research enterprise at risk. "It would be incredibly short-sighted -- with long-term negative consequences for all Americans -- if policymakers were to put these cutting-edge, life-saving research efforts in jeopardy simply to make a political point," Snyder says. Although antisemitism is currently the issue around which right-wing activists are organizing their efforts, the next focal issue could be scientific, according to Isaac Kamola, a political scientist at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, who studies conservative campaigns to reshape higher education. "Next year, it could be an issue of climate change, the science around electric vehicles, medicines, COVID," Kamola says. |
| AAUP Joins Labor Union Call for Ceasefire in Gaza | |
 | The American Association of University Professors has signed on to a call by multiple American labor unions for a "ceasefire in Israel and Palestine." It's another example of an academic organization taking a political stand in a national debate in which university presidents, faculty members and students have been denounced for speaking up in certain ways -- or speaking up at all. "We, members of the American labor movement, mourn the loss of life in Israel and Palestine," the statement says. "We express our solidarity with all workers and our common desire for peace in Palestine and Israel, and we call on President Joe Biden and Congress to push for an immediate ceasefire and end to the siege of Gaza. We cannot bomb our way to peace. We also condemn any hate crimes against Muslims, Jews or anyone else." The statement also calls for allowing electricity, water and humanitarian aid into Gaza and for allowing "foreign nationals and Palestinians requiring medical care" to leave Gaza. It further calls for Hamas to release Israeli hostages and for Israel and Hamas to adhere to Geneva Convention rules on civilian welfare. The AAUP, which continues to oppose academic boycotts of Israel, serves as both the central professional organization for faculty members in the U.S. and, at many universities, a union. It's affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO. |
| Presley's new private-sector solar energy venture has an interesting political frame | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Brandon Presley's new post-election employment in the private sector solar energy business has some interesting political framing. The announcement of the 2023 Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee and longtime Northern District Public Service commissioner's new gig made a splash in green energy circles around the country. Lexington, Kentucky-based Edelen Renewables announced this week that Presley would join the company as vice president of strategic initiatives for the solar development firm working out of a newly established Mississippi office. The company said Presley would "utilize his expertise and national reputation as an elected official and utility regulator" to advance Edelen's mission "to bring the promise of renewable energy to the forgotten places of America." ... Politicos across the state and nation will recognize the Edelen name in Democratic Party circles. Adam Edelen served a term as Kentucky's elected state auditor from 2012 to 2016 after serving as chief of staff to Democratic Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. Edelen was defeated in a re-election bid in 2015 by Republican Mike Harmon. In 2019, Edelen ran third in Kentucky's Democratic gubernatorial primary behind eventual winner Andy Beshear, who was re-elected to a second term as Kentucky's governor in 2023. |
SPORTS
| Mr. & Mrs. Selmon: Athletic Director Zac, wife Rachel share their story of love | |
| The sad, gray sky that engulfed Starkville Friday afternoon was lightened by the warm welcome and enthusiasm of two people in the Bryan Athletic Administration Building. Smiles, laughs and genuine friendliness from husband and wife, Zac and Rachel Selmon, led into an office outlooking Chadwick Lake. Faced with difficult times, most young people have begun to put romantic relationships on the back burner. According to an article from CNN, a decline in romance is steady and real, but at Mississippi State University, athletic director Zac Selmon and his wife Rachel are an example of all that love has the potential to be. Zac and Rachel have been committed to one another since their college days with Zac attending Wake Forest University and Rachel attending the University of Oklahoma. The pair met through friends and chose to date even while pursuing education at different universities. On the topic of long distance, Rachel talked about how, although hard, it had its many blessings. In that the time she and Zac spent together became all the more special and intentional. "It was almost like you cherished the moments you had together so much more," Rachel said. |
| Bulldogs Make Statement In Sweep Of No. 23 Louisiana | |
| Mississippi State claimed its first ranked wins of the season on Tuesday night, sweeping No. 23 Louisiana in a doubleheader at Nusz Park. The Bulldogs won the first game in run-rule fashion, downing the Ragin' Cajuns, 9-1, in six innings. Josey Marron had the edge in the nightcap, winning a pitchers' duel, 2-1. State (6-0) has now scored at least five runs all but one game this season and has scored eight or more in four contests. MSU can already boast four run-rule victories this season. Marron and Aspen Wesley each tossed their second complete game of the year, giving MSU four as a team through six games. "I'm really proud of the team and the way they played today," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think starting in the circle, both Aspen and Josey, just really did such a great job sticking with their gameplan. Coach T [Taryne Mowatt-McKinney] called another couple great games for us. And just really, I thought clean all the way around. Really good defense backing them up and then getting the timely hitting when we needed it against a good team. I mean, they're a strong team. They play well in their conference, the postseason, a Super Regional team a year ago. It was a good test for us, and it's something that we know matters a lot going into the end of the year, even though it was early on in the first week of playing for us that we had to really lock in for." State heads south of the border as the Bulldogs travel to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, this week. MSU will play in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge for the first time since 2019, meeting UC Davis and UC San Diego on Feb. 16 before playing No. 13/16 Utah and No. 5/7 Clemson on Feb. 17. |
| Softball: Mississippi State sweeps doubleheader from No. 23 Louisiana | |
| It's never too early to start building that NCAA Tournament resume. Especially for a team that narrowly missed out on the postseason a year ago. Mississippi State picked up a pair of wins Tuesday that are likely to age well over the next three months, sweeping a doubleheader from No. 23 Louisiana -- the nine-time reigning Sun Belt Conference champions and a program that advanced to the Super Regionals last spring. Aspen Wesley and Josey Marron each allowed just one run on five hits in complete-game victories as the Bulldogs run-ruled the Ragin' Cajuns 9-1 in six innings in the first game and edged Louisiana 2-1 in the nightcap. "It's really what we've been working for since the end of last year," MSU head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I don't think it's really been a surprise for us. We've worked really hard and our goal is to go out there and prove ourselves right, knowing that we've put in the work to be here and to compete with these teams." MSU heads south of the border to Mexico this weekend for the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, where the Bulldogs will play UC Davis and UC San Diego on Friday before facing No. 13 Utah and No. 8 Clemson on Saturday. The Utes reached the Women's College World Series in 2023, while the Tigers pushed eventual national champion Oklahoma in the Super Regionals and have the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in Valerie Cagle. Ricketts said MSU will be staying at an all-inclusive resort across the street from the field, and the Bulldogs will also help run a softball camp for kids in the area on Saturday. |
| Mississippi State baseball announces opening weekend pitching rotation vs. Air Force | |
| Nate Dohm will be the opening day starter for Mississippi State baseball Friday against Air Force. He'll be followed by Khal Stephen starting Saturday and Jurrangelo Cijntje taking the mound Sunday. Dohm is in his second season at MSU after transferring from Ball State prior to the 2023 season. The junior out of Indiana appeared in 17 games last season, though he made just two starts. He had a 4.07 ERA and struck out 49 batters in 41 innings. Stephen, another junior out of Indiana, transferred to Mississippi State from Purdue this offseason. In two seasons with the Boilermakers, he appeared in 37 games. Last season, he started in all 14 appearances, going 7-4 with a 5.21 ERA. Cijntje is in his second season at Mississippi State. The switch-pitcher made 13 starts in 14 appearances as a freshman, recording an 8.10 ERA. He struck out 63 batters in 50 innings. However, he walked 34 hitters and hit 14 batters. First pitch Friday and Saturday will be at 4 p.m. Sunday's game will start at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network+. |
| Mississippi State Women's Basketball: Jessika Carter has high-ankle sprain, considered day-to-day | |
| The injury bug just will not stay away from Mississippi State for long. The Bulldogs were missing their starting frontcourt of Jessika Carter and Erynn Barnum for two games in late November and early December. Starting guard and 3-point specialist Debreasha Powe missed MSU's final non-conference game in late December, and Nyayongah Gony was out for a month and a half with a foot injury before returning on Jan. 22. Head coach Sam Purcell's team had weathered all of that and entered Sunday's game against Florida as close to full strength as the Bulldogs have been all year. But Carter went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter, and although she toughed it out and still played 29 minutes, she is now considered day-to-day with a high-ankle sprain. Jerkaila Jordan played through a similar injury last month, injuring her ankle in practice before MSU's game at Arkansas on Jan. 11. She still managed to play 34 minutes that night and finished with 17 points as the Bulldogs picked up their first Southeastern Conference win. "(Carter) is a warrior," Purcell said. "She wanted to play through it. She fought through it, but it needs a lot of rest right now. She's doing her treatment, we're going to keep her off of it, and then as we get closer (to Sunday's game at Ole Miss), we'll make that game-time decision." MSU (20-6, 7-4 SEC) is coming off a 20-point home loss to the Gators in which the Bulldogs gave up 90 points, the most they have allowed in a non-overtime game in the last two seasons under Purcell. The Bulldogs have a full week to sit with that loss before they head to Oxford to battle the Rebels (16-7, 6-4) on Sunday. MSU took the first leg of the rivalry series on Jan. 14, outscoring Ole Miss 20-6 in the fourth quarter for a 12-point win in Starkville. |
| Tennis: Mississippi State men beat North Florida, VCU to get back on track | |
| Mississippi State men's tennis returned to its winning ways over the weekend with a 5-2 win Friday evening over North Florida and a 4-2 triumph Sunday against Virginia Commonwealth. The Bulldogs dropped the doubles point against the Ospreys despite a 6-2 victory at No. 3 from Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes and Petar Jovanovic, but dominated in singles play. Jovanovic, bumped down from the top spot in the lineup to No. 2 singles, won his match in straight sets, as did Ferrer Guimaraes at No. 6, Dusan Milanovic at No. 4 and Carles Hernandez at No. 3. "I just came into this season ready," Hernandez said. "I was injured during the fall and came into things attacking every practice. I've been feeling good at practice and applying what I've been doing at practice. My tennis is there. I'm a good competitor. Some times I play better than others, but I feel like I compete well every day." The Bulldogs (7-3) have one more non-conference match on Feb. 25 at Tulane before opening Southeastern Conference play on Mar. 3 at home against Georgia. "It feels good that we're doing some things better," MSU head coach Matt Roberts said. "We're just trying to evolve. We're just trying to get better in every area like how we coach, give them information and prepare for the match. We've even changed our warm-up routine before the match. We're just trying to evolve and get better so it's good to see some reward for that." |
| Scott Berry, Southern Miss baseball's all-time winningest coach, joins athletic department after retirement | |
 | Scott Berry couldn't be away from Southern Miss for too long. The former Golden Eagles baseball coach has joined the athletics department as the assistant athletics director for community relations, the school announced Tuesday afternoon. Berry was Southern Miss baseball's coach for 14 seasons and retired after last season. Christian Ostrander was promoted to be his replacement. Berry, 61, was already involved with the baseball program after his retirement, occasionally making appearances at Pete Taylor Park for practices and scrimmages essentially as an unofficial advisor. Now, he has an official title to go with it. The release did not specify what his exact duties will be. Berry told the Hattiesburg American that it will be a part-time role. "We are excited to have Scott Berry continue to be involved with our athletics department as an Assistant AD," Southern Miss athletics director Jeremy McClain said in a statement. "No one exemplifies what it means to be a Golden Eagle more than Scott, and his presence will continue to have a positive impact on our programs." The baseball season begins on Friday with Southern Miss hosting Marist (4 p.m., ESPN+). |
| U. of Tennessee looks to cut down on football game waste through Zero Waste Game Day | |
| College football games can generate up to 100 tons of waste, according to the EPA. Sustainability efforts at the University of Tennessee are now being geared specifically towards offsetting those numbers. Through the Zero Waste Game Day initiative, over 184 tons of waste were kept out of landfills in 2023. "It used to be all of the stuff that we gathered went to the landfill, just went straight to trash," said Kathryn Myers, the academic engagement coordinator within the Office of Sustainability. "It does my heart good to know, to see ... the amount that would have gone to the landfill going to be recycled and reused and repurposed." Zero Waste Game Day is a volunteer effort designed to eliminate waste and encourage recycling in and around Neyland Stadium on game days. During the morning shift, volunteers visit all the tailgaters' tents and hand out recycling and trash bags. They explain some differences between the two and engage with the tailgaters to promote recycling. During the beginning of the game, the volunteers also man recycling frames outside the stadium entrances. An hour into the game, they collect all trash and recycling from both the stadium and the tailgaters, then empty the recycling into recycling trucks. Zero Waste Game Day is just a small part of UT's efforts toward sustainability. Multiple functions and volunteer opportunities are offered in an attempt to make the school more environmentally friendly. The Green Fee, Grow Lab, Free Store and Food4Vols are all programs UT opens to its students. |
| LSU Gets $1M, Athletes Get NIL Cash for 'The Money Game' Docuseries | |
| Campfire Film & TV is paying LSU $1 million for the exclusive rights to produce The Money Game, an NIL-focused documentary series following Tiger athletes during the 2023-24 school year. That seven-figure remuneration, according to a copy of the deal obtained by Sportico, is separate from the "talent fee" Campfire will negotiate with all participating Tigers athletes, who would be paid in the "form of NIL compensation." In a break from historical precedent, LSU employees, such as football coach Brian Kelly, will explicitly not be compensated by the production company for their participation in the series. Co-produced by Axios Entertainment and Shaquille O'Neal's Jersey Legends, The Money Game was greenlit by Amazon's Prime Video last month. O'Neal is an LSU alumnus. The documentary purports to follow "some of the world's most sought-after college athletes" through "one of the most tumultuous and nail-biting years of college athletics to date." Accordingly, the agreement states that Campfire "will provide a contract for each student-athlete involved in the series outlining their responsibilities and compensation for their participation." Given the NCAA's current constraints on schools' involvement in athletes NIL, Campfire was forced to navigate some of the same uncertain terrain that it is covering in its series. LSU has significant control on how the show will be presented. Before an episode's edit is "locked," the school will be given a copy and allowed at least five business days to "provide notes or objections." |
| With college sports at key juncture, what does the future of the NCAA tournament and CFP look like? | |
| Within Big 12 headquarters on a Tuesday morning, the place is buzzing. Phones are constantly ringing. People are milling between window-lined offices and rows of cubicles. A lobby monitor scrolls through highlights of each Big 12 member -- four of which are ranked inside the top 12 in the latest AP basketball poll. And the conference's leader, sports entertainment executive-turned-league commissioner Brett Yormark, is pacing through the hallways in a tailored suit and shiny black shoes while carrying his normal air of confidence. The Big 12 doesn't look or feel like a conference that's being left behind. And that is because, Yormark says, it isn't. "We are the No. 1 basketball conference in America," he told Yahoo Sports in an interview last week. "We're showing up as a conference in places that we haven't been before, and we're partnering with third parties that no one has ever considered. We are facing challenges but that's not new to me. There's a lot of possibility and opportunity." The joint venture that the Big Ten and SEC announced Feb. 2 creates a ripple felt in every pond of college athletics, from Division III and up. But perhaps the move's most impacted entities are the two conferences, the ACC and Big 12, that reside alongside their richer counterparts within the most elite rung in the hierarchy of college athletics dubbed as the Power Five, or soon-to-be Power Four. The gap between the major conferences and all others has existed for years, if not decades, but with the two wealthiest leagues teaming up, the chasm now emerging within the four power leagues themselves has never felt so tangible. And yet, in the aftermath of the Big Ten and SEC announcement, leaders from the Big 12 and ACC contend that they will very much be part of the significant change lurking on the horizon. |
| College Football Playoff, ESPN agree to 6-year extension worth $1.3 billion per year: Sources | |
| ESPN and the College Football Playoff are in agreement on a six-year, $7.8 billion extension that will make the network the home of the 12-team tournament through the 2031-32 season, sources briefed on the deal told The Athletic. The full contract's completion is still contingent on CFP leaders finalizing details of the expanded format in the wake of the implosion of the Pac-12. The CFP's management committee and board of managers have meetings scheduled for next week and continue to work through the complicated process of settling their outstanding issues. The ESPN deal will not be ratified until the commissioners and presidents vote on the structure and financials of the expanded CFP. ESPN senior vice president of communication Josh Krulewitz and College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock both declined to comment. ESPN has two years remaining on its current deal, which carries an average payment of $608 million per year and includes the CFP semifinals and championship, plus the other four New Year's Six bowl games. The six-year extension will cost $1.3 billion per year, the price at which an ESPN news story previously reported the network was discussing a new deal with the CFP. Over the final two years of its current agreement, ESPN holds the rights to the new set of first-round games held at on-campus sites, in addition to the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games. It is not yet known what the fee of the first-round games will be for the next two seasons. The quarterfinals will be played at the current New Year's Six bowls, whose rights were already owned by ESPN. |
| CFP board of managers expected to vote on 5+7 playoff format | |
| The College Football Playoff board of managers is expected to vote Feb. 20 on a model that would include the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams in the 12-team playoff this fall -- a format change that could finally get the unanimous backing it needs if the Pac-12 agrees to it. The Pac-12, which has dwindled to Washington State and Oregon State after drastic conference realignment, has been the lone holdout in the process, asking for time to sort through its legal issues and discuss future CFP revenue with the board. Speaking candidly to ESPN on Tuesday about the Pac-12's role in the future format, Washington State president Kirk Schulz, who represents the conference on the board, said, "The expectation is to hold a vote." "I believe there's a sense of, 'We're hearing you guys out like you asked for, the legal stuff has been largely settled in the Pac-12 Conference. It's time to move forward,'" said Schulz, who spoke favorably of the 5+7 model but cautioned not to make any assumptions. Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, the chair of the CFP's board of managers, told ESPN he anticipates "we'll have this issue resolved one way or another." "I think it's a foregone conclusion from people in your profession, and where I sit and all across the college football landscape that there's an anticipation we'll have the 5+7," he said. "Just a few months from now we'll be playing the playoff. Everyone needs to know what the format is. I hope we as a board can come to a resolution on this issue, for sure." |
| WSU's Kirk Schulz to propose to CFP leaders that Pac-12 be treated as power conference for 'extended future' | |
| Washington State president Kirk Schulz will formally present a proposal to College Football Playoff leaders in a meeting next week that requests the Pac-12 be treated as a power conference in both revenue and voting rights for the extended future, he told Yahoo Sports. In an interview on Tuesday, Schulz confirmed Yahoo Sports' Feb. 4 report of the proposal and said he's been granted a hearing to pitch the plan to the CFP Board of Managers, of which he is a member as the Pac-12's representative. The virtual meeting is set for Tuesday. In the proposal, the Pac-12, which will be made up of Washington State and Oregon State after this season, is asking the CFP to guarantee the same league revenue distribution amounts and voting privileges as other power conference programs starting in 2026, the first year of a potential new CFP contract. "We've been an Autonomy Five school and have resourced ourselves at that level for 25-30 years," Schulz said. "Just because we were left standing in musical chairs, we just don't feel that we should be relegated by no fault of our own." In its current revenue model, the CFP distributes about $6 million annually to those programs in power leagues. Those in the Group of Five earn about $1 million in distribution. |
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