| Thursday, April 4, 2024 |
| MEC: Balanced education key to workforce training | |
 | The number one concern of Mississippi business leaders is building and maintaining a skilled workforce, and doing so will require reimagining how the state approaches public education, Mississippi Economic Council President and CEO Scott Waller said Wednesday. Waller spoke with members of the Meridian Rotary Club and East Mississippi Business Development Corporation at a luncheon held at the MSU Riley Center about the MEC's efforts as the state chamber of commerce. A series of 51 focus sessions held throughout the state in 2021 identified workforce development as the first of five goals, he said, followed by talent retention, infrastructure improvements, a strong business climate and articulating the importance of a healthy workforce. Part of that plan involved the creation of Accelerate Mississippi, which serves as a statewide office of workforce development assisting industries and educational institutions with bridging gaps between local academic course offerings and in-demand skills. |
| Mary Means Business: Second Waffle House coming to Starkville | |
 | You can honestly never have too many waffle options. Waffle House representatives confirmed a second location in Starkville will open by March 2025. The new location will be at 975 Hwy. 12 E., in front of the Hilton Garden Inn. Njeri Boss, vice president of food safety and public relations, confirmed the new location. To be honest, I'm very excited about the new Waffle House location. I'll be a leisurely walk away from getting waffles at all hours. As we get closer to 2025, we may get more information, so be on the lookout. "The restaurant will be in our typical shoebox design with our familiar interior," Boss said. ... Also in Starkville, we have a new venue opening. Blueberry Peace Farm of Starkville, 10580 US 82, will host its first wedding next month. Owner Benita Brown opened her first venue in Magee more than five years ago. "It's the first venue that we opened up and that stemmed from already being in the wedding industry, planning, decorating and coordinating events," she said. "We wanted to do something different to expand our services, so we decided to build a venue in our hometown." ... This week's column is heavy in Starkville. You may see some drainage work, renovations and upgrades coming to Walmart, 1010 Hwy. 12. City Planner Daniel Havelin confirmed the Supercenter will undergo a major remodel of the store, as well as parking lot improvements. |
| Did you hear that? NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne complete key engine certification tests | |
 | A loud rumbling could be heard around lunchtime in South Mississippi on Wednesday as NASA tested a key piece of equipment for its upcoming missions to the moon. The rumbling came from NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County as NASA ran a hot fire test of one of its RS-25 engines. They're being developed for use on rockets in later missions in NASA's Artemis program, a series of at least five planned missions designed to bring people back to the moon. The test was a key step in NASA's push to get people back to the moon. It was likely the final test in a series to certify the design for new versions of the RS-25 engine -- an updated version of a type of engine that was previously used on Artemis 1 and in the Space Shuttle Program -- that will be used on Artemis 5 and later. "From here, a quarter-mile away, it looked like it went fine," said Maury Vander NASA's Chief of Test Operations for NASA after witnessing the test. "The fact that it went full duration means, at least initially, it gives you confidence that it went well." While the large buffer zone surrounding Stennis Space Center helps greatly reduce the noise impact on Mississippi Coast residents, many people have reported hearing noise and rumblings from previous tests. Testing engines isn't the only thing happening at Stennis. Stennis is also adjusting its B1 and B2 test stand to accommodate the Exploration Upper Stage tests. The Exploration Upper Stage will be a section of the rocket on Artemis' later missions that will carry NASA's Orion spacecraft and heavy cargo to the moon for the Artemis lunar missions. |
| Mississippi municipalities may have to up taxes or cut employees after PERS bill dies | |
 | City and county governments across Mississippi could be forced to raise taxes or cut employees after a bill died that would have reduced employer contribution to the state retirement system for government workers, according to supporters of the proposal. House bill 1590, which was not taken up in the Senate committee before a deadline this week, would have rescinded a 2% increase in the employer contribution to the state Public Employees Retirement System scheduled to take effect July 1. PERS said it needs the additional funding because it currently has a $25 billion unfunded liability. PERS pays monthly benefits to 115,000 state retirees. The system as a whole has close to 360,000 total members, including current workers and retirees. "We just see this whole thing, including this first year, this 2% increase from 17.4 to 19.4 as a start-up of an unsustainable trend on how we're going to fund the retirement system and an unfair shifting of the burden to the employers," said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. Barker is president of the Mississippi Municipal League, which represents nearly 300 cities, towns and villages across the state. Barker, who previously served in the legislature, said he hopes lawmakers can give PERS a lump sum in funding before the session ends. |
| Local leaders say letting the PERS bill die will have impacts on more than public employees and retirees | |
| A bill related to the state's public retirement system that we've been following isn't moving forward at the State Capitol. While that's welcomed news for some groups, others say it puts them back to square one with financial concerns. And those could get passed down to you. Concerns for one element of House Bill 1590 are fanning the flames of worries about the other target of the legislation. "By the time it got to the Senate, there was significant outreach from retirees and current PERS employees, asking senators to not vote for that bill, and left very little room for us to work on that with the House," described Sen. Chris Johnson, chairman of Senate government structure committee. But even if you're not tied to PERS, this decision can impact you. One part of the bill would've frozen the scheduled employer contribution increase at the local level. Crystal Springs Mayor Sally Garland says the decision to let the bill die is devastating. "This hurts us," she said. "This hurts us all." For her small town, paying $30,000 more into PERS means things like deleting planned pay raises. "We're just gonna have to not hire additional police officers," explained Garland. "We are... can you work, person... can you work for the same amount of money that you've worked for last year and the year before? Well, they're looking at us like, yes, but everything we have is going up." |
| State health officer speaks out against bill placing 4-year terms on agency heads and board members | |
| State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney is speaking out against Senate Bill 2799, which would place four-year terms on not only agency heads but also members of government oversight boards. Edney said during an appearance on The Gallo Show that the legislation -- which quietly and overwhelmingly passed the Senate last month and now awaits further action in the House -- would have a negative impact if signed into law. "We have enough things in government that are broken and let's don't mess with the things that are not broken," Edney pleaded. Edney became Mississippi's highest-ranking medical official in 2022 after taking over for Dr. Thomas Dobbs, who stepped down following the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the interview, Edney admitted that the bill won't affect him personally as he plans to retire before its planned implementation in 2028. However, if a four-year term was in place before he was offered the job, he probably would not have accepted. His rationale for fighting against the legislation is that a new board and a new agency head, whether it be the Board of Health and the Department of Health or another pair of intertwined entities, is a bad recipe for long-term governmental sustainability. He argued that the most qualified candidates will reject agency positions if they are only guaranteed a minimum four years at the helm. |
| Bill to correct outdated law barring IVF children from inheritance passes committee at eleventh hour | |
| A bill that would designate children conceived in unique circumstances -- via assisted reproduction after the death of one parent -- as rightful heirs of their biological parents is moving forward. The bill passed the Judiciary A committee late on deadline day and now heads to the Senate floor, where it has died on the calendar the last two years. It passed the House unanimously in mid-March. House Bill 1542, authored by Dana McLean, R-Columbus, would change inheritance law so a child conceived via in vitro fertilization within 36 months of one parent dying is considered an heir of that parent -- as long as the deceased parent consented to have his or her genetic material stored and used. This would apply to cases where a woman decided to continue implantation of an embryo after her husband's death, as well as cases where a man decided to continue with an embryo through surrogacy after his wife's death. Currently, these children are not considered heirs of the deceased parent in Mississippi and therefore do not receive an inheritance because the law was written before assisted reproduction technology existed. |
| In Mississippi, incarceration fuels legislative advocacy training | |
 | In a drab hotel meeting room just outside of Jackson, Sabrina Butler-Smith, a woman who once sat on Mississippi's death row, peered over a laptop with former state legislator Roun McNeal. The exoneree asked McNeal how to learn about past bills, but even the former lawmaker expressed puzzlement as he navigated the Mississippi legislature's website. The two were taking part in a March legislative advocacy training for formerly incarcerated people and people with loved ones in prison. The inaugural event aimed to teach people affected by the justice system about the art of political influence. Policymaking often leaves community members anxious to weigh in, but perplexed as they grapple with proposed laws, said Cynetra Freeman, the program's organizer and executive director of the Mississippi Center for Reentry. "It's like, one minute they're simplistic, and then they become very complex. And it's like, wait, how do we go from elementary, to over here, to law school?" said Freeman. "So then I have to reach out to somebody: what does this mean?" Freeman put this training program together out of a personal desire to decipher legislation, especially bills that affect previously incarcerated people like her. Before founding the Mississippi Center for Reentry, Freeman said she served a three-year sentence for drug trafficking. Her biggest challenge now, she says, is "reading those doggone bills." |
| Federal officials send resources to Mississippi capital to curb gun violence | |
 | Mississippi's capital city, which has nation-leading rates of gun violence, will receive additional federal resources to investigate crimes committed with firearms, federal officials announced Wednesday. The Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has deployed a mobile unit to Jackson that will assist law enforcement agencies in the region with investigating gun-related crimes, Sheila Wilbanks, a spokesperson for the U.S. Southern District of Mississippi, said in a news release. It is the latest move in a coordinated effort among local, state and federal, law enforcement officials to surge resources for operations aimed at curbing violent crime in the city. Even though Jackson's homicide rate had dropped for two consecutive years, it still led the nation in killings per capita in 2023, according to an analysis conducted by WLBT-TV. The city of almost 150,000 recorded 118 killings last year. In February, officials announced Operation Unified, an initiative targeting drug traffickers and violent criminals. The mobile unit, a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, is a database of bullet casings recovered from crime scenes across the country. Investigators can use the database to check if the casings recovered from a crime scene were fired from a gun that may have been used in other crimes, allowing them to disrupt "shooting cycles," Wilbanks said. |
| Texas tells court that state immigration law maybe went 'too far' | |
 | A Texas state attorney told a federal appeals court that the state may have gone "too far" in passing a law that allows state officials to effectively deport immigrants, part of oral arguments Wednesday in the federal government's push to block the law. The state has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to reverse a lower court order that found the entire law, known as S.B.4, likely violated the Constitution in a lawsuit filed by the Biden administration and civil rights groups. Last month, a three-judge panel from the 5th Circuit ruled 2-1 to keep the state law on hold while the appeal proceeds. Aaron Nielson, the Texas lawyer arguing for the state Wednesday, told the same three-judge panel that "maybe Texas went too far" into federal authority over immigration in passing the law, but said the lower court went too far by blocking the entire law before it could go into effect. Texas has faced a massive border crisis, Nielson said, and has stepped up its efforts in the absence of congressional action to provide enough resources. "Here, Texas has come forward with additional resources, saying, 'Let us protect the border,'" Nielson said. The case is one of several court battles between Texas and the federal government over immigration policy, including Texas' use of concertina wire at the Eagle Pass crossing. |
| How political ads try to shape the way we feel about the economy | |
| Political campaigns and advocacy groups are expected to spend anywhere from $10 billion to $17 billion on ads in this year's election cycle, and a great many of them will be focused on the economy. This was true for the primary campaigns, both national and local. How a campaign talks about the economy in an ad can depend on a variety of factors, including whether the candidate is an incumbent and how the economy is performing leading up to the election. "That's where the campaign matters," said Marc Hetherington, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Can you, as a campaign, affect the perceptions that people have of conditions? Especially if those conditions are not on your side?" One strategy to shape perceptions of the economy is to adjust the timeline you're talking about. "If you're comparing whether or not the economy is getting better by the academic numbers over the last three to six months," said Heath Garrett, a partner with Republican-leaning firm Strategic Partners and Media, "then you can make the argument that the economy is getting better." But, Garrett said, if you're an average American comparing this economy to, for example, the pre-pandemic economy, "then no matter what the academic, economic numbers are telling you, you're not feeling better. Because it's an emotive experience when you go to the grocery store and all of a sudden you feel like your bill is up by 50%, at some places doubled. It just has a feeling about it." |
| New rule strengthening federal job protections could counter Trump promises to remake the government | |
| The government's chief human resources agency issued a new rule on Thursday making it harder to fire thousands of federal employees, hoping to head off former President Donald Trump's promises to radically remake the workforce along ideological lines if he wins back the White House in November. The Office of Personnel Management regulations will bar career civil servants from being reclassified as political appointees or as other at-will workers, who are more easily dismissed from their jobs. It comes in response to Schedule F, an executive order Trump issued in 2020 that sought to allow for reclassifying tens of thousands of the 2.2 million federal employees and thus reduce their job security protections. President Joe Biden nullified Schedule F upon taking office. But if Trump, a Republican, were to revive it during a second administration, he could dramatically increase the around 4,000 federal employees who are considered political appointees and typically change with each new president. In a statement issued Thursday, Biden, a Democrat, called the rule a "step toward combatting corruption and partisan interference to ensure civil servants are able to focus on the most important task at hand: delivering for the American people." Good government groups and liberal think tanks and activists have cheered the rule. They viewed cementing federal worker protections as a top priority given that replacing existing government employees with new, more conservative alternatives is a key piece of the conservative Heritage Foundation's nearly 1,000-page playbook known as Project 2025. |
| Navigating Safety in Off-Campus freshmen housing | |
 | As the student population at the University of Mississippi continues to surge, so do safety concerns --- especially in the first off-campus freshman housing site, The Quarters. Recent reports from the Clery Daily Crime Log indicate a higher rate of incidents being reported by students in The Quarters versus those in on-campus dormitories. From August 18, 2023 to March 30, 2024, there have been roughly 89 incidents reported to the University Police Department at The Quarters, with offenses ranging from minor violations like noise disturbances to more serious crimes like assault and possession of drugs. In the same period of time, roughly 58 incidents have been reported at Stockard Hall. Chief Daniel Sanford, who has been with the University Police Department for more than two years, explained the challenges with incident reports in freshman dorms. "Any time you have freshman dorms, you will have some challenges since many of the occupants are on their own for the first time," Sanford said. "There is also a bit of a learning curve the first time a person lives with roommates, so personality clashes and differences of opinion will happen from time to time." The Quarters was leased to help provide more housing in light of increased enrollment. The university plans to lease more apartment complexes for the upcoming academic year beginning in August 2024. |
| UMMC urges caution for solar eclipse | |
| As the Solar Eclipse of 2024 looms, be warned that the face of the sun may not be the only thing that will fade. Other potential disappearing acts include bird songs, cumulus clouds and your eyesight. "If you choose to view the eclipse, please follow recommended precautions and take the information seriously," said Dr. Kimberly Crowder, professor and Drs. Ching-Jygh and Lin Chen Chair for Excellence in Ophthalmology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. "Even brief amounts of exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause permanent damage to the eyes, even blindness. Unfortunately, we saw patients with damage after the last eclipse a few years ago and, while we are always happy to have new patients, we hope to not have new patients due to the eclipse." But it won't require hours of eclipse-gazing to take a bite out of your vision if done with the naked eye -- or even, in many cases, when it's fully clothed: Eyeing an eclipse through a camera lens, telescope or binoculars is also an invitation to severe vision injuries. "With the naked eye, there is no set rule for how long it could take," said Dr. Khushboo Agrawal, assistant professor of ophthalmology at UMMC. "It could be a glance, a few seconds of looking, or prolonged staring; but even with a quick glance, the UV light from the sun's rays is so powerful that when it strikes the most light-sensitive area of your retina, permanent damage, called solar retinopathy, can result. "It also depends on visibility, cloudiness, how much pollution is in the air -- all of those affect how much UV light exposure you'll receive. It's also based on your own personal eye health." |
| MSDH chief medical officer addresses USM public health symposium | |
 | The Mississippi State Department of Health's chief medical officer gave the keynote address at a public health symposium at the University of Southern Mississippi. Justin M. Turner spoke at the annual event held Wednesday.at the Thad Cochran Center, hosted by USM's School of Health Professions. The symposium was held in recognition of National Public Health Week. Turner spoke about new threats from many different diseases and addressed topics like maternal health and infant mortality. "Now that the people here have heard new information, new data, new stats and we've seen them coming down, talking to them about those things, now we can start building partnerships, collaborations, coalitions and figuring out how to work better together," Turner said. The theme for the event and the week-long recognition of National Public Health Week was, "Protecting, Connecting and Thriving: We are Public Health." More than 50 people attended the symposium. |
| Luncheon celebrates scholarship impact on MCC student success | |
| Meridian Community College freshman Alondra Arreola-Espino expressed her gratitude for receiving an MCC Foundation Scholarship simply: "It makes me feel like I can keep going." Arreola-Espino, who received the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Scholarship, was one of many students whose stories were shared during the recent MCC Foundation Scholarship and Endowment Donor Appreciation Luncheon. The Meridian resident is studying in the University Transfer Program. The luncheon served as a platform to thank donors and to connect scholarship recipients and donors. Leia Agnew Hill, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the MCC Foundation, acknowledged the donors for their generosity. "Scholarships do more than pay the bill; they open doors and create new opportunities. They empower students to focus on their studies, and they inspire them," she said. "Because someone believes in them enough to help them pay for college," Hill said. Pedro Gonzales, a sophomore from Chunky, is studying in the Precision Machining Engineering Technology Program and is thankful to have received the Gene Haas Scholarship. "This scholarship is super important to me because I come from an immigrant household," he said. |
| MGCCC now offering free courses through WIOA programs | |
 | It's never too late to discover your path in life --- or too early. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is offering free certifications and courses to help aid local youth in achieving their dreams. "It definitely pushes you and makes you realize how much potential and how smart you really are," said Savannah Stutsman, a massage therapy student. At just 20 years old, Stutsman is getting ready to complete her massage therapy courses and proudly don a cap and gown this May -- a moment that will complete her comeback story. "That same April that I started getting my GED, I was in two car wrecks 30 days apart from each other," said Stutsman. "I ended up breaking my L1 spine and have nerve damage in my right wrist because of it." Luckily for Stutsman, she was working for a chiropractor's office and was able to be given treatment right away. She refused to go the painkiller route after her accidents because she didn't want to rely on medication from the young age of 18. Instead, she turned to a natural way of healing - massage therapy. "It made me want to do that even more," she said. "To help other people in conditions like I was in, or who think that there's no hope and that they have to just take medication." Stutsman is a part of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Executive Director of the Out-of-Youth program, Erica Johnson, said the students involved in these programs are more than prepared for what's next after their time at MGCCC. |
| Jill Biden says nation's top teachers will be recognized at their own White House state dinner | |
 | Jill Biden has new guidance for the nation's top teachers. When they visit the White House later this year, they will be the guests of honor at a state dinner, the first time that the diplomatic nicety typically used to woo foreign heads of state or government will honor educators, according to the first lady, a teacher herself. Biden made the announcement Wednesday during a nationally televised appearance in which she surprised Missy Testerman of Tennessee, the newly named National Teacher of the Year. "I'm a teacher, as you well know, and I've been teaching over 30 years, just like Missy has, and I always say teachers are our heroes and I wanted to be here today to celebrate Missy as I love celebrating teachers and I have a special announcement, Missy," Biden said. "When you come to the White House, we are going to have a state dinner for the teachers," Biden said on the set of "CBS Mornings." "You'll have to pick your dress. So it's the first time ever." Biden, who teaches English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, said hosting the nation's top teachers is "one of my favorite events at the White House." She did not announce a date for the teachers' dinner, but it's likely to be held May 1, when the teachers come to Washington, a White House official said. |
| SGA and IFC propose campuswide Narcan stations | |
| At the April 1 Student Government Association (SGA) meeting, President Jack Hilton proposed placing Narcan stations across campus. The SGA would help front the cost of the proposal in partnership with the Interfraternity Council (IFC). Narcan, which is the brand name for the medication Naloxone, rapidly reverses opioid overdoses and quickly restores someone's breathing when they're overdosing. There are two ways Naloxone can be administered: by injection or nasal spray. Narcan is the nasal spray form of Naloxone. There are multiple opioids a user can overdose on. The most common are fentanyl, oxycodone, codeine and morphine. Opioid abuse has become a widespread issue in the United States. In 2021, 45 people died every day from opioid overdoses. From 1999 to 2021, 280,000 Americans fatally overdosed on opioids. From July 2019 to December 2021, 91.3% of drug-related deaths for persons aged 10 to 19 years old were from opioid use. Hilton explained that the Narcan stations would be placed in the same spot as the AED defibrillators in each campus building. Spotting the signs of an opioid overdose is essential to saving the life of an inebriated person. Signs of an opioid overdose are when a person is breathing very slowly or no longer breathing, making gurgling sounds, unconscious and unresponsive and when their lips are a blue or greyish color. If someone is suffering from an opioid overdose, those surrounding them need to call emergency services, administer Narcan and perform CPR if the person doesn't respond to the Narcan. |
| American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to bring mental health awareness to U. of Tennessee | |
| The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, organized the Out of Darkness Walk, taking place this year on April 21. The walk will take place on the UT campus, with registration starting at 11 a.m. and the walk beginning at noon. According to AFSP's data, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in Tennessee. It is the second leading cause of death in those ages 25-34 and the third leading cause of death for those ages 10-24. The Out of Darkness Walk is meant to create a space of solace for those who are struggling or have loved ones struggling with mental health and suicidal ideation. Caroline Cole, a graduate student studying law, has been involved with AFSP for a year and a half. "These walks are a great way to show people that they are surrounded by a community that thinks about mental health and cares about suicide prevention," Cole said. Cole works with AFSP in public policy and communications and is very passionate about spreading their work to UT's campus. The first walk she attended allowed her to see a community open to talking about mental health. For those struggling with mental health or suicidal ideation, the suicide hotline number is always available. All you have to do is text or call 988. |
| 'Take Back The Night' event at Texas A&M educates for sexual assault awareness month | |
 | When Denise Crisafi, health promotion coordinator at Texas A&M University, anonymously polled students during incoming student conferences asking if they've seen or experienced a form of sexual violence, two-thirds of the students answered affirmatively. On Wednesday, during a gorgeous 70-degree evening, students gathered at the War Hymn Lawn to "Take Back The Night." Through the event, students listened to Different Day Foundation founder Marcy Bartula give the keynote address, earned some freebies and learned more about sexual assault resources. Sexual Assault Awareness Month, observed every April, is aiming to educate on consent, bystander intervention and resources. Take Back The Night is the oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence, going as far back as the 1960s. While Texas A&M has observed the event before, it has recently become a collaborative event where multiple student organizations and local organizations come out to educate attendees on a variety of topics related to sexual assault. "[Take Back The Night] started as women speaking out against gender-based violence, but it has evolved over time to include individuals regardless of their identity," Crisafi said. "It brings visibility to the issue. People look at the event and wonder what it's for, and it opens a conversation." Even after April ends, A&M will continue to have resources and classes available for students and campus partners looking to learn more about sexual violence with a focus on bystander intervention, Crisafi said. |
| U. of Missouri School of Medicine to expand student training with grant | |
 | The University of Missouri School of Medicine will increase access to health care services this summer through a Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services grant. The $2.2 million state-funded grant program will expand five graduate medical education programs in the state. The other four recipients are located in St. Louis. The program aims to improve medical school graduates' training within hospitals, health systems and educational entities, according to a news release from DHSS. It hopes to increase health care accessibility and address workforce shortages in Missouri's highest-need areas. At least 90 new physicians are slated to receive funding over the next decade. Nine residents will begin work this summer across the five recipient locations. Two will join the MU Family Medicine Residency Program on July 1, and the MU program will receive $75,000 per resident, Medical Education Director Gina Silvey said. "This grant program is a critical step toward improving and expanding access to high-quality health care in our state," DHSS Director Paula Nickelson said in a release. "By supporting medical residency programs in rural and underserved areas, we can better ensure that Missourians have access to the type of health care services they need when they need them." |
| Colleges Go Above and Beyond for the Solar Eclipse | |
 | Ann Wright has spent the past three years preparing for less than five minutes. The professor of physics at Hendrix College, in Arkansas, used a rare sabbatical to plan a campus commemoration of the total solar eclipse -- crafting an event that would appeal to everyone, not just science nerds. The wait is almost over. On Monday, Hendrix's small population will swell to up to 10,000 when its "Solar Odyssey" takes over the football stadium. The event will include, in addition to viewing the eclipse, a wind-ensemble performance of space-themed pop songs; a parade of puppets; a LEGO display of the solar system; and an activity station for kids. Wright knows it's a lot. But she remembers what a blast the 2017 eclipse party was and how it brought the community together. Back then, Hendrix wasn't even in the path of totality. This year, it will be. In the early afternoon, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, blanketing a narrow strip of North America in complete darkness for several minutes. Dozens of college campuses will find themselves in the path of totality, most of which weren't so lucky in August of 2017, when the last total solar eclipse crossed the United States on a different trajectory. From South Texas to the far corners of Maine, colleges have embraced the ephemeral event. |
| More students are dropping out of college -- here's why | |
| Getting into college is one thing, staying in is another. Although college enrollment declines leveled off this year, the number of students who started but then withdrew has been on the rise, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. There are now more than 40 million students who are currently unenrolled. At the same time, roughly 26% of current undergraduates have seriously considered leaving college or are at risk of dismissal, according to a separate report by education lender Sallie Mae. Students who are the first in their family to attend college are much more likely to consider leaving at some point, as are minorities and low-income students, who may also be juggling work commitments, the report found. "We need more support for early college planning, especially for first-generation students or those from underserved communities," said Rick Castellano, a spokesperson for Sallie Mae. "Often the conversation is about access," he added, but "there are a ton of things we can do to better address college completion." Among students who are considering putting their education on hold, most said it was due to financial concerns. Others cite a loss of motivation or life change followed by mental health challenges, Sallie Mae found. |
| They Want to Become Nuns and Priests. Student Debt Holds Them Back. | |
 | It wasn't until after college that Kendra Baker began to consider becoming a nun. She had been raised a Roman Catholic, and after her father fell from the roof of their home, suffering life-threatening injuries, her family called a priest to come and pray with them. A few hours later, her father opened his eyes. "He's relearned to walk, talk, drive -- he can eat normally," Ms. Baker, 25, said. "And doctors had told us to prepare for a funeral." That wasn't the only experience that nudged Ms. Baker, who, after graduating from Western Washington University in 2021, moved to Seattle and started to feel a "gentle prompting" toward religious life. "Not God's booming voice saying, 'Kendra, go to the convent now.' But just very gentle," she said. After much thought and research, Ms. Baker found a religious community that she felt aligned with her interests in both contemplative spirituality and active service, and she was soon accepted as a candidate with the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. Only one thing was preventing her from joining: her student loan debt. People wishing to enter religious life in the Catholic tradition are typically required to pay off all their debts to prepare themselves to take a vow of poverty, and others living in religious communities usually don't earn an income or own assets, preventing them from paying any debts they accrued as laypeople. If they're among the 20 percent of Americans with undergraduate degrees who have student loan debt, it can pose significant challenges. |
| Entry-level hiring predicted to remain steady during 2024 graduation season | |
| Hiring for entry-level positions will remain active through the second quarter as new graduates join the labor market, according to a March 28 report from Robert Half, a talent solutions and business consulting firm. In a November 2023 survey, 65% of companies said they planned to hire entry-level professionals -- defined as workers with zero to two years of experience -- in early 2024. "Bringing in workers who are in the early stage of their career is a smart hiring strategy," Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half, said in a statement. "Recent grads and entry-level professionals can help drive innovation by delivering fresh ideas and new skills." The survey included more than 1,850 managers with hiring responsibilities in the fields that Robert Half serves, including finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources. In those areas, 56% to 76% of managers said their company planned to hire entry-level professionals, including 57% of those in HR. Employers should consider doubling down on recruiting early talent and building pipelines to college graduates, according to Kimo Kippen, the former chief learning officer for Hilton. Hiring young workers can help with retention, cost, diversity, future leadership and employment brand, she said. Some hiring managers, however, admitted in a ResumeBuilder.com survey to avoiding hiring Generation Z workers in favor of older workers, in part due to perceived poor communication skills and poor engagement. |
| States Bristle at Cardona Plea to Push Aid Deadlines | |
 | The rocky rollout of a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) had already forced almost a quarter of the nation's states to bump back their local scholarship application deadlines. Last Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urged them to move the goal post once again. Not only did the secretary's letter suggest state governors should push back any aid deadlines currently listed before or through the end of May, it also encouraged them to ensure their legislature properly budgets for potential increases in state grant aid that may be needed based on changes in Pell Grant eligibility. Many state higher education officials and national association leaders have voiced frustration with the tone and timing of the department's letter, which came just four days after the agency had announced another major calculation error. But they've also acknowledged that mitigating the FAFSA fiasco will require flexibility and an "all hands on deck" response. According to data from NCAN, 22 states have deadlines that have already passed or are impending in mid-April or May, and therefore would be subject to Cardona's request. Eight of those states -- Arizona, California, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas and Utah -- have already moved their deadlines at least once. Some stakeholders, however, say that the tone of Cardona's letter came off as insensitive. One higher education aid expert pointed to a specific line at the top of the letter which reads, "We must work together to support the completion of the 2024–25 FAFSA." "I am just like, OK, yes, we must, but rather than have you tell us what to do, wouldn't it be better to ask states: how can we help?" the expert said. |
| House Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on 'FAFSA Fail' | |
| House lawmakers will examine how the botched roll-out of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) has affected students, families and colleges in a hearing next week. Witnesses for the April 10 hearing of the House higher education subcommittee have not been announced. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have criticized the launch of the new FAFSA, which has been beset by repeated issues and delays and is the subject of two Government Accountability Office investigations. This is the first of what could be many hearings on what the subcommittee calls the "FAFSA Fail." "The Education Department's FAFSA rollout has been defined by poor communication, negligence, and incompetence that has wreaked havoc on the entire university system," said Utah representative Burgess Owens, the Republican chair of the subcommittee, in a news release. "FAFSA delays have left millions of students in limbo, unsure of their academic futures and unable to access additional guidance or assistance." After the department started processing applications last month, months later than usual, financial aid professionals quickly spotted a number of errors. In some cases, tax information was transferred incorrectly onto the forms, in others, the department miscalculated students' aid eligibility. The errors will mean students have to wait longer to hear from colleges about how much financial aid they can expect to receive. Florida representative Frederica Wilson, the senior Democrat on the subcommittee, said in a news release the lawmakers want to get to the bottom of the delays and glitches. |
| Latest FAFSA blunder leaves colleges in 'compromising' position | |
 | This year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) saga has taken another turn after the Department of Education sent incorrect financial aid information to colleges and universities, possibly creating more delays for students and putting schools in a compromising situation. In the latest development, colleges have been told they are allowed to use faulty student data the department sent them, as long as the error means an applicant receives more federal aid than they qualify for, not less. The green light to purposely process information that is incorrect is a huge concern for advocates, as it can put financial aid administrators in a sticky situation, especially at a time where reprocessing forms could mean students don't receive the financial aid information they need until May. "We want students to be able to get as much financial aid that they need, if they're eligible. We want that absolutely 1,000 percent, right?" said Emmanual Guillory, senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). "But at our institutions, this type information is audited. You don't want to be on record literally processing information that's inaccurate, knowingly processing inaccurate information." The department's suggestion to universities to process the inaccurate forms came Monday. But Guillory said that is an unfair spot to put college officials in, especially as any investigations by a future administration could lead to problems for universities if they accept incorrect data. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Tie School Record With 13th Run-Rule Victory | |
| Mississippi State scored early and often in a 14-0 victory in five innings at UAB on Wednesday night. The No. 16/16 Bulldogs scored nine of their 14 runs with two outs on their way to their school-record-tying 13th run-rule victory of the season. Madisyn Kennedy opened the scoring with a three-run homer in the first before Salen Hawkins drove in a pair with two outs in the frame. In the second inning, Paige Cook singled home one run before Jessie Blaine plated two. Kylee Edwards doubled home another run to cap that inning. Nadia Barbary doubled home a run in the third, and Riley Hull singled to score Barbary before Aquana Brownlee launched a pinch-hit two-run homer. "I thought it was a good bounce back after Game 3 of the Florida series, and I thought they really came out ready to attack and not worried about carrying anything with them," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "At this point, these games are a good opportunity to take a step back, go out there and continue to refine your craft and make sure you get people at-bats who maybe aren't getting a lot on the weekends. Aquana Brownlee, Saleyna Daniel, Riley Hull, they're big bats for us that don't always get in every game." The Bulldogs remain on the road and will travel to Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday. State opens a three-game series with No. 22/25 South Carolina at 5 p.m. CT on Friday, April 5. |
| Softball: 'Bench Mobb' steps up as Mississippi State run-rules UAB | |
| Aquana Brownlee was one of Mississippi State's best hitters last season, but the Bulldogs' roster depth has forced her to take on a diminished role in recent weeks. After playing a part-time role over her first three years in Starkville, Brownlee was second on the team in 2023 with a .310 batting average, eight home runs and 35 runs batted in. She started nine of MSU's first 10 games this year, but the emergence of freshman Kylee Edwards at shortstop pushed Madisyn Kennedy over to first base, and Kennedy's hot bat mandated a spot in the batting order. Brownlee, thus, became the odd one out, going just 3-for-14 in the month of March. "The bench has always been a main part of the team," Brownlee said. "It's like the 10th person on the field. It's a part of playing the game now. We don't look at it as a reserve spot." But in Wednesday evening's midweek game at Alabama-Birmingham, the No. 16 Bulldogs jumped out to a big early lead that allowed head coach Samantha Ricketts to almost completely empty her bench. Brownlee pinch-hit for Jessie Blaine in the third inning with MSU already leading by 12, and she hit her first home run of the season on a fly ball to right-center field that hit the top of the fence and bounced over. Brownlee was one of nine position players to have an at-bat without starting the game for MSU. The reserves have begun calling themselves the "Bench Mobb" during games -- the name comes from the 2013 Bulldogs baseball team that reached the national championship series -- and frequently display props such as plastic swords in the dugout to support their teammates. The blast completed the scoring in a 14-0, five-inning victory. |
| Mississippi State soccer balances exhibition games, tourism on London trip | |
| James Armstrong may have grown up in England, but Mississippi State's spring break trip to London was almost as much of a foreign experience for the Bulldogs' head coach as it was for many of the players. Armstrong is from Yorkshire, a four-plus hour drive from London, and never visited the city until he was 18 years old. It had been five years since Armstrong's last visit, and to his surprise, the United Kingdom had updated the look of some of its currency during that time. "I'd saved some coins from before, and I went to pay on the first day with some pound coins, and they said they went out of circulation like four years ago," Armstrong said. While many MSU students spent their spring breaks at the beach with friends or at home with their families, the Bulldogs' soccer team, coming off its best season in program history, traveled much farther. MSU spent a week in London and played three exhibition matches against local teams while also experiencing the culture surrounding the sport there and taking in some of the more famous attractions the city has to offer. "It was a phenomenal experience, once in a lifetime," goalkeeper Maddy Anderson said. "Our days were filled from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. We did so much stuff, and it was such a blessing to be able to do everything. We got to sightsee, we got to play games, we got to practice, and we got to watch a bunch of professional games, which was very cool to see (because) I want to go pro, seeing the environment and what it takes to be at that level." |
| Mississippi adds women's basketball coach who faced bullying allegations | |
 | Mississippi women's basketball Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin added to her coaching staff, hiring an assistant who resigned three years ago as Syracuse's head coach over allegations of bullying and threatening players and behaving improperly toward them. McPhee-McCuin said her decision to hire Quentin Hillsman was partly because she had known him "for over 20 years." But in 2021, nine former players and 19 others, including staff and team managers, told reporters for the Athletic of incidents that included threatening players verbally, sometimes with vulgarities; making them uncomfortable by kissing their foreheads; hiring a staff member previously accused of sexual harassment who made players and managers uncomfortable; and refusing players' requests for water after running sprints. An outside firm was hired by Syracuse to investigate the allegations, revealing that "a concerning number of players and managers who came forward described an unhealthy environment and culture," although a number of players had positive experiences. Other former players, including Tiana Mangakahia, defended Hillsman, Mangakahia tweeting in 2021, "It's sad when you don't get what you want (minutes/contracts after college) you accuse others of things to make them look bad." A spokesperson for Mississippi told the Clarion-Ledger in a statement that McPhee-McCuin had "firsthand knowledge" of Hillsman's character and that others vouched for him. |
| Jennings: Ole Miss women's basketball hiring sends 'sickening' message | |
| The Athletic's Chantel Jennings writes: A text message popped up on my phone on Wednesday afternoon. "So sickening," the message read with an included tweet from the Ole Miss women's basketball account announcing its hiring of Quentin Hillsman as an assistant coach on head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's staff. The message was from a former player I interviewed many times during a months-long investigation into Hillsman and his treatment of players as the head coach at Syracuse. The investigation led the university to open an internal investigation amid which Hillsman resigned. ... Ole Miss shouldn't be held up as a moral compass given it's the same athletic department that hired Chris Beard, who was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence (felony domestic charges were ultimately dismissed), to coach its men's basketball team and D.J. Durkin -- after he was placed on administrative leave and fired by Maryland following the death of one of his players -- to assistant coach its football team. McPhee-McCuin has difficult questions to answer about why Hillsman -- three years removed from a resignation at Syracuse amid a third-party investigation that found "a concerning number of players and managers" who described "an unhealthy environment and culture" -- was the right person for this job. ... The timing of this announcement is not lost on me. At this point, hiring a coach with a troubling past is old hat for Ole Miss, so it knows what to do. It dropped the news on the Wednesday before the Final Four, appearing to bank on the fact that any stir it caused would be overshadowed by the impending games. |
| Louisiana banning in-state collegiate prop bets for 'safety and integrity' of athletes | |
| Louisiana is banning licensed sportsbooks in the state from offering prop bets on college athletes. The ban will go into effect Aug. 1, 2024, at 8 a.m. local time. "It is the intention of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to protect the integrity of sports betting as well as the safety and integrity of college athletes," Louisiana Gaming Control Board chairman Ronnie Johns said in a statement. "We feel that this order accomplishes that goal." Prop bets allow fans to bet on how many points or rebounds a basketball player might have, or yards or touchdowns a football player might have, instead of or in conjunction with a game's outcome or spread. Bettors in Louisiana and the 37 other states where sports betting is legal can still bet on the totals, point spreads and outcomes of games. Prop bets on "full team statistical outcomes" will still be allowed in Louisiana. Vermont, Ohio and Maryland banned college prop bets recently and other states have expressed an openness to bans or an examination of the issue within their states. Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Oregon have rules in place prohibiting them. Illinois, Connecticut and Iowa don't allow them for in-state teams. Last week, NCAA president Charlie Baker released a statement calling for all states to ban prop bets on college athletes, though Louisiana's ban had been in the works before Baker's statement. Baker expressed a desire to protect the integrity of games as well as protecting college athletes from the online harassment that can come their way when bettors' money is placed solely on their performance. |
| Jeff Landry critiques LSU's national anthem absence on Fox News and demands changes | |
 | Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry continued his push for student-athletes at Louisiana universities to be required to be present for the national anthem during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday. Landry issued a statement Tuesday morning, saying that all Louisiana student-athletes should be present for the national anthem after LSU wasn't on the court Monday for the anthem prior to the Elite Eight game against Iowa in Albany, New York. He said that student-athletes should be at risk of losing their athletic scholarships if they aren't present for the anthem. The first-term governor was interviewed Wednesday by Sandra Smith, a Fox News reporter who competed in track and field for LSU after transferring from Illinois State in 2002. Smith seemed sympathetic to Landry's stance on the issue, but the governor pushed back against the suggestion that he was critical of Kim Mulkey and her players. "I'm not calling out the players or Coach Mulkey," said Landry, who wore an LSU shirt for the interview. "I support Coach Mulkey, my statement said that. I think this a bigger question, a bigger problem for collegiate sports nationally and in Louisiana. I just sent out a letter to each one of our college boards, telling them they should put in place a policy that respects the national anthem." Landry pointed to the March 22 LSU-Florida baseball game when he threw out the first pitch at Alex Box Stadium as an example of what each of the state's athletic departments should aspire to. Both teams were on the field for the national anthem. |
| LSU paid $1.9M to students who accused Derrius Guice of rape, university of Title IX failures | |
| LSU has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit involving 10 former students who accused university officials of violating their civil rights by failing to properly investigate and respond to reports of rape, partner violence, sexual harassment and more on campus. The settlement agreement, which The Advocate | The Times-Picayune received through a public-records request, shows LSU admitted no liability or wrongdoing in the case, despite the payout. President William Tate signed it March 27. The agreement ended a lawsuit filed in 2021 as a flurry of former students spoke out about their experiences of being sexually assaulted on LSU's campus. Two plaintiffs in the case said former LSU football star Derrius Guice raped them in 2016, while two other plaintiffs accused Guice of other types of sexual misconduct that year. Guice's attorneys have previously denied the allegations. Former LSU tennis star Jade Lewis was another plaintiff with a high-profile case: She was repeatedly beaten by former LSU football player Drake Davis in 2017 and 2018. He later pleaded guilty to battery of a dating partner and violating a protective order in her case. The women accused LSU officials of looking the other way and failing to take actions to protect them as they suffered. They argued the university's inaction amounted to a violation of federal Title IX law, which requires institutions to investigate reports of such misconduct on campus. |
| Does Auburn's impending apparel deal impact recruiting? Hugh Freeze says no. | |
 | Auburn appears close to finalizing a new apparel deal. Details are vague but signs point to Auburn leaving Under Armour -- a company facing significant financial hurdles -- with Nike as a possible suitor. "We feel like we're in a very, very positive place right now," Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen said Tuesday during an appearance on the live radio show Next Round Live. "I think our fanbase, everyone connected with Auburn is going to be very pleased with where we are. Just not ready to release because not all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed." Auburn's current deal with Under Armour expires in June 2025. Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze has coached under several different apparel deals -- including Nike at Ole Miss and Under Armour this far at Auburn. Freeze was asked Tuesday if a school's apparel sponsor has ever had an impact when he talks to high schoolers. The answer? Almost never. It's more of a talking point among fans than reality when recruiting. "Very rare," Freeze said. "I've been at a bunch of different schools and been a part of three different apparel companies and I don't ever recall feeling like that made a significant difference in the recruitment." Freeze then made one caveat. "But I'm certain that it doesn't hurt in some scenarios," Freeze said. |
| Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart expects further direction on NIL, transfer portal within college athletics | |
| Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart anticipates changes within the landscape of college athletes in the near future. Barnhart touched on the subject of name, image and likeness and expects some direction when it comes to rules and regulations regarding NIL to help bring consistency within the rules. "Every school has approached it differently," he said. "That's why my hope is this is going to be a short-term solution because, at some point in time, in the next 18-24 months, there's going to be some direction for all of college athletics about how we get this thing in line." The solution, he said, won't be an easy task, but hopes things will be streamlined within college athletics. "It may be something we have to ask for, but I don't know how it's going to end," he said. "I would hope in the next 18 to 24 months we get some help from some place and I don't know what that is. Don't ask me to define it because I couldn't tell you." Currently, Barnhart said UK athletics and its NIL guidelines "falls under one umbrella," which he calls a "pillar approach." Men's and women's basketball each have their own NIL office, while the other sports fall under the same leadership and "they've already got that in place." "We've worked through our four or five collectives and that's been good and it's been consistent ," he said. "Every program has done it a little differently and our coaches have been successful." |
| The Unlikely Campus Crew That Lit a Revolutionary Fuse in College Sports | |
 | Dartmouth College is a sleepy place during the summer months. Students in residence spend their free hours hiking in the surrounding mountains, cooling off in the Connecticut River and playing beer pong on fraternity row. Last summer, a few sophomores found a different way to occupy themselves. They began plotting something that could overthrow college sports as we know it. In the dog days of July and August, they discovered that shooting hoops wasn't their only shared interest. They had watched a wave of student labor activism sweep the campus. As they looked ahead to another semester juggling academics, sports and the part-time jobs some of them needed, they started to ponder a revolutionary idea. What if the basketball team formed a union? In the grand scheme of college basketball, there's nothing grand about Dartmouth. The men's team won just six of its 27 games this season, hasn't produced a professional prospect since the '90s, and last made the NCAA tournament in 1959, when it was coached by a guy named Doggie. But as March Madness reaches its climax this weekend with the Final Four, it's no exaggeration to say that Dartmouth might be the most consequential team in college basketball. Its players managed to do something no other college team has ever done. When they voted 13-2 to join the Service Employees International Union, they took the biggest shot yet at the NCAA's century-old insistence that its athletes are playing, not working, when they compete for their schools. |
| Inside the college football 'Super League,' one powerful group's idea to fix a 'dead' system | |
| One league overseeing college football's highest level. No more conferences as we've known them. Playoff berths being decided solely on the field. Promotion and relegation for smaller schools. Players being paid directly. NIL and the transfer portal, managed. A group of influential leaders wants to make all this happen soon -- and they are pitching it as the best way forward for a sport they believe needs saving. Several college presidents, Roger Goodell's primary lieutenant at the NFL and some of sports' top executives have devised a plan -- dubbed by outsiders as a "Super League" -- to completely transform college football, those involved in the group "College Sports Tomorrow" (CST) told The Athletic. Although the plan has drawn skepticism from within the sport's current institutions, the people behind the ideas believe they must be implemented. "The current model for governing and managing college athletics is dead," Syracuse chancellor Kent Syverud told The Athletic during an interview. West Virginia president Gordon Gee added, "We are in an existential crisis." Syverud and Gee are part of CST, a 20-person group which also includes the NFL's No. 2 executive Brian Rolapp, Philadelphia 76ers owner David Blitzer and lead organizer Len Perna of TurnkeyZRG, the search firm that places nearly all the top conference commissioners, including recently the Big Ten's Tony Petitti. They are trying to implement a drastically new system that would replace the NCAA and the College Football Playoff and potentially provide a solution for the hurricane of current and future lawsuits aimed at the business of the sport, plus the NIL and transfer portal issues that, they believe, have put college athletics as a whole in peril. |
| Court filing asks judge to rule that NCAA's remaining NIL rules violate antitrust law | |
 | NCAA President Charlie Baker's recent proposal that would, among other things, allow colleges to pay athletes for the use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL) was cited by plaintiffs' lawyers on Wednesday night as one of the reasons that a federal judge should abolish the association's remaining NIL rules without a trial in their lawsuit against the NCAA and the nation's top college conferences. The filing asked U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken to issue a summary judgment ruling that the NCAA's remaining NIL rules violate antitrust law, "with only the amount of damages to be determined at trial." Attorneys for the NCAA and the conferences have said in prior filings that current and former college athletes are seeking more than $1.4 billion in damages. The filings did not specify whether that figure takes into account the tripling of damages awards that occurs in successful antitrust cases. If it does not, then more than $4.2 billion could be at stake in the case. The NCAA and the conferences also have the opportunity to ask Wilken to decide the case in their favor without a trial, and their deadline to do so is May 17. Wilken already has granted class-action status to both the plaintiffs' bid for an injunction that would end the NCAA's NIL rules and their request for damages. Those decisions made the case applicable to thousands of athletes. |
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