| Friday, August 16, 2024 |
| Student Success Kickoff Carnival offers valuable MSU resources | |
 | Incoming freshmen enrolling at Mississippi State are invited to a fun event the day before fall classes start designed to help them kick off the year with confidence. Mississippi State's Student Success Kickoff Carnival, Aug. 20, noon to 2 p.m. in Old Main Academic Center will showcase various university resources and helpful organizations. Hosted by MSU's Center for Academic Excellence, the carnival-themed event offers information, printed class schedules and academic advisors on hand to answer questions. The center offers diverse services to undergraduate students including academic support programs, workshops, tutoring services and academic coaching. Learn more about student resources at www.studentsuccess.msstate.edu. |
| Famous Maroon Band prepares for football season | |
 | Video: MSU's band is preparing for this year's football season but they have a challenging opponent, the heat. |
| Golden Triangle cities, counties to get $1.7M in national opioid settlements | |
 | With two rounds of national opioid settlements finalized, the Golden Triangle is due to see about $1,719,781 in settlement payments trickling in from pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers, according to documents from the state attorney general's office. Attorney Corky Smith with Sims and Sims Counselors at Law in Columbus, said he represents Columbus, Lowndes County and other entities in the opioid settlements. Area entities have started receiving the first payments of these settlements that will keep coming through 2038. In Starkville, Ward 2 Alderwoman and budget chair Sandra Sistrunk said the city has received two payments over the past two years, one for $5,000 and the other for $6,000. Each has gone into the general fund, she said, though if more substantial funding comes in, it could be dedicated toward supplies like Narcan for EMT's with the fire department as well as the police department. Oktibbeha County board attorney Rob Roberson told The Dispatch Wednesday he did not know if the county had received any opioid payments yet. |
| Amazon at it again in Mississippi. See what and where | |
 | Amazon is expanding in Mississippi. The company announced plans to expand its investment in the Magnolia State this week with plans to open a new delivery station in Lee County, according to the Community Development Foundation of Lee County. This new facility will be approximately 96,000 square feet located within the Turner Industrial Park in Saltillo, just south of Tupelo, in Lee County. Launch plans for this delivery station are in the very early stages, with renovations to the existing building scheduled to start in the coming weeks. "This last-mile facility will allow us to better serve customers in Lee County and the surrounding area," said Jessica Breaux, senior manager of economic development for Amazon in a statement. "We're grateful for our partnership with the Community Development Foundation and Lee County. We look forward to sharing more details about this facility in the future." The new last-mile facility in Lee County will help power the last mile of Amazon's fulfillment process by enabling fast, everyday delivery directly to customers' doorstep, according to the CDF statement. Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers and then employees process customer packages for last-mile delivery. Most employees in customer fulfillment and transportation earn between $17 and $28 per hour. |
| Heights at Waterpoint launches in Flowood as part of $500M plan | |
 | Amid sweltering temperatures Thursday morning, Flowood mayor Gary Rhoads and other dignitaries celebrated the groundbreaking of a mix-used area that is part of an estimated $500 million mixed residential and commercial development called Waterpointe. This part, known as the Heights at Waterpoint is a "traditional neighborhood development," or TND, the "town within a town" would stretch 800,000 square feet in commercial space alone with 240 luxury units. It will also have a 250-car parking garage that will be the first parking garage in Rankin County. The entire development in the city of just under 11,000 people is billed as a destination for shopping, dining, entertainment and events in a walkable district with a downtown feel. When completed, it is expected to have a total 560 family homes, according to a previous Clarion Ledger story. "This project is important to us to help produce a community that people will not only call home, but in having total control of the process, we want to deliver a quality product," said Toby Easterling of Stoa Group, the group in charge of this project, which builds resident-driven developments across the South. The entire development of Waterpointe will sit on 240 acres located just east of the East Metro Parkway, south of Lakeland Drive. |
| Mississippi adopts rules for collaborative law in family matters | |
| Mississippi became the 25th state this year to adopt rules of collaborative law, which allows people to sit together at the table to work through their differences in hopes of avoiding what could become contentious court proceedings. Hattiesburg attorney Jennifer Ingram Johnson was elected president of the Mississippi Bar Association but had not yet taken office when she attended a continuing education class in Texas, where she learned about collaborative law. She thought it would be something beneficial to Mississippi, so when she took office she put together an ad hoc committee to study the feasibility of establishing collaborative law in the state. "Divorce doesn't end a relationship," Johnson said. "Divorce changes it, so it's best to preserve all parts of the relationship that you can preserve. Let go of the ones you can't, but there's got to be part of it that continues for the children's sake. If you can go through a collaborative process and reach an agreement, the children come out ahead." Jackson attorney Mark Chinn spearheaded the team that worked on shaping the collaborative law rules. The process began in 2020, and the proposal was submitted to the state Supreme Court in 2022. Although it took several years to bring the effort to fruition, the court voted to support the collaborative law rules, announcing July 26 that they would be added to the state's judicial playbook. |
| A plan to fix Jackson's water system could cost all of Mississippi its food stamps | |
 | It started as a simple idea to help low-income residents in Jackson, Mississippi, pay less for their water bills with as little red tape as possible. Now, it's led to federal agencies threatening to cut off all of Mississippi from food stamps. In February, the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture said JXN Water's plan to automatically give a roughly $30 discount to everyone who receives SNAP, better known as food stamps, violates the privacy of people who receive the benefits. If the utility went through with the plan, the federal agencies threatened to remove the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program access. Nearly 400,00 people in the state rely on SNAP to help pay their monthly grocery bills. The danger of losing one of the most relied-upon welfare programs in the state with the highest poverty rate has caused the Mississippi attorney general to publicly support the federal agencies' argument against the discount plan. All the while, JXN Water, the private water utility created to fix and run the city's broken water system, maintains this is ultimately the best way to help the most low-income customers afford their water bills while still raising enough revenue to end the city's long and messy history of water dysfunction. Manny Teodoro, a professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, believes the USDA's threat is uncalled for. Teodoro wrote the blog post that inspired JXN Water's SNAP plan. "That's a profoundly troubling threat," Teodoro said. "The idea that a federal agency would cut off benefits to an entire state... is really disturbing." |
| After years of infighting and accusations, Jackson councilman predicts storm of indictments | |
 | The resignation of former Jackson city councilwoman Angelique Lee on Wednesday morning, followed by her subsequent plea of guilty to a federal bribery charge, has stirred a whirlwind of controversy in a city that's no stranger to it. FBI raids conducted in Mississippi's capital city in May 2024 elicited questions of which -- or how many -- Jackson officials could be facing federal discipline. Beyond Lee, the only official to have charges formally levied against her at this time, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens has deflected rumors that he is involved in the investigation. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes -- a public official since 1989 and someone who never minces words -- told reporters on Wednesday evening that events surrounding Lee are a harbinger of more indictments to come. "I believe there's going to be a number of indictments coming down to this community at the county level and at the city level," Stokes said, asserting that other city council members and even members of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors will be arrested. "I've said several weeks ago that we need to pray for this city, and we need to pray for the county." The guilty plea from Lee is not the first time city officials have been mired in controversy since Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba took office in 2017. Lumumba alleged in February 2022 that multiple city council members, including Stokes and Ashby Foote of Ward 1, accepted bribes over a sanitation contract. In response to the bribery accusations, Stokes publicly invited the FBI to come investigate Lumumba and called for the mayor to "stop smoking that dope." Following the federal raids earlier this year, which did include a stop but not a raid at city hall, Stokes encouraged federal officials to keep digging. |
| Thompson to speak at Democratic National Convention | |
| While the full list of speakers has not yet been released, at least one Mississippian is scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week. Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) announced on X (formerly Twitter) just before noon Thursday that he would be speaking at the DNC on Wednesday, August 21st -- the same day as the Democratic vice presidential nominee is slated to address the delegates. Thompson did not indicate at what time he would be speaking. "Are you all ready for the DNC? I will be speaking on Wednesday and can't wait to see many of your faces!" Thompson shared. The 2nd District Congressman has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993. He is the longest-serving black elected official in the State of Mississippi and the lone Democrat in the Mississippi Congressional Delegation. The Democratic National Convention officially kicks off on Monday, August 19th in Chicago, Illinois, and is scheduled to end on Thursday, August 22nd when Harris ends her speech. During the week, President Biden, former President Bill Clinton, and former President Barack Obama are all expected to take the stage as well. |
| What do marijuana, the death penalty and fracking have in common? Harris shifted positions on them | |
 | As California's attorney general, Kamala Harris successfully defended the death penalty in court, despite her past crusade against it. As a new senator, she proposed to abolish cash bail -- a reversal from when she chided San Francisco judges for making it "cheaper" to commit crimes by setting bail amounts too low. And now, as vice president and the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris' campaign insists that she does not want to ban fracking, an oil and gas extraction process, even though that was precisely her position just a few years ago when she first pursued the White House. Politicians often recalibrate in the face of shifting public opinions and circumstances. Across two decades in elected office and now seeking the presidency for the second time, Harris has not hesitated to stake out expedient and -- at times -- contradictory positions as she climbed the political ladder. Harris' litany of policy reversals is opening her to attacks by Republicans and testing the strength of her pitch to voters as a truth-teller who is more credible than former President Donald Trump. Her shifts, including on matters that she has framed as moral issues, could raise doubts about her convictions as she is reintroducing herself to the public after taking the reins of the campaign from President Joe Biden, who last month dropped out of the race. "She's a political animal, there's no question about it," said Geoff Brown, a former San Francisco public defender who knew Harris during her time as a Bay Area prosecutor. "But you don't get to be president unless you are one." |
| Kamala Harris unveils populist policy agenda, with $6,000 credit for newborns | |
 | Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled an aggressively populist economic agenda, providing the most detailed vision yet of her governing priorities since becoming the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Ahead of Harris's speech in North Carolina, her campaign announced her support for more than a dozen economic policies aimed at "lowering costs for American families," including some that went beyond what President Joe Biden had promised. The most striking proposals were for the elimination of medical debt for millions of Americans; the "first-ever" ban on price gouging for groceries and food; a cap on prescription drug costs; a $25,000 subsidy for first-time home buyers; and a child tax credit that would provide $6,000 per child to families for the first year of a baby's life. The last item followed a suggestion earlier this month from JD Vance, the GOP vice-presidential nominee, that the credit be raised from $2,000 per child to $5,000. Harris is also calling for restoring the Biden administration's child tax credit that expired at the end of 2021, which raised the benefit for most families from $2,000 per child to $3,000. The flurry of policy positions -- just days before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago -- represented the clearest articulation yet of how Harris, who has only had a relatively brief time on the national stage, would handle economic policy if elected this fall. |
| Trump Taps Sons, Business Execs to Run Transition Team | |
 | Former President Donald Trump announced the group tasked with preparing for a handover of power if he wins another term in November, tapping his two elder sons, business executives and his running mate to run the Republican's transition team. The Trump campaign on Friday said that Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr., as well businessman Howard Lutnick and former Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon, would be on the team. Sen. JD Vance, the GOP's vice presidential nominee, was also tapped. The team will flesh out Trump's policy proposals, and vet and help select key personnel -- from cabinet secretaries to White House staff. Trump is forming his transition team more than three months later than he did in 2016, potentially setting back the efforts to plan for taking over the government. Trump's sons are expected to play a central role in personnel efforts, including in ensuring that those who are chosen for senior positions are loyal to the former president and are ideologically aligned with him, according to people briefed on the discussions. Trump has often complained that his team during his four years in office stood in the way of his agenda, a frustration shared in particular by Donald Trump, Jr. Friday's announcement comes after Trump has distanced himself from outside efforts to prepare for the next Republican presidency. |
| Georgia's Voters Love the Jobs Biden Created -- But That Doesn't Mean They'll Vote For His Party | |
 | The first big electric car factory in Georgia -- one of the largest construction projects the state has ever seen -- is a gleaming set of factory blocks plopped in the middle of a forest. Hyundai calls the $7.5 billion complex the "Metaplant." Its 16 million square feet are wired for virtual reality so executives can strap on a pair of goggles and fix the production line from Seoul. When it is finished, it will produce 300,000 vehicles a year. The first are due to roll off the line before Election Day. This prospect makes economic development officials giddy with excitement, but the rest of Savannah isn't so sure. Some people are intrigued at the prospect of 8,500 well-paid manufacturing jobs, but nearly all regard the product itself with suspicion. A common view is that of Jerold Griffiths, 47, a handyman who lives in a double-wide trailer not far from the new plant. He is willing to bet that if his preferred candidate for president retakes the White House that the plant's primary innovation will somehow magically revert to something more familiar. "I believe if Trump gets back into office," Griffith declared with more hope than evidence, "they're going to convert that plant into gas cars." Americans are a forward-looking people who usually embrace the shiny new thing, from the cotton gin to the smartphone. But the EV is an exception where more than half of the country is saying "nope." Nowhere is the political split over EVs more flagrantly on display than Georgia. |
| JSU expands housing options to Walthall Lofts in downtown Jackson | |
| Jackson State University is expanding their residence life to downtown Jackson for upper classmen. Students will now have the option of staying at the Walthall Lofts. The Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning approved the University's request to provide student housing at the Courthouse and Walthall Lofts in June. University leaders said the newly acquired spaces will accommodate 276 students, in addition to three spaces designated for essential residence life staff. The lofts will also still serve as housing for people who are not students. University leaders said students will notice an increase in cost due to the enhanced downtown loft living experience, which includes numerous amenities such as in-room laundry facilities [in most units], study and recreational rooms, a swimming pool, and a parking garage, adding value and convenience. Additionally, students residing at the Courthouse and Walthall lofts will have fully equipped kitchens in each unit. |
| IHL approves administrative cuts at Delta State, clearing another budget hurdle | |
| Delta State University's governing board approved more budget cuts at its regular meeting Thursday -- this time, at the administrative level. The regional university in the Mississippi Delta now has three colleges instead of four as part of its quest for financial sustainability under the current president, Daniel Ennis. This has resulted in the loss of four chairs and two less deans, the administrators that lead the colleges. A dean of graduate education was also eliminated even though that position did not oversee a college. The changes also led to two fewer positions at the vice presidential level, but Ennis created a new one to oversee enrollment management -- something the university in Cleveland has struggled for years to fix. "It didn't make sense to stick with the same administrative structure" after the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved the university's programs cuts earlier this summer, Ennis said. "What we did today was implicit in their approval of the cuts ... but still you have to go through the steps and get the final approval." It's all in an effort to reduce $750,000 a year in administrative level spending as part of Ennis' master plan for the university's budget that he unveiled at a town hall in May. |
| ICC formally opens newly renovated student activities center in Fulton | |
| Itawamba Community College reopened its Student Activities Center with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony, Aug. 14, at the Fulton Campus. "It is with great pride and excitement that we gather to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated Student Activities Center," said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. Just as with our recent residence hall ribbon cuttings at Monroe and Sheffield Halls, this is not just a physical transformation but a renewal of our commitment to providing a vibrant and supportive campus environment for our students." ICC's approximately 13,000-square-foot Student Activities Center, which opened in 1961 and is the oldest building on the Fulton Campus, has had numerous facelifts over the years, but this renovation touched every aspect of the building, including a completely redesigned interior to maximize open space for seating and the addition of a new covered space on the back to provide students a place to dine in the event of inclement weather. Allen said that the new space will be called "The Yard." The outdoor furniture will arrive soon and be installed with outdoor TVs. "Our goal was to make this feel like a home on the outside with the style and rocking chairs while providing modern accommodations on the inside," Allen noted. |
| Meridian Community College hires local woman as new Director of Safety and Security | |
 | As a 21-year-old, you're probably doing school or entry-level work. But have you ever seen a 21-year-old in a director position? "I'm very honored to have the position and I finished college a year early, so that's why I'm so young and I started working here in my last year of college online," said Lindsey Higginbotham. Lindsey Higginbotham a Meridian native, is the new Director of Safety and Security at MCC, and she has plenty of reasons why she wanted to work in this field. "Well, I mean, it started off early. I mean, even when I was younger, middle school, elementary age, going through high school, I always like was leaning towards the criminal justice safety management. Kind of kind of thing. My father is actually a Fire Chief at key field. So I grew up with him being in the military and being a fireman, so I guess I was just used to being a fireman. And then at that was just always what interested me. And then when I got to Community College, it was time to, like, finally make that last decision of what my major was going to be. And I just, I could not think of anything other than criminal justice. Like, I was just like, I want to study criminal justice. That's what's interesting to me. That's my passion. I said, I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but I'm going to figure it out," said Higginbotham. Now that she has the opportunity to make changes, she has a plan for MCC. |
| Students back on campus at Jones College | |
 | Jones College will be hosting move-in day over the next several days, with both freshmen and sophomores starting to settle on campus Thursday. "Move-in day starts with graduation last spring," said Luke Hammonds, JC's Dean of Student Life. The upcoming days have been months in the making for everyone involved in the raising of the curtain on a new academic year. "We meet at least once a week to make sure that all the housing contracts have been filled out properly all throughout the summer. So, whenever those contracts are filled out, we begin to assign students to different beds and different halls," Hammonds said. Although Thursday's all hands-on-deck event was called 'Move-In Day,' students will be filling the campus over the next few days with the final group moving in on Sunday. Just one obstacle that Bobcat families and staff were not looking forward to as move-in days continued has become a fact of life in August in Ellisville. "The only thing that makes it kind of rough is the heat," JC sophomore Hannah Byrd said. "I hate the heat. It is so hot, and I'm sweating." Overall, returning students said they were grateful to find campus just the way they left it. |
| Capstone Learning Academy to provide child care for U. of Alabama employees, students | |
 | The University of Alabama on Wednesday celebrated the opening of the Capstone's new early child development center. UA faculty and alumni gathered to cut the ribbon on the Capstone Learning Academy, which is at 1300 21st St. East in the former home of Northington Elementary School. The Capstone Learning Academy will provide education and family care solutions for UA's faculty, staff and students. The center will serve about 250 children from six weeks old to 5 years old. "Opening this facility is a significant milestone and child-care programs have been one of the most requested resources of our faculty, our staff, our students," said UA President Stuart Bell during Wednesday's ceremony. Bell said the center will foster the next generation of "legends," referring to UA's slogan "Where Legends Are Made." "Early childhood education is certainly more than just a foundational experience because it shapes the future of young people. And we are fostering the care of the next generation of legends at the University of Alabama," Bell said. The program will be operated by KinderCare, which has more than 50 years of experience providing early childhood care. Cheryl Mowdy, UA's interim vice president for finance and operations, said the new child-care center will address the growing need for child-care services for UA faculty, staff and students. |
| Georgia Board of Regents approve $3.6 billion budget to include renovations at UGA | |
 | The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a $3.6 billion fiscal 2026 budget request Wednesday. The 2026 budget, which takes effect next July, represents a $221.1 million increase over this year's spending plan. By far the largest increase -- $167.8 million -- would cover projected enrollment growth. The regents also adopted a $193.1 million capital budget request, down slightly from the $198 million the university system sought for the current fiscal year. The largest portion of the capital budget - $91.8 million -- would go toward five proposed building projects. The wish list includes $31 million for a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) building at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. Another $23 million would go toward modernizing a building in the Science and Ag Hill area of the University of Georgia campus in Athens. In fact, most of the capital spending request for construction involves renovation projects as opposed to new construction, Tracey Cook, the system's chief fiscal officer, told board members Wednesday. Both the operating and capital budget requests move next to the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget for review. Gov. Brian Kemp will present his spending requests to the General Assembly in January. |
| Officials say Georgia universities had $21.9 billion impact on state economy | |
| The latest figures from the University System of Georgia are pegging its overall economic impact on the state's economy at $21.9 billion. The study by USG on the economic impact of their 26 institutions said that was a 9% increase over the previous year. The University of Georgia's Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business, conducted the study and found in addition to the billions of dollars, the system helped create 163,332 full and part-time jobs in the state. "USG continues to be a million-dollar deal for our graduates, and we have the data to prove USG degrees will help them increase their prosperity and success," USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a statement. "At the same time, we are a billion-dollar deal for Georgia. Our 26 public colleges and universities make a significant economic impact by helping to put Georgians to work and sustaining local communities across the state." The university system said the yearly economic impact rose by nearly $2 billion from 2022 to 2023. According to Humphreys, a companion study showed that USG graduates from the class of 2023 will likely earn $1.4 million more in their lifetimes than without their degrees. |
| Florida CFO calls for investigation of 'concerning' spending by UF President Ben Sasse | |
 | Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis Thursday called on the state university system to investigate spending by outgoing University of Florida President Ben Sasse, saying his department would "offer auditing support." "Reports of @UF's exorbitant spending by Ben Sasse's office are concerning," Patronis wrote in a social media post on X. The Independent Florida Alligator reported earlier this week that Sasse, a Republican former U.S. senator from Nebraska who spent only 17 months heading UF, had "more than tripled his office's spending, directing millions in university funds into secretive consulting contracts and high-paying positions for his GOP allies." "As my agency can investigate fraud, waste and abuse, @FLDFS will reach out to @FLBOG to offer auditing support," Patronis wrote. FLDFS refers to the Department of Financial Services, which Patronis heads as a statewide elected official. FLBOG is the State University System's Board of Governors, the 17-member panel that oversees Florida's 11 state universities and the New College of Florida. "BOG should investigate this issue to ensure tuition and tax dollars are being properly used," wrote Patronis, a former GOP Florida House member who graduated from Florida State. |
| DeSantis pushes state university system to look into former UF president Ben Sasse's expenses | |
 | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is pushing his state's university system to look into former University of Florida (UF) President Ben Sasse's expenses in the wake of reporting from a student newspaper on the subject. "We take the stewardship of state funds very seriously and have already been in discussions with leadership at the university and with the Board of Governors to look into the matter," Bryan Griffin, a communications director for DeSantis, said in an emailed statement sent Thursday to The Hill. The Florida Board of Governors "oversees the operation and management of the Florida public university system's twelve institutions," according to a webpage on the State University System of Florida's website. The Independent Florida Alligator, a University of Florida student newspaper, reported earlier this week that Sasse, a former Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska, drove up spending in his office by more than three times while president of the school. According to the Alligator, most of the increase in spending came from contracts with important consulting firms and well-paying roles for former Senate staff of his and Republican officials. |
| Jay Hartzell: How UT's president has endured campus unrest | |
| Even as university presidents, under political pressure, have resigned their posts over their handling of protests over the Israel-Hamas war, the chief of the University of Texas remains in as strong a position as ever. The durability of UT president Jay Hartzell speaks to the long-standing political relationship between the Texas Capitol and the UT tower. Columbia University's president resigned Wednesday, the third Ivy League president to do so amid criticism of their management of student protests. As students return to colleges across the country, administrators are preparing for a resurgence in activism over the war, which continues. More than 130 people were arrested over two pro-Palestinian protests at UT in April, as Hartzell called in state troopers, drawing outrage from students and faculty. More than 600 faculty members signed a letter of no-confidence in Hartzell, accusing him of having "needlessly put students, staff and faculty in danger" by calling law enforcement to campus and said he "has violated our trust." Hartzell won support from lawmakers -- who control the purse strings at the public university -- as well as the key donors and UT System Board of Regents, which rejected protesters' demands for the university to divest from companies doing business in Israel. Texas has, for the moment, pivoted to the perennial preoccupation as fall approaches -- football -- with its big entrance to the SEC. |
| Johns Hopkins Announces 'Posture of Restraint' on Statements | |
 | Academic leaders at Johns Hopkins University announced Thursday that from now on they will exercise a "posture of restraint" when issuing public statements on human rights violations, acts of discrimination, military conflicts, natural disasters and more, according to a public letter signed by President Ron Daniels and other top administrators. The letter says that the university's leaders will make institutional statements only in "the limited circumstances where an issue is clearly related to a direct, concrete, and demonstrable interest or function of the university." The goal is to avoid taking institution-level stances that may interfere with the university's commitment to upholding academic freedom and fostering a diversity of perspectives. "The university is the site, more than any other institution in our society, where the process of truth-seeking through intense and open contestation is given pride of place," the leaders wrote. "Although institutional statements may feel warranted, consoling, or, at times, even necessary to guide the university through difficult moments, experience has shown that they can be counterproductive, and even at odds with our core mission." |
| Harvard Names Conservative Legal Scholar as Permanent Provost | |
 | Harvard University appointed on Thursday a conservative legal scholar as provost, the university's second-highest leadership position. The move comes as Harvard faces a congressional investigation into campus antisemitism while bracing for a new season of student protests against the Israel-Hamas war. In announcing John F. Manning as the new permanent provost, Harvard's president, Alan M. Garber, described him as "the right person for the moment in which we find ourselves," adding that he had demonstrated "both humility and wisdom" in his current role. Mr. Manning has been the university's interim provost since March. He and Dr. Garber, who was named as president this month, have longstanding ties with Harvard, beginning at the school as undergraduates. Their appointments appear to be an attempt at stability after Claudine Gay resigned as president in January, amid heavy criticism over her handling of pro-Palestinian protests and accusations of antisemitism on campus. Their appointments also come in an election year marked by severe partisan division. Mr. Manning's reputation for diplomacy and conservative credentials might prove advantageous in his role as provost, the university's highest academic position, as Harvard continues to face immense pressure from congressional Republicans who have criticized it for not doing enough to protect Jewish students during protests. Mr. Manning's habit of studied neutrality could serve him well with Republicans who have made a point to target America's top universities. |
| Campus Protests Are Coming Back. Students and Administrators Are Digging In. | |
 | As some student activists see it, encampments are so last spring. In July, the Young Democratic Socialists of America -- a section of the progressive organization for youth and students -- passed a resolution encouraging campus chapters to change their tactics. The ultimate goal, the resolution said, should be a national student strike over the Israel-Hamas war. While the pro-Palestinian encampments of the spring were momentous, the resolution stated, few achieved their main objective of getting colleges to break financial and academic ties with Israel, whose war in Gaza has killed about 40,000 people, according to the territory's Health Ministry. It was time to take things up a notch. Elsewhere, student activists have endorsed "armed struggle" as an organizing tactic and promised to resist "by any means necessary." On social media, they've doubled down on rhetoric that refers to Israel as a "Zionist entity" that American institutions of higher education must not support. The willingness to embrace new strategies this fall reflects not only doubts in the utility of encampments, but also a sense that activists need to meet colleges' enhanced restrictions on free expression with an equal and opposite force. In recent months, institutions have tightened their time, place, and manner policies in an effort to avoid the headaches of the spring. |
| The New Rules Governing Student Conduct at Colleges Across the Country | |
| University presidents are taking a stricter approach to the rules of daily life for students, hoping to tamp down protests and return campus life to a state of normalcy. The University of Denver is banning protest tents. Indiana University wants people to stop writing on the walls or holding late-night rallies. At Harvard University, students and others will need advance approval to use bullhorns or sidewalk chalk. Administrators hope such moves will head off another semester of explosive demonstrations that spread across campuses last school year, sparked by the war in Gaza and ire over schools' investments in companies with ties to Israel. Presidents also are under pressure from alumni and trustees to act, with some feeling their jobs are on the line. Five leaders of Ivy League campuses have resigned or retired over the past year, most under intense criticism regarding their handling of demonstrations and allegations of campus antisemitism. Minouche Shafik, Columbia University's president, stepped down Wednesday. They are aiming to keep tensions at a simmer, avoid police involvement and limit damage to their schools' reputations. Activists have other plans. |
| Anticipating Fall Protests, Colleges Adopt a Range of Approaches | |
| Universities have spent the summer dealing with the aftermath of pro-Palestinian encampments that sprung up on campuses in the second half of the spring semester. In some cases, that has meant resolving swaths of disciplinary cases; in far fewer, it has involved moving forward with agreements administrators reached with students to disclose or look into divesting from investments in weapons manufacturers and other companies that profit off the war in Gaza. College leaders are also thinking about how to prepare for the next academic year, whether that means putting in place new safety infrastructure, reworking protest policies or introducing new opportunities for civic dialogue and education about Israel and the Palestinian territories. Kenneth Stern, director of Bard College's Center for the Study of Hate and the author of The Conflict over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate (University of Toronto Press, 2020), said he has seen fewer instances than he'd like of administrators developing educational programming. By now, he said, it should be evident to universities that doling out sanctions may not be the best strategy; it's time for them to use their academic expertise to move forward. "You're not going to discipline your way out of this," he said. "I'd like to see the whole roster of what educational institutions [could] do." |
| Campus protesters ramp up plans for fall | |
| The sudden resignation of Columbia University's president is quickly resurfacing tensions over the Israel-Hamas war that roiled college campuses this spring -- a movement primed to escalate as students return to class. Continued unrest in the Middle East and uncertainty over the new Democratic ticket's stance on the war, an issue that already splits the party, has the potential to further accelerate campus protests. Organizers at a string of campuses have started planning demonstrations. And some schools are responding with changes to free speech rules that concern academic freedom advocates. The friction sets up a fraught return to school in a matter of days. "Students are planning on hitting the ground running," Layla Saliba, a Columbia University student involved in the protests, said in an interview. "Students are going to be more intentional. And I also think now we have greater opposition." It's unclear whether protests will rival the size of massive demonstrations that shocked the country earlier this year. But student organizers say they have no plans to slow down. Rice University Students for Justice in Palestine, in Houston, already started hosting protests over the summer, one of which took place in August when Harris was in town. "We need to show her & all genocidal politicians that they were not welcome," the group wrote on X. While far from the top issue for most Americans, the war in Gaza has stoked outrage that could influence swing states like Michigan with a sizeable Arab population -- more than 100,000 people voted "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary -- and dampen turnout among young voters that are a crucial part of the party's base. |
| Harris's Debate Prep Is Underway at Howard University | |
| Kamala Harris participated in a mock presidential debate on Monday at Howard University in Washington, taking time out of her campaign schedule to refine her approach to former President Donald J. Trump before their scheduled debate on Sept. 10. Ms. Harris is working on her debate preparations with a small group of advisers, several of whom have known her since before she became vice president. Her debate preparations were confirmed by three people briefed on the plans but who were not authorized to publicly detail them. Ms. Harris has participated in at least one other mock debate in recent days, two of those people said. Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump agreed to participate in a presidential debate, hosted by ABC, on Sept. 10. Their respective campaigns are hashing out whether or not the two would appear onstage together again and, if so, how many times. On Thursday, Ms. Harris's campaign proposed one more, in October, saying "the debate about debates is over." Either way, Ms. Harris has quizzed her advisers on messaging and strategy for the past few weeks. Her appearance at Howard University, her alma mater, signals a new level in preparations against an unpredictable and unruly opponent who has attacked her in personal terms and questioned her race. Ms. Harris has never met or spoken with Mr. Trump in person and, aside from attending his State of the Union addresses, has never been in the same room with him. |
SPORTS
| 'Coach Lebby uses us everywhere': Bulldogs' running backs need to wear many hats | |
| Jeff Lebby's offenses are best known for stretching the field by throwing the ball deep. But for the last five years, the offenses Lebby coordinated at UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma always ran the ball more often than they passed and were never in the top half of the national rankings in pass-play percentage. So with Lebby entering his first year as Mississippi State's head coach, the Bulldogs' running backs, featuring several new faces and without a key returner in the injured Seth Davis, are going to be just as important as quarterback Blake Shapen and the wide receivers. "They have to be able to do it all," running backs coach Anthony Tucker said. "We're going to run the football. They have to be very proficient and good in protection, and then they have to be able to create some mismatches in the pass game, so they have to be really well-rounded to operate in this offense." In Lebby's offense, the running backs will need to do much more than carry the ball. They'll be relied upon to block on pass plays and also catch passes out of the backfield themselves. |
| Blake Shapen reveals what stands out about Jeff Lebby as a head coach | |
| It's been over eight months since quarterback Blake Shapen transferred to Mississippi State. On Wednesday, Shapen revealed what he's learned about head coach Jeff Lebby during that time. "With Coach Lebby, he just pushes us to a different level," Shapen said. "There's never going to be a day that you walk in and you're not going to learn something new. You're always learning. You're always grasping something new and you never made it either. You always got something to learn. We get pushed every single day, not only on the field, but especially in the meeting room, and that's where we put a lot of the work in is up there. Then, be able to put it out on the field." Mississippi State fans are excited to see Shapen on the field in the upcoming season. In the 2023 campaign at Baylor, Shapen completed 61.7% of his past attempts for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions despite only playing in eight games due to injury. Shapen's statistics become more impressive when you consider the defensive pressure he constantly faced. Baylor's offensive line allowed 34 sacks last season, ranking No. 106 in the nation and the worst in the Big 12. Mississippi State plans to provide more protection for Shapen in 2024. The fifth-year senior has shown promise when given the chance. In his four collegiate seasons, he's amassed 5,574 yards, 36 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. |
| Who are Mississippi State football's strongest, fastest players? New strength coach weighs in | |
| Shaud Williams' first order of business as Mississippi State football's new strength and conditioning coach was building relationships with the players. But that doesn't mean the weights weren't being pumped either. Williams spoke with the media following Thursday's practice for the first time since he was hired by first-year Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby in December. He provided insight into his philosophies he's installed in the weight room, while also identifying who are some of the strongest and fastest Bulldogs. Among the strongest, Williams said, are redshirt freshman defensive lineman Trevion Williams and senior center Ethan Miner. As for the fastest players, Williams identified redshirt freshman cornerback Kelley Jones and wide receivers Mario Craver and Kevin Coleman. "Those are just some guys that stand out," Williams said. "There are obviously some other guys that if we go back and look at it, had a great off-season." "I think regardless of what kind of program you put together, if you don't have the guys bought in and they don't trust you, it's not going to matter," he said. "Building relationships, building that trust, letting those guys know that whatever you're doing you have their best interests at heart. I really feel like it doesn't matter what program you put together. You got to have trust." |
| Mississippi State unveils new all-white alternate uniforms | |
| Mississippi State fans are excited about the Jeff Lebby era in Starkville as their new head coach begins his first season with the school. With extensive ties to former Baylor head coach Art Briles, Lebby figures to roll out one of the nation's most exciting passing attacks. Earlier today, the Bulldogs football program gave their fans something else to get amped up about, new uniforms. They unveiled some new all-white alternate uniforms on Thursday morning. The uniforms are expected to be worn at home in their "Whiteout game" against the Florida Gators. These are pretty much the same uniforms as their primary away uniforms, but on the newest Adidas template with perforations on the numbers/stripes/decals. Mississippi State opens up their 2024 campaign on Saturday, August 31st. They'll take on Eastern Kentucky. |
| Izquierdo's Early Strike Lifts No. 18 State Over Baylor in Season Opener | |
| A quick start from Ilana Izquierdo proved to be the difference in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Baylor in the 2024 season opener on Thursday night at the MSU Soccer Field. Izquierdo found the back of the net just 2:28 into the match, capitalizing on a well-executed sequence from Hannah Johnson and Ally Perry. The first goal of the season for the Dawgs led to an early lead that they would defend resolutely for the remainder of the match. Mississippi State (1-0-0) dominated the attacking play, out shooting Baylor (0-1-0) 17-5, with four of their attempts on target. The Bulldogs applied relentless pressure throughout the first half, recording 11 shots compared to Baylor's three. However, despite creating numerous chances, the home side was unable to extend their lead. Baylor's defense held firm in the second half, allowing just six shots, but the Bears struggled to find an equalizer. The Bulldogs' defense, anchored by a composed back line and steady goalkeeping, limited Baylor to just one shot on goal, which was comfortably saved. The match was marked by its physicality, with both teams combining for 24 fouls. The win marks a positive start to the season for Armstrong's squad, who are coming off back-to-back 10+ win seasons. The Bulldogs will look to build on this momentum as they continue their non-conference schedule Sunday against Northwestern State at 1 p.m. |
| SEC Network Announces Soccer and Volleyball TV Schedules | |
| The Southeastern Conference announced the TV schedule for both soccer and volleyball on Thursday, giving fans seven opportunities to see the Bulldogs take the pitch and the court throughout each team's fall season. On the pitch, Mississippi State will be featured twice on the SEC Network in 2024. The first matchup will serve as a rematch of the 2023 SEC Tournament Semifinals when the Dawgs host Arkansas October 4 at 6:00 p.m. CT at the MSU Soccer Field. State will cap off its regular season on the Network with a matchup with Texas A&M set for October 27 at 5 p.m. CT in Bryan-College Station. This season, Thursday evenings will display doubleheader SEC action, with games starting at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sundays will also be action-packed for viewers, with a tripleheader to cap off the regular season on Oct. 27. Seven SEC squads are highlighted in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll -- No. 14 Georgia, No. 16 Arkansas, No. 17 Texas, No. 18 Mississippi State, No. 20 Alabama, No. 21 South Carolina and No. 25 Texas A&M -- all of whom have numerous appearances across ESPN platforms. On the volleyball court, five of State's matches will be contested on the SEC Network. Two of those five will take place inside Newell-Grissom building, affectionally known as 'The Griss', when the Bulldogs host Auburn on October 13 and Ole Miss on October 23. |
| Mississippi State To Face Jacksonville In Inaugural 2024 WBCA Showcase | |
| The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Thursday that Mississippi State will take on Jacksonville on Sunday, Nov. 24 in the inaugural 2024 WBCA Showcase at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. It will mark the first time in program history that Mississippi State has played Jacksonville. The neutral site contest will conclude the three-day, six-game event that will have eight teams compete inside the State Farm Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Georgia, Marshall, Penn State and Tulsa will battle in a multi-team event on Thursday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov 23. Action will continue Sunday, Nov. 24 with a doubleheader that will include games between Louisville and South Florida at 12 p.m. CT followed by Jacksonville and Mississippi State at 2:30 p.m. CT. This is the second announced matchup for the Bulldogs' non-conference schedule after it was announced that Mississippi State will travel to Georgia Tech for the 2024 SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 4. The remainder of Mississippi State's non-conference schedule, as well as the SEC schedule, will be announced at a later date. |
| Men's Tennis Set For Busy Fall Slate | |
| A busy schedule awaits head coach Matt Roberts and the Mississippi State men's tennis team this fall. The Bulldogs have 13 events on their dockets during a two-month span beginning in mid-September to help prepare them for the challenging gauntlet of dual match play that awaits them in the spring. "You're just trying to get in as many matches as you can in the fall since it's more of our developmental period," Roberts said. "Our fall schedule has a lot of options for the guys whether they're trying to qualify for NCAAs or just get matches, we're try to give them a lot of opportunities to play." MSU opens its fall slate across the state line in Tuscaloosa for the SEC Bama Invite from Sept. 13-15. For the third time in the last four years, the Bulldogs will also compete in the GT Invite hosted by Georgia Tech from Nov. 1-3. There are six International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments that various players will have the opportunity earn ATP points at scattered throughout the fall. Several State competitors will be in action at the Fayetteville 15K (Sept. 16-21), Ann Arbor 15K (Sept.30-Oct. 6), Louisville 25K (Oct. 7-13), Winston-Salem 15K (Oct. 14-20), Norman 25K (Oct. 21-27) and the Knoxville Challenger (Nov. 3-10). After traditionally playing the NCAA Individual Championships at the end of the spring slate, this year that event will wrap up the fall in Waco, Texas from Nov. 17-22. In order to compete for an NCAA singles and/or doubles title, players will have a chance to qualify in four tournaments leading up to that event. |
| Chris Woods Earns Extension, Carjay Lyles Promoted | |
| After guiding the largest group of Mississippi State athletes to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships in a decade, head track and field coach Chris Woods has signed a four-year contract extension. "Mississippi State has been my home for almost 20 years, and I'm excited to extend my time with the university." Head coach Chris Woods said. "I am grateful to Zac Selmon for his belief in me and the direction of the program. I am excited for the future of this staff and program as we continue to trend upwards both on and off the track." Woods has served as head coach since June 2019, after a short stint as associate head coach and five years as an assistant coach on the Mississippi State staff. With Woods at the helm, State sent 22 athletes to the 2024 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships with multiple top-eight finishes. In addition, sprints and jumps coach Carjay Lyles has been promoted to associate head coach. During his fourth full season on staff, Lyles oversaw multiple athletes to the NCAA Championships and the USATF Olympic Trials. |
| Former Bulldog K.C. Hunt to make home debut with Biloxi Shuckers on Friday night | |
| Coming off a dazzling debut with the Biloxi Shuckers, former Mississippi State pitcher K.C. Hunt will make his first start at Keesler Federal Park on Friday night. Hunt, who was called up to Double-A last week, quickly acclimated to the promotion by striking out eight and allowing just one earned run against the Montgomery Biscuits on Saturday. On Monday, the Shuckers announced the right-hander would get the ball again for Friday's game against the Mississippi Braves. Hunt started the season with Low-A South Carolina before moving up to High-A Wisconsin. Now considered the No. 23 prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system, the former Bulldog has a 7-2 record with a 1.92 earned run average and one save in 2024. During his college years, the New Jersey native helped Mississippi State to its first-ever national championship in 2021 before signing with the Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2023. |
| Amazon series starring LSU athletes like Olivia Dunne and Angel Reese unveils 1st trailer | |
 | The first trailer has arrived for "The Money Game," an Amazon Prime docuseries that will take viewers inside LSU athletics in regard to how prominent athletes like Olivia Dunne, Angel Reese and Jayden Daniels have navigated the NIL industry. LSU legend Shaquille O'Neal serves as the executive producer for the series, and it's clear that the athletic department allowed the film crew rare access to the school's athletes. The docuseries is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on Sept. 10. The trailer promises a "behind the scenes" look at LSU athletics, including the events surrounding Reese's unexplained four-game absence from the women's basketball team during the 2023-24 season. "The more eyes you got on you, the more people are going to try to tear you down," said Dunne, a social media maven and member of the LSU gymnastics squad. LSU received $1 million from O'Neal's Campfire Film & TV for the exclusive rights to produce the series, Sportico reported. The publication reports that on top of the money that the LSU athletic department is receiving, there was a "talent fee" Campfire negotiated with LSU athletes who are included in the series. |
| UT athletic director Danny White innovating, finding ways to 'look a little bit like pro sports' | |
| "Welcome to Neyland Stadium preserved by Pilot," is what the digital banner above Danny White said on Tuesday. The banner rings in a new era of Neyland Stadium brought by the Tennessee athletic director, who is focused on innovating Tennessee athletics. That includes striking a naming rights deal with Food City last year and now a partnership with Knoxville-based Pilot, announced on Tuesday morning. "Thread the needle between being innovative and finding ways where we can look a little bit like pro sports," White said. "Also, understand the history and pageantry of college athletics. Certainly, here more than anywhere else in the country and with this iconic building." White noted the differences between pro sports and collegiate athletics, like the philanthropy, work in the classroom and the sheer amount of sports. But the athletic director is focused on harnessing the parts of the pro sports world that can be utilized at Tennessee. Threading the needle and moving the needle were two phrases used often by White when he spoke on Tuesday. White is moving the needle and giving Tennessee more resources, like the partnership with Pilot to help fund the Neyland Renovation project. Both White and Pilot CEO Adam Wright spoke of the important of keeping the name of the stadium to honor General Robert Neyland for both his service to the country and the success he brought to Tennessee. |
| Nebraska's Vaughn hired as A&M's associate AD for internal operations | |
 | Jamie Vaughn has been hired as Texas A&M's executive associate athletic director for internal operations. Vaughn, who was Nebraska's executive associate AD for compliance since 2018, was hired by A&M AD Trev Alberts who came from Nebraska in March. Nebraska hired Vaughn in 2012 as associate AD for compliance. Vaughn had a staff of seven in Nebraska. He also was responsible for administrative oversight of the Husker track and field, cross country and soccer programs, as well as Name, Image & Likeness. Vaughn replaces Joe Fields who left for Tulsa earlier this week. Fields, who had been at A&M since 2017, was hired by former A&M associate AD Justin Moore who became Tulsa's vice president and AD in June. Vaughn was the associate AD for compliance at Kansas State from 2009-12 and he was the assistant AD for compliance at Texas Tech from 2007-2009. Vaughn was an assistant compliance director at Ohio State from 2004-2007 and he also worked on the compliance staff at New Mexico State from 2002-2004. Vaughn worked in various roles at his alma mater, Wayne State (Neb.) College from 1997 to 2002. |
| College Football Playoff won't use conference titles as tiebreakers | |
| The College Football Playoff selection committee will no longer use conference championships as one of its tiebreakers because the new 12-team format guarantees bids for the five highest-ranked conference winners, the CFP announced Thursday. The change in protocol, which was approved by the FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, was implemented at this week's annual meeting of selection committee members in Laguna Niguel, California. When the commissioners decided upon the 12-team format for this fall, they also agreed to place an emphasis on the importance of winning a conference title. Because it is embedded into the model, that eliminated any need to use a conference title as a tiebreaker when comparing similar teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will receive a first-round bye. The other tiebreakers remain and include strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory). The committee will release its first of six rankings on Nov. 5. The group will continue to meet in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and reveal its top 25 ranking each week on ESPN. The final ranking will be released on Selection Day, Dec. 8, when the committee will also announce the 12-team playoff bracket pairings and game sites. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
