| Tuesday, September 10, 2024 |
| Keenum addresses MSU-Meridian plans for growth | |
 | Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum on Friday reiterated the university's commitment to growing its Meridian campus during an address to MSU-Meridian faculty and staff. In August, MSU welcomed more than 6,000 new students to its Starkville and Meridian campuses, Keenum said, adding both are growing in student population, faculty and facilities. Keenum welcomed new faculty and staff and detailed the university's journey in creating the Riley Campus, a story originating in strong community partnerships. "We've been so very blessed to have a community partner who believes in us and who wants to invest in us," Keenum said of The Riley Foundation. "There are tens of millions of dollars they're investing in this university. They're investing in you, because you are the university. It's a wonderful tribute to you and the wonderful work you do here." The brick-and-mortar renovations, which helped pave the way for the MSU Riley Center and regional firsts in healthcare programs, has led the way for continued endowments, support for faculty research, more academic programs and the scholarships needed to assist students in fulfilling their educational dreams, he said. Keenum attended the MSU-Meridian event, replete with a visit from university mascots Bully and Dak, after talking with West Lauderdale High School students earlier in the day. |
| Education: MSU, NASA partnership recruiting students, early career scientists for environmental research project | |
 | Mississippi State's Office of Research and Economic Development is now recruiting the next generation of planet observation leaders for NASA's Earth Action DEVELOP program. DEVELOP, which chose MSU as a Pop-Up Project -- or PUP -- location, is selecting up to four students and early-career participants for a U.S. Geological Survey-designed initiative specifically assessing the utilization of NASA Earth observations to better quantify Delta region seasonal flooding and its impact and influence on vegetation, agriculture and waterfowl habitats. DEVELOP interdisciplinary research projects address environmental and public policy challenges, applying the lens of these Earth observations to global community concerns. "This is a unique opportunity for students to work with NASA scientists and mentors on important global issues right here in Mississippi," said Julie Jordan, vice president for research and economic development. "These experiences not only foster individual student career growth but help prepare future scientists in our country." Narcisa Pricope, associate vice president for research and geosciences professor, is MSU's lead scientist for the NASA DEVELOP project, joined by Lalitha Dabbiru, CAVS assistant research professor; Padmanava Dash, associate geosciences professor; and Vitor Martins, assistant agricultural and biological engineering professor. |
| Mayor addresses issues at Starkville apartment complex | |
 | Starkville's mayor shared her concerns following another incident at an apartment complex. Around one month ago, a standoff and hostage situation had first responders at the Brookville Garden Apartments. Two years ago, a nine-year-old child was killed there. Most recently, police said a 16-year-old got behind the wheel of a car and drove into a crowd of people, killing a mother and hurting two others. "I do think that there is an element there in that project that needs to be looked at in terms of behavior and escalating issues," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. "And I think that is important that we continue to monitor and that the property management and ownership company continues to monitor." Spruill said she emailed the property management team at Brookville Garden after the murder. The mayor said they need to be held accountable for what is happening there. Spruill said the complex is currently undergoing a $10 million renovation project, which includes tightening security. "They said that they are moving towards security gates as well as security cameras," Spruill said. |
| Lemmons tabbed as state director of the Nature Conservancy's Mississippi chapter | |
 | A new leader has been tabbed as the state director of the Nature Conservancy's Mississippi chapter. Madison native Scott Lemmons will serve as a local leader of the global environmental organization after a decade of service as the director of freshwater programs. In his prior role on wetland restoration, Lemmons was over bottomland hardwood reforestation programs, large-scale floodplain reconnections, and side channel reconnection projects along the Mississippi River and Yazoo Basin. A graduate of the Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources, Lemmons holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Before joining TNC, he spent 10 years working for multiple federal agencies as a wildlife biologist mitigating human-wildlife conflicts as related to agriculture and public health and safety, with most of his focus within the Mississippi Delta region. Lemmons says his vision for TNC Mississippi is to grow the chapter by focusing on three priority areas: freshwater, forests, and coasts. He also has plans to enhance and grow the philanthropy team. |
| Johnson's stopgap funds plan appears headed for defeat in House | |
 | Enough House Republicans ranging from conservative spending critics to those who want a bigger defense budget have come out against Speaker Mike Johnson's stopgap spending strategy to imperil passage, as leadership tries to rally the troops to back the plan during a vote that's currently expected Wednesday. At least five Republicans have said they will not support the continuing resolution or are leaning against it, and Johnson can only afford to lose four members of his party and still pass the bill if there are no absences and all Democrats remain united against it. While some of the declared "no" votes are conservatives who typically vote against stopgap spending bills, Armed Services Chairman Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala., is also against the measure. "It's terrible for defense," said Rogers, who added that he hopes other members of his committee join him in opposition. With the exception of a nearly $2 billion add for a Virginia-class submarine, the CR would mostly flat-fund defense programs at current levels for six months. |
| Republicans Run Into Trouble on Citizenship Voter-ID Bill | |
 | House Republican leaders are turning to strong-arm tactics to push a bill establishing safeguards ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in federal races, trying to put vulnerable Democrats on the spot on the hot-button issues of election integrity and immigration policy. But the effort is already running into trouble, due to defections within Republican ranks, a recurring theme in the chamber that the GOP narrowly controls 221-210. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which Republicans attached to a must-pass government spending bill needed to avoid a government shutdown, would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill would also require states to weed out any noncitizens from voting rolls. A vote on the measure is expected this week, but the outcome is no sure thing, due to grumbling within the GOP conference and the uncertainty of any Democratic crossover. If the package does pass, it is expected to hit a dead end in the Senate, where Democrats have called the ID provision a nonstarter and separately favor a short-term deal funding the government until December, rather than the March extension favored by Republicans. The push comes as presidential nominee Donald Trump continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen from him. GOP lawmakers also continue to criticize President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over border policy, an area where polls show Republicans having an advantage headed into close contests for the House, Senate and White House. |
| Donald Trump, Kamala Harris Disagree on Agriculture Policy | |
| On issues from trade to climate to the Farm Bill, presidential nominees Donald Trump and Kamala Harris present competing visions for ag policy. Representatives for the campaigns laid out the differences during a Farm Foundation Forum on Sept. 9 at the National Press Club in Washington. The candidates' division was particularly stark on trade. Rod Snyder, a Harris surrogate and former senior adviser for agriculture at the Environmental Protection Agency, said Trump's trade wars undermined markets that took decades to build, and cost farmers $23 billion that ultimately was paid for by taxpayers. More recently, Trump has proposed across-the-board tariffs of 10% or more on imports. "There's no question the type of retaliatory behavior that would come from other countries in terms of market access for American farmers if that type of plan were put in place," Snyder said. Kip Tom, a leader of the Farmers and Ranchers for Trump Coalition, said the trade wars led to China increasing American imports by up to $38 billion. The U.S. must also confront unfair practices by China, such as stealing American companies' trade secrets and subsidizing companies that compete with American firms, Tom said. Food assistance is one of the biggest issues in the Farm Bill, accounting for 80% of the projected cost. Tom said benefits should continue going to people who need them, but "I can't believe there isn't some room to negotiate a little bit when you consider the fraud that takes place inside of SNAP." Snyder said mechanisms already exist to combat SNAP fraud and said benefits shouldn't be weakened. |
| Harris and Trump's debate tonight is the election's latest landmark event | |
 | Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will meet for the first time face-to-face Tuesday night for perhaps their only debate, a high-pressure opportunity to showcase their starkly different visions for the country after a tumultuous campaign summer. The event, at 9 p.m. Eastern in Philadelphia, will offer Americans their most detailed look at a campaign that's dramatically changed since the last debate in June. In rapid fashion, President Joe Biden bowed out of the race after his disastrous performance, Trump survived an assassination attempt and bothsides chose their running mates. Harris is intent on demonstrating that she can press the Democratic case against Trump better than Biden did. Trump, in turn, is trying to paint the vice president as an out-of-touch liberal while trying to win over voters skeptical he should return to the White House. Trump, 78, has struggled to adapt to Harris, 59, who is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. The Republican former president has at times resorted to invoking racial and gender stereotypes, frustrating allies who want Trump to focus instead on policy differences with Harris. The vice president, for her part, will try to claim a share of credit for the Biden administration's accomplishments while also addressing its low moments and explaining her shifts away from more liberal positions she took in the past. |
| Trump is about to face his woman problem at the debate | |
 | Former President Donald Trump is already underwater by double digits with female voters in the polls. Now Trump will stand on stage next to a woman he has publicly and privately derided in language widely viewed as sexist. His allies hope he doesn't make things worse when he squares off against Vice President Kamala Harris at the debate. In past debates against Hillary Clinton, Trump tried to undermine, belittle or humiliate both her and female debate moderators. This time, his advisers have pushed him to focus on Harris' record and try not to let her get under his skin. And while he has recently claimed his administration "will be great for women and their reproductive rights," he has stumbled over questions about abortion and child care, and spent the Friday before the presidential debate railing against women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. Trump's performance with female voters is "the weak spot in his campaign right now," said former Trump campaign adviser David Urban. "I think he can attack her policies without attacking her. And that's the kind of needle he has to thread. You can attack the vice president of the United States for her failed policies without attacking the woman." But Urban predicted the debate format -- with microphones turned off while each other is speaking -- will work to Trump's advantage. "She's not going to have her moment where she can say 'I'm trying to speak,' like she did with [former Vice President Mike] Pence. You're not going to have those awkward moments like that," Urban said, adding that Trump showed in the first debate with [President Joe] Biden he can be "disciplined." |
| Extremists keep trying to sabotage the electrical grid. What would happen if they succeed? | |
 | Political extremists have attempted a number of attacks on electrical infrastructure and substations in recent years, with a goal of sowing chaos and civil conflict. The plots have repeatedly failed, however, and sociologists say that even if they do succeed, the kind of disasters they seek to create rarely result in members of the population turning on one another -- though they could prove costly, and deadly. Many plots of this kind are specifically motivated by accelerationism, the belief that creating conflict and unrest will hasten a broader societal clash, said Molly Conger, a researcher based in Charlottesville, Va. "What they think will happen is that, if there's a crisis, it will provide cover for violence, but it will also force normal people to engage in violence. And that's not what will happen," Conger said. Instead, she said, "All that will happen is old people who need their oxygen machines will die, and it will cost the energy company a billion dollars." Experts say there's evidence that even if extremists successfully caused widespread blackouts, they wouldn't have the desired effect. "It's never going to start a race war, but for some reason, they really think it will," Conger said. On the contrary, people affected by disasters frequently cooperate and care for one another to make up for any gaps in institutional infrastructure created by the disaster, a phenomenon sociologists call "disaster solidarity." |
| Why This Hurricane Season Has Defied Forecasts -- So Far | |
| Francine -- the first tropical storm to form in four weeks -- is expected to bring dangerous winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall to the Texas and Louisiana coasts by Wednesday, breaking a dry spell that has puzzled forecasters. Federal officials had warned the nation to expect a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season with up to 25 named storms. In June, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm. By mid-August, conditions shifted. Unexpected weather patterns offset warm ocean temperatures and favorable winds that were supposed to create a blockbuster hurricane season. The lengthy pause in tropical storms hasn't been seen since 1968. Every year since 1984, Colorado State University has put together seasonal forecasts of how many storms it expects. The computer models used to come up with these forecasts are pretty accurate, but this year has been an anomaly, according to Phil Klotzbach, senior research scientist at CSU's Department of Atmospheric Science. Even with the unusual pause, meteorologists say this year will be above average. "Hurricane season is not over till Nov. 30," said Matthew Rosencrans, lead hurricane forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. "I'm urging people not to let their guards down." |
| 'Rocket fuel' in Gulf propelling Francine closer to hurricane status | |
 | Tropical Storm Francine was rapidly intensifying Tuesday as it churned off the Texas Gulf Coast, forecast to reach hurricane status Tuesday and slam onto Louisiana's shore as a powerful Category 2 force on Wednesday. "The storm is starting to get its act together," AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex Dasilva said, adding that the high water temperatures in the Gulf were serving as "rocket fuel" for the system. The National Weather Service said Francine was anticipated to sweep just offshore of Texas through Tuesday, and make landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds were already near 65 mph with higher gusts early Tuesday. "Significant strengthening" was forecast before landfall. Francine was expected to douse much of Louisiana an Mississippi with 4 to 8 inches of rain, and some areas could face a foot of rain through Friday morning that "could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding." A few tornadoes are possible Wednesday in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, the weather service said. Francine is the sixth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and the first since Ernesto dissipated on Aug. 20. |
| Discover Mississippi: Explore Mississippi's independent bookstores | |
| There's nothing like curling up with a good book. Stories can captivate, educate, and inspire. They can transport us to other places and times. They are a salve for our souls. With the tenth annual Mississippi Book Festival set for Saturday, September 14, books are on the collective brain of Mississippians. And while it's easy to pull out a phone or laptop and order books with the touch of a finger to be delivered to your door, convenience is no comparison to stepping into a real bookstore. The scent of ink on a page is palatable. Seeing the shelves and tables stacked high with books on every subject imaginable waiting to be read can cause the heart to beat just a little bit faster. Mississippi is not only blessed with a wealth of talented writers, but also with bookstores that carry their books. Independent bookstores, locally-owned and operated, with booksellers who are passionate about the books they stock. Authors treasure opportunities to hold book signings and/or readings in these hallowed spaces, because they understand that the owners and the patrons are serious about reading. The next time you're in the mood for a good book, visit one of the independent bookstores in Mississippi. From vintage books to new releases, these stores offer a vast array of titles to explore, including the Book Mart Cafe in Starkville. |
| Vice Chancellor Pegues indicted on animal cruelty charges | |
 | University of Mississippi Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charlotte Fant Pegues was indicted last week on felony charges of animal cruelty. She turned herself into the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office on Monday, Sept. 9 and was later released on a $75,000 bond. "Ms. Pegues has been indicted and turned herself into my office this morning where she was served the indictments and processed," Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East told The Daily Mississippian on Monday. "The university is aware of the indictment and the employee has been placed on leave. The alleged charges did not result from any actions taken at or for the university, and the university is not among the parties involved in the investigation by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department. The university will not provide further comment at this time," University of Mississippi Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte said in an email to The Daily Mississippian. Pegues' husband Terry was arrested on 10 counts of animal cruelty on Aug. 7. The Daily Mississippian previously reported that Terry and Charlotte Pegues are listed on the deed for a property on 418 County Road, where the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department initially arrested Terry. |
| Eastern Gulf 'dead zone' could spell trouble for Mississippi fisheries | |
 | When the mighty Mississippi River has reached its end at the Gulf of Mexico, it's carried with it waters from 31 states. Included in that water is various sediments, agricultural runoff and other pollutants from throughout the entire basin. Typically, the waters off coastal Louisiana and Mississippi alone face the greatest impacts. The northern Gulf has long struggled with large, seemingly perennial hypoxic zones, although the largest and best known is located in waters west of Louisiana. But researchers at Louisiana State University last month encountered a sizable dead zone to the east of the Mississippi River Delta, stretching west from the Chandeleur Islands to Mobile Bay -- just south of the Mississippi Sound. Kim de Mustert, an associate professor of coastal sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi, says dead zones often fluctuate both in size and location, and sometimes seasonally. But in the Northern Gulf, the main factor is the Mississippi River. "When fresh water comes in, that brings nutrients into an estuary. Algae grow on these nutrients, and when they sink and die, bacteria decompose that organic matter. That takes the oxygen out of the water and that creates these hypoxic zones," de Mustert said. The worst impacts are felt by species like oysters, which live on the bottom -- as well as the many species that feed on bottom-dwellers. Now more than five years after the most recent ecological disaster afflicted the Mississippi Sound, some along the Coast warn the Eastern Gulf dead zone could present even more challenges to the estuary's many fisheries, and the industries it supports. |
| 'Her' leads the Sonic Boom: JSU chooses 4th female drum major | |
| A Jackson State University student has made history. "Everything kind of just started happening in slow motion. Everybody started coming and started cheering me on and was just really excited that I was going to be the next drum major," Ariel Woods said. JSU Senior Ariel Woods was hand-picked to be part of the Jackson Five, which leads the Sonic Boom for the 2024-25 academic school year. "I'm getting the crowd hyped. I'm getting the crowd riled up. I'm getting people excited for the band and the football team," Woods said. She is better known as "Her" while she grooves to the sound of the horns and drums. She is the fourth female drum major to lead JSU's band in history. The Dallas native says the journey to get to this point was not easy. Trying out to be a drum major is a rigorous process, and the first time she did it, she failed. "This is my second time trying out to be a drum major, so it's nothing short of an honor. It's nothing short of a blessing being placed in this position as a woman. I just know how prestigious this is. It's not something that I really can just put into words," Woods said. Woods says she has no prior ties to Jackson State. She said she just randomly found videos of the Sonic Boom on YouTube seven years ago, and it's been circling her brain ever since. |
| Attorney General, 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative come to Gulf Coast | |
 | The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized more than 80 million fentanyl-laced pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of powder last year. State leaders are looking to make sure people are prepared if they encounter the drug. "In our country alone, the DEA was able to confiscate enough illegal fentanyl-laced drugs to kill every American," Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said. To bring awareness to the dangers, the Attorney General started the 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative, using key speakers to highlight the dangers and train people on how to use opioid overdose kits. Fitch made a stop at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Monday afternoon, as multiple students and staff received training on using items like Narcan. "We've been fortunate that we haven't had this situation happen on this campus, but it's a matter of time, just because of, you know, the problem as it continues to grow throughout the state of Mississippi, so again, we want to arm those individuals who can help our students and help our employees," Mary Graham, President of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College said. |
| Auburn University raises tuition, approves new multi-use facility at Jordan-Hare Stadium | |
 | Auburn University Board of Trustees approved multiple projects and resolutions including a multi-use facility at the Jordan-Hare Stadium North Endzone and a 3% raise in tuition for the 2025-26 school year. Auburn undergraduates will pay $473 per credit hour, which is $13,268 in total annual tuition and fees. Out-of-state undergraduates will pay $1,419 per credit hour and $35,972 in total annual tuition and fees. The 3% increase will go towards the cost of housing and an increase to the university's dining plans. The Jordan-Hare Stadium North Endzone multi-use facility will be a transformative project that aims to enhance the overall Auburn fan experience. The multi-use facility will include premium seating, concessions and stadium-support facilities, along with versatile conference event spaces, retail venues, student activity spaces, meeting rooms and future shell space. The project was proposed by the Athletics department and University administration, and the vote also authorized the commencement of architect selection to move the project forward into formal design. Due to the College of Mathematics and Statistics' increasing need for data science experts capable of contributing to various sectors, the board approved the creation of a new graduate degree, a Ph.D. in Statistics and Data Science. Auburn University will be the first institution in Alabama to host the program. |
| Arkansas Higher Ed Subcommittee Divided On the Future of DEI | |
| As the national conversation surrounding DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) remains ongoing, Arkansas' political leaders are divided on the future of related initiatives in higher education. In 2023, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued an executive order banning "indoctrination and CRT (critical race theory)" in all public schools citing that "CRT is antithetical to the traditional American values of neutrality, equality, and fairness. It emphasizes skin color as a person's primary characteristic, thereby resurrecting segregationist values." Following the order, political and community leaders across the state have led conversations for and against the effects of DEI in K-12 and institutions of higher education. On September 3, the Arkansas Higher Ed Subcommittee, co-chaired by Senator Jane English (R) and Representative David Whitaker (D), met at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro to assess a study on DEI and the role it plays in higher education. "The purpose of the meeting was to focus on what is going on with the LEARNS Act," an acronym for Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and School Safety, "and education and the transition to having our Higher Ed people work with K -12 career training," said Senator Dan Sullivan (R), the subcommittee co-chair." Sullivan has been vocal about wanting to end DEI initiatives. However, Sen. Fredrick Love (D), who supports DEI as a vital tool for underrepresented students, emphasized its role in making educational spaces reflective of America's diversity. |
| Robot dogs, video games and AI music: U. of Tennessee has one big program for that | |
 | One of the newest University of Tennessee colleges in its second year is adding more degrees and opportunities for students to learn about the technology of tomorrow, from advanced video game creation to how artificial intelligence can be applied to medicine, music and more disciplines. The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies added three degrees this summer: Data science, applied artificial intelligence and innovative transdisciplinary studies. Dean Ozlem Kilic called it a "mini miracle" to add degrees so quickly, but said "we were able to with participation from eager colleagues who really buy into this concept." Kilic's main goal with these degrees is to develop academic tracks for students to learn about how emerging technologies affect different areas of study -- such as how humanities, engineering or music students can use AI in their work. "What we did with these three degrees is we created a shell for our campus because again, all our degrees serve all students at UT," Kilic said. "The broader service will be entire across the campus. So what we're going to do now is a structure that enables colleges to build quickly on these emerging technologies." |
| U. of Missouri recruits underrepresented groups to transform biomedical research | |
 | Growing up, Lisa Weaver, manager of research activities for the All of Us grant, wanted to become a doctor to find a cure for diabetes but a fear of needles got in the way. Now, she believes the All of Us project can make the dream come true. The University of Missouri is now enrolling people into All of Us, a National Institutes of Health program that aims to build a diverse database of medical records to help researchers and doctors tailor medical solutions to patients based on their unique genomic information. MU started recruiting participants three weeks ago and already has about 20 volunteers, Weaver said. Inside the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building, staff collect participants' blood and urine samples and take their blood pressure, height, weight, hip and waist measurements. Prior to their visit, participants must also sign consent forms to share their medical records with the program. In addition, there is a variety of surveys online that people can take in private. Weaver said the samples then go to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota into a completely electronic biobank, while the other information, including the surveys, is processed and stored in Vanderbilt, Tennessee. "The project is broken up in a way that protects people's data in the best way that they possibly can," she said, addressing a popular concern. |
| New Report Shows College Rankings Are Losing Influence | |
 | Among traditional college-bound high school students who consider college rankings, only about one in 10 say they care about an institution's particular rank, according to a new survey from the Art & Science Group, a higher education consulting and research firm. Only about 60 percent of students surveyed used rankings at all. Of those, about a third said they turned to the rankings primarily to gather general information about the colleges and universities they are considering. The Art & Science Group surveyed 4,030 high school seniors, 1,579 of whom planned to attend a four-year institution full-time this fall. Researchers from the firm said the "counterintuitive" findings are part of "ongoing exploration of the role rankings sources play for students" and "document a continued decline in the influence of U.S. News as a rankings source." "Let's give the kids some credit!" the report reads. "Prospective students are by no means the passive consumers of any particular college rankings system, as is sometimes assumed. Rather, most are evidently seeing past the superficial horse race of rankings. A plurality aren't considering these sources at all. And at least half of those who do are instead using them, among others, to gather information to help make informed decisions about which colleges might be best for them." |
| Does Diversity Training Work? Scant evidence, and mixed results, suggest it doesn't. | |
 | Diversity-training programs are now practically a rite of passage for college faculty and staff members, yet the evidence that they are effective is underwhelming. Even after years of diversity training on college campuses, academe has made little progress in diversifying faculties, to take just one example. While there is a significant body of research on diversity training dating back decades, many studies rely on surveys that ask how participants felt about the training or assess what they've learned, while relatively few try to determine whether the training changed how people behave. Few of the studies use randomized controlled trials, considered the gold standard to measure the effectiveness of treatments and interventions. The studies that do exist have found mixed results. Some show that participants learn about people from other backgrounds and that training can have an effect on beliefs and behaviors (although the latter fades over time). Others show that diversity-training programs can trigger negative feelings in participants and even harm the very groups they're intended to help. Despite the evidence, a survey of 670 colleges in 2016 found that two-thirds had some kind of diversity training for faculty. "Ironically, universities believe the consultants rather than looking at the research themselves," says Frank Dobbin, chair of the sociology department at Harvard University, who conducted the survey with Alexandra Kalev, chair of the department of sociology and anthropology at Tel Aviv University. |
| The Top U.S. Colleges That Make New Graduates Rich | |
| No U.S. college is better at improving the financial futures of its graduates than the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to the 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings. While the overall college rankings consider factors like student experiences and graduation rates, the best-salaries list looks only at metrics related to graduate earnings and return on investment. Prestigious private colleges and universities occupy the upper tier of the list, with Stanford University placing No. 2 and Princeton University, which topped the overall rankings, coming in at No. 3. In total, private universities claimed 36 of the top 50 spots on the salary list. Beyond MIT, other colleges with robust STEM programs also finished strong: Georgia Tech landed fourth, the California Institute of Technology sixth and Harvey Mudd College seventh. The Missouri University of Science and Technology, the Milwaukee School of Engineering and Michigan Technological University also landed in the top 15. Part of what sets MIT apart from other schools for Chris Martinez, a sophomore studying electrical engineering and computer science, is the success stories from alumni, who he says have been surprisingly easy to get hold of when he makes networking calls. In Martinez's conversations with them, he says, they all tended to hark back to their time at the university and their classes there as a catalyst for what helped them get ahead. "It always seems like MIT set them on their path, the way they talk about it," Martinez says. |
| Trump Wants to Shut Down the Department of Education? Is That Possible? | |
 | On the campaign trail, Donald J. Trump has depicted the nation's public schools as purveyors of an extreme ideology on gender and race. One of his proposed remedies is to revive a Reagan-era call to shut down the federal Department of Education, founded in 1979. "We will move everything back to the states, where it belongs" he said in one speech. "They can individualize education and do it with the love for their children." On the Democratic side, vows to resist that effort have become a frequent applause-line in speeches. "We are not going to let him eliminate the Department of Education that funds our public schools," Vice President Kamala Harris said at the Democratic National Convention. Lost in the back and forth over this relatively small federal agency is any discussion of what the department -- affectionately known in Washington policy circles as "Ed" -- actually does, and what the practical impact would be of shuttering it (if that is even possible). While the agency's involvement in K-12 issues has often been in the spotlight politically, by far the Department of Education's biggest expenditure is on higher education. More than 70 percent of its $224 billion annual budget goes to the federal student aid program. The agency provides more than $90 billion in new loans to students annually, which are distributed by colleges and serviced by the federal government through private contractors. It also offers $39 billion in Pell Grants annually to low-income students, which generally do not need to be paid back. It administers the federal work-study program and gives grants to students who promise to work as teachers in hard-to-staff subjects or schools. |
| Beyond the Culture Wars: The Real Story of State Policy and College Campuses | |
| "There is a lot that state legislatures can do to reverse the illiberal takeover of higher education," according to the Manhattan Institute in its 2023 issue brief, Abolish DEI Bureaucracies and Restore Colorblind Equality in Public Universities. As the field of play in issues from abortion rules to labor policy and workers' rights shifts from Capitol Hill to individual statehouses, state lawmakers are increasingly shaping the national debate on higher education. This shift was underscored in 2021 by J.D. Vance, then a candidate for the U.S. Senate, when he delivered the keynote at the National Conservatism Conference titled "Universities are the Enemy," which further propelled higher education into the center of the nation's culture wars. Now, the good news. The influence of state lawmakers is substantial, but it quietly goes far beyond the highly publicized debates over initialisms such as DEI and CRT. When you clear away the gamesmanship, there remains an opportunity to collaborate on initiatives that have bipartisan support as well as support from campuses and the broader community -- initiatives that strengthen communities, enhance economic resilience, and expand educational access. As state legislatures prepare for their 2024–25 sessions, examining the legislative patterns from 2023–24 reveals key trends with significant national implications for campuses both now and for the years to come. |
SPORTS
| What Jeff Lebby said about fixing Mississippi State football's run game after Arizona State | |
| At the forefront of Mississippi State football's concerns following its loss at Arizona State is the run game -- on both sides of the ball. Offensively, MSU's running backs did score two touchdowns, but rushed for just 43 yards on 18 carries. The team had 24 rushing yards total when you include quarterback Blake Shapen. Defensively, Arizona State trampled the Bulldogs for 346 rushing yards, 246 by way of running back Cam Skattebo. It was the most rushing yards Mississippi State (1-1) has surrendered in a game since 2016. That won't cut it with MSU's first SEC game against Florida one week away. The Bulldogs host Toledo (2-0) at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPNU) with a chance to clean up the run games. First-year Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said Monday that fixing the offensive run game isn't just about the running backs. "You look at the running backs, the offensive line, the decision making from a quarterback standpoint when he should pull the ball or when he should hand the ball, how we're blocking the perimeter, so the totality of it is what will give us a chance to be better in the run game," Lebby said. "Just way too many inconsistencies. All day long in the run game, we had the right people, but fundamentally we did not play clean." |
| 'It's one story. It's tackling': Mississippi State looks back on poor run defense in loss | |
| Now that Mississippi State has had time to review the footage from Saturday night's 30-23 loss at Arizona State, head coach Jeff Lebby and his staff found the root of the Bulldogs' issues stopping the run to be quite simple. "It's one story. It's tackling," Lebby said. "25 missed tackles, over 250 yards after contact. That was the frustrating part for our guys is that when they watched the tape, there were plenty of times where we were in position, and we have to get the guy on the ground. You look at the first drive, second-and-10, the quarterback makes an unbelievable play. We had him dead to rights four yards in the backfield, and (we weren't) able to make the play." With MSU (1-1) using just a three-man defensive front for most of the game, the Sun Devils' offensive line dominated at the point of attack and opened up huge holes for running back Cam Skattebo and quarterback Sam Leavitt. From a health perspective, things may not be much better this weekend when the Bulldogs host Toledo. Lebby said defensive lineman Eric Taylor is no longer with the team, and while he was hopeful that Kalvin Dinkins and Deonte Anderson will be back, both were limited in practice Monday and MSU is planning as if they will not be available. |
| New professional baseball team coming to Trustmark Park following M-Braves' departure | |
| One chapter in Mississippi's professional baseball scene has come to a close with the Double-A Braves concluding their final season of play in Pearl on Sunday. However, it didn't take long for officials to announce a new chapter would be opening for Trustmark Park. On Monday, leaders gathered at the ballpark outside of Jackson to discuss the next phase of operations and announce a new team soon to call Mississippi home. On deck is a Frontier League club that will be making its way to the Magnolia State next spring. The Frontier League is an independent professional association that partners with the MLB. The move comes after the Mississippi Braves, part of the Atlanta Braves farm system, announced in January that the team was relocating to Columbus, Ga. "You've got an amazing baseball culture – two national championships in the last few years from two universities here in Mississippi," Frontier League Commissioner Steve Tahsler said. "We are now going to have a platform where those players can develop themselves in the town or the area where they are familiar with and where they grew up to be able to showcase themselves to all 30 [MLB] organizations in one shop, with the goal of moving forward." |
| Lane Kiffin 'disappointed' in Ole Miss fans for leaving games early: 'I don't understand it' | |
 | Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin was baffled by fans leaving early during the Rebels dominant victory on Saturday. The Rebels defeated Middle Tennessee 52-3 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, moving to 2-0 on the season and outscoring opponents 128-3 through two games following a 76-0 win over Furman in Week 1. However, the fifth-year Ole Miss coach had a message for the Rebels' fanbase following back-to-back blowout wins to open the 2024 college football season. "I think it's really important for the players when you come back out of the tunnel for the second half or you go into the end zone and you look up and see the difference. I don't really understand it. Maybe I'm naive to it, but if a concert is going really well...do you leave? Like if the products really bad and come back out in the second half and the stadium's half empty -- I understand when it's a bad product -- but I really don't understand it," Kiffin said on Sunday per The Rebel Walk. During the game, Ole Miss reported an attendance of 66,427 fans for Saturday's match against MTU. However, as Kiffin noted, many fans did not stay for quarterback Jaxson Dart's record-shattering performance, where he completed 24 straight passes. The Rebels travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this weekend to take on the ACC's Wake Forest. |
| Kentucky to be featured in Netflix series about SEC Football -- starting with the loss to South Carolina | |
| Kentucky Football is about to get the Netflix treatment -- and unfortunately, Saturday's embarrassing loss to South Carolina is part of it. Sources tell KSR's Matt Jones that the SEC signed a deal with Netflix for a docuseries about SEC football and Kentucky is one of several teams featured. In May, word first broke about the series, which will be similar to Drive to Survive about Formula 1 and Full Swing about the PGA Tour. According to Jones, it will be released in 2025. The first game the crews were in town for? The 31-6 loss to the Gamecocks. Netflix crews embedded with the Cats all week leading up to Saturday's game and were in the locker room before and after to capture the scene. I can't wait to relive that one. The crew will be with Kentucky for at least one more game. Hopefully, it goes better than Saturday. To quote Aaron Harrison, maybe it will end up being a great story. |
| Next hearing date set in House v. NCAA settlement case | |
| The House v. NCAA settlement case officially has its next court date, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26. The parties held a preliminary approval hearing last week over Zoom in front of Judge Claudia Wilken in the Northern District of California. This next hearing will also be held on Zoom. The judge sent the NCAA and plaintiffs "back to the drawing board" to rework parts of the settlement centering around capping spending of third-party boosters and NIL collectives. She expressed concern the agreement would take away from the "large sums" of dollars currently going to athletes. The hearing left the NCAA with a major question: Move forward without enforcement around NIL collectives or possibly land a trial date. After Thursday's hearing, plaintiffs' attorney Jeffrey Kessler told On3 he's "100% serious" about heading to trial. Speaking with sources over the weekend, On3 learned leaving collective/booster restrictions out of the agreement could be a dealbreaker for certain conferences. Not only is the NCAA named as a defendant in the suit but so are the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. The NCAA could decide to rewrite the section and just state it is keeping its NIL enforcement status quo. That would leave the governing body handcuffed and in need of Congressional assistance. The NCAA halted all NIL investigations this past winter after being handed a preliminary injunction in Tennessee. The court ruling allows NIL collectives to openly negotiate with recruits. The other option is landing a trial date and having the lawsuit tried. |
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