| Monday, October 7, 2024 |
| T.K. Martin Center hosts 12th annual Trick or Trot fun run | |
 | Kasee Stratton-Gadke, Mississippi Institute on Disabilities executive director, described how fortunate she feels for the T.K Martin Center. "We're really fortunate to have the T.K. Martin Center," Stratton-Gadke said. "Folks ask me, where else does a place like this exist? And I say, I can't find it." Mississippi State University's T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability is a safe space where children with special needs can learn and grow with pre-school classes, and specialized therapies provided by the center's Project IMPACT program. Project IMPACT parent, Anna Griffin, said the program is life-changing. "Oh, it means everything," Griffin said. "We moved here to Starkville so that our little boy could go to school here. He goes to the preschool every day. He goes, gets ABA, OT, speech. And it's just everything it's changed our lives. And it's really helped him progress." While some funding for Project IMPACT is provided by the state, the more specialized therapies like speech, occupational (OT), physical (PT), and applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA), rely on donations. That's why the overwhelming support for the 12th annual Trick or Trot fun run meant so much to Stratton-Gadke. "They get to have a fun trick or treat experience we get to have our community involved to show their love to everybody," Stratton-Gadke said. "And what more fun way to raise money than just have a whole bunch of fun." |
| MSU senior wins $100K in reality TV competition | |
 | "Congratulations Russell, you have won 'Estate of Survival,'" a voice announced. A sigh of relief, hugs and welling eyes followed the announcement as the words hit Russell Pair. After weeks of strategizing, the Mississippi State University student was named the victor of the Amazon Prime reality TV show's inaugural season and the winner of the $100,000 prize. "My jaw completely dropped," Pair told The Dispatch. "I was in utter shock. I stood there still for what felt like forever but was probably just 10 seconds. ... Throughout the whole show, (my family) was my driving force." Pair, a senior education major from Gadsden, Alabama, was one of eight contestants on "Estate of Survival," a reality TV competition filmed in a completely empty mansion in Georgia. Residents had to compete in challenges to earn everything from essential appliances to basic furniture and air conditioning, all while avoiding being voted out of the competition. For Russell, the $100,000 prize gives him a sense of security and a head start as he prepares to begin his teaching career after graduation. As a scholar in MSU's Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program, he'll spend the first five years after graduation teaching in Mississippi. "It's not enough money where I'll never have to work again, but it's enough money to actually turn it into money that can maybe help my parents pay off a house one day. Maybe I can afford a house one day," he said. |
| MSU's Department of Music announces lineup of fall events | |
| Mississippi State's Department of Music is hosting numerous concerts this fall to entertain music lovers of a variety of genres, while showcasing the talents of its students, faculty and guest artists. This year select events are ticketed to provide much-needed resources for creative programming, guest artist honorariums, technical and academic support services, and sheet music. Ticketed events include MSU Choral Activities, MSU Opera, MSU Orchestras and the World Music Artist Series. Free performances include MSU Department of Music Student Bands, Jazz Band, Community Music School, Applied Studios and recitals by faculty and guest artists. For box office information for each event calendar listing, visit https://www.music.msstate.edu/events. Additionally, football fans can enjoy halftime performances by MSU's Famous Maroon Band, made up of more than 400 members representing every college on campus. Recently celebrated as an All-Steinway School, MSU's Department of Music is housed in a $21 million, state-of-the-art facility equipped with sound-proof practice rooms, a high-tech recording studio, an acoustically advanced lecture-recital hall, more than $3.5 million in Steinway pianos and more. |
| Celebrating National 4-H Week | |
 | As we approach National 4-H Week 2024, it's time to reflect on the incredible impact of this nationwide youth development program. From Oct. 7 to 12, millions of 4-H members, alumni, volunteers and supporters will come together to celebrate the accomplishments of this vibrant community. The 4-H program is more than just a set of activities or clubs. It's a proven pathway to educational and professional success. Through hands-on learning experiences in science, agriculture and public speaking, 4-H members develop the confidence and competencies necessary for thriving in today's competitive job market. Below are a few examples of how 4-H programs are bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world application, ensuring that 4-H members are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in college and the workforce. Production agriculture is at the forefront of technology. Three Mississippi State University Extension programs have been designed to inspire youth to seek careers in the agricultural sciences. Nearly 400 youths have participated in the Science Experiments program and increased their knowledge of agronomic practices, the scientific method, planning and development skills, attention to detail and critical thinking skills. |
| Mississippi brought in record-breaking $17.5 billion from tourism in 2023 | |
| Mississippi's tourism industry had a record-breaking 2023 with 43.7 million visitors, which resulted in a whopping $17.5 billion contribution to the state's economy. Governor Tate Reeves announced the release of Visit Mississippi's annual Tourism Economic Contribution Report on Friday at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Hattiesburg. The new study, conducted by Tourism Economics, provides an in-depth analysis of tourism's economic impact in Mississippi for the calendar year 2023. "These record-breaking numbers highlight just how much momentum Mississippi's tourism industry has," Reeves said. "Today's announcement is another historic win for our state. Mississippi has a lot to offer, so it's no surprise that people from all over want to visit and spend their hard-earned money here. I'm proud of what Mississippi's tourism industry is accomplishing." The report reveals that approximately $31.6 million was spent daily by visitors in Mississippi. Officials believe this underscores the importance of supporting and promoting the state's tourism industry. |
| Christmas at the Mansion reveals winner for this year's celebration | |
| This year's theme for the fifth annual "Christmas at the Mansion" is "Made in Mississippi". It will highlight businesses across the state that help drive the economy and this year's winner, selected to decorate the residence is April Hunter, owner of Fantasy Cottage Flowers and Gifts in Quitman. "We are so excited, but you will see everything from traditional red and green, natural elements, to bright lights, big city, we will cover as much as we can related to business , industry, agriculture, mom and pops, we don't want to leave any stone unturned and we hope to spotlight this amazing state that I've lived in all of my life," said April Hunter, winner of Christmas at the Mansion. Mississippi First Lady Elee Reeves said Hunter's proposal for decorating the mansion, which has served as the residence of Mississippi governors and their families since 1842, was not only creative, but also an example of in depth research. "We wanted to highlight all of the things made in Mississippi and our recent economic development wins and all of her ideas were spot on. We are super excited to add her," said Reeves. There were so many proposals that the First Lady and her staff chose two winners. So while April Hunter will decorate the governor's residence, another florist will decorate the governor's ceremonial office at the capitol and his offices at the Sillers Building. |
| Secretary of State warns against election disinformation in runup to November | |
 | With just over a month to go until election days, Mississippi election officials are encouraging voters to make any needed preparations to cast their ballot. The deadline to register to vote in Mississippi and still vote in the November election is October 7 at 5 p.m. Election disinformation spreading across social media is something that comes with every election cycle. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson says as people prepare to vote, it's important to make sure they're relying on information from legitimate government sources like circuit clerks offices. "If you see something that's a little bit weird, make sure that you're reaching out for trusted information," Watson said. In-person and mail absentee voting is now in effect in Mississippi. If a person votes absentee by mail, that ballot will be counted as long as it's marked by election day and received up to five days after the election. That state absentee voting law is currently being challenged in court by the National Republican Party, arguing it's unconstitutional. The suit was thrown out by a judge, but the Party has appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Watson is defending the state law and says this is clearly an area where state lawmakers have control. "This (mail-in voting) was not spoken to in the Constitution, so the states are the ones who set the laws for elections in those states," Watson said. That's the challenge of the lawsuit itself, and I think that's what the Republican National Party is going to have a hard time getting over. That's just the law and so that's why we stand behind it." |
| Mississippi youth courts are broken, struggling with staff, funding. How can they be fixed? | |
 | The youth court system in Mississippi is broken, experts say, and now they are asking the Legislature for more money to better fund the antiquated system or overhaul it completely. That was the message delivered Wednesday at the Senate Study Group on Women, Children and Families at the State Capitol. Nearly half of Mississippi minors standing before youth court for a crime, or for abuse or neglect, are seen by part-time judges, and youth court judges often have few or no support staff to help facilitate those cases despite often requiring more staffing than other courts. Experts are asking for additional pay for full-time staff, or to overhaul the system to support full-time judges and support staff, address shortage of beds for minors in detention centers and fund additional educational opportunities for children in the system. Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, said he believes it's high time for something to be done on the legislative level to address the specific issue of funding disparities in the youth court system. "I would argue it's probably not fair to the children because they live in a rural county, and let's say they're not getting the same resources or services through a youth court system," he said. |
| Wicker says America can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time | |
| Magnolia Tribune sat down with U.S. Senator Roger Wicker this week, in a wide-ranging, no holds barred interview on the challenges facing America -- from the border crisis to America's role in foreign conflicts to the recent port strike. Senator Wicker serves as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Armed Services in the U.S. Senate and is an outspoken proponent of the Reagan-era foreign policy concept of "peace through strength." There is, however, a growing contingent of people on the ideological right that have adopted a more isolationist viewpoint, voicing opposition to American entanglement in ongoing conflicts in both the Middle East and Ukraine. Mississippi's senior Senator believes the world is facing a unique threat and that the United States cannot afford to stick its head in the sand. "The reason every expert says we are in the most serious national security situation we've had really since World War II is that this axis of aggressors is working together like they've never worked before," said Wicker. He points to deepening ties between China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. |
| How the Supreme Court could reshape the 2024 race -- again | |
 | When the Supreme Court convenes Monday to open its new term, there will be 29 days until Election Day and one question on everybody's mind: Will the justices once again find themselves in the middle of the presidential race? Before the election, the high court could be called to resolve emergency disputes over ballot-access measures or vote-counting rules. After the election, any challenge to the outcome would likely end up with the justices. Either scenario would transform a term that so far looks sleepy into another politically explosive chapter for the court, which is controlled by a 6-3 conservative majority. And it would come at a time when public trust in the court is still on the decline. Heading into the court's opening session on Monday, the justices have agreed to hear 40 cases this term. None of those cases is nearly as consequential as the high court's forays in recent years into abortion, affirmative action and gun rights. The cases on tap do include some politically sensitive disputes, like a fight over a Tennessee law banning hormone treatments for transgender minors. There's also an argument set for Tuesday on the Biden administration's effort to ban so-called "ghost guns," which are assembled from kits purchased over the internet and are often untraceable. Another case tests a new Texas law that requires visitors to porn websites to provide identification proving they're over 18. But many election-related imbroglios wait in the wings. So many, in fact, that some experts believe the justices are deliberately keeping their docket slim and light on marquee cases. |
| Trump's Plan Boosts Budget Deficits by $7.5 Trillion, Double Harris's Proposal | |
 | Donald Trump's flurry of recent tax-cut promises pushed his fiscal plan deep into red ink, and he would increase budget deficits by more than twice as much as Democratic rival Kamala Harris would, according to a new study that is among the most comprehensive estimates to date of the candidates' proposals. Trump's combination of tax cuts, tariff increases, military expansion and mass deportations would widen budget deficits by an estimated $7.5 trillion over the next decade, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, or CRFB, a nonpartisan group that favors lower deficits. Meanwhile, Vice President Harris's plans -- social-policy spending, middle-class tax cuts and tax increases on corporations and high-income households -- would increase deficits by $3.5 trillion. Those higher deficits would come atop the $22 trillion in budget deficits the U.S. is on pace to generate over the decade if Congress does nothing. After several rounds of tax cuts and emergency spending, the U.S. publicly held debt now exceeds $28.3 trillion. That debt is now about equal to the size of the economy. And even without new policies, the country's debt load as a percentage of gross domestic product is already slated to push past its post-World War II records, thanks to the aging U.S. population and a structural gap between the government's revenue and its spending. |
| US disaster relief chief blasts false claims about Helene response as a 'truly dangerous narrative' | |
| The U.S. government's top disaster relief official said Sunday that false claims and conspiracy theories about the federal response to Hurricane Helene -- spread most prominently by Donald Trump -- are "demoralizing" aid workers and creating fear in people who need recovery assistance. "It's frankly ridiculous, and just plain false. This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people," said Deanne Criswell, who leads the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "It's really a shame that we're putting politics ahead of helping people, and that's what we're here to do. We have had the complete support of the state," she said, referring to North Carolina. Republicans, led by the former president, have helped foster a frenzy of misinformation over the past week among the communities most devastated by Helene, promoting a number of false claims, including that Washington is intentionally withholding aid to people in Republican areas. There also are outlandish theories that include warnings from far-right extremist groups that officials plan to bulldoze storm-damaged communities and seize the land from residents. A falsehood pushed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., asserts that Washington used weather control technology to steer Helene toward Republican voters in order to tilt the presidential election toward Democrat Kamala Harris. Criswell said on ABC's "This Week" that such baseless claims around the response to Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian mountains and a death toll that rose Sunday to at least 230, have created a sense of fear and mistrust from residents against the thousands of FEMA employees and volunteers on the ground. |
| In the heart of Appalachia, a distant cousin of JD Vance leads an opposing 'authentic hillbilly' movement | |
 | Five generations of Vances gathered in West Virginia last month for a reunion, singing hymns and swapping stories in a quiet park hugged by towering green mountains waiting to burst into autumnal shades of orange. JD Vance -- the Republican vice presidential nominee who reunion attendees say is part of the family -- was not among them. "He is surely too ashamed to face any of us. Judas Iscariot would have a warmer reception," said Terra Vance, an Appalachian activist who genealogy records show shares some ancestors with the politician. Terra and JD Vance are distant cousins who have never met. They grew up in different states, with family lineage that intersected generations ago. But now, as the U.S. senator from Ohio leans on his Appalachian roots in his campaign for the White House, Terra Vance has garnered a following as a fiery and knowledgeable critic. The 44-year-old disability rights nonprofit founder from Logan, W.Va. -- population: 1,365 -- presents herself as the "authentic hillbilly Vance" to thousands of online followers, swatting down stereotypes about the South as she gives an alternative version of what it means to be Appalachian. She sees JD Vance's 2016 memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," and how he's used his background to appeal to voters since as a disservice to her hometown and last name. In her view, his story blames people who have been exploited -- in some cases by the coal mining and pharmaceutical industries -- for their own exploitation while painting himself as special for escaping the same fate. |
| After Helene, Structural Damage Minimal, Utilities Remain Dicey | |
 | As colleges and universities across the western Carolinas start the cleanup from Hurricane Helene, administrators say a full recovery will take not just days or weeks, but months and possibly even years. Still, they remain confident that their institutions will be able to provide the required number of instruction hours, meet accreditation standards and complete the term. "After any disaster, some of the most trying moments come when shock turns to exhaustion, and the outside attention seems to fade," University of North Carolina system president Peter Hans told Inside Higher Ed. "But every campus plans to resume instruction as soon as the basic infrastructure is restored ... The bottom line is we will resume classes and finish the semester." Photos and videos from campus communications teams and local journalists show lecture halls filled with water instead of students; fallen trees and power lines block many campus entryways. Most institutions, however, have reported minimal structural damage, saying that though campus centers may need new carpets and furniture, their buildings' infrastructure remains sound. The bigger challenge, they say, will be to restore utilities and help faculty and staff members who have lost homes or still lack access to basic needs. |
| AKA chapter at MUW hosts 'Soar the Polls' | |
| The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Pi Zeta Chapter hosted "Soar the Polls" to inform students about voting. Members were set up at the Hogarth Dining Center on The Mississippi University for Women's Campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4. Students were able to learn more about voting as college students, absentee voting, and check their voter registration status. AKA members say one of the main goals is to let students know their voices are heard and educate young voters. Young voters also expressed why they felt it was important to vote. "It's important because our vote matters, our voices matter, our opinions matter," said Sasha Deloach, Pi Zeta Chapter president. "You know, we need to have an opinion and put input, you know, policies that affect us." |
| UM professor partners with airline to evaluate pricing strategies | |
 | A University of Mississippi economics professor is working with a North American airline to study the effectiveness of pricing strategies and discrimination, a practice where airlines vary prices for the same product or service based on consumer attributes. "Price discrimination is useful to firms like airlines because it allows them to charge higher prices to people who are willing to pay more, while also charging lower prices to people who otherwise might not buy at all," said Garrett Scott, assistant professor of economics and the study's principal investigator. "Ultimately, price discrimination leads to higher profits for the airline and creates consumer surplus for those who get to pay less, but it can lead to lower consumer surplus for the people who have to pay more. It isn't clear ahead of time whether the two positives outweigh the one negative." The National Science Foundation awarded Scott nearly $200,000 to continue an empirical analysis of airline industry pricing strategies over the next three years. |
| USM Center for STEM Education celebrates 60th anniversary | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi Center for STEM Education celebrated a big birthday Sunday at All-American Rose Garden Park. The center celebrated its 60th anniversary of helping educators get masters and doctorate certificates in STEM education. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Sunday's celebration featured food, music and, of course, science. "The main activity are our scientists because when you have someone who is passionate about science, that allows our kids to understand how fun science can be," said Julie May, Center for STEM Education research scientist. "Some of them are from physics, some of them are from nutrition, some of them are from environmental activities all over." The center said the celebration was a way of showing off some of the curriculum it offers to teachers, as well as a hands-on experience for future scientists. |
| ICC Food Management Certification class equips students to achieve their dreams | Education | djournal.com | |
| Itawamba Community College's Food Management Certification class is helping students turn their dreams into reality. The hands-on, four-week program at ICC's Belden Center gives students ServSafe Food Manager Certifications, ServSafe Alcohol Certifications and practical skills in menu planning, food preparation, catering, front- and back-of-house operations, and job interviewing. The class will run next from Oct. 7 to Nov. 1 on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. At least three days a week, program director Christy Scheuer has students in the kitchen, cooking, to offer lunch in their building. They learn to be creative and cost-effective in their menu planning, and they even help cater events on campus. And, of course, they spend time in the classroom. "The certification is really, really important because, let's be honest, if you don't know the proper way, how can you train your crew to do it? Or how could you monitor that it's being done correctly?" Scheuer said. "I think it also gives them a hands-on perspective ... to where they're a little bit more comfortable with the equipment and, hopefully, more confident in the roles that ... they already have or the roles that they're trying to acquire." For Chinna Hill and Kalil Delacoudray, Food Management was the difference between home cooking and culinary professionalism. |
| Auburn University aims to enroll more rural Alabama students through STARS partnership | |
| Auburn University President Chris Roberts announced at the Sept. 6 Board of Trustees meeting that Auburn University joined the Small Town and Rural Students College Network in July 2024. STARS College Network is a system of 32 top universities cooperating with high schools and colleges to help students overcome the hurdles of rural living and limited resources. According to their website, STARS and "32 of the nation's most prominent institutions" will help local rural communities succeed in college and beyond because of their dedication to rural students. STARS plans to expand through partnerships with state schools, historically black universities and Ivy Leagues. STARS claims to have "directly engaged with more than 700,000 students through these efforts." Auburn University will return to its land grant mission through the STARS partnership. Auburn University Enrollment Statistics show that rural counties had low enrollment at Auburn compared to urban counties in fall 2023. Preston Spark, Director of Communications and Marketing, wrote in the BOT materials that Auburn's STARS will focus on counties with historically low enrollment to "prioritize a threefold strategy of intensive interaction, tailored communication and valuable engagement opportunities." |
| U. of Florida's newest printer can build homes, sea walls and careers | |
 | One of the country's largest and most-advanced 3D construction printers -- as in a printer that makes homes -- has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived at the University of Florida. Manufactured by COBOD International in Denmark, the two-story printer was shipped in pieces to the Port of Savannah in Georgia earlier this month. It cleared U.S. Customs and pulled into UF's East Campus in two semi-trucks late last month. It eventually will live in "The Pit" (Weil Hall Structures and Materials Lab), a large industrial space in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering on the main campus. Make no mistake, UF's new BOD3 is a big deal in size, scope and significance. This is COBOD's newest 3D construction printer, the first of its new third-generation models sold in the United States. "The opportunities for the interplay of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics and smart manufacturing will be one of a kind in the country," said Iris V. Rivero, a professor and chair of the UF Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering who launched the effort to secure the 3D printer. "With UF's access to the Space Coast, vast areas of shoreline, and infrastructure needs, we will be the hub of innovation in Industrial Manufacturing Construction Engineering." |
| Fired U. of Kentucky equine lab director says allegations of fake test results are 'baseless' | |
 | The former director of the University of Kentucky equine testing lab fired last month after the school said he falsified test results and mismanaged the lab said Friday he "categorically denies" the allegations. Scott Stanley, a professor at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and former director of the Equine Analytical Chemistry Lab (EACL), has been accused of falsifying negative results of a test for a banned blood-doping agent called Erythropoietin (EPO), and at least four other results from his lab are in question, according to an audit released by UK. But Stanley, in his statement from lawyer Cristina Keith, said his team "repeatedly communicated the logistical challenges arising" while the lab was under Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit oversight as the lab took on additional work and had "ongoing resource limitations." "The suggestion that UK-EACL engaged in fraudulent activity is baseless," Stanley's statement said. "The report's insinuations do not reflect the rigorous testing protocols in place or the long-standing integrity of UK-EACL under Dr. Stanley's leadership." |
| Oklahoma legislator holds study addressing out-of-state college competition | |
| Oklahoma Rep. Rick West (R-Heavener) held an interim study looking at colleges and universities in the state and how they can keep competitive against out-of-state higher education institutions. The study came about after a constituent reached out to West stating their child opted to leave Oklahoma to attend college. "A college across the state line offered them too good of a deal to turn down," West said. "It had nothing to do with academics. It had everything to do with what parents could get moneywise for their kids." During the study, college presidents from various institutions came and detailed their attempts to keep Oklahoma students within Oklahoma institutions. One of the speakers was Allison Garrett, who is chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Garrett gave statistics on how many Oklahoma students are leaving the Sooner State for out-of-state educational opportunities. Out of the students leaving Oklahoma, 26% went to Kansas, 14,6% went to Arkansas, 11.2% went to Texas, 8.7% went to Missouri and 3.3% went to Colorado. During discussion, the way some out-of-state institutions give tuition discounts were highlighted as one of the reasons why students have been going out of state. |
| How Colleges Are Reimagining Learning in an AI World | |
 | Two years after ChatGPT, the first user-friendly large language model, exploded onto the scene, colleges themselves have begun wrestling with how to incorporate generative AI strategically across the curriculum. Given that it may eventually take its place in the pantheon of game-changing technologies used every day in education -- alongside calculators, search engines, and Excel -- the questions posed by its existence are foundational to teaching and learning. Colleges are debating what AI literacy means for their students and whether that requires new courses and revamped majors. They are considering how to develop AI fluency among faculty members, many of whom feel overwhelmed by the technology. Some institutions have created state-of-the-art tools and systems: so-called "walled gardens" in which people can experiment without fear that their work will be used to train future iterations of the technology. If 2023 was the year in which professors began adding AI-use policies to their syllabi and AI-detection tools to their practices, this academic year may become known for campuswide advances. Recent surveys highlight one of the tensions that colleges face as they dive into these deeper waters: namely, how to encourage students to use AI thoughtfully when the vast majority of professors say they themselves don't know how. |
| Colleges brace for Oct. 7 anniversary | |
 | Colleges face a major test Monday as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students both hold events for the first anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel. Campuses still stinging from last academic year's protests will see demonstrations, vigils and movie screenings as students mourn both the 1,200 people killed on Oct. 7 and the thousands of Palestinians slain in the war since. "At Hillel, we're, of course, taking seriously the anniversary of October 7, which represents, for Israel and the Jewish people, one of the most challenging place in Jewish history in terms of loss of Jewish life through atrocities and murder," said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, the largest Jewish student organization in the world. In the past year, college campuses have been at the center of controversy in the U.S. surrounding the war in the Middle East, with the protests and anger on both sides leading to the ouster of three university presidents, classes moved online and even graduations cancelled. Many colleges are hosting events this year that focus on respectful dialogue in an effort to get both sides to talk to each other and work together to get past the bad blood built up in the past year. |
| Oct. 7 Kicked Off a Difficult Year for Higher Ed. How Should Universities Move Forward Now? | |
| In retrospect, perhaps it was inevitable that the horrifying Hamas attack on Israel last Oct. 7 -- and the escalation of horrors that ensued when Israel invaded Gaza -- would light a spark on many U.S. campuses. But few could have predicted the breadth of the repercussions that would ripple out across the world of higher education. As the vigils became protests and the protests inspired clashes and counterprotests, students and faculty on some campuses split into warring factions while administrators struggled -- often unsuccessfully -- to honor free speech rights while also protecting students as incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus multiplied. Universities were damned if they cracked down on protests and encampments, damned if they didn't, and damned by conservative pundits and politicians even if they reached a peaceful resolution to end encampments. Those that had become accustomed to taking official stands on political and social justice issues found themselves in a particular bind -- while facing intense pressure from donors, politicians and others to both eradicate antisemitism from their campuses and embrace institutional neutrality. Ultimately, it's all led to an interrogation of the very purpose of higher education: Should campuses be "galvanizing venues for learning about human rights and liberation," as one university president writes below? Or should they place restrictions on protest and speech -- as many campuses have done with revised policies in effect this fall -- and refocus on a purely academic mission, as others argue? |
| Campuses Are Calmer, but They Are Not Normal, Students and Faculty Say | |
 | On the surface, the scene on Columbia University's campus appeared to have returned to normal after a spring semester rocked by pro-Palestinian encampments and police crackdowns. Students ate lunch on green lawns last week and tapped a volleyball back and forth under sunny skies. But, "like a horror film," said Reinhold Martin, an architectural historian at Columbia, "there's something wrong with this picture." Missing were the children on walks from nearby preschools and the neighborhood residents with their dogs. Also gone were the New York City characters, like a man who used to hang out on the plaza flipping plastic bottles with his feet into a nearby trash can. Because of a fear that protests could re-escalate, the gates of Columbia's campus have been closed since the fall semester began, and only people with a Columbia ID can enter. It is a highly unusual situation for an institution that has long taken pride in its openness. Inside the gates, the vibe is tenser and more divided, students and faculty members said. Elsewhere across the country, students and faculty members said the campus experience has changed at schools that had pro-Palestinian protest activity after the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Stricter rules about protests have helped to tamp down demonstrations so far this semester. But underneath the relative calm, students and faculty members say feelings of loss, anger, fear and frustration remain. |
| A year into the Israel-Hamas war, students say a chill on free speech has reached college classrooms | |
| As a junior at George Washington University, Ty Lindia meets new students every day. But with the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war hanging over the Washington, D.C., campus, where everyone has a political opinion, each new encounter is fraught. "This idea that I might say the wrong thing kind of scares me," said Lindia, who studies political science. "You have to tiptoe around politics until one person says something that signifies they lean a certain way on the issue." He has seen friendships -- including some of his own -- end over views about the war. In public, he keeps his stance to himself for fear that future employers could hold it against him. "Before Oct. 7, there wasn't really a big fear," said Lindia, of Morristown, New Jersey. A year after Hamas' attack in southern Israel, some students say they are reluctant to speak out because it could pit them against their peers, professors or even potential employers. Social bubbles have cemented along the divisions of the war. New protest rules on many campuses raise the risk of suspension or expulsion. Tensions over the conflict burst wide open last year amid emotional demonstrations in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack. In the spring, a wave of pro-Palestinian tent encampments led to some 3,200 arrests. The atmosphere on U.S. campuses has calmed since those protests, yet lingering unease remains. |
| Buyer beware during Medicare enrollment period | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: And so it begins again, the annual deluge of advertising for private Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C). The open Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare begins October 15th and continues through December 7th. As noted in Forbes, "Advertisements for Medicare Advantage plans are pervasive during the Annual Enrollment Period." Counting the mailbox overflows, the word "pervasive" seems inadequate. "They can also make these plans seem tempting, with their myriad benefits and low premiums," continued Forbes with this caution: "An Advantage plan could be the right plan for you, but it's important to do your research and speak to a Medicare agent about your needs rather than hastily enrolling in a plan that sounds great in its TV commercial." Indeed, Medicare Advantage plans can be a dream come true for some, but a nightmare for others. |
| When Black candidates are on the ballot, Mississippians typically turn out in droves | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: More Mississippians often vote in elections where race is at least a subtext if not out front and center. And when Black candidates are on the ballot, in particular, Mississippi voters typically clock record or near-record turnout. In the 1971 gubernatorial race, Charles Evers of Fayette made history as the first Black Mississippian in the modern era to run for governor. Evers, the brother of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, was a civil rights leader in his own right and was the first Black Mississippian in the modern era to win the office of mayor of a biracial town. Evers ran as an independent against Democrat Bill Waller. In that 1971 governor's race, Waller earned 601,222 votes -- still the most votes for a gubernatorial candidate in the history of the state. Remember, in 1971, Mississippi's population was 2.2 million compared to just under 3 million today, and that 1971 election is still a high water mark in terms of the most votes garnered by a candidate for governor. It should be stressed that Bill Waller was no segregationist. As a matter of fact, he was a racial moderate, even enlightened on the issue. ... To Waller's and to Mississippians' credit, he defeated avowed segregationists in the 1971 Democratic primary for governor, and he did not make race an issue against Evers in the general election. But the unprecedented vote Waller received in the general election cannot be ignored. |
SPORTS
| Soccer: Mississippi State takes down No. 1 Arkansas in front of record home crowd | |
| Ally Perry was hoping to find Aitana Martinez-Montoya, but instead she found something even better. No. 7 Mississippi State was putting the pressure on No. 1 Arkansas early Friday night, earning its fourth corner kick of the match before 20 minutes had elapsed. Perry, the only goal scorer in the Bulldogs' shutout wins over Texas and LSU, had been well marked by the Razorbacks' defense, so she took the corner herself this time. Instead of connecting with Martinez-Montoya, who was making her run into the box, Perry's shot bounced once right in front of the goal among six Arkansas players, then somehow eluded all of them and made its way into the net for an Olimpico goal. "I was trying to find Aitana, but her movement caused the goal," Perry said. "That wouldn't have happened without her. I only did so much. Aitana did the rest." Perry's seventh goal of the season was once again the only goal of the match as MSU earned its first-ever win over the top team in the rankings. The 1-0 victory vaulted the Bulldogs to the top of the Southeastern Conference table and was their seventh straight win overall, all of them clean sheets. A record 2,617 fans packed the pitch for the historic night, shattering the previous high mark of 1,613 set almost exactly two years ago against South Carolina. |
| Mississippi State football, Jeff Lebby seek SEC's upset magic against Georgia | |
| Last Saturday was chaos in college football and the SEC. Mississippi State was able to sit back and watch it all during its open week. Five teams inside the US LBM Coaches Poll top 15 were upset. Three of them were in the SEC. No. 2 Alabama lost at unranked Vanderbilt with the goalposts paraded through Nashville and dumped into the Cumberland River afterward, No. 4 Tennessee was toppled at unranked Arkansas, and No. 9 Missouri was blown out by No. 21 Texas A&M. Outside the conference, No. 10 Michigan fell to unranked Washington and No. 15 USC was dispatched by unranked Minnesota. No. 1 Texas (5-0, 1-0) is the only unbeaten team remaining in the SEC. Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2) needs to find some of that upset magic again when it plays at No. 4 Georgia (4-1, 2-1) on Saturday (3:15 p.m., SEC Network). It's the second game in a row in which MSU will play a top four team on the road. Last time, it gave Texas a fight for three quarters before crumbling in the fourth quarter for a 35-13 loss. MSU first-year coach Jeff Lebby said Monday that the message hasn't changed because of the Week 6 upsets. "I think for us, it's still about what we do with our time," he said. "How we practice, how we meet, how we walk-through. To me, that's what it's all about. That's what will give us a chance to go play the best ball that we've played is focusing on us and making sure we're doing everything we can to be the best version of us Saturday at 3:15 in Athens. That is, without a doubt, the goal." |
| Party Animals to bring 'Banana Ball' to Starkville in 2025 | |
| Fans can get ready to party at Dudy Noble Field with baseball's favorite least favorite team coming to Starkville next year. The Party Animals, known widely as rivals to the Savannah Bananas, will make their way to Mississippi State as part of the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour. The independent team that has helped bring a twist to a traditional game -- one that includes choreographed dances, jersey additions such as cowboy hats, and unusual rules -- will play in Starkville on Friday, Aug. 22, and Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. Both games will be at 7 p.m. CT. "We are excited to partner with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership to bring the Party Animals to the Best Small Town in the South," Mississippi State Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said, per a release from the university. "This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to enjoy a unique game at the Carnegie Hall of College Baseball and visit our incredible community and campus." Picking Mississippi State as a location in 2025 makes sense as Dudy Noble Field and the Bulldogs hold the record for the largest attendance for an NCAA on-campus baseball facility and is the only NCAA program to boast attendances of 14,000 or more. Of the top 25 all-time on-campus attendance records, Dudy Noble holds 24 of the spots. |
| Old Waverly and Mossy Oak sell to group of golf investors | |
| Old Waverly Club and Mossy Oak Course have sold to The Golf Clubs of Mississippi LLC, a group of golf investors, according to a Friday press release from Old Waverly. Records from the Secretary of State's office show Boyce Adams Sr. of West Point as the limited liability company's manager. "The Golf Clubs of Mississippi, along with the Bryan family are committed to continue this unique experience as one of the best golf destinations in the South," the release said. Old Waverly course was founded by the late George W. Bryan Sr. of Bryan Foods. The course was designed by Jerry Pate and Bob Cupp in 1986, and has since hosted many golf championships, including the 1999 U.S. Women's Open Championship, the 2006 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2019 Women's Amateur Championship, the release said. The Mossy Oak course was designed in 2016 by golf architect Gil Hanse. The pair consistently rank as the number one and number two best courses in the state, the release said. Mississippi State University's Men's and Women's Golf Practice Facility is also located at Mossy Oak, the release said. |
| Prescott throws TD pass to Tolbert with 20 seconds left to lift Cowboys past Steelers, 20-17 | |
| Dak Prescott drifted to his left, then drifted some more. On a seemingly endless night, what was another couple of seconds going to hurt? With a flick of the wrist as T.J. Watt and the rest of the Pittsburgh defense closed in, the NFL's highest-paid player delivered a money throw to Jalen Tolbert with 20 seconds to go that lifted the Dallas Cowboys to a 20-17 victory early Monday. Prescott had spent the previous three-plus hours mixing brilliant plays and baffling ones in equal measure, throwing a pair of picks and fumbling once to almost single-handedly keep the sluggish Steelers in the game. Yet when Dallas (3-2) got the ball back down four with 4:56 remaining, Prescott calmly led the Cowboys 70 yards in 15 plays, even alertly pouncing on a fumble by teammate Rico Dowdle when the ball came squirting free as Dowdle tried to leap into the end zone. The heads-up play gave Dallas two more shots, and after an incompletion, Prescott finished off his 352-yard performance by lifting the injury-ravaged Cowboys to a second straight victory. "We talk about it, staying neutral, being resilient, understanding there's going to be ups and downs, ebbs and flows," Prescott said. "We just know who we are. (If) we just stay with it, we can come out with a win. This was a great example." |
| Sanderson Farms remains PGA Tour golf tournament's title sponsor for 2025 after saying this was last year | |
 | Despite a recent announcement that this weekend's PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championships would be the 12th and final year for the sponsor, there has been a change in thinking. Wayne-Sanderson Farms announced Friday that it is extending its sponsorship through the 2025 tournament. While its original contract ran through 2026, the company announced on Aug. 9 that it had moved on as the title sponsor, but it would remain as a major sponsor for the tournament. That changed this week. Tournament director Steve Jent went into the week searching for a 2025 sponsor. Now, he has a little breathing room for a more comprehensive search. "You always want to talk to your best customer first and that is exactly what we did," Jent told the Clarion Ledger. "It is the best of all worlds for us right now. This definitely gives us more runway to find that new title sponsor for this area." Since becoming title sponsor in 2013, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised more than $17 million for charity including Children's of Mississippi and other Mississippi-based causes. |
| Georgia's Kirby Smart 'disappointed in our fans for the first time' in home win over Auburn | |
 | Georgia football fans better step up their game next Saturday against Mississippi State. Coach Kirby Smart sent a message he wants more from the home crowd that he didn't see and hear in the 31-13 win Saturday against Auburn. In his postgame press conference and in comments aired after the game by Fox5 in Atlanta with sideline reporter and TV anchor DJ Shockley, Smart said he wants more. "If anything, to be honest, I'm probably disappointed in our fans for the first time," Fox told Shockley after the game before an announced sellout of 93,033. "I thought there was a lack of really affecting the game crowd-noise wise, passion and energy. Hey, it was hot, but our players got full pads on, helmets, pads and it's hot there. They're pushing trying to have a home-field advantage like we've had when we've played against teams and I can't get crowd noise. That's frustrating for me. I'll just be honest about it. I think we've got to do a better job as fans. I know I've got to do a better job as a coach, but we need these fans to support us and these players need them behind them." "We need it to be tough on other teams to play here," Smart said in the postgame press conference. "But it's not. It's not the same as it's been in the past. It's gotta be energetic. It's gotta be." |
| SEC officially fines Vanderbilt, Arkansas for field rushes | |
 | The SEC made what was already known official on Sunday. The league fined Vanderbilt $100,000 after its fans rushed the field following the Commodores' Sunday win against Alabama football in Nashville. The VU penalty wasn't the only fine the league levied. Arkansas, which saw its supporters storm the field in Fayetteville after the Razorbacks beat Tennessee, also incurred a $250,000 penalty. Vanderbilt's fine was its first offense under the SEC's revised access to competition area fine system, which began mid-2023. After the first fine, a second offense costs $250,000 and any subsequent violations run $500,000 each. Arkansas first ran afoul of the policy in November, when its fans stormed the court after a men's basketball win over Duke. Both the Razorbacks' and Vanderbilt's fines will go to the losing school, while the first Arkansas offense went to the SEC's post-graduate scholarship fund, due to the Blue Devils being an out of conference opponent. Alabama athletics director Greg Bryne has called for an even stiffer penalty for field rushes. The UA football program has seen SEC schools incur field entry fines eight times since 2004, more than any other team in the league. |
| Vanderbilt's Alabama Upset Spawns Flash Keepsake Auction | |
| Here's a sure sign that the day Vanderbilt toppled both Alabama and the goalpost was historic: Memorabilia from the upset is going up for auction. On Saturday, Vanderbilt beat a No. 1 ranked football team for the first time in school history while also snapping a four-decade dry spell against the SEC's most famed program. Two days after the Commodores shocked the nation with the 40-35 win over the then-No. 1 Crimson Tide, the university is auctioning off items from the game. Two items were already sold out as of press time; eight-inch pieces of the crossbar sold for $4,035 each while four-inch pieces of the upright sold for $1,005 each. Also on the auction are several items that would be signed and personalized by Coach Clark Lea: As of this writing, four game pylons currently range from $1200 to $1,400 bids; four game balls are drawing between $4,085 and $4,285; and a game helmet has spiked to a current bid of over $30K. Prior to Saturday's upset, Vanderbilt football was 0-60 against AP top-five teams, the longest such streak in the poll era going back to 1936. The Commodores also hadn't beaten 'Bama since 1984; Saturday's win broke a 23-game losing streak. |
| House v. NCAA settlement granted preliminary approval, bringing new financial model closer | |
| The proposed House v. NCAA settlement, which includes the landmark $2.78 billion settlement of three separate antitrust cases facing the NCAA and power conferences, received preliminary approval on Monday from Judge Claudia Wilken in the Northern District of California, clearing the way for schools to begin paying players directly through revenue sharing as early as 2025. The approval moves the settlement to the next stages of the legal process. It comes after a preliminary hearing in September during which Wilken sent the settlement parties "back to the drawing board," mainly over issues regarding proposed restrictions on third-party name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to college athletes. Lawyers representing both sides of the settlement -- which aims to resolve the House, Hubbard and Carter antitrust lawsuits -- filed a revised version of the settlement agreement late last month that aimed to clarify use of the term "booster," the original language on third-party NIL collectives and what specifically constitutes the pay-for-play inducements the NCAA is aiming to eliminate as part of the settlement. Wilken, who previously presided over the notable Alston and O'Bannon cases against the NCAA, did not provide a reason for granting preliminary approval on Monday. |
| Judge preliminarily approves House v. NCAA settlement | |
| Judge Claudia Wilken preliminarily approved the landscape-shifting House v. NCAA settlement in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday. It is a historic moment in college sports and a significant step in a lengthy approval process. If the House v. NCAA settlement is ultimately approved, some $2.75 billion in damages will be paid to thousands of college athletes over 10 years. And schools, at their discretion, will be able to share $21-22 million annually with athletes. The figure equates to 22% of the average Power Five school's revenue. It will rise 4% each year. The news comes after attorneys in the House v. NCAA lawsuit submitted revised settlement documents focused on boosters and NIL collectives less than two weeks ago. At a preliminary approval hearing on Sept. 5, Wilken called for attorneys to "go back to the drawing board" because of concerns around third-party NIL restrictions. Specifically, she was concerned about how the settlement would limit opportunities for athletes moving forward. If Wilken did not grant preliminary approval or attorneys failed to make the necessary changes in the settlement, a trial date could have been set. Plaintiffs' attorney Jeffrey Kessler told On3 after the Sept. 5 preliminary approval hearing that he was "100% serious" about going to trial if the NCAA would not agree to changes around boosters and NIL collectives. |
| NCAA college athletes a step closer to pay-to-play after judge's settlement preliminary approval | |
| A judge granted preliminary approval Monday to the $2.78 billion legal settlement that would transform college sports by allowing schools to pay players. U.S District Judge Claudia Wilken released an order setting a timeline for a deal that would put millions of dollars into the pockets of college athletes, who can begin making claims later this month. A final hearing is set for April 7, 2025. If finalized, the deal would allow the biggest schools to have a pool of about $21.5 million in the first year to distribute to athletes via a revenue-sharing plan, but the athletes would still be able to cut name, image and likeness deals with outside groups. "We are pleased that we are one step closer to a revolutionary change in college athletics that will allow billions in revenue sharing," said plaintiff attorney Steve Berman. The judge's approval comes 11 days after attorneys tweaked wording in the original settlement agreement to address Wilken's concerns. The main change involved getting rid of the word "boosters" and replacing it with a better-defined description of whose potential NIL deals would be subject to oversight by a neutral arbitrator once the deal goes through. |
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