| Thursday, October 17, 2024 |
| Mississippi State leading project to address gaps in STEM education | |
 | Officials said a new Mississippi State University-led project will address the gaps in STEM education for rural, low-income students. MSU Social Science Research Center Director Devon Brenner is leading the Rural Low-Income Student Investigations Network Groups (RISING) with a $2 million, five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) award to collect data and create research networks for STEM programs. Eighty-two-percent of STEM workers must have at least a bachelor's degree, but only 25% of individuals from rural areas obtain a four-year degree. By establishing a collaborative network of mentors and teachers, researchers aim to improve pathways to higher education. "We get to do the exciting work of creating infrastructure to support the scholarship of our STEM colleagues at rural, regional and community colleges across the country," Brenner said. The project will develop groups mentored by coprincipal investigators Jean Mohammadi-Aragh, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; Diana Outlaw, associate professor of biological sciences; and Jason Wallace and Christa Winkler, both assistant professors of higher education leadership. |
| New Seeded Bermuda Grass Variety Gaining Ground | |
 | A turfgrass innovation, detailed in a Mississippi State University news release. is now capturing global attention as it takes root on lawns, golf courses and sports fields worldwide. Sun Queen, a unique Bermuda grass variety, was developed by Melodee Fraser, the first female graduate of MSU's turfgrass management program. Fraser, now the director of research at Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. (PST) in North Carolina, began work on Sun Queen in 2011, combining her expertise and a passion for plant breeding that took hold during her MSU days in the 1980s. "I grew up on the golf course, where my dad worked as a superintendent, and I pursued turfgrass management intending to follow in his footsteps," said Fraser. "But in my studies at MSU, I discovered a profound interest in plant research and breeding." Following her Ph.D. at Rutgers University, Fraser joined PST, where she rekindled her connection to MSU's Bermuda grass breeding program, led by the now-retired Wayne Philley of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES). After securing a legal agreement in 2010, PST and MSU began crossbreeding Philley's plant collection with PST's Bermuda grass material. In 2013, testing for Sun Queen began at MSU and PST-East in North Carolina. Sun Queen performed exceptionally well during USDA National Turf Evaluation Program trials at 18 locations across the U.S. It is now commercially available, co-owned by MAFES and PST, and marketed by Pure Seed in Oregon and Atlas Turf International in Georgia, with Plant Variety Protection from the USDA. |
| LINK promises to 'be more vocal' on community issues | |
 | The Golden Triangle Development LINK is ready to become more vocal about city and county decisions that could impact the economy of the area. LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins presented a report by economic development expert Bill Fruth to government officials and industry leaders who gathered on Wednesday morning at the East Mississippi Community College Communiversity. One of Fruth's recommendations, Higgins said, is for the LINK to "more closely monitor" issues that could impact the region's business climate. "We can't fix all of this, but we can be the catalyst to try to make it happen and push and push and try to be more vocal than we've been," Higgins said. Higgins offered examples of situations where the LINK should have been more active, including Columbus' proposed annexation and with the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's potential new high school. Being more vocal about SOCSD's fledgling plans to build a new high school, Higgins said, could help land a potential 550-lot neighborhood development for east Oktibbeha County near Hickory Grove. Higgins asserted the high school plan includes a $90 million facility to be built near Mississippi State University, which would affect the neighborhood development. SOCSD has not released a specific location, price tag or design for the high school, as the project is still in "the development phase," according to SOCSD Communications Director Haley Montgomery. |
| Golden Triangle aims for continued economic development | |
 | The Golden Triangle is one of the leading areas of economic development in the state. Elected officials and representatives from local companies and universities met on Wednesday, Oct. 16 to discuss strategic expansion and economic development in the region. Ten years ago, the Golden Triangle Development LINK hired an expert to prepare a target industry study. The goal behind the study was to analyze the region and produce competitive recommendations. LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins presented those findings on Wednesday. He said a top priority from the study is to hire someone to monitor progress with existing business. "It's important to monitor our existing companies because we can find out those that are in trouble or those that have expansion possibilities," Higgins said. "We need to know both of those. If they're in trouble, we need to figure out a way to help them. If they're expanding, we need to figure out a way to help them." |
| Ordinance change would require cameras, security at bars | |
| An amendment overhauling Starkville's rules around security and food for alcohol vendors went without public comments Tuesday despite potentially forcing dozens of establishments to install cameras. Camera and security guard requirements are tacked onto proposed ordinance changes that would also change the mandate for businesses that serve beer and light wine to have a kitchen, allowing businesses without a kitchen to apply for exemptions. Mayor Lynn Spruill proposed the kitchen requirement change ostensibly to allow an indoor pickleball facility -- now only in the preliminary planning stages -- to sell beer. Aldermen held the first of two public hearings Tuesday on the proposed ordinance changes during the board's regular meeting at City Hall. No citizen spoke during the hearing. If ordinance changes are approved, establishments serving any alcohol would have to maintain cameras in entrances, exits and public spaces clear enough to identify patrons. Businesses would have to record during business hours or any time they are selling alcohol publicly, and keep those records for at least a week. They would also have to keep security personnel on-site from 10 p.m. to an hour after closure. |
| Mary Means Business: All Dirt Cheap stores prepare to close, including 3 in Golden Triangle | |
| All 62 Dirt Cheap locations throughout the southeast are slated to close, including three in the Golden Triangle. The bargain store's parent company, Channel Control Merchants, filed Friday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to the court documents filed in Delaware, the bankruptcy will lead to all of the retail locations closing. The three locations in the Golden Triangle -- one each in Starkville, Columbus and West Point -- are already advertising "store closing sales." There were reports in the news that included Bargain Hunt as one of the stores slated to close as well; however, that is not true. Bargain Hunt, which also has locations in Columbus, West Point and Starkville, is not one of HDC Holdings II LLC affiliates and is not affected by the company's bankruptcy. A Bargain Hunt representative confirmed its stores will remain open. ... Good news in Starkville though, Amazon's "last mile" facility is open at NorthStar Industrial Park. Mayor Lynn Spruill confirmed the facility is operational. According to previous Dispatch reporting, the facility is approximately 50,000 square feet projected to create up to 120 jobs. Amazon is advertising various job openings on Indeed including delivery drivers, warehouse associates and team members. |
| Representatives from the FAA teach Mississippians the rules of becoming a drone pilot | |
 | More than a dozen recreational and commercial drone enthusiasts met with inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration at Jackson's airport. Unmanned aircraft systems, otherwise known as drones, are becoming increasingly popular. Nationally, there are nearly 800 thousand registered drones. Scott Lynn is an inspector with the FAA. Speaking before the forum, he said drone pilots must follow certain federal aviation regulations. "You can't fly it away from you where you can't see it," he said. "You got to see what it's doing and see what's around. It [can't] interfere [with manned aircraft]. Manned aircraft still have the right of way. You got to get out of the way. So far, we've had, I think, about 25 or so collisions with manned aircraft. So far, none of them have been bad." Drone pilots must register their devices with the FAA if it weighs more than half a pound. Pilots must fly below 400 feet and are encouraged to avoid flying near airports. Ed Aycock is also an inspector with the FAA. He says drone pilots must pay attention to prohibited operations. "Flying drones in and around stadiums is prohibited," he said. "Starting one hour before and one hour after the start time [of events]." The FAA requires recreational drone pilots to take the TRUST exam in order to fly. Commercial pilots are required to have a remote pilot certificate. |
| Why have mortgage interest rates been rising since the Fed cut rates in September? | |
| A couple of economic data drops this week should give us some insight into the housing market: On Friday, we'll learn how many new residential units were under construction in September, courtesy of the Census Bureau. And while that number picked up in August, the consensus of economists surveyed by Bloomberg is that the number we'll get Friday will show a decline. Meanwhile, Wednesday morning, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that the average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage actually increased for the third week in a row. Which means that ever since one week after the Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, mortgage rates have been rising. And they're now as high as they were about a month before the Fed cut rates. The bad news about rising mortgage rates is a symptom of good news for the rest of the economy. "If the economy continues to outperform expectations, then you're likely to see rates come down more slowly," said Gerald Cohen, chief economist at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Mariya Letdin at Florida State University College of Business said rates had been relatively low because of a recession, and then a global pandemic. “So rates will not go to 3% unless there’s something horrible that happens, and hopefully it doesn’t. So I think the expectation with how far they’re going to go down needs to be adjusted,” she said. |
| Poll released by Speaker Jason White shows Mississippi voters support cutting state taxes | |
| A majority of Mississippi voters support reducing some of the state's taxes, expanding Medicaid to the working poor and increasing spending for new roads, according to recent polling commissioned by House Speaker Jason White. The poll, conducted August 26-27 by private firm Cygnal, surveyed 500 people online and through text messaging. It showed likely general election voters identified inflation, tax policy, health care and crime as some of their main issues. "In the House, we will make informed decisions based on verifiable data, not partisan rhetoric," White said in a press release. "Mississippi is facing critical challenges and the House of Representatives is committed to doing the work that the people care about most." The poll showed that 14.7% of respondents identified eliminating the state's personal income tax as their most important issue, while a slightly lower percentage, 14%, identified reducing or eliminating the state's grocery tax as their most important policy goal. However, the poll also showed a greater percentage of respondents overall support reducing the grocery tax instead of reducing the personal income tax. Around 84% of respondents overall support eliminating Mississippi's 7% tax on groceries, while 64% of respondents support phasing out the state's 4.7% income tax. |
| New poll shows support for Medicaid expansion as new director prepares to lead agency | |
| New polling released by Speaker Jason White's office shows overwhelming support for Medicaid expansion in Mississippi. Private firm Cygnal surveyed likely general election voters statewide. It was among a long list of issues including tax reforms and infrastructure spending. Meanwhile, there will soon be a new leader at the Division of Medicaid. Executive Director Drew Snyder is leaving to return to the private sector later this year. Governor Reeves selected Deputy Executive Director Cindy Bradshaw as his successor. We're on your side, asking whether that new face at the agency is expected to have any impact on expansion efforts. Reeves has repeatedly said he's opposed to Medicaid expansion. Rep. Sam Creekmore was a conferee on the Medicaid expansion bill last session. We asked him what the change in leadership could mean and he noted that it is an executive agency. "I mean, he's ultimately her boss," Creekmore said, referring to the Governor. "So, yeah, I would assume it's pretty much be status quo. The director of Medicaid has to follow whatever laws the legislature passes, however, their support would be helpful if the law or anything was to change, as far as Medicaid goes." |
| Judge dismisses lawsuit over old abortion rights ruling in Mississippi | |
| A Mississippi judge dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday that challenged a potential conflict between a 2022 state law that bans most abortions and a 1998 state Supreme Court ruling that said abortion is guaranteed in the Mississippi Constitution because of the right of privacy. Hinds County Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin wrote that the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists lacks legal standing for the lawsuit it filed against the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure in November 2022. The association did not show that the licensing board has threatened disciplinary action against any of the roughly 35 association members for refusing to refer patients for abortion services elsewhere, Martin wrote. She also wrote that the association's "allegation of speculative harm is unfit for review." "Mississippi law grants the Board the power to suspend, revoke, or restrict the license of any physician who performs or aids certain abortions," Martin wrote. "But the Board has no express authority to discipline a physician who declines to provide abortion services on conscience grounds." Aaron Rice, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said he will try to revive the case. "We will appeal the ruling and look forward to presenting this important constitutional question to the Mississippi Supreme Court," Rice said Wednesday. |
| Election security in Mississippi: From touchscreens to paper trails | |
| With less than three weeks until the presidential election, the Mississippi Secretary of State's office along with local elected election commissioners and circuit clerks are working to reassure voters who may be concerned with election security and the validity of their vote in the Magnolia State. Lawmakers passed the Mississippi Voting Modernization Act in the 2022 legislative session, providing grant funding for counties to replace touchscreen voting machines with approved machines that scan paper ballots. The goal, as stated at the time, was to ensure the security of the voting process utilizing paper ballots, therefore leaving a paper trail. Previous touchscreen machines did not always provide a paper record of the vote. Now, after they present valid identification and sign the voter roll, Mississippi voters are handed a paper ballot that is to be marked with a pen before placing it in a scanning machine. The scanned ballot is then shown on the screen for verification by the voter before the paper ballot is placed inside a secure portion of the machine for auditing purposes. Secretary of State Michael Watson told Magnolia Tribune that under the modernization act, counties were provided a list of three approved vendors to purchase voting equipment. Before grant funding was approved, each county had to submit documentation for review to ensure the equipment met the necessary requirements. The deadline to purchase and put the new machines into use was January 1, 2024, meaning voters who cast a ballot in a Primary Election this year would have already seen the new machines in use. |
| Wicker, Pinkins work to appeal to voters as U.S. Senate race nears | |
| Mississippi's two candidates for the state's only U.S. Senate seat up for grabs this election cycle are making final pitches to voters as the Nov. 5 general election nears. Incumbent Republican Roger Wicker, who is seeking a third term, is being challenged by Mississippi Delta attorney and decorated Army veteran Ty Pinkins, a Democrat. Prior to being certified as the nominees for their respective parties, Wicker breezed through a contested primary, whereas Pinkins was elevated to the top of the Democratic ticket uncontested. Looking at the bigger picture, Wicker is not only trying to win his re-election bid but also to help other GOP candidates in their pursuit to flip the congressional chamber red to keep Kamala Harris in check if the current Democratic vice president happens to become commander-in-chief. With a razor-thin Democratic Senate majority possibly in peril, Wicker is optimistic that the Republicans can capitalize on the opportunity to regain control of the chamber and maintain balance if Harris is elected president or promote a GOP agenda if Donald Trump recaptures the White House. As for his platform, the ranking member of the Senate's armed forces committee is championing cutting funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements in the military, fighting to halt the use of tax dollars to fund abortions, and pushing for merit-based promotions in the military, not ones based on race or gender. On the other side of the aisle, Pinkins argues that Wicker has abandoned his responsibility to legislate in the best interests of Mississippians. |
| McConnell's last campaign? Kentucky leader again at center of Senate campaign fight | |
 | It wouldn't be the throes of a Senate campaign cycle if politicians in both parties weren't disparaging Mitch McConnell. With control of the chamber's majority hinging on just a couple of seats, the Senate GOP leader is once again at the center of Democrats' campaign tactics and Republicans' consternation. "Mitch McConnell is hellbent on beating me," complained Montana Sen. Jon Tester in fundraising emails to supporters this week. "I need your help to stop Mitch McConnell and his wealthy friends from buying this election wholesale." Tester has good reason to be sounding the alarm. Polls show him trailing in the Montana Senate race that could prove to be the majority maker for the GOP. And it's McConnell's super PAC that is trying to drive the final nail in the political career of the three-term Democrat. But some in McConnell's own party are also taking umbrage with their leader, who has just a month left in his tenure atop the Senate GOP. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, has long been simultaneously seen as a kingmaker who controls power and purse-strings inside Washington and a pariah among the masses, including a vast swath of the MAGA movement. Above all, McConnell is about winning and he's stated his goal is to leave whoever his successor might be with a Republican majority, even if it's a narrow one. |
| Panel formed after Trump rally shooting calls for Secret Service shake-up | |
 | An independent panel called Thursday for new leadership at the Secret Service, hired mostly from outside the protective agency, saying it needs a major shake-up for security failures such as the July 13 shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania "can and will happen again." The bipartisan panel, ordered by President Joe Biden to review the Secret Service after a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., said the protective agency had become "bureaucratic, complacent and static." The panel expressed gratitude for agents who risk their lives to protect the president, vice president and other top officials but found significant leadership and cultural failures that put officials at risk, including a lack of critical-thinking skills. The panel recommended that the administration replace the top leadership "as soon as practicable" and urged that most appointees come from outside the agency. In its 52-page report, the panel wrote that "the Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission. Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again." The July attack was the first direct hit on a U.S. leader since the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in front of the Washington Hilton in 1981. |
| 'Now I like him': Some Black voters in Georgia see Trump as a real option | |
 | The pews were filling up inside Mount Zion Baptist Church, where former President Bill Clinton was set to launch his rural campaign swing for Vice President Kamala Harris in this Democratic stronghold bordering a sea of rural red Georgia. In the back, Joseph Parker said he was thrilled the Arkansan was coming. But it had been nearly a quarter-century since Clinton left office and, Parker said, "Things were really different then." This year, he said he's voting for former President Donald Trump, the first time the 72-year-old has cast a ballot for a Republican presidential candidate. "Trump's a man of his word. What he says he's gonna do, he does," Parker said, after initial reluctance to reveal his preference. "And everything is so high now -- groceries high, clothes, everything, gas. And four years ago, it wasn't that high. And so people see the difference in Kamala Harris and Trump, and they want some of what they had four years ago. And I do, too." In the final weeks of the campaign, Democrats are working to shore up the coalition that helped turn Georgia in their favor in the presidential election four years ago and in two Senate races in 2021. But in a state where President Joe Biden narrowly won in 2020, drawing 88 percent of the Black vote, months of public polling showing some Black men moving toward Trump is part of the reason the former president appears stronger in Georgia than this time four years ago. |
| Harris and Trump Court Fox News Audience, With Sharply Different Strategies | |
 | Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both courted Fox News viewers Wednesday, with the vice president making a play for undecided voters in a combative interview and the former president trying to improve his standing with women in a friendly environment. Although they appeared on the same network, the appearances showed their divergent media and electoral strategies. The vice president directed her pitch toward Republicans and independents who might be frustrated by President Biden's handling of the economy and the border but have reservations about giving Trump another term. Harris in recent weeks has been doing more challenging interviews, including CBS's "60 Minutes," in addition to friendlier platforms. Trump, who has largely been sticking to conservative media, did a town hall hosted by Fox News's Harris Faulkner in Georgia before an audience of supportive women. The former president has emphasized maximizing turnout among his base voters. He has tried to make inroads with Black and Latino voters -- voting blocs that usually side with Democrats by wide margins -- but hasn't moderated his views to appeal to the center. Harris emphasized that she welcomes ideas from Republicans and the business sector, while criticizing Trump's rhetoric and describing him as a leader who is focused on "demeaning and engaging in personal grievances." Her comments were part of the sharper attacks she has launched against Trump in recent days. |
| US attacks Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with B-2 bombers | |
 | U.S. B-2 bombers attacked weapons caches belonging to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in a strike that appears to be the first such use of the strategic stealth bomber against the militia. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement the late Wednesday operation was ordered by President Joe Biden to "further degrade" the Houthis' ability to launch attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. The strikes could also be a warning to Iran at a time when Tehran and U.S. ally Israel have appeared on the verge of a full-blown war. Austin did not mention Iran by name. However, he said the use of the B-2 bomber, which is the only warplane in the U.S. arsenal that can carry 30,000-pound so-called bunker busting bombs, "was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified. The employment of U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrates U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere." The U.S.'s top defense official said the "precision strikes" targeted five "hardened" underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. A separate statement from Tampa, Florida-based U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said U.S. Navy "assets" also took part in the attack. CENTCOM said it was still assessing "battle damage," but its initial findings "do not indicate civilian casualties." |
| CDC reports record drop in drug overdose deaths | |
 | Drug overdose deaths dropped a record amount during the past year, according to provisional data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday. The CDC reported that 94,758 individuals died because of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending May 2024 -- a 15 percent drop from the previous 12-month period. The agency estimates that number may rise to 98,820 when finalized, which would be a 12.7 percent drop. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, commended the data, which showed a decline in nationwide drug-related deaths for the sixth month in a row. "We are at a critical inflection point," said Gupta. "This new data shows there is hope, there is progress, and there is an urgent call to action for us all to continue working together across all of society to reduce drug overdose deaths and save even more lives." Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are still involved in the majority of drug overdose deaths. Wednesday's data highlighted regional differences in efforts to successfully curb drug-related deaths. North Carolina reported the largest change in overdose deaths, seeing a 48.8 percent drop over the previous period. Eight other states -- Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey -- also reported at least a 21 percent decrease in overdose deaths. |
| Students weigh the value of their vote | |
 | Students at the University of Mississippi are grappling with their role in democracy. Some students are skeptical about the value of their vote, while others believe in the importance of civic engagement. Kennadi Parker, a sophomore allied health studies major from Olive Branch, Miss., shared her disinterest in voting in this year's elections. "At the end of the day, I don't think my vote is important," Parker said. "The electoral college process makes it feel pointless." KJ Johnson, a freshman business and entrepreneurship major from Grenada, Miss., said he is not voting in the upcoming election because he feels uninformed. William Teer, program director of student leadership programs and financial well-being in the UM Center for Community Engagement, said voting is not only about picking a representative. It also shows those representatives what you care about, he shared. "If you believe in a certain issue that you feel needs to gain traction in your community, but you don't go out to vote in favor of that issue, there is no chance of any sort of change happening in the area you wanted," Teer said. "If dozens or hundreds or thousands of us decide to stay home since we say our vote doesn't matter, it can determine the outcome of the election." |
| USM presents new ceramics art exhibit | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi is inviting the public to come see the Gallery of Art and Design's new ceramic art exhibits. The "Southern Miss Ceramics National" and "Cups of Contemplation" opened Oct. 14 and will run through Nov. 8 in the Hurst Building. The two exhibitions will be shown in tandem, with a closing reception and awards ceremony taking place 5 p.m.-7 p.m. on Nov. 7 from on the Hattiesburg campus. The ceramic national display is a national art exhibit that features work from potters and artists who work with clay from all over the country. This year, the gallery had more than 300 entries submitted from across the United States, which was narrowed down to 60 pieces that are displayed in the exhibit. "If you're interested in ceramics and the ceramic arts, this is a great opportunity to really see some of the some of the best works being produced by artists across the country, and there's a variety of works," said USM Art and Design Gallery museum director Mark Rigsby. "Some are by seasoned professional artists and other works are by people that are just kind of getting started in the field, but because it's a juried show, the quality of the work is really, really strong." |
| Man wrongfully accused of murdering Jackson State student files lawsuit against HBCU, others | |
 | A man wrongfully arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a Jackson State University student filed a federal lawsuit against the historically Black university as well as several other people and organizations. Shirley Brown, the mother of the accused man Joshua Brown, filed the lawsuit on Sept. 17 accusing the defendants in the case of conducting a grossly negligent and/or reckless investigation that led to her son's arrest. Some of the defendants named in the filing are Jackson State University, Jackson State University Campus Police Department, former Interim President Elayne Hayes Anthony, former JSU Police Chief Herman Horton, Campus Police Detective Terrance Jackson, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. The filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi accuses JSU campus police of obtaining a warrant to arrest Joshua for killing Jaylen Burns after members of the Alpha fraternity gave statements to police. Burns was a member of the fraternity. "As a result of Defendants' unlawful actions, Joshua Brown was falsely imprisoned in inhumane conditions, subjected to baseless criminal prosecution, and suffered mental anguish and suffering, severe reputational, emotional and financial damages," the 13-page compliant reads. |
| JSU Development Foundation to host event honoring late fundraising chair | |
| Jackson State University Development Foundation (JSUDF) will host its third annual 1877 Derek D. Polk Signature Event. The event will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2024, at the Jackson Convention Center in downtown Jackson. Some of the guests include Lari Johns'n, JSU alum DJ Mark "Flava" Fuller, and Rita Brent. "The Signature Event is a celebration of Jackson State University's enduring legacy, serves as a powerful investment in its future, and honors our former treasurer, Derek D Polk '93. This event brings together the JSU family to not only honor our rich history but also to make a tangible impact on the lives of our most valuable asset --- our students," said Guyna G. Johnson, chair of the Jackson State University Development Foundation. Last year, the event was renamed after Derek D. Polk, the fundraising chair, who passed away unexpectedly in 2023. Polk played a pivotal role in the event's success, and the renaming pays tribute to his memory and dedication to JSU. |
| Disney continues collaboration with Millsaps with new grant | |
 | Millsaps College professor of anthropology George Bey continues to make an impact on the northern Yucatan in Mexico. His and the school's latest achievement is a $58,000 grant from the Disney Conservation Fund to support the ongoing research at the Kaxil Kiuic Biocultural Reserve in the Puuc region of northern Yucatan, Mexico. Sharing the history of the Mayan culture with Millsaps College has been the life's work of Bey. Just last year, he and his team were highlighted in a four-part documentary series, "The Rise and Fall of the Maya," for the National Geographic Network, which is owned by Disney. Episode 2, Civilization, highlighted Bey, Millsaps professor Evan Parker and other Millsaps students and staff as new evidence is unearthed in Mexico's Yucatan, transforming long-held ideas about the growth of the Maya civilization. "This grant highlights our legitimacy as a research institution and demonstrates that a small college like Millsaps can have a significant impact on global conservation issues," Bey said. "Our long-term goal is to establish a sustainable monitoring program for threatened species in the Puuc region. This is a dynamic time for the Yucatan ecosystem, we want to ensure that our research not only provides important data but also supports long-term conservation efforts." |
| EMCC receives grant for funding nursing programs on campus | |
 | East Mississippi Community College will have more funds to continue and grow its nursing program. The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded EMCC with over $875,000 to expand its division of nursing and health sciences program on the college's Scooba campus. The funds will be used to purchase equipment for the programs and to hire additional nursing instructors. The grant award is part of a $68.2 Million Arc package to help fund 65 economic revitalization projects in 10 states: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. |
| Hurricane Helene, flooding relief available for Tennessee college students | |
 | East Tennessee college students whose lives back home were torn apart during Hurricane Helene are working with their institutions to simultaneously navigate course assignments and a complicated web of disaster resources to determine whether to continue their education or press pause. Colleges where flooding occurred have a much smaller student population compared to the University of Tennessee's flagship campus in Knoxville, though many of their students come from areas hit hardest by Helene. While some of the colleges dealt with minor flooding in buildings, power outages and fallen trees across campus, their experiences were nothing compared to what people went through along the French Broad, Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers during the devastating floods of Sept. 27. Fast forward three weeks, and students are tapping into relief funds first set up for COVID-19, while some faculty members have stayed overnight on campus as they prepare to rebuild their homes. East Tennessee State University is the largest higher education institution in the northeast part of the state, where most of the state's flooding was concentrated. This region also is home to Northeast State Community College, Walters State Community College and Tusculum University. Around 6,200 of ETSU's roughly 14,000 students come from areas hit hardest by Helene flooding: Carter, Cocke, Johnson and Unicoi counties, as well as Western North Carolina. |
| This Ivy League Professor Accused of Racism Was Suspended. Now, She's Fighting Back. | |
| Amy Wax, the Ivy League law professor suspended for making racist, sexist and inflammatory comments, stands to lose half a million dollars from her punishment. Wax said she doesn't regret the remarks that led to her reprimand. She is considering taking legal action, she said. Following an investigation into Wax's conduct, the University of Pennsylvania suspended her from her tenured position with the Carey Law School last month for a year on half pay, taking effect in the fall of 2025. She also lost summer pay in perpetuity. "I only regret that I am sufficiently frank and blunt and forthright," Wax said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "I stand by what I say because what I say is so much more nuanced and interesting than the sound bites they have lifted." The severity of Wax's suspension is rare for a tenured professor. It comes as academic freedom and free expression on college campuses are facing heightened scrutiny from lawmakers and the public following the Hamas attack on Israel last year and the subsequent war in the region. Wax said conservative professors like herself face hurdles. Only certain conservative viewpoints are tolerated, such as some libertarian views, while others are off-limits. On immigration, she said, professors can't talk about "the third-worldization of our country, the loss of our culture." "That kind of talk is xenophobia," Wax said. "It marks you out as an evil bad person." Her suspension sends a message to other conservatives on campus to keep quiet, she said, conflicting with academic freedom and a call for diversity of thought. |
| Dual Enrollment Courses Linked To College Success, Finds New Report | |
| A new national report finds that dual enrollment boosts college attendance and completion, but substantial racial disparities in access to the program continue to be a problem. The study, conducted by the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, tracked outcomes over four years for high school students who began taking dual enrollment courses in 2015. The report presents data for students at both the state and national level. Dual enrollment, where high school students take college courses and can receive credit toward both their high school diploma and a college degree, is widespread. During the 2022-23 academic year, about 2.5 million high school students participated in dual enrollment courses, which are offered either through community colleges or four-year institutions at about 90% of public high schools nationwide. The benefits of dual enrollment were widespread. In 41 states, dual enrollment students who started college right after high school had higher college completion rates than recent high school graduates entering college without any dual enrollment credits. |
| Why Political Text Blasts Targeting College Students Are Drawing Outrage | |
 | With the election less than three weeks away and the presidential race tight, political organizations have dragged a little-known aspect of federal law into the spotlight: access to college students' phone numbers. This month, some Republicans in Arizona, one of the most contested swing states, cried foul after students at the state's three public universities received texts asking them to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. Arizona State University's College Republicans chapter called the texts "election interference" and threatened legal action against the university. Republican State Senator Jake Hoffman also objected, saying the release of student phone numbers constituted an invasion of privacy and vowing to investigate. Meanwhile, college students in Wisconsin, another swing state, allegedly received mass texts last week that advocates say could dissuade them from voting. The claim came in a Tuesday letter from a free-speech-advocacy group writing on behalf of Wisconsin's chapter of the League of Women Voters, which supports expanding voting access but does not endorse specific candidates. The incidents serve as a reminder of a legal quirk that occasionally draws scrutiny: At public colleges, students' phone numbers are a matter of public record. |
| Presidential election and campus protests top concerns in new First Amendment survey | |
| With less than a month left until the presidential election, Americans across the political spectrum say that their concerns over how their First Amendment rights are protected will influence how they vote in November, according to the Freedom Forum's annual survey, "Where America Stands." The survey series, created by the nonprofit First Amendment advocacy organization, has gauged the level of knowledge held by everyday Americans regarding their First Amendment rights for four consecutive years. "We asked a lot about the election this year," said Kevin Goldberg, an attorney and First Amendment specialist at the Freedom Forum. "One thing we asked about this year was 'Do you understand how the First Amendment affects your daily life?' And 77% said yes. And 56% of Americans said the First Amendment will impact how they vote this November." On top of the heated presidential election, respondents reported complex feelings regarding campus free speech rights, on the heels of pro-Palestinian protests that erupted at campuses across the country over the spring. The survey found 72% of respondents reported that peaceful protest is acceptable, but encampments and taking over campus buildings goes too far. Overall, acceptance of college free speech is going down across the board: Only 61% of respondents agreed that college campuses should foster a free exchange of ideas, even if they are offensive---a decrease from 69% last year. According to the data, Gen Z participants are less likely to agree with that statement than other generations. |
| White House, Used to Road Blocks on Student Debt, Finds Cause for Victory Lap | |
 | The Biden administration has reached a major milestone in its pursuit of expansive student debt relief, announcing on Thursday that over one million people have had their federal student debt canceled through a program that offers forgiveness to public service workers. For President Biden, whose student debt agenda has been repeatedly handicapped by Republican legal challenges, the announcement marked a modest but undeniable achievement. With just weeks until the election, the administration has reported approving around $175 billion in total student debt relief for nearly five million borrowers through all the actions taken during Mr. Biden's presidency. Those numbers reinforce the central conundrum Mr. Biden faces on student debt. He has fallen far short of the sweeping $400 billion in loan cancellation for as many as 45 million borrowers he originally sought. But even as that has left some supporters disillusioned, he has provided far more debt forgiveness through a variety of smaller measures than any previous president. Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a program established by Congress in 2007 that allows a variety of workers in the public and nonprofit sectors to have their student loans canceled after 10 years of employment, is a bright spot. White House officials said the recent approval of 60,000 more public service workers for debt relief under the program had brought the tally under the administration to over one million people, who collectively had $74 billion forgiven. |
| Opinion: Hard decisions loom at USM | |
| The McComb Enterprise-Journal's Jack Ryan writes: Professors at the University of Southern Mississippi are objecting to the way the school administration is handling plans to eliminate or consolidate a number of academic programs. The concern is warranted. These changes involve the elimination of jobs, among faculty members and maybe other employees as well. The leaner university that emerges from this process may not be as comprehensive of an institution as it is now. The faculty senate president said morale among instructors is down because of what it sees as the administration's unwillingness to get instructors more involved in deciding which programs will be affected. The senate president said in a Mississippi Today story that any decisions involving academics should be made with input from the people who know the topic best -- the faculty. It's no surprise the administration puts limits on that idea. A university president and his staff must be in charge of making tough decisions, especially about academics, and especially when the plan is to eliminate majors and financial considerations are involved. ... The shrinking pool of college students is going to force universities to make hard choices. Faculty opinions are valuable, but the administrators are paid to make those decisions. |
| Two significant Stennis talks | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: The Stennis-Capitol Press Forum had a couple of significant speakers recently: the head of Mississippi's broadband initiative and the head of state education. The Stennis Press Forum is a long-running cooperative effort of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State and the Capitol press corps. Its mission is to promote greater transparency of state government. This open meeting is at Hal & Mal's on Mondays, usually monthly. Mississippi is getting billions from the federal government to provide broadband Internet speeds to the last 10 percent of the state which doesn't have high-speed Internet, according to former Brookhaven state senator Sally Burchfield Doty. Doty heads BEAM, a 2022 creation of the legislature, the Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi. BEAM is charged with managing 1.2 billion dollars that the federal government is providing Mississippi to bring broadband to the last 10 percent of the state that is lacking this. ... Dr. Lance Evans' Stennis talk was full of enthusiasm. Evans is the new state superintendent of the Mississippi Department of Education. The state board of education selected Evans after conducting a national search. He assumed the position on July 1, 2024. Evans holds an associate degree from Itawamba Community College, a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University, a master's degree from the University of Mississippi and a specialist degree and doctorate from Delta State University. Evans is one of those types of people who you describe as "filling up a room" when he walks in, and I mean that in a positive way. |
SPORTS
| Jeff Lebby explains his feelings on Mississippi State's challenging schedule | |
| Mississippi State has not won a game since they opened up the season with a 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. Losing five straight games since ahead of their matchup this weekend against No. 14 Texas A&M, the third straight ranked opponent on the Bulldogs' schedule. It won't get much easier for Mississippi State this season in the SEC, also slated to face three straight ranked teams to end the regular season. But hard times make strong men, which first-year head coach Jeff Lebby addressed when asked about his team's challenging schedule. "I think again, for us you learn exactly who you are and where you're at every single step of the way," Lebby said. "And so understanding that inside this league you get to do it against the best every single Saturday, and as a competitor man-to-man, that's exactly what you want." There's no question that Lebby is learning about what his team is made of on a weekly basis as he looks to establish a culture in Stakville. Even battling adversity beyond fearsome opponents with several injuries across their roster including a season-ending one to starting quarterback Blake Shapen. "So for us to be able to go out and just find a way to have a happy locker room, go 1-0, man that's our focus, that's the intent," Lebby said. "But so many lessons have been learned over the last couple of weeks and that won't change." |
| What to watch for: Mississippi State vs. No. 14 Texas A&M | |
| Following an impressive offensive performance in a loss at Georgia, Mississippi State is back home Saturday to take on No. 14 Texas A&M at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network. The Aggies, in their first year under head coach Mike Elko, have won five straight games following a season-opening loss to Notre Dame, and are one of just three teams unbeaten in Southeastern Conference play. Texas A&M had a bye last week after thrashing Missouri by 31 points on Oct. 5. Mississippi State leads the series 9-8. The teams have played every year since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012, and Texas A&M routed the Bulldogs 51-10 in College Station last year. MSU has won four of the last five meetings in Starkville. The Aggies famously fired Jimbo Fisher after a rout of the Bulldogs last November and paid him a record buyout, but they look just fine under Elko, the former Duke head coach who was previously Texas A&M's defensive coordinator. That defense is led by lineman Nic Scourton, a Purdue transfer who has 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in six games. Quarterback Conner Weigman returned from an injury against Missouri and completed 18 of 22 passes in his best game of the year. Running back Le'Veon Moss is the biggest star on this offense, though, with more than 100 rushing yards per game and 6.9 yards per carry. |
| Well-rested, No. 14 Texas A&M visits Mississippi State seeking sixth straight win to stay atop SEC | |
| Judging from the energetic response, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko believes last week's bye was right on time for his No. 14 Aggies. They did well before the midseason break in grabbing the Southeastern Conference lead, highlighted by a 41-10 rout of Missouri. More challenges await over the next three weeks, with Saturday's visit to last-place Mississippi State presenting numerous red flags for A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC) to heed in a season marked by upsets of ranked teams. "This group of kids, the last time they went down to Starkville, it wasn't pretty," said Elko, referring to the Aggies' 42-24 loss in 2022 while ranked 17th. "So, I don't even know that we need to look at other people. I think we just need to be aware of our own history and understand what it takes to be successful, why we're doing things, to give ourselves a chance to have success. And understanding that if we stop for any second, we're going to put all of that at risk." Rebuilding MSU (1-5, 0-3) has dropped five straight, including the past two at top-ranked Texas (35-13) and No. 5 Georgia (41-31) on Saturday. The Bulldogs enter with the league's lowest-ranked defense in several categories including yardage (465.8 per game) and scoring (33.2 points), but first-year coach Jeff Lebby takes heart in making small strides, such as two interceptions last week in Athens that led to 10 points and outscoring the 'Dawgs 21-7 after halftime. "I think our guys are incredibly encouraged and enthused by the fact that we've had really good moments," Lebby said. "We've got to make sure there's more and more of those moments every single Saturday and build on the good and continue to take away the bad." |
| Mississippi State football injury report vs Texas A&M: Who's in, who's out for Week 8 in SEC | |
| Mississippi State football sustained injuries to its defense in last week's loss at Georgia. The Bulldogs' injury report, released on Wednesday, lists starting defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones as doubtful, and safeties Brylan Lanier and Tyler Woodard as questionable. Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3 SEC) hosts No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0) at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday (3:15 p.m. CT, SEC Network). Texas A&M ruled out three players, while backup quarterback Jaylen Henderson is doubtful and defensive back Terry Bussey is questionable. The SEC newly mandated this season that each team provides injury reports for conference games. The first reports are revealed on Wednesdays and updated daily until the final report 90 minutes before kickoff. |
| MSU great Freeman joins 2025 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame class | |
| The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced its 2025 class, which included former Mississippi State football player Steve Freeman. Freeman starred for the Bulldogs defense from 1971 to 1974 under head coaches Charles Shira and Bob Tyler. He developed a reputation as a ball hawk and is still ranked in the top 10 in school history for interceptions. Freeman would go on to have a successful career as an NFL player, playing 12 seasons for the Buffalo Bills from 1975 to 1984. He was an All-Pro selection in 1984 and was named to the Bills' Silver Anniversary All-Time Team. Freeman had a lengthy career as an NFL official after his playing career ended in 1987. He first worked for the Southeastern Conference before joining the NFL officiating crews in 2001. Freeman's son, Brad, was also a Mississippi State athlete, playing for the Bulldog baseball team and helping them to reach the 1997 and 1998 College World Series. He would also become an official for the SEC and NFL. |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs Getting Ready To 'Own It' | |
| On Wednesday morning at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Mississippi State women's basketball was in the spotlight. From appearances on the SEC Network, to the main media room filled with reporters, to the photo ops and random questions coming from all directions, the attention was the Bulldogs'. Head coach Sam Purcell along with veteran players Jerkaila Jordan and Debreasha Powe crushed it. One might could even say they owned it. It won't be the last time either. For as Purcell and his team embark on their 2024-25 voyage, Purcell has chosen 'Own It' as the group's motto. If you're wondering why the phrase is on MSU's social media hashtags and more, it all came about as Purcell reflected on last year's journey. "Yeah, it's got multiple layers," Purcell shared. "One, for me personally, I'm upset how last year ended. I've got to own it as the head coach. Responsibility falls on my plate. We were in third place in the SEC with two weeks to go. We just didn't finish. "I'm proud of how we joined in the WBIT tournament when most teams across the country decided just to fold the season. We didn't do that. We're proud to wear that uniform. We showed up and we showed out, but at the same time, again, our goal is to make NCAA deep runs. We were right there and we were one game short. So, I can't complain about it. I've got to own it. And believe me, that's been my motivation." |
| Mississippi State's Debreasha Powe pursuing career in sports broadcasting | |
 | Debreasha Powe is making a name for herself as a sharpshooting wing at Mississippi State, coming off a sophomore season in which she shot 40 percent from 3-point range. But once her playing days are over, Powe hopes to remain involved in sports as a broadcaster. She is currently interning as a sideline reporter for French Camp Academy football games and for MSU athletics' broadcast staff, and is majoring in communication with a concentration in broadcast and digital journalism. "I don't want to leave sports. I love basketball and I just love sports in general," Powe said Wednesday at SEC Media Days. "I'm always watching reporters, I'm always watching the previews before the games, the halftime shows. It just spiked my interest." Powe said she looks up to Andraya Carter, a former basketball player at Tennessee who now works as a basketball analyst for ESPN and SEC Network. Carter and her team received rave reviews during last year's NCAA women's basketball tournament, and she visited the Bulldogs before last season to provide media training. "I actually got a chance to interview her for a class project. It was a great experience to be able to speak with her and pick her mind and ask her questions," Powe said. "I never thought about sideline reporting, so to be able to do that, it was an amazing experience." |
| SEC women's basketball coaches address increased racism, harassment of players as WNBA grows | |
| The WNBA exploded this summer, the culmination of steady growth the past few years and a star-studded rookie class. The league drew an all-time record of more than 54 million unique viewers across multiple channels during the 2024 regular season. A record 22 regular-season games averaged at least one million viewers. The league's total attendance of 2.35 million was its highest in 22 years. But that spike in popularity has been accompanied by racism, homophobia and online abuse directed at players and their families. To South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, it's a sign that "we're a sport now," and the league is getting everything that comes with it. Former LSU star Angel Reese, who was in the conversation for rookie of the year until she suffered a season-ending injury, has been subjected to racist attacks since she won a national championship in 2023. That continued during her first season in the WNBA, and Reese has publicly called it out more than once. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said part of her job is preparing her players not only with the X's and O's, but also everything that comes with being in the spotlight. She's not on social media, but she ensures there are people on her staff who can help players learn how to handle it. "Society just loves to sit behind those computers and anonymously write what they write," Mulkey said. "And when you are in the spotlight as much as Angel is and was, any athlete is or was, everybody just sits down and decides what they want to write. Whether it's the truth doesn't matter. Truth matters none anymore in this world." |
| Immune to intimidation, Richard Clark brings fearlessness College Football Playoff needs to usher in new era | |
| Lt. General Richard Clark isn't intimidated by much -- not as a career military man who flew more than 40 bombing missions in the Mideast. In a joint assignment with Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine troops, Clark's unit was mortared during a ground mission. As COVID-19 raged across the Air Force Academy campus four years ago, superintendent Clark moved into the cadet dorms during a mandated lockdown. The move was so, well, out of the box in the button-downed military that he garnered the attention of the folks at the Pentagon. "What do you think you're doing?" Clark recalled one the Air Force vice chief of staff saying. The same question might be asked in Clark's new role as College Football Playoff executive director. He was the non-traditional candidate chosen to run the sport's expanded postseason armed with loads of organizational experience but also able to flash a Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. So ... how hard could running the CFP be? "For my whole 38 years [in the Air Force] I thought about war every day and preparing for combat every day," Clark said over the summer as he made the rounds through various media days. "I thought about the worst days America could have. I thought about it as a day that I hoped would never come, but it was something I was passionate about because I knew it was my job to do it, and that's what I did. "Now I get to think about college football every day." |
| Greg Sankey discusses potential revenue-sharing future and possible changes | |
 | The landscape of college athletics is in a continuous cycle of change. Those changes don't seem to be ending any time soon either. Just over a week ago, the NCAA's $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA lawsuit received preliminary approval. That pushes college athletics a step closer to revenue sharing with student athletes, a change that would have massive financial implications. Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey was asked at SEC Basketball Tipoff in Birmingham Wednesday what changes a potential revenue-sharing model could bring to sports in the SEC. Sankey was asked specifically how the changes could affect Olympic sports on SEC campuses. He deferred to the schools for specific strategies, but said there will be "adjustments." "There are two, maybe three, of our sports that generate net revenue," Sankey said. "Other than that, there's a deficit between revenue and expenses. I'll let our campuses speak to their opportunities. "Part of the reality is it's an enormous adjustment. It's an enormous adjustment if you don't have a 22% increase in expenses and not have impacts." Sankey stated that the SEC wants to “be the center of the Olympic development effort,” specifically mentioning track and field and diving. Despite that, Sankey didn’t rule out changes coming to some of those sports. |
| Shaun Alexander named grand marshal for U. of Alabama homecoming parade | |
 | Former Crimson Tide football player Shaun Alexander has been named grand marshal for the 2024 University of Alabama homecoming parade. Alexander played running back for UA from 1996-99. He held the school record for most rushing yards for 16 years and most rushing touchdowns for 10 years. He was a first-team All-American and first-team All SEC selection in 1999, according to UA news release. Alexander will lead the homecoming parade, which will be held Oct. 26 in downtown Tuscaloosa, before the Crimson Tide football team takes on the Missouri Tigers inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The 2024 homecoming festivities will start Oct. 20, beginning with a Roll Tide Run. Other events include Paint the Town Red, a day of service, the Spades and Lawns Games tournament, the National Panhellenic Council step show and more. UA fans are invited to the homecoming pep rally beginning at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 on the Quad, followed by a bonfire. The pep rally will include the announcement of the homecoming queen, along with performances by the Million Dollar Band and UA cheerleaders and appearances by UA's elephant mascot Big Al and guest speakers. |
| NCAA closes loophole that allowed Oregon to purposely induce late penalty in win | |
| The NCAA football rules committee issued guidance Wednesday to close a loophole that allowed second-ranked Oregon to exploit an illegal substitution penalty late in its victory over Ohio State to take time off the clock. With Ohio State driving on its final possession of the game and just seconds left on the clock, Oregon was flagged for having too many defenders on the field, drawing a 5-yard penalty. While the Buckeyes gained 5 yards, the move took four seconds off the clock. The Ducks went on to win 32-31. "After the Two-Minute Timeout in either half, if the defense commits a substitution foul and 12 or more players are on the field and participate in a down, officials will penalize the defense for the foul and at the option of the offended team, reset the game clock back to the time displayed at the snap," the guidance said. "The game clock will then restart on the next snap," it continued. "If the 12th defender was attempting to exit but was still on the field at the snap and had no influence on the play, then the normal substitution penalty would be enforced with no clock adjustment." Steve Shaw, NCAA coordinator of football officials, said in a statement that a "guiding principle of the NCAA Football Rules Committee is that there should be no benefit when a team commits a penalty." Oregon coach Dan Lanning seemed to indicate that the Ducks took advantage of the loophole during his Monday news conference ahead. |
| College football super leagues? Pitch details, projected revenues -- and roadblocks | |
| Over the past two weeks, two proposals to reshape college football have become public. Some aspects have support from administrators worried about the future, and many fans are intrigued, while the commissioners of the SEC and Big Ten have unceremoniously dismissed them. But what are the proposals really about? Why now? Why does anything need to change? Earlier this month, a group called College Sports Tomorrow released an 18-page pitch called the "College Student Football League," a reorganization of the 136-team and 10-conference Football Bowl Subdivision into a single league, which The Athletic first reported in April. Meanwhile, venture capital firm Smash Capital has privately pitched to schools "Project Rudy," an injection of billions of dollars into the schools that make up the Power 4 to create a single business that largely maintains the existing structure of college football. The proposal was first reported by Yahoo Sports. The Athletic obtained a copy of the 14-page pitch deck that Smash Capital has shared with more than 30 power-conference schools and spoke with industry power brokers briefed on the Project Rudy pitch. Smash Capital declined to comment. Both ideas would pull college football out of the NCAA, which is undergoing rapid change due to antitrust and other lawsuits, and aim to generate much higher revenues than what schools are receiving today. Project Rudy refers to a "for-profit league." While neither refers to itself as a "super league," and both would likely bristle at that designation, the term has become a shorthand for the projects. So what are these proposals all about --- and will any of it actually happen? Here are answers to your questions. |
| How a Few Forfeits Landed These Colleges at the Center of a Political Fight | |
| On Sunday, the University of Nevada at Reno's women's volleyball team told the university they planned to forfeit an upcoming match against San Jose State University, making them the fifth squad to do so this season. The reason was not made explicit, but it was clear to anyone who has followed the sport in recent months: the reported presence of a transgender player on San Jose State's team. Yet Nevada administrators say the match will be played, though they added that no player will be disciplined for sitting out. In a statement, the university alluded to its compliance with state and federal law as well as Mountain West Conference and NCAA regulations, "which include providing competition in an inclusive and supportive environment." That statement triggered a bevy of reactions, including from Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican of Nevada, who said he supported the athletes' choice to not play. The controversy is the latest chapter in the tense political battle over transgender athletes' participation in women's sports, in which opinions are strongly held and the rules are being actively litigated. |
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