| Wednesday, October 23, 2024 |
| MSU hosts science fair for kids to learn about the wood industry | |
 | There are more than 19 million acres of forestland across the state of Mississippi. The timber industry is vital to the economy, providing jobs and products like lumber and even furniture. MSU held its 31st annual Wood Magic Science Fair on Monday in Starkville. The university teaches students from around Mississippi about the wood industry and why it matters. "It's very important. It's one of the largest employers in this state. The state of Mississippi is one of the largest lumber producers in the nation, so it's critically important to housing America," said Rubin Shmulsky, a professor and the department head for MSU's Sustainable Bioproducts department Mississippi State's Sustainable Bioproducts department coordinates the fair. Shmulsky said they want to keep the fair interactive for the students. "It keeps them moving. We find if it's interactive, where they can see it, touch it, hear it, smell it, they'll have a much more memorable trip, so we try to incorporate all the 5 senses in today's events," said Shmulsky. MSU expects around 3,500 kids to attend the fair this week. The science fair will last until October 25. |
| Education: MSU biomedical engineering students get real-world experience through innovative partnership with UMMC | |
 | From tackling pneumothorax to developing better patient monitoring systems, rising seniors in Mississippi State's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering are gaining real-world experience through a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The UMMC-MSU Engineering Excellence in Device Development program, now in its second year, pairs MSU biomedical engineering students with UMMC clinicians and researchers to identify and solve pressing healthcare challenges. During the eight-week summer program, students rotate through multiple projects at UMMC, gaining hands-on skills and a deeper understanding of the issues faced by healthcare providers. They return to MSU to continue developing their chosen project for the remainder of the academic year as part of their senior capstone. Alex Thomasson, ABE department head, said the program is "truly innovative" and "broadens students substantially while they are still undergraduates." "Students get to spend time in a real clinical situational context, actually identify problems themselves and work alongside professionals," added David Vandenheever, program coordinator and MSU agricultural and biological engineering associate professor. "That is an exciting opportunity and experience that not every student gets to have." |
| MSU biomedical engineering students get real-world experience through innovative partnership with UMMC | |
 | From tackling pneumothorax to developing better patient monitoring systems, rising seniors in Mississippi State's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering are gaining real-world experience through a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The UMMC-MSU Engineering Excellence in Device Development program, now in its second year, pairs MSU biomedical engineering students with UMMC clinicians and researchers to identify and solve pressing healthcare challenges. During the eight-week summer program, students rotate through multiple projects at UMMC, gaining hands-on skills and a deeper understanding of the issues faced by healthcare providers. They return to MSU to continue developing their chosen project for the remainder of the academic year as part of their senior capstone. The program is funded for five years with plans to expand the number of participating student teams in the coming years. |
| New AiM UP Lab teaches students about manufacturing at the MGCCC Harrison County campus | |
 | One of the biggest industries on the Mississippi Coast is manufacturing, but advances in automation seem to be making less jobs available. The MGCCC Advance Manufacturing and Technology Center held a grand opening for their AiM UP lab. In partnership with Mississippi State, the labs focus on preparing students for the future workforce by focusing on automation as it continues to become a bigger part of manufacturing. Vice President of Teaching and Learning Jonathan Woodward said, "We are elated to finally open the AiM UP lab. That's advancements in manufacturing upscaling program. This program is all about bringing automation to help be more efficient and effective in the manufacturing sector. By partnering with Mississippi State University, we get a look into what the companies are going to do for the next 5 years. So, in this lab we are ensuring our students are future proof. So, as they go into the workforce they're prepared for today and the future as well." Adele Ratcliff with the Department of Defense said, "Manufacturing is an exciting sector to be in and an exciting profession. It doesn't matter what you want to do whether you want to be an engineer or an operator, these are great professions to be in. It helps you as an individual, your community, and help us in the Department of Defense build what we need for our national security." |
| IACMI Announces Key Partnerships with Mississippi State University and Penn State Behrend to establish Machining Training Centers | |
| The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation® (IACMI) announced today two new partnerships with Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS, and Penn State Behrend in Erie, PA. These partnerships aim to revitalize U.S. manufacturing with a focus on the machining industry. Machining and machine tools are a foundational element of America's advanced manufacturing capabilities, which are essential to the country's national security and continued economic vitality. The new partnerships will advance America's Cutting Edge (ACE), a joint Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Energy (DOE) initiative launched in 2020 to reestablish American leadership in the machining industry through transformative thinking, technology innovation, and workforce development. Expanding the number of training centers is a key part of ACENet, a national network of 39 machine tool workforce development sites across 14 states. "Being established as an ACE Hub through the IDEELab at Mississippi State University is an extraordinary achievement, not only for the university but also for the entire state of Mississippi," said Ross Smith, IDEELab Director. "This partnership solidifies Mississippi's critical role in advancing America's cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities." |
| MSU invites high school, two-year college students to Music Discovery Day | |
| Mississippi State's Department of Music is hosting its annual Music Discovery Day for high school juniors, seniors and community college students Nov. 4 on MSU's campus. The event takes places 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Music Building located at 124 Hardy Road. Registration -- free for attendees who can bring one guest -- is open at https://www.music.msstate.edu/events/2024-08/music-discovery-day . Attendees will have opportunities for one-on-one visits with faculty members and current students. In addition to learning about the department's academic programs, scholarships and career opportunities, participants can observe music classes and attend faculty and student performances. For more about Music Discovery Day, contact Assistant Professor Olivia Boatman at oboatman@colled.msstate.edu. 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, over $3.5 million in Steinway pianos and more. It offers undergraduate degrees in music, music education and music performance in addition to a master's degree in music education. |
| Carpenter hired to replace Farmer as new county administrator | |
| After almost two months of operating without a county administrator, supervisors have once again filled the position. The board of supervisors selected Wayne "Irby" Carpenter for the position during a Thursday meeting after hours interviewing candidates, voting unanimously to offer the seat to the former fiscal director of the Mississippi Military Department. "The main thing I want to do is create a cooperative work environment that respectfully helps the public, the county staff and elected officials in their efforts to serve the community and its citizens," Carpenter told The Dispatch Monday afternoon. The county administrator seat has been vacant since Aug. 13, when the board voted 3-2 to terminate former administrator Delois Farmer right before budget season began. Carpenter is local to the Golden Triangle. He told The Dispatch his main motivation in taking the administrator seat is getting to serve his home county more closely. "I'm a lifelong resident of Oktibbeha County. Born there, graduated high school there, graduated from Mississippi State," he said. "I guess my biggest motivation was a desire to be employed locally. Working for the Mississippi Department of Human Services I'm down here in Jackson, so I'm just trying to get back home and use my skills in service of my community." |
| Starkville man charged in shooting | |
 | Starkville police charged a man with aggravated assault. According to police, officers responded to a shots fired called at 2:03 p.m. Monday, October 21, 2024, in the Pecan Acres neighborhood. We're told a fight between two men and a woman ended in gunfire. Police say the trio knew each other prior to the incident. Lanorris Houston, 38, of Starkville is in the Oktibbeha County Jail. Additional charges may be pending. |
| It's been a bad year for wildfires in South Mississippi. It could get worse, experts say | |
 | The winter could be warm. Rains that might otherwise fall across South Mississippi may instead veer away. And dry breezes that would normally relieve the region of its thick summer heat could bring a new risk: wildfires. A winter forecast released this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says warm temperatures and little rain will probably lead to worsening drought across the Mississippi Coast through February. Dry air and gusty winds already fueled a wildfire last week that burned hundreds of acres through the woods in Harrison County. Meteorologists say that risk will persist if the drought worsens. "We're going to remain dry," said Chris Nothstine, a forest fire ecologist at the U.S. Forest Service in Mississippi. "Wildfires will start showing resistance to control." Much of Jackson County is already in moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. North Harrison and Hancock counties are also abnormally dry. Rainfall chances are slim over the next few weeks, said Megan Williams, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Slidell. Drought makes wildfires stronger, larger and more frequent. "They run faster," said Kevin Craft, an outreach officer at the Mississippi Forestry Commission. "And there's a lot more of them." |
| America Is Primed for a Home-Renovation Resurgence | |
 | More homeowners are borrowing against the rising value of their properties, suggesting that the worst of the remodeling slump has passed. Analysts and building-products executives are forecasting lower interest rates will fuel a rebound next year in spending on new kitchens, bathrooms and decks, reviving a reliable source of economic activity and stock-market gains. Spending on home repairs and renovations surged during the pandemic, when Americans were cooped up at home. Then it contracted for the first time since the aftermath of the 2008 mortgage meltdown, as the highest borrowing costs in a generation slowed home sales and made it expensive to tap home equity to pay for big jobs. Now, with the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, the mountain of home equity that Americans have amassed thanks to sharply rising property values is getting cheaper to access. The latest reading of a closely watched gauge of repair and renovation spending predicts a return to growth next summer. Spending should reach an annual rate of $477 billion by this time next year, Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies said last week. That would approach the record annual rate of $487 billion reached a year ago, before high rates took a toll. Sawmills, which send 40% of their output to repair and remodeling jobs, have closed and curtailed production across North America. |
| Saturday in-person absentee voting in Mississippi begins this weekend | |
| Mississippi residents planning to submit an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 5 election will be able to cast their vote at local circuit clerk offices over the next two Saturdays. Circuit clerk offices will be open from 8 a.m. until noon on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 for those who cannot vote absentee in person during the weekdays. Otherwise, voters can cast in-person absentee ballots on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As of Monday, the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office was reporting a total of 86,525 absentee ballots requested, 84,636 sent, and 67,802 completed and returned. For those voting absentee through the mail, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the voter's local circuit clerk's office within five business days of the election to count. For those voting on Nov. 5, polls will be open across the state from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Chaney may sue CMS over creation of state insurance exchange if Gov. Reeves doesn't sign off | |
| While Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney previously said he would not create a state exchange to offer health insurance to Mississippians unless Gov. Tate Reeves approved, the elected official who oversees the state's insurance licensing and regulations is now pondering how to move forward in the case of Reeves not signing off on the state operating its own exchange in place of the federal government. During a Monday interview on MidDays with Gerard Gibert, Chaney explained that Mississippi could save between $25 million and $30 million annually in fees if the state established an in-house exchange for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. In addition to saving money, the commissioner vouched that moving away from the federal government's health insurance marketplace – which 19 states and Washington, D.C., have already done -- could result in lower premiums along with secondary benefits being offered for those enrolled. "We would make that much money that would stay put in the state, and then, you can use that money to either lower premiums for people in the state or you could use that money to offer other ancillary products like dental, hearing, and eye," Chaney said. "There's a lot of options for us to use that money." "What you don't want to use that money for is buying new pickup trucks for folks and stuff and other things the government normally does," he laughed. "It's strictly for healthcare." |
| Taxpayers will get bigger standard deductions in 2025, but with smaller boosts than recent years | |
| U.S. taxpayers will again see higher standard deductions for 2025, allowing them to shield more of their money from taxation on future returns. The Internal Revenue Service detailed the increases in its annual inflation adjustments announced Tuesday. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately in tax year 2025, the standard deduction is rising to $15,000 -- up $400 from 2024. For couples who file jointly, that standard deduction will be $30,000 for 2025, an $800 jump from the year prior. And heads of households will get a $22,500 standard deduction, up $600 from 2024. Income thresholds for all seven federal tax bracket levels were also revised upward. The top tax rate, which remains 37%, will cover incomes greater than $626,350 for single taxpayers in tax year 2025, for example -- compared to $609,350 in 2024. The IRS makes such adjustments for each tax year to account for inflation, which has recently been on a downward trend. Last month, inflation in the U.S. dropped to its lowest point in more than three years, marking some encouraging economic news -- but Americans are still feeling some key price pressures. "Core" prices, a gauge of underlying inflation, remained elevated in September, driven up by rising costs for medical care, clothing, auto insurance and airline fares. |
| Republicans likely to gain control of U.S. Senate | |
| While the presidential race remains very much up in the air, it appears increasingly likely that Republicans will wrest control of the U.S. Senate away from Democrats by picking up seats in West Virginia and Montana. As it currently stands, Democrats hold 47 of 100 Senate seats, but have four Independent Senators who caucus with them -- providing a de facto majority, with any tiebreaking vote owned by Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans hold 49 seats. Senators serves six year terms, with one-third of the body elected every two years. This year's Senate election includes 34 seats up for grabs, including two seats in Nebraska, where a special election is being held. Of the 34 seats, Democrats, or Senators who caucus with Democrats, currently hold 23 of the contest seats. Republicans hold 11. If Republicans maintain those eleven seats, and add West Virginia and Montana, they will begin the next session of Congress with a 51-seat majority. Four additional pick ups could be in play for Republicans. Democrats face a harder offensive challenge, trying to pick up a seat in Nebraska, Texas or Florida. Poor candidate selection hurt Republicans in 2022 Senate races, with losses in winnable races in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. It appears Arizona Republicans did not learn their lesson in 2024, nominating Kari Lake fresh off a 2022 loss for governor. In a state that former President Trump is leading, albeit by narrow margins, Lake is lagging her Democratic opponent, Ruben Gallego, by a fairly significant margin. The Hill's average of polls puts the race 49.9-42.5 percent in Gallego's favor. |
| House GOP braces for bitter fight over the power to oust a speaker | |
 | House Republicans are gearing up for an intra-party war early next year over the ability to defenestrate a speaker. While the majority of Republicans despise the tool, which has single-handedly caused repeated chaos this Congress, a number of conservatives are prepared to fight to keep it. Speaker Mike Johnson and other leadership allies have openly signaled that they want to raise the number of members required to force a vote on deposing a speaker; currently, a single lawmaker can call for a referendum. But that fight is inextricably tied to Johnson's ambitions to remain speaker -- the members who want to see the rule to remain as it is are some of the same ones who haven't committed to supporting his bid for the gavel, and they're not afraid to leverage that power. It's not hard to see why most Republicans want to change the rule. The so-called motion to vacate allows a small faction of lawmakers to highly influence the agenda and strips power from leadership. Johnson himself has publicly said that the tool has "harmed this office and our House majority." Right now, there are enough conservatives who oppose changes to block any adjustments to the status quo. In interviews with POLITICO, five Republicans said they believe that group is big enough that it would also be highly difficult to change the rule next year. One GOP lawmaker said there are at least eight members who will automatically oppose any adjustments. Of course, House Republicans have to keep control if they want to set the rules . |
| USDA offers clean energy funding, including swing-state projects | |
 | The Agriculture Department said Friday it would make $746.5 million in funding available for farms and small businesses to invest in clean energy through the Rural Energy for America and Empowering Rural America programs, including in the electoral swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan. The USDA will make $600 million available for REAP to help agricultural producers and rural businesses improve energy efficiency with renewable energy. The funds will be provided in three rounds until 2027 and $60 million of the money will go to underutilized renewable energy technology. "Farmers, rural business owners and electric cooperatives are the backbone of our economy, and we are partnering with them to expand their operations while creating jobs and lowering energy costs," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release. The USDA also provided $126 million in REAP grants to fund 654 clean energy projects in 39 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. The goal is to help agricultural producers and small businesses expand wind, solar, geothermal and small hydropower energy and make energy efficiency improvements. The Friday announcements were made under what the Biden administration calls its Justice40 initiative to get 40 percent of the benefits of some programs to disadvantaged communities. Both programs are funded through the 2022 clean energy law. |
| Charlie Kirk and his group Turning Point take center stage in Donald Trump's campaign | |
| Charlie Kirk and Vivek Ramaswamy took the stage recently in downtown Atlanta, a decidedly liberal environment for two famous conservatives to hold court with college students. Within minutes, Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur who sought the Republican presidential nomination this year, and Kirk, the professional provocateur, were jousting with Georgia State University undergraduates over their choices in the Nov. 5 presidential election. "What is Kamala Harris' greatest accomplishment?" Kirk tersely asked two students who accused Donald Trump of being "un-American" and wanting to suspend the Constitution. The 31-year-old Kirk has an outsize role in this year's election, using his online presence and the organization he founded, Turning Point Action, to make himself one of the nation's most recognizable conservatives and a central part of Trump's operation. The former president has put a particular emphasis on courting younger men, the "bro vote," trying to reach them through podcasts, social media and influencers such as Kirk. The Atlanta gathering Monday was part of the "You're Being Brainwashed Tour," with stops on college campuses across the swing states that will decide whether the presidency. Kirk's Turning Point is pitching state and local Republican officials on its get-out-the-vote operation in Arizona, Wisconsin and elsewhere. Critics question the group's claims and its use of an app that has minimal protections to secure voters' personal information. In a recording of one meeting obtained by The Associated Press, a group's operative declared, "We now are an official arm of the Trump campaign." |
| Early-voting data shows Republican reversal appears to be paying off | |
 | Americans are voting ahead of Election Day in historic numbers this year. That includes Republicans, who appear to be responding favorably to a new message from former president Donald Trump: It's okay to vote early. Dozens of states have opened in-person early-voting locations, and turnout has been robust. In Georgia, more than 1.6 million people had cast in-person ballots by midmorning Tuesday -- nearly one-third of the total vote from four years ago. North Carolina approached 1.3 million Tuesday, the sixth day of early voting. And in Nevada, Republicans voting in person have outnumbered Democrats -- a reversal from four years ago. Overall, more than 18 million Americans have cast ballots in person or by mail so far this year, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida. That's more than 10 percent of the overall total who cast ballots four years ago. What's less clear is whether the initial burst of voting enthusiasm will last -- and to what extent it reflects a displacement from heavy rates of mail voting four years ago during the coronavirus pandemic. Republican participation appears to at least partially reflect Trump's change of heart on early voting, which he slammed without foundation in 2020 as riddled with fraud but has heavily promoted this campaign season. "If you have a ballot, return it immediately," Trump told an Atlanta rally crowd on Oct. 15, the first day of early voting in Georgia. "If not, go tomorrow as soon as you can go to the polls and vote." |
| Election stress crosses the political divide, new report finds | |
 | Every year the American Psychological Association takes a look at the leading causes of stress in the U.S., and publishes an annual report. This year the report shows all the usual suspects like money, health and family are still wearing people down, but one issue is dominating -- politics. Seven out of 10 adults say the future of the nation is a significant source of stress in their lives and the issue crosses party lines: 80% of Republicans rated it a top stressor, so did 79% of Democrats and 73% of Independents. Lynn Bufka, a clinical psychologist and APA's deputy chief, professional practice, says she was surprised by the findings. "Republicans, Democrats are actually united in having concern about the future of the nation. And they're not sure that the country's system of checks and balances is actually working the way it should be working," Bufka says. The majority is worried that the election results will lead to political violence. The report -- called Stress in America 2024: A Nation in Political Turmoil -- details the results of a survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the APA. More than 3,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older were surveyed between August 1st and 23rd, 2024. Bufka says one of the problems is Americans are not seeing the things that matter to them represented in the political discourse. People want to feel safe in their communities, hold jobs that can support their families, and drive on roads without potholes and bridges that don't collapse, she says. |
| Russia Could Stoke Unrest After U.S. Election, Officials Say | |
 | Russia is considering actions to stoke protests and even violence over the U.S. election results, intelligence officials said on Tuesday, as foreign powers appear to be moving aggressively to undermine the democratic process during what is already expected to be a contentious vote count. Russia, along with Iran and China, has already sought to influence the election through myriad efforts to spread disinformation. The officials said that new intelligence showed that Russia had created and spread a staged video falsely accusing Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, of sexual misconduct. The video, which was quickly debunked, is the latest in a series of false narratives that Russian operatives have fabricated this year. With the election two weeks away, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, along with the F.B.I. and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, raised new warnings about the post-election period, arguing that Russia and Iran were considering stoking and amplifying domestic unrest. Intelligence officials said they did not think it was likely that Russia or another country would be able interfere with the voting itself or change votes to affect the outcome without being detected, but they predicted that disruptions were likely to occur across the country on Election Day and that Russia, Iran and China would seize on the opportunity to portray democracy as chaotic and unreliable. |
| UMiss for Palestine holds candlelight vigil | |
 | Members of UMiss for Palestine and the Lafayette-Oxford community gathered at city hall at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20 for a candlelight vigil in honor of the Palestinian lives lost in Gaza and the West Bank over the past year. "I want people to have a space to hold their grief and to share that grief with the community. I also want people to recognize the horror and deaths and the strength and resilience (of the) people," Dua'a Matalgah, a Jordanian-American and junior psychology major from Longstreet Miss., and media liaison for UMiss for Palestine said. "We have to fight for the Palestinian people still fighting for their lives." UM For Palestine member Jalon Hightower, a sophomore political science and multidisciplinary studies major, said that spreading awareness is crucial. "I feel like, as Americans, we kind of turn a blind eye to a lot of issues in the world, and we say, 'well, at least it's not us,'" Hightower said. "We extend our sympathy but never our empathy." The vigil offered attendees pamphlets with QR codes to join organizations including Mississippi for Palestine and UM for Palestine. |
| Education: EMCC automotive, diesel mechanics student awarded competitive scholarship | |
| East Mississippi Community College sophomore Jonathan Forrester is among 14 community college and university students statewide named as Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association 2024-2025 scholarship recipients. Forrester, who earned a certificate in EMCC's automotive technology program earlier this year, is enrolled in the Diesel Mechanic program on the college's Golden Triangle campus. He was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from what was described in a MAMA press release as an "outstanding applicant pool." Forrester said he is excited about the scholarship award and appreciative for what he has learned at EMCC. "The automotive and diesel programs are great," he said. "The training is definitely more in-depth than I thought it would be, especially on the electrical side." A Sturgis, Mississippi native, Forrester now resides just outside of Starkville. He said he became interested in mechanics as a youth helping his grandfather, who worked at Mississippi State University's R.R. Foil Plant Science Center, known by many as North Farm. "He was a mechanic who worked on a lot of the farm equipment and tractors out there and I would help him sometimes," Forrester said. "I thought, 'I want to do that.' I want to be a farm technician. I enjoy working on tractors a lot more than I do cars." |
| New study finds 10% increase in Florida higher ed enrollment could mean billions in gains | |
| Just a nominal increase in the number of postsecondary education students in Florida could increase the state's economic gains by billions of dollars, according to a new study. The "Florida's Future Billions" report conducted by Helios Education Foundation, which supports higher education for low-income or underrepresented communities, conducted the study. The analysis found that just a 10% increase in students for Florida's postsecondary education system would account for a $8.38 billion increase in economic output for the state. "This report comes at a critical time when the value of college is being questioned around the country," said Paul J. Luna, Helios Education Foundation President and CEO. "What we've always known to be true, and what this report underscores, is that the more Florida residents have some form of postsecondary education, the greater the economic benefit to them, their families, their communities, and certainly to the state overall." "Florida has one of the strongest and most affordable public college and university systems in the country. However, there are still significant economic benefits to further expanding access to postsecondary education," added Paul Perrault, Senior Vice President of Community Impact and Learning at Helios Education Foundation. |
| The Mug Project: Paving the way for sustainability on campus | |
| The Mug Project is an initiative by the Office of Sustainability at the University of Tennessee that is helping combat waste overflow through the use of reusable cups around various dining locations on campus. According to the Office of Sustainability, the University of Tennessee's student population uses over 3,000 cups daily. Which is equivalent to powering four homes a year due to the usage of about 360 million British thermal units of energy, which is a measure of thermal energy used in heating and cooling appliances. The Mug Project was initiated in 2010 by Emmy Waldhart, the sustainability manager. She collaborated with Mary Leslie Patterson, senior district marketing manager for Aramark at Vol Dining. The participation process is straightforward, students and staff need to bring their own mug, which should be 24 ounces or smaller. This initiative includes locations like the POD markets, Starbucks and Einstein Bros. Bagels. By bringing their own mugs, students not only help protect the planet but also enjoy discounts. Participants can receive savings on beverages, including coffee and fountain drinks, along with 15% off specialty coffee items. |
| UC Berkeley stole a UT world record. The Vols could steal one back | |
 | On March 29, 2017, after a week of fanfare and a televised visit from NBC's "Today" show weatherman Al Roker, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville broke the Guinness World Record for largest human letter. A group of 4,223 students, faculty, staff and alumni formed a giant Power T in Neyland Stadium. "Standing together in Neyland Stadium with 4,000 members of our Volunteer family will be a shared memory that will last a lifetime," Beverly Davenport, former UT chancellor, said. The memories might last a lifetime. The world record, like Davenport's tenure, ended pretty quickly. On Aug. 15, 2017, the University of California, Berkeley assembled 7,196 first-year and transfer students into a giant "C" in California Memorial Stadium, gleefully smashing the UT record like it was just another activity at freshman orientation. UT's triumphant world record had fizzled out after less than five months. But what if there were a chance to set a new world record in 2024, and take one back from Berkeley in the process? What if this time, the record lasted a literal lifetime and didn't require UT to spent $59,871? That new record is actually a person: George Schweitzer, the longest-serving professor in UT history, who died at age 99 after 76 years on Rocky Top. It turns out Schweitzer's tenure might have broken a record far beyond Tennessee. He started as a chemistry professor at UT in 1948 at 23 years old and never fully retired. He taught until his death, though he did not die in the classroom, as he often said he wanted to. |
| Texas A&M hires firm for chancellor search, sets time for president investiture | |
 | Texas A&M University's process of finding a successor for the impending retirement of Chancellor John Sharp has moved forward as the A&M System regents have hired Russell Reynolds Associates to conduct a national search. Russell Reynolds is an international organization that assists in leadership recruitment. The company has offices in 13 cities in the United States including Houston and Dallas. Regents Chairman Bill Mahomes, Vice Chairman Robert L. Albritton and regents David Baggett and Jay Graham make up the group tasked with putting together the list of finalists from the candidates suggested by Reynolds Associates. They will present their finalists to the entire board of regents. The search firm will interview System leaders to find out the priorities to be highlighted in the job description and the qualities necessary for the next chancellor. Sharp announced last summer that June 30, 2025, would be his last day as chancellor. Sharp is the longest-serving chancellor in A&M System history after taking the job in September 2011. A successor is expected to be named before Sharp steps down. Texas A&M also announced the school will host an investiture ceremony Friday morning to formally install Gen. (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III as the 27th president in university history. |
| Great pumpkins: U. of Missouri biology professor becomes a carving master | |
 | These aren't your average jack-o'-lanterns with toothy grins and triangle eyes. Mannie Liscum's pumpkins have been carved, shaved and peeled into elaborate sculptures that look dramatically real. The University of Missouri biology professor picks up his tools at the beginning of October and carves 31 pumpkins by the end of the month, at least 450 of them over the last 20 years. He has created horror figures like Frankenstein, mascots like Truman the Tiger and athletes like Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden. Once they're finished, he lights his pumpkins in a dark room, takes a photograph and posts them on his Instagram account. He can't display his carvings, because they deteriorate quickly. A day after he carves them, he has to throw them in the trash. "So, it's very ephemeral," he said. "If there's any on my porch, they're just triangles and teeth." Liscum started carving two decades ago after reading about the technique online. But the instructions weren't entirely clear, he said, so he developed his own system as he went, then created a carving website of his own. "Mannie's Pumpkin Art: Carve Like a Master" gives step-by-step instructions to beginners so they can "carve a masterpiece to wow their family and friends." |
| Purdue program works to revive liberal arts as key part of the college experience | |
| Call it "the death of the humanities." Over the last decade or so, majors in English and history are down by a third and humanities enrollment overall is down by almost a fifth. Now an initiative is working to revive liberal arts as a key part of the college experience. Jeffrey Brown reports from Purdue University for our series, Rethinking College. |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Is Up This Fall, But the Number of Freshmen Fell Sharply | |
 | Freshman enrollment declined 5 percent this fall, the first drop since the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to preliminary enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges saw the largest declines in first-year students (-8.5 percent and -6.5 percent, respectively) compared with the same time last fall. Meanwhile, freshman enrollment fell by 0.4 percent at community colleges. The center's data, released in a new report on Wednesday, provide a partial snapshot of an especially turbulent enrollment cycle defined by the disastrous rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For months, technical errors with the form and numerous delays in the transmission of FAFSA data to colleges disrupted the admissions and financial-aid process at institutions nationwide. The 2023-24 enrollment cycle was also the first since the U.S. Supreme Court banned the consideration of race in admissions, which injected further uncertainty into this fall's enrollment equation. Demographic shifts continue to alter the racial and socioeconomic diversity of high-school graduates. And concerns about the cost of college and student debt remain top of mind for many lower-income students. "It's very hard to pinpoint any single cause of the changes, particularly in freshmen, this fall," Doug Shapiro, the center's executive director, said during a news conference on Tuesday. "There have been so many different headwinds, and so I hesitate to single any of these out." |
| First-Year Enrollments Take a Tumble | |
 | Higher ed institutions this fall experienced the steepest drop in first-year enrollment since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. While overall postsecondary enrollment is up by 3 percent -- the second straight year of growth -- first-year enrollment fell by more than 5 percent, a drastic change from last fall's small 1 percent increase. Enrollment among 18-year-olds declined by 6 percent, slightly more than for first-year applicants of all ages. "It's startling to see such a substantial drop in freshmen," said clearinghouse research director Doug Shapiro. "It takes the size of the incoming class back to pre-2022 levels." Four-year institutions saw the largest decline, with an 8.5 percent drop at public colleges and a 6.5 percent decline at nonprofit privates. At institutions that serve the highest numbers of Pell-eligible students, first-year enrollment fell by more than 10 percent. The declines appear to be part of the fallout from last cycle's bungled rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which many observers predicted would result in a devastating setback to low-income and underrepresented student enrollment. FAFSA completion rates for incoming first-year students -- who were high school seniors during the previous financial aid cycle -- still lag about 9 percent behind last year, according to data from the National College Attainment Network. |
| How Colleges Are Bridging FAFSA Filing Gaps | |
| The cost of higher education is one of the primary barriers to enrollment for students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, first-generation learners, and low-income students, and federal financial aid challenges point to a new additional stressor for these learners. A recent report by Tyton Partners found around three in 10 students said they waited to re-enroll for the upcoming academic year until they were aware of their federal aid for the next year. Students who previously stopped out of college and re-enrolled were more likely to say this was true (28 percent), compared to their peers who had never stopped out, and they were more likely to consider transfer as a result of delays to last year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid and modifications (19 percent). One-quarter of all respondents said their academic performance was negatively impacted by FAFSA-related stress, as well. New reporting from the Government Accountability Office highlighted how difficult the 2024–25 FAFSA rollout was for new and returning students and emphasized the challenges colleges and universities encountered in supporting student success. Since the new form's launch at the end of December, higher ed administrators have thought outside the box to engage learners and ensure all students have equitable access and support to enroll with accurate financial information. |
| It could be well into next year before some student loan borrowers make a payment | |
| After court rulings upended several student loan repayment plans and debt forgiveness, the Education Department said Monday that payments could be paused for at least six months for millions of borrowers. The department is scrambling to adjust to an injunction, in a lawsuit brought by Republican-led states, that has barred the Biden administration from moving forward with the Saving on a Valuable Education program, commonly known as Save. Biden launched the program last fall to provide borrowers with lower monthly payments and a faster path to loan cancellation. Since then, more than 8 million people have enrolled and 400,000 have already had their debts wiped away. The court ruling not only put the Save plan on ice but also made it difficult for borrowers to enroll in other income-driven plans and for the Education Department to forgive debt through those plans. Now, the department is reconfiguring its system to adjust to the terms of the injunction, a process that it says could take several months, and taking steps to give borrowers who have been stuck in limbo more options. |
| Democrats Launch Ad Campaign at 30 Colleges | |
| n an effort to boost early voting among college students, the Democratic National Committee is planning to spend big on a new campaign -- one of its largest efforts ever to reach young people and student voters. The roughly $500,000 campaign will encourage students to vote early and vote for Democrats in "critical races for the White House, House and Senate," according to the announcement, provided first to Inside Higher Ed. College students are a key demographic for Democrats and seen as critical to Vice President Kamala Harris's bid to win the White House after young adults helped power President Joe Biden to victory in 2020, siding with him by a 25-point margin nationally. The DNC is planning to paper 30 college campuses in 11 states with ads directing students to IWillVote.com. The ads, which will appear on campus buses and kiosks, among other places, declare that "freedom is on the ballot" and "Democrats have your back" and tell students what they need to vote in a particular state. The campaign will roll out in the seven presidential battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as Florida, Iowa, New York and Ohio, where there are key congressional races. |
| Federal elections in Mississippi unlikely to produce any significant political surprises | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: Mississippians will go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 to cast their ballots in the nation's federal presidential and congressional elections. However, given the state's history in presidential balloting and reliance on the seniority system for clout in Congress, few surprises are anticipated. While the national presidential race is projected to be one of the closest races in the nation's history between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former GOP President Donald Trump, Mississippi's reliable "red state" status has removed most of the intrigue from how voters will lean here. Mississippi has given Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump double-digit wins in both presidential general elections (2016 and 2020) in which he's faced Magnolia State voters and there's no plausible reason to expect a different outcome in 2024. ... On the Senate side, Mississippi's senior U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, is heavily favored in his re-election bid to defeat Democratic challenger Ty Pinkins. The most impactful aspect of the Wicker race is his current status as the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Should the GOP take control of the Senate -- as is projected by most national political observers with the GOP poised to pick up seats in West Virginia and Montana and more -- Wicker will assume the chair of the powerful national defense committee. Wicker, a recognized expert on air, land and sea power in the U.S. military, has been a longtime advocate for rebuilding and modernizing the military as occurred under the Reagan administration. |
SPORTS
| Jeff Lebby can feel the Bulldogs are close with another SEC opportunity on the way against Arkansas | |
| Saturday was another step forward for Mississippi State as the Bulldogs competed with No. 14 Texas A&M, but it was also another loss. The Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4 SEC) are now losers of six-straight games and are searching for that elusive victory to give the team some momentum the rest of the way. To do so, State has to find a way to be better on the defensive side of the ball. As State moves into week nine of the football season, the Bulldogs are among the worst defenses in the country in almost every defensive category. The most frustrating part of the defensive side against A&M for head coach Jeff Lebby was the team's work on first and second down but inability to get off of the field. "As we look back, defensively, again, our normal first and second down defense was as good as we've played all year long," Lebby said. "Being able to create 16 third downs, then not being able to get off the field on third down was the difference in playing really good defense. That's where our strain will be this week." This week seems like a pivotal one in the Bulldogs' push for a successful finish to the season. State has gotten through the most difficult part of the schedule and now has some more favorable matchups on the way. While more favorable than the last three weeks, that doesn't mean Saturday's matchup will be an easy one. Arkansas comes to town on Saturday morning at 11:45 (SEC Network) and the Razorbacks will have an improved team. |
| Mississippi State's defense forcing turnovers, but still missing big-play opportunities | |
| If Mississippi State does not force a turnover, it's been a virtual certainty that its opponent will score at least a field goal. In each of their last three games, all losses to top-15 opponents, the Bulldogs (1-6, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) have taken the ball away twice. But MSU forced Texas, Georgia and Texas A&M to punt a combined five times. So if the Bulldogs opponents aren't scoring, it's usually because of a mistake on their part. "(It's about) finding ways inside the game where there are these very small situations that you can only see when you get back to the tape," MSU head coach Jeff Lebby said Monday. "Understanding one missed block, one missed leverage block, it truly has the chance to be the difference in the game. It's just a fine line when you play great football teams." Under first-year coordinator Coleman Hutzler, the Bulldogs talked all offseason about a "ball-out" mentality, even introducing a "turnover cowbell" prop on the sideline that players shake and sign when they force a fumble or intercept a pass. The Bulldogs have forced seven turnovers through four SEC games, but have scored just 17 points off of those takeaways. Still, there are signs of progress. |
| Mississippi State's Avery Weed ties NCAA record with 11-under 61 | |
| We're getting closer and closer to a new scoring record being set in women's college golf. On Monday, it was Mississippi State sophomore Avery Weed adding her name to the record books. At the Bulldogs' home tournament, The Ally, Weed shot an opening round 11-under 61 at Old Waverly, tying the record for lowest round in relation to par in NCAA history. And Weed did it with 10 pars on the card. The five birdies and three eagles, however, are what etched her name in history, giving her the lowest round in Mississippi State history by two shots and tying the low NCAA round in relation to par. She played Old Waverly's four par 5s in 7 under. Last fall, N.C. State's Lauren Olivares Leon became the first woman in NCAA history to shoot 60, signing for an 11-under 60 in the opening round of the Cougar Classic at Yeamans Hall Club. She had 13 birdies and two bogeys in the round. Earlier this year, Michigan's Monet Chun signed for a 10-under 61. With Weed joining the club Monday, seven female golfers have now carded rounds of 61 or better in NCAA history. |
| Weed, Bulldogs Lead After Two Rounds at The Ally | |
| After the second round of The Ally at Old Waverly Golf Club, the Mississippi State Bulldogs sit in a tie for first place at 9-under par. Avery Weed remains in the individual lead at 11-under. The Bulldogs were able to square away an even-par score in the second round of their home tournament, the third best round on the day. Auburn shot a 6-under par second round, while Florida is tied with the Bulldogs in first after finishing 8-under in day two. Avery Weed held on to her lead after shooting even-par in the second round. Weed was set up for success after tying an NCAA record of 11-under par in the opening day. She tied a team-best four birdies in the second round. Tuesday's second-round score marked Weed's 19th par or better round as a Bulldog, needing just 38 rounds to accomplish such. She heads into the final round with a four-stroke lead on Auburn's Anna Davis. The Bulldogs head into the final round of The Ally on Wednesday. State is set to begin tomorrow's action with Ana Pina Ortega at 9:51 a.m. The rest of the Bulldogs will then tee off in nine minute intervals. State will pair up with Florida, who is tied with State in first, and Vanderbilt, who is one stroke off the lead. Live scoring for The Ally is available at scoreboard.clippd.com. |
| Newcomers getting adjusted to Mississippi State basketball on and off the court | |
| Mississippi State's 2024-25 basketball roster began to take shape in early June as several newcomers from the transfer portal and prep ranks arrived in Starkville. So it's safe to say these days, there's still adjustments being made on and off the court. For the incoming freshmen, it's a whole new level of play and that's been evident so far in practice. "It's been going good," freshman guard Dellquan Warren remarked. "Just trying to get used to college basketball, to be honest. I would say the biggest thing I have to get used to is probably the physicality. And college kids, the older kids, they make quicker reads and I feel like I have to get used to that. I just need to get comfortable." But there's also some experience with those newcomers, including backcourt members and transfers Kanye Clary, Claudell Harris, RJ Melendez and Riley Kugel. Clary spent his first two college campaigns in the Big 10 at Penn State, and was among the conference's leading scorers last year. "It's been great getting adjusted to Mississippi State," mentioned Clary. "Just getting accustomed to all of the new people here. As far as the basketball part and all of the coaches and players, it's been great." |
| Mississippi State product plays key role in Yankees World Series run | |
| Beginning Friday, former Mississippi State Bulldog Travis Chapman will coach on the game's biggest stage. Chapman has the ear of giants, tasked with giving in-game instruction to some of baseball's biggest stars like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Juan Soto as the New York Yankees first base coach. He was promoted to the club's major league staff in 2021, also serving as the director of infield, after a long coaching stint in New York's farm system. "It's humbling," Chapman told Jacksonville's 1010XL in May. "You go out there with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, DJ Lemahieu and Anthony Rizzo. It's a lot of great players. My job here is to help these great players get better every day." A World Series appearance is another sparkling piece to a golden baseball pedigree for Chapman. The former Mississippi State infielder helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back College World Series appearances in 1997, under Ron Polk, and 1998, under Pat McMahon. Come first pitch at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Chapman will be in his usual spot down the first base line with the Yankees first world title in 15 years on his mind. |
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