| Tuesday, January 7, 2025 |
| Starkville Military Veterans Look to Support MSU Military Students | |
 | Executive Director of Veterans and Military Affairs at Mississippi State University Andrew Rendon spoke at the Starkville Rotary Club about MSU serving Military Veterans. Rendon was recently promoted to Brigadier General in the Mississippi National Guard. One of the main focuses of discussion was the MSU Center for America's Veterans and how they support their military-connected students. "I think the most important thing I was trying to express to our Rotarians, is how military friendly the university is and the things we are doing at Mississippi State University to support our military veteran student population, our veterans, our service members. We are one of the most military-friendly universities in the country and I want to make sure our Rotarians know that, so that they can also deliver that message to others," said Rendon. |
| MSU Films production documenting youth suicide impact airing on MPB | |
 | Video: An Emmy-winning MSU Films production exploring youth suicide in the Magnolia State will air on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. |
| Education: Bridging Disciplines: MSU English faculty member earns elite STEM education fellowship | |
 | Mississippi State University's Lourdes Cardozo-Gaibisso is a selection for one of only five 2024 Early-Career Research Fellows in Education Research by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. This prestigious fellowship highlights a select few researchers in the nation for their innovative contributions to STEM and environmental education in the Gulf of Mexico region or Alaska. An assistant professor of teaching English to speakers of other languages and linguistics in the English department and a research fellow at the Social Science Research Center, Cardozo-Gaibisso leads the Science Literacy for Equity Research Collaboratory. Her work integrates systemic functional linguistics with science literacy and culturally sustaining pedagogies. Through projects like SMILE -- Scientific and Multilingual Inquiry Learning in Engineering – and SISTEMAS – Stimulating Immersive Science Through Engaging Multilingual Scenarios – she promotes accessible, "place-based" STEM education tailored to multilingual learners. By focusing on the impact of "sense-of-place" in education, Cardozo-Gaibisso's research aligns with the GRP Early-Career Research Fellowship's mission to support emerging leaders as they explore new ideas and address critical challenges in the Gulf region. |
| Pochop to run as independent for Ward 5 alderman | |
| Two more candidates threw their hats into the ring Friday for Starkville's upcoming election, including one incumbent and one new face. William Pochop will run as an independent in Ward 5, submitting his qualifying paperwork Friday to the city clerk's office. Pochop, 35, is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he's been in Starkville since he arrived at Mississippi State University in 2008, where he earned a master's degree in sports administration. After graduating, he worked for the Parks Department for seven years, elevating to athletic supervisor. He now works as a financial representative at Modern Woodmen of America. Incumbent Jeffrey Rupp will run for a second term as a Republican in Ward 3. Rupp, 64, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, but has an extensive history as a Mississippi political representative, serving as mayor of Columbus for five years before moving to Starkville in 2006. He said his 20 years of residence in Starkville, along with a master's degree in public policy from MSU, make him especially qualified for the board. "I feel very firmly entrenched and qualified," he said. "I want to give back and to serve, service is important. ... We're doing exponentially more paving than we've ever done, we've kept taxes down and we've recruited new business. There's lots I'm happy about but there's always more to do." |
| Winter storms: Next round of cold and snow will hit southern US | |
 | The next round of bitter cold was set to envelop the southern U.S. on Tuesday, after the first significant winter storm of the year blasted a huge swath of the country with ice, snow and wind. The immense storm system brought disruption even to areas of the country that usually escape winter's wrath, downing trees in some Southern states, threatening a freeze in Florida and causing people in Dallas to dig deep into their wardrobes for hats and gloves. On Tuesday morning, the wind chill temperature was 16 (minus 9 degrees C) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. A low-pressure system was expected to form as soon as Wednesday near south Texas, bringing the potential of snow to parts of the state that include Dallas, as well as to Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. "As we go through the next few days, we're still going to be seeing those colder-than-normal temperatures," said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the weather service in College Park, Maryland. "We're going to see areas of snow and ice start to take shape across northern Texas, southern Oklahoma as we get into Thursday morning." Snow and ice are expected to make their way farther south into the lower Mississippi Valley, some of it "pretty disruptive," he said. |
| $55M USDA purchase to benefit Mississippi seafood producers | |
| The U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to purchase up to $30 million in farm-raised catfish products and $25 million in Gulf shrimp. The seafood purchased by the USDA will be distributed to various nutrition assistance programs and charities. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith says this should also benefit seafood producers in Mississippi. "Our catfish producers and shrimpers in Mississippi have hit hard times because of high input costs, inflation, and unfair global competition," said Hyde-Smith. "This new round of Section 32 purchases should work to help sustain their operations while also supplying more protein for nutrition assistance programs." The purchases will be made under the Section 32 program, which allows the USDA to make emergency purchases for food programs. |
| Hosemann, White share priorities ahead of 2025 legislative session | |
 | Tax cuts, education reform and Medicaid expansion sit at the top of both Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House Jason White's wish list. Each held court with members of the press on Monday. While there's broad agreement between the two Republicans on priorities, there are differences in how best to accomplish the goals. In 2022, the Legislature passed a package of tax reforms that created the largest tax exemption in the country among states that collect income taxes. A single filer now pays no state income taxes on the first $18,300 in income. Married filers pay none on the first $36,600. The law also created a flat 4 percent tax on income over these levels, with changes fully phased in next year (2026). But the plan stopped short of full income tax elimination -- a stated goal of House leadership and Governor Tate Reeves (R) at the time. Speaker White is again pushing for the Legislature to take up full income tax elimination. "I think it all needs to go. I think you're going to see legislation from the House that does (that)," White said. "Now you'll see legislation that makes it go in an orderly fashion a little bit longer than four years." Lt. Governor Hosemann's proposal is to reduce the income tax rate by a quarter of a percent each year for four years in an effort to bring it down to a flat 3 percent by 2030. He wants to immediately reduce the sales tax applied to grocery purchases down to 5 percent. |
| Governor Reeves declares full income tax elimination top goal for 2025 legislative session | |
| Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves isn't wasting any time advocating for the full elimination of the state's income tax as lawmakers gavel in to begin the 2025 legislative session on Tuesday at noon. Reeves took to X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday morning to proclaim the issue as the "#1 Goal for this Republican." The Governor tagged all seven of his fellow Republican statewide officials as well as Speaker Jason White and House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar in this social media post, asking, "Are y'all with me??" Governor Reeves said Mississippi Republican voters "deserve to know!" The overwhelming majority of replies on social media on Tuesday morning were supportive of Reeves' call for elimination with comments ranging from, "Eliminating the income tax would take Mississippi to the next level in growth!" to "This would be huge for Mississippi Families!!!" In response to Reeves, Speaker White posted, "The House is ready. The time is now. Income tax elimination is our #1 priority. Let's make it happen." Rep. Lamar also joined in by sharing, "We've been working on this since 2016. Let's make 2025 the year we ELIMINATE the tax on work in Mississippi." |
| Mississippi will have at least three special elections this year to fill legislative seats | |
| Some Mississippians around the state will have the chance to participate in at least three special elections to fill vacancies in the state Legislature -- and there could be more in the future. Rep. Charles Young, Jr., a Democrat from Meridian, died on December 19, and Rep. Andy Stepp, a Republican from Bruce, died on December 5. Sen. Jenifer Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, will be sworn into office on January 6 for a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Gov. Tate Reeves on Friday announced the special elections to fill Young and Stepp's seats will take place on March 25, and the qualifying deadline for those two seats will end on February 3. Branning has technically not yet vacated her Senate seat, so Reeves has not set the election date for her seat yet. Since the special elections will take place in the spring, this means that the areas will be without representation at the Capitol for much of the 2025 legislative session. Municipal elections are also taking place this year, and there could be even more special elections to fill vacant legislative seats. |
| Steve Davenport: The Talk of Mississippi Radio | |
| Radio is in the blood of Steve Davenport, founder and sole owner of SuperTalk Mississippi Media. He grew up in Pascagoula as one of six boys and one girl and began working part-time for a local radio station at 16. It's been a purposeful and steady climb from those days to become the media mogul he is today. In 1983, Davenport formed a 50/50 partnership with the Henley family of Hazlehurst and purchased the Mississippi News and Agricultural Network from Interstate. "That was a turning point for me," he said. "It was a steady upward climb from that point, leading to the purchase of radio properties across Mississippi." Thus, TeleSouth Communications doing business as SuperTalk Mississippi Media was born. "It was Steve's vision to create a conservative talk network that covered the entire state," said Kim Dillon, president of parent company TeleSouth Communications. "The expansion of SuperTalk throughout the state allowed listeners to express their opinions and views to fellow Mississippians." Now celebrating 55 years in broadcast and the 40th year of SuperTalk Mississippi Media, Davenport sees more growth and change in broadcasting. "If you didn't change 15 years ago, you're in trouble," he said. "We had the foresight not to be afraid to make changes; we embraced it. The future of radio is positive." |
| OptumRx sues Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, alleges due process violation | |
| A lawsuit filed by a major pharmacy benefit manager in December alleges the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy violated the company's right to due process by releasing the findings of an audit before determining any wrongdoing. The audit's findings, released by the Board of Pharmacy in October, indicate that OptumRx may have violated Mississippi law by paying independent pharmacies in Mississippi rates lower than chains and Optum-affiliated pharmacies for the same prescription drugs in 2022. Mississippi law prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from reimbursing their affiliate pharmacies, or those they own, at higher rates than non-affiliate pharmacies for the same services. OptumRx filed the complaint in Hinds County Chancery Court on Dec. 10, naming all seven Board of Pharmacy members and Executive Director Susan McCoy as defendants. The lawsuit asks the judge to rule that an independent hearing officer preside over the administrative hearing on the audit's findings. OptumRx is owned by health care behemoth UnitedHealth Group Inc., the U.S.' most profitable health care company and the owner of the nation's largest health insurance company, UnitedHealthcare. In 2023, the company brought in $32.4 billion in earnings. |
| Trump's one-bill two-step perplexes GOP senators | |
 | If Donald Trump thought he was settling the GOP's most important strategy dispute, Senate Republicans are not getting the message. Less than 24 hours after Trump endorsed "one powerful bill" to carry his domestic policy agenda, a dozen senators said in interviews that the legislative path to its enactment remains an open question. It underscores the mounting confusion as Republicans feel pressure to show quick progress on border, energy and tax priorities. The senators do agree on this: They're ready to follow Trump's lead. But they're not convinced he is firmly planted yet in the one-bill camp. Trump fueled the latest uncertainty Monday morning in an interview where he acknowledged he wasn't necessarily wedded to any plan: "I'm open to either way as soon as we get something passed as quickly as possible," he told radio host Hugh Hewitt. Asked what he thought Trump wanted, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) responded with a laugh: "What day is it?"' It's an early reality check heading into a second Trump term. The returning president's decision-making isn't exactly reliable, raising the risk that Republicans who presume to know what he wants might soon find themselves crosswise with his actual wishes. |
| Congress counts electoral votes, clearing path for Trump's return to Oval Office | |
 | Snow shovels replaced riot gear on Capitol Hill on Monday and de-icing materials dotted the sidewalks that four years prior were stained by bear and pepper spray, as Congress made Donald Trump's Electoral College victory official on the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. No Democratic lawmakers rose to challenge any state's electoral results during the joint session of the Senate and House, meaning the president-elect and Vice President-elect JD Vance are set to be sworn in on Jan. 20. And there were no loud protests from the galleries, which were peppered with many empty seats. "The whole number of the electors ... is 538. Within that whole number, the majority is 270. The totals for president of the United States are as follows: Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida received 312 votes," Vice President Kamala Harris, in her constitutional role as Senate president, said as the Republican side stood and cheered loudly in a rather awkward scene. That left the vice president to report on her electoral shortcoming: "Kamala Harris of the state of California received 226 votes." Democrats, acting in support of one of their own, rose and applauded. Harris ended by making the outcome official, calling the collective results a "sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice president of the United States." Speaking to reporters after the joint session, Harris said the day "was about what should be the norm and what the American people should be able to take for granted, which is that one of the most important pillars of our democracy is that there will be a peaceful transfer of power." |
| U.S. Services Sector Picks Up Pace Ahead of Trump Inauguration But Inflation Fears Linger | |
 | U.S. services activity increased more than expected last month as the Federal Reserve trimmed borrowing costs again and firms prepared for a new administration in Washington. The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its purchasing-managers' index for the services sector increased to 54.1 in December from 52.1 in November, beating expectations for an uptick to 53.4. A reading above 50 in the ISM index points to expansion in activity. Still, the index remains below the level booked in October, suggesting services businesses remain wary ahead of the arrival of President-elect Donald Trump at the White House this month. "There was general optimism expressed across many industries, but tariff concerns elicited the most panelist comments," said Steve Miller, chairman of ISM's Services Business Survey Committee. Most of the categories used to gauge activity in services -- which covers a gamut of industries from financial services to education and hospitality -- improved in December compared with a month earlier. Production grew notably, while new orders also rose a little, suggesting robust demand. In contrast, employment fell back on the month, pointing to some slackening of a tight labor market. By industry, finance and insurance saw the highest growth over the month, while real estate booked the sharpest contraction. |
| McDonald's says it is revising some of its diversity practices | |
 | McDonald's says it is changing some of its inclusion standards, becoming the latest large company to announce it is rolling back some of its diversity practices. In its statement, the company said it will no longer set "aspirational representation goals" and instead "focus on continuing to embed inclusion practices" that grow its business. Additionally, it is temporarily suspending external surveys to shift its focus internally, the company said. It is also changing the name of its diversity team to the Global Inclusion Team, and "retiring Supply Chain's Mutual Commitment to DEI pledge in favor of a more integrated discussion with suppliers about inclusion as it relates to business performance." In making the announcement on Monday, the U.S. multinational restaurant chain became the latest to shift its practices on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Last November, Walmart said it would roll back some of its DEI policies. |
| Meta Ditches Fact-Checkers Ahead of Trump's Second Term | |
 | Meta announced Tuesday that it is abandoning its third party fact-checking programs on Facebook, Instagram and Threads and replacing its army of paid moderators with a Community Notes model that mimics X's much-maligned volunteer program, which allows users to publicly flag content they believe to be incorrect or misleading. In a blog post announcing the news, Meta's newly-appointed chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan said the decision was taken to allow more topics to be openly discussed on the company's platforms. The change will first impact the company's moderation in the US. In a video accompanying the blog post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the new policies would see more political content returning to people's feeds as well as posts on other issues that have inflamed the culture wars in the US in recent years. "We're going to simplify our content policies and get rid of a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse," Zuckerberg said. Meta's decision could have a direct negative impact on media organizations in the US who partner with the company for fact-checking, including Reuters and USA Today. |
| HBCU Marching Band Faces Backlash Over Trump Inauguration Invite | |
 | The marching band at Mississippi Valley State University has come under fire after it announced its intention to accept President-elect Donald Trump's invitation to perform at his upcoming inauguration. The historically Black university launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for its Mean Green Marching Machine Band to travel to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 20 inauguration, as well as for instruments, uniforms, scholarships and other band needs. As of Jan. 6, the campaign had raised $265,947. The trip will cost $350,000, according to an announcement from the university last week. "This is not just a moment of pride for our university but for the entire state of Mississippi," university president Jerryl Briggs said in the announcement. "It is an opportunity to showcase our legacy, celebrate our culture, and invest in the future leaders of our community." He added that the performance would allow students "to engage in the peaceful transition of power and gain global exposure." Mississippi Valley State wouldn't be the first HBCU to perform at a Trump inauguration, HBCU Buzz reported. Talladega College's Great Tornado Marching Band performed at Trump's first inauguration in 2017. But the university's efforts to send the band to the event prompted backlash. Op-eds in The Root and HBCU Sports slammed the decision as an apparent endorsement of Trump when most Black voters feel less than celebratory about him taking office. Social media has erupted with criticism, and defense, of the move. |
| Alumnus bolsters Ole Miss accountancy school with gift | |
 | Dan Barber, of Franklin, Tennessee, who earned a master's degree from the University of Mississippi Patterson School of Accountancy, is giving back to the place that makes him feel close to his roots and family. Barber and his wife, Mandy, gave $125,000 to the Patterson School of Accountancy Building Fund and will be honored with a named space when the 100,000-square-foot facility is constructed at the corner of Grove Loop and University Avenue. "I had heard about the new building project and wanted to somehow support it," said Barber, managing director and CFO of Covenant Capital Group in Nashville, Tennessee. "Thinking about the role that accounting, Ole Miss and Oxford have played in my life and the lives of many in my family, it just seemed right to honor that and have something that will be there for future generations." An Oxford native, Barber grew up in Meridian, raised by parents who went to Ole Miss, as did much of his extended family. Barber pursued his undergraduate degree at Southern Methodist University because he wanted to go to a larger city for college. But when it came time to select a graduate school, he felt Ole Miss was the perfect choice. |
| 'Incredibly deserving': Community cheers for Auburn nursing student crowned Miss America | |
 | An Auburn nursing student took home the top prize in one of the most prestigious beauty pageants in America on Sunday night. Abbie Stockard was crowned Miss America 2025 in Orlando, Florida, completing a journey that took several years of pageants and preparation. Stockard will receive $50,000 in prize money. Crowned Miss Alabama in June, Stockard is the first Miss Alabama to earn the Miss American crown since 2005. She is the fourth Miss Alabama to win Miss America. Other winners include Deidre Downs, Miss America 2005; Heather Whitestone, Miss America 1995; and Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951. Stockard recently completed her junior year at Auburn University, and is studying nursing. She was crowned Miss Alabama 2024 in June 2024. In a July interview, Stockard told the Opelika-Auburn News that winning the crown meant she would have to take a year off from Auburn University and put her senior year on hold. "Auburn really has made me into who I am today, like being a Tiger Paw but also being a nursing student. And for two years, I was a student recruiter. I fell in love with the university," Stockard said at the time. "I'm very sad to take a year away from it, but very grateful for the many skills such as networking, communication, all the things that I learned that further equipped me for my role as Miss Alabama." |
| Tax cut, anti-DEI & more: 5 things to watch for in the 2025 Kentucky legislative session | |
 | Kentucky's state legislature is about to take center stage. The GOP-led General Assembly kicks off its 30 day session Tuesday, and it's got a handful of priority items on its to-do list. What are their priorities? Two things seem clear: the Republicans will move swiftly on cutting the personal income tax rate once again and they will prioritize passing some form of legislation limiting diversity, equity and inclusion practices in education. Republicans in the statehouse have made it crystal clear: they're going to revive their efforts to legislate against diversity, equity and inclusion programs -- also known as "DEI" -- in higher education. Last year, a House-led effort to completely eradicate the programs from Kentucky public universities ran up against a softer effort from the Senate to limit certain practices in those institutions. The Senate bill was replaced with the contents of the House bill and the Senate could not agree on how to proceed before the clock ran out. The tea leaves leading up to session seem to indicate Republicans are more interested in eradication -- or at least severe limitation -- than something like the original Senate bill. Even though that effort fell short, some universities have responded by ceasing or reconfiguring their programs in 2024. The University of Kentucky eliminated its Office of Institutional Diversity and made several changes to training and hiring. |
| As Florida colleges change protest rules, some see voices stifled | |
| On the first day of the fall semester, a group of protesters clustered inside the Marshall Student Center, holding signs calling on the University of South Florida to divest its funds from companies that support Israel. They planned to stage a silent sit-in in the atrium of the building. But they were met by administrators, who reminded them of new policies the university had adopted. The protesters moved outside, where they silently held signs in the August sun as students walked past, most without taking much notice. "It's just stifling speech, that's what it is," Ria Sanchez, an organizer with the USF Divest Coalition, a student group that has been demonstrating since spring. "Because they can't tell you, 'You can't protest for Palestine,' they're defining the ways in which you can protest in the most narrow ways possible, so that you have the least amount of impact." In the months since pro-Palestine protests on college campuses captured the nation's attention, Florida's universities have implemented new rules that some feel target certain viewpoints. While the policies don't explicitly target protests, some are questioning the broader impact of what civic engagement is permitted on colleges. "Different schools tended to find a different balance," said Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression program manager Jessie Appleby, who has been involved in defending protesters' rights at the University of Florida. |
| New Oklahoma higher ed chancellor to focus on accessibility, affordability | |
| Chancellor Sean Burrage plans to use his experiences in Oklahoma education to get more students from the state interested in pursuing higher education. "I hope that we can spread the message that higher education is accessible in Oklahoma," Burrage said. "And the end result being a higher number of degree holders in Oklahoma, which in turn makes up a more educated workforce, which will drive the economy. So all this is about providing opportunity to Oklahomans and driving our economy." Burrage, sworn in Dec. 5, is the 10th chancellor to lead the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. This state system includes 25 state colleges and universities. Burrage outlined other priorities, including meeting workforce needs, working with the private sector and keeping tuition affordable during a recent interview with Oklahoma Voice. He said Blueprint 2030, the strategic plan by the regents to produce workforce-ready graduates by focusing on student success and improving system efficiency, sums up his priorities as chancellor. Burrage served on the planning committee for Blueprint 2030. Meeting workforce needs in Oklahoma, specifically in critical operations such as teachers, nurses and engineers, remains a priority. |
| U. of Missouri student leaders propose an online repository of syllabi | |
 | Student leaders are working with University of Missouri faculty to create an online repository of course outlines -- ideally, to make class structures more transparent ahead of semester scheduling. The Missouri Students Association proposed the voluntary syllabus bank to the MU Faculty Council on Dec. 5. Entirely optional for faculty, the bank would grant more information about assignments, structure, textbook requirements and class expectations before enrolling. "It's really about the students having more information so that they are able to make a more informed decision about the courses they are taking and how they are balancing their course schedule every semester," Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies Jim Spain said. This is not the first time MSA has discussed a syllabus bank with faculty, but concerns over intellectual property have hindered faculty buy-in. Syllabuses are the intellectual property of the faculty members who write them, and some at MU are concerned a repository online would share them with the world. MSA President Clay Van Eaton said the opt-in system proposed is a compromise aimed at the concern. He also said the bank would include a disclaimer that all syllabuses are subject to change and would require students to log-in with their MU credentials to access it, ensuring privacy. |
| The Rise of the Accelerated M.B.A. | |
| When the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management announced in November that it's launching a one-year master of business administration program next summer, it joined a growing number of business schools responding to prospective students' worries about the return on investment of a traditional two-year M.B.A. While the two-year M.B.A. has long been considered the gold standard of graduate business education, data suggests that may be changing. Between 2019 and 2024, the number of one-year M.B.A. programs in the United States, Canada and Latin America accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) increased from 131 to 210. Declining enrollments over the past several years have also pushed other big public universities -- including Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the Universities of Iowa, Connecticut and Illinois at Urbana-Champaign -- to move away from offering traditional two-year M.B.A.s and toward a mix of online, hybrid, part-time and accelerated options. "People are really noticing the cost of staying in school one year longer," said Stephanie Bryant, the AACSB's executive vice president and chief accreditation officer. "There's also a real desire for more flexibility, especially for people who are working full-time and getting their M.B.A. on the side." |
| Higher Ed's Grim New Normal: Overcoming demographic headwinds will require more than austerity | |
 | March will mark the fifth anniversary of when college campuses -- and nearly everything else in our lives -- shut down because of the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some things that stopped overnight have come roaring back to normal, other things feel stuck in a new normal. Downtown offices remain persistently vacant. Malls are eerily empty. And legacy media continues to shed viewers as it shifts from analog cable channels to the digital streaming platforms that were our homebound lifeline during the pandemic. Higher education hasn't found its post-pandemic footing either. A combination of the pandemic, skepticism about the value of the degree in a changing labor market, and last year's FAFSA debacle have all contributed to enrollment declines. The latest figures from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show that year-over-year enrollment of 18-year-old freshmen fell by 5 percent over all. A deeper look inside the numbers shows sharper declines among certain groups of students at particular types of colleges. So what happens next? As Hemingway once said about bankruptcy, it's gradual, then sudden. For higher education, the gradual part is in the rearview mirror. That was the last six years. The percentage of high-school graduates who go right on to college peaked at 70 percent in 2016. In 2022, the last year available, it dropped to 62 percent. That means hundreds of thousands of young people who are not in college. |
| Congress Failed to Pass WIOA Update. What Does That Mean for Higher Ed? | |
| A bipartisan effort to update the nation's workforce development law is dead, depriving hundreds of community colleges of increased funds and opportunities to cut through the red tape surrounding short-term job training. The Stronger Workforce for America Act would have given community colleges automatic eligibility to enter into training contracts with local workforce development offices, introduced a new federal grant and protected several existing programs from potential budget cuts in the new fiscal year. The bill's sponsors were hopeful that the bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act would pass Congress before the end of the year, as it was included in a wider spending package to fund the government. But when Republicans voiced opposition to the omnibus spending bill just over 24 hours before the government shutdown deadline, lawmakers reversed course. They instead passed a pared-down continuing resolution to fund the government through mid-March, and WIOA reauthorization didn't make the cut. Groups like the National Association of Workforce Boards and the American Association of Community Colleges say the death of the Stronger Workforce act won't kill their programs, but nonetheless they expressed concerns about how a lack of reauthorization makes their programs vulnerable. They are trying to remain hopeful that reauthorization will be a priority for this Congress. |
| A modern MTAG for a stronger Mississippi workforce | |
| James McHale, the president and CEO of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation and the Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation based in Jackson, writes for the Magnolia Tribune: In today's job market, the value of education beyond high school has never been clearer. Yet not all Mississippians have access to a state financial aid system that meets their unique needs and life circumstances. To effectively support and prepare our workforce, Mississippi must ensure that education in all its forms is within reach for everyone, from recent high school graduates to adult learners. Our state's economic health hinges on a well-prepared workforce, yet we continue to struggle to support those who are best positioned to contribute: adults who need to complete degrees or gain skills but face significant financial barriers. Updating our state financial aid programs, especially the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG), is essential to achieve this goal and drive workforce development. MTAG was designed to help residents afford education beyond high school, but in its current form -- which has not been updated since its creation by the Legislature in 1995 -- MTAG explicitly excludes many students. When MTAG was created, its $500 award for freshman and sophomore students represented a significant percentage of the average tuition at Mississippi's public colleges and universities. Adjusted for inflation, $500 in 1995 would equal roughly $1,000 today. The decline in relative value underscores the urgency of updating MTAG to meet the financial realities of modern students. |
SPORTS
| Men's Basketball: Five Things To Know: No. 14 State-Vanderbilt | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball begins a potential stretch of five consecutive NCAA NET Quad 1 contests as the Bulldogs travel to Vanderbilt for their SEC road opener on Tuesday evening at Memorial Gymnasium. The Bulldogs (13-1, 1-0 SEC) climbed to No. 14 in this week's Associated Press and to No. 13 in this week's USA Today Top 25 rankings which were released on Monday. Both marks are program-highs under Coach Chris Jans. State has won five of the last seven meetings over the Commodores going back to the 2018-19 season. Vanderbilt holds an 81-54 series edge on the strength of a 49-11 mark in Nashville. The two teams have protected their home courts in single meetings over the last three seasons after the road teams won on each other's floors as part of a season split in 2020-21. Last season, State dialed up 68-55 victory behind 25 points and 11 rebounds courtesy of Tolu Smith III who signed a two-way deal with the NBA's Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Bulldogs also received 11 points from Josh Hubbard and raced out to a 15-point advantage at halftime. |
| Mississippi State basketball vs. Vanderbilt: Prediction, picks for SEC game | |
| Mississippi State basketball began SEC play with a bang. Now the Bulldogs hit the road for a sneaky challenging road game. MSU (13-1, 1-0 SEC) plays at Vanderbilt (13-1, 1-0) on Tuesday (8 p.m., ESPNU). The Commodores have a new coach in Mark Byington, and they've already won four more games than last season. Vanderbilt won nonconference games against Cal, Virginia Tech and TCU. Its loss was against Drake on a neutral court. Vanderbilt beat LSU on the road 80-72 on Saturday. Mississippi State and Vanderbilt have no common opponents so far. Its resume puts it at No. 28 in the NCAA NET rankings as of Sunday, eighth in the SEC. The loss to Drake is Quad 2. Vanderbilt leads the SEC and ranks third nationally with 10.7 steals per game. It's the only team to have four players -- Tyler Tanner, Grant Huffman, Chris Manon and AJ Hoggard -- ranked in the top 25 in the SEC in steals per game. Three of Mississippi State's most difficult matchups have been decisive wins this season. MSU beat ranked Pittsburgh by 33 points, ranked Memphis by 13 points on the road and blew out South Carolina by 35 points on Saturday in the SEC opener. The win was MSU's largest margin of victory for a conference game in coach Chris Jans' three seasons. |
| Vanderbilt basketball vs. Mississippi State: Prediction, picks, injury updates | |
 | Vanderbilt basketball will face its first big SEC test of the season when it hosts Mississippi State. The Commodores (13-1, 1-0 SEC) and the No. 13 Mississippi State (13-1, 1-0) play Tuesday (8 p.m. CT, ESPNU) at Memorial Gymnasium. The two teams have combined for just one win over a ranked opponent with the Bulldogs winning at Memphis. Vanderbilt is led in scoring by Jason Edwards (18.3 points per game), while Mississippi State is led by Josh Hubbard (17.7 points). The Commodores are in their first year under coach Mark Byington, who has the team off to a strong start after the program parted ways with Jerry Stackhouse last offseason. Both Vanderbilt and Mississippi State rank in the top 10 nationally at avoiding turnovers on offense. But both defenses also focus on forcing turnovers. In particular, the Commodores rank 12th nationally at forcing turnovers, but they can struggle defensively at times when opponents are able to get shots off. Which offense is better able to stick to its ball-handling ways amid aggressive defense will determine a lot in the matchup. |
| The SEC proved its dominance during nonconference play. Now, it gets to start beating up on itself | |
| The SEC spent the first couple weeks of the men's college basketball season beating up on the rest of the nation, and the result was No. 1 Tennessee and second-ranked Auburn leading nine teams from the league into this week's AP Top 25. Now, after opening up conference play last weekend, they begin to beat each other up in earnest. The Vols hit the road to face eighth-ranked Florida on Tuesday, the same night sixth-ranked Kentucky heads to Georgia, which is among three more SEC teams receiving votes in the poll. On Wednesday, it is No. 23 Ole Miss visiting Arkansas -- which just fell out this week following a lopsided loss to Tennessee -- and No. 10 Texas A&M visiting No. 17 Oklahoma. Then comes what can only be described as Super Saturday: Among other games, the Vols head to Texas, No. 5 Alabama visits the Aggies, sixth-ranked Kentucky travels to No. 14 Mississippi State, the Gators head to Arkansas and Oklahoma visits Georgia. "In this league, every game you're going to play is going to be a hard game. Every one," said Arkansas coach John Calipari, whose team was whipped 76-52 by the Vols on Saturday, the first of three straight it will have against ranked SEC foes. |
| Dawgs Deliver Highest Semester GPA In School History | |
| Mississippi State's student-athletes achieved another record semester in the classroom for Fall 2024. The Bulldogs posted the highest departmental GPA on record with a 3.34. It marked MSU's 15th consecutive semester with a 3.0 or higher. "It's amazing to see our student-athletes continue taking their academic success to greater heights," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "Achievements like this are a testament to their incredibly hard work with the support of our coaches, academic and support staff, campus community and Bulldog Club membership. Semester after semester, Mississippi State student-athletes keep showcasing their ability to excel in the classroom, in life, and on the stages of competition." Football earned a program-record GPA with a 3.05. It was the second straight semester head coach Jeff Lebby's program accomplished that feat (earned a program-record 3.02 in Spring 2024). Baseball recorded a program-record GPA with a 3.5. Last month, 45 student-athletes earned their college degrees. Additionally, State student-athletes recorded an all-time high Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 93 percent according to the latest NCAA report. The Bulldogs also exceeded the NCAA's most recent benchmark Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 930 in all intercollegiate sport programs. |
| Athletics, Brent Rooker agree to 5-year, $60 million extension: Sources | |
 | The Athletics continued their post-Oakland spending spree on Monday night when they agreed to a five-year, $60 million extension with designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker, league sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. A vesting option could tack on a sixth year and would escalate the value of the deal to $90 million, which would be the largest in franchise history. It's a strong outcome for Rooker, 30, who emerged as one of baseball's top hitters after arriving in Oakland before the 2023 season as an unheralded waiver claim following stints with three different organizations. He is coming off a 39-home run season with the A's, who have been motivated to spend by more than mere competition. The lucrative extension fits a recent trend for the Athletics, who must increase their luxury tax payroll to around $105 million for next season to avoid a grievance from the Major League Baseball Players Association. The challenge would center on the team's spending and the rules about revenue sharing. The A's are entering their first season of what's expected to be a transition period in West Sacramento while the franchise's ballpark is built in its new permanent home, Las Vegas. |
| Sources: Brent Rooker reaches 5-year, $60M extension with A's | |
| Designated hitter Brent Rooker and the Athletics are in agreement on a five-year, $60 million contract extension, sources told ESPN late Monday night, continuing a winter of uncharacteristic spending with a long-term deal for the late-blooming slugger. Before he joined the A's in 2023, Rooker had bounced among three teams without finding consistent playing time. The A's saw Rooker blossom into an All-Star in his first season with them, a 10th-place MVP finisher last year and the receiver of the second-largest extension in franchise history. The A's, who will play in Sacramento for the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas after leaving Oakland, already had spent $67 million this winter to sign right-hander Luis Severino and added left-hander Jeffrey Springs in a trade with Tampa Bay. The deals, as well as Rooker's, continue to push the A's payroll toward the $100 million range. If they do not spend at least 1 1/2 times the revenue-sharing money they receive, the A's run the risk of a union grievance. The deal signals the latest in an attempt to rebuild after years of minuscule payrolls and lackluster results. Though the A's were a success story of a team that managed to succeed in spite of meager support from ownership, recent seasons with slashed payrolls have yielded awful results and coincided with vitriol toward owner John Fisher as A's bid the city of Oakland farewell. |
| More details released on Jackson State football championship parade | |
| Jackson State's Sonic Boom of the South marching band participated in its first Rose Parade last week and will now gear up for another parade, this time celebrating the accomplishments of the university's football team. The Tigers finished the 2024 season as HBCU national champions after winning the program's fourth title, defeating South Carolina State in the Cricket Celebration Bowl. Shortly after, it was announced the city of Jackson would be helping the team celebrate with a parade slated for Jan. 17. No further details were announced at the time. But now, more information has begun to trickle in. According to both university and city officials, the parade will be held downtown beginning at 6 p.m. After the festivities, an official afterparty and fundraiser will take place at M-Bar Sports Grill. Jackson State finished on the right side of history when it defeated South Carolina State 28-7 on Dec. 14 for the university's first Celebration Bowl victory since the game was created in 2015. The annual matchup between SWAC and MEAC champions serves as the equivalent of the national championship for historically Black colleges and universities who opt out of the FCS playoffs. |
| Paid to lose, college basketball's worst team takes the L's to make ends meet | |
| A sweat-drenched Donovan Sanders returned to the bench for a timeout late in the first half, looked up at the scoreboard, and saw his team in a familiar position: Down by 18 points against BYU, its hopes of victory already dashed. "We just need an 8-0 run," the Mississippi Valley State men's basketball captain shouted, earnest in his belief that it could happen, not wanting to acknowledge the reality that it almost never does. MVSU is the country's worst college basketball team. It's a poor program financially, and plays nearly its entire nonconference schedule on the road, where the Delta Devils haven't won a nonconference game in more than 18 years. Why do they do it? Money. MVSU traverses the country for "buy games" against juggernaut programs who routinely win by 50 points or more, the suffering funding the school's entire athletic department. Sanders is like many of his teammates. Happy to be there, thankful for the chance to play at the highest level, and desperate to win. His only Division I offer came from MVSU. They try to relish the moment, even if they're ill-equipped for it. The team had woken up at 2 a.m. the morning prior, driven out of Mississippi to Memphis, then flown to Salt Lake City, where the players bussed to their hotel in Orem for their game on Nov. 23 at BYU. After a brief rest, film study, team dinner, and a two-plus hour practice in high altitude, their elongated day wrapped up 21 hours after it began. Such is life for the Delta Devils, who crisscross the nation with the odds perpetually stacked against them. Forced to play elite programs just to make ends meet. They're the Washington Generals of college basketball, paid to lose spectacularly every time they take the court. |
| Justin LeBlanc named new Millsaps athletic director | |
| Millsaps College has a new leader of its athletics program in Justin LeBlanc -- a familiar face with an established track record of success as a coach for the Majors. In addition to serving as the head women's basketball coach since 2016, LeBlanc has also worked as an associate athletic director in the athletic department. "Justin embodies the values and spirit of Millsaps," Millsaps president Frank Neville said. "His demonstrated success as both a coach and administrator, combined with his deep connection to our institution as an alumnus, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our athletic department into its next chapter." The 2006 Millsaps alum recently led the women's basketball program to their first Division III NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, setting a program record for single-season wins in the process. LeBlanc, who also holds a master's in sports administration from Southern Miss, takes over the post after previous athletic director Aaron Pelch stepped down from to take the position of vice president of enrollment at the college in Jackson. |
| BOMA butt heads over NIL donation | |
| A relatively new addition to NCAA sports has been making waves since first going into effect July 1, 2021, and this week the ripples made their way into a Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) meeting. In a 2-1 vote, BOMA approved a $1,000 sponsorship for Ken Clark on behalf of Friends of KC-1400 Inc. dba KC-1400 Collective for NIL Jackson State Football Fundraiser pursuant to Section 17-3-1 and Section 17-3-3 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended. While Mayor George Flaggs Jr. and Ward 1 Alderman Thomas "T.J." Mayfield voted in favor of approving two $500 tickets for the fundraiser, Ward 2 Alderman Alex Monsour voiced his reservations about spending taxpayer money on anything related to NIL. "I would like to explain why I'm voting no, and it has nothing to do with Jackson State University," Monsour said. "In my opinion, I think that NIL has put universities like Jackson State, Alcorn State, Southern Miss, and so many other universities, in a bad situation to where they are having to raise money in order to pay for players. Another reason is I don't think it's incumbent on the City of Vicksburg to pick one university when we have five in the state and to put that money towards NIL and purchasing players. I don't think the taxpayers' money should be used for that purpose itself." |
| House Republicans prioritize bill to restrict transgender students' sports participation | |
| House Republicans signaled last week that one of their top legislative priorities will be passing a bill that would restrict transgender students' participation in sports. House lawmakers last week outlined 12 priority pieces of legislation for the Republican-controlled chamber, including the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The bill would amend Title IX to prohibit federally funded colleges or K-12 schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on sports teams aligning with their gender identity. Rep. Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, reintroduced the bill Friday with the backing of 56 other GOP lawmakers. Lawmakers plan to consider the proposed legislation on the House floor in the "coming weeks," according to a recent announcement from House Speaker Mike Johnson. Steube has been attempting to pass the anti-transgender proposal for several years. In 2023, House lawmakers passed the bill, 219-203, but Senate lawmakers never voted on companion legislation in their chamber. GOP lawmakers may have an easier time passing the proposal now that they have control of the presidency, the Senate and the House. "Republicans have promised to protect women's sports, and under President Trump's leadership, we will fulfill this promise," Steube said in a Friday statement. |
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