| Monday, January 27, 2025 |
| Livestock meets lawn care: MSU sheep maintaining solar facility grounds | |
 | Mississippi State University is putting a new twist on solar facility maintenance -- trading lawnmowers for sheep. These eco-friendly groundskeepers are munching away, keeping the grass trimmed, and it's a potentially sustainable solution that's as practical as it is clever, proving that sometimes the best innovations are as old as the hills. Scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, or MAFES, are leading a research experiment, studying the possibility of sheep managing the field at the solar installation, located on MSU's main campus. As the largest on-campus solar facility in the SEC, it contains 3,420 solar panels that produce millions of kilowatts of energy annually. This renewable energy project continues as the researchers experiment with sheep to maintain the plant growth as opposed to traditional lawn care. During this trial period, 10 sheep are grazing in the field, which can prove cumbersome for traditional lawn care maneuvering around large solar panels. Jim Bo Hearnsberger, associate director of campus grounds for MSU Campus Services, discussed project insights. "This low labor-intensive management strategy allows the university to cut down the manual labor required to take care of the space. Because of the solar panels, it would require much hands-on weeding and intense mowing to properly maintain the grounds," said Hearnsberger. |
| MSU band director receives prestigious award | |
 | Mississippi State University director of bands Elva Kaye Lance has been named Magnolia State's Outstanding Band Director of the Year. The award is given by the Mississippi chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity to recognize outstanding work in the profession. A veteran music educator with more than 30 years of university service, Lance has led MSU's band program through the completion of a multimillion-dollar rehearsal facility, construction of a new synthetic turf practice field and student enrollment growth. This year's Famous Maroon Band boasts more than 400 members representing nearly 200 high schools from 15 states. "It is humbling to have your work recognized and supported by your colleagues. All of us who are fortunate enough to spend our career working with students recognize that awards of this nature really are awards that honor the work of our students. Without their talent, cooperation and commitment, we just have ideas. They bring our ideas to life. It is my pleasure to serve our university and to work with the outstanding students and directors we have in our band program at Mississippi State University," Lance said. |
| MSU's Lance named Mississippi Outstanding Band Director of the Year | |
| Elva Kaye Lance, Mississippi State's director of bands, is the Magnolia State's Outstanding Band Director of the Year for the second time in her career. The award is given by the Mississippi chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity to recognize outstanding work in the profession. It was established in 1938 by longtime Texas music educator Earl D. Irons. Lance also received the award in 2015 as well as the organization's Mississippi Outstanding Contributor to Bands award in 2017. "It is humbling to have your work recognized and supported by your colleagues," Lance said. "All of us who are fortunate enough to spend our career working with students recognize that awards of this nature really are awards that honor the work of our students. Without their talent, cooperation and commitment, we just have ideas. They bring our ideas to life. It is my pleasure to serve our university and to work with the outstanding students and directors we have in our band program at Mississippi State University." "Elva Kaye is a consummate professional and a leader within our profession, not just in Mississippi but nationally," said Daniel Stevens, professor and head of the Department of Music. "This is a very well-deserved honor." |
| Frostbite's 40th year draws more than 1,000 runners | |
| Hundreds of runners lined up Saturday morning on Main Street at the starting line of each of the 2025 Starkville Frostbite races. Following their respective countdowns and blow of a nearby fire engine's horn, the racers took off running in the half marathon, 10K and 5K races. Brad Jones, co-race director for the Frostbite, said this was the largest number of runners the Frostbite races have ever drawn, fitting for the event's 40th year. "We've got for the first time ever over 1,000 registrants this year," Jones said. "We're pretty excited about that. They keep coming out. I think we give them a good community event to come and support, and I think that's why people keep coming." Jones took over organizing the event from OCH Regional Medical Center 10 years ago, he said. At that time, the Frostbite expanded the event to make it a true "Starkville event," including adding the 10K and 5K races and changing the race route to its current location -- winding through Starkville's historic district, the Cotton District and Mississippi State University. The Frostbite brings together a community of both die-hard fans and newcomers, Jones said, along with attracting runners from all over to Starkville. This year, he said, racers came from Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina and even Alaska to run the race. |
| The MAX names its fifth class of Hall of Fame inductees | |
| The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) presented its fifth class of Hall of Fame inductees during a ceremony last Thursday night at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian. The new members are folklorist William "Bill" Ferris, historian and novelist Shelby Foote, poet Natasha Trethewey, and singer-songwriters Bobbie Gentry and Mac McAnally. The open-to-the-public awards ceremony included tributes to the five artists, with musical performances by McAnally, Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band, and Tricia Walker. Robert St. John, restaurateur, writer, and co-founder of the Institute for Southern Storytelling at Mississippi College, served as master of ceremonies. After the ceremony, guests attended a cocktail reception at The MAX (just two blocks away) where Mississippi's emerging talent -- students at the Mississippi School of the Arts, presented performances in dance, visual art, music, theater, and film. The Hall of Fame is the centerpiece of The MAX, the state's 50,000-square-foot arts and cultural center. It's devoted to celebrating Mississippi's arts and entertainment legacy while nurturing future creatives. "From writings about Civil War history and social change to chart-topping songs and blues documentation, the works of these trailblazing individuals warrant celebration," said MAX President and CEO Penny Kemp. "We invite Mississippians, along with visitors to the state, to learn about these and other Hall of Fame members. Their stories are especially inspiring to young people, and we share them with great pride." |
| Drying out: Wine sales continue to fall, along with beer and liquor | |
 | Whatever was left of the pandemic-driven sales boom for wine and spirits has since been chipped away by multiple factors, including inflation. Wine sales have experienced the biggest declines. According to the latest industry figures from SipSource, U.S. wine sales last year fell 6% from 2023. In addition, data from NIQ shows sales for beer, cider and spirits also have decreased. Area liquor stores said they've noticed the slow but steady decline. "It's definitely fallen off since 2020," said Marina Castilho, manager of Western Wine and Liquor in Tupelo. "It was really good then because everybody needed their stuff as they were staying inside and desperate to get it. Now it's going back to kind of steady." According to an NBC report, wine industry scholar Mike Veseth, the author of several books and The Wine Economist newsletter, said generational trends also contributed to the drop in wine consumption. And a 2023 Gallup poll showed that younger Americans drank less than previous generations. "The baby boom generation embraced wine," Veseth said. "We imagined that the generations that followed would keep doing that, but they haven't." |
| Senate Elections chairman hopeful early voting bill will be viewed favorably in House | |
| State Senator Jeremy England (R) is hopeful that his early voting bill will be viewed favorably by his colleagues across the Capitol this session after a joint committee hearing was held last fall to vet the issue further. England, chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, told Magnolia Tribune on Friday that his bill -- SB 2654 -- is similar to the legislation he filed in 2024. That bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 44 to 8, ultimately died in the House. State Representative Noah Sanford (R), chairman of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee, said at the time that killing the bill was not entirely due to an opposition of early voting, but the need for more information on how the process would work. Senator England is proposing Mississippi implement 15 days of early voting prior to an Election Day, excluding Sundays and ending the Saturday before the scheduled election. The measure would eliminate the need for in-person absentee voting, but mail-in absentee voting would still be accessible. "With the extensive national news coverage we saw in the last Presidential Election and the huge early voting turnouts nationwide, we had many Mississippians showing up at their clerks' offices asking to early vote," Senator England said. "They were disappointed when they were told we don't have early voting in Mississippi, and they were turned away." England said this is now at the point where being one of only three states without early voting is causing confusion and frustration in elections. |
| Mississippi state agency head announced as vice president of national nonprofit | |
| Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director Chris Wells has been tabbed to hold a leadership role for a major national nonprofit. In addition to overseeing regulations regarding air, water, and waste management activities in Mississippi, Wells will also act as the vice president of the Environmental Council of States (ECOS). The nonprofit is a nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders. According to the ECOS' website, the organization's purpose is to improve the capability of state environmental agencies and their leaders to protect and improve human health and the environment of the U.S. As vice president, Wells will be tasked with shaping discussions on critical environmental priorities like state capacity, water and energy infrastructure, and advancing the circular economy. Wells was appointed to head the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality by Governor Tate Reeves in October 2020. He began his career with the agency in 2007, providing legal support for the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Division until 2014, when he was appointed to the chief of staff position. |
| Will new state-appointed Jackson court have city-based jurists? Yes, chief justice decides | |
| In 2023 as lawmakers were passing the bill that would establish a state-appointed court within Jackson, there was talk about appointing "the best and the brightest" judges from around the state to serve -- a comment some Black legislators said implied they couldn't be found within a majority Black Hinds County. Over a year later, the Capitol Complex Improvement District Court is set to open next week, and three judges with roots in Jackson and live in the capital have been appointed to serve. The judges who were sworn in during a Friday ceremony said they were interested in the positions because they wanted to serve the community where many of them grew up and live. "This is a very serious undertaking to citizens who live in this city," said Judge Christopher Collins, who will serve on a part-time basis. He moved to Jackson for the role. Judge Stanley Alexander and James Holland will be the full-time judges. Alexander is a former assistant district attorney in multiple judicial districts and he worked in the attorney general's office, including as director of the Division of Public Integrity. Holland has practiced law for over 40 years and has trial experience, including defense in state and federal courts. At the Friday ceremony, Gov. Tate Reeves said the court and the ongoing work of Capitol Police will help make Jackson safer. "Make no mistake. Jackson's best days are ahead of us," he said. |
| The FBI is urging the public to be aware of the terrorist organization 764 | |
 | The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are warning the public about the rise of an online terrorist group, 764. The group has been found to operate on online platforms such as Discord and Telegram and members have been found guilty of exploiting children between the ages of eight to 17. The numbers 7-6-4 represent the zip code of the original creator of the group, Bradley Cadenhead, who was from Texas. In 2023, he was found guilty of possessing child pornography and sentenced to 80 years in prison. FBI Special Agent Robert Eikhoff, who's in charge of the Jackson field office, says the agency discovered traces of the organization in Mississippi through graffiti. "At first it was viewed as normal graffiti, but it was forwarded to us through local law enforcement," he said. "As we had a chance to review it, we noticed that there's particular symbology in there, basically 7-6-4." Also called "the CVLT," 764 targets and grooms children, manipulating them into sharing violent and sexually explicit material of themselves. Rhonda Davis is the deputy director of Hinds Behavioral Health Services. She says parents should pay close attention to the mental health of their children. "These groups are targeting people and children in particular who are vulnerable, who may be experiencing some type of mental health issue that could be symptoms of depression, isolation, low self-esteem, a need to feel connected and need to have attention," she said. |
| Exclusive: D.A. Colom's judicial nomination a casualty of 'DC politics' | |
| Scott Colom keeps a folder in his office desk full of letters supporting his ill-fated nomination for federal judge. They come from area attorneys, law enforcement agents and about 30 victims in cases the 16th Circuit district attorney has prosecuted since he was first elected in 2015. Since former President Joe Biden first nominated Colom, a fellow Democrat, in October 2022, even state Republican leaders like U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, 1st District U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly and former governors Phil Bryant and Haley Barbour voiced their support for his consideration. In the end, none of it moved the needle, and Colom's nomination died without the Senate even giving him a hearing. "It just did not seem to matter how much local (or state) support I had. It was only D.C. politics," Colom told The Dispatch in an exclusive interview Thursday. "... I tried everything I could to get across the finish line because I wanted to be of service. But I just couldn't make it happen." It's the first time Colom has spoken publicly about his nomination, since both the Biden White House and judicial canons restricted what he could say during the vetting process. Each year, nominations must be resubmitted for federal judicial nominees. Colom does not anticipate President Donald Trump will nominate him. "There will be a new nominee for that seat, and I wish that person the best," he said. "I hope they find someone who is really focused on ... North Mississippi and is really invested in that." |
| Senate confirms Hegseth as next Defense secretary | |
 | A divided Senate voted 51-50 on Friday, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, to confirm Pete Hegseth as America's next Defense secretary, narrowly beating back concerns about the nominee's personal and professional record. Three GOP senators -- Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska -- voted no, requiring Vance to cast his first tie-breaking vote in his role as president of the Senate. Friday's vote marks only the second time a vice president broke a tie on a confirmation vote for a cabinet member. The previous instance occurred during Trump's first term, when then-Vice President Mike Pence cast the 51st vote for Betsy DeVos to become secretary of Education. The vote reflected the partisan split in the chamber and the broader divide in the body politic. Hegseth's bid has sparked fierce Democratic opposition, while Republicans have -- with only three exceptions in the Senate -- widely acceded to President Donald Trump's choice. McConnell, for his part, never let on about his decision on Hegseth before he cast his vote. But in a statement just after the confirmation, McConnell suggested Hegseth lacked the professional qualifications for the job. The former Senate GOP leader said running the Pentagon effectively is a daily test and added: "Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test." |
| Trump says inflation isn't his No. 1 issue. So what will happen to consumer prices? | |
 | Two months ago, in his first network television interview after the election, Donald Trump said he owed his victory to Americans' anger over immigration and inflation, specifically the rising cost of groceries. "When you buy apples, when you buy bacon, when you buy eggs, they would double and triple the price over a short period of time," he told NBC's "Meet the Press. "And I won an election based on that. We're going to bring those prices way down." But in Trump's first week back in the White House, there was little in his initial blitz of executive orders that directly tackled those prices, besides directing federal agencies to start "pursuing appropriate actions." He is taking steps to lower energy costs, something that Trump hopes will have ripple effects throughout the economy. Otherwise, his focus has been clamping down on immigration, which he described as his "No. 1 issue" shortly after taking the oath of office. "They all said inflation was the No. 1 issue. I said, 'I disagree,'" Trump said. "I talked about inflation too, but how many times can you say that an apple has doubled in cost?" Trump is banking on voters giving him a pass and continuing to blame former President Joe Biden for high prices. The Republican's comments reflect the reality that presidents have almost no levers to reduce inflation quickly without causing collateral damage to other parts of the economy. |
| Vance: Gas, grocery prices 'are going to come down,' but it will 'take a little bit of time' | |
 | Vice President Vance said in an interview on CBS News's "Face the Nation" with Margaret Brennan that prices will start coming down, but it might not happen immediately. "Prices are going to come down, but it's going to take a little bit of time," Vance told Brennan in an interview that aired Sunday. "The president has been president for all of five days. I think that in those five days, he's accomplished more than Joe Biden did in four years." "It's been an incredible breakneck pace of activity. We're going to work with Congress. We're of course going to have more executive orders," he said. Brennan noted that President Trump and Vance campaigned on lowering grocery prices for Americans. Asked which of the executive orders that Trump signed when taking office addresses prices, Vance said several "have caused, already, jobs to start coming back into our country, which is a core part of lowering prices." "More capital investment, more job creation in our economy, is one of the things that's going to drive down prices for all consumers, but also raise wages so that people can afford to buy the things that they need," he continued. Addressing energy prices will also help bring down everyday costs, Vance continued. |
| Trump Tries to Forge 'Golden Age' Economy of Self-Reliance and Defiance | |
 | Trade-war threats. Sweeping deportation plans. A declared "energy emergency." President Trump's whirlwind return to office has brought into focus his vision for what he calls a new "Golden Age" of America. A deluge of executive orders and directives in the administration's first week shows a drive toward a more self-reliant economy that makes more products at home, pumps out more of its own oil and gas and employs more U.S. workers. A potentially leaner, meaner government at the center of it all is already throwing the country's weight around -- even against longtime allies -- in the hope of bending global trade to America's will. "We will be the envy of every nation," Trump said in his inaugural address Monday. "And we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer." In discussing possible tariffs that could upend some U.S. companies' supply chains and other countries' entire economies, Trump has likened his approach to that of President William McKinley, a Republican leader during an era known as the "Gilded Age" -- a period of rapid industrialization after the Civil War that created tremendous wealth for America, but was marked by rampant inequality. "President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent," Trump said Monday, pledging to rename Denali, North America's tallest mountain peak, for the 25th president. "He was a natural businessman." |
| Democrats' approach to Trump this time is much quieter | |
 | When President Donald Trump signed the pardons of Jan. 6 defendants, many 2028 Democratic hopefuls didn't acknowledge it. And few got sucked into an outrage cycle over Elon Musk's straight-arm gesture during Trump's inauguration celebration. This week provided some clues about an emerging approach that's coming to define Democrats at the outset of Trump's second administration, firmly breaking with its fury-fueled resistance roots of 2017. Instead, Democratic state and congressional leaders are primarily looking for openings to attack the president, while promising bipartisanship and trying to model a Democratic alternative in the states. In interviews with more than a dozen Democratic elected officials and strategists, they explained the shift as evidence of a party reorienting itself after sweeping losses and biding its time until public sentiment potentially turns against Trump. That's because they are in less friendly territory than in 2017. Trump won the popular vote and all 50 states shifted right in 2024. Thirteen House Democrats are now sitting in districts Trump won last November, but another 50 represent seats that Kamala Harris won by 9 points or less. Just a few thousand showed up to protest Trump's inauguration. Democrats are "being more measured because people are just so tired, so there isn't the energy to stay at an 11 for the next four years," said Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. |
| ICE agents arrest 20 undocumented immigrants in Mississippi, days after Trump's mass deportation plan announced | |
 | Days after President Donald Trump announced his Mass Deportation Plan, nearly two dozen immigrant arrests were reported in a Mississippi county. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order that would give the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency the authority to arrest undocumented immigrants who are in the country illegally. Agents with ICE arrested 20 individuals on Tuesday and Wednesday for illegal entry-alien, meaning a foreign-born person entered the United States without authorization or stayed longer than allowed. All of the arrestees, who are of Hispanic and Asian nationalities, are currently housed at the Madison County Detention Center. It is unclear what specific areas the arrests were made. According to an August 2024 report from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor, there are roughly 22,000 undocumented migrants in the state. At this time, the arrests do not appear to be part of a large-scale raid such as the one conducted in 2019, when hundreds of immigration officials descended upon seven food processing plants in Mississippi and arrested about 680 people suspected of living and working in the country without permission. |
| Ole Miss journalism professor teaching Bob Dylan and the South course this semester | |
| Students interested in the life and music of Bob Dylan, and particularly how his career has intersected with the American South, have an opportunity to study just that this semester at the University of Mississippi. Dr. R.J. Morgan, instructional associate professor of journalism and director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association, has worked at Ole Miss since 2013. He oversees the Talbert Fellows, an honors cohort in the School of Journalism and New Media, and he typically teaches introductory and intermediate writing, reporting and mass media classes. But this semester, the 41-year-old instructor is teaching a course called Bob Dylan and the South, in which he'll use music and media, relying not just on Dylan's songs but newspaper accounts, magazine articles and interviews to understand the icon and his relationship with the region. "We're having some really interesting discussions, and everybody is able to bring their discipline to the stew," Morgan said. "We're all kind of learning from each other in that sense. That's my favorite way to teach." The class will culminate in a final project in which students will create their own piece of original media about some aspect of Dylan and the South. |
| How Jim Barksdale's $100 million gift 25 years ago changed the course of Mississippi public education | |
| This week marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark contribution of $100 million by Jim Barksdale to improve reading skills in Mississippi. Standing with state education officials on Jan. 20, 2000, in the old Central High School auditorium in downtown Jackson, Barksdale and his late wife Sally announced their historic gift that would launch the Barksdale Reading Institute, which would create an innovative reading program that would be implemented in public schools across the state. The contribution, still one of the largest in the state's history, made headlines across America and the world. Slate Magazine listed the contribution by Barksdale, former head of internet software provider Netscape, as the sixth largest in the nation for 2000. The New York Times, which praised the Barksdales on its editorial page, wrote at the time that the contribution was "thought by authorities to be by far the largest in the field of literacy." The $100 million gift not only provided tangible benefits to Mississippi's schools and children, but it provided a critical symbolic boost to public education in the state. Barksdale's brother, Claiborne, who ran the Barksdale Reading Institute that was created with the contribution, said that Jim and Sally Barksdale viewed their action as a $100 million investment in Mississippi and its children, not as a gift. If positive results were not being achieved, the Barksdales were prepared to halt the program and invest their money in other beneficial ways. |
| Arkansas higher education enrollment up, but lags behind pre-pandemic levels | |
| Arkansas higher education enrollment is improving but has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. 155,446 students were enrolled in Arkansas higher education in Fall 2024, a 3.1% increase from Fall 2023, with nearly 5,000 additional students. However, this is still below the 156,066 students enrolled in Fall 2019 before the pandemic. Public four-year universities reported 96,695 students in Fall 2024, exceeding the 95,709 students in Fall 2019. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville also had a record over 33,000 students enrolled. Despite these gains, Arkansas Tech, Henderson State, Southern Arkansas University-Magnolia, UA Pine Bluff and UA Fort Smith experienced enrollment declines, according to the report. Public two-year colleges grew by 5% from Fall 2023 but are still below pre-pandemic levels. Arkansas high school enrollment in higher education grew by 1,392 students (6.7%), reaching a record high. However, Arkansas's College-Going Rate was only 41.9%, compared to the national average of 62%. Four-year Arkansas institutions increased tuition and fees by an average of 4%, and two-year colleges by 4.6% for the 2024-25 school year. |
| Georgia university system chief reports enrollment growth with new recruiting program | |
| If you're a Georgia college or technical student, it may be getting easier to find a study buddy -- the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia are both seeing significant increases in enrollment, agency heads said at a House budget meeting Thursday. Chancellor Sonny Perdue said last fall saw enrollment increases at all 26 USG institutions over 2023 for a total of 5.9% growth of just over 20,000 students. The school with the largest proportional gain was the University of West Georgia, where the student body swelled by 12.7%, or 1,625 students. Georgia Tech followed with 11.3% growth, or 5,402 students, surpassing Georgia State University to become the USG institution with the highest number of enrolled students. Compared with the fall 2020 semester, USG institutions have grown by 6.8%, but 11 institutions are at a lower enrollment than they were that year. Perdue credited the growth in part to the Georgia Match program, launched in 2023, which mails out letters to high school students with financial and enrollment information on Georgia colleges and technical schools they are qualified for based on their GPAs. "We think we're getting some of those students who, college may not have been on their mind at all, and helping them change their lives for the future," Perdue said. |
| Pause in federal research funding might affect U. of Missouri researchers | |
 | University of Missouri researchers might face challenges due to a halt in operations at major research funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health. In a wave of executive actions, the Trump administration froze communications from public health agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services. After the directive was issued Tuesday, the HHS and affiliated agencies, such as the NIH, paused their advisory committees. The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical and behavioral research, with an annual budget exceeding $47 billion. Without advisory committee meetings, the agency is unable to issue new research grants, and travel restrictions are in place until at least Feb. 1. The awarding of grants, loans, funding opportunities and cost-sharing agreements by the Department of Energy has also been paused in accordance with a memo issued Monday by the Trump administration. "It is our understanding that these actions are temporary but may be expanded to other federal agencies," said an email Friday from MU's Office of Research, Innovation & Impact. "We recognize that these interruptions may create challenges, particularly for researchers who rely on federal funding." |
| Universities Brace for Funding Cuts as Congress Considers Reconciliation | |
 | As Republicans on Capitol Hill look to potentially spend billions on mass deportations, tax cuts and other Trump administration priorities, the House GOP is hunting for ways to save money elsewhere. But some of the slashes they're suggesting could harm colleges, universities and the students they serve, higher ed advocates say. Potential cuts could include repealing Biden's student loan forgiveness and repayment plans, increasing the scope and rate of endowment taxes, requiring colleges to help pay back student loans, and establishing penalties for colleges that violate Jewish students' civil rights, according to a list released Jan. 17 by Punchbowl News. Higher ed policy experts cautioned that the list is in flux but said it offers a good idea of what's on the table for potential cuts. Over all, the list includes nearly $13 trillion in potential savings over the next 10 years, though some of the items on the list still lack cost or savings estimates and some of the estimates are considered informal. Of that, $2.1 trillion comes from provisions that in some way impact higher education, according to a list from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. "There are a number of proposals on the menu that would be harmful for students and institutions of higher education that have made great progress in bringing costs down. So we're concerned," said Craig Lindwarm, APLU's senior vice president for governmental affairs. |
| Trump Singled Out These 130 Colleges as Possible Targets for Investigation. Is Yours on the List? | |
 | In a sweeping executive order aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, President Donald J. Trump directed each federal agency to "identify up to nine potential civil rights compliance investigations" of various organizations, including higher-education institutions with endowments over $1 billion. Trump's directive was included in a section about ending diversity programs and hiring practices in the private sector. However, the order doesn't specify that only private colleges would be scrutinized as part of these investigations. The order doesn't define DEI but asserts that DEI efforts violate civil-rights laws because institutions use such policies to promote "dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences." The document also withdrew the decades-old executive order that required colleges to adopt fair-hiring practices, known as equal employment opportunity. Several of Trump's other executive actions have already drawn legal challenges. Per the DEI order, federal investigations of higher-education institutions and other organizations will be part of a "strategic enforcement plan" developed by each agency to go after diversity efforts. Those plans will also include identifying "the most egregious and discriminatory DEI practitioners in each sector of concern" as well as potential lawsuits and regulatory actions, the order states. |
| Trump's anti-DEI push puts top colleges in the crosshairs | |
| Universities now find themselves at the frontlines of President Trump's war against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. An executive order this week instructed federal institutions to investigate DEI programs at schools with endowments of more than $1 billion endowments. Experts say the schools need to be "prepared to fight" as Trump has long been willing to target higher education. "This is really just the first salvo, and I think colleges should be very concerned, and I think they should be prepared to fight," said Jeremy Young, director of state and higher education policy at PEN America. Out of the more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S., only a couple hundred hold endowments over $1 billion, including top-ranked schools such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale. After the investigations, it is unclear how Trump will proceed, whether issuing another executive order on the issue or trying to get legislative action passed through Congress. It is almost certain though that the investigations will not be the last presidential action regarding the issue, and schools are already aware of that. |
SPORTS
| McKinnis Family Makes $2 Million Gift To Mississippi State Athletics | |
| Bo and Nikki McKinnis, longtime supporters of Mississippi State from Nashville, Tennessee, have invested $2 million to help strengthen the athletic department's competitive resources. The news was shared Friday by MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon. This gift to the State Excellence Fund will further drive the momentum of Mississippi State Athletics and support the dedicated efforts to elevate the department and its athletic programs to new heights. "First and foremost, Bo has been a tremendous friend and advisor during my time getting to know him," Selmon said. "He is a great man, and we are so fortunate to have him as a part of the Mississippi State Family. This thoughtful gift is one of many examples that highlight Bo and Nikki's solution-oriented approach and their unrelenting generosity to uplifting those around them. We are incredibly thankful." As Mississippi State continues to adapt for the new era of college athletics, this support and investment will enhance student-athlete resources and provide athletic benefits in a highly competitive environment. "Mississippi State has meant a tremendous amount to our family," McKinnis said. "The education, the friendships, and the memories are priceless. I've seen the work Zac and our head coaches are performing to position us to achieve and maintain success on a national level in all sports. We're happy to give back to State to help provide Zac and his team with the resources to succeed. We hope other Bulldog fans join us in choosing to invest in the future of Mississippi State. Whether it is through sharing positivity about our sport programs or making a gift, regardless of the amount, each act will help propel us forward." |
| MLB agent makes $2 million donation to Mississippi State athletics | |
| Mississippi State received another boost to its athletics department on Friday with the gift of $2 million coming from a pair of longtime Bulldog supporters. Bo and Nikki McKinnis, who now live in Tennessee but continue to wear their maroon and white proudly, made the hefty donation to the State Excellence Fund on Friday. The fundraising initiative, formerly known as the Bulldog Club, is dedicated to supporting student-athlete resources along with recruiting and retaining talent. Bo received his bachelor's degree in accounting from Mississippi State, where he also served as student manager for the baseball team. He currently serves as president of the Bulldog Club Board of Directors and is a member of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors. Bo owns McKinnis Sports Management in Nashville and has represented over 100 MLB players. He became the first and only agent in 2012 to represent both Cy Young Award winners in the same year when the Tampa Bay Rays' David Price and the New York Mets' R.A. Dickey earned the honor for best pitcher in their respective league. According to Bo, his family's ongoing support of Mississippi State is the least they can do for a university that has done so much for them. |
| Zac Selmon's vision for Mississippi State: A bold plan to elevate Athletics | |
| Mississippi State's Director of Athletics Zac Selmon entered his first job as the head man of a department at a time where the college sports landscape is changing like never before. In the last two years alone, Name, Image and Likeness has now evolved into revenue sharing for athletic departments. At MSU, the Bulldogs have dealt with two new head football coaches in as many years along with the challenge of fundraising and keeping up with the rest of the SEC. While there have been trying times for State during Selmon's tenure, there have been some highs as well. The Bulldogs won the school's first SEC championship in soccer this past season while the women's golf team earned the first SEC Tournament championship. Chris Jans and the basketball team got to its second-straight NCAA Tournament, men's tennis remained strong nationally and most of the sports on campus were competitive. Selmon spoke on many of those things and more on Friday in his personal reflections he released on Friday on the Athletics website. Along with the reflections that Selmon shared, he also had a vision for the future. Selmon and his staff have also been working with architecture firm HOK to create a master plan to hopefully be completed across the next 10 years. "In addition to revenue sharing and increased benefits for student-athletes, we must continue to be strategic and precise in how we approach facility enhancements," Selmon said. |
| Mississippi State unveils 10-year facilities plan, including renovations to Davis Wade Stadium | |
| Mississippi State unveiled a 10-year master plan on Friday with visions specifically for the future of the athletic facilities. The 145-page document includes project plans for 15 buildings across campus. That includes renovations for Davis Wade Stadium, the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, Humphrey Coliseum and Dudy Noble Field. In conjunction, MSU athletics director Zac Selmon said in a news release that the athletic department received 40 major gift commitments in December while its annual average is 60. Later Friday, the Bulldogs announced they received a $2 million donation from Bo and Nikki McKinnis. Improvements to Dudy Noble Field, home of MSU baseball, include new suites, a widened concourse, an additional loft building in left field and a party deck in center field. A restaurant that's open year-round is also planned. It would be in right field. An indoor practice facility is planned for the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex. According to the renderings, it would be built where the existing turf practice field is. The Clarion Ledger reported in November that Mississippi State was approved by the Institutions of Higher Learning board to initiate the indoor practice facility project. Other details for the football practice facility include a recovery area, players lounge, expanded nutrition area and new mental health meeting room. |
| Men's Basketball: Bulldogs give up 14-point lead but beat South Carolina in overtime | |
| For the second straight Saturday, Mississippi State let a game get to overtime after never trailing in regulation. And for the second straight Saturday, the Bulldogs escaped. No. 14 MSU led at last-place South Carolina by 14 points with seven minutes remaining in regulation, then saw the Gamecocks storm back. But just like last week against Ole Miss, the Bulldogs played excellent defense in the extra five minutes and iced the game at the free throw line, earning a 65-60 victory at Colonial Life Arena. "The end of the game took forever for everybody, and it couldn't get over quick enough for us," MSU head coach Chris Jans said. "It's difficult to win on the road. I don't care what anyone's record is. It doesn't matter. These athletes and these coaches, it means so much to so many, and that's all we talked about coming in." |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs To Take On Missouri Tigers On Monday | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs head north to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers on Monday. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tip on the SEC Network. Mississippi State got back in the win column after defeating Auburn 96-56 on Thursday. The 40-point difference marked the largest margin of victory in an SEC game for head coach Sam Purcell during his first three seasons and the largest for Mississippi State since 2019. State's 96 points were the most points scored in a conference game since 2019. The Bulldogs shot 62.3 percent, which was the highest field goal percentage since 2019. The Bulldogs are 4-3 on the road this season and 1-2 on the road in conference play. Missouri and Mississippi State will face off for the 17th time on Monday, with the Bulldogs owning the series 11-5. Grace Slaughter leads the Tigers with 14.0 points per game. |
| Legislators propose turkey hunting stamps, fees to be used for conservation | |
 | Two bills have been introduced in the Mississippi Legislature calling for mandatory stamps to hunt wild turkeys and if they pass, turkey hunters will be paying more to hunt turkeys. House Bill 553 and Senate Bill 2280 both aim to establish turkey stamps, which are effectively permits, as a requirement to hunt wild turkeys in addition to a hunting license. The cost of the stamps, if passed, will be $10 for resident hunters and $100 for non-residents and according to both bills, the revenue generated would be earmarked for improvements of turkey habitat and boosting population numbers. That's something that National Wild Turkey Federation regional director Johnny McKinion of Brandon would like to see happen. "I'm 100% for it," McKinion said. "Everybody knows our turkeys are on the decline. "Habitat is 100% of the problem. Predators are an issue, but if you've got good habitat, you've got birds. Without good habitat, you're not going to have birds." The fees don't bother McKinion. He said he's willing to pay more. The non-resident fees don't bother him, either. He said he hunts in other states and doesn't think the non-resident fee is too high. "If you love the sport, you're going to support it," McKinion said. |
| Mississippi breaks record for CWD positive detections in hunting season | |
 | A new record for Chronic Wasting Disease positive detections in a hunting season was set by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks this week. As of Friday morning, 114 positives were confirmed this hunting season breaking the previous record of 110 positives. Chronic Wasting Disease is a 100 percent, always fatal disease in deer caused by an infectious prion. Infected deer shed CWD prions most often through bodily fluids. The disease is spread by infected deer when they come in direct contact with healthy deer or indirect contact when infected deer shed prions into the environment where the prions persist. Hunters play an important role in the fight against Chronic Wasting Disease. A state's efforts to survey for the disease and manage the disease is only possible through hunter participation in sampling. Since first statewide sampling efforts began in 2018, hunters have turned in 55,470 samples. MDWFP Deer Program Coordinator William McKinley confirmed the new record of positives in a season and stated hunters have submitted 5,968 samples to date this season. CWD Samples are tested at the Mississippi State University Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Pearl. |
| After a decade of trying, 'Tim Tebow Act' has its best chance yet of passing in Mississippi | |
| Various lawmakers have filed versions of what's become known as the "Tim Tebow Act" in the Mississippi Legislature for close to a decade to no avail. Now, it appears the legislation has its best chance yet of passing as both Senate and House Education chairmen have filed nearly identical bills this session. The "Tim Tebow Act" is named after the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback who famously began his athletic journey as a homeschool student in Florida. He was allowed to play public high school sports and excelled, leading his team to a state championship. Tebow went on to play for the University of Florida where his team won the National Championship in 2007 and 2008. He was the first homeschooled athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Every neighboring state has changed their public school laws or policies in recent years to allow homeschoolers to participate in extracurricular activities, joining some 33 states across the nation that have done the same. Homeschooling spiked in Mississippi during the COVID pandemic, up a reported 40 percent to some 25,000 homeschool students in the state. This shift has occurred as the Mississippi Department of Education has reported a steadily declining public school student population over the past five years. Public school enrollment has dropped nearly 30,000, or 6.3 percent, from 466,002 students in the 2019-2020 school year to 436,523 in the 2023-2024 school year. |
| ESPN pleased with 1st season of expanded College Football Playoff as it looks to the future | |
| The inaugural season of the 12-team College Football Playoff had its share of highlights and criticisms from fans and the media. The same can be said for the network carrying the games. Nick Dawson, ESPN's vice president of college sports programming and acquisitions, said the first year was a success from their standpoint as they begin taking a deeper dive into possible improvements going into next season. "A lot of unknowns doing something for the first time, so you'll always sort of assess after the fact, learn and potentially look at tweaks or adjustments we might consider for the future," Dawson said. The 11 College Football Playoff games averaged 15.6 million viewers according to Nielsen, as audiences increased during each round. According to ESPN, viewers consumed nearly 36 billion minutes of live coverage, a 63% increase over last year's seven-game slate of the CFP title game and New Year's six bowl games. The four first-round games averaged 10.6 million viewers, with the quarterfinals at 16.9 million. The semifinals averaged 19.2 million, while Ohio State's 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Monday night's national championship game drew 22.1 million. "Obviously there were a few more games, but to see that kind of jump in just overall consumption of the product is hopefully something we can build on moving forward," Dawson said. |
| Stanford and Temple Athletes File Objection to House Settlement | |
| One factor in whether U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken grants final approval to the NCAA's proposed settlement to resolve the House, Carter and Hubbard antitrust litigations is the extent to which athletes impacted by the settlement raise persuasive objections. Last Friday and Saturday, Wilken received objections from Stanford University football player David Kasemervisz and Temple University gymnast Emma Reathaford, respectively. Both offered detailed rebukes, and both wish to raise their arguments when Wilken holds a fairness hearing on April 7. During that hearing, Wilken will assess whether to grant final approval. She'll apply Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 to and assess if the settlement is "fair, reasonable and adequate" to class members. Kasemervisz, a wide receiver and special teams player over the last four seasons, objects to the settlement limiting recovery to full grant-in-aid players as part of the "settlement football and men's basketball class." That class covers Power Five basketball and football players who competed from 2016 to 2024. Kasemervisz was a preferred walk-on, meaning he didn't have to try out for the team. However, Kasemervisz notes, he "did not receive the same financial benefits" as a grant-in-aid player. |
| What's Your Major? Some Say 'Sports' Should Be an Acceptable Answer. | |
 | or decades, a small but passionate group of academics has offered a potential balm for the fraught relationship between athletics and education at major universities: Allow students to major in sports. One such educator is David Hollander, a clinical professor at New York University's School of Professional Studies. He has spent years espousing the intellectual value of basketball -- positionless play, he says, can teach entrepreneurial thinking, and fast breaks can teach interpersonal communication. Mr. Hollander lobbied for the Catholic Church to name a patron saint of basketball (it did) and helped convince the United Nations to declare Dec. 21 World Basketball Day. Within the next year, in what he sees as a small step in the road toward athletics being taken seriously in the academy, Mr. Hollander is planning to teach a course for varsity, Olympic and professional athletes in which their experiences playing and practicing their sport will be part of the curriculum. "You can get a degree right now in higher education, in dance and art and music, drama," Mr. Hollander said. "And I think those are totally valid degrees. They're portals into the human condition." Recently, the ideas of educators like Mr. Hollander found a notably influential audience: the sports apparel company Nike, which pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into college sports through its numerous sponsorship agreements. |
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