| Wednesday, May 7, 2025 |
| MSU's spring graduation ceremonies set for May 13-16 | |
 | Approximately 3,500 Mississippi State spring graduates will conclude a major chapter in their educational journeys this month during commencement ceremonies scheduled May 13-16 in Starkville and Meridian. During the May 16 Starkville campus ceremonies, MSU President Mark E. Keenum will award Richard H. Puckett Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of the Flowood-based Puckett Machinery Company, and Anthony Wilson, CEO of Mississippi Power in Gulfport, honorary Doctor of Public Service degrees. Puckett, a 1977 College of Business graduate and its Alumnus of the Year in 2009, is the chairman and former CEO of Puckett Machinery Company, a Caterpillar dealer for Central and South Mississippi. Wilson is chairman and CEO of Mississippi Power, which provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity to southeast Mississippi. |
| Mississippi State researchers help unearth giant mosasaur fossil near campus | |
 | Scientists with Mississippi State University (MSU) played a role in a new fossil discovery not far from the Starkville campus. MSU doctoral researchers Jonathan Leard and Tim Palmer, who are both full-time professional geologists with the Mississippi Geological Survey, recently helped identify and recover a massive, fossilized mosasaur vertebra, the largest backbone of its kind ever found in the state. This occurred while they were working on a project with James Starnes, director in the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality's (MDEQ) geological division. The find was made near Starkville during a geologic survey intended to create a three-dimensional map of the region's subsurface. The team had already uncovered fossilized marine shells when the vertebra emerged from the muddy sediment. Officials said the vertebra found by MDEQ's scientists represents one of the largest Mosasaurus hoffmannii ever recorded in Mississippi. It was deposited into the state's paleontology collections at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson. |
| MSU researchers discover massive mosasaur fossil near Starkville | |
 | Mississippi State University scientists have discovered a massive bone belonging to a marine reptile that has been extinct for millions of years. The mosasaur vertebra, which was unearthed near Starkville, is potentially the largest ever found in the state. The bone was found during a geologic survey intended to create a three-dimensional map of the region's subsurface. MSU doctoral researchers Jonathan Leard and Tim Palmer, both professional geologists with the Mississippi Geological Survey, identified and recovered the fossil while working with James Starnes, director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality's geological division. Leard and Palmer, who are pursuing doctoral degrees in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at MSU while working full-time, discovered the vertebra after uncovering fossilized marine shells in the muddy sediment. The vertebra, measuring more than 7 inches across, belonged to Mosasaurus hoffmannii, one of the largest marine reptiles from about 66 million years ago. Researchers estimate the creature would have been at least 30 feet long. A mosasaur is similar to a crocodile, with a long tail, paddle-like limbs, and powerful jaws, but the size of a school bus and the hunting instincts of an orca. |
| Percentage of Choice-graded Beef Grows Thanks to Better Genes, Feedlot Tech | |
| Headed into grilling season, consumers have a better grade of beef to choose from as the percentage of beef earning a "choice" grade has increased from about 50 percent in the early 2000s to about 75 percent today. Choice is one of three grades consumers are likely to see in the store. There are eight grades defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose evaluators classify the beef. However, there is a second layer of classification done by the food industry that goes a step further than the USDA and those are the grades consumers see in the store. "Prime" is the top grade of beef, showing an abundance of marbling -- the amount of fat interspersed in the lean meat. Choice beef has less marbling and "select" grade beef is the leanest. Josh Maples, an assistant professor and extension economist for Mississippi State University, noted the increased availability of higher grades of beef in his April 28 article in "Cattle Market Notes." |
| Room for cattle prices to move higher | |
| A livestock economist says the cattle market is in uncharted territory. But Josh Maples, with Mississippi State University, says, "It's not unexpected." "Live cattle prices were at $221," he says. "You know that beat the previous record, which was the day before, and that beat the previous record, which was two days before that, and this last week we had three of the highest daily average five-week steer prices we've ever had." He tells Brownfield the current price levels for cattle could become the new norm, at least for now. "We have tight supplies," he says. "And this herd is not yet showing strong signs of expansion, so there is support for cattle prices up there." Maples says strong demand also is helping. "But we are seeing some volatility, especially in futures contracts, given what's going on in broader macroeconomics," he says. |
| First Responders: MSU and MDPS sign forensic agreement | |
 | Video: The Mississippi Department of Public Safety partnered with Mississippi State University to enhance forensic investigations. |
| MSU fraternity gives back to St. Jude with Krawfish Kause | |
 | A Mississippi State University fraternity is giving back to children at St. Jude Hospital. The Eta Upsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity hosted the second annual "Krawfish for a Kause" fundraiser event. This fundraiser brought together faculty, alumni, and community members for an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil and live entertainment. All of the proceeds from this event benefited the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Event Organizer Jamareon Reed said this was a great way to raise money for a great cause. "Our fraternity's national philanthropy is St. Jude. We sold tickets to raise money for St. Jude as well as showcase our women's powder puff team because they worked so hard to practice on this. The event just really came together well. I would like to thank the community sponsors, like MSU's fraternity and sorority life, especially because they were very instrumental in making things happen, as well as the dean of students," said Reed. The fundraiser was held at the Starkville Sportsplex. |
| Panhellenic Council overhauls recruitment for fall 2025 | |
| Mississippi State University's Panhellenic Council is introducing major changes to the sorority recruitment process this fall, including a more efficient schedule, a new video format for the first round and an earlier registration opening. Potential new members (PNMs), or the students going through recruitment, will no longer attend the virtual round, or "Go Greek," round of recruitment. Instead, they will submit pre-recorded videos, which chapter members will review ahead of formal recruitment. According to Panhellenic Council President Issy Karp, the change aligns MSU with the majority of SEC schools that have already moved to a similar mode. "I'm excited to see the outcome of it,' Karp said. "A lot of our peers at SEC schools have moved to this route, and they all have a lot of success with it." The goal of the video round is to reduce repetition for the PNMs. In preparation for the new structure, registration for recruitment will open earlier than in the previous years, starting May 15. The timing gives potential new members more time to submit materials and prepare for the changes. The overall recruitment week is also expanding, offering longer breaks between events and a less intense experience for both PNMs and chapter members. MSU will continue its T-shirt policy for recruitment, requiring all PNMs to wear the same shirts for every round except preference. |
| Rail-to-trail project could link West Point, Starkville, Ackerman | |
 | A rail line that has sat dormant for more than two decades is once again in the city's sights, this time in the hopes of creating a recreational trail district from West Point to Ackerman. The board of aldermen passed an agreement on its consent agenda Tuesday night, authorizing Texas-based Innovative Rail Partners LLC to negotiate the purchase of the roughly 38.1 mile rail corridor between the cities, which bisects Starkville from southwest to northeast from its current owners. The rail is currently owned by Canadian railway holding company CPKC. "This is the first time we've had what appears to be a real window opening for us to be able to perhaps make this happen," Mayor Lynn Spruill told The Dispatch on Tuesday morning. "So you want to exercise every chance you get to move forward with something that could be hugely beneficial." Currently, Spruill said, the rail lines that cut through the city are "an unused and dilapidated significant liability," which "the railroad does not use" and "has not actively used in probably 20 years." By purchasing or otherwise acquiring the rail line, Spruill said, the liability could be removed while establishing a new recreational trail between the cities and running through Starkville. |
| Gun found in student's backpack at Henderson Ward Stewart | |
| Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District is increasing law enforcement presence on the Henderson Ward Stewart campus this week after a gun was found Tuesday in a student's backpack. HWS is a campus for grades 2-4. In a message sent to parents Tuesday afternoon, SOCSD Communications Director Haley Montgomery said the weapon was safely confiscated, and no one was harmed. No threats were made toward any students or staff, she said. "Out of an abundance of caution, the district will provide increased law enforcement presence on the HWS campus in the coming days," Montgomery wrote in the message. "We will also continue to provide support to students and staff who may need to talk with a counselor or social worker." Capt. Brett Watson confirmed OCSO is investigating the incident, but he told The Dispatch it is too early to determine whether any charges will be filed. Montgomery asked families to remind students that no weapons of any kind are allowed on school grounds. |
| Mike McCormick: Leads Largest Farm Organization in State | |
| From his earliest childhood memories, all Union Church native Mike McCormick wanted to be was a farmer. "It was something that was built inside of me," says McCormick. "My first job was working on my father's farm. I also worked in agriculture supply business for more than five years, selling agricultural equipment to farmers in south and central Mississippi, before being elected as the president of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) in December 2015. His Farm Bureau involvement came when he volunteered to serve on the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Board after his uncle stepped down from that role. From that day on, McCormick fell in love with the organization. "I saw the impact it had on other people who had chosen the same career path that I wanted," says McCormick. "I got involved and, little by little, I became more involved and this led me to where I am today." Founded in 1922, MFBF is the state's largest general farm organization, with more than 175,000 member-families in all eighty-two counties. "We are very proud of our role and the influence our grassroots efforts have on leadership to effect positive change for farmers in tough times," says McCormick. "We are always looking out for the best interest of our farmers and working on their behalf in the U.S. Congress and in the halls of the Capitol in Jackson." |
| New Regional Economic Alliance approved for north Mississippi counties | |
| A new law approved by Gov. Tate Reeves in March is paving the way for a powerful partnership among four north Mississippi counties aimed at strengthening regional economic development. House Bill 1897 authorizes the Boards of Supervisors in Tate, Panola, Lafayette and Yalobusha counties to create the Northwest Regional Alliance, a collaborative effort to attract large-scale economic projects that span beyond the capabilities or needs of any single county. The bill allows the participating counties to levy a special property tax and issue general obligation bonds to fund development initiatives. It also supplements existing legal authority granted to regional economic development entities and opens the door for future amendments to Mississippi's economic development and financial statutes. Ryan Miller, CEO of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation, praised the legislation as a significant step forward. "As a group, we will be able to focus energy, attention, and resources toward common goals of recruiting large-scale projects that make more sense in a regional context than they do in any individual capacity," Miller said. |
| How the Biloxi-based Hurricane Hunters are preparing for another busy season | |
 | Standing beneath the wing of a hulking gray plane, Lt. Col. Sean Cross said the Hurricane Hunters are ready. "If it's going to make landfall, we're going to be in it," he said at the Keesler Air Force Base on Tuesday, where the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is preparing for another busy season. The squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters, has flown into storms for decades. The idea began as a barroom dare between pilots, and is now a seasoned operation with 10 planes. The squadron sends data to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, where forecasters use the information to predict the path, strength and timing of landfall. Demand for their services could be high again this year. Forecasters are already predicting more activity than normal because of warm oceans that fuel storms. And last year's season was devastating: Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 to ever form in the Atlantic, and Hurricane Helene unleashed flooding and destruction from Florida to North Carolina. The squadron sometimes works with a separate group of Hurricane Hunters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That group is facing uncertainty because the Trump administration has fired some NOAA employees and proposed cutting the agency's budget by millions of dollars. But the 403rd squadron falls under the Department of Defense. |
| Mississippi revenue collections down in April but remain above fiscal year estimate by $6 million | |
| Mississippi revenue collections appear to have plateaued. The Legislative Budget Office's latest revenue report released this week shows total tax and revenue collections in Mississippi for the month of April were down nearly $2.5 million, or 0.23% below the sine die revenue estimate. This brings the current fiscal year-to-date revenue collections to $5,990,797 or 0.10% above estimates with two months remaining in the fiscal year. The FY 2025 Sine Die Revenue Estimate was $7.6 billion. The April LBO report shows that fiscal year-to-date total revenue collections through April are $78 million, or 1.23% below the prior fiscal year's collections. Notably, April General Fund collections were $6,588,197, or 0.62% below the prior year while sales tax collections for the month outpaced the prior year by $11.4 million. Despite the continued phase down of the state's income tax, individual income tax collections for the month of April were also above the prior year by $54.5 million. However, April's corporate income tax collections were below the prior year by $73.3 million. Lawmakers failed to adopt the necessary spending bills to adopt a new state budget during this year's regular season, requiring them to return to the Capitol prior to the start of the new fiscal year, which is July 1, in a special session. |
| Special session waiting game has various implications for MDOT | |
| The start of a new budget year isn't the only timeline MDOT is watching while they wait for a budget agreement and special session. "For us, there's a few triggers that we're federally required to meet in order to make sure that all the vendors and the contractors, construction people, all the different people that we do business with are alerted to the the time that we're expected to run out of money," explained MDOT Executive Director Brad White. The first trigger is 45 days out which is next week. It won't be an immediate stop work order but notice that it's possible if they hit a 30 day window from the new fiscal year without a budget. "It takes time to safely close down a work zone," described White. "It takes time to make sure that vendors and contractors have the notice and have everything in line to make sure that they don't incur any costs beyond June 30th that we would not legally be allowed to pay. And so it's going to be something that could be rather disruptive, you know, to all the work that we do. We have over a billion dollars worth of construction going on in the state." |
| Mississippi Government Shutdown Possible as Budget Disagreements Persist Amid Uncertainty Over Economy, Federal Policy | |
| Mississippi's state government could shut down in less than two months unless House and Senate leaders reach a budget deal, potentially paralyzing state agencies that deal with public safety, health, education, courts, regulations, prisons and more. The 2025 legislative session ended in early April without lawmakers finalizing a budget amid disagreements over money for local infrastructure projects and concerns about federal funding freezes and economic uncertainty. The governor must call a special session for lawmakers to settle the unfinished business before a July 1 deadline. While Gov. Tate Reeves said in early April that he believes the state will avoid a government shutdown, an April 30 deadline he set for the two chambers to reach an agreement on the state budget passed without any public developments. The House and Senate Appropriations committees' leadership met last week and "most all budgets are finalized," House Speaker Jason White, R-West, said in a May 2 statement to the Mississippi Free Press. White said that Capital Expense Funds, which pay for physical infrastructure and construction projects throughout the State, are at the heart of the stalemate. |
| Redistricting plan for Desoto County approved by federal judge panel | |
 | A federal three-judge panel has accepted a state-proposed legislative redistricting plan for several Senate districts in the Desoto County area, which is in the northwest corner of the state. On Wednesday, the panel, consisting of U.S. District judges Daniel Jordan III and Sul Ozerden and U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Leslie Southwick, agreed with a plan proposed by the State Board of Election Commissioners creating a new Black-majority district in Senate District 2 in Desoto County and maintained another, Senate District 11. Two other districts were also redrawn, Senate Districts 1 and 19, also both in the northwest portion of the state. The decision seems to conclude more than two years of litigation between the state and the NAACP and several state voters. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2022 by the NAACP, claiming the state's redistricting plan had diluted Black voting power. If the plaintiffs were to appeal the panel's decision, it would head to the U.S. Supreme Court, because a federal appellate judge, Southwick, already sits on the panel, therefore making the nation's highest court the next step if attorneys wish to appeal. |
| Hyde-Smith pens legislation creating federal penalties for attacks on hospital employees | |
| U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is spearheading an effort in Washington to establish federal criminal penalties for assaulting hospital employees, amid a national surge in healthcare workers being harmed while on the job. The Save Healthcare Workers Act was introduced by Hyde-Smith and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) this week with the goal of deterring and preventing violence against healthcare workers by authorizing federal tools to prosecute individuals who incite violence against hospital employees. The legislation comes as a study cited by lawmakers found that in 2021, 77% of emergency department staff were exposed to violence, with those situations not only putting employees at risk but hurting workforce recruitment and retention. A more recent study, conducted by National Nurses United, found that in 2023, 81.6% of nurses have experienced at least one type of workplace violence incident, and nearly half have seen a rise in rates of violence inside healthcare settings. A companion bill has been introduced in the U.S. House by Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) with hopes of getting the Save Healthcare Workers Act to the president's desk in short time. |
| House GOP drops some Medicaid cuts from reconciliation plan | |
 | Republicans will have to come up with alternative savings to make up for hundreds of billions of dollars in potential Medicaid cuts that GOP leaders appeared to rule out after meeting with moderates in Speaker Mike Johnson's office Tuesday evening. Johnson, R-La., said leadership had ruled out two Medicaid policies that could go a long way toward meeting the Energy and Commerce Committee's $880 billion, 10-year savings target but faced strong pushback from blue-state GOP centrists. First, Johnson said the emerging package wouldn't touch the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP, rate -- the portion of state Medicaid costs borne by the federal government -- for the Medicaid expansion population, which is currently 90 percent. Johnson also poured cold water over a provision that would implement per capita caps on Medicaid benefits for enrollees in expansion states, though he wasn't quite as definitive on that front. "I think we're ruling that out as well, but stay tuned," he said. At least one provision remains in the mix: new work requirements for healthy adults in states that expanded Medicaid to receive the 90 percent federal match, a key provision of the 2010 health care law. |
| Republicans blast Trump's economic messaging: No more doll talk | |
 | Senate Republicans have a request for President Trump: Stop talking about dolls. Questions about tariffs and their economic impact have prompted Trump to argue that U.S. families need to be prepared to sacrifice during what he hopes is a temporary rough spot that leads to lasting prosperity. To illustrate that point, Trump has argued that instead of buying dozens of dolls for daughters, families only buy a couple as they grow more expensive due to the levies. While Republicans have been largely in lockstep behind the administration's actions, the latest messaging has become a turnoff. Many GOP lawmakers view it as counterproductive and fear Trump comes off as out of touch. "Everything that we need to do needs to be instructed by people who experienced scarcity, and that's clearly the words of somebody that's never experienced scarcity," one Senate Republican said. "It's not really sensitive to the circumstances of people that are struggling every day." "It would be helpful to be more relatable," the GOP member added. |
| The Fed is likely to hold interest rates steady, despite pressure from Trump | |
 | Despite President Donald Trump's pressure to lower borrowing costs, the Federal Reserve is expected to leave interest rates unchanged Wednesday, choosing caution as tariff upheaval rattles markets and clouds the broader economic outlook. Prolonged uncertainty over the trade war could hurt economic growth and lead to job losses -- conditions that might normally prompt the Fed to cut interest rates. But the same trade tensions could also fuel inflation, which would argue for raising rates. Wednesday's news will likely come in what Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell signals about the economy's path and potential for rate moves in the months ahead, as the Fed wraps up its two-day policy meeting and holds a news conference. While the Fed waits, it remains in tension with Trump, who has repeatedly called upon Powell to cut rates to head off any downturn. "You are not supposed to criticize the Fed; you are supposed to let him do his own thing," Trump said last week. "But I know much more than he does about interest rates, believe me." Mostly, Trump's comments complicate an already difficult decision facing the Fed in the months to come. While inflation has been falling recently, in large part because of lower energy prices, higher tariffs could soon reignite inflation, Powell and other Federal Reserve officials have said. |
| Andy Beshear is making serious moves toward a 2028 presidential run | |
 | Andy Beshear isn't just saying he "would consider" running for president. He's actively laying the tracks for a potential 2028 campaign. He's meeting privately with donors, recording a podcast and regularly popping up at national events. A former Kamala Harris communications staffer is consulting for him, and he's speaking at the Future Forward donor summit this weekend in California. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has name-checked him as among the toughest Democrats to beat. The selling point for Beshear, the popular, two-term governor of Kentucky, is his proven ability to win in Trump country while still running as an unapologetic Democrat. But he's also done that by flying under the national radar, leaving him in a relative obscurity that he must now overcome. The challenge is translating what he calls his "reasonable" and "common sense" Kentucky story into a national Democratic primary campaign, and testing whether his low-key personality can excite major Democratic donors and primary voters -- and break through a fragmented media environment. |
| Supreme Court Lets Trump's Ban on Transgender Military Service Take Effect | |
 | The Supreme Court reinstated the Trump administration's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, setting aside a federal judge's finding that the blanket exclusion violated the Constitution's equal-protection guarantee. The court's order Tuesday allows the administration to begin discharging transgender service members and deny enlistment to new ones while litigation over the ban proceeds in the lower courts. As is typical in emergency matters, the order was unsigned and provided no reasoning. Three liberal justices -- Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson -- dissented. A federal court in Tacoma, Wash., found that the government provided virtually no justification for reversing a Biden-era policy that, for the first time, allowed transgender persons to serve openly in the military. In a brief seeking the high court's intervention, Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the Defense Department had "rationally determined that service by individuals with gender dysphoria would undermine military effectiveness and lethality -- consistent with similar, longstanding determinations for a range of other medical conditions (such as asthma and hypertension)." Trump's policy didn't discriminate against a group of people, Sauer argued, but rather "draws classifications based on a medical condition (gender dysphoria) and related medical intervention." |
| A Mississippi administrator addresses concerns about student loans in default | |
 | On May 5, the Trump administration resumed collections on federal student loans in default -- which had been on hold since March of 2020. If a borrower is not in forbearance, deferment or in a grace period, and has not made a payment towards their loans for 90 days or more, their account is considered delinquent. However, a loan in default means that a borrower has not made a payment in 360 days or more. Kristi Motter is the vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at the University of Southern Mississippi. "Typically, when a student graduates, they are in a six month grace period," she said. "One thing to keep in mind though, if you've utilized a portion of that grace period previously, they deduct that from the six months. So you're only allowed one six month period in aggregate." Motter believes that the benefits of receiving a college education still make it a great option for students. "There's no doubt that the student loan programs offer an opportunity that is necessary in today's market to obtain that baccalaureate degree," she said. "I would suggest that a student not try to use student loans as their only source of income. There are many job opportunities available for students on campuses today, so I would suggest that they minimize their loan debt, not specifically avoid it, because sometimes it's a necessary situation because the value of the education will pay off in the end." |
| DSU Receives Donation from Boeing to Support Aviation | |
| Delta State University has announced Boeing's support of the institution's renowned Commercial Aviation Program. This generous contribution will directly enhance educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in the aviation industry, reinforcing Delta State's mission of producing highly skilled aviation professionals and advancing workforce development in this critical field. "We are deeply grateful for Boeing's investment in our Commercial Aviation Program," says Daniel J. Ennis, President of Delta State University. "This donation will provide essential resources that empower our students to gain hands-on experience and develop the technical expertise required to excel in aviation careers. Boeing's support underscores the importance of industry partnerships in shaping the future of aviation education." The donation will support key initiatives within the Commercial Aviation Program, including state-of-the-art training technologies, expanded student scholarships, and strengthened industry collaborations that offer real-world learning experiences. This funding will ensure that Delta State students have access to the most advanced tools and training available, equipping them to meet the demands of an evolving aviation industry. |
| Tougaloo College investigates threats after Rep. Jasmine Crockett's commencement speech | |
| An investigation is underway after Tougaloo College received what the president of the college described as "concerning calls," after Sunday's commencement address. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, of Texas, has been a political lightning rod of sorts for supporters of President Donald Trump. During her keynote address, Crockett criticized the president, while defending her own politics. Tougaloo College President Donzell Lee sent a letter to the "Tougaloo Family" the day after the commencement, saying they are not taking the calls lightly. "Appropriate actions have been taken," Lee said. "Contact has been made with law enforcement authorities to ensure that safety protocols are in place, if needed." Lee didn't release details about the calls but asked anyone who received a call to report it. Crockett took to social media in an effort to understand why someone would threaten Tougaloo because of the commencement speech she made. "This type of behavior is why I'm constantly having to be protected," Crockett said on social media. "I understand that truth telling in this country, sadly, is a dangerous business, but college students don't deserve this." |
| Biology graduate first at Jones College to receive Miss. rural dentists scholarship | |
 | A student graduating from Jones College this Friday is the first from that school to be selected for the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program. Wendy Mendoza, who's receiving an associate of arts degree in biology, will use the scholarship to pay for dental school. It will also help her with her undergraduate studies at Ole Miss. "After she leaves us and goes on to university, those last two years, she will get structured engagement, enrichment activities, to basically show her more about the field of dentistry," said Eric Shows, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering and an instructor of microbiology at Jones College. In return for the scholarship, Mendoza is required to provide dental care in a rural part of the state for a few years. "I grew up in a rural area, I went to West Jones and live in Laurel, and I just want to serve those who are with limited resources," Mendoza said. |
| Alabama House OKs bill allowing high school juniors, seniors to enroll full-time in college | |
| The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that allows high school juniors and seniors to enroll full time in college if they are not involved in extracurricular activities. SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows students to "move on when ready" from high school. Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, who carried the legislation in the House, said it is modeled after a similar program in Georgia that has operated for more than 20 years. "I believe it will be a great option for students that are not participating in their extracurricular activities in high school that are very bright and are ready to move on and pursue their academic goals," Woods said. Woods said the program is different from dual enrollment, a program where students can complete college courses for high school credit while still being enrolled in high school classes. "They would no longer be enrolled in high school, they would be enrolled in college," Woods said, responding to a question from Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, on the difference between the programs. "They would earn credit back for high school credits for their high school graduation requirements." |
| DOGE cuts ring a death knell to Alabama's Notre Dame Cathedral research | |
 | Cuts enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency hit the University of Alabama and resonated across the ocean to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, ringing like one of the cathedral's famous bells. This bell, however, was ringing a death knell to research work being done in Tuscaloosa on the restoration at Notre Dame. The UA research was halted after the National Endowment for the Humanities grant fell victim to cuts by DOGE, the Trump administration task force headed by Elon Musk. Jennifer Feltman, associate professor of Medieval art and architecture at the University of Alabama, leads a team of professors and graduate students that has been working to create a digital model of what Notre Dame Cathedral looked like and what the songs sung inside sounded like. The project, Notre Dame in Color, remains incomplete. The loss of the NEH grant effectively ended the project, since the grant was paying for the staff involved in the research. "What's most important is, I take these experiences into the classroom every time I speak to my students," Feltman said. "That's what a research university is. It's a place where students can be connected to faculty who are active in their fields and they also get a sense of what they can go on and do," she said. |
| Louisiana tries to retain higher education employees with more retirement flexibility | |
| Louisiana legislators are advancing a proposal with the goal of preventing tenured professors and critical employees from leaving Louisiana colleges and universities, but it lacks one enticement faculty and staff consider critical to keeping them on campus. House Bill 24 by Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, would expand eligibility for the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) to include faculty at the state's community and technical colleges. It also extends the period when employees can switch from a "portable" retirement plan to the fixed, pension style plan offered to most state employees. Qualifying campus faculty and employees would have seven years instead of five years , to choose between the two plans, aligning it with the typical timeline it takes for professors to earn tenure. Bacala's bill incorporates most of the recommendations from a Board of Regents task force he helped form. An increase in employer contributions to TRSL retirement plans was among the most anticipated portions of Bacala's bill. In its original state, it would have increased the minimum employer contribution to portable plan accounts from 6.2% to 8% of employee pay. Louisiana has the lowest employer contribution rate for higher education employees among southeastern states, according to TRSL executive counsel Trey Roche. Louisiana's average faculty pay also lags behind other states in the region. |
| Why U. of Tennessee is planning fewer graduations, despite more students than ever | |
 | Most University of Tennessee at Knoxville graduations will have around 200 more students than last year's largest ceremony as part of an overhaul that shortens the graduation weekend schedule. To do this, UT has combined multiple colleges that typically graduate separately into fewer ceremonies across campus May 15-17. UT last year hosted 11 ceremonies at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, plus two more on other parts of campus. Six of this year's graduations will be held at the arena, with the College of Law ceremony held in the Student Union and the College of Veterinary Medicine ceremony held in the Alumni Memorial Building. UT expects to award more than 6,200 degrees to students this year, though not every graduate will participate. UT estimates three ceremonies will have more than 1,400 graduating students, which is around 200 more than last year's biggest ceremony. The smallest ceremony last year was just 120 students. The arena's capacity is around 14,000 people, and UT calculates each student invites about eight guests to attend. So, even the largest ceremonies should have plenty of room for guests. |
| U. of Florida president finalist Ono talks DEI, experimental learning in meetings with students, faculty | |
 | Dr. Santa J. Ono, the current president of the University of Michigan and the only finalist to become the University of Florida's 14th president, met with students and faculty on May 6 in a series of forums held at Emerson Alumni Hall in Gainesville. Ono discussed a range of topics during three separate one-hour sessions with faculty, students and staff, and administrators, including DEI, community outreach and experimental learning. Rahul Patel, chair of UF's Presidential Search Committee and vice chair of the university's board of trustees, said during Tuesday's forum that Ono was one of 10 sitting university presidents considered for the role. Calling Ono a renowned researcher, Patel said part of the reason the committee unanimously selected him was his impressive resume and desire to create an open-door policy for faculty and students. "Everywhere Dr. Ono has been, he's demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect and resonate with students, faculty, administrators, staff and stakeholders," Patel said. "What really drives me more than anything else is the students," Ono said. "I can tell you that state support for the University of Florida is three times more than Michigan supported the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor and that's pretty impressive, very attractive to a university president." |
| DOGE cuts millions in funds for HIV research at Florida universities | |
| The federal government has terminated almost $2.5 billion in health care grant funds to the state of Florida. About $1.7 billion of those funds had already been distributed, but $680 million had yet to be disbursed to state agencies and universities before the federal government began slashing grants under President Donald Trump's "Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending" memo. And almost one-third of the number of awards, about $42 million in grants with almost $17 million in terminated funds, are explicitly for HIV research. Florida has the third highest rate of new HIV diagnoses in the country, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Those working to end the HIV epidemic say this cut in funding will have a "devastating impact." Other than HIV prevention, the awards included funds for infectious disease control and prevention, childhood vaccines and immunizations, LGBTQ-related medical research and mental health. The recipients of the grants to combat HIV were all Florida universities: Florida State University, Florida International University, and both the University of Miami's medical school and Coral Gables campus. All funds were issued by the National Institutes of Health. |
| Texas A&M opens new animal reproductive biotechnology center | |
 | Texas A&M AgriLife opened its new Animal Reproductive Biotechnology Center on Tuesday afternoon despite the rainy conditions. The Biotechnology Center is a state-of-the-art, 27,000 square-foot facility that includes indoor and covered outdoor facilities. The center has a few goals it will work on including to increase knowledge and understanding of ruminant reproduction at molecular, cellular and whole animal levels. Another goal of the center will be to work toward addressing known reproductive issues in livestock. A survey of the U.S. cattle population in January found that there were 86.7 million head of cattle, the lowest in 74 years. "The vision of this is we wanted to ensure that our faculty could do the most cutting-edge research in cattle reproduction and by technology that there is," Texas A&M AgriLife Research Director G. Cliff Lamb told The Eagle after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It's not just to develop new technology. It's to figure out ways that we can use reproduction to make livestock production systems more efficient and productive." Construction cost $13 million as a joint project of AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science. |
| Texas House Republicans poised to scale back legislation that targets state's universities | |
| The Texas House on Tuesday proposed changes to dramatically limit the scope of a wide-ranging Senate bill that could transform how the state's universities function and teach students. As written, Senate Bill 37 would prohibit professors from teaching students to adopt the idea that any race, sex, ethnicity, or social, political or religious belief is superior to another. It would also set up a system by which degree programs could be eliminated if the state were to determine they do not provide a return on investment for students. The bill would give the governor-appointed regents who oversee each university system in the state the authority to approve every job posting for tenured faculty in liberal arts, communications, education and social work. Finally, it would allow anyone to report schools for violation of the law. The bill already cleared the state Senate. In the House, state Rep. Matt Shaheen, a Plano Republican, proposed removing references to social and political beliefs and the rating system. His version also only allows regents to overturn the hirings of provosts, vice presidents and deans, and limits who can report violations of the law to students and those involved with the university. |
| Bill to ban DEI in Oklahoma higher education heads to governor's desk | |
| A bill to ban the use of state resources towards diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at Oklahoma universities and colleges is headed for the governor's desk. Senate Bill 796 was authored by Senator Adam Pugh (R-Edmond) and was carried on the House side by Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader (R-Piedmont). It passed off the House floor with a 77-18 vote in favor of the measure. But not before a heated debate. "I recognize that people of my generation are more open to differences because we've grown up having more access to empathy and understanding," said Rep. Arturo Alonso Sandoval (D-Oklahoma City). Rep. Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee) responded during his chance to debate the issue. "The older generation, we got over these racial issues as a society decades ago before some of you were even born," said Fetgatter. Minority Leader Rep. Cyndi Munson (D-Oklahoma City) said programs that encouraged young women were what pushed her to become a lawmaker. "I'm the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma legislature, and it took until 2015 to make that happen," said Munson. |
| Freshman Oklahoma lawmakers talk K-12 standards, higher education and CareerTech funding | |
| From public school curriculum to higher education and workforce development, education policy remains a focal point at the Oklahoma Capitol, where lawmakers are tackling a range of issues with major implications for students, teachers and the state's economy. This week, new social studies standards officially went into effect after the Oklahoma Legislature failed to act on them within the required 30 legislative days. The inaction means the standards, which include references to "discrepancies" in the 2020 election, will now govern classrooms for the next six years, beginning with the upcoming school year. Rep. Michelle McCane, a Democrat from North and Downtown Tulsa and a former educator, criticized the Legislature's decision not to hold a vote, calling it "a cowardly way out." "It's sent to the legislature for a reason," McCane said. "We should have voted on them to either approve or not approve them." McCane warned that politicized content in the new curriculum could drive more teachers out of the profession and further damage Oklahoma's public education system. "It just seems to me that we're just continuing to chip away at one of the most foundational services we have in our state," she said. |
| Lawyer says proposed changes to U. of Missouri protest policy may be unconstitutional | |
 | University of Missouri leadership is circulating proposed changes to its amplified sound policy that could impact student protesters, but legal experts say they may be unconstitutional. If adopted, the policy restricts permits for amplified sound Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Permits would only be issued for stationary activities to prevent disruption caused by marches. "Prohibiting sound amplification on a massive university campus entirely during daytime hours on the grounds that we have classes during those hours is really, really sweeping," said Greg Magarian, a professor at the Washington University School of Law's First Amendment Clinic. "That seems like a big problem." As a public institution, Magarian said MU is allowed to restrict the time, manner and place of speech, but the regulations must be justified. A blanket ban on amplified sound during daytime hours is one of the reasons the policy could be unconstitutionally "overbroad," he said. "This policy, by its terms, sweeps in so many potential uses of sound amplification devices that the university can't reasonably justify," Magarian said. When asked Monday for clarification or justification for the proposed changes, an MU spokesperson declined to comment. |
| More states are allowing community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees | |
 | The suspect moved menacingly toward her, but Elexiana Oliva stood her ground, gun drawn and in a half crouch as she calmly tried to talk him down. The confrontation wasn't real, and neither was the gun. But the lesson was deadly serious. Oliva is a criminal justice major at Muscatine Community College in this largely agricultural community along the Mississippi River. She was in a simulation lab, with that scenario projected on a screen as classmates watched, spellbound. Oliva, 18, is determined to become a police detective, a plan that includes earning a bachelor's degree after she finishes her associate degree here. But she'll have to go somewhere else to do it -- likely, in her case, to a university in Texas. Oliva and her classmates here are among the 13 million adults of all ages across the country who live beyond a reasonable commute from the nearest four-year university, according to estimates by the American Council on Education, an organization representing colleges and universities. It's a problem that's getting worse, as private colleges in rural places close, public university campuses merge or shut down and rural universities cut majors and programs as enrollment declines and budgets are cut. "It's not our fault that we grew up in a place where there's not a lot of big colleges and big universities," Oliva said. Iowa has joined a growing number of states that are considering letting community colleges like this one offer bachelor's degrees as a way of filling "higher education deserts" and training workers in rural places for jobs in fields where there are growing shortages. |
| National Science Foundation caps indirect research costs at 15% for new grants to colleges | |
| The National Science Foundation said Friday that it will cap reimbursement for indirect research costs at 15% for all new grants awarded to colleges, following similar moves at two other federal agencies. The new standard rate is effective May 5. NSF said the move is meant to ensure funding goes toward direct costs for scientific and engineering research, but higher education experts say it will undermine the nation's interests. Colleges have already signaled that legal challenges are likely coming down the pike. NSF's policy change comes after the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy announced similar caps -- both of which have since been blocked by federal courts. Louisiana State University officials said Friday that they expect the policy to be blocked by the courts, citing the ongoing legal challenges against NIH and the Energy Department. Higher education groups have slammed the Trump administration's third attempt to cap the reimbursement rate at a major scientific agency. "This retrenchment is not a good deal for taxpayers," Kara Freeman, president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, said in a Friday statement. "The truth is that without a federal partner to share some of the costs of innovation, ground-breaking research, and other life-changing advances, these costs will fall directly and indirectly on current students or bring this vital work to a halt." |
| Universities Sue NSF Over Indirect Research Cost Policy | |
 | A coalition of universities and trade groups is suing the National Science Foundation over the independent federal agency's plan to cap higher education institutions' indirect research cost reimbursement rates at 15 percent. In the lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the same day the NSF's new policy went into effect, the coalition argued that a cut would risk the country's standing "as a world leader in scientific discovery" and "the amount and scope of future research by universities will decline precipitously." It warned that "vital scientific work will come to a halt, training will be stifled, and the pace of scientific discoveries will slow" and that "progress on national security objectives, such as maintaining strategic advantages in areas like AI and quantum computing, will falter." Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and 13 universities, including Arizona State University, the University of Chicago and Princeton University. They attest that the NSF violated numerous aspects of the Administrative Procedure Act, including bypassing Congress to unilaterally institute an "arbitrary and capricious" 15 percent rate cap and failing to explain why it's only imposing the policy on universities. |
| International student enrollment may be declining under Trump | |
| There are early signs that international student enrollment in the U.S. may be declining. New survey data from the Association of International Educators, or NAFSA, shows a 13% dip in postgraduate program enrollment for the upcoming academic year. Visa issues and other government policies are the top reason NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw said they're seeing a decline in international enrollment. "The uncertainty that international students currently in the U.S. have experienced has had a ripple effect on prospective students and how they're looking to the U.S.," she said. International students tend to be postgraduates, often in STEM fields. Trevor Thornton, a professor of electrical engineering at Arizona State University, teaches several students entering careers in semiconductors. "They're getting interviews at these companies, getting jobs at these companies, but there's a lot of fear," he said. "The ones who are a year behind them are wondering what they're going to be doing a year from now." She added that these students bring dollars, innovation and talent to the U.S. |
| TRIO on the Chopping Block | |
| Darby Bersie will graduate with honors this Friday from Bemidji State University, a small regional college in central Minnesota. At commencement, he'll deliver a speech as president of the university's Student Senate. He's set to defend his thesis, a research project on intellectualism in higher education, shortly after. Graduate school may be on the horizon. Just a few years ago, Bersie wasn't even sure he'd be able to finish a four-year degree. Neither of his parents had gone to college. He'd grown up poor, moving around the Upper Midwest after his family declared bankruptcy in 2015. He spent his high school years working part-time on the farm his family rented in central Minnesota. He credits his success at Bemidji to TRIO, a federally funded initiative dating back to the 1960s that supports low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities as they navigate academic life -- and that currently faces an existential threat from the Trump administration. In a preliminary budget released last week, the White House proposed billions of dollars in cuts to education funding, including eliminating all federal support for TRIO programs. Administration officials called TRIO a "relic of the past" and argued that federal subsidies had relieved colleges of the responsibility to attract and support low-income students on their own. |
| 3 College Presidents Are Testifying Before Congress Again. They're Not the Ones You'd Expect. | |
 | The presidents of Haverford College, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and DePaul University will appear Wednesday on Capitol Hill to discuss their institutions' handling of antisemitism -- the first congressional grilling of higher-education leaders since President Trump returned to office and made good on threats to target colleges' federal funding. The selection of Haverford, Cal Poly, and DePaul suggests that Republican lawmakers are widening their scrutiny of higher education beyond the nation's most prominent research universities. Timothy R. Cain, a professor of higher education at the University of Georgia, and Brendan Cantwell, a professor in the higher, adult, and lifelong education program at Michigan State University, said that even if the committee's selection resembles a broadening of efforts to strike at higher education, Cal Poly, Haverford, and DePaul are still somewhat elite institutions, with social-justice cultures that Republicans might not find agreeable. "They're not bringing community colleges in, they're not bringing in public regional universities, they're not bringing in red state colleges," Cantwell said. Cain said these panels are not fact-finding missions, but "publicity stunts aimed at damaging higher education." |
| As Trump battles elite colleges, House GOP looks to hike endowment tax by at least tenfold | |
 | President Donald Trump's feud with America's elite universities is lending momentum to Republicans on Capitol Hill who want to increase a tax on wealthy college endowments by tenfold or more. House Republicans already were considering a hike in the tax on college endowments' earnings from 1.4% to 14% as part of Trump's tax bill. As the president raises the stakes in his fight with Harvard, Columbia and other Ivy League schools, lawmakers are floating raising the rate as high as 21% in line with the corporate tax rate. It appears no decisions have been made. In a letter blocking Harvard from new funding on Monday, the Trump administration drew attention to the school's "largely tax-free" $53 billion endowment, noting it's bigger than some nations' economies. Trump previously said he wants to see Harvard stripped of its tax-exempt status as he presses for reforms at colleges he accuses of "indoctrinating" students with "radical left" ideas. Similar rhetoric has been echoed by Republican lawmakers who question why wealthy colleges get tax breaks that businesses don't. Republicans appear to be chipping away at the long-held notion that colleges provide the kind of public benefit that deserves to be protected from heavy taxation. And it's happening just as the House looks to cut or offset $1.5 trillion in spending as part of the president's sweeping tax bill. |
| Four decades later, a cold case arrest may fill in the blank on Shondra May's tombstone | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: In the lonesome isolation of the small, rural Clark Cemetery in the Pea Ridge community in northern Scott County, the grave of Shondra Denise May is difficult to miss and almost impossible to forget. Shondra's heart-shaped headstone is inscribed with a date of birth of Feb. 26, 1968. The date of death was conspicuously incomplete -- Feb. 1986. The blank space for the actual date of her death was left there intentionally. Her unsolved murder made it impossible for her loved ones to know on which of the 22 days of her kidnapping that she died. The pretty teenager whose remains occupy that grave rests close by her parents, Richard and Genell May, who endured the nightmare of the Feb. 4, 1986, kidnapping, rape and murder of their daughter before interring her body there. Genell May, who was already frail from protracted kidney disease at the time of Shondra's death, died in 1994 at age 50. Her father, Richard, the burly but pleasant riverboat captain who plied his trade for a half-century on the wide Mississippi River, would join his first wife there in 2023 at 81. Only Shondra's brother, Tim May, his children and grandchildren remain to witness the reckoning in his sister's brutal death. |
SPORTS
| APR Success Highlights Academic Strength At Mississippi State | |
| Academic achievement continues to be a hallmark of the Mississippi State Athletics experience, as five Bulldog programs earned perfect multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores of 1,000 and the department posted a 988.93 average across all teams in the NCAA's latest data release. Mississippi State student-athletes delivered strong results across the board with every program meeting or exceeding the NCAA benchmark and several standing out nationally. APR data, released annually by the NCAA, tracks academic progress, retention and eligibility. Mississippi State continues to be one of the Southeastern Conference's most consistent performers, maintaining high academic standards across all sports. The latest report contains multi-year rates based on the four years from 2020-21 through 2023-24. Mississippi State posted a 988.93 department-wide APR average, with every program exceeding the NCAA's benchmark of 930. Five teams earned a perfect 1,000 multi-year APR: Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Soccer, Women's Tennis and Volleyball. Baseball set a program record with a 992, a nine-point improvement from the previous year. |
| Baseball: Reese Named Ferriss Trophy Finalist | |
| Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese was selected as a finalist for the 2025 Ferriss Trophy, which is presented annually to the top collegiate baseball player in the Magnolia State. Reese has made an instant impact in his first season with the Diamond Dawgs, leading the team with 63 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 57 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .692 while also ranking second on the team with a .346 batting average. He also has 20 multi-hit games, 18 multi-RBIs games, four multi-home run games and is currently riding a team-best 15-game hitting streak. The sophomore from Canton, Texas ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in homers and total bases (126), sixth in RBIs, seventh in slugging and ninth in hits. The Ferriss Trophy will be presented to one of the five finalists at a ceremony at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson on May 19 at 11:30 a.m. Dakota Jordan claimed the Ferriss Trophy last year and an MSU player has earned the honor in nine of the 20 years of its existence, the most of any program in the state. |
| Women's Golf: Bulldogs In Fourth After Two Rounds In Arizona | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs sit in fourth place at 9-over par entering the final day of action at the NCAA Gold Canyon Regional. The Bulldogs nine strokes ahead of the projected cutline of 18-over going into the final day of action and would currently advance to the NCAA Championship. Auburn, who is in fifth at 18-over, is up two-strokes on CSU Fullerton, who would miss the cut at 20-over. Izzy Pellot remains in the top 10 of the player leaderboard after two rounds. She fired off an even par round on the second day of action, keeping her total at 1-under. Pellot fired off three birdies throughout the duration of the second round and is one of nine players to be under par on the tournament. Chiara Horder was the biggest mover in the standings for the Bulldogs. She climbed 12 spots to a tie for 26 after collecting three birdies during the day. Horder, Avery Weed and Ana Pina Ortega all finished the second round at 2-over par. The Gold Canyon Regional will conclude May 7. The top five teams at the conclusion of play will advance to the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California. |
| In Ed Orgeron divorce, Louisiana Supreme Court weighs if ex-wife deserves LSU buyout money | |
 | An attorney for former LSU football coach Ed Orgeron argued to the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday that his ex-wife is not entitled to money from his $17 million buyout, saying that Orgeron received and earned the money after they were divorced. He and an attorney for Kelly Orgeron made opposite arguments to the state's high court in New Orleans over the divorce case. Ed Orgeron filed for divorce from his wife in 2020 shortly after winning the College Football National Championship. LSU fired Orgeron in 2021 with a $17 million buyout after the divorce proceedings were underway. Kelly Orgeron has argued in court that she is entitled to some of the money from his termination agreement and previous salary. Her argument has largely hinged on a 2020 agreement that Ed Orgeron and LSU signed for $42 million before he filed for divorce. By the time the LSU board of supervisors approved that deal, the divorce case had been opened in court. Robert Lowe, an attorney for Kelly Orgeron, said that she sacrificed her career as a nurse practitioner to emotionally support her husband in his coaching career and raise their children. Once LSU won the national championship in 2020, Lowe said that Ed Orgeron told his wife, "we finally made it." The high was short-lived. |
| Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark gets extension through 2030 | |
| The Big 12's board of directors has voted to give commissioner Brett Yormark a three-year contract extension, the conference announced Tuesday. Yormark's extension will run through 2030. He had originally agreed in 2022 to a five-year deal through 2027. The Big 12 presidents are rewarding Yormark's work stabilizing and modernizing the Big 12 in the wake of the Oklahoma and Texas announcing their departures in 2021. Yormark has done considerable work in upgrading the experience and feel of both the Big 12 football and basketball championships, helping elevate those events. The Big 12 also added a conference-wide football pro day under Yormark, the first of its kind in college sports. The aggressive pursuit and consummation of a new television deal is Yormark's biggest moment as commissioner. Early on in his tenure in the summer of 2022, he prioritized and achieved early negotiations with Fox and ESPN more than a year before the exclusive negotiating window. A few months later, the Big 12 agreed to a six-year, $2.28 billion deal. By going to the table early, the Big 12 positioned itself ahead of the Pac-12, which proved an inflection point in the Pac-12's spiral. |
| Sen. Cruz: Streaming May Be the Future -- But It Shouldn't Sideline Sports Fans | |
| In his opening statement at today's Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled "Field of Streams: The New Channel Guide for Sports Fans," Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) highlighted how sports fans increasingly struggle to find where they can watch their favorite teams and face increased costs for streaming subscriptions and sports packages. Sen. Cruz outlined how the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which granted professional sports leagues antitrust immunity to negotiate nationwide broadcast rights, may be affecting current media deals and offerings to fans. In light of the antitrust exemption, public financing of stadiums, and other public benefits, Cruz questioned what obligations teams and leagues had to their fans. "In Texas -- where everything really is bigger -- we boast some of the most watched teams in the nation. Today's hearing about sports broadcasting isn't just a Texas issue; it's a national one. In an era of a deep partisan division, sports might be the most powerful cultural unifier we have. Whether on the couch or in the stands, Americans come together to cheer, to hope, and to believe. But those millions of fans are asking a simple question: 'why does it seem to be getting harder -- and more expensive -- to just watch the game?'" |
| As a judge weighs NCAA deal, thousands of college athletes remain in legal limbo | |
| For the Liberty University women's cross country team, the bad news came last fall. The team gathered at a coach's house for a bonfire night. In a different year, it might have been a celebration of a great season. Instead, the coaches had bad news to share: About half the team's runners might lose their roster spots if a proposed multi-billion-dollar legal settlement was approved by a federal judge. "It was very much an emotional night," recalled sophomore Sophia Park. "I was crying. A lot of people were crying, like, feeling that weight of what that meant to have to lose such an awesome thing." Last year, the University of Florida's men's track and field team won the NCAA outdoor championships. This spring, before they had the chance to defend their title, coaches dropped athletes one by one, corporate layoff-style. All of them are among the many student-athletes swept up in the legal settlement involving the NCAA and its major conferences. The case, known as House v. NCAA, is poised to transform the way collegiate athletes are compensated. It would distribute $2.8 billion in back pay to former athletes and, going forward, allow direct payments from schools to players, reversing the NCAA's long-standing tradition of amateurism. But what originally seemed to be a wonky detail of the settlement -- the creation of roster limits for all Division I teams -- has emerged as its biggest sticking point. The roster limits would take the place of the traditional scholarship limits in the top level of college sports. |
| The Next Phase of Football's Offensive Revolution Has Just Got Started | |
| Imagine a future in which Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and every other NFL player takes the field armed with a piece of digital technology that can communicate information instantaneously. Instead of long, abstruse playcalls radioed into a quarterback's ear and getting drowned out by tens of thousands screaming fans, each play would just appear in front of each player's eyes on a wristband. It would completely transform the way the game looks---and even how it's played. And as it happens, it's now closer to a reality than ever before. In a move that fell under the radar of most football fans, the league that oversees high-school football in Texas just approved a change permitting the use of these types of wearable devices. And while Friday night football in the Lone Star state might seem a long way from NFL stadiums, recent history shows that high-school fields now serve as the breeding grounds for the next stages of the game's evolution -- even when those ideas seem completely radical. The arrival of this new tech could hardly be more timely given how communication between athletes on the field and coaches on the sideline has emerged as a thorny issue. |
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