| Thursday, May 15, 2025 |
| Professor challenges long-held assumptions of symmetry in physics | |
 | Mississippi State Professor of Physics Dipangkar Dutta is a principal investigator on a groundbreaking experiment -- revealing "symmetry" in physics doesn't always behave as scientists once believed -- recently published in the prestigious journal Physics Letters B. For centuries, scientists have used symmetry as a foundation to understand the universe. The new research findings on symmetry now add to the growing body of scientific knowledge that powers breakthroughs in energy, technology, medicine and beyond. Conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, the research reveals that quarks -- the tiny building blocks of matter -- occasionally defy expectations. When hit by high-energy electrons, they sometimes separate and recombine unevenly, challenging long-held ideas about symmetry in nuclear physics. By uncovering symmetry violations, Dutta and his collaborators are helping refine the theoretical tools physicists use to study subatomic behavior. |
| 2 Coast natives named drum majors of Mississippi State's Famous Maroon Band | |
 | Two South Mississippians will lead Mississippi State's Famous Maroon Band as drum majors. Olivia Dickerson of Gautier and James Leon of Biloxi were named drum majors for the 2025-26 academic year. Dickerson is a senior majoring in biochemistry. Leon is a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering. The other two drum majors are Rowan Russell of Forest and Christopher Jolivette from Alabama. "Our drum majors are talented musicians, fine leaders, and outstanding students," said Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance. "They serve as the face of our band program on our campus and in our community and model the behavior that we expect from our membership." The 400-plus members of the Famous Maroon Band perform at all Bulldog football games and other special campus traditions and events. The Famous Maroon Band is one of the oldest university band traditions in the Southeast and has been a significant part of Mississippi State since its founding in 1902. |
| Mary Means Business: West Point antique shop prepares to close | |
 | Back in 2015, while I was a student at Mississippi State, I stumbled upon a bright-blue 1960s Schwinn Fiesta for sale outside Mawmaw's Treasures in West Point. I had no business buying it -- definitely didn't have the money -- but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to restore a vintage beach cruiser. For years, I've spent hours perusing the antique shop at 25993 W. Main St., and I always ended up finding something I didn't need but also couldn't pass up. The owners of Mawmaw's treasures confirmed it's the end of an era. After years in business, Mawmaw's Treasures will close permanently this month. Folks can shop and check out recent sales Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. "Our building, which we do not own, has been recalled for a different use," the business posted on social media. "... Help us go out in style. We have some exceptional deals as we try to find a new home for each of our treasures and finds. We especially hope to see each of you to say our thanks for your friendship and support of our small business." |
| Report: Nissan has major plans for Canton plant to avoid tariffs | |
 | What a difference one day can make. On May 13, Nissan announced it would close 7 production plants, thrusting its Canton, Mississippi plant into a state of uncertainty. A day later, news emerged that could make the Canton plant bigger than ever. According to Automotive News, Nissan is considering changing course on its Sentra production in Mexico and would use the Mississippi plant to make the sedan. The publication did not say Nissan would be leaving Mexico altogether but does suggest it may shift production to this country for Sentra sedans intended for sale in America. That seems to jibe with a report from April 21, when The Clarion Ledger reported the Canton plant could be at the forefront of a new American plan to take advantage of whatever tariffs come down from President Donald Trump. At the New York Auto Show, Vinay Shahani, Nissan USA's head of sales and marketing, went out of his way to laud the Madison County plant as an example of where a new American strategy could begin. |
| Local projects funding still holding up $7 billion budget talks | |
| Disagreements between the House and Senate on whether to fund local projects throughout Mississippi this year are continuing to drag out talks on the $7 billion state budget lawmakers punted on in April. House and Senate leadership were as of Tuesday still in a stalemate on a state budget proposal, which would set appropriations for state agencies for the upcoming 2026 Fiscal Year, starting July 1. Several budget negotiators on Tuesday told the Clarion Ledger that House leadership still desires to use capital expense dollars to fund local projects while the Senate is still unwilling, fearing repercussions from federal budget cuts in Washington D.C., impacting Mississippi. "With everything else going on within the (Trump) administration pledging to get our national budget under control, we felt that it was imperative that we saved whatever monies we had available to us for this year, and that we would have that so we could have those monies available if necessary for next year," said Sen. Scott Delano, who chairs a Senate Appropriations sub-committee. |
| Mobile sports betting part of ongoing legislative talks | |
| The state public pension system needs money. Meanwhile, many of you want to place sports bets from your phone at home legally. Those two issues are part of the ongoing negotiations with legislative leaders ahead of an expected special session. "The Governor has the keys to the car," noted Sen. Daniel Sparks about a special session call details. "If he does not drive toward mobile sports betting, then that's not going to happen." But House leaders think it makes sense to legalize online sports betting and earmark that money for the pension system. "The state is missing out on tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue that could go to things that we need, which is the PERS retirement system to help shore it up," noted Rep. Trey Lamar. "So, we can either look at raising taxes somewhere else, which nobody wants to do. Or we can collect the money that we should be collecting already, and by enforcing the law or making a change to this sports betting law." The House has passed a bill legalizing online sports gaming the last two sessions, but it died in the Senate. We asked members from both chambers if they feel like the issue is now being used as a bargaining chip amid the legislative impasse. "It's certainly more about PERS," said Lamar. "Like I said, nobody's jumping up and down to have legalized sports gambling all over the state and on everybody's cell phone." |
| Mississippi still suing China over Covid | |
| The Mississippi Attorney General's Office is waiting for a federal judge to say how much the People's Republic of China should pay the state after failing to show up to court. On Wednesday, the office voluntarily dismissed the Chinese Academy of Sciences as a co-defendant from its lawsuit with the foreign nation. Attorney General Lynn Fitch sued China in 2020, alleging the country purposefully hid information relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the nation has practically refused to recognize the lawsuit. In the complaint, Fitch argued the nation did not accurately share the threat of the COVID-19 virus and also took steps to "corner the market" on pandemic protective equipment, such as face masks, while the rest of the world began reeling from the pandemic. The People's Republic of China has at no point in the more than four years of litigation recognized the state's lawsuit in a federal court as being valid or having jurisdiction. In a letter filed into court records, the Chinese Ministry of Justice said the defendants listed in the case "enjoy sovereign immunity and are not subject to any foreign jurisdiction." |
| Powell Steers New Strategy for a World Where Very Low Rates Are No Sure Thing | |
 | Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank was in the process of making adjustments to its overarching policy-setting framework to account for meaningful changes in the outlook for inflation and interest rates following the 2020 pandemic. "The economic environment has changed significantly since 2020, and our review will reflect our assessment of those changes," Powell said Thursday. "Framework" refers to how the Fed spells out its strategy for setting interest rates. Congress has assigned the Fed a mandate to maintain low and stable inflation while promoting healthy labor markets. How the Fed does that has largely been left up to the central bank, and since 2012, the Fed has laid out how it seeks to achieve those goals in a broader framework statement. The Fed adopted its current framework five years ago, and it began a review of that framework this year. The review isn't likely to influence how the Fed is currently setting interest rates. Powell has previously said the Fed could complete that process and unveil the results by August or September. |
| Federal lawmakers from Mississippi promote legislation imposing stricter testing on foreign shrimp | |
| A pair of federal lawmakers from Mississippi are leading the way in promoting legislation aimed at protecting local seafood producers and protecting American consumers from untested foreign products. U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), along with Julia Letlow (R-La.) and Troy Carter (D-La.), have introduced the Safer Shrimp Imports Act, a bipartisan bill seeking to tighten federal inspection standards for imported shrimp. The legislation is a companion to a bill introduced by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in the Senate. "Growing up on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, I know how important the shrimp industry is -- not just to our economy, but to our way of life," Ezell said. "Our local Gulf Coast shrimpers are playing by the rules while foreign producers are flooding the market with unsafe, low-quality products. This bill is about leveling the playing field and protecting our American producers, and keeping America healthy." Though local lawmakers did not create new labeling laws this year, Gov. Tate Reeves signed HB 602, creating the "Mississippi Seafood Labeling Task Force" to assess seafood marketing and testing. The task force will submit its findings and possibly recommend certain regulations to the legislature. |
| Will the bond market act as a spoiler for GOP's 'big, beautiful' tax bill? | |
| As you probably know, the United States' national debt is really big. As of right now, about $36 trillion-big. And as you very likely also know, a large chunk of that $36 trillion is issued in U.S. Treasury bonds -- government debt that, historically, has been eagerly gobbled up by investors around the world as one of the safest assets in all of global finance. All that to say, the House Ways and Means Committee passed an early version of President Trump's tax bill Wednesday morning, and estimates say it will add $3.8 trillion to deficits over the next 10 years. Historically, bond investors have more or less swallowed whatever new debt the U.S. government puts out there. This time around? The bond market may not be so thrilled. Even if this tax bill doesn't trigger the great American debt reckoning, bond experts say unless it's significantly reworked, interest rates on government debt will likely rise. "It doesn't have to be to the point where it's a full on crisis for this to create a lot of pain," said Anil Kashyap, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Not only do rising interest rates on government debt mean less money to go to government services, they also mean an increase in the cost of mortgages, auto loans and private borrowing. |
| 'First time we were hearing of them': The GOP megabill is packed with surprises for some Republicans | |
 | The House Energy and Commerce Committee was 16 hours into a nearly 27-hour markup when it became clear that top Republicans on the panel weren't clear on what key Medicaid provisions in the legislation they were actively debating would actually do. Couple that with confusion from moderates over the committee's complex and controversial proposal -- including language to dramatically overhaul the popular health safety-net program with new work requirements and cost-sharing mandates -- and it spells possible troubles ahead for the domestic policy megabill central to enacting President Donald Trump's domestic agenda. It could also further complicate last-minute negotiations on final text before the House is set to vote on the full package next week, especially with hard-liners pushing for even deeper cuts. "There were some items in there that, it was the first time we were hearing of them," GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents a competitive district in Pennsylvania he just flipped red, said in an interview. Of particular concern among a band of centrists is a new cost-sharing requirement for some Medicaid beneficiaries that would add new requirements for Americans with incomes at or just above the poverty line to pay for a portion of Medicaid services. |
| Trump gets unlikely visitors at White House: Democrats | |
 | President Trump in recent weeks has seen an uptick of unlikely visitors at the White House and his Florida home at Mar-a-Lago: Democrats. The latest example came last week when Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser appeared in the Oval Office, all but discarding the hard-edged approach she took with Trump during his first administration. Bowser was the second prominent Democrat in the room in a month. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appeared at the White House in April, even if she was caught on camera hiding behind a binder. Earlier this year, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) traveled to Palm Beach to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Democrats observing the trend said members of their party have to work with Trump on some issues, even if some -- like Whitmer -- may not want to be caught on camera at a particular time. It is a delicate dance for Democrats, who are tempted to take the resistance movement to a whole new level but are also mindful about the meaning behind the results of November's election. But some Democrats have taken the polar opposite tack with Trump. They say his first administration was bad enough. Now, they find the way he's governing as detestable and horrifying and they refuse to work with him. |
| The Weather Service Had a Plan to Reinvent Itself. Did DOGE Stop It? | |
 | Ken Graham had a plan. When he became the director of the National Weather Service during the Biden administration, Mr. Graham introduced "Ken's 10," a list of priorities he hoped would streamline the department. In January, addressing a conference hall full of meteorologists in New Orleans, he ticked off some successes, like replacing an antiquated and siloed communications system. There were challenges, too: Outdated technology and a stagnant budget made it difficult to get employees to stick around. But in a speech that sounded almost like a sales pitch, Mr. Graham reminded those in the audience that their work saved lives and, at the cost to every taxpayer of about $4 a year, offered a great return on investment. The crowd was skeptical. But Mr. Graham assured them the weather office fit into the incoming administration's agenda. The agency was already lean and had a plan to be more efficient. He just needed time. Instead, a few weeks later, the Department of Government Efficiency, the initiative led by Elon Musk reshaping the federal bureaucracy, delivered the same order to the Weather Service that it has across the rest of the government: Make cuts. A lot of them. Now the cuts have led to a staffing crisis so dire that at least eight of the department's 122 offices will soon no longer have forecasters working overnight, said Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the union that represents Weather Service employees. |
| Mental health expert gives advice for college students returning home | |
 | May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's also graduation season. And while it's a time to celebrate, for some college students, it can also bring stress and sadness. Saying goodbye to friends and a place you've called home for years can be tough. Going home for the summer may sound simple. But for college students, it can feel anything but. "People change, students change. When they return home, they look for things to be how they were and are not," said Veronica Harrison, LPC-S, the Lowndes County Administrator for Community Counseling Services. Harrison said many students, especially freshmen, struggle with the shift back to home life. Parents, too, may expect their child to fit back into old routines. "Parents or caregivers look for students to fall back into a mold, and that's just too difficult. They're not the same people," said Harrison. Harrison said it's common for students to become anxious when returning home from school. She advised parents to meet the students in the middle. |
| Donation supports Oxford Greenfield Farm Writers Residency | |
 | Oxford natives Patty and Will Lewis are giving to the Greenfield Farm Writers Residency project, the nonprofit stipend-supported writers residency being developed by the University of Mississippi. Their $100,000 gift will help build Greenfield Farm on a 20.4-acre site between Oxford and New Albany once owned by Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner and now by the university. The two leaders are excited about what Greenfield Farm will mean to Ole Miss, Oxford and beyond. "As longtime residents of the university community, we are proud to see its development as a cultural destination," Will Lewis said. "We have known of the William Faulkner farm and accepted it casually, but now comes John T. Edge, one of our own, to recognize its potential and have the enthusiasm and knowledge to develop the property in a greater way as a writers retreat with the title William Faulkner gave it, Greenfield Farm." Enhancing the strong literary tradition of Oxford and the university, Greenfield Farm is projected to cultivate 50-60 writers annually who work in Mississippi or are inspired by the state's history and culture. |
| 'Three strikes and you're out': Jackson State alums and lawmakers urge transparency with IHL board | |
| After Marcus Thompson's resignation last week, Mississippi lawmakers and Jackson State University alumni are calling for more transparency and accountability from the state's governing board that oversees and selects its college presidents. Thompson's departure officially marks the university's third leadership turnover in ten years. It was deja vu for many who had watched the board let Thompson's predecessor, Thomas Hudson, resign two years ago with no public explanation. The news came as a disappointment to JSU alumni, including Rep. Chris Bell, D-Jackson. Speaking about the repeated resignations creates a double-bind for JSU alums: It can bring unwanted, negative attention to the university, but staying silent could lead to IHL repeating the same mistakes. "We got a lot of great things going on at Jackson State University," Bell told Mississippi Today in a phone call this week. "It just speaks again to the need for transparency and accountability through the presidential selection process and IHL." |
| 55th Annual Gibbs-Green Commemoration held at Jackson State University | |
| Fifty-five years ago, two young students were gunned down by law enforcement on the campus of Jackson State University. That tragedy was remembered Wednesday in a commemoration of May 15, 1970. The wife of Phillip Gibbs and his youngest son, along with the sister of James Earl Green, participated in the ceremony. Mrs. Gibbs was pregnant with the couple's youngest son when Gibbs was killed. Green was 17 years old and two weeks away from graduating from Jim Hill High School. Gibbs was 21 and dreamed of becoming an attorney. Both died in a hail of gunfire from law enforcement on the campus of what was then Jackson State College. Green was on his way home from his job at a local grocery store. Dr. Robert Luckett, Director of the Margaret Walker Center at JSU, said, "City police and Highway Patrol marched onto our campus May 15th, 1970 and opened fire here on Alexander Hall Women's dorm, claiming falsely there had been a sniper in the building. They shot 14 students. Two passed away, Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green. And so today is our day to remember them, to commemorate what happened, but also lift up the survivors, the families, the students who were here." Luckett says the commemoration is also important for JSU students to learn their history. |
| EMCC conducts spring 2025 graduation ceremonies | |
 | East Mississippi Community College conducted spring 2025 graduation ceremonies Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, in the Lyceum Auditorium on the college's Golden Triangle campus. Two commencement ceremonies took place on May 9 with a 10 a.m. ceremony for students from career technical programs and a 2 p.m. ceremony for academic graduates. Students enrolled in programs of study on EMCC's Golden Triangle campus, at The Communiversity and at the Lion Hills Center took part in the May 9 graduations, as did students enrolled at the Golden Triangle Early College High School. Luke Bozeman, a plant manager at PACCAR Engine Company, was the guest speaker for the 10 a.m. ceremony, while Hasini Yamagowni was the guest speaker for the 2 p.m. ceremony. Yamagowni was among the EMCC graduates and will also graduate from Starkville High School later this month. A commencement ceremony for students enrolled in programs of study on EMCC's Scooba took place May 10. The graduation ceremony was originally scheduled to take place at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus, but the event was relocated to the Lyceum Auditorium on the Golden Triangle campus due to the potential for heavy rains. Scooba campus Student Government Association President Ciarria King, who took part in the graduation, was the speaker for the May 10 graduation. |
| MGCCC graduates share stories and advice following graduation | |
| It's graduation time yet again. More than 1,000 students crossed the stage at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum after earning their associate's degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. College president Dr. Mary Graham acknowledges the large class but says these students are just part of the college's success. "We do have about 1,000 that will participate, but we have awarded close to 3,000 degrees, certificates, and completion diplomas," said Dr. Graham. Dr. Graham said the great thing about community colleges is that they welcome students of all backgrounds and ways of life. Students like the Brooks Brothers, Darius, and Darrien, who have been side-by-side in school throughout their entire lives. "It means so much to have somebody by your side, to go through every step of life," said Darius Brooks. "I feel like it's always good to have someone there to help you through those long study nights, and he's been there for me," said Darrien Brooks. "When I need a little pep talk, he's been there." |
| Henderson named Co-Lin Dean of Academic Instruction | |
 | A seasoned Brookhaven educator and administrator has been named dean of academic instruction at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Dr. Stephanie L. Henderson of Brookhaven brings more than two decades of experience in K-12 and higher education to her new role. "We are pleased to welcome Dr. Stephanie Henderson to the Co-Lin family," said Co-Lin President Dr. Dewayne Middleton. As dean, Henderson will oversee the academic instructional programs of the college, working with faculty and staff to maintain high academic standards, promote student success, and support curriculum innovation across all campuses. Henderson currently serves as associate professor and chair of the Department of Education and Psychology at Alcorn State University. Her last day with Alcorn is June 20 and she'll start at Co-Lin on July 1. She previously served as associate professor and chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at Mississippi College. Henderson earned a Doctor of Education and Education Specialist degree from Mississippi College, a master's degree from Millsaps College, and a bachelor's degree from Spelman College. |
| Mississippi, once the leader in childhood vaccination rates, sees continuing rise in exemptions | |
| Mississippi's kindergarten vaccination rates, once the highest in the nation, dipped last year as the number of approved religious vaccine exemptions rose. The state's childhood vaccination rates remain high, but public health officials are bracing themselves for possible outbreaks of measles and pertussis among young children as cases of vaccine-preventable diseases have risen across the nation. There have been over 1,000 measles cases reported in the U.S. this year alone, compared to 285 cases last year. Three people have died from the virus, once deemed eradicated in the country, including two unvaccinated children in Texas. "Our first line of defense is our immunization rates," said State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney at the State Board of Health Meeting April 10. Kindergarten vaccination rates have fallen to fourth in the nation. Last school year, the state had 97.5% coverage for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, compared to 99.1% for the 2019-2020 school year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. A vaccine coverage rate of 95% or higher is needed to prevent measles outbreaks. There have not yet been any reported measles cases in Mississippi, though cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, have accelerated this year. |
| La. lawmakers scale back a proposed anti-hazing college course inspired by Caleb Wilson | |
 | Louisiana lawmakers pared down a bill Wednesday that would have required college students to take an anti-hazing course, a proposal inspired by the recent death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson. Citing cost concerns, they replaced the semester-long course with an annual two-hour training. In its original form, House Bill 279 required any student who joins a fraternity, sorority, band, athletic team or similar group to take a one-credit course on hazing prevention. Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, introduced the measure last month in honor of Wilson, who was 20 when he died in February after an alleged fraternity hazing ritual. But members of the House Education Committee voiced concerns Wednesday about the bill's projected price tag after university officials said the course would cost millions of dollars to develop and administer. Some members also said plans for the course should be paused until a new anti-hazing task force issues a report next year, which is required by a separate measure that the committee advanced Wednesday. Ultimately, the committee approved an amended version of Boyd's bill that removed the semester-long course mandate. Instead, the revised bill would update existing law by requiring student organizations to provide their members with a two-hour training, up from the current one-hour requirement, and adding a penalty for student groups that fail to train their members. |
| A Major College-President Transition Is Defined by an About-Face on DEI | |
 | When Santa J. Ono became president of the University of Michigan in 2022, he told students and faculty it was integral to "believe in and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion." This month, he was tapped to lead the University of Florida, and said that he was wrong about DEI. Ono said last week that he believes DEI -- a catch-all term that refers to offices, programs, and policies aimed at students and staff from minority backgrounds -- has become "more about ideology, division, and bureaucracy, not student success." He said he supports Florida's vision for higher education, where lawmakers have enacted a blanket ban on public colleges' diversity efforts. (His comments came in an opinion essay in Inside Higher Ed.) He also took credit for rolling back Michigan's expansive diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucracy in March, saying that executive orders and guidance from the Trump administration had sped up plans that were already in the works. "It wasn't universally popular, but it was necessary," Ono wrote. "I stood by it -- and I'll bring that same clarity of purpose to UF." In Florida, some are optimistic about Ono's potential presidency and praised his handling of protests and social issues. A half-dozen Michigan faculty members who spoke to The Chronicle, meanwhile, described a version of Ono who retreated from public life when faced with controversy and appeared to bend easily to political whims. |
| U. of Missouri graduating nearly 6,000 students this weekend | |
 | The University of Missouri starting Friday will host a series of 18 graduation ceremonies at various campus facilities. Ceremonies mostly will take place at Jesse Auditorium or Mizzou Arena, though. The university is expecting to celebrate 5,954 graduates for a total of 6,428 degrees conferred, including a few honorary doctorate degrees, at the various ceremonies. "We are proud to celebrate the excellence of our 2025 graduates," President Mun Choi said in a news release. "Mizzou empowers students to become independent thinkers to achieve career success. I can't wait to see what they accomplish." Harriett Copher Haynes, Stuart A. Wesbury Jr. and James E. Nave will receive the honorary doctorates. Haynes is a 1963 Mizzou graduate in nursing. She continued her education at the University of Minnesota, earning a master's degree in public health and a doctorate in counseling psychology. Wesbury is being recognized for his many years of service to University of Missouri medical school. Nave is a two-time Mizzou graduate. First in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture and then in 1968 as a doctor of veterinary medicine. |
| Professors Say They Need a Raise. They Probably Won't Get One. | |
| Living expenses have ballooned in the 14 years since Robert Gallagher, a professor of sociology, psychology, and human services, started working at Broward College. His monthly car insurance bill has doubled from about $125 to $250. His annual homeowners insurance has grown from about $2,500 to $4,500. His salary hasn't come close to keeping up. Since 2012, Broward's faculty members have received annual raises averaging just over 1 percent, according to the faculty union. For at least six of those years, they received no raises to base pay. For Gallagher, that means his primary paycheck has only grown from $56,000 to $67,000. When adjusted for inflation, it has effectively declined by 15 percent. "Homeowners insurance, car insurance, cost of living -- everything goes up and up and up and up," said Gallagher, 51. "The only thing that doesn't go up is our pay." His experience is not unique. From 2013 to 2023, the latest year for which data are available, the average pay for faculty members nationwide when adjusted for inflation has decreased by 1.5 percent, according to a Chronicle analysis of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). |
| State Higher Ed Support May Have Hit a Ceiling | |
 | State support for higher education rose for the fifth year in a row last year, putting it 18 percent above pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report. But between major federal spending cuts and tightening state budgets, experts worry it may be the last gasp of the post-pandemic funding surge -- and that public institutions can't make up for it with rapidly declining tuition revenue. The State Higher Education Finance report, released annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, found that state higher ed funding rose by a slight 0.8 percent last year for a total of $139.1 billion and $11,683 per full-time student. Although the total amount of state support for higher ed increased slightly nationwide, it declined in half the states and Washington, D.C. Robert Kelchen, a professor and head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, said FY24 is "likely to be the best fiscal year we'll see for higher education funding for a while" and that public colleges can't rely on tuition or enrollments to make up for the potential decline. "I'm worried about the ability of public colleges to raise revenue," he said. "Going forward, we'll see more states with flat funding, which leaves tuition as the other key revenue source, and most institutions are unable to increase tuition." |
| How House Lawmakers Could Reshape Higher Ed | |
| All the pieces of House Republicans' plan to cut trillions in federal spending are now public, and if the package becomes law, colleges and universities could face crippling repercussions, higher education experts say. "It is a full-out assault on the ability of students -- especially low-income students -- to access and afford higher education," said Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education. "It will have a dramatically negative impact, not just on higher ed, but on the whole population." From overhauling the federal student loan system to expanding taxes on colleges and slashing critical public benefit programs, the package could have a multitude of effects, both direct and downstream, that could hinder students' access to postsecondary education. But not all Republicans are on board, and Democrats are expected to oppose the legislation, which congressional leaders want to pass under reconciliation -- a procedure that allows them to avoid a filibuster and pass with only 51 votes in the Senate. The end goal is to set aside enough dollars to fund more than $4 trillion in tax cuts and immigration reform. House leaders want to put the omnibus bill up for a vote next week. If the House approves what leaders are referring to as the "one big, beautiful bill," the measure will head to the Senate, where it's expected to see many changes. |
| 'Root out DEI': Why red states are enlisting in Trump's war on 'woke' | |
 | When he took office in January, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion in state government. Last week, he signed a bill making that order the law in his state. "I pledged to root out DEI," Morrisey said at a ceremonial bill signing. "Now I can report to you that we are following through with that promise and that's a wonderful reason to be here today. DEI is dead in the Mountain State." With President Donald Trump leading the charge, diversity initiatives have emerged as a new front in the nation's culture wars. Now Republican-led states are joining the fight. While most anti-DEI bills target higher education, 25 states from Louisiana to South Carolina are considering 101 measures that would limit DEI in state and local governments and other publicly funded institutions, according to Bill Kramer, vice president and counsel of state and local government relations firm MultiState. In response, blue states are rolling out bills defending DEI. "I definitely think state lawmakers have been emboldened by the actions on the federal level," said Kramer, whose firm tracks legislation for hundreds of clients. |
| Americans are divided over DEI programs on college campuses, an AP-NORC poll finds | |
 | As President Donald Trump seeks to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices on college campuses, a new poll suggests that while the concept of DEI is divisive, some of the initiatives being affected by his administration's guidance are less controversial. The poll, conducted earlier this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found about 4 in 10 Americans "strongly" or "somewhat" favor DEI programs in colleges and universities, while about 3 in 10 oppose those initiatives and about 3 in 10 are neutral. Support is higher for courses on racism and scholarships for students of color, among other services designed to help students from underrepresented groups. The findings underscore that while "DEI" has become a politically toxic and unpopular term for many Americans, some components of DEI programs have much less opposition. This is especially true among Republicans. While about 6 in 10 Republicans oppose DEI programs broadly, their opposition softens for many of their most common elements. About 7 in 10 Democrats, by contrast, favor DEI programs on college campuses, with similar shares supporting courses that teach about racism and scholarships or extracurricular support services for students from underrepresented groups. Some of this tension may stem from differing perspectives on what DEI means. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: State Wraps Up Regular Season With Mizzou | |
| Having won two-straight series, Mississippi State is seeking to finish out its regular season schedule strong. The Diamond Dawgs swept Kentucky on Super Bulldog Weekend and took a series from archrival and then 24th-ranked Ole Miss last weekend. MSU attempts to keep its momentum going closing by the regular season slate at Missouri. The three-game series begins on Thursday at 6 p.m. with Game 2 set for Friday at the same time. First pitch for the finale will be Saturday at 2 p.m. with all contests streaming on SEC Network+. Junior left-hander Pico Kohn is set to start Thursday's affair on the mound for Mississippi State. Kohn ranks fifth in the SEC with 100 strikeouts and is tied seventh with 72 innings pitched. In 13 starts, he is 5-3 with a 4.38 earned run average with just 21 walks and opponents hitting only .225 against him. The Tigers will counter with a southpaw of their own, sending freshman Brady Kehlenbrink to the bump for his ninth start. In 13 appearances, Kehlenbrink is 0-4 with a 9.68 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 19 walks across 30 2/3 innings. |
| What to watch, keys to victory for Mississippi State baseball at Missouri | |
| For eight weeks, Missouri was threatening to do the seemingly impossible by losing every game in Southeastern Conference play. But the Tigers have started to find a winning formula just in time to welcome Mississippi State to Columbia for the final series of the regular season. Missouri (16-35, 3-24 SEC) is coming off its best weekend of the year by far, sweeping Texas A&M on the road. The Tigers scored six runs in the ninth inning for a 9-6 win in the series opener, then allowed just one run in each of the next two games, completing the sweep with a 10-1 victory on Sunday. Better Bulldogs teams than this one have had trouble beating Missouri. The 2021 eventual national champions lost two of three at home to the Tigers in mid-May, preventing MSU from winning the SEC title. Missouri won another series against the Bulldogs the following year, and last season, the Tigers, who had by far the worst RPI in the SEC, salvaged the series finale in Starkville and perhaps stopped MSU from hosting an NCAA regional. The RPI gap this year between Missouri and the rest of the SEC is even wider. The conference has the top five teams in the latest RPI rankings and seven of the top eight, and even South Carolina and Texas A&M are at 59 and 71, respectively. And then there are the Tigers, all the way down at No. 133. That makes a series win for the Bulldogs all the more imperative. |
| Mississippi State basketball announces marquee matchup with Iowa State | |
| Another piece of Mississippi State's 2025-26 basketball schedule was officially announced on Wednesday and it is another marquee matchup for the Bulldogs. First reported by Field of 68's Jeff Goodman, Mississippi State and Iowa State will face off on Nov. 10th in a neutral-court setting at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. A tipoff time and TV network assignment will be released at a later date. Mississippi State and Iowa State both reached the NCAA Tournament this past season with the Cyclones advancing to the Round of 32. "It's a great opportunity to face a quality program at a first-class venue," head coach Chris Jans said in a school release. "We've got great respect for Coach (TJ) Otzelberger and their terrific staff for how accomplished and well run of a program Iowa State has become. This early season matchup will help prepare us for other early challenges and the SEC schedule." Mississippi State leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 3-0, and that includes a 1-0 record in previous neutral-court meetings. The last time the two schools faced each other was in 2021 as Mississippi State claimed a 95-56 win over Iowa State in Starkville as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. |
| $1 Million Gift Builds On Momentum For Mississippi State's Indoor Football Facility | |
| Fundraising momentum for the Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility continued Wednesday as Mississippi State Athletics announced a new $1 million gift from a dedicated family in Jackson, Mississippi. The commitment marks another significant step forward in advancing Bulldog Football and reflects the growing support from donors who believe in the program's future. "We are incredibly grateful for this generous commitment to Mississippi State Athletics and our football program," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "This family has been 'all in' from my first days here in Starkville and we are incredibly thankful they have reinforced their commitment once again. The belief in our vision from dedicated supporters like this family fuels our continued pursuit of elevating our football program to new heights." "Mississippi State has been integral to our family's journey," the family said. "We have a deep appreciation for MSU and the impact it has had on so many lives. We believe in the direction of the athletic department and are honored to contribute to the continued growth and success of Bulldog student-athletes." Last week, Mississippi State announced a trailblazing gift for the Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility, led by Howard Industries. The facility will feature a 110,000 square-foot indoor training space. In addition to the indoor practice facility, renovations to key performance and support spaces are a part of the project. This includes enhanced areas for sports science, injury prevention, and player recovery. |
| Mississippi State extends athletic director Zac Selmon's contract | |
| Mississippi State has rewarded athletic director Zac Selmon with a contract extension. Selmon, who was hired in January of 2023, signed a one-year contract extension through Jan. 31, 2029. Selmon signed the extension on Feb. 1, according to documents obtained by the Clarion Ledger. The deal raises his salary by $25,000 to $1.25 million this year. The salary will increase by $25,000 each year Selmon's contract is continually renewed. It also includes an annual $100,000 bonus beginning Jan. 31, 2026. He has been busy recently securing major donations to advance MSU athletics. On May 7 the Bulldogs announced plans to build a football-only practice facility. A donation from the Howard Industries made the construction possible. The facility is expected to cost $60 million and will open in 2028. Selmon has already made a major coaching decision when he hired football coach Jeff Lebby before the 2024 season. Selmon will also hire a new baseball coach after Chris Lemonis was fired on April 28. |
| Bulldog Bullets: Canady again looms large in Mississippi State's way | |
| Mississippi State and head coach Samantha Ricketts are surely grateful to be back in the postseason, but her first thought upon seeing the Bulldogs' draw may well have been, "Haven't we seen enough of you?" For the second year in a row, for MSU to advance to the super regionals, the Bulldogs must beat NiJaree Canady, who has been arguably the best pitcher in college softball since the day she stepped on campus at Stanford as a freshman. MSU thought it had overcome that roadblock in this year's season opener, when Raelin Chaffin outdueled Canady and her new team, Texas Tech. But the softball gods just can't stop putting this supernova of a flamethrower in the Bulldogs' way. And in all likelihood, MSU must beat her not once, but twice to extend its season another week. Canady is certainly not unhittable, as the Bulldogs proved in the eighth inning of that February matchup in Clearwater, Florida. But even after moving to a hitter-friendly ballpark in a climate where the ball flies, her ERA is still 0.81 in 181 innings, and she has 263 strikeouts against just 35 walks. Of course, MSU needs to beat Washington on Friday to likely even have a chance to face Canady again. |
| Men's Tennis Set For NCAA Quarterfinal Match Against Stanford | |
| Mississippi State and Stanford will meet for just the fifth time in program history when the two squads square off in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. The match between the Bulldogs (25-5) and the Cardinal (25-5) is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT start at the Hurd Tennis Center on the campus of Baylor University. Friday's contest will be State's seventh all-time appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals and the first since 2018. This is the second time under the direction of head coach Matt Roberts that the Bulldogs have played in the Elite Eight. Mississippi State is competing in its 33rd NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have competed in each of the last 14 tournaments that have been played. The Bulldogs' 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the second longest streak in program history behind State's 15 consecutive appearances from 1991-2005. State is making its seventh all-time trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals, its first appearance since 2018. Texas joins Mississippi State as the only two SEC programs to advance to the quarterfinals. 11 SEC programs made the NCAA Tournament. |
| Track & Field: Bulldogs Set For Outdoor SEC Championships | |
| Mississippi State track and field is set to begin the outdoor postseason campaign at the SEC Outdoor Championships, hosted by Kentucky. The multis will kick off competition for the Bulldogs on Thursday, with Kennedy Jackson competing in the heptathlon and Lewis Barber in the decathlon. Jackson, who is 19th in the NCAA and has scored in the multis in the past three conference championships, looks to continue her streak at the outdoor championships. Barber will be the only Bulldog in the decathlon, attempting to improve on his seventh-place finish at the 2024 outdoor championships. The meet will be available to stream on the SEC Network+. |
| Greg Sankey cites College Football Playoff selection when pressed on nine-game schedule for SEC | |
| The conversation surrounding a potential ninth conference game being added to the SEC football schedule has gained a ton of steam over recent weeks. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has a ton on his plate, but he recognizes this is an issue that needs an answer sooner rather than later. On Wednesday, Sankey joined The Paul Finebaum Show to provide the latest on whether a ninth game is coming in 2026. While it appears close to coming to fruition, Sankey prefaced by stating how it hinges on what the College Football Playoff decides to do about seeding, as certain SEC teams were burned by the conference's stout competition in 2024. "Let's talk about the College Football Playoff. I think the 12-team launch was incredibly successful. More people had opportunities. We had a lot of conversation around who was left out, and we kind of forget, well, those teams were going to be in bowl games. Maybe New Year's Six bowl games, or the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. This year it was, should they be in, should they be out? What's important to me is how teams are being evaluated," Sankey stated. "A team that's playing two-thirds of their games against teams with winning records, compared to a team that's played a very small number of their games against winning records in a different setting. That raises the issue of how spots are allocated." |
| A New Normal Looms in College Athletics. Can Trump Help Shape It? | |
| College athletics programs are poised to enter a new reality. They have been for some time. A major settlement that would upend colleges' relationship to their players -- and commit millions of dollars to those athletes, their successors, and their predecessors -- sits unsigned on a judge's desk. Players who have already been cut by their teams as a consequence of that settlement are waiting to find out if they'll be welcomed back. And federal lawmakers are working on legislation that could introduce yet more changes, though its passage is far from certain. Into that uncertainty stepped another stakeholder last week: President Trump. Yahoo Sports reported that he is creating a commission on college athletics to examine a wide range of issues, including "the frequency of player movement in the transfer portal, the unregulated booster compensation paid to athletes, the debate of college athlete employment, preserving the Olympic sport structure, the application of Title IX to school revenue-share payments and, even, conference membership makeup and conference television contracts." The news has jolted a sector used to seismic changes. Those reached by The Chronicle late last week expressed uncertainty that the president's commission could solve the complex issues that plague college sports. But some also said they were hopeful that if a commission took a wide view and made careful recommendations, it could be a step on the path to helpful reform |
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