| Tuesday, July 8, 2025 |
| Mississippi State selected to develop energy-efficient autonomous flight systems | |
 | Mississippi State University has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense to help develop energy-efficient autonomous flight systems. Specifically, the university's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory has been tapped by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to be a prime participant in its Albatross program. Per federal officials, the Albatross program serves to transform uncrewed aerial systems operations by demonstrating long-endurance, high-persistence, and operationally relevant flight capabilities using environmental energy sources, such as thermals and wind. By extending the range and flight longevity of existing and future uncrewed aerial systems, the plan is for Albatross to play a key role in advancing airborne operations for national security, communications, and other essential missions. "This is an area of flight research that has gone underdeveloped for too long. DARPA is targeting 75% reductions in energy usage for existing fixed-wing aircraft -- almost unheard of in an industry where a 5% reduction is substantial," Raspet's Principal Investigator Matthew Berk said. Mississippi State professor of meteorology and climatology Jamie Dyer will lead the development of global weather models to inform the algorithms developed for the Albatross program, while Mississippi State associate research professor Chris Goodin will spearhead sensing development efforts. |
| Mississippi State to develop autonomous soaring for DARPA | |
 | The federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected Mississippi State University's (MSU) Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to be a prime performer for its groundbreaking Albatross program. According to officials, the Albatross program seeks to revolutionize uncrewed aerial systems operations by demonstrating long-endurance, high-persistence, and operationally relevant flight capabilities using environmental energy sources, such as thermals and wind. By extending the range and endurance of existing and future uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), Albatross aims to push the frontiers of persistent airborne operations for national security, communications and other critical missions. In partnership with MSU's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems and its Department of Geosciences, Raspet will develop novel sensing algorithms and develop techniques for sensing environmental soaring conditions. Raspet's operations team will integrate the full systems, using its technical expertise to test, evaluate and certify Albatross prototypes. Raspet will oversee flight safety assessments, airworthiness validations, and the design and execution of comprehensive flight test campaigns. |
| Magnolia Mornings: MSU developing autonomous soaring for federal DARPA program | |
| The federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has selected Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to be a prime performer for its groundbreaking Albatross program. The Albatross program seeks to revolutionize uncrewed aerial systems operations by demonstrating long-endurance, high-persistence, and operationally relevant flight capabilities using environmental energy sources, such as thermals and wind. By extending the range and endurance of existing and future uncrewed aerial systems, or UAS, Albatross will push the frontiers of persistent airborne operations for national security, communications and other critical missions. Under the award, MSU's Raspet research lab will lead a multi-university and MSU interdisciplinary collaboration. MSU will collaborate with a University of Texas at El Paso team, led by John Bird, an expert on autonomous soaring, and an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University team, led by Michael Kinzel, an expert in local weather modeling. |
| Mississippi State University Launches AI Master's Degree | |
| Starting this fall, Mississippi State University will offer artificial intelligence as a focus at the graduate level. Aiming to prepare students for in-demand jobs, the university's new master's degree program builds on recent initiatives to expand AI competency and fill workforce needs locally and nationwide, Andy Perkins, interim head of the Department of Computer Science, said in a recent news release. With classes available in person and online, the master's curriculum includes foundational AI and machine learning courses as well as electives covering computing theory, legal and ethical issues and applications in different areas. There is also an optional thesis for students interested in research. "Our faculty bring a wealth of experience to the program, including specializing in fundamental AI research and applying AI methods in areas such as robotics, cybersecurity, bioinformatics and agriculture," Perkins said in a public statement. The master's program comes alongside a wave of investments in AI education at Mississippi State. In fall 2024, the university launched a bachelor's degree in AI, focused on machine learning, neural networks and natural language processing. The university also offers a concentration for computer science students to learn about AI without pursuing a degree. |
| Branched-chain amino acid effect on laying hens studied | |
| The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project from Mississippi State University on layer hen production and performance. Due to limited resources on the interaction and requirements of lower amino acids in the layer industry, researchers aimed to investigate how branched-chain amino acid interactions affect the performance, feather quality and egg quality of laying hens. The research project -- #F-103: Understanding the Influence of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Interaction on Performance, Feather Quality and Egg Quality of Laying Hens -- was led by principal investigator Dr. Pratima Adhikari, associate professor in the Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University. Adhikari investigated how varying levels of the branched-chain amino acids leucine (Leu), valine (Val) and isoleucine (Ile), as well as their interactions, affect pullet performance and bone quality during the grower and developer phases, as well as layer performance and egg quality during the laying phase. |
| County to start paying SPD for animal control assistance | |
 | The county will begin paying Starkville Police Department to assist in animal control countywide. During their regular meeting Oktibbeha supervisors unanimously approved a one-year agreement for SPD to provide animal control services to the county, which does not have its own dedicated animal control service. Starkville Police Department will start receiving $100 for each animal control call in the county, a service the department previously covered as a professional courtesy, Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Maurice Johnson told The Dispatch. SPD's animal control unit already assists the sheriff's office with calls involving animals that are too large, aggressive or sick to be placed in OCSO patrol cars, Johnson said. OCSO will still handle any investigations related to animal control calls. District 1 Supervisor Ben Carver called the agreement "a good deal" for the county. "... This is something I didn't know was that big of a problem until I got out there campaigning and got chased a few times myself," Carver said during the meeting. "... Something's got to be done." County residents should report loose or dangerous animals by calling 911. |
| Mississippi tech companies featured at premier national defense innovation event | |
| Select Mississippi tech companies were center stage at a national defense innovation premier pitch event held earlier this year, marking the third consecutive appearance for the state's tech firms and underscoring the state's growing role in the defense innovation ecosystem. The Mississippi companies that presented were Camgian Corporation of Starkville, Hyperion Technology Group in Tupelo, Medina Doyle Technologies in Brandon, Mythos AI of Gulfport, V2 Forensics in Gulfport, and Vertecore Technologies in Natchez. Hosted in partnership with the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Kansas and FirePoint at Wichita State University, the four-day event drew innovators, small businesses, and government tech scouts from nearly a dozen states. Participants collaborated in a series of curated pitch sessions and matchmaking meetings targeted at aligning emerging technologies with federal defense priorities. Phil Ethridge, director of product management for Camgian Corporation, emphasized the value of the experience and the support provided by the RISE Center. "Encountering Innovation 2025 was a great experience for our team," said Ethridge. |
| Westside Business Center under construction; second Zaxby's to open | |
 | Construction of the third Market Center building on Coley Road is underway, and an additional spec building will create a much larger footprint. V.M. Cleveland, chairman and owner of the Tupelo Furniture Market is developing what is being called the Westside Business Center. Cleveland has built the "Market Centers" so far: the first Market Center opened in 2016 with the addition of CORE Cycle and Outdoor. It also added Fox's Pizza Den, Gilpin Cleaners, and others. Market Center II is anchored by Brooks Grocery, which opened in 2021. The new Market Center III, comprised of two buildings: a 35,000-square foot building that is similar in design to the Brooks complex, and behind it is a 78,500 spec building. ... Zaxby's is adding a second store in Tupelo. The newest location will be on West Main Street, on a lot adjacent to Lawhon Insurance. The city's first Zaxby's opened in 2017 in the Tupelo Crossroads development at the corner of North Gloster and Barnes Crossing Road. |
| Now sold, what's new on the menu at iconic Walker's Drive-In in Jackson? | |
 | Joe Cravens' dream has come true. As of July 1, the young chef and entrepreneur is the owner of the iconic Walker's Drive-In in the Fondren district of Jackson. That comes after weekend of good byes from the previous owner Derek Emerson, who spend the last three days owning the restaurant by hosting invitation-only reservations as a way to say thank you to patrons who had been loyal for the past 24 years. Emerson and wife, Jennifer, had owned the anchor of the business district since 2001, but the restaurant has been in the same location since the 1940s when it served burgers, fries and milkshakes. Now Cravens gets to put his stamp on the historic restaurant as the new owner. As part of that, he has closed the eatery until July 11 to take care of a few house-keeping items during the transition. Walker's will be open July 11 for dinner only and then July 15 for lunch and dinner. The goal now for Cravens is to make sure Walker's stays exactly as it has been for the last 24 years. "What we want to do is prevent Walker's from changing, at all," Craven said. |
| US plans to breed and release billions of flies to protect cattle | |
 | The U.S. government is preparing to breed billions of flies and dump them out of airplanes over Mexico and southern Texas to fight a flesh-eating maggot. That sounds like the plot of a horror movie, but it is part of the government's plans for protecting the U.S. from a bug that could devastate its beef industry, decimate wildlife and even kill household pets. This weird science has worked well before. "It's an exceptionally good technology," said Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies parasites in animals, particularly livestock. "It's an all-time great in terms of translating science to solve some kind of large problem." The targeted pest is the flesh-eating larva of the New World Screwworm fly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies -- sterilizing them with radiation before releasing them. They mate with females in the wild, and the eggs laid by the female aren't fertilized and don't hatch. There are fewer larvae, and over time, the fly population dies out. Alarmed about the fly's migration north, the U.S. temporarily closed its southern border in May to imports of live cattle, horses and bison and it won't be fully open again at least until mid-September. |
| U.S. Small-Business Sentiment Darkens Slightly | |
 | Businesses on Main Street became a little more pessimistic last month as heightened uncertainty continued to weigh. The National Federation of Independent Business said Tuesday that its optimism index, a gauge of sentiment among small firms, edged down 0.2 points to 98.6 in June, slightly above its long-term reading of 98. A consensus of economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expected 98.7. An increase in respondents reporting excess inventories contributed the most to the decline in the index, NFIB said. Uncertainty remains elevated, it added, contributing to falling real spending on investment and spending plans being kept low. Job creation has been creeping downward and will continue to do so, it added. "Taxes remain the top issue on Main Street, but many others are still concerned about labor quality and high labor costs" NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg said. Meanwhile, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve's target and businesses owners face high labor costs that will be passed on in higher selling prices. Lower mortgage rates would help reduce borrowing costs for small businesses, but supply remains the bigger problem, NFIB said. Consumer spending will be key to growth, though sentiment remains depressed and sharply divided between Republicans and Democrats. |
| Mississippi's court system is now fully online | |
| Every circuit, chancery and county court across Mississippi's 82 counties is finally part of the statewide electronic court system, completing a nearly two-decade-long mission to have a uniform digital court system. Nathan Evans, the director of the Mississippi Electronic Courts, said in a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts, that the successful statewide implementation of the system marks a historic milestone for the judiciary. "With both appellate courts and all 188 Chancery, Circuit and County Courts now operating on a single, centralized case management and e-filing system, we have taken a significant leap in efficiency, transparency, and access to justice for the public we serve," Evans said. Electronic court implementation was voluntary in trial courts until the Legislature passed HB 25 in 2020, which Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law, requiring local trial courts to be fully integrated with the electronic system by July 2, 2021. But court leaders at the time notified state officials that it would be impossible to meet the statutory deadline and asked the Legislature to appropriate more money for the court to integrate all trial courts into the electronic system more quickly. The Legislature did not provide more money for court officials to complete the job of training local chancery and circuit clerk employees in every corner of the state on how to use the system, but court officials proceeded with the Herculean task. |
| Posey named 8th Circuit Court District Judge | |
| Governor Tate Reeves on Monday announced the appointment of Christopher M. Posey of Philadelphia to the Office of the Circuit Judge for the 8th Circuit Court District, which covers Leake, Neshoba, Newton, and Scott Counties. This appointment fills a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Mark Duncan. "Throughout his career, Chris has proven himself as an uncompromising criminal prosecutor," said Governor Tate Reeves. "His years of experience, backed by support from law enforcement, proves that Chris has what it takes to preside over Mississippi's 8th Circuit Court with fairness, order, and integrity. I will continue to appoint judges like Chris who believe in a strong criminal justice system. I thank him for his commitment to the rule of law and his willingness to serve." Posey began practicing law in 2006. Since 2016, he has served as an Assistant District Attorney for the 8th Circuit Court District, where he has led the prosecution of thousands of felony criminal cases across Leake, Neshoba, Newton, and Scott Counties. Posey earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi. |
| New vending machine provides free medicine to fight opioid overdoses | |
| Several public health groups unveiled a new vending machine Monday in the Jackson Medical Mall, where people can pick up free boxes of naloxone, a medicine that temporarily reverses opioid overdoses in children and adults. The machine holds 250 boxes. Fund Recovery and the REACH Institute donated the machine, and Padagis donated the naloxone. Naloxone attaches to opioid receptors in the brain and reverses or blocks the effects of opioids. It has no effect on people who don't have opioids in their system. Naloxone only works for 30 to 90 minutes. Someone who takes a dose will still need immediate medical attention. Jeffery Simmons is a Mississippi native and defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans. He's featured throughout Fund Recovery's "Tackle Naxolone Now" campaign, and he specifically chose Jackson as the location for Fund Recovery's fourth naloxone vending machine. "I'm not from Jackson, but I grew up right down the road. I see what's going on in our community," Simmons said. "Mississippi is home for me, so I don't just think about Macon, Mississippi, Starkville.... I think about Mississippi." The "Tackle Naloxone Now" campaign seeks to make the medicine more accessible by distributing it free in vending machines. |
| Mississippi officials praise federal tax bill as advocates sound alarm on Medicaid, SNAP cuts | |
 | Many of Mississippi's Republican elected officials celebrated Congress' approval of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" to extend tax cuts and slash federal funding for safety net programs, but advocates are raising concerns about how cuts to health funding could impact patients and hospitals. Just minutes after the House of Representatives passed Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill on Thursday, Gov. Tate Reeves told reporters he believes the measure's tax cuts will spur a surge in capital investment in America. He also said that if that happens, Mississippi will punch above its weight in courting that investment to continue a post-pandemic trend of economic growth. When discussing the bill's impact on federal funding levels for various programs in Mississippi, Reeves said the state will avoid the most sweeping health funding cuts because they only apply to the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid. While that is true, Mississippi could still lose between $3 billion and $5 billion in Medicaid funding due to the cuts, according to health policy research organization KFF. Richard Roberson, CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association, said that wouldn't only represent a massive hit to state coffers but also to hospitals across the state. That's because of new restrictions being placed on a mechanism that allows states to use provider taxes to increase Medicaid payments to hospitals. |
| Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' is a huge win for South Mississippi space center | |
 | The massive tax and spending bill President Donald Trump signed last week is sending millions of dollars to the Stennis Space Center just months after federal leaders proposed major NASA cuts. The Stennis funding is tucked into one paragraph of the sweeping legislation and directs $120 million to infrastructure upgrades at the rocket engine test site in Hancock County. It is part of nearly $10 billion the bill is devoting to NASA missions that will launch astronauts to the Moon and Mars. Supporters said this week that the funding will help replace aging systems and keep testing engines at Stennis, which helps drive South Mississippi's economy and creates about 5,000 jobs. "It's extremely significant," said Mark Glorioso, a former Director of Center Operations at Stennis who now serves as chairman of the advocacy group Partners for Stennis & Michoud. Specifics about how Stennis will use the money are still unclear. Spokesperson Bethany Stevens said in an email on Monday that NASA was waiting for guidance on how to enact the legislation and "remains committed to executing upon the President's vision for the future of space as we usher in the Golden Age of human space exploration and innovation." |
| The Republican Strategy to Win Without Trump on the Ballot | |
| A political organization tied to House Republican leadership is pouring millions of dollars into polling and advertising in a new effort to fix a nagging problem for the party: Many of President Trump's voters don't show up for midterm elections when he isn't on the ballot. Getting them to cast ballots is crucial to the GOP's hopes of keeping -- and potentially increasing -- its narrow 220-212 House majority next year, said Chris Winkelman, president of the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super political-action committee affiliated with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.). Winkelman said CLF's efforts are focusing on "prosperity voters" -- people who value work and success. He said surveys show the group cuts across class and party lines. "It's a pivotal moment," said Winkelman, speaking publicly about the project for the first time. "I think we have a chance now to convert these voters and turn this into a party that performs well in midterms. Once we've done that, this is a real force multiplier for our party for years to come." Republicans are widely expected to keep control of the Senate in 2026, but the House remains up for grabs, according to election watchers. Losing the House majority would effectively end Trump's ability to pass partisan legislation, open him up to investigations and even a push for a third impeachment. Central to the Republican strategy is finding ways to sell voters on the broad tax-and- spending legislative package the GOP-controlled Congress narrowly passed last week. |
| Texas floods shine spotlight on Trump's weather and disaster cuts | |
 | The deadly Texas floods are drawing renewed scrutiny to Trump administration cuts at the nation's weather and climate research agencies. A flash flood on Friday unleashed water from the Guadalupe River in Central Texas, killing at least 90 people as of Monday afternoon. The incident spurred questions about the preparedness of federal agencies such as the National Weather Service (NWS) and others like it as they face the administration's crosshairs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which houses NWS, lost hundreds of staffers to Trump administration cuts, and positions within the Weather Service were among them. The Austin/San Antonio Weather Service office's warning coordination meteorologist, who organizes alerting the outside world about agency forecasts, took a Trump administration buyout in April. The office's Science Operations Officer, who implements new technology and data, also retired around the same time. Rick Spinrad, who led the NOAA during the Biden administration, said that the office's forecasters still did well, but that staffing-related issues could be causing communication problems. "The Weather Service did a really good job, actually, in getting watches and warnings and ...wireless emergency alerts out," he told The Hill on Monday. "It's really a little early to give a specific analysis of where things might have broken down, but from what I've seen, it seems like the communications breakdown in the last mile is where most of the problem was." |
| Why Texas' floods are a warning for the rest of the country | |
 | Kerr County, Texas, wasn't prepared for the deluge that killed more than 100 people this weekend, despite more than a century and a half of flash flooding along the Guadalupe River. Other communities around the country may find themselves just as exposed for the next catastrophe, emergency managers and scientists warned -- pointing to the soaring toll of climate change and the Trump administration's steep cuts to weather and disaster spending. Those cuts may not have played a direct role in the death toll from the central Texas floods, a point the White House argued strenuously Monday while maintaining that "the National Weather Service did its job" in predicting the rising waters. Meteorologists and climate scientists also praised NWS for its accurate, timely forecasts. Federal grants to help communities afford flood warning systems are also drying up after the Trump administration halted two main programs that once funded such work. And the White House acknowledged Monday that it's still weighing the fate of the nation's premier disaster responder, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, more than five months after Trump said that "I think we're going to recommend that FEMA go away." The gutting of the national infrastructure around weather emergencies comes at the same time that climate change is making severe disasters more common and more dangerous, according to studies and past warnings from the U.S. government -- including during the first Trump administration. |
| US adults want the government to focus on child care costs, not birth rates, AP-NORC poll finds | |
| While the Trump administration explores ways to encourage Americans to have more babies and reverse the United States' falling birth rate, a new poll finds that relatively few U.S. adults see this as a priority or share the White House's concerns. Instead, Americans are more likely to want the government to focus on the high cost of child care and improving health outcomes for pregnant women, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Pronatalism, or the promotion of childbearing, has gained traction as a movement within the tech world and among some religious conservatives. Prominent figures on the right like Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance have espoused pronatalist beliefs, arguing more children are good for society. The survey finds that only about 3 in 10 Americans say declining birth rates are a "major problem" in the U.S., and just 12% say that encouraging families to have more children should be "a high priority" for the federal government. |
| Trump says U.S. will resume weapons deliveries to Ukraine | |
 | President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would send more weapons to Ukraine to aid in its war against Russia, days after the White House announced that the Pentagon had halted deliveries of some key weapons to the country. "We have to," Trump said of the U.S. providing weapons to Ukraine, speaking to reporters at a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now." The shipment will include "defensive weapons, primarily," Trump said, remarking that "so, so many people are dying in that mess." Among the weapons paused were air defense missiles, precisely at the time Russia dramatically increased its overnight bombardments of Ukrainian cities. Trump's comments appeared to be an abrupt turnaround from last week, when White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that the Defense Department had decided to halt some shipments to Ukraine after a review found American military stockpiles to be low. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said at the time that the department was conducting an ongoing review of military aid to countries including Ukraine. That announcement caused confusion in Ukraine, where officials said they had not received notification that any weapons shipments would be paused, and President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was seeking clarification from Washington. |
| Mississippi's new poet laureate finds inspiration in nature | |
| A catalpa tree has lived for more than a century on what is now the University of Mississippi campus, its gnarled branches extending a broad canopy of shade near the student union building. The tree's trunk is so large that a whole class of professor Ann Fisher-Wirth's honors students could barely fit their linked arms around it. In her poem, "Catalpa," Fisher-Wirth imagines the ancient tree as a sapling, and her "mind enters a great quiet." She sees the tree through Mississippi history: the Depression, yellow fever, the burning of Oxford during the Civil War. She meditates on the lichen on the catalpa's bark and the hollow in its trunk, and she ends the poem imploring, "turn around, and look at the tree." Fisher-Wirth, whose poem "Catalpa" appeared in the 2023 collection "Paradise is Jagged," recently began her four-year term as Mississippi's poet laureate, nominated by other writers and leaders of cultural agencies and appointed by Gov. Tate Reeves. Her outreach will invite the state's residents to create and appreciate poetry together. Fisher-Wirth directed the University of Mississippi's environmental studies program and taught creative writing in its Master of Fine Arts program before she retired in 2022. Fisher-Wirth plans to start a podcast called “The Favorite Poem Project,” where she and fellow Mississippians will read and discuss their favorite poems. Fisher-Wirth also hopes to continue the Mississippi Poetry Project, started by her predecessor, Catherine Pierce. |
| Ole Miss to use P3 approach to building new student housing | |
| Rising enrollment numbers at one of Mississippi's oldest universities has prompted the institution to enter into a collaborative agreement with a private entity to develop, operate and maintain the construction of new student housing at its Oxford campus. For the 2024 fall semester, the University of Mississippi's seven campuses reported a total enrollment of 27,124 students, of which 5,973 were freshmen. The numbers indicated a spike of 11 percent from the prior year. A release from Ole Miss stated that was the largest freshman class in the history of the state. To match the rising enrollment numbers, more student housing is necessary. Last week, the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) approved a motion to take the next step in the construction of 2,700 beds on the Oxford campus. Construction of the new housing facilities will utilize modern, modular construction techniques, by Greystar's business Modern Living Solutions. IHL Board of Trustees member Charlie Stephenson said he and other members of the Board and representatives of Ole Miss were impressed when they toured Greystar's facility. |
| New U. of Alabama president Peter Mohler gets $800,000 contract | |
 | The new University of Alabama campus president will begin his tenure with a paycheck that puts him among the highest-paid university employees in the state. Peter Mohler will receive a salary of $800,000 through Sept. 30, 2026 with an annual performance bonus of $75,000 in 2025 and $150,000 in 2026. Mohler also will get $30,000 for relocation expenses, according to a contract approved today. This is a slight increase, about 2%, from his salary of $753,324 when he served as the Ohio State University's interim president in 2023, according to records reviewed by AL.com. Former president Stuart Bell's base salary was $775,842 as of July 2024. UAB President Ray Watts earns more than $1 million, according to recent AL.com reporting. Mohler joins Alabama during a critical period in the school's history. UA administration celebrated record enrollment last year of more than 40,000 students. Meanwhile, the University of Alabama System board of trustees faces a lawsuit from two professors and the student chapter of the NAACP for its interpretation of the state's anti-DEI law. |
| University accreditation plan teed up | |
| The state university system's Board of Governors next week could move forward with a plan to create an accrediting organization for universities in Florida and other states. The Board of Governors on July 11 will consider creating a non-profit corporation that would be the Commission for Public Higher Education. The organization would be incorporated in Florida, with higher-education systems in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee having representation on its board of directors, according to a summary of the proposal posted online in advance of next week's meeting. Gov. Ron DeSantis and officials from the other states announced the plan last week. The Commission for Public Higher Education, which will need federal approval, would be an alternative to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a longtime accrediting agency that has clashed with Florida education leaders in recent years. Accreditation plays a critical role in making schools eligible for students to receive federal financial aid. But Florida has taken steps to move away from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is often known as SACS, and battled in federal court with the Biden administration about accreditation. |
| Singer and Texas A&M graduate Robert Earl Keen planning benefit for flood-ravaged region | |
 | As the Texas Hill Country mourns the loss of life in the region following catastrophic flash flooding, and musician Robert Earl Keen, a Texas A&M University graduate and Kerrville resident, is spearheading a benefit concert to support his hometown. In an Instagram video posted over the weekend, Keen said his daughters had previously attended Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp nestled on the banks of the Guadalupe River. At least 27 campers and counselors from there have been reported dead. The beloved summer spot, where children from prominent families statewide have flocked, "holds a special place in mine and my family's hearts," Keen said in the video. Keen, the Houston-born Americana and country singer-songwriter, has been on tour. His most recent show, a stop in Kerrville pegged to Independence Day festivities, was canceled amid the deluge. All merchandise sales from his shows will go toward the Texas Hill Country Community Foundation, he said in the video. Matthew McConaughey, the Uvalde-born actor, urged his followers on Instagram to "lend a helping hand." |
| 185 U. of Memphis students may be dismissed due to Ghana not paying scholarships | |
| Over 180 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis could lose their scholarships due to the country failing to "fully meet its financial obligations," the university said in a statement on July 7. According to the university, in 2023, the U of M signed a memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Ghana for a scholarship program. The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, funded by Ghana, was designed to cover tuition and fees for students studying abroad. "The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has failed to fully meet its financial obligations," the university said in a statement. "As a result, these students face academic dismissal, visa complications, and loss of housing and support, through no fault of their own if GSS does not fully meet all financial obligations." According to reports from Ghana Web, a news outlet in Ghana, the country has only paid $400,000 of the total $3.6 million it owes to the university for the scholarship program. |
| N.C. Gov. Vetoes Bills Targeting 'DEI,' 'Divisive Concepts' | |
 | North Carolina's Democratic governor has vetoed two bills the Republican-led General Assembly passed targeting what lawmakers dubbed "diversity, equity and inclusion"; "discriminatory practices"; and "divisive concepts" in public higher education. Senate Bill 558 would have banned institutions from having offices "promoting discriminatory practices or divisive concepts" or focused on DEI. The bill defined "discriminatory practices" as "treating an individual differently [based on their protected federal law classification] solely to advantage or disadvantage that individual as compared to other individuals or groups." SB 558's list of restricted divisive concepts mirrored the lists that Republicans have inserted into laws in other states, including the idea that "a meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist" or that "the rule of law does not exist." The legislation would have prohibited colleges and universities from endorsing these concepts. In his veto message Thursday, Gov. Josh Stein wrote, "Diversity is our strength. We should not whitewash history, police dorm room conversations, or ban books. Rather than fearing differing viewpoints and cracking down on free speech, we should ensure our students learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions." |
| For New Grant, Ed Dept. Favors Colleges With 'Civic' Schools | |
| Even as it freezes billions of dollars in higher education funding elsewhere, the Trump administration is offering colleges and universities grants to put on seminars for K-12 educators and students related to next year's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. And it's telling applicants they'll have a better shot at earning some of the funding, estimated at over $14 million, if they meet a certain criterion. "Priority will be given to applicants from institutions of higher education that have established independent academic units dedicated to civic thought, constitutional studies, American history, leadership, and economic liberty," the Education Department wrote in a notice in the Federal Register last month. "These institutes should demonstrate a sustained commitment to robust civil discourse, the liberal arts, and the study of American history and politics through primary documents." Paul Carrese, Arizona State University's School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership's founding director, who remains a professor there, said that by his "strict accounting," 13 public university campuses across eight states -- Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah -- have established civics units. "It looks to me like somebody was reading about this" trend, Carrese said of the civics center criterion appearing in the grant program. |
| Student loan cancellation program could become Trump retribution tool, some advocates fear | |
| President Donald Trump is reshaping a student loan cancellation program into what some fear will become a tool for political retribution, taking aim at organizations that serve immigrants and transgender youth. Public Service Loan Forgiveness allows government employees, such as teachers and firefighters, plus many who work for nonprofits, to have their student loans canceled after they've made payments for 10 years. The Education Department is preparing an overhaul that would strip the benefit from organizations involved in "illegal activities," with the final determination left up to the U.S. education secretary. A draft proposal released by the department includes definitions of illegal activity that center on immigration, terrorism and transgender issues. Several advocates invited to weigh in on the draft proposal raised concerns it would give the department subjective authority to decide if an organization is engaged in anything illegal -- a power that could be used to remove entire hospital systems or state governments from the program. "That's definitely an indicator for me that this is politically motivated and perhaps will be used as a tool for political punishment," said Betsy Mayotte, president of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors and one of the advocates asked to review the policy as part of a rulemaking process. |
| Mass dismissals of Education Department civil rights complaints prompt concern from former officials | |
| The Education Department dismissed civil rights complaints at such a rapid clip this year that former officials and advocates are concerned about a core agency function amid Trump administration plans to make deep staffing cuts. In court documents filed last week, the department disclosed that its Office for Civil Rights dismissed 3,424 complaints between March 11 and June 27 "consistent with OCR's Case Processing Manual." The documents state that 96 complaints were "resolved" because of insufficient evidence during an investigation -- and another 290 complaints with voluntary agreements, settlements or technical assistance. During that time period, OCR received 4,833 complaints, opened 309 for investigation and opened 26 directed investigations, according to a court declaration filed as part of a case that challenged the agency's decision to conduct a sweeping reduction in force. Unlike most investigations, directed or self-initiated investigations are launched by the agency without someone filing a formal complaint about a school, college or university. Civil rights advocates say they are concerned about the high number of dismissals because the Trump administration interprets federal civil rights laws that address sex-based discrimination and discrimination based on race, national origin and shared ancestry differently from the Biden administration. |
| Noncitizen Professors Testify About Chilling Effect of Others' Detentions | |
 | Canceled research trips. Skipped conferences. Plans to revise a syllabus. On Monday, two professors who hold green cards testified about the ways that the detentions this spring of students and scholars who had voiced criticism of Israel had affected their work. They were the first two witnesses in a trial underway in a federal court in Boston over whether the free-speech rights of academics who are not American have been curtailed under the Trump administration. The American Association of University Professors is challenging what it alleges is a government policy of detaining noncitizens who have participated in pro-Palestinian activism. The association's position is that scholars' speech has been chilled; they fear the government will do to them what it did to Mahmoud Khalil, Rümeysa Öztürk, Badar Khan Suri, and others, all of whom were students or scholars when the government detained them for weeks at a time or sought to do so. "Not since the McCarthy era have immigrants been the target of such intense repression," said Ramya Krishnan, a lawyer with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which is representing the AAUP. But the government says there is no policy of detaining and deporting people for ideological reasons. A lawyer for the Justice Department said the AAUP's allegation that its members' speech has been chilled is no more than a theory based on a fear of something that could happen, not something that has actually happened. |
| Trump admin waffles in court on whether pro-Palestinian foreigners have full First Amendment rights | |
| A trial on a First Amendment lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's drive to deport pro-Palestinian academics quickly confronted a thorny legal issue Monday: whether foreigners in the U.S. enjoy the same free speech rights as American citizens. The administration's stance on that critical question proved murky. Under questioning by U.S. District Judge William Young in his Boston courtroom, Justice Department attorney Victoria Santora initially said non-citizens have the same First Amendment rights as citizens. "People in the United States share the same rights under the First Amendment," Santora said. "That's an answer and I'll hold you to that," Young responded. However, about 10 minutes later, as Santora concluded her opening statement, she said she may have misspoken and needed to qualify her answer. "The answer, I think, is not necessarily, based on their status in the country," Santora said. "There are nuances to the First Amendment," Santora said, pointing to concerns about "national security, foreign policy, immigration enforcement and enforcement discretion." The exchange came as Young opened what's expected to be a two-week, non-jury trial on a lawsuit filed in March by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association. |
| Trump Administration May Be Tweaking Its Strategy for Terminating Research Grants | |
| President Trump's administration has swiftly sought to advance major changes across higher education, such as eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campuses; punishing individuals and institutions over allegations of antisemitism; and laying off thousands of employees in the Education Department. An internal memo from the Department of Health and Human Services laid out a fresh legal strategy for ensuring that grant terminations survive legal challenges. The memo --- obtained by STAT News -- comes after a federal judge ordered nearly 900 of the 2,000-plus terminations to be reversed, saying they were "void and illegal" because the government had likely discriminated against minorities and LGBTQ people. Since then, the National Institutes of Health has paused all cancellations. Currently, the Trump administration's main justification for terminating grants that touch on diversity, environmental justice, and other progressive causes has been "non-alignment with agency priorities." A third option was held up as the best approach: terminate awards for "non-alignment with agency priorities," but only after October 1, 2025, when the new fiscal year begins. At that point, the document says, the government can attribute the terminations to new federal rules. |
| 'It's a nightmare.' U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels | |
| It was a conversation neither wanted to have. Last month, University of Maryland professor Anne Simon broke the difficult news to Xiaobao Ying that she didn't have funding to extend his assistant research scientist position beyond July as they had originally planned. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had agreed last year to fund a field trial for their team's work on citrus greening, an economically important crop disease, which would have covered his salary for 2 years. But after President Donald Trump's administration took over, the funds were frozen. "It's very hard because you're devastating people's lives," Simon says of the conversation with Ying. "I've never had to do this in 38 years." Ying, a single father who has worked in Simon's lab for 5 years, is now scrambling to find another research job. He's only seen one position that he felt qualified to apply for. "I don't think it will be easy," he says. "Everywhere funding is short." In the meantime, he plans to try to get by as an Uber driver. Similar conversations are taking place across the country as the federal government has paused or terminated billions of dollars of grants, proposed slashing research funding by more than 40% for key research agencies in the next fiscal year, and tried -- so far without success -- to cut overhead payments to universities. |
| U.S. Policy Made America's Research Engine the Envy of the World. One President Could End That. | |
| In 1976, Americans made a clean sweep of the Nobel Prizes. The year's honorees were recognized for pioneering research on infectious diseases and for the discovery of a new subatomic particle, which changed physicists' understanding of matter. The economist Milton Friedman won for his analysis of monetary policy and its effects. It was the first time a single country had won all the awards. The dominance was so remarkable, in fact, that Sune Bergström, chairman of the Nobel Foundation, had to deny that there was a pressure campaign to coincide with the American bicentennial. Instead, he credited the United States' investment in science, the preeminence of its universities, and its ability to attract the world's best scholars. American research was fueled by "dynamic openness," Bergström said, praising the country as a "democracy of research workers." Nor was 1976 a fluke --- the United States has produced nearly three times the number of Nobel laureates as any other country. But as the United States approaches its 250th birthday, the country's research edifice is in danger of collapse, battered by a wrecking ball known as the Trump administration. "It's hard to build a reputation but easy to break one," said Alan I. Leshner, a former chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "And then it's hard to restart." |
SPORTS
| Brent Rooker named to MLB All-Star Game | |
| Brent Rooker is heading to the Midsummer Classic for the second time in his career. The former Mississippi State star, who now plays for the Athletics, was named to the American League All-Star team as a reserve. Rooker's first appearance in the MLB All-Star Game came in 2023. He went 1 for 2 with a double in that game. Rooker is hitting .271 on the year with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs for the Athletics. Rooker spent four years at Mississippi State. He finished his career there with a .350 batting average, 37 home runs and 154 RBIs. He was named SEC Player of the Year in 2017 and was also named National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball. This year's All-Star Game will be played on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta. |
| Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss tease stadium entrances in College Football 26 game | |
| As Mississippians count down the days until the college football season kicks off in the fall, a substitute in video game form could fill the gap in the meantime. For some users, EA Sports' College Football 26 is currently being played on consoles across the nation, while others have to wait until Thursday to compete with their favorite teams, build dynasties, and utilize some of the relatively new perks inside the game, including NIL and the transfer portal. As a teaser, social media operators for the Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss football programs gave fans a look at each team's stadium entrance for a home game. Over in Starkville, viewers witnessed the rowdy home environment at Davis Wade Stadium, featuring the renowned cowbells, as the Bulldogs took the field to face Arizona State in a rematch of last season's loss on the real-life gridiron. As for the upcoming college football season, the Rebels, Bulldogs, and Golden Eagles will get things going on Aug. 31. |
| SEC Kickoff 2025: 50 hours of studio programming on SEC Network | |
| SEC Network gears up to host nearly 50 hours of live studio programming surrounding the 2025 SEC Kickoff Presented by Regions Bank. SEC This Morning, SEC Now Presented by Regions Bank and The Paul Finebaum Show Presented by Regions Bank will showcase the event in its entirety from Atlanta. A special edition of SEC Now: Live from SEC Football Media Days Presented by Regions Bank will air Tuesday night during primetime on ESPN2 and SEC Network. Laura Rutledge hosts the one-hour special, joined by Jordan Rodgers, Greg McElroy, Paul Finebaum, Roman Harper and Benjamin Watson. SEC Network calls upon an extensive roster of college football commentators who will contribute to the presence at the College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Atlanta, including Rodgers, McElroy, Harper, Finebaum, Watson, Chris Doering, Dusty Dvoracek, Randall Cobb and Cole Cubelic. Studio hosts for the four-day conference media day kickoff include Rutledge, Dari Nowkhah, Peter Burns, Alyssa Lang and Finebaum. SEC Network social and digital will have comprehensive, on-site coverage from Atlanta, including exclusive behind-the-scenes highlights, digital content on SECNetwork.com and more. |
| OU athletic director Joe Castiglione to retire in coming year | |
| University of Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione will retire during the upcoming 2025-26 school year, ESPN first reported Monday. Castiglione joined OU in 1998 after spending five seasons in the same role at Missouri. He is currently the longest tenured athletic director in the country. Conversations surrounding Castiglione's retirement were initiated by him a month ago, according to ESPN. He will remain the Sooners' athletic director until the school hires his replacement. There will be a press conference at 9 a.m. Tuesday with Castiglione, president Joseph Harroz Jr. and Board of Regents Chair Anita Holloway in Norman. "There's a reason Joe has been called the Best Athletics Director in the Country: Because no one has done it better." Harroz said in a statement Monday. In his time as an athletic director, 32 of his former employees have gone on to become athletic directors at other schools -- including Zac Selmon at Mississippi State and Kirby Hocutt at Texas Tech, according to ESPN. |
| Meet Cody Campbell, the billionaire Texas Tech booster with plan to save college sports | |
 | He doesn't need this. He can walk away right now, and leave the unseemly unraveling of college sports to someone else. Hop on a plane and escape Washington D.C. and the land of everybody's got an angle, and be home in the DFW Metroplex in a matter of hours. An amateur sports world of turmoil in his wake. Or he could do what he has always done. Fix the problem. "I've built and sold $15 billion worth of companies," Cody Campbell says. "I'm not a dumbass." Of all the upheaval, of all the unthinkable moves over the last four years that have drastically changed college sports, none would be more improbable than this. A deep-pocket booster, a capital investment savant, saving college football -- and by proxy, college sports -- from itself. He knows what you're thinking. What does a billionaire businessman, a Texas Tech sports sugar daddy, know about saving college football? Campbell, 43, sees the dichotomy of it all, and at this point, the only thing that matters is the most powerful man in the world believes Campbell has a chance to assess the problems of college sports -- with its front porch money-maker, football -- and fix it. Though the White House hasn't officially announced it, President Trump and Campbell -- a former offensive lineman at Texas Tech in the early 2000s -- have spoken at length about how to fix the problems of the last four years of paradigm change within college sports. |
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