| Wednesday, July 9, 2025 |
| Mississippi State University earns first-place ranking for online MBA program | |
 | A master's program offered at Mississippi State University has earned a first-place ranking by a national platform. For the second time in five years, the university's online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program has earned the top spot in national rankings released by Best Value Schools. Mississippi State bested East Carolina University, the University of Florida, Tennessee Technological University, and Ball State University to earn the No. 1 placement. "We take immense pride in our MBA program at Mississippi State. Our faculty are among the nation's finest, and our graduate program team is committed to providing an exceptional experience for every student," MSU College of Business Dean Scott Grawe said. "The online MBA challenges students to put their knowledge to work as consultants on live cases to prepare them for long-term success. We continue to lead the way with our experiential learning opportunities for all students -- in Starkville and online." Founded in 1915, the university's College of Business, which hosts the online MBA curriculum, is the oldest college of business in Mississippi and one of the oldest in the U.S. South. |
| Mississippi State University's online MBA program ranked No. 1 | |
 | Best Value Schools ranked Mississippi State University's (MSU) online Master of Business Administration program as No. 1 in the nation. "We take immense pride in our MBA program at Mississippi State. Our faculty are among the nation's finest, and our graduate program team is committed to providing an exceptional experience for every student," said Scott Grawe, MSU College of Business dean. According to the university, MSU's 30-hour online MBA program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The curriculum includes a foundation in management, marketing, finance, economics and quantitative analysis. For more on MSU's online MBA program, visit https://online.msstate.edu/mba. |
| Mississippi State to develop autonomous soaring for federal DARPA Albatross 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. "Mississippi State University is honored to support DARPA's bold vision for the future of uncrewed systems," said Raspet Director Bryan Farrell. "The Albatross program represents a major technological leap, and Raspet is proud to contribute its decades of experience in flight testing and airworthiness assurance." |
| MSU Extension helps Peco grower with energy efficiency | |
| Joe Ellis knew almost nothing about chickens when he began raising them for Peco Foods in 2008. For the previous 20 years, he had been a construction contractor, and, although his father-in-law had chicken houses, Ellis had not been involved with that business. He learned to manage his six broiler houses and more than 140,000 chickens by reading, consulting with other growers, and watching his own chickens. But in 2013, Ellis came across a problem he could not solve. So he decided to call the Mississippi State University Extension Service. That call to Extension became the first of many. Ellis has since developed a strong relationship with the educational organization and says it has helped him improve profitability and maintain healthy birds. "The Extension Service has been really good to me," Ellis says. In fact, the Extension Service is now at the top of Ellis's reference list. He talks often with Tom Tabler, poultry specialist with Extension, over the phone and checks in regularly with the county Extension agent. |
| Fundamentals for cattle market support even higher prices | |
| A livestock economist says the cattle market is positioned to move higher. Josh Maples with Mississippi State University Extension says, "Tight supplies is really what's driving what we're seeing right now." The average live steer price for the five-market area is already running $32 per hundredweight above last year's levels. "Prices for feeder cattle are typically the strongest whenever you start holding back those heifers," Maples says. "You're pulling those heifers out of that mix of feedlot cattle, and once that happens in full, then that's when we see the tightest supplies." He tells Brownfield producers and feedlot operators in the south are facing serious shortages. "They're hunting for cattle," he says. "This is happening at a really tough time for them because they've got tight supplies of domestic cattle, and then not having access to cattle coming in from Mexico is really, really shrinking their available supplies." |
| MSU Pine Belt Master Gardeners plan interest meeting | |
| Gardening has always been a staple of Mississippi culture, and one organization hopes to help train more gardeners in the Pine Belt community. The MSU Pine Belt Master Gardeners will hold an interest meeting at the Lamar County Extension Center on Wednesday, July 23 for perspective members. This event starts at 1:00 p.m., and organizers request for attendees to arrive 15 minutes prior to this time. This organization serves Forrest and Lamar counties by providing horticultural expertise at a low cost to its members. Along with the low cost, the organization also allows for members to meet fellow gardeners in their area. This allows for members to share gardening experiences, get connected to the community and belong to a well-respected and educational organization. |
| Starkville company presented the AI award for groundbreaking work | |
 | A Starkville tech company is recognized for its groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence. Camgian was named "AI Company of the Year" by The Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network. The award was presented today at the company's Starkville headquarters. Camgian is known for developing advanced AI and machine learning technology to support national security and military operations. The company is also praised for keeping top engineering talent here in Mississippi. "I think it's a great tribute to the incredible work our team does every day, developing cutting-edge AI for our warfighters. We're proud to grow in Mississippi and to have such strong local support," said Camgian CEO Gary Butler. The award is part of the SBDC's Rise Program, which helps high-growth tech companies expand across the state. |
| Nissan to delay production of three all-new electric vehicles, citing low American demand | |
 | Nissan will further delay the production of three all-new fully electric SUVs at its Canton, Mississippi plant, marking a three-year postponement from the originally planned 2025 debut. Although the specific models haven't been revealed, Nissan spokesperson Amanda Plecas confirmed that "three fully electric SUV models, including versions for both Nissan and Infiniti," are expected to begin production at the Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant in 2028. The delay comes four days after President Donald Trump signed the "Big Beautiful Bill," which axes EV tax incentives for consumers. Although EV tax-exemptions will dissipate in September, Plecas said the move is "not related" to Trump's bill. With a focus on localizing demand, Nissan will continue producing the Altima and Frontier at the Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant for now. "Our goal is to ensure that this facility continues to bring highly competitive vehicles to market that exceed customer expectations," Nissan spokesperson Lloryn Love-Carter told The Tennessean. |
| South Delta flooding: What new pumps mean for people, wildlife who live there | |
 | The South Delta flood of 2019 was an event that that took a monumental toll on the region. Hundreds of thousands of acres were submerged for six months or more and untold numbers of wildlife didn't survive it. Farmers were unable to plant crops and the area came to a near economic standstill causing financial and emotional distress. Residents have been told for more than 80 years by the federal government that pumps would be constructed to prevent such disasters, but previous plans failed to materialize. However, earlier this year a flood control plan was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the EPA. That plan allows the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to build the pumps that were approved by Congress in 1941. So, what will the effects be on the land, the economy and the people and wildlife that call the South Delta home? Victoria Darden of Onward farms 900 acres with her father, Randy. It's land that has been in her family for four generations. She recently spoke with The Clarion Ledger about the flood of 2019 and the prospect of pumps finally being built. |
| Mississippi communities to see FEMA flood determination revisions | |
| According to filings on the Federal Registry, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has finalized flood hazard determinations for several communities in Mississippi while issuing a notice regarding changes to determinations for another. FEMA said the determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) have been made final for the following Mississippi communities: Chickasaw, Clay, Itawamba, Lee, Lowndes, Monroe, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties. Cities and/or towns of Okolona, Tremont, Baldwyn, Columbus, Aberdeen, Amory, Smithville, Booneville, Belmont, Tishomingo, and Paden. Residents in these areas can review the new flood maps at their county or municipal offices or online when updated at the FEMA Map Service Center. |
| Mississippi ends fiscal year with $7.6 billion. Was it enough to fund government? | |
 | Mississippi's 2025 Fiscal Year revenues came in better than state budget estimators predicted, but fiscal-year-to-date collections continued on a months-long downward trend from what was seen during the same period last year. By the end of June, which is the last month FY 2025, the state had collected a total of $7,641,137,308, which is 0.54% more than what was estimated ($7,600,100,000). However, that figure is $64,322,805, or 0.83% below what was seen by June 30, 2024. Last year, total revenue collections amounted to $7,705,460,113. Mississippi's fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30, meaning FY 2026 will end on June 30, 2026. June itself brought in $806,768,817 from both taxes and other state revenue sources such as interest monies and licensure fees. In June 2024, the state collected $792,364,506. Of the yearly revenue, $7,230,820,230 came from taxes collected by the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Other revenues stemming from interest on investments and gaming and licensure fees totaled $350,068,508, exceeding both yearly estimates and previous fiscal year revenues. |
| House Speaker wants Mississippi to opt in to federal school choice voucher program | |
| Last week, President Donald Trump signed his self-proclaimed "big, beautiful bill," cementing his domestic policy into law. The wide-net legislation, rife with tax cuts and additional subsidies for law enforcement, also enables states to opt in to a voucher program allowing taxpayers to be credited for money sent to nonprofits offering financial assistance for K-12 students. The measure, originally dubbed the "Educational Choice for Children Act" before being included in the package, intends to offer additional education options for families who may not be able to afford private schools. The new law will apply to donations made at the start of 2026. However, there is one catch: states must first opt in to the program before it is up and running. In Mississippi, Republican House Speaker Jason White is confident that his chamber and fellow Republican Gov. Tate Reeves would support implementing the voucher program statewide. As for which way the state Senate would lean, White does not have as much faith, largely due to the body's consistent hesitance to support school choice legislation. "I think, certainly, the governor would sign it. I think it will pass in the House with flying colors," White said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. "Now, I can't speak for the state Senate these days, or most any day." |
| Gov. Reeves sets special elections for three vacant legislative seats | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday announced that voters in three different areas of the state will choose new legislators in a November 4 special election. Three vacancies occurred because two lawmakers, Sen. John Horhn of Jackson and Rep. Orlando Paden of Clarksdale, were recently sworn into office as mayors of their respective cities, and longtime Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood resigned halfway through his four-year term. The legislative seats are all located in areas considered Democratic strongholds, but because they are special elections, they will be nonpartisan races. Candidates can begin qualifying for the election now, and the deadline for them to qualify is August 21. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the November special elections, a runoff election between the two candidates who received the most votes would be held on December 2. |
| Trump Administration Seeks to Ban China From Buying U.S. Farms | |
 | The Trump administration has a message for China: Keep off the farm. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday the administration will work with state lawmakers to ban sales of U.S. farmland to buyers from China and other countries of concern, citing national-security interests. Rollins, joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, said the government is ratcheting up scrutiny on existing land owned by Chinese buyers and is looking at ways to potentially claw back past purchases. "We'll never let foreign adversaries control our land," said Rollins. State and federal lawmakers for years have warned that China and other countries could use U.S. farmland to facilitate spying or wield influence over the U.S. food-supply chain. Chinese-owned entities hold nearly 300,000 acres -- roughly 0.02% -- of U.S. farmland, according to Agriculture Department data, an area about the size of Los Angeles. Some China-based ownership of U.S. farmland involves prominent U.S. agriculture companies. Pork giant Smithfield Foods and seed and pesticide supplier Syngenta have faced criticism from government officials and lawmakers because of their Chinese owners. |
| Rollins suggests Medicaid recipients can replace deported farmworkers | |
 | Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters Tuesday that she thinks Medicaid work requirements and automation will help offset President Trump's massive immigration crackdown, which has threatened migrant farmworkers. "There's been a lot of noise in the last few days and a lot of questions about where the president stands and his vision for farm labor," Rollins said during a news conference with Republican governors. "Ultimately, the answer on this is automation, also some reform within the current governing structure, and then also, when you think about there are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program, there are plenty of workers in America." Trump acknowledged last week that he had been weighing exemptions for undocumented migrants working on farms. "What we're going to do is we're going to do something for farmers where we can let the farmer sort of be in charge," Trump told Fox News's "Sunday Morning Futures" host Maria Bartiromo. "The farmer knows he's not going to hire a murderer." Rollins on Tuesday said the Trump administration is focused on protecting the U.S. food supply in the short term. |
| Trump's previous tariff push terrified the world economy. He's betting this time is different | |
 | When President Donald Trump last rolled out tariffs this high, financial markets quaked, consumer confidence crashed and his popularity plunged. Only three months later, he's betting this time is different. In his new round of tariffs being announced this week, Trump is essentially tethering the entire world economy to his instinctual belief that import taxes will deliver factory jobs and stronger growth in the U.S., rather than the inflation and slowdown predicted by many economists. On Tuesday, he told his Cabinet that past presidents who hadn't aggressively deployed tariffs were "stupid." Ever the salesman, Trump added that it was "too time-consuming" to try to negotiate trade deals with the rest of the world, so it was just easier to send them letters, as he's doing this week, that list the tariff rates on their goods. The letters marked a change from his self-proclaimed April 2 "Liberation Day" event at the White House, where he had posterboards with the rates displayed, a choice that led to a brief market meltdown and the 90-day negotiating period with baseline 10% tariffs that will end Wednesday. Trump, instead, chose to send form letters with random capitalizations and punctuation and other formatting issues. "It's a better way," Trump said of his letters. "It's a more powerful way. And we send them a letter. You read the letter. I think it was well crafted. And, mostly it's just a little number in there: You'll pay 25%, 35%. We have some of at 60, 70." |
| Immigration, Epstein, Ukraine: Trump's moves roil MAGA base | |
 | Even as President Donald Trump celebrates the passage of his sweeping legislative package, frustration and anger have roiled some of his most loyal supporters, who fear he is going back on promises crucial to his MAGA movement. Trump is advocating a new policy that would spare swaths of migrant workers from deportations. Top administration officials, who long promised to expose hidden truths about Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy child sex offender who died in 2019, suddenly conceded this week that they had nothing more to share about the case. And Trump said he would send more weapons to Ukraine, just days after leading MAGA figures cheered the Pentagon's decision to halt the shipments. White House officials disputed the idea that the unrest in MAGA ranks seriously threatens Trump's support. Trump's apparent decision to avoid deportations of migrants working on farms, at hotels and potentially in other industries tops the list of issues that have caused prominent MAGA influencers to sound the alarm. "I got myself into a little trouble because I said I don't want to take people away from the farmers," Trump said at a rally last week in Iowa. Trump acknowledged that "serious radical-right people" in his political base "may not be quite as happy" with the initiative. He added that he thought they would ultimately understand. |
| The Fight Between Musk Acolytes and the White House for Control of DOGE | |
| Elon Musk has left the government, but his clout at DOGE lives on. Weeks after the billionaire left his role at the Department of Government Efficiency amid his feud with President Trump, a small band of Musk loyalists is fighting to preserve the legacy -- and power -- of the government-slashing office. Current and former officials close to DOGE say that in closed meetings, staffers have been quizzed on questions of their loyalty: Trump or Musk? The fight has pitted DOGE officials against some in the White House who are seeking to diminish DOGE's role, and has triggered infighting and paranoia within the group's diminished ranks, according to people familiar with the matter. The tug of war over DOGE carries risks for Musk, who has a large book of government contracts and is managing the plummeting fortunes of Tesla, his electric-vehicle company. Trump told reporters last week that "We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon." Trump has told aides he is over DOGE's aggressive and at-times reckless tactics, according to people familiar with his comments. |
| Trump Got the Green Light to Fire Federal Workers. Now, They Wait. | |
 | For weeks, thousands of federal employees have been waiting for the Supreme Court to make a decision about their continued employment with the government. On Tuesday, they got their answer: The Trump administration could move ahead with mass layoffs. The question of whether the layoffs are legal remains unanswered. For now, workers remain in limbo, this time waiting for their agencies to decide who stays, who goes and when. President Trump in February issued an executive order calling for mass layoffs at nearly every government agency, but the directive invited some legal challenges that led to federal workers staying in their jobs temporarily, or at least collecting a paycheck and health benefits. Many government employees have described the protracted uncertainty as a stressful, nightmarish slog. And many knew that any relief was likely temporary. For months, a number of them have described being scared to open their government emails, anticipating that they would learn they had been fired. Many feared that speaking out would put a target on their backs. The coalition behind the court challenge said it would continue to fight the case, arguing that the layoffs would threaten critical public services. |
| Pentagon policy chief's rogue decisions have irked US allies and the Trump administration | |
 | Elbridge Colby spent the last several years in Washington making a name for himself as an experienced, restraint-minded foreign policy leader eager to focus the U.S. military away from Europe and toward the Indo-Pacific. But since joining the second Trump administration as the Pentagon's top policy chief, Colby has made a series of rapid-fire moves that have blindsided parts of the White House and frustrated several of America's foreign allies, according to seven people familiar with the situation. All were granted anonymity to speak freely about Trump administration dynamics. Flanked by a team of handpicked policy experts and staff from Capitol Hill, Colby has gotten out ahead of the administration on several major foreign policy decisions. He prompted last week's decision, first reported by POLITICO, to halt shipments of some air defense missiles to Ukraine, which caught many Trump allies and lawmakers off guard. This week, President Donald Trump said he would reverse the decision to pause the weapons, but claimed he did not know who had approved it. Colby also surprised top officials at the State Department and the National Security Council in June when he decided to review America's submarine pact with Australia and the U.K. "He has basically decided that he's going to be the intellectual driving force behind a kind of neo-isolationism that believes that the United States should act more alone, that allies and friends are kind of encumbering," said a person familiar with the Trump administration dynamics. |
| Lawmakers applaud resumption of US military aid to Ukraine | |
 | Defense-minded lawmakers from both parties on Tuesday welcomed the news that the U.S. is resuming the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, following a pause that dismayed Kyiv and its Hill advocates alike. The reactions came a day after President Donald Trump announced at the White House that the United States would send more "defensive weapons primarily" to the war-torn country, saying Ukraine has "to be able to defend themselves" from Russia's ongoing onslaught. The defense equipment had been caught up in what the Pentagon previously framed as "a capability review" undertaken "to ensure U.S. military aid aligns with our defense priorities," in the words of Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. It remains unclear which specific systems the U.S. plans to transfer to Kyiv now that the hold is lifted. Still, the reversal drew bipartisan praise. Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., argued that the continuance of security assistance to Ukraine is "absolutely vital" to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin "to the negotiating table." House Armed Services Chair Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala., emphasized that "now is not the time" to halt defensive aid to Ukraine. |
| Public input to MDE heavily opposed relocating MSMS | |
 | An overwhelming majority of public comments the Mississippi Department of Education received about the future of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science favored leaving the school at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus. Still, the State Board of Education voted unanimously March 20 to recommend relocating the campus to Mississippi State University in Starkville. "I don't think they were (considered) at all," MUW President Nora Miller said Monday of the public comments. Sid Salter, vice president of strategic communications and director of public affairs at MSU, doesn't take too much stock in the wide margin between pro-MUW and pro-MSU public comments. "There's nothing remotely scientific about this input that reflects an accurate measure of public opinion," Salter wrote Monday in an email to The Dispatch. "It appears to be the result of an organized effort to generate the appearance of public support. ... The issues that should matter are the quality of facilities and resources at the two universities and the expertise of science, technology, engineering and mathematics scholars to lead the students. MSU is the state's leading research university and students there share in those research opportunities. What's best for MSMS students should be the focus." |
| Where Stories Live: Inside USM's de Grummond collection and the magic of the Children's Book Festival | |
| Tucked beneath the longleaf pines on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi, there's a place where childhood lives on -- not just in memory, but in ink, paper, and imagination. The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection isn't just a research archive. It's a living celebration of stories -- the kind that shaped us, stayed with us, and helped make us who we are. As a lifelong reader and a mother raising readers of my own, I've always believed in the quiet power of children's books. They're more than just bedtime routines or classroom assignments. They're the starting point for curiosity, empathy, and wonder. That's why the de Grummond Collection resonates so deeply with me. Even before I visited, I knew it was special. But walking through the space, seeing original drawings from Curious George, or the handwritten notes behind Amelia Bedelia, it hits you -- this is where stories live. The collection was founded in 1966 by Dr. Lena de Grummond, a professor with a vision to preserve the creative work behind children's literature. Today, it houses original manuscripts, sketches, and correspondence from more than 1,400 authors and illustrators, and the books date from 1530 to the present day. But every spring, this quiet, carefully curated corner of the university comes to life in a very big way. The Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, held annually at USM in Hattiesburg, has become one of the most beloved literary gatherings in the South. |
| Magnolia Mornings: Hughes named MVSU VP for University Advancement, Governmental Affairs, and External Relations | |
| Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) has appointed Dr. Ernie Troy Hughes as its new Vice President for University Advancement, Governmental Affairs, and External Relations. Hughes brings with him more than thirty years of leadership in philanthropy, community development, and higher education advancement. Dr. Hughes began his new role on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, and is charged with leading MVSU's strategic efforts in fundraising, alumni relations, governmental outreach, and external engagement. Known for restructuring advancement offices for high impact, Dr. Hughes is a strategic thinker who connects innovation, storytelling, and donor engagement to drive results. Dr. Hughes holds a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from Louisiana State University, an MBA in Marketing, and a BBA in Finance from Mississippi State University. |
| U. of Tennessee plans to attract 'rockstar' researchers amid US college 'turmoil' | |
 | The University of Tennessee at Knoxville plans to attract "rockstar" researchers and leverage its status as a top-tier research university -- with strengths in nuclear and agriculture -- to become a more desirable research institution amid uncertainty about the future of federal funding. The university spent $338.8 million in research and development in 2023 -- with $153.6 million coming from federal sources -- and awarded 426 doctoral degrees last year. These two factors help UT maintain its status as an R1 research university, the highest Carnegie Classification in research a university can achieve. UT is among 187 institutions classified as R1 universities, including the UT Health Science Center, University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University. Now, Chancellor Donde Plowman says she wants to take UT's research to the "next level," quoting billionaire entrepreneur Warren Buffett: "Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful." Increasing enrollment, planning for "innovation districts" and partnering with other universities in uncertain times -- strategies already implemented by UT on course to its grand 2030 vision -- could help its research dreams be realized. Recruitment and investment are major priorities for Plowman in building research. UT plans to enroll more graduate students by positioning UT as an "attractive alternative" while attracting "rising star" faculty members on the cusp of breaking out. |
| U. of Florida, police department in standoff over salary negotiations | |
 | The University of Florida and its police department are in a standoff over salary negotiations after UF's chief labor negotiator balked at a proposed $15,000 raise. The annual starting base salary of $50,000 for UF police officers is currently the lowest in the State University System. UF's chief labor negotiator, Patrick Keegan, and the PBA's George Corwine discussed for nearly eight hours on July 7 an agreement that they hope will significantly increase officer recruitment and retention, while also decreasing the department's significant turnover rate. A final decision, however, could not be reached despite the PBA's last contract with UF having expired on June 30. "It's very disheartening to hear the University of Florida can't find $1.1 million to fund the entire department but can approve funding for one person, a president, of $3 million," Corwine said. "Is it going to take a shooting at UF's campus like at FSU for the administration to wake up?" Corwine also presented a recent article titled "Most Dangerous College Town in U.S. Named in New Study," which identified Gainesville as No. 1 based on the number of crimes per 10,000 people. |
| Out-of-state enrollment at public colleges is at an all-time high. What that means for SC students. | |
 | Noah Trainor cast the net wide when, as a high-schooler in Connecticut, he was looking for a college. He just knew he wanted a new experience far from home. Trainor ultimately settled on the University of South Carolina for its strong athletic programs, sports management degree, quick acceptance of his application, friendly recruiters and -- importantly -- the offer of in-state tuition. "To be honest, Michigan was my No. 1 choice, but they put me on a wait list and South Carolina gave me a scholarship," Trainor said. "So that made it pretty easy." The school's multipronged recruiting strategy, with staffers making hundreds of out-of-state high school visits each year, an admissions team that has doubled in size over the past two decades and tuition discounts totaling $114 million for out-of-state students in 2023 alone has yielded results: a 333 percent surge in out-of-state enrollment over the past 25 years. The University of South Carolina is not alone among the state's 13 public, four-year colleges and universities to see a surge in out-of-state enrollment since 1999. Data shows the state hit an all-time high of 38 percent out-of-state enrollment among its 102,600 students last year. Critics say this mix challenges the traditional mission of public universities to provide an affordable route to higher education for the young people living in the state, prompting one South Carolina lawmaker this year to pitch a 30-percent cap on out-of-state admissions. That proposal has stalled in committee. "It's not a case of either/or," said Scott Verzyl, USC's vice president for enrollment management. "We're committed to South Carolina." |
| Economic impact of Oklahoma higher ed tops $14 billion, study finds | |
| Every dollar the Oklahoma Legislature invests in the state's public higher education system produces over $17 in economic output, a new study found. Oklahoma public higher education supported over 111,000 jobs either directly or indirectly and produced over $460 million in tax revenue at state, county and local levels, according to the study published by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The regents contracted with the University of Cincinnati Economics Center to conduct the study. "The state regents and our public colleges and universities remain focused on producing successful graduates that fulfill Oklahoma's evolving workforce needs," said Regent Dennis Casey in a statement. "The $14.61 billion total economic impact of our state system clearly shows that public higher education is integral to Oklahoma's continued economic growth." Over the past decade, the number of Oklahomans over 25 with an associate degree or higher grew more than 5%. Median annual earnings also increased with degree level earned. Almost 94% of resident undergraduate students were employed in Oklahoma one year after graduation. Over 61% of non-resident graduates stayed in Oklahoma and entered the Oklahoma workforce. |
| Army Reorganizes, Closes ROTC Units at Colleges | |
 | Eighty-four college campuses will see changes to their Army ROTC programs, ranging from total closure to merging with a program at a neighboring institution, the U.S. Army announced late last month. Program changes will take effect in summer 2026. Ten host ROTC programs and nine extension campuses will lose their affiliation with Army ROTC, impacting 115 students, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. Army Cadet Command. While most will graduate in the next two years, 13 incoming first-year students and rising juniors will be given other options to continue their ROTC training. The realignment was prompted by personnel changes under the Trump administration's deferred resignation program, which shrank the Army's civilian workforce by 12 percent, or about 168 positions. In addition to changes at the campus level, the Army inactivated the First Brigade headquarters at Fort Knox, which supports ROTC programs at 10 colleges including Texas A&M University-College Station, the Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Georgia Military College and New Mexico Military Institute. Some colleges have already reported shrinking dollars for their cadets. Howard University's professor of military science told the student paper, The Hilltop, this spring that the Army was limiting the number of scholarships available to students. |
| The Scientists Who Got Ghosted by the NIH | |
 | Belinda L. Needham submitted a grant application to the National Institutes of Health in October. Like clockwork, the agency informed her it would be reviewed at an upcoming meeting. But when President Trump took office, the meeting got taken off the calendar, and nine months after submitting, Needham still has no timeline for when her proposal will be evaluated. It hasn't been rejected -- just siphoned out of the peer-review pipeline into an administrative no man's land. Her experience showcases just one of the unprecedented ways in which the NIH, the world's premier funder of biomedical research, is upending American science. In the name of cutting wasteful spending and "unscientific" research, it has terminated more than 1,300 grants and delayed payments for more than a thousand others. It's sought to cap funds for research overhead and frozen all awards to a handful of elite institutions. In yet another variation on this theme, the NIH has quietly disappeared a number of new grant applications from researchers around the country. Limbo doesn't sound like an obvious emergency, at least compared with the vacuum opened up by a canceled or interrupted grant. When there's not enough money to finish experiments or to keep paying participants, students, and staff members, the loss is immediately evident. But a never-reviewed grant and a terminated one have the same effect: Research on politicized topics doesn't get done. |
| Canceled grants get the spotlight at a Capitol Hill 'science fair' | |
 | Sumit Chanda, a professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research who focuses on pandemics, has made a career out of preparing for disaster. But Chanda faced a disaster of a different kind this year, when the future of his research was thrown into doubt by the Trump administration's cuts to science funding. On Tuesday, Chanda stood alongside roughly two dozen other scientists in the lobby of the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill for what resembled a science fair -- but with a twist. Instead of students presenting class projects, the event featured leading researchers from across the country standing in front of posters outlining their work -- and the federal cuts that now threaten it. Attendees said the event, which was organized by Democrats on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, was meant to showcase the kind of future advancements in science and medicine that may be lost because of the cuts. "These discoveries may not just save our own lives, but the lives of people we love," Adam Riess, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 2011, said at the event. "Nearly every innovation that defines our era, every breakthrough from my field and from those of my colleagues, traces back to basic science research," he added. |
| Medical students fret over the new student loan cap in the 'big, beautiful bill' | |
 | A provision tucked inside a sweeping bill signed into law by President Donald Trump last week will make it harder for thousands of aspiring doctors to finance their education as the country faces a growing shortage in that profession. The move will cap the amount of federal loans students can borrow for graduate school to $20,500 a year -- with a total limit of $100,000 -- and cap loans for professional programs, such as medical, dental or law school, at $50,000 a year, with a total limit of $200,000. While those limits may sound like large amounts, medical school students graduate with an average of more than $264,000 in educational debt and the cost of medical school programs can exceed $300,000 at private universities, according to the Education Data Initiative. Without the ability to take out more federal loans, prospective students say they will have to turn to private loans, which can have stricter borrowing or repayment options, or potentially put off their medical school plans. "I have watched a lot of students get into debt, and it is scary, but part of the medical training and the medical education system, it's an expensive journey. I think that it's something that the government needs to understand," said Zoe Lewczak, a 26-year-old bioethics master's student at Harvard Medical School, who is in the process of applying to 30 schools for MD-Ph.D. programs. "What is currently happening, I think this is going to create a major gap in who is able to access medical education and pursue it." |
| Trump Administration Tweaks 90-10 Rule | |
| The Trump administration's Department of Education recently made a subtle change to Biden-era regulations that were designed to ensure for-profit colleges provide quality programs. Under the adjusted policy, for-profit colleges can now count proceeds from online courses that are not eligible for federal aid toward their 90-10 calculation, an accountability measure that requires 10 percent of a college's total revenue to be from nonfederal sources. Opponents of the change say the new policy will likely have minimal consequences, but they are alarmed by how it came to be: They worry the Trump administration is finding new shortcuts to advance its political priorities without public feedback instead of going through the rule-making process to amend the regulations. "The problem is if you allow this kind of arbitrary and capricious behavior on a relatively small gatekeeping mechanism, tomorrow, you may read that a whole bunch of other much more foundational gatekeeping metrics are also not to the administration's liking" and have been nullified, said Barmak Nassirian, an official at Veterans Education Success, a consumer protection group that supports the Biden-era regulations. If that's the case, "we don't live under a government of laws, we live under a government of unilateral declaration." |
| Larger fights rage on, but Trump racking up wins against colleges | |
| President Trump has racked up a string of wins against colleges and universities in recent weeks, though the larger fights between his administration and higher education rage on, in many cases in the courts. The ouster of the president of the University of Virginia, deals in the works with Columbia and Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania committing to bar transgender athletes from women's sports teams are just some of the W's Trump can claim in recent weeks. But the pressure has not come without pushback, and only time will tell how long the cultural shifts Trump seeks will last. "On the political front, I think [the Trump administration] accomplished a lot of what they wanted to accomplish. ... They've won politically, because higher education right now is viewed unfavorably by a lot of people on the right, and so by attacking higher ed, they're going to win even if courts say they can't do everything they want to do," said Andrew Gillen, a research fellow at the CATO Institute, a libertarian-leaning think tank. "I think the Trump administration will succeed on some of what they want to do. I think universities will also have a wake-up call about things they need to be doing differently going forward, and hopefully the result is a win for everybody," Gillen added. |
| Speaker touts 'Education Freedom' to get vouchers passed | |
 | Columnist Bill Crawford writes: "The House remains resolute in its pursuit of commonsense, conservative legislation which is why you will see Education Freedom as the top priority in the House for the 2026 Legislative Session," Speaker Jason White said as he announced appointments to a new Education Freedom Select Committee. The Speaker reiterated this assertion to the Stennis Capitol Press Forum at Hal and Mal's. He added that he plans to pull school choice, school consolidation, allowing retired teachers to continue teaching, another teacher pay raise, and providing home schoolers access to public school sports into one "comprehensive" education package. It will be "bold and it'll be uncomfortable" for many, White said, as reported by the Magnolia Tribune. School choice, of course, remains the sticky wicket as the legislature has struggled to authorize vouchers to help parents pay private school tuition. Voucher lobbyists, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy and Empower Mississippi, like to portray Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann as the prime obstacle to voucher legislation, but numerous members of the House and Senate have reservations about the initiative. A major concern is the legality of the voucher scheme. |
| State's modest gas tax hike is only a good first step to modernize our roads and bridges | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: High on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a curious edifice, the Old State Capitol (formally, after the 1994 restoration, the Louisiana Museum of Political History) is a Gothic architectural wonder built to resemble a castle. The interior features a magnificent circular staircase leading to a second-floor gallery of political portraits of the icons of Louisiana state politics, with (of course!) the largest and most ostentatious portrait being Winn Parish's native son, Huey Pierce Long. Long's political animus for Standard Oil and his delight in using his political skill to force the company to pay for things like free school textbooks and charity hospitals was the stuff of legend. Some believed Long to be a socialist, but a more practical definition was that "the Kingfish" was a left-wing populist adept at pitting the have-nots against the haves in politics. While in Baton Rouge for a conference, it was hard not to think about Huey Long and the truths and fictions of Louisiana politics. That was particularly true in comparing Mississippi's roads, bridges and other infrastructure to those in Louisiana. On July 1 in Mississippi, new laws went on the books, cutting the sales tax on groceries and raising the state tax on gasoline. The higher gas tax, to be phased in over three years, will raise the gas tax to 27 cents per gallon. |
SPORTS
| Blake Shapen among the 3 Mississippi State football players who'll be at SEC media days | |
| Mississippi State football's representatives at SEC media days will be quarterback Blake Shapen, safety Isaac Smith and wide receiver Brenen Thompson. The event will take place from July 14-17 at the College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Hotel in Atlanta. The Bulldogs are scheduled to appear on July 16 along with Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma. Coach Jeff Lebby will be on the podium at 9:50 a.m. CT on SEC Network+. Shapen transferred to MSU from Baylor last season but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4. He was able to obtain a medical redshirt and return for the 2025 season, where he's expected to be the starting QB again. Shapen was a healthy participant in spring practices. Smith, a junior, returns to MSU after an All-SEC Second Team season where he led the conference with 127 tackles. Thompson transferred to Mississippi State from Oklahoma in the winter, where he spent the past two seasons after a freshman year at Texas. |
| How Brian O'Connor's Mississippi State baseball roster could be impacted by 2025 MLB Draft | |
| A large part of the Mississippi State baseball roster for the 2026 season hinges on the MLB draft. The Bulldogs hired Brian O'Connor as the new coach, and he brought in a handful of players that are eligible for the draft. That's in addition to one's already on the roster. The Bulldogs have two non-high school players with remaining eligibility who are most likely to be picked. Ace pitcher Pico Kohn has been viewed as a draft prospect all season. MLB.com ranks him as the No. 122 prospect. He's played four years of college baseball, but has one year of eligibility left after missing the 2023 season, so it'd be a surprise if he didn't turn pro. Outfielder Aidan Teel is ranked as the No. 184 draft prospect after transferring to MSU from Virginia last month. He has two years of eligibility remaining, so it might just depend on where he gets picked. Teel was a Third Team All-ACC selection in 2025, batting .317 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs. Perfect Game ranks Mississippi State's recruiting class as No. 8 nationally, and the class consists of some players that could be early draft picks. |
| Merkel takes over as athletic director at Starkville Academy | |
 | Starkville Academy has turned to a familiar face to lead its athletic department. Former head boys basketball coach Brian Merkel is back with the Volunteers as athletic director. The school announced the move on Monday morning. Merkel left his position as assistant athletic director at Mississippi University for Women for the latest opportunity at Starkville Academy. "I'm very excited to be back," Merkel said. "I knew when I left that there may be an opportunity somewhere down the line to come back. I knew I wanted my career to move into administration. The move to the W was a great one for me, but when this opportunity came up, I knew it was a place I wanted to get back to." Merkel served MUW for the last year and was also a part of the school's athletic department when it began the men's basketball program in 2018 and was the head coach until 2021, He also worked in The W's Office of Development and Alumni in 2021-22. Along with being the boys basketball coach from 2022-24, Merkel also worked as Starkville Academy's director of development. He was instrumental in leading the school's funding efforts to make the Springer Building, the new multi-purpose building, a reality with the "All In" capital campaign. The Springer Building opened in the spring of 2024. |
| Southern Miss Announces Game Day Enhancements Ahead of 2025 Football Season | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi and Southern Miss Athletics announced today a series of improvements to game day operations ahead of the 2025 Golden Eagle Football season. When the Golden Eagles take the field against Mississippi State University on Saturday, Aug. 30, fans can look forward to a more streamlined, welcoming, and elevated game day experience. Key updates include enhancements to tailgating procedures, traffic flow, reserved parking, and overall campus operations. Updates to the University's Tailgate Policy are designed to promote a secure and family-friendly environment. Changes include designated student tailgate locations, improved drop-off procedures, and updated tailgate hours. n collaboration with the University Police Department, additional uniformed officers and event security personnel will be present to strengthen safety and support more efficient traffic management in and around campus. To improve access and convenience for Eagle Club members, additional parking lots have been designated as reserved parking zones. |
| Joey McGuire 'excited' Mike Leach now eligible for College Football Hall of Fame | |
| Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire was quite pleased to see Mike Leach eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame. Previously, due to winning percentage criteria, Leach was a hair away from being eligible for the elite class of college football figureheads. McGuire essentially said it wouldn't be a Hall of Fame without Leach honored within its walls. The required winning percentage will drop from 60% to 59.5% in 2027 and it'll make the late coach eligible for induction. At that point, Leach is probably a shoe in. Due to him revolutionizing the game offensively, to go along with some highly successful seasons at multiple stops, Leach is a bonafide Hall of Famer. "There are very few coaches that have changed the game," McGuire said, via ESPN's Pete Thamel. "I'm so excited that Mike Leach is now eligible for the Hall of Fame because you start questioning a Hall of Fame if Mike Leach is not in it, because Mike Leach changed the game of football." Leach, who passed in December of 2022, was the head coach of Texas Tech (2000-09), Washington State (2012-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22) this quarter century. His overall record stands at 158-107 (59.6% winning percentage). |
| Castiglione staying with department to finish projects, usher in new AD | |
| Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione may be stepping down as OU's full-time AD during the upcoming year, but he's staying on for a few more years to continue to help out the university. Castiglione announced his future retirement Tuesday inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. He will become athletic director emeritus at some point during the 2025-26 academic calendar, when OU finds his replacement, and transition into a role that allows him to spend more time with his family, while also completing projects he's had in the making. Castiglione has brought massive change to OU's football stadium -- and he's not done quite yet. He's put together the plans for, what is now, the east and west suites and club levels and massive renovations to the stadium. His biggest project, though, is under evaluation. The west end zone is the final phase of the full renovation to the stadium. It will bring plenty more seating, bringing the capacity close to 90,000. For other sports, Castiglione has plenty of plans, too. The baseball program is looking at a complete remodel of its baseball facilities. New locker rooms, upgraded seating, terraced berms and training areas are among the key upgrades scheduled with the project that has fundraised more than $25 million so far. |
| Is Bruce Pearl the next Tommy Tuberville? A GOP rule could threaten Auburn coach's speculated Senate run | |
 | Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl would carry advantages in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate and at least one big hurdle, analysts say. Pearl has not said he is running for Alabama's open seat for the Senate but has not publicly denied it during weeks of media speculation. That speculation has been fueled, in part, by Pearl's public statements and social media posts, especially his support for Israel and for President Donald Trump. On the podcast "One Jewish State" on Tuesday, Pearl was asked by former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman if he was considering running. "Mr. Ambassador, there is no news to be made," Pearl replied. "You know I love my country and this is the greatest country in the world." But Pearl did not seem to fully close the door on running for office saying there were many grave issues facing the nation, including immigration and antisemitism. "I care about these issues but I love Auburn and I love being Auburn's basketball coach." The race is for the seat that Sen. Tommy Tuberville is leaving to run for governor. |
| Eli Manning helps set world record at Toomer's Corner | |
| On July 8, the Auburn Family joined Eli Manning, retired NFL Quarterback and two-time Super Bowl MVP, on his show Eli's Places in the rolling of Toomer's Corner with over 3,000 rolls of toilet paper, officially setting a new Guinness World Record. Manning is the host for Eli's Places, an ESPN+ series that celebrates college football by highlighting college football history and traditions. Auburn's iconic tradition of rolling Toomer's Corner after a sports victory is the next college tradition to be featured. The intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue, famously known as Toomer's Corner, is named after former State Senator "Shel" Toomer who played as a halfback on Auburn's first football team in 1892 and founded Toomer's Drugs in 1896. The crowd, spanning all generations of Auburn fans, circled around Toomer's Corner in anticipation of the event. Auburn University Raptor Center's Golden Eagle Nova made a special appearance, while the university cheerleaders, marching band and Aubie the Tiger energized the crowd with classic game day cheers. In addition to NFL players and students, university faculty also lined Toomer's Corner for the record-breaking event. |
| Big 12 making no official predictions, so no last-to-first narrative this year like Arizona State | |
| There are no official Big 12 predictions going into this season, so there will be no last-to-first narrative like what Arizona State had in its league debut. Going into its 30th football season, the Big 12 didn't conduct a preseason media poll predicting the order of finish for the 16-team conference. The results were way off last year. "I try to ignore it as best I can," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said Tuesday at Big 12 media days. "It's one of the reasons we as coaches did not do a coaches poll because I think the narrative has really hurt our league. I know it hurt Arizona State and I know it hurt BYU last year." Arizona State won the Big 12 championship game last season after being picked to finish at the bottom of the Big 12 standings. The Sun Devils were in a four-way tie for first place in the regular-season standings, beat Iowa State in the title game and were the only league team to make the College Football Playoff. Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said he couldn't care less about any of the predictions last year, or what anybody might have guessed for this season. They do have back quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was picked as the league's preseason offensive player of the year since media still voted on a preseason All-Big 12 team. |
| 'We don't know the rules' --- Big 12 coaches still wrestling with new world order after player payment changes | |
| Within a small booth three stories above the practice field of the Dallas Cowboys, Kenny Dillingham crosses his legs, leans back in a swivel chair and details exactly what's happening across the current college football recruiting landscape. "We don't know the rules," the Arizona State head coach says. "The settlement passed, but who knows what Deloitte is going to clear. Until there is clarity, you're living in limbo." And there's something else. "You are seeing a lot of people lie and promise fake things," he says. The Big 12 on Tuesday kicked off three weeks of conference football media days from the Cowboys' domed practice facility just north of Dallas, its head coaches, administrators and players jaunting across the turfed field to various media stations on Day 1 of a two-day event. It unfolded in front of a backdrop of what happened a week ago: the implementation of the NCAA's historic settlement of an antitrust case -- a move that has ushered in direct athlete-revenue sharing. A similar theme emerged from the eight head coaches here Tuesday, one likely shared by the eight others who get their turn Wednesday: The Wild West, they say, remains wild. The finger pointing has already begun. |
| ESPN, Big East reunite with digital media-rights deal | |
| The Big East and ESPN are reuniting in a six-year deal that will give added content from across 22 sports to the network's direct-to-consumer platform set to launch in the fall. The pact, which will be with ESPN+, does not include a linear component, as those deals were struck a year ago with Fox, NBC and TNT Sports. This deal, which is not a sublicense (done directly with the conference), will see 25 non-conference men's basketball games stream on ESPN+ (ESPN's DTC service is inclusive of ESPN+) starting with the 2025-26 school year. The tonnage within the pact, which was previously with FloSports over the last three school years (under the Big East Digital Network banner), is a minimum of 75 women's basketball games and 200 Olympic sports events. Sources close to the situation said that a rights fee is involved, and the Big East will produce all streamed games. The Big East's relationship with ESPN dates back to the conference's first national deal in 1980. That deal ran until 2013, when the Big East went to Fox Sports after the seven Catholic schools broke off from the football schools. |
| Four Players Sue NCAA for Eligibility Using Diego Pavia's Legal Playbook | |
| In the latest iteration of college athletes suing to play beyond exhaustion of their NCAA eligibility, four former JUCO football players who want to play for Vanderbilt and other FBS programs have asked a federal judge in Tennessee to enjoin the NCAA from enforcing eligibility rules. Chris Bellamy, Demarcus Griffin, TJ Smith and Targhee Lambson filed a complaint for injunctive relief on July 3. They're represented by attorneys Ryan Downton and Salvador M. Hernandez, a duo who have litigated on behalf of Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia's thus far successful case to play a sixth season this fall. The four plaintiffs seek to play past the NCAA's basic Division I eligibility framework. This framework limits college athletes to four seasons of intercollegiate competition -- including JUCO and D-II competition -- within a five-year period and, the complaint stresses, stipulates that a JUCO student who transfers to a D-I program has three years of D-I eligibility even if they didn't play a sport at their JUCO school. The players contend this framework violates antitrust law by constraining the market for athletic services offered by D-I football to former JUCO football players. |
| Male and female athletes have different hearts, and that can have serious consequences | |
| The naked chest of a female mannequin brought home the cardiologist's point: People are more hesitant to start heart resuscitation efforts on women than on men. That is just one of the ways medical gaps and social factors hinder recognition and treatment of women's cardiac problems, speakers said at the Female Athlete Conference, held in Boston in June. Focusing on athletes can help a wider swath of women whose health and performance might not be monitored as closely but who may also be failed by everyday perceptions and gaps in research. Female hearts are different from male hearts, down to their cell populations and up to the thickness of their walls, making cardiovascular care far from one size fits all. There's a growing appreciation that heart attack symptoms occur on a spectrum. Women may not have the classic crushing chest pain that men do; they may feel a subtler, wider discomfort that can delay care. There's another potentially deadly, dramatic difference. Men are much more likely than women to suffer sudden cardiac arrest, but when female athletes do collapse on the playing field from sudden cardiac arrest, they are less likely than male athletes to be resuscitated right away, despite coaches, trainers, or teammates watching on the sidelines. That's a disparity women share outside sports events with people of color, whose chances of receiving lifesaving help from bystanders are even lower. |
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