| Tuesday, September 9, 2025 |
| Local businesses benefit from MSU's home opening win | |
 | Football season is an exciting time on the Mississippi State University campus and around Starkville and the surrounding area. And the 2025 home opener against Arizona State didn't disappoint. Thousands of visitors poured into town, and business owners were celebrating a win of their own even before the Bulldogs beat the Sun Devils. At Aerapas, a restaurant specializing in Venezuelan food and drinks, they said it's always exciting during this time of the year. And with the win on the field, many fans seized the opportunity to celebrate. And restaurants were happy to accommodate them. Aerapa's assistant general manager, Bailey Robinson, said it's a special atmosphere for their business when the Bulldogs are winning on Saturdays. And, they won't have much time to rest up. MSU is set to host its second home game this Saturday against Alcorn State. Local business owners in Starkville said they are preparing for more huge crowds from the upcoming home games. |
| Mississippi Book Festival returns Saturday. What to know before you go | |
 | The Mississippi Book Festival returns to Jackson this weekend for the 11th chapter of the wildly popular event that unites local readers with writers from all around the globe. Last year, the festival and its complementary events, like pop-up reading hours, reached more than 37,000 bookworms. A large bulk of the growing annual number turns out for the actual fest, which gives way to hear from panelists, talk to writers on Authors Alley, and purchase the newest reads from independent bookstores. This year's festival is slated for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to once again see a huge showing. At 10:45 a.m., SuperTalk Mississippi radio host and former Sun Herald publisher Ricky Mathews will moderate a conversation with former Gov. Haley Barbour, Mississippi State University President Dr. Mark Keenum, philanthropist and businessman Jim Barksdale, and Mississippi Speaker Pro Tempore Manly Barton on the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina struck the state. |
| Finalists Announced for $50 Million Award to Support a Safer, More Resilient, and Sustainable Future for the Gulf Coast Region | |
| The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Gulf Research Program and Lever for Change announced today 10 finalists for the $50 million Gulf Futures Challenge. These finalist projects are a collection of bold ideas that apply, translate, and communicate science, engineering, and medical knowledge to address critical challenges in the Gulf Coast region. Representing all five Gulf states, these 10 projects present creative visions for tackling the urgent challenges of energy security, environmental change, and community well-being, each through a distinct, locally grounded approach. The projects are united by a common goal of creating safer and more resilient communities where people in the Gulf can live, work, and thrive. The 10 finalists' projects include: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Solutions: GeoHealth Intelligence and Human-Centered Design for Gulf Sustainability: Mississippi State University, Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, United States Geological Survey, University of Southern Mississippi, and United States Department of Agriculture's PFAS Solutions project will co-develop tools to monitor PFAS chemicals' impact on aquatic and human health in the Gulf Coast, supporting early detection, restoration methods, and creating a public database for water quality and marine health management. |
| Ask The Dispatch: All your questions answered about MSU parking changes | |
 | Mississippi State University announced dramatic changes to campus parking this summer. Since then, Executive Director of Transportation Jeremiah Dumas said the response has been "brutal," with angry emails, phone calls and even requests for his termination. But after classes started in August, Dumas said positive feedback began rolling in. So, how does the new parking plan differ from last year's? What is the tiered pricing system? Why change it at all? MSU's previous parking plan was in place for more than a decade. Dumas said as the school's population has continued to grow and its infrastructure has changed, parking has stayed the same. "It created a lot of traffic issues because people would go to one lot that they thought was open and there wouldn't be spaces in it, so then they'd have to move around campus, looking for open spaces," Dumas said. "... Our goal was to eliminate that traffic, because there's more pedestrians and bikes and scooters on campus that create safety issues. Then we also wanted to make it more convenient for those who had a permit, so that when they went to a lot or a zone, there were actually spaces in that lot that didn't require them to move around." Dumas has seen "significant" change since the start of the school year. There has been a 1.7% decrease in citations written two weeks after the start of school, compared to last year. |
| Holocaust tribute concert at MSU features special instrument from Violins of Hope collection | |
 | A powerful evening of music and remembrance Sept. 18 will feature a restored instrument that survived the Holocaust as the Starkville-MSU Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with Theatre MSU, presents a tribute to Holocaust victims. The concert takes place at 6 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. in Mississippi State's Music Building Recital Hall, 124 Hardy Road, featuring an instrument from Violins of Hope. Through a repertoire of chamber music, narration and historical imagery, the program illuminates voices silenced by tragedy and celebrates the resilience of humanity. The concert's featured instrument, the Soldiers' Violin, is housed in the Alabama Holocaust Education Center. According to the AHEC, it is the only organization nationwide that has a violin on permanent loan from the Violins of Hope, a collection of restored instruments from the Holocaust. "When the Violins of Hope sing, they carry the voices of those who could not," said Daniel Stevens, head of MSU's music department. "We honor their memory by transforming remembrance into compassion and action." Provided by the McMullan-O'Connor Fund, the program is a collaborative effort with Theatre MSU, which will present "Memory and Violets," a theater piece inspired by stories of the instruments and those who played them. |
| 'Hardly anybody knows about it': Mississippians mark 150th anniversary of Clinton Massacre | |
| There's still so much James Robinson doesn't know about the woman in the photograph. It was always on the wall in his aunt's house, but he never knew who she was until he found a news article about her. Now, he gets to share her story. The woman's name is Sally Lee, a witness and survivor of the 1875 Clinton Massacre. Robinson, a 76-year-old retiree and Clinton native, is her great-great-great grandson. On Sept. 4, 1875, a Republican political rally in Clinton turned into a tragedy when white disruptors fired into the crowd, killing multiple people. What followed was several days of racist violence that helped bring Reconstruction in Mississippi to a bloody, tragic end. Last week scholars, political figures and descendants of victims and survivors came together to commemorate the massacre's 150th anniversary. DeeDee Baldwin, an engagement librarian and associate professor at Mississippi State University, organized the commemoration events. She learned about the Clinton Massacre while researching Black state legislators during the Reconstruction era. "It's a pivotal event, not just in Mississippi history but in national history, and hardly anybody knows about it," Baldwin said. |
| HGTV picks Crosby Arboretum as top garden in Mississippi | |
 | HGTV recently named its 50 most beautiful gardens in every U.S. state, and a peaceful Mississippi retreat with trails that let you get up close with nature made the cut. It's less about a strict ranking and more about encouraging people to check out hidden gems near them. "There are countless places to see unique, well-curated and even awe-inspiring gardens -- maybe even in your own backyard," HGTV wrote. HGTV calls Crosby Arboretum in Picayune "a 700-acre love letter to Mississippi's native landscapes." The gardens include several kinds of ecosystem with native plants that help the Magnolia State's wildlife thrive. "The arboretum's Pinecote Pavilion -- a modernist wooden structure that seems to float above a pond -- has become an architectural icon," HGTV wrote. The Crosby Arboretum, 370 Ridge Road, Picayune, is managed by the Mississippi State University Extension Office. The facility is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and the last admission is at 4 p.m. The areas highlight specific Mississippi habitats, and the pollinator garden shows the importance of bees, hummingbirds and other insects and animals that help keep ecosystems healthy. |
| Mississippi Workforce Board Urges Realignment of Education and Job Market | |
| Mississippi's State Workforce Investment Board is calling for sweeping changes in how the state approaches public education, citing new data that reveals a growing disconnect between what students study and the careers available to them after graduation. Two reports released Monday -- one analyzing college graduate work outcomes and another examining high school educational attainment -- highlight a critical need for policymakers, educators and families to rethink how degree programs align with labor market demands. "The most important metric in public education should be student achievement and success in work after they have completed their education," said Patrick Sullivan, chairman of the State Workforce Investment Board. "This data clearly shows areas needing attention in public policy and spending practices." The reports, compiled by Mississippi State University's National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC), use data from the State Longitudinal Data System to track how well students transition from education into employment. The findings show that while Mississippi is experiencing unprecedented industrial investment, many students are graduating with degrees that do not match the needs of the state's evolving economy. |
| Secretary of state plays national role in voting policies | |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson is helping craft national election policy for the White House, a position in which he hopes to sway President Trump against banning mail-in voting nationally. In August, President Trump went to social media platform Truth Social with plans to lead a movement to get rid of all mail-in ballots. Speaking to Rotarians at Starkville Rotary Club's meeting Monday, Watson simply said, "I did not advise him on that." "Different states do it differently, and I think that's the important piece of that, is the policy decision should be made at the state level," Watson told The Dispatch following the meeting. "... Those folks elect their leaders, and that's how the laboratories of freedom work. So it's a tough one, but I don't think the federal government should be forcing the states to change." Watson also announced plans to run for a new position in 2027, though he did not share what the position would be. "I'll be announcing for something next year that is not Secretary of State," Watson said. "... Anybody that tells you, my age, that they would never consider something else is lying to you. ... If there's a job where I feel like I can do a good job and Mississippi will benefit from that hard work, then let's take a shot." |
| National Geographic series follows NAS Meridian trainees | |
 | Meridian and Lauderdale County residents may see some familiar sights on their television screens as National Geographic airs its new series about Naval aviator trainees onboard Naval Air Station Meridian. "Top Guns: The Next Generation," a six-part series, which debuts 8 p.m. Sept. 16 on National Geographic, follows the trainees through the final six months of their training as they prepare to earn their Wings of Gold. Episodes will also be available on Hulu and Disney+ the next day. Director Lana Salah said Meridianites may recognize some of the places shown in the series, which includes several downtown bars, the Threefoot Hotel, Dalewood Lakes and the city's annual Fourth of July celebration at Bonita Lakes. Highlighting the final six months of the Naval aviator training was done intentionally as it is when many of the trainees will begin to put their skills to the test on their own, Salah said. The last half year of the program is when trainees learn dogfighting, solo strike bombing and more, she said. Most of the series was filmed in Meridian. |
| Lumber Prices Are Flashing a Warning Sign for the U.S. Economy | |
 | Falling lumber prices are sounding an alarm on Wall Street about potential problems on Main Street. Wood markets have been whipsawed of late by trade uncertainty and a deteriorating housing market. Futures have dropped 24% since hitting a three-year high at the beginning of August and ended Monday at $526.50 per thousand board feet. The price drop might have been greater -- but two of North America's biggest sawyers said last week that they would curtail output, slowing the decline. Crashing wood prices are troubling because they have been a reliable leading indicator on the direction of the housing market as well as broader economic activity. During the Covid-19 lockdown, two-by-four prices nearly tripled the prepandemic record, an early sign of the inflation and broken supply chains that would bedevil the economic reopening. When the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022 to curb inflation, lumber was among the first assets to decline in value. Now, prices are signaling caution again. A glut of lumber was piled up stateside earlier this year in anticipation of higher duties on Canadian imports and additional tariffs on wood threatened by President Trump. Cheaper borrowing costs could spur more construction and home buying as well as entice homeowners to borrow against their properties to fund repairs and renovations, which are the single greatest source of lumber demand. |
| Mississippi State Health Officer touts importance of vaccine mandates after Florida roll back | |
| Last Wednesday, the Surgeon General of Florida, Joseph Ladapo, told the state's residents that he will work toward removing vaccine mandates, most notably for children. While making that announcement, he described the state's vaccine mandates as "wrong and drips with disdain and slavery," adding that parents should be the ones to decide what is introduced into their child's body. Florida Governor Ron Desantis indicated publicly he backs Ladapo's efforts. However, it will be up to the Florida Legislature and the state's Department of Health to make any real changes to its vaccine mandates. The potential removal of vaccine mandates has caused many in the medical community to express concern. Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney told Magnolia Tribune vaccine mandates should stay in place. "The Mississippi State Department of Health and the State Board of Health have a responsibility to give the best guidance and advice to protect our communities from disease through science-based strategies, including vaccination," Edney described. "For decades, vaccines have been proven to be the best way to save lives and limit the spread and severity of communicable diseases." "Over the last 40 years, our state has achieved excellent control, even near extinction, of vaccine preventable illnesses which used to cause serious disease and even death of far too many of our infants and children thanks to vaccinations," Edney added. |
| Republicans move to change Senate rules to speed confirmation of some nominees | |
 | Senate Majority Leader John Thune took the first procedural step Monday toward changing the chamber's rules to speed up the confirmation of lower-level Trump nominees, saying the move is necessary to combat obstruction from Democrats. Democrats this Congress have forced the GOP majority to use valuable floor time on procedural votes, slowing down the confirmation process and leaving spots unfilled in the Trump administration. Republicans argue Democrats are destroying a Senate tradition of quickly confirming noncontroversial nominees regardless of the party of the president. But Democrats contend the posture is a needed negotiating tool as Trump has burned through government norms and at times embraced an authoritarian attitude of executive power. Thune, R-S.D., late Monday asked for immediate consideration of an executive resolution that would authorize the en bloc consideration in executive session of certain nominations. In order to place it on the calendar, he said, he objected to his own request. The resolution now lies over one calendar day. A copy of the resolution was not immediately available Monday night. Thune said in a floor speech earlier Monday that after Trump's eight months in office this term, no civilian nominee has been confirmed by voice vote. He compared that to other presidents: George W. Bush and Barack Obama each had 90 percent of their civilian nominees confirmed on voice vote, and Trump in his first term and Biden had more than 50 percent. |
| Republicans in Congress are eager for Trump to expand his use of the military on US soil | |
 | National Guard troops patrolling the streets of U.S. cities. Weapons of war deployed against international gangs suspected of drug trafficking. Military bases and resources redirected to mass immigration enforcement operations. President Donald Trump is swiftly implementing his vision of the military as an all-powerful tool for his policy goals. It's ground that presidents have hardly ever crossed outside of times of war, and experts say it's remaking the role of the most powerful military in the world and its relationship with the American public. Yet as Trump has dramatically stepped up his use of military force, fellow Republicans in Congress -- where authorization for such actions is supposed to originate -- have done little but cheer him on. That's giving the president significant leeway as he raises plans to send troops next to Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans. "If I were one of those mayors, I'd be glad to have the help," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, speaking from a Capitol building where National Guard troops were patrolling the surrounding city. "I think the big city Democrats are really making a mistake. I think they're being tone deaf." |
| White House Prepares Report Critical of Statistics Agency | |
| Five weeks after President Trump fired the chief of the agency that gathers the country's labor and price data, his advisers are preparing a report laying out alleged shortcomings of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' jobs data, according to people familiar with the matter. The report takes a critical look at the BLS and lays out a historical overview of the agency's jobs-data revisions, they said. The administration is considering publishing the study, written by the Council of Economic Advisers, in the coming weeks, according to these people. It comes amid an unprecedented level of criticism by a presidential administration at what is normally seen as the routine, nonpartisan job of compiling crucial U.S. economic data. Some outside economists who learned of the pending White House report expressed concern about its implications. Erica Groshen, who served as BLS commissioner during President Obama's second term in office, said in an interview she is concerned the report could be used as a pretext to remove other BLS officials. "If trust in official statistics is lost, financial markets and the U.S. economy could face serious consequences: heightened volatility, reduced business investment, higher borrowing costs, and slower growth," the National Association for Business Economics, a professional association for business economists, said in a written statement. |
| The rough road ahead for market whisperer Bessent | |
 | Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has weathered market turbulence from President Donald Trump's trade wars, the administration's clashes with the Federal Reserve and battles with fellow officials. But his biggest challenge may lie ahead, with signs that the economy is faltering just eight months into the Trump presidency. Throughout Trump's second term, Bessent has built strong credibility with financial markets even amid significant policy confusion and bolstered his relationship with the president, cementing his role as a power center in the administration. Stocks have continued to climb even as tariffs have eaten into corporate profits and growth has slowed. Now, however, the labor market is losing momentum, while inflation is ticking back up. The housing market is largely frozen because of high mortgage rates, and swelling fiscal deficits are fueling pressure on the cost of government debt. A more painful economic slowdown, particularly one accompanied by falling markets, would test Bessent's mettle in new ways. Bessent has maintained a reputation on Wall Street as being level-headed and rational, despite whipsawing trade policies and high-profile conflicts with other Trump advisers, such as Elon Musk, and most recently, housing finance regulator Bill Pulte. POLITICO reported that Bessent threatened to punch Pulte at a private dinner attended by dozens of other people after Pulte allegedly badmouthed him to the president. Regardless of that episode, Bessent has demonstrated considerable staying power in the administration. |
| Ken Griffin, Republican Megadonor, Is Wall Street's Loudest Trump Critic | |
| Few on Wall Street are willing to publicly lob any criticism at President Trump. Hedge-fund manager Ken Griffin is an exception. The founder and chief executive of investing giant Citadel, who is worth an estimated $50 billion and is among the largest Republican donors, has repeatedly voiced disagreement with Trump's signature initiatives. Griffin has opined on everything from tariffs to mass deportations to the tax cuts and deficit impacts of the Republicans' sprawling tax and spending legislation signed into law by Trump. On Sunday, Griffin co-wrote an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal opposing Trump's attacks on the Federal Reserve and on the credibility of official economic data that culminated in the firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "The president's strategy of publicly criticizing the Fed, suggesting the dismissal of governors, and pressuring the central bank to adopt a more permissive stance toward inflation carries steep costs," wrote Griffin and Anil Kashyap, a professor at the University of Chicago's business school. "These actions raise inflation expectations, increase market risk premiums, and weaken investor confidence in U.S. institutions." Trump has reason to be diplomatic in his approach with Griffin as the GOP looks to the midterm elections. The hedge-fund titan was the country's fifth-biggest donor in the 2024 election cycle, according to the nonpartisan OpenSecrets watchdog group, and he is expected to play a big role again in 2026. |
| Most US adults think individual choices keep people in poverty, new AP-NORC/Harris poll finds | |
| Most U.S. adults think personal choices are a major driver of poverty and homelessness, according to a new poll, while fewer blame a lack of government support. However, just over half also think the government spends too little on those in need, the new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows. The poll comes as homelessness is on the rise and as officials across the country, including Republican President Donald Trump in the nation's capital, push to clear encampments where unhoused people live. At the same time, the GOP tax and spending cut bill signed into law by Trump in July is expected to reduce benefits for low-income people. "It seems like people are a little conflicted," said Bruce Meyer, a professor at the University of Chicago Harris School who helped craft and analyze the poll. "I think people probably realize, in part at least, the complexity of what leads people to get in trouble in terms of their economic circumstances. And I think a lot of people are generous at heart and will help people out and think the government should as well, even when individuals aren't blameless." |
| Enrollment period open for Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Plan | |
| Looking to lock in a more cost-efficient rate for your child's higher education endeavors? Well, now is the time to take advantage of an option allowing parents and guardians to do so. State Treasurer David McRae announced Monday that the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) program is open now through May 31, 2026. This program allows families to lock in current tuition prices to pre-pay for their child to have the opportunity to turn the tassel at a more financially sound rate. MPACT plans are available for four-year degree programs, as well as community college programs. Rates vary depending on a child's age and a family's down payment. "With college costs climbing every year, MPACT gives Mississippi families the chance to plan ahead, lock in today's tuition rates, and shield themselves from decades of rising prices," McRae said. "This is about financial responsibility, helping parents invest wisely now so their children can pursue higher education without being buried in debt. With Mississippi's economy growing and more jobs requiring education beyond high school, MPACT's 2025-26 enrollment season gives families a smart, fiscally conservative way to prepare for the future." |
| Transfer Students Find A New Start At Ole Miss | |
 | Every year, the University of Mississippi welcomes more than 1,000 transfer students to campus. These students arrive from community college and other four-year universities, and they are drawn to UM for its academic programs, campus traditions and community. While the transition can be exciting, it introduces a unique set of challenges. Transfer students have to step onto an already moving campus, where it may sometimes feel overwhelming and difficult to fit in. Brooke Jankowsky is a senior management and marketing major from Macomb, Mich., and the vice president of the Transfer Leadership Organization on campus. Jankowsky described her transfer experience as positive for the most part, but she states that transfer students can sometimes "fall through the cracks." "I thought the university itself was super welcoming," Jankowsky said. "I just wish that there was more intentionality in certain aspects of getting transfer students the resources they need without having to do as much legwork." As a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, Jankowsky voiced Greek life as a setting where she was welcomed in quickly. "It is definitely more difficult to go through recruitment as a transfer student," Jankowsky said. "You can get cut for your age, and the process does not run as smoothly." |
| Ole Miss research shows promise for breast cancer treatment | |
| Research is happening right here in Mississippi that has the potential to change some breast cancer treatment. Dr. Eden Tanner and her research team at the University of Mississippi are exploring ways to more effectively deliver medicines in a targeted fashion. "It looks at least as a proof of principle that we can use sugar to help the medicine go down," described Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. She was referencing their most recent published research, they're focused on triple-negative breast cancer treatment. "All of those cells overexpress what we call glucose transporters," noted Tanner. "So they're really hungry for sugar so that they can grow really. So, what we thought is, 'What if we wrapped our nanoparticles in sugar? To trick the breast cancer cells into taking up lots of these nanoparticles, and inside those nanoparticles we could put drugs like chemotherapeutics.'" The theory is that it could lessen the side effects for patients. This is happening against the backdrop of proposed federal funding cuts to cancer research around the country. The American Cancer Society will have Mississippians on Capitol Hill next week to remind members of Congress why it's so important to continue. |
| Belhaven University enrollment increases, president speaks on success | |
| Belhaven University's enrollment is up this year compared to 2024, adding to the growth in the past five years. Total enrollment for fall 2025 has not quite settled, but Belhaven University President Roger Parrott told the Clarion Ledger the number is approximately 4,500, or a little more. This number is up from last year, when enrollment took a slight hit. The university had 4,005 total students in fall 2024, down from 4,400 in fall 2023. Even with last year's decrease, Belhaven's enrollment has been growing in the past five years. Since 2021, Belhaven's total enrollment has increased by 4%. The freshman population has increased by 22% since 2021. This year, Belhaven has nearly 1,050 total traditional students. The university has not had more than 1,000 traditional students since 2018. Overall, Parrott said he believes this year's enrollment data will break university records. When Parrott became Belhaven's 10th president in 1995, the university had a student population of approximately 800. |
| US high school students lose ground in math and reading, continuing yearslong decline | |
| A decade-long slide in high schoolers' reading and math performance persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 12th graders' scores dropping to their lowest level in more than 20 years, according to results released Tuesday from an exam known as the nation's report card. Eighth-grade students also lost significant ground in science skills, according to the results from the National Assessment of Education Progress. The assessments were the first since the pandemic for eighth graders in science and 12th graders in reading and math. They reflect a downward drift across grade levels and subject areas in previous releases from NAEP, which is considered one of the best gauges of the academic progress of U.S. schools. "Scores for our lowest-performing students are at historic lows," said Matthew Soldner, the acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. "These results should galvanize all of us to take concerted and focused action to accelerate student learning." |
| The school shooting industry is worth billions -- and it keeps growing | |
 | On a sunny day in Grapevine, Texas, three drones are buzzing around the head of a test dummy balanced on a pedestal. It's part of a demonstration outside the National School Safety Conference. "We use drones to stop school shootings," says Justin Marston, the CEO of Campus Guardian Angel, the company selling the drones. In the event of a shooting, remote pilots fly the drones, housed at the school, at the shooter. They shoot pepper balls and run the drones into the shooter to debilitate them. The technology is one example on a long list of products schools can buy to deter a shooter. There have been more than 400 school shootings since Columbine in 1999, according to an analysis by The Washington Post. The latest was last month, when a former student opened fire at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. Two students were killed and at least 18 other people were wounded. In the wake of those shootings, an industry has emerged to try to protect schools -- and business is booming. According to the market research firm Omdia, the school security industry is now worth as much as $4 billion, and it's projected to keep growing. "The school safety and security industry has grown rapidly over the past decade," says Sonali Rajan, senior director with the research arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for gun control. "The challenge right now is that these school safety products, the vast majority, have absolutely no evidence guiding their effectiveness." |
| 'Everyone is suffering': Off-campus residents criticize new bus routes | |
| The Crimson Ride bus changed its off-campus apartment routes, with students expressing frustration. "For the past two years I could leave my apartment at the exact same time every day and make it to class at a predictable time, and I could know when I'd be home," said Andrew Haselton, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering and a resident at East Edge Apartments. "Now, I have to be checking the app to track the bus, leave earlier than before, and end up waiting for much longer on campus waiting for a bus home." Previously, the bus would travel to and from East Edge every 20 minutes on a rigid schedule. Now, the bus runs in a continuous loop between off-campus housing and the drop off center with no schedule, requiring students to check the location on Passio GO!, an app that tracks the location of the bus. Additionally, the drop off location has been changed from a spot at the UA Transportation Hub, which has since been converted to paid parking, to new locations such as the Quad and Carmichael Hall. Crimson Ride did not respond to a request for comment from The Crimson White in time for publication. |
| Murder of retired Auburn University professor 'beyond devastating' for veterinary community | |
 | Auburn University and its esteemed veterinary community have been devastated by the killing of one of its "bright lights," Professor Emerita Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle. "She was amazing," said Destinee Bearden Patterson, a former student and friend. "She was a force. She was only a little bit over 5-foot-2, not your typical large animal veterinarian. She was a force in this world, such a bright, bright light, just an all-around wonderful human being that is going to be missed terribly." Dr. Schnuelle had just been in Birmingham last month teaching a 4-hour professional certification class for veterinarians at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover on Aug. 7, said Dr. Allen Riley, a 1985 Auburn veterinary graduate and program chairman of the Jefferson County Veterinary Medical Association. "I'm in shock," said Dr. Riley. "She's been here before speaking to veterinarians from all over the state. She was well-known." The murder of one of their own in Kiesel Park has also called into question public safety in what was considered a safe place. Harold Rashad Dabney III, a 28-year-old from Montgomery, has been charged with two counts of capital murder in Schnuelle's slaying. "Kiesel Park is one of those places that's frequented by veterinary students, all the students at Auburn, not just the veterinary school, but was always considered to be a safe space," Patterson said. |
| Auburn University Bookstore unveils new renovations | |
| On Tuesday, Sept. 2, the Auburn University Bookstore made its long-awaited return to its newly renovated home in the Haley Center after nearly six months of operating in the Beard-Eaves Coliseum. For the last week, the store has been buzzing with students, alumni and faculty -- all excited to see its new look. On Feb. 7 this past spring, the Auburn University Board of Trustees approved major renovations for the Auburn Bookstore and its Haley Center location. Only about a month later, the Bookstore temporarily relocated to Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, with the promise to return once renovations were complete. Now, about six months later, the Bookstore has returned to its new, improved and original location. The remodel features new lighting, flooring and organizational style, but the preparation was much more complex, with staff trying to appeal to both the visual and operational aspects of the store. Director of the Bookstore Russell Weldon has been working with his team for months to ensure the remodel was as successful as possible. "We are one of the smallest university bookstores in the country, so we've always had challenges in getting all the products out there," Weldon said. "The fixtures were a big part of that, but we also decided to try to take books off the floor." |
| LSU Board rolls back power to influence faculty, staff hiring searches | |
| The LSU Board of Supervisors has limited its power to influence faculty and staff hiring decisions after quietly giving themselves the ability last year. The board last year expanded its own bylaws to require its chair be made aware of "any search committees for new hires" and allows -- but does not require -- the chair to appoint members to the committees. The bylaws do not limit the chair's number of appointees or require they have any specific qualifications. Search committees are used for nearly every faculty hire, as well as for deans, department chairs and administrators. Taken to its extreme, the new rule could allow the chair to stack any search committee and steer it to a preferred outcome. The board chair is hand-selected by the governor. After backlash from LSU faculty and staff, who raised concerns the new rules could introduce political influence to the hiring process, the board adopted rules that limit the scope of the new bylaws. The chair will still be made aware of all searches, but the new language limits the board's ability to influence searches to high-level administrators, such as the president, chancellor, vice presidents and deans. |
| U. of Florida interim president to earn $2M, prohibit funds for DEI, review courses | |
 | Upon his expected confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors on Sept. 11, new University of Florida interim President Dr. Donald Landry will receive an annual base salary of $2 million. Landry's contract also gives him sweeping authority to reshape UF in line with the state's political agenda, tasking him with installing loyal leadership, reviewing course offerings for "return on investment," and cutting off all diversity and inclusion efforts. Landry, a former professor of medicine at Columbia University, was unanimously approved by UF's Board of Trustees on Aug. 25. While not yet formally approved by the BOG, which oversees all state universities, Landry started Sept. 1. His contract runs through next Aug. 21. Among the duties listed in Landry's contract: Appoint a permanent provost and fill interim dean positions with those who are "firmly aligned with and support the principles guiding Florida's approach to higher education ..." Review courses for educational value and eliminate those with "consistent low return on investment." |
| Nursing students find new College of Nursing building to be transformational for program at-large | |
| Nursing has just gotten a whole lot bigger at UT with the opening of the new nursing building. The building is located off of Volunteer Boulevard, with Peyton Manning Pass to its side. Neyland Stadium is just beyond the building, offering a front view of the home of the Vols, with the Tennessee River just past that. The building features new simulation labs and additions for clinicals. These laboratories have been praised by students who have been a part of the major before and after this project was finished. Hayley Pike, a senior majoring in nursing, is very happy with the new building and all of its amenities. "The simulation labs are amazing for practicing real-world scenarios, and there are so many places to study or hang out with classmates," Pike said. "It just makes the whole experience feel more supportive and fun." On top of the new labs and hands-on learning experiences, there are also new classrooms in the building, as well as office space and a dining option. The building is four stories tall, and also has an outdoor plaza near the dining area. |
| Young adults more likely to tolerate insurance fraud | |
| New research from the University of Georgia suggests younger adults may be more comfortable with insurance fraud than older generations. Survey data from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, which polled nearly 1,500 adults, showed that about 40% of respondents ages 25 to 34 said fraudulent actions in insurance scenarios were acceptable. Many viewed fraud as a way to cut costs or help a friend, according to the study. By contrast, only 5% of adults 55 and older said they were comfortable with such behavior, suggesting a possible link between age and ethical standards. Lead author Brenda Cude, professor emerita in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, said younger adults may see fraud as harmless, particularly when interacting with companies online. But misrepresenting information, like where a car is parked, is technically fraud and can affect everyone's insurance costs. |
| Free expression law prevents volunteer medical group from working at UT | |
| When state Sen. Brandon Creighton introduced Senate Bill 2972 for a vote, he said it would make college campuses safer after 2024 pro-Palestinian protests resulted in disruption and more than 150 arrests state-wide. Dubbed the "Campus Protection Act," the bill would restrict when free expression could occur, ban outside persons from participating and limit disruption. "This is how we protect student safety, defend our institutions, and safeguard freedom for generations to come," said Creighton, R-Conroe. But the law, passed last session and effective as of Sept. 1, and UT's resulting policy now prevents Street Medics Austin, a nonpartisan mutual aid foundation, from coming to campus at students' request to provide free first aid, the organization said. Austin Students for a Democratic Society, a political group on campus that often holds protests, asked Street Medics to attend their demonstration Sept. 4 protesting the Trump administration for deporting immigrants, said Matthew Blaney, the president of the medic group. Once there, Blaney said, two staff from the Dean of Students Office approached the team of 12 and asked if they were students. The 11 student volunteers were told to bring their student ID next time, but the non-student team lead was told to leave "immediately" or risk a criminal trespassing arrest, Blaney said. Given that the team cannot operate without a team lead for safety purposes, the entire team left, he said. "We're not there to protest we're not there to further anyone's agenda," said Blaney. "We literally just provide first aid." |
| Video of clash over gender-identity content in Texas A&M children's lit class leads to firings | |
| Facing growing political pressure, Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III announced Monday evening that the dean and department head overseeing a children's literature course at the center of a viral recording were going to be removed, saying they approved plans to teach material inconsistent with the published course description. The announcement came after a video circulated online Monday showing a student confronting a professor over LGBTQ-related content in the class, sparking backlash from Republican lawmakers and calls for investigations, a response from the U.S. Department of Justice, and a statement from the Texas A&M System chancellor pledging to discipline the professor. "Our students use the published information in the course catalog to make important decisions about the courses they take in pursuit of their degrees," Welsh said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, late Monday. "If we allow different course content to be taught from what is advertised, we let our students down. When it comes to our academic offerings, we must keep our word to our students and to the state of Texas." It was not immediately clear Monday whether the College of Arts and Sciences dean or department head will remain employed at the university in other roles. |
| After Sweeping Cuts at West Virginia U., Its President Made $2 Million Last Year | |
 | West Virginia University president, E. Gordon Gee, was the second-highest-paid public-university president in the country last year, raking in $2 million in total compensation in 2024 as the university made sweeping cuts to academic programs and faculty positions to manage a $45-million budget shortfall. Across the board, public-university presidents' base salaries -- including Gee's -- remained nearly the same as in 2023, and total pay was only slightly higher, according to an annual Chronicle analysis of executive compensation. The latter was not the case for Gee, who received a $1.2-million bonus as he finished out his contract with the university after more than a decade at the helm of the state flagship. He was outranked only by Renu Khator of the University of Houston, who took in $3.1 million. "It's an unfortunate coincidence to have the compensation increase so dramatically at the same time that the university just got through some pretty serious budgetary issues," said Matthew Valenti, chair-elect of the university's Faculty Senate and a professor in the computer-science department. |
| Students Report Less Tolerance for Controversial Speakers | |
 | College students -- particularly those who identify as conservative -- are less likely to tolerate controversial speech than they were last year, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's annual survey. For the 2026 edition of its free speech rankings, FIRE surveyed over 68,000 students from 257 colleges and universities in the U.S. In a question about six hypothetical speakers -- three with what are widely considered conservative views and three with traditionally liberal beliefs -- the share of students who said the speakers should be allowed to speak on campus dropped by at least five percentage points in all six cases. While 32 percent of respondents in 2024 said they would permit a speaker claiming transgender people have a mental illness, that number dipped to 25 percent this year. On the flip side, the number who found it acceptable to welcome a speaker who said children should be able to transition without parental consent also dropped, from 56 percent to 49 percent. But changes on both issues were driven primarily by conservative students' decreased willingness to allow controversial speech on campus; liberal students reported a level of tolerance similar to previous years. Sean Stevens, FIRE's chief research adviser and the report's author, said it's unclear why conservative students have had a change in attitude. |
| A 'Volatile Climate' for Campus Speech Has Worsened Under Trump, New FIRE Report Says | |
| Pressure from the Trump administration to crack down on pro-Palestinian student protests and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices has "deepened an already volatile climate for campus expression," according to a new, controversial ranking by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, a free-speech advocacy organization that tracks campus free-speech climates annually. FIRE's report, released Tuesday, points to "well-documented and growing uncertainty among students and faculty about what can safely be said or taught" as a cause for the worsening free-expression environment on college campuses. "There are schools where students certainly have lost a lot of confidence in their [university] administration," said Sean Stevens, FIRE's chief research advisor. "Over all, I think at a number of schools, there's this impression that the administration has gotten very heavy-handed" in responding to free expression as a result of government pressure. |
| McMahon to Higher Ed Leaders: Join Us to 'Make Higher Ed Great Again' | |
| Education Secretary Linda McMahon denounced higher education as broken in a speech Monday at Hillsdale College in Michigan, directing her remarks primarily at four-year institutions and pitching her vision for how to improve American colleges and universities. She wants to see a system of higher education that's rigorous and prepares students for a career, but is also dedicated to truth-seeking and committed to treating institutions as "repositories of our civilizational inheritance," according to a transcript of her remarks. She raised concerns about colleges allegedly taking "real American history" out of the curriculum and questioned whether tax dollars should go to institutions that detract from "our nation's strength." "Decline is a choice, and too many college leaders today have made that choice and failed to own up to it," she said. Ross Mugler, acting president of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and others said McMahon's comments "misrepresent the reality on college campuses today" and reflect an "unrealistic approach and assessment of higher education in this country." He defended the work of college administrators, who he said are trying to do the right things to help students succeed. "Higher ed isn't broken; it's adapting," he said. |
| Congressional Republicans Are Poised to Slash Millions from Student-Support Programs | |
| College advocates warn that a series of cuts tucked into a U.S. House of Representatives budget bill could have serious consequences for struggling students and institutions. The House is expected to vote Tuesday on the bill, which contains language threatening programs that support adult students and canceling work-study funding. The bill must be combined with its Senate counterpart and passed before becoming law. "We know that there is a strong current of support in some corners for reducing spending in these programs," said David Baime, senior vice president for government relations at the American Association of Community Colleges. The bill does contain several provisions that please college advocates. For example, President Trump had proposed cutting the maximum Pell Grant to $5,710, but the House bill, like its Senate counterpart, keeps the maximum award at $7,395. Traditionally, the Senate mollifies drastic cuts and proposals found in House bills on the way to a final version of a bill. But the loss of programs designed to help working and low-income students is causing alarm. |
| MSU student believes downtown could be goldmine for Jackson | |
| Mississippi State University student Walker Lake writes for Mississippi Today: Growing up in Jackson, I had it good. My walk to school, Jackson Academy, was less than half a mile and if I wasn't asleep or out with my friends, I was at school. I did show choir, sports broadcasting, tutored kids and spent a great deal of time studying. I didn't understand it at the time, but what made my formative years so great was my autonomy. I could stay at the school working a broadcast or rehearsal until 10 p.m., walk home and go to bed without a second thought. Moving away to study civil engineering, I realized that most of my peers didn't grow up with the level of autonomy that I enjoyed, and that played a big role in the passion I have for civil engineering. So far, I've learned a lot more than I bargained for, but it opened the door to understanding the broader complex system of infrastructure that connects and builds our communities. After the elections this year, it was clear to me that Jackson is ready to do whatever it takes, and doing infrastructure right is crucial to setting the city up for success. I believe downtown Jackson is key to creating that success. |
SPORTS
| Football: Mitchell & Reese IV Earn SEC Weekly Honors | |
| Mississippi State linebacker Nic Mitchell was named the Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Week. At the same time, Albert Reese IV earned Co-SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after the Bulldogs upset No. 12 Arizona State on Saturday. In Saturday's primetime matchup, Mitchell made his presence felt, earning a share of the team lead in tackles with nine. His most crucial tackle, though, came late in the fourth quarter with less than two minutes remaining, when he kept Arizona State running back Kanye Udoh out of the end zone on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line to force a field goal. That play set up State's final drive, capped by a 58-yard touchdown to take the lead with 30 seconds left. Reese earned his weekly honors after earning the start at right tackle and playing 66 snaps. Against Arizona State, Reese earned PFF grades of 80.4 on offense and 82.3 in pass blocking. He did not allow a sack or commit a penalty. His protection gave quarterback Blake Shapen time to throw for 279 yards and three touchdowns of 45-plus yards each. His efforts also landed him on the Pro Football Focus National Offensive Team of the Week for week 2, as well as the SEC Offensive Team of the Week. |
| Bulldogs lose linemen Will Whitson and Blake Steen for the season | |
| Mississippi State landed a monster win over Arizona State last Saturday night, but the Bulldog roster took a major blow in the process. Bulldog head coach Jeff Lebby confirmed at his Monday press conference that standout defensive end Will Whitson is out for the season. Whitson went down with an apparent knee injury in the first half and never returned to the game. Screening that occurred in the following days confirmed a season-ending knee injury. "Will was playing at a really high level. He was making plays, the guy was not being blocked. He was doing some things that were close to being elite and special." Lebby said. "The positive is that we've got guys at that position that are capable whether it's (Deonte Anderson), (Trevion Williams), Red (Hibbler), Joe Head, we have guys at that position that can go play winning football and there's no doubt about that." Lebby also gave confirmation on Blake Steen's status as the coach officially stated that Steen will also be out for the season. The Bulldogs started the Virginia transfer at right tackle in the first game against USM but he left the contest in the first half after going down with an injury. After Steen went out of the game, he was replaced by senior Albert Reese who would pick up SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors on Monday. |
| Mississippi State fined for violation of access to competition area policy | |
| The Southeastern Conference announced Monday that Mississippi State University will be fined for a violation of the league's access to competition area policy due to fans entering the field following its football game against the Arizona State University on September 6. Mississippi State will incur a fine of $500,000 for the violation under the league's revised access to competition area policy that was adopted at the SEC Spring Meetings in May. Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference. Any violation of the access to competition area policy results in a fine of $500,000. For non-conference contests, fines are paid to the SEC's Post-graduate Scholarship Fund. For Conference contests, fines are paid to the opposing institution. The policy states that "institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area." The SEC access to competition area policy allows for member institutions to adopt an institutional policy that permits fans to celebrate on the playing surface once all visiting team personnel and game officials have safely exited the field or court. The school must submit the plan to the Conference office in advance and communicate the policy to fans. If all visiting team personnel and game officials are safely off the playing surface prior to fans entering the field or court, then the home institution may avoid the prescribed penalty. |
| Sports Have Never Cost More. Non-Fans Help Foot the Bill. | |
| NFL fans owe a thank you to MrBeast and his nation-state-sized following. Really. And NBA followers better show gratitude to devotees of The Summer I Turned Pretty. Here's why. Prime Video's coming-of-age/love triangle melodrama scored 25 million viewers in its third season's opening week, Amazon said. Anyone who paid for the service to watch the teen saga set to a curious number of Taylor Swift bops contributed to the coffers that are funding $1.8 billion per year for pro basketball rights starting next month. Similar math backed up YouTube's acquisition of a primetime Week 1 game that the company aired for free to more than 16 million football fans on Friday. Watching sports feels as expensive as ever, but without those other consumers using the same services, it would be even pricier. There was a time, about a decade ago, when the sports-indifferent could cut the cable cord and largely exist beyond leagues' reach. Streaming services launched without live games for reasons both financial and technical. Meanwhile, traditional cable packages' costs -- and function -- became increasingly tied to the sports they offered, leaving fans to cover a larger percentage of the rights fee bill. It seemed for a moment like sports obsessives were going to have to pay full freight if they wanted to keep up with all their favorite teams and tournaments. And it looked expensive. Instead, Netflix itself entered the picture, as did just about every other streamer. |
| Mizzou students speak out against Zou Pass system, football seating issues | |
 | The Kansas-Mizzou Border War made its return Saturday and while the Missouri Tigers walked away with a win, seating concerns and football ticket changes for students persisted. McKenna Wagner, a freshman at the University of Missouri, got to Memorial Stadium two hours before kickoff and noticed how quickly the student section filled up. "It was definitely really, really packed," Wagner said. "A lot of people were trying to find seats, but I know most people did try to get there as early as possible." While Wagner was able to find a seat, not every student was as lucky. "I actually had to go to the other side of the stadium, because I couldn't find a seat," Jack O'Dell, a Mizzou freshman, said. "I ended up sitting on the stairs because other people are buying tickets and I couldn't just sit in their spot." To reconcile concerns from frustrated fans, the university launched a lottery system for students to secure tickets for future games. Seniors and juniors will have a higher percentage of available tickets for games against UMass, Alabama and Mississippi State. "I think it's pathetic," Haleigh Wolf, a junior at Mizzou, said. "To now have it just be putting my name in a document, and maybe I'll get (a ticket) ... I just think it's ridiculous." |
| Why do so many football coaches emphasize Southern accents? Linguistics experts explain | |
 | On Dec. 1, 2021, Brian Kelly was introduced as the 34th head coach in LSU football history. During the hour-long news conference, he sounded like Brian Kelly, the Boston-bred football coach who established himself as one of the sport's premier coaches during the previous dozen years at Notre Dame. Later that night, he attended an LSU men's basketball game. He walked onto the hardwood to officially acquaint himself with the Tiger fan base and spoke 13 words into the mic that soon went viral. "It's a great night to be a Tiger! I'm here with my family ..." and at that point, it didn't matter what Kelly said afterward. The pronunciation of just one word -- "family"-- served as an immediate giveaway that Kelly was trying to present himself as a Tiger, as a Louisianan, as someone just like the fans there to welcome him to town. College football is tethered to the South unlike any other region in the country. Language is often our first impression socially. It's human nature to want to belong. So if you're a newcomer to the South trying to adapt or a lifer holding on to your roots despite leaving long ago, the connective tissue is often what first rolls off the tongue. But what is at the root of such a psychological desire? The reason is both simple and complex: Sports have influenced language, said Dr. Andrew Bray, professor of linguistics at Carleton College. "A Brian Kelly-type might not necessarily be trying to sound Southern," Bray said. "But he's trying to sound football-oriented because of the historical importance of football to the South and the historical representation of Southern states and the football population." |
| Career college coaches soured by effects of the transfer portal and NIL are seeking NFL jobs | |
| Saints first-year defensive backs coach Terry Joseph used to love working in college football, having spent the last 19 years at some of the biggest brands in the game. His stops included LSU, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Tennessee and most recently, Texas. Earlier this year, Joseph joined the ranks of new NFL coaches who've seized opportunities to leave the college game behind, disillusioned by the effects of recent rule changes liberalizing player movement and payments. Recruiting, an area where Joseph once thrived, isn't what it used to be. It's become an almost 24-7 grind that is more centered around player finances and retention than mentorship and development, he said. "The part of recruiting that I really enjoyed was connecting with players and their families, really kind of talking about how they were going to develop from being this young man in high school to a grown adult," Joseph said, adding that he'd pledge to recruits to "be a coach for the rest of your life." But in recent years, Joseph noted, "I kind of felt personally that the relationship building on recruiting was fading away because you had all of these external factors -- the transfer portal; name, image and likeness -- that were becoming so much bigger. I wanted to be a recruiter and a coach, not necessarily a financial planner, a tax-information person, or answering questions about when is the check coming," he said. |
| College Football Playoff to hire former Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente as senior advisor | |
| The College Football Playoff is set to hire former Virginia Tech and Memphis coach Justin Fuente into a newly created football senior advisor role, CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello confirmed. According to Yahoo Sports, the sides could finalize a deal as soon as Tuesday. Fuente's job is a position under executive director Rich Clark, who began his leadership role with the CFP in June 2024. Fuente's role resides on the executive side of the CFP and is not directly related to the selection committee, which picks the participating schools in the 12-team playoff bracket. Fuente will work with Clark and other officers to carry out the CFP's day-to-day operations. That staff serves at the direction of the board of managers, which consists of university presidents and chancellors. |
| William King named General Counsel of US Olympic & Paralympic Committee | |
| William King, Associate Commissioner for Legal Affairs and Compliance for the Southeastern Conference, has been named as the new General Counsel for the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), reporting directly to CEO Sarah Hirshland. King will assume his role on October 15, 2025 and will relocate to Colorado Springs, Colo. "William brings unparalleled legal expertise and a deep appreciation for the role sport plays in shaping lives and communities," said Hirshland. "As we continue to evolve the USOPC to deliver the best possible athlete experience and uphold the highest standards of integrity, William's steady leadership and proven record navigating complex governance challenges will strengthen our ability to serve Team USA and the Olympic and Paralympic Movement." King joined the SEC in 2015 and has managed complex litigation, government relations, compliance and infractions, sports gambling integrity, and governance matters on behalf of the conference. Previously, King was a founding partner at Lightfoot, Franklin & White, where he built a nationally recognized practice in college sports law, representing institutions, coaches, and student-athletes in high-profile NCAA matters. |
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