| Friday, September 12, 2025 |
| MSU selected as finalist in National Academies' Gulf Futures Challenge | |
 | A Mississippi State University proposal to use cutting-edge tools to promote healthy marine life and enhance water quality in the Gulf Coast region is a finalist for a $20 million prize from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine's Gulf Research Program and Lever for Change. MSU's proposal to the Gulf Futures Challenge brings together partners with key expertise to develop new tools to better understand and track perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances -- commonly known as PFAS -- so that communities, resource managers and health experts can make informed decisions along the Gulf Coast. The MSU-led team is one of 10 finalists receiving an initial project development grant of $300,000. Two finalists will be selected to receive $20 million each to implement their solutions. Narcisa Pricope, MSU associate vice president for research and economic development and team lead, explained that understanding PFAS levels in the Gulf is critical as chemicals from a wide range of industrial sources can impact waterways that flow into the Gulf. |
| Amazon uses AI tool to help Delta farmers use water better | |
 | Amazon has a water-positive goal to return more water to communities where it has data centers than it uses, company officials said. The company hopes to reach that goal by 2030. One way is for Amazon to be efficient in the way it uses water. It also uses recycled water as a part of that process to help cool data centers. Yet another way Amazon can achieve its goal is through what the company calls replenishment projects. As a part of that, Amazon is working with the company Arabel as well as Mississippi State University to help mitigate water waste for agriculture and farmers in the Mississippi Delta. Drew Gholson, an associated professor and extension irrigation specialist with MSU, views the role of the university as more of a middleman between Amazon and Arable. "What we do at Mississippi State is look at groundwater sustainability, specifically in the Delta," Gholson said. "We want to help the farmers use ground water more efficiently. One of those tools is scheduling technology with soil-moisture sensors or weather-based data that can allow a farmer to be more strategic and specific with their application." So, the initiative with Amazon and Arable works within Mississippi State University's Master Irrigator program, which provides advanced training to agricultural producers on sustainable irrigation practices, soil health, and water management techniques to improve efficiency and profitability. |
| Cotton crop less than '24 | |
| Rains wreaked havoc with Mississippi's crop planting this spring, leaving cotton and all the state's row crops in various stages of crop maturity and condition. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated 6% of Mississippi's cotton to be in excellent condition, with 44% good and 40% just rated as fair as of Aug. 31. Mississippi growers planted an estimated 330,000 acres of cotton this year, which is down from the 520,000 acres state producers harvested in 2024. An extremely wet May hindered the crop the most, as repeated rain events kept growers out of the field and unable to plant during the optimum window. This prevented some of the planned cotton acres from being planted and resulted in late planting for other cotton acres. Will Maples, Extension agricultural economist, said USDA has projected yields of 1,255 pounds of cotton per acre with the state's total production at 850,000 bales. This compares to 1.241 million bales Mississippi growers produced in 2024. Maples said weak demand continues to be the story of the cotton market. |
| Law enforcement plan high-level safety for large events in Starkville | |
 | Throughout the year, thousands of people come to events on the Mississippi State University Campus and in Starkville. Law enforcement agencies have to plan for any possible emergencies. The Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office said cooperation among agencies helps ensure safety at these large-scale events. Whether it's an MSU football game, Bulldog Bash, or downtown festivals, agencies like the MSU Police, Starkville Police, and Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office work as a team to provide proper security and react if there is an emergency. "Immediately, we want to try to secure assistance from our surrounding agencies, secure assistance from other law enforcement; EMS and fire are here in Oktibbeha County because having that unified command in the event of an emergency is very important," Brett Watson said. "We must all be on the same sheet of music, and we are all able to work together as seamlessly as possible, so that's always the most primary thing we try to do. " With Starkville living up to the nickname 'Starkvegas' with lots of activity, law enforcement makes sure to prepare for whatever can happen. |
| Oktibbeha supes approve $61.4M budget, funding raises and new positions | |
 | Oktibbeha County supervisors on Thursday approved a $61.4 million budget for Fiscal Year 2026 that funds 3% raises for county employees, despite a nearly $10 million drop in projected revenue. County Administrator Wayne Carpenter attributed the decrease in revenue to the winding down of American Rescue Plan Act-funded projects. "This is primarily due to the conclusion of ARPA. We had a number of grants, number of things that were executed during the current year, so the cash balance was on hand, which counts as revenue technically," he told supervisors Thursday during the public budget hearing. "That's what's causing the total revenue decrease." With ARPA-funded projects wrapping up, the county no longer has the same level of revenue. But it also doesn't have to budget the same ARPA expenditures in FY 2026, Carpenter said. There are four new positions budgeted for FY 26, including an intake specialist, case manager and social worker, all for the youth court, as well as two animal control deputies, with the salaries of all four budgeted at about $244,000. |
| Eleventh Annual Mississippi Book Festival turning downtown into 'literary lawn party' | |
| Authors, book enthusiasts and volunteers are expected to fill the Capitol, its grounds and nearby Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson on Saturday for the 11th annual Mississippi Book Festival. The festival, known as the state's "Literary Lawn Party,' celebrates national, regional and local authors who have had hardback and paperback books published within the last year. "That helps us narrow the focus from the vast number of books published each year," said Ellen Daniels, executive director of the festival. "About a million books are published each year." The one-day festival, which runs from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is free to attend, will feature 189 authors as participants in numerous panel discussions and 100 authors of self-published books for sale in Authors Alley. About 8,100 people attended the festival's sessions last year, with countless others participating in events on the Capitol grounds, Daniels said. That's a 21 percent increase in attendance from the previous year, with all the festival events included. |
| Home mortgage demand surges as rates drop to 6.35% | |
 | Mortgage rates are finally falling, and just saw their biggest weekly drop in the past year. The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in the past week was 6.35%, according to Freddie Mac, down from 6.5% a week earlier. That's the lowest average since last October. Rates have been above 6.5% for most of the last year, climbing above 7% in January. "Mortgage rates are headed in the right direction and homebuyers have noticed, as purchase applications reached the highest year-over-year growth rate in more than four years," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist. As rates dropped, borrower demand surged. Applications to buy a home and to refinance were both up on a weekly and annual basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinances made up nearly half of those applications, as those who bought homes at higher rates jumped at the chance to lower their monthly mortgage payments. Purchase applications, meanwhile, rose to their highest level since July. |
| Panel of Mississippi lawmakers tackles ballot initiative, felony suffrage, early voting | |
| A special House committee on Thursday began work on three issues that have stumped Mississippi lawmakers for years: restoring voters' right to sidestep the Legislature and put issues on a ballot, restoring voting rights to convicted felons and allowing people to easily vote before election day. Members of the House Select Committee on Voters Rights heard from Samantha Buckley, director of policy for the Secure Democracy Foundation. Her presentation made clear that Mississippi is far behind the curve on dealing with these three voting rights issues. House Speaker Jason White has tasked the bipartisan panel -- one of four select committees he formed to tackle complex issues before the next legislative session -- to hold public hearings on the issues and craft legislation. "Once again, the House's legislative priorities will be clear and informed from the start as we maintain our focus and energy on preparing for the 2026 legislative session," he wrote recently of the select committees. |
| Cox: 'We got him' -- Charlie Kirk's murder suspect in custody | |
| On Fox News, Friday morning, President Trump said conservative influencer Charlie Kirk's suspected killer is in custody. The suspect is Tyler Robinson, 22, a Utah resident, who was taken into custody with the help of his family members, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said. "I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case," Cox said. Robinson is not a Utah Valley University student, Cox said, but was living with his family in Washington, Utah. Robinson was critical of Kirk and his politics, he said. Cox also said they do not have any information at this time that would lead to additional arrests, but said the investigation is ongoing. Robinson was booked into the Utah County jail, Cox said. On Fox, Trump said, a minister who was involved with law enforcement turned the suspect in, Trump said. "It was a minister... and his good friend is a top U.S. Marshal, and they took it from there. And then a father got involved, namely his father," Trump said. When asked if the father had known what his son allegedly had done, Trump said he didn't know. |
| Angry and in Mourning, Trump's Team Tightens Security After Kirk Shooting | |
 | President Trump's team began tightening security as shock and anger reverberated through the White House following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. A Pentagon ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was moved to a more secure location so Trump could deliver a speech, according to a senior White House official. At Yankee Stadium, where Trump attended a game Thursday evening, the law-enforcement presence was expanded, the Secret Service said. Beyond this week's events, Trump's team is having broader discussions about how to increase the president's security, the White House official said. Trump and his aides were reeling, with an acute sense of sadness blanketing the West Wing, according to the president's advisers. One White House official described the mood as one of mourning, adding that some advisers were scared for their safety. The killing of Kirk served as a reminder of the vulnerabilities in an era of extreme partisanship and harsh political rhetoric, and it appeared to further divide Washington instead of uniting it. |
| Charlie Kirk's killing could send Congress into a tailspin. Mike Johnson is trying to avoid that. | |
 | Not even two hours after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in Utah, Speaker Mike Johnson sought to hold a moment of silence for the young conservative activist. It lasted only a few seconds before the situation devolved into yelling and chaos, leaving Johnson banging his gavel as he tried to restore order in the House. Ever since, he's been struggling to convince both sides of the chamber to keep partisan finger-pointing from spiraling out of control. Over the past 24 hours, Johnson has been the most powerful elected Republican urging lawmakers and Americans generally to keep things from escalating both online and in person. The Louisianan's approach is largely in keeping with the way previous speakers might have handled the traumatic situation, but it is out of step with a polarized political culture that has come to color most everything that happens on Capitol Hill. "What I'm going to do is what I've always done," Johnson told reporters later Thursday. "I'm always about turning down the temperature and encouraging members to walk in the dignity of their office and treat one another with dignity and respect. And I think it's an important moment for leaders to say that." |
| GOP changes Senate rules to speed some confirmations | |
 | Senate Republicans voted Thursday to change the chamber's rules to allow them to speed up the confirmation of lower-level Trump administration nominees, saying the move is necessary to combat a blockade from Democrats. Despite last-minute talks between Democrats and Republicans to avert the so-called "nuclear" move, the chamber voted 53-45 along party lines to lower the votes needed to move forward with executive resolutions on floor consideration of lower-level nominees in groups. Previously it took 60 votes on a procedural motion, now it will take a simple majority. The action happened around a measure that would authorize the en bloc consideration in executive session of dozens of those nominees. For months, Democrats 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. The Thursday vote setting a new precedent came after Democrats and Republicans could not reach a bipartisan deal on changing the way the Senate handles the confirmation of nominees at the sub-Cabinet level. |
| Ole Miss parts ways with staff member who shared inflammatory post after Charlie Kirk's assassination | |
| As first reported by Magnolia Tribune, Lauren Stokes served as the executive assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Development at the University of Mississippi. In the moments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, Stokes reposted a graphic from Instagram which labeled Kirk as a white supremacist and "reimagined Klan member." The post negatively caricatured Kirk's social and political views as a lead up to "I have no prayers to offer Kirk or respectable statements against violence." On Wednesday night, a viral social media posts connected the dots between Stokes, her employment in the Lyceum at Ole Miss, and the inflammatory statement. The post also indicated Stokes and her husband own and operate a restaurant in Oxford. Ole Miss alumni have since been active, calling the Chancellor's Office and questioning next steps on social platforms. On Thursday morning, Stokes profile was removed from University websites. In response to our inquiry, University officials told Magnolia Tribune a statement from the Chancellor's office on the incident was forthcoming Thursday afternoon. After our initial reporting, Ole Miss released a statement confirming that Stokes was no longer employed by the University. |
| Ole Miss staffer fired for sharing 'insensitive' post after shooting death of Charlie Kirk | |
| The University of Mississippi has fired one of its staffers for an insensitive post she shared following the death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Lauren Stokes, who was the executive assistant for the vice chancellor at Ole Miss and a local restaurant owner, became the subject of widespread scrutiny on social media for content she parroted after Kirk was killed at a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. The post in question referred to Kirk as a "reimagined" Ku Klux Klan member, whose politics were responsible for school shootings, mass killings via gunfire, anti-abortion laws, and acts of brutality committed against racial minorities. The sentiments Stokes echoed were met with resistance, along with calls for her to lose her job at the university and for the restaurant she cofounded, Tarasque Cucina, to be boycotted. On Thursday, Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce announced that Stokes had been terminated from her position within the university. After condemning the views the former employee shared on social media, Boyce noted that university officials have a responsibility to take seriously their commitment to upholding a civil and respectful campus environment. |
| Ole Miss fires employee over social media post on fatal Charlie Kirk shooting | |
| University of Mississippi announced it has terminated an employee due to "hurtful, insensitive comments" made on social media regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA and political far-right activist. University Chancellor Glenn Boyce released an official statement on the university's social media pages Thursday stating that an unnamed employee was terminated after Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking on the Utah Valley University campus. "The comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness and respecting the dignity of each person," the statement said. "We condemn these actions and this staff member is no longer employed by the university." The university did not identify the employee in its statement. It's just one instance among many Thursday where educators at schools across the country were criticized or fired for their comments about Kirk after his death. |
| The rise of AI tools forces schools to reconsider what counts as cheating | |
 | The book report is now a thing of the past. Take-home tests and essays are becoming obsolete. Student use of artificial intelligence has become so prevalent, high school and college educators say, that to assign writing outside of the classroom is like asking students to cheat. "The cheating is off the charts. It's the worst I've seen in my entire career," says Casey Cuny, who has taught English for 23 years. Educators are no longer wondering if students will outsource schoolwork to AI chatbots. "Anything you send home, you have to assume is being AI'ed." The question now is how schools can adapt, because many of the teaching and assessment tools that have been used for generations are no longer effective. As AI technology rapidly improves and becomes more entwined with daily life, it is transforming how students learn and study and how teachers teach, and it's creating new confusion over what constitutes academic dishonesty. |
| U. of South Carolina says new accreditor won't cost them for now. But it already cost thousands | |
 | The University of South Carolina is helping establish a university-led accreditor without an initial need for USC funds, board chairman Thad Westbrook told faculty last week. But it's paying for a staff member to lead the effort. USC is one of six public university systems that joined together in June to create a new accreditor, called the Commission for Public Higher Education. It's billed as an alternative to the current "out-of-touch" system and is meant to prioritize student achievement "without ideological capture." Cameron Howell, who has served as secretary of the USC board of trustees since 2021, has temporarily stepped away from his responsibilities as secretary to join the Commission for Public Higher Education as a senior advisor. USC continues to finance his $247,000 salary. University spokesman Jeff Stensland called it an "in-kind contribution" and said the university believed it to be "reasonable and appropriate." The decision to join the consortium was not mentioned, nor was it voted on, during any recent public meetings of the USC board of trustees, though the board did vote to appoint interim board secretary Stacey Bradley. |
| Florida Finalizes Interim President Hire | |
 | The Florida Board of Governors unanimously approved Donald Landry on Thursday as interim president of the University of Florida, three months after it rejected Santa Ono for the job in a split vote. Landry, who has a lengthy academic résumé but has never been a college president, will now be among the top-paid campus leaders in the country, with a base salary of $2 million and the potential to earn an additional $500,000 in bonuses. But the one-year contract also includes an unusual caveat: Landry will earn $2 million in severance pay if he is not selected for the permanent job. Such a guarantee is an anomaly for an interim president, one expert said. "I've never seen a guarantee of any type given to an interim," said Judith Wilde, a research professor at George Mason University who studies presidential searches and contracts. The salary itself is also quite substantial, especially for an interim president, she said. Ono was set to make around $3 million a year, which Wilde suspects the next permanent president will also get. |
| 'Political violence needs to end now': Candlelight vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk brings students, alumni to seal | |
| Dusk fell as a group of University of Tennessee students began to gather around the seal on Ped Walkway Sept. 11, about 8:00 p.m. A candlelight vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk, after his sudden assassination the day before, drew a crowd that struggled not to spill over into the road beside them. The warm Southern evening filled with the chirps of cicadas was now punctuated by somber voices. Candles sat in baskets around the circle and organizers passed them out around the seal to attendees. Organizers opened with a few remarks about Kirk's life, family and impact in politics and on the nation. Students, alumni and general attendees remarked on why the passing of conservative activist Kirk had brought them to the seal that night. For some, the grief hit close. "I don't think I've ever cried over someone dying that I didn't know personally," University of Tennessee alumna Anna Beranek said. "He was an amazing guy who did not deserve this. Nobody on either side of politics deserves this. This wasn't about politics. This was far beyond." |
| U. of Kentucky employee's viral comment about Charlie Kirk's death leads to investigation | |
 | The University of Kentucky is investigating one of its employees after he made an offensive comment about the death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Brad Van Hook, a university employee, commented on a WKYT social media post about Kirk's death. Van Hook paraphrased a quote from American lawyer and civil rights advocate Clarence Darrow and wrote, "I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great satisfaction." UK spokesperson Jay Blanton confirmed Van Hook is the key shop manager at UK and has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues. The university said it referred Van Hook's comment to appropriate officials after it became aware of it. "The statement attributed to him -- no matter who made it and what their affiliation is -- does not reflect who we are as a community," Blanton said in a statement on behalf of the university. "It is cruel. It is insensitive and it is wrong." The comment went viral after an account on X called Libs of TikTok highlighted the remark in a post. Libs of TikTok has 4.4 million followers, and the post has been shared thousands of times. |
| Was an Instructor's Firing a Violation of Academic Freedom? Or an Example of 'Academic Responsibility'? | |
 | Organizations and scholars concerned with academic freedom are raising the alarm over the firing of a Texas A&M University instructor who was dismissed on Tuesday after videos of a classroom exchange drew criticism from conservative lawmakers. The class in question was a summer course on children's literature, taught by Melissa McCoul, then a senior lecturer in English. In a video posted to X, a student is heard questioning McCoul's teaching "about gender identity and transgenderism," saying the course content ran afoul of her and others' religious beliefs and is potentially illegal. During the exchange, the student references President Trump's executive order that says U.S. policy recognizes two sexes that are "not changeable" and that federal funds "shall not be used to promote gender ideology." In the video, McCoul defends her teaching, tells the student that the student has a right to leave, and then instructs the student to make her exit. On Monday, Brian Harrison, a Republican state lawmaker, posted that video and another seemingly from that day in class, along with audio from a purported meeting between the student and the university president and materials that he says are from the course that he finds highly objectionable. He advocated for the firing of "the A&M officials involved." Earlier this week, he got his wish -- at least partially. |
| Fired Texas A&M professor files appeal, exploring legal action | |
 | Melissa McCoul, the professor fired by Texas A&M University earlier this week, has appealed her termination and decided to explore further legal action. That is according to information from a statement that McCoul's attorney, Amanda Reichek, provided to The Eagle on Thursday. McCoul was terminated Tuesday after video and audio surfaced the previous day that reportedly showed her interaction with a student over material she was teaching in a children's literature class earlier this summer. The material reportedly ran afoul of a 2023 Texas law that banned universities to teach diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) coursework. McCoul's firing came after pressure was put on Texas A&M leadership by state Rep. Brian Harrison, who first shared the video on X on Monday, to fire McCoul as well as English Department Head Emily Johansen and Mark Zoran, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The reason given for McCoul's firing was that she failed to change her course content to align with the catalog description of the course that was originally submitted and approved. According to the statement from Reichek, McCoul's content was consistent with the catalog and course description. Reichek called the firing a "violation of her constitutional rights, contractual rights and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of Texas higher education." |
| U. of Missouri embraces AI use with 'Show-Me AI' | |
 | The University of Missouri started testing pilots of its new generative AI program, Show-Me AI. Despite all of the hype surrounding the advancements of machine learning models, some students are hesitant to join Mizzou in their embrace of AI. University student Analyse Riley says she believes the intentions of Show-Me AI are good but that there could be unintended consequences. "It could end up being a little harmful, because I feel like people start relying on it too much, and it ruins their independency," said Riley. "One day you're going to become so reliant on it that it's like, 'how do I ask my professor a question when I can just go to my AI?'" Other students outright don't agree with AI use, like Mizzou student Caden Rasch, who has found that programs like ChatGPT are often "generating false but true-looking information" or "hallucinating," as Rasch describes. Kevin Brown, chair of Mizzou's AI Steering Committee, explains that implementing Show-Me AI provides a safer, "walled garden" approach to AI use, a metaphor for a space limited or closed to outsiders. "We can maintain data security over all of the intellectual property ... and also protect student data," Brown said. |
| GAO Raises Concern About Future FAFSAs | |
| The Education Department is on track to release the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid by Oct. 1, but a government watchdog warned this week that future forms are at risk of technical issues. The Government Accountability Office, in its second report on the botched launch of the 2024–25 FAFSA, found that the department has yet to implement a number of its recommendations from the first report released in September 2024. Additionally, the agency needs to improve its oversight of contractors. The GAO also noted that the department doesn't have a plan for testing future FAFSAs and that staff overseeing the application lack key experience and training. "Until [the Office of Federal Student Aid] makes progress in these important areas, [the FAFSA Processing System] is at risk of not functioning as intended in future releases, leading to students having trouble in obtaining timely aid," the report states. "Further, the FPS contract is at risk of overexpenditure and potentially wasting taxpayer dollars. These risks are compounded by reductions in staff that likely impact the agency's ability to carry out its mission to manage and oversee student financial assistance programs." |
| 'Overwhelming and Indescribable': A Utah University Tries to Process the Killing of Charlie Kirk | |
| Katee-Lee McBride has been a follower of Charlie Kirk for years. Upon learning that the influential conservative activist would visit Utah Valley University's campus, the first stop on his fall 2025 American Comeback Tour, McBride, a senior, said she jumped at the "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to see him in person. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing organization with hundreds of campus chapters, built his brand by traveling to colleges and sparring with anyone who'd engage, trumpeting conservative rhetoric on religious freedom and the Second Amendment, and often criticizing minority groups, such as the LGBTQ community. He was doing just that on Wednesday, sitting in a tent under a banner that said "Prove Me Wrong." McBride stood in the crowd of about 3,000 people, and texted her family group chat that she was steps away from Kirk. Then she heard a sudden "pop" that "didn't sound like a real gunshot because it was so quiet." "The shock hit everyone all at once and it just went dead silent. And then the chaos happened and I was pulled down to the ground by a guy who was behind me," she added. As Kirk's killing reverberates across the country and a manhunt continued into Thursday night for the shooter, students at Utah Valley, the largest public university in the state, now find themselves grappling with a stark new reality: Political violence can happen anywhere, even on their campus. |
| The Day After Tragedy Struck, a Utah Campus Comes to Terms With Its Grief | |
| Sunrise broke over the Wasatch Mountains as usual on Thursday, but Phil Witt and his daughter, Sophie, knew this day was unlike any they had known. "Surreal is very much how we feel," said Witt, who works at Utah Valley University, where Sophie is a freshman. "We both feel like we want to do something, but there's nothing really to do." One day after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at the university, sadness and helplessness hung over the campus and surrounding community. The mood belied a stunning setting with autumn's first tinge on the trees. The normally bustling campus of some 46,000 students had been ordered closed until Monday. Its website and emails to students highlighted available mental-health resources, including crisis counselors. Students say UVU's campus culture leans conservative---many undergraduate students are married---though it is also home to active LGBTQ student services. The school is a short drive from the more well-known Brigham Young University in Provo, making the area a hub for young conservatives. On Thursday, UVU was largely deserted, save for police roadblocks and the occasional drone overhead. |
| Charlie Kirk Killing Feeds Fears for Higher Ed's Future | |
| Wednesday saw a moment without precedent in recent history: A college speaker shot to death on a campus during an event. That fact alone would've escalated growing concerns about the future of free speech and civil discourse at colleges and universities. But this speaker was Charlie Kirk, a prominent ally of a U.S. president who was already crusading against higher ed. Kirk, a national political figure in his own right, was one of the foremost conservative critics of intolerance for right-wing views in higher ed and the founder and leader of Turning Point USA, a nationwide organization of conservative campus groups that aided the president's re-election. Kirk even spoke at Trump's January inauguration. He was known for goading students on campuses to "prove me wrong," posting the resulting clips online, appearing in conservative media to denounce higher ed, spreading his views further on his own podcast and using his organization's online presence and on-the-ground staff to target left-leaning faculty. His death at Utah Valley University could put more pressure on higher ed at a time when colleges and universities have already been excoriated and targeted by the right. Faculty and those who criticize higher ed as being insufficiently open to civil debate between different viewpoints are worried that free expression will further erode. |
| Colleges are unprepared for threats like Charlie Kirk's killing, experts say | |
 | For Wednesday's midday event at Utah Valley University, conservative activist Charlie Kirk followed a formula he had used many times on college campuses. Students flowed into a courtyard for a large outdoor gathering featuring a wide-ranging, sometimes raucous political debate, with security arrangements coordinated in advance between Kirk's team and campus police. With a single shot fired from the rooftop of a building more than 100 yards away, it all came crashing down. Kirk's targeted killing added to an upsurge in political violence in the United States and represents a startling new type of risk for colleges and universities. College campuses are all too familiar with the possibility of gun violence and have well-established protocols for responding to mass shootings. But experts struggled to recall any event in recent decades where a campus speaker at a university appears to have been deliberately targeted and killed. Security experts said that the way Kirk was killed -- a shot fired from a high-powered rifle from a considerable distance -- is the type of danger normally only faced by heads of state and is difficult to prevent without Secret Service-type sweeps. |
| Perceived importance of college drops to new low: Gallup | |
 | The perceived importance of college education among Americans has dropped to a new low, continuing a downward trend seen in the last 15 years, according to a new Gallup survey that was released Thursday morning. The poll found that 35 percent of U.S. adults rate college education as "very important." Around 40 percent said it is "fairly important," while another 24 percent said it's "not too important." In 2019, when asked about the importance of college, more than half of surveyed Americans, 53 percent, said it was very important. The figure was nearly 20 points lower than in 2013, when 70 percent said the same. In 2010, 75 percent of U.S. adults said that a college education was very important. Those who said college education is not too important have more than doubled since 2019, Gallup noted. Only 4 percent of respondents said that in 2010. Among parents with kids younger than 18, the results were similar. Forty percent said college education was somewhat important, 38 percent said it was very important, and 21 percent said it was not too important, according to the survey. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State football: What happened to goalposts in field storm? | |
| Fans began to storm the field at Davis Wade Stadium moments after Blake Shapen took a knee to end Mississippi State football's upset win against then-No. 10 Arizona State in Week 2. Before most Bulldogs fans could reach the field though, the northern goalpost in front of the student section was already dismantled. The two uprights were then rushed across the field. Shortly after, the goalposts in the south end zone were also taken down. According to Mississippi State, it was planned before MSU's 24-20 win on Sept. 6. "That decision was made for safety reasons," MSU athletics spokesperson Brandon Langlois told The Clarion Ledger. "Removing the posts helps prevent potential injuries and protects both fans and the facility." By the time MSU coach Jeff Lebby and players had finished their news conferences -- about an hour after fans stormed the field -- the goalposts were already reinstalled at Davis Wade Stadium like nothing had happened. "They were moved to a pre-planned secure location," Langlois said. "Our facilities team has specialized equipment, including a drill system they designed themselves, to safely detach, store, and then reinstall the goalposts quickly and efficiently." |
| Jeff Lebby explains decision to start games on offense over defense | |
| Mississippi State has won more than just its two games early in the 2025 season. Both coin tosses were won by the Bulldogs, giving Jeff Lebby decisions to make. Most head coaches would defer to the second half. However, on both occasions, Lebby decided to start the game off with the ball. Rewards were instantly cashed, as Mississippi State went on opening drive touchdowns against Southern Miss and Arizona State. Still, an unusual move from Lebby and one he explained heading into the Alcorn State matchup. "For us, especially on Saturday, it was about keeping their offense off the field and dictating how the game was played," Lebby said on Monday. "I wanted our guys out there first, offensively, creating juice, momentum, being able to put a drive together. We've been able to do that two weeks in a row. We have not sustained the way we need to but that was the thought behind that." |
| Football: Evans Standing Out Early For State | |
| Mississippi State made waves across the college football world this past Saturday with their dramatic win over No. 12 Arizona State at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs' air attack was key in the victory with 279 passing yards and three touchdowns. The tone was set early on when quarterback Blake Shapen hit receiver Anthony Evans III on a 48-yard strike for the game's first score just over a minute into the contest. Evans finished the contest with a team-leading nine receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown. The transfer from Georgia brought in 13 total receptions during his two-year stretch with the Bulldogs from Athens. Now, he's already tacked on 13 catches for 144 yards with Mississippi State through just two games in 2025, and he's made himself known as one of State's main wideout threats. |
| 3 keys to victory for Mississippi State against Alcorn State | |
| Mississippi State football will take the field at Davis Wade Stadium again on Saturday. The Bulldogs, 2-0, are coming off an impressive but tense win over Arizona State. The Sun Devils arrived in Starkville ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25, but began this week unranked after losing on a last-minute touchdown pass by Blake Shapen to Brenen Thompson. Now the Bulldogs welcome in-state FCS program Alcorn State as overwhelming favorites with a chance to build on a positive start to Year 2 under head coach Jeff Lebby. Here are three keys to victory over the Braves on Saturday. |
| Mississippi State football fans rally with 'Starkville vs Everybody' | |
| Scroll through Mississippi State football's social media and you'll notice a frequent phrase. "Starkville vs. Everybody." It began circulating through the fan base before MSU (2-0) shocked then-No. 10 Arizona State 24-20 at Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 6, and it has amplified since. Starkville is sometimes the butt of jokes in college athletics, but with the Bulldogs achieving their biggest win under second-year coach Jeff Lebby, fans are fighting back against the narrative. "Starkville vs. Everybody" is now a hashtag, it's appearing on graphics, being mentioned on TV shows and even sold on T-shirts. The community is buzzing as Mississippi State plays its second of four straight home games. Next up is Alcorn State (0-2) on Sept. 13 (5 p.m., ESPN+). "I think it's because for whatever reason there's this rap that we get that's not true," Lebby said. "We talk to our guys nonstop about no comparisons. We don't compare ourselves to anybody. We aren't looking at any other programs. I don't wonder what other programs are doing to help me make a decision about what's best for our program. To me, that's what it's all about. We're going to do exactly what we need to do for Mississippi State, our program, our university and our community to make sure we're putting our best foot forward and be exactly who we are." |
| Soccer: Bulldogs Host No. 1 Tennessee In SEC Opener | |
| For the third time in program history, Mississippi State will face the top-ranked team in the nation on Friday night as the Bulldogs host No. 1 Tennessee to open conference play. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The matchup comes 21 years to the day from the first game against No. 1 in school history, which coincidentally was against North Carolina in a 2004 tournament hosted by the Lady Vols. The Bulldogs will look to take inspiration from last year's home victory over then-No. 1 Arkansas. State has won three straight SEC openers and three straight SEC home openers, but the Bulldogs will face a tough test on Friday night. The Lady Vols are the only remaining team in the nation that has not conceded a goal this year. Tennessee has already played three ranked opponents, going 2-0-1 with a pair of top-five wins in those matches. Friday night is Greek Night at the MSU Soccer Field and the start of alumni weekend. The first 300 students in fraternities or sororities will receive a giveaway rally towel |
| Bulldogs welcome No. 1 Volunteers for SEC kickoff | |
| In what is becoming a regular occurrence, Mississippi State will host a high-stakes soccer match on Friday while celebrating the 30th anniversary of women's soccer on campus. The Bulldogs will start Southeastern Conference play against the current top-ranked team in the country in Tennessee on Friday, making it two years in a row that MSU will host the No. 1 team in the country in conference play. Head coach Nick Zimmerman has seen a positive start from his group in the 2025 campaign, going 5-1 through six nonconference games, including a 2-1 win over No. 10 Wake Forest and a difficult road trip into Big 12 country. A 2-0 loss to Baylor serves as the only defeat so far on his watch, and even that was an experience the Bulldogs have been able to learn from. "Every team poses different challenges, and that was the beauty of nonconference," Zimmerman said. "We're two games less because of one cancellation, and we were trying to get a game that fell through at the last minute, but for nonconference next year, it's got some good teams. We want to play against really good teams, all six games posed different challenges. We used it as an opportunity to figure out things, but also play against good teams that kept giving us different looks." On Wednesday, the Bulldogs were practicing building possession through a high press, something that has always been a part of the team's identity, but could be that much more important to do on Friday against the top-ranked team in the country. |
| Mississippi State women's basketball 2025-26 schedule has Jackson State, Southern Miss | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball will open the 2025-26 season against Davidson at Humphrey Coliseum on Nov. 3. The Bulldogs' full nonconference schedule was released on Sept. 10. They will begin the season with four straight home games also against Georgia State, Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State before playing at Texas Tech on Nov. 20. Four of the nonconference games were already revealed for MSU and coach Sam Purcell. The Bulldogs will play in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida, first against Alcorn State on Nov. 24 and then either Middle Tennessee State or Providence the next day. Mississippi State will also host Pittsburgh in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 4. Southern Miss, with new coach Missy Bilderback, will play at Mississippi State on Dec. 14. Conference play begins Jan. 1 when Mississippi State plays Auburn at Humphrey Coliseum. |
| Bulldogs continue hot start with win over Duke | |
| Mississippi State volleyball extended its winning streak to seven games with a 3-2 thriller over Duke at home on Wednesday. The teams traded punches over the first four sets, going the distance to a decisive fifth set where the Bulldogs clinched the victory in a 15-10 tiebreaker. The Bulldogs are now 7-0 on the season with an impressive nonconference win over a Power Four opponent on the books as Southeastern Conference play approaches at the end of the month. In total, seven of the 10 players representing the Bulldogs scored on the night, with the four kill leaders also leading in points. The Bulldogs recorded the win after a weekend sweep of teams at the Blue Raider Bash in Tennessee last weekend, and will be back on the road this weekend for a pair of games at Southern Miss. The team will play its next home game, and final nonconference game, against South Alabama on Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Newell-Grissom Building. |
| How experience, patience, race execution could lead Canadian runner Marco Arop to world title repeat | |
| Chris Woods says Marco Arop is among the greatest 800-metre runners of all-time and can repeat as men's champion next week at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The coach's ongoing challenge is to convince his Canadian athlete and the national record holder of this belief. "There are special people that are generational that can close their eyes and don't believe when they're shooting the ball at the basket it's going to go in, but it goes in," Woods said on a Zoom call this week before joining Arop in Japan. "Marco knows what he's capable of, for sure. I still think that he can surprise himself. I believe he has something in him, and it's not that he believes it isn't there but he's like, 'Not me, right?' He can't believe he possesses [a certain level] of talent. "He's a truly, truly special person and truly, truly special athlete," continued the head track and field coach at Mississippi State University. "If he saw his ability the way I do, he would 100 per cent be the world champion." Of course, there are other factors in the Edmonton native's pursuit of a world title, which will contested around 9:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 20 at Japan National Stadium. |
| Ostrander inks contract to lead Southern Miss baseball through 2029 | |
| The Southern Miss baseball program has its man and is keeping him for at least another four years. Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain announced Thursday that head coach Christian Ostrander has inked a new, four-year deal to keep leading the program through 2029. Under Mississippi state law, contracts for public institutions of higher learning employees are limited to four years but can be extended through private athletic foundations. In his first two years as head coach, Ostrander has more wins (90) than any of his predecessors over that time and has led the program to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. During the 2025 season, Ostrander guided the Golden Eagles to a 47-16 record, tying the second-most victories at the school for a season. The successful campaign kept Southern Miss' string of consecutive 30-win seasons (23) and 40-plus win seasons (9) alive -- both of which are the longest in Division I. In 2024, Ostrander led a team that finished 43-20. |
| NCAA investigates 13 former basketball players for sports betting violations | |
| The NCAA is investigating potential violations of sports betting rules involving 13 former men's basketball players who competed for six schools. Cases include athletes formerly associated with Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley. The schools are not under investigation or at risk of being penalized. The NCAA's integrity monitoring program and network of sources flagged text messages and direct messages on social media platforms and revealed unusual betting activities around regular-season games. The violations include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for purposes of sports betting, manipulating scoring or outcomes and/or refusing to participate in the investigation. "The NCAA monitors over 22,000 contests every year and will continue to aggressively pursue competition integrity risks such as these," NCAA President Charlie Baker said. Baker said the rise of sports betting is creating more chances to commit violations. |
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