| Wednesday, September 17, 2025 |
| Coast native Tracy Acosta named 2025 MSU Alumni Fellow | |
 | A Coast native has been named a 2025 MSU Alumni Fellow, according to the university. Dr. Tracy Acosta, a dedicated veterinarian, business owner, author and advocate for animal welfare and education who lives in Biloxi, was selected for the prestigious honor. Sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association and the university's eight academic colleges, the Alumni Fellows Program recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers. They are selected by each academic college and are invited to return to campus to meet with students, both in the classroom and informally. Originally from Gulfport, Acosta was accepted into Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine through its competitive Early Entry Program and later received a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences in 1992 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. Today, she is the owner and lead veterinarian of Acosta Veterinary Hospital and Four Paws Bed and Biscuit. |
| Aldermen look to curb 'predatory towing' from apartments | |
 | The board of aldermen will hold two public hearings in the coming months to consider adopting a citywide towing ordinance. During its regular monthly meeting Tuesday at City Hall, the board voted unanimously to approve the public hearings. The proposed ordinance would set strict guidelines for all towing companies operating in Starkville in an effort to curb "predatory towing" practices, particularly in apartment complexes, Mayor Lynn Spruill told The Dispatch. "What it's intended to do is not allow apartment complexes to take advantage of their tenants and their tenants' visitors, but to have a very transparent and accessible understanding of what they can and can't do when they're coming to park on a property," Spruill said. Spruill said the city has received numerous complaints about towing practices, namely from The Social Block and Townhomes complex. Under the drafted ordinance, towing fees would be capped at $250 with storage fees limited to $45 per day. Drivers would receive a 24-hour grace period to claim their vehicles. In addition, all companies would be required to maintain standard hours for releasing vehicles, seven days a week. |
| MDAH Museum Division earns top national accreditation status | |
 | The Museum Division of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) received accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). According to officials, this is the highest national recognition afforded to museums in the United States. As part of the MDAH Museum Division accreditation, the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians was officially reaccredited in 2025, while the Museum of Mississippi History, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, and the Eudora Welty House and Garden received first-time accreditation. "MDAH Museum Division sites have always maintained the highest professional standards, with both the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and the Old Capitol Museum previously earning AAM Accreditation," said Museum Division Director Cindy Gardner. "In August 2005, the state history museum was diligently working on reaccreditation. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina damaged the Old Capitol and closed the museum. We are thrilled to once again be accredited, and this time as the Museum Division as a whole." |
| Quality Seafood committed to 'transparency,' manager says after catfish recall | |
 | A federal regulatory change has forced Quality Poultry and Seafood to recall all its catfish fillets processed between Sept. 2, 2024 and Sept. 5, 2025, the Biloxi seafood processor has acknowledged. The recall included 98,916 pounds of catfish fillets not inspected by the USDA, an agency news release said. The 5-pound and 15-pound packages of catfish fillets were sold at Quality's store on Division Street, and shipped to retail outlets and restaurants in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. "While Quality Poultry & Seafood's Biloxi facility operates under USDA inspection, the specific repackaging process of converting USDA-inspected 15-pound bulk packs into 5-pound portions had not been included in prior USDA inspection," said a statement Quality emailed Tuesday to the media. "Going forward, this operation will be fully integrated into USDA inspection procedures." The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall in a news release Monday. No adverse reactions to the products have been reported, the news release said. But the agency advised that any of the fillets stored in refrigerators or freezers should be thrown away or returned to Quality. |
| Fed Divisions Thrust Powell Into Uncharted Territory | |
 | This week's Federal Reserve meeting is shaping up to be one of the strangest in years. The Fed's expected rate cut Wednesday may be straightforward, but Chair Jerome Powell must navigate contentious disagreements over future policy amid a spectacle over who will succeed him when his term ends in May. The weirdness began even before the meeting started: On Monday night, Fed governor Lisa Cook secured a ruling from a federal appeals court, in a split 2-1 decision, that allowed her to attend the meeting. President Trump is trying to fire her for alleged mortgage misrepresentations. Meanwhile, a senior adviser to Trump who isn't resigning his White House position, Stephen Miran, was sworn into a vacancy on the Fed's board on Tuesday morning after Senate Republicans confirmed him the night before. Miran had the oath administered by a federal judge from Atlanta, Elizabeth Branch, rather than Powell or another Fed governor, as is customary. Analysts see the potential for Powell to face dissent on an anticipated quarter-percentage-point cut from both sides -- from Trump-appointed officials including Miran who say tight policy risks needlessly slowing the economy, and from regional Fed bank presidents who are uneasy about stimulating the economy when inflation has stalled out well above the Fed's target. |
| Trump's call to end mail-in voting creates a dilemma for GOP candidates who benefit from it | |
 | President Donald Trump has vowed to do away with voting by mail, but some of his Republican allies in two Western battleground states are taking a more cautious approach. U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, one of two candidates with Trump's endorsement in the Arizona governor's race, does not support the elimination of mail voting altogether, though he previously questioned it after Trump's 2020 defeat. His primary challenger, developer Karrin Taylor Robson, also is backed by Trump but hasn't gone as far as Biggs to declare where she stands on eliminating mail voting. The dilemma highlights a recurring challenge some GOP candidates face heading into next year's midterm elections. They're scrambling to balance their allegiance to Trump against the desire for convenience among many Republican voters. That's especially sensitive in the Arizona governor's contest, where Trump has taken the unorthodox approach of giving his full-throated endorsement to both Biggs and Taylor Robson. |
| Sen. Wicker says Armed Services soon to receive report on Hegseth's use of Signal app | |
 | An inspector general's investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the Signal messaging app to discuss sensitive military operations in Yemen with national security officials will likely be released soon, according to U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi who leads the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Mississippi Today in an interview that the inspector general's report is complete. "I understand the report is complete, it's under review and we should get it soon," Wicker said. The report looking into Hegseth's messages and participation in the chat follows a joint letter from Wicker and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, asking the Pentagon's watchdog to investigate the Signal conversation. Former national security adviser Mike Waltz set up the message in March to coordinate the Trump administration's plans for strikes against the Houthis and accidentally invited Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to the chat. |
| Spencer Cox's calls for civility spark introspection, and some GOP backlash | |
 | When Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called for civility last week following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the GOP governor pleaded for self-reflection over violence. "This is our moment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?" Cox told reporters when he announced authorities had apprehended a suspect in Kirk's killing. "It's a choice." People who know Cox say they weren't surprised he took this approach. And they said his message spoke to something bigger. "Not only did it represent perfectly who he is, it represented what most everyone -- if you can get them to be honest -- believes," said Matt Waldrip, who served as former Sen. Mitt Romney's (R-Utah) longtime chief of staff and lives close to where the shooting occurred. "The reason he is appealing is not because he spoke in an exceptional manner; the reason so many people are connecting with him right now is because he is representing the America that all of us really know we are deep down." |
| As Partisans Battle Over History, Former Presidents Try Another Tack | |
 | Amid escalating partisan battles over American history, three former presidents are joining with historians and other prominent figures from across the political spectrum, in an online history essay series aimed at exploring the resilience of American democracy. In Pursuit, as the project is called, will kick off on Presidents' Day next year, with an essay by George W. Bush on George Washington, the only U.S. president who did not represent a political party. The series, which will be freely available on Substack, will run forward chronologically through the other presidents, and include Barack Obama writing on Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton on Theodore Roosevelt. The rest of the authors will be a bipartisan mix, including Chief Justice John Roberts, the Fox News anchor Bret Baier, General Stanley McChrystal and seven Pulitzer Prize-winning historians. There will also be essays on some first ladies, with contributions from Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. The project is led by Colleen Shogan, a former archivist of the United States. In an interview, she described it as an attempt to provide accessible, high quality, historical content relating to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next summer. Dr. Shogan, who was recruited for the project after being fired from the National Archives by President Trump in February, said it was also a display of faith in the battered ideal of nonpartisan history. |
| Cassidy asks 'what happened' with CDC director's ouster | |
 | Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) wondered aloud -- possibly rhetorically -- whether Republican senators got it wrong when they supported Dr. Susan Monarez to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after she was fired less than a month after they voted to confirm her. Cassidy opened on Wednesday a hearing he called as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to discuss Monarez' abrupt departure last month. The Republican said that Monarez was repeatedly touted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and got the support of all Republicans in the Senate. Kennedy told senators during a hearing earlier this month of the Senate Finance Committee that Monarez told him she was untrustworthy, and the administration needed a CDC director who did not have conflicts of interest. Cassidy asked on Wednesday if there was something "we should have done differently" regarding her confirmation. "If what he said is true we as senators need to ask ourselves did we look past something? Did we do something wrong?" he said. "It may be we did nothing wrong. In which case the onus is on you to prove the criticisms leveled by the secretary are not true." |
| Interim spending bill set to reach floor amid shaky vote count | |
 | House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a stopgap funding bill to tide federal agencies over through the week before Thanksgiving, including an extra $88 million to help provide additional security for officials in all three branches of government and a typical array of "extenders" for programs lapsing Sept. 30. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will now try to muscle the 91-page bill through the House with Republican support this week, with few Democrats if any expected to back the measure. Johnson said Tuesday he is aiming for a vote by Friday, and the House Rules panel scheduled a 2 p.m. meeting on Tuesday to consider the terms of floor debate. House Rules panel met Tuesday to consider the terms of floor debate, which is expected to hit the floor by Friday. GOP leaders can't count on the votes of any Democrats to keep the government operating, given their opposition to a bill they say shortchanges millions of individuals who will lose access to affordable health insurance. Johnson, already facing a few GOP defections, on Tuesday evening was working to tamp down concerns that the bill's $30 million in additional funds for members' security needs wasn't enough and that the rules for tapping the cash were too restrictive. |
| The King and Trump: President gets largest ever state visit to UK | |
 | President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump got the royal treatment as they began their historic second state visit to Britain on Sept. 17, complete with a carriage procession in ornate black and gold coaches with bright red painted wheels on the grounds of the Windsor Castle. A visually stunning parade of British Royal Guards in large bearskin hats and red uniforms were part of the military ceremonial welcome, which was the largest "for a state visit to the UK in living memory," according to the UK's Ministry of Defence. With this welcome, full of pomp and pageantry, Trump became the first political leader to be hosted for two state visits by the U.K. Around 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military were involved in the ceremonial welcome, with 160 personnel from the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, 1,000 from the British Army and 140 from the Royal Air Force. The U.K. Armed Forces also made a significant contribution to the state welcome, for "an ally that has long been the U.K.'s principal defence and security partner." The president's visit comes at a time when NATO countries are urging the U.S. to back Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's three-year war. |
| Trump deploys National Guard to Memphis, calling it a 'replica' of his crackdown on Washington | |
| President Donald Trump signed an order Monday sending the National Guard into Memphis to combat crime, offering another major test of the limits of presidential power by using military force in American cities. With Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee visiting the Oval Office, Trump said troops would be deployed and join a special task force in the city comprised of officials from various federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshal's service. He said the goal would be to stamp out crime in a way that he says sending in the National Guard and federalizing the local police force has in Washington, D.C. Trump said the FBI had already stepped up its recent activities in Memphis, which is majority Black and Tennessee's second-largest city, and had helped reduce crime, but, "We're sending in the big force now." Speculation had centered on Chicago as Trump's next city to send in the National Guard and other federal authorities. But the administration has faced fierce resistance from Democratic Illinois J.B. Pritzker and other local authorities. |
| Rubio: Visa revocations 'underway' over Charlie Kirk assassination celebrations | |
| Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that "visa revocations are under way" for foreign visitors celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk. "America will host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens," Rubio said in a post on the social media platform X. "Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported." During an interview with Fox News on Monday, Rubio said that the State Department will not grant visas to those celebrating Kirk's death, and will revoke visas from those doing so. "We are not in the business of inviting people to visit our country who are going to be involved in negative and destructive, okay," Rubio added. "If I invite someone, if we invite someone to visit the United States of America, as a student, as a tourist, as whatever, then the standard they should be held to is very high." |
| Trump admin escalates space race with China, banning visa-holding scientists from working at NASA | |
 | NASA has banned Chinese citizens with US visas from participating in agency programs -- a dramatic escalation in the space race between China and the United States. It occurs as China gears up to send a crewed mission to land and potentially establish a habitat on the moon, about which the Trump administration has expressed increasing alarm. The new policy began September 5, and its effects have since rippled across the sprawling agency, according to two people at NASA who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. The change affects hundreds of scientists and researchers, many of whom are funded by NASA to conduct their work in climate science, space and other disciplines, the sources said. A NASA spokesperson put the number of those affected at less than 100. |
| House panels charge U.S. National Academies with producing partisan studies | |
| During the U.S. Civil War, Congress chartered the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to provide advice on scientific issues. What is now called the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) churns out roughly 200 reports for the government each year on topics from astrophysics to zoonotic diseases. But this month, two influential Republican-led congressional committees suggested that, after 162 years, federal agencies should stop listening to that august body. First the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives sharply questioned the impartiality of a NASEM study, scheduled to be released tomorrow, on whether anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions affect public health. That report addresses the Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to rescind a 2009 rule that treats carbon dioxide as a public health risk. "The Committee is concerned that this study is being conducted with partisan aims" and that panel members "have also shown partisan bias," its chair, Representative James Comer (R–KY), wrote in a 3 September letter to NAS President Marcia McNutt (former editor-in-chief of Science). Comer said NASEM also "appears to be fundraising off what it refers to as the 'climate crisis,' which raises additional questions about a predetermined outcome and conflicts of interest." |
| NEH grant to fight antisemitism is largest ever, signaling Trump-era shift | |
 | The National Endowment for the Humanities on Monday awarded $10.4 million to Jewish educational and civic nonprofit Tikvah to combat antisemitism -- the largest grant in the federal agency's history and part of an apparent shift in how it distributes money following its sweeping reorganization under the Trump administration. The funding will support Tikvah's "Jewish Civilization Project," a three-year project to examine Jewish history and fight antisemitism in America through educational and public programs, according to the agency's news release. Tikvah is a New York-based think tank and nonprofit that describes its mission as advancing "Jewish excellence and Western civilization through education and ideas." The group has been associated with conservative U.S. politics. At an upcoming conference, it will award prizes to right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro, Free Press editor Bari Weiss and former Republican adviser Dan Senor. Monday's release cast the project as aligned with President Donald Trump's administration's pressure on universities, which he has accused of antisemitism amid protests of Israel's war in Gaza. |
| Most American Jews say Trump is using antisemitism as an 'excuse' to silence free speech at universities | |
 | Four out of ten American Jews say they have personally experienced antisemitism in the past two years, yet a majority disapprove of how the Trump administration has addressed the issue on college campuses, according to a new survey. The study, conducted by the polling firm Impose in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Rochester, found that 72% of Jewish Americans are concerned about antisemitism on campus. However, nearly 60% disapprove of the Trump administration's decision to withhold federal funding from Harvard and UCLA for, it argues, failing to combat antisemitism on campus. James Druckman, a political scientist at the University of Rochester who helped design the survey, said many respondents view the funding threats as a political maneuver. "Three-fourths of the sample view the Trump administration as using antisemitism as an excuse," Druckman said. Critics argue the policy undermines free speech and academic freedom under the guise of protecting Jewish students. Becca Israel, director of the Nexus Project, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and promotes democracy, said the administration's actions send conflicting messages. |
| Mississippi AG Fitch appeals federal judge's blockage of DEI law | |
| The Mississippi attorney general is fighting a federal judge's decision to block portions of the state law that ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Mississippi public schools and universities. State Attorney General Lynn Fitch's office filed a notice of appeal on Tuesday against the preliminary injunction granted by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate in August. The injunction prevented certain sections law from being enforced until there's a final decision in the lawsuit. Now, the case will go before a three-judge panel on the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "I don't know why the state's educational authorities would want to try and resurrect these ridiculous provisions which would create chaos in the schools and give our students a thoroughly substandard education," said Rob McDuff, a Mississippi Center for Justice attorney and one of the lead lawyers representing the plaintiffs. "Hopefully, their appeal will fail and sanity will prevail," he added. McDuff said the preliminary injunction, in the interim, will stand unless and until the 5th Circuit reverses it. |
| Trey Reed Family Wants Independent Autopsy After Hanging Death | |
| The family of Demartravion "Trey" Reed is seeking an independent autopsy following the Delta State University student's death on Monday, when his body was found hanging in a tree on campus. At a press event at Living Faith Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ in Grenada late Tuesday afternoon, Vanessa J. Jones of the Jones Law Firm, who is representing the Reed family, told the media that the family is still waiting for answers. "The family does not know exactly what happened on September the 15th of 2025," she said. "We are seeking answers from Delta State University. We're seeking answers from the coroner's office." Delta State University staff discovered Reed's body hanging from the tree at 7:05 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, in the middle of the campus, where the 21-year-old had just begun attending college. Hours after his discovery, Delta State University Police Chief Mike Peeler said in a press conference that no foul play was currently suspected. The same day, two officials from the Bolivar County Coroner's Office said Trey Reed had no other visible injuries that would indicate an attack prior to his hanging. |
| Black student found hanging in tree at Delta State University had no broken bones, coroner says | |
| Demartravion "Trey" Reed, the Delta State University student whose body was found Monday hanging from a tree on the Cleveland campus, did not have broken bones or "injuries consistent with an assault," according to a coroner's preliminary examination. "At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the individual was physically attacked before his death," Bolivar County Coroner Randolph "Rudy" Seals Jr. said in a statement Monday. Reed, 21, was from Grenada, Mississippi, and was Black. Mississippi has a history of lynchings of Black people, and speculation has been rampant on social media that Reed had broken bones or was a victim of an attack. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat who represents that area, referred to Mississippi's history in calling for the FBI to launch an investigation into Reed's death. "We must leave no stone unturned in the search for answers," Thompson said in a statement released Tuesday. "While the details of this care are still emerging, we cannot ignore Mississippi's painful history of lynching and racial violence against African Americans." |
| Rep. Bennie Thompson calling on federal investigation into Delta State student's death | |
| Congressman Bennie Thompson is calling for a federal investigation into a Black student at Delta State University found hanging from a tree on Monday, although local law enforcement so far have said they do not believe foul play is suspected. Thompson, who represents the area of Mississippi the school is located in, released a statement Tuesday afternoon urging the Justice Department and FBI to investigate the "suspicious death" of Demartravion "Trey" Reed, a 21-year-old from Grenada, Mississippi. Reed's body was discovered near central campus at approximately 7:05 a.m. by a staffer at the university in Cleveland. The state Reed was found in, and the region's history, has raised questions and ramped up social media speculation. Some users have written or posted videos speculating that Reed was beaten and bruised and found with broken arms. Law enforcement and medical officials have refuted those claims. Counselors are available on campus to students, faculty, and staff impacted by Reed's death. |
| Body of a Black student is found hanging from a tree in Mississippi | |
 | The death of a 21-year-old Black student whose body was found hanging from a tree on a university campus in Mississippi has sparked outrage and allegations online, even after officials said there was no evidence of foul play. Police were notified Monday morning about the body found near the pickleball courts at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, university police Chief Michael Peeler said at a news conference later that day. Although Peeler said there was no evidence of foul play or of a threat to the school community, classes were canceled Monday at the 2,700-student campus. Yet, that has not prevented people from calling for justice for Reed on social media and circulating unsubstantiated allegations regarding his death. The NAACP on Tuesday expressed skepticism of the possibility Reed died by suicide in such a manner. Noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Tuesday that he has been retained by Reed's family and will lead a team of civil rights organizations in a "transparent investigation" of Reed's death independent of law enforcement and the local medical examiner. University President Daniel Ennis said in a statement Monday that "our community is deeply saddened by this loss. I have spoken to Trey's family and expressed our heartbreak." |
| Active shooter drill scheduled for Thursday on W campus | |
| Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency will conduct its annual active shooter drill Thursday on the Mississippi University for Women campus. Director Cindy Lawrence said the full-scale exercise will begin at 8 a.m. and should be completed within two hours. There will be first responders and emergency vehicles on campus as they practice how to respond to an active shooter scenario. "We'll be actually doing a command set up (and) the things we would do in the event of a real (active shooter)," Lawrence told The Dispatch. Lawrence said the drill will not interrupt any campus activities, and there is no need for the public to avoid the area during that time. |
| Mississippi College assistant professor facing backlash for Charlie Kirk social media post | |
| An assistant professor at Mississippi College is the subject of widespread criticism due to a post she shared on social media following the shooting death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Ashley Krason, an assistant professor in the school's Modern Language Department and coordinator of the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program on the Clinton campus, is facing backlash and calls for her to be fired for something she shared on Facebook after Kirk's death. Krason wrote, "This is the only thing I'll share publicly on the subject," above a post she had shared that equated Kirk's killing to a "Greek tragedy, full of irony and self-fulfilling prophecies." The post further stated that Kirk, a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, "lived his life advocating for gun rights without concern for gun deaths," and "died from gun violence," insinuating that Kirk's killing was the result of the political views he espoused. The post did not receive a warm reception from some students, their parents, former Mississippi College alumni, and concerned bystanders. |
| Two Mississippi College employees suspended for 'inappropriate statements' on social media | |
| Two Mississippi College employees have been suspended for making "inappropriate statements" on social media. This according to the university, which released the following statement. "Mississippi College is aware of inappropriate statements on social media that are wholly inconsistent with the institution's mission and values and fall short of expectations for professional conduct of employees. MC has suspended two employees, pending further review. Mississippi College condemns all violence, political or otherwise." MC did not say what those comments were. However, SuperTalk Mississippi reported on Tuesday that one of the suspended employees, an assistant professor, made posts regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk. |
| U. of Alabama breaks enrollment records, sees change in number of in-state students | |
 | Alabama's largest university has once again broken an enrollment record. The University of Alabama enrolled 42,360 students for fall 2025, a 3.7% increase from last year. Officials say this year's numbers include an increase in Alabama natives headed to Tuscaloosa. Recruiting in-state students has become a priority over the last several years, according to Matthew McLendon, UA's associate vice president and executive director of enrollment management. "We have a very strong recruiter base here in the state of Alabama," McLendon told AL.com. "We also try to, as best we can, get to all of the high schools within the state of Alabama that will let us visit." The university has had high out-of-state enrollment since 2014. This year, in-state enrollment increased 4%. Out-of-state enrollment decreased by about 2%, according to data from the university's Office of Institutional Research and Advancement. New President Peter Mohler said UA is "defining the future of higher education" and is focused on workforce needs in Alabama and nationwide. |
| U. of Alabama marks fifth straight year of record enrollment | |
 | The University of Alabama has enrolled a record number of students for the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year. UA on Sept. 15 announced that the school had reached its largest-ever enrollment with 42,360 students enrolled for fall 2025. The number exceeds UA's previous enrollment record of 40,846 students, which was set in 2024. This marks the fifth straight year of record enrollment at UA, with the last dip in enrollment registered in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fall 2025 record enrollment was marked by an increase of more than 4% in-state students, according to UA. The freshmen class includes a record number of 362 National Merit Scholars, a 37.1% increase from the previous year. "The University of Alabama is defining the future of higher education --- a student-centered university focused on creating leaders to serve current and future workforce needs of the state and the nation," said UA President Peter J. Mohler in a news release. |
| Auburn building $100M College of Human Sciences facility where Spidle Hall stands | |
 | Just over three months after approving the planned demolition of Spidle Hall, Auburn University has approved spending $100 million on the building that will replace Spidle. The Auburn University Board of Trustees voted on Friday give final project approval for the construction of the four-story, approximately 138,000 square-foot Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility. The facility will be the home for the Auburn College of Human Sciences and will be located in the space currently occupied primarily by Spidle Hall. "This is a particularly exciting one. I know we've got a lot of people involved in this one here, so glad to present this," AU Vice President of Facilities Management Jim Carroll said. "(The) College of Human Sciences proposed the construction of the College of Human Sciences Academic and Research Facility to co-locate their related disciplines from current buildings on campus and provide a newly constructed home for their operations." The facility will feature new classrooms, laboratories, offices and common spaces while also bringing most of the college together under one roof. The total estimated cost of the project is $100 million, which will be paid by a combination of bond funds, gift funds, state funds and general reserves funds. |
| U. of Arkansas Creates Faculty Learning Community | |
 | Effective teaching and learning are key elements of a student's academic success, but ensuring professors have access to training, support and resources to employ best practices in the classroom can be a challenge for institutions. At the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Lynn Meade created the Faculty Learning Community to tackle this issue, uniting professors across disciplines to improve student learning and achievement. The Faculty Learning Community, which launched this summer, strives to unite staff and faculty across campus to work toward the shared goal of student success, Meade said. One of Meade's goals is to avoid replicating existing efforts on campus but provide a one-stop shop to unify and amplify the great work taking place. "There's so many cool resources on our campus, but there's no one place they all exist," she said. The Fulbright Learning Community had its kickoff event this summer, engaging 14 faculty members in a three-hour workshop on course building. |
| Invoking Charlie Kirk's death, Texas launches new panels on campus speech | |
| Texas policymakers on Friday launched state House and Senate select committees tasked with issuing reports about "bias, discourse, and freedom of speech" on the state's college campuses. Each chamber's panel includes five Republican and two Democratic legislators. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick linked the new committees to the Sept. 10 murder of right-wing commentator and political organizer Charlie Kirk. "He was assassinated for simply expressing his First Amendment rights," Patrick said in a Sept. 12 statement. "Those who cheered his murder are also cheering for the death of America." Texas has garnered national attention in recent weeks over high-profile firings of college faculty members over their teaching and politics, as well as a new state law explicitly banning all First Amendment-protected activities on public college campuses at certain times. |
| U. of Oklahoma announces 2025-26 Presidential Speaker Series guests | |
| OU announced Tuesday the guest speaker lineup for the fall and spring Presidential Speakers Series dinners and the university's Free Speech Week keynote address during the 2025-26 academic year. Akhil Reed Amar, a Sterling Professor of law and political science at Yale University, will present "The Constitution and the Presidency" at the university's fall Presidential Speakers Series dinner. Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and writer for The Atlantic, will be the guest speaker for the spring dinner set for March 25. Applebaum's spring address, titled "Geopolitical Risk: Regionally and Globally," will cover implications of current world events. Wilfred McClay, a Hillsdale College professor and author, will deliver a keynote speech during the university's annual Free Speech Week on Oct. 21. McClay's keynote address, titled "Speech as a Middle Ground," will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. wrote in a press release that he is excited to welcome such academic leaders in politics and history to Oklahoma. |
| Clemson fired employees over Charlie Kirk posts. Did it violate the Constitution? | |
 | Clemson University has fired three employees after South Carolina politicians repeatedly called for the firing of several Clemson University professors following posts on social media regarding the killing of activist Charlie Kirk. Could it face legal action? Jay Bender, a longtime South Carolina attorney, said that to fire or suspend professors over such comments could open the university up to legal trouble. The First Amendment protects the free speech, including that which is offensive or hateful. It guarantees the government cannot take away that right. "Many members of the General Assembly have never read the Constitution, have no idea what it means and are entirely wrong when they suggest someone should be fired for speech on a political or public issue," Bender said. "Clemson cannot fire somebody who posts a comment that might be critical of Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi or anybody else. The First Amendment, and with respect to state power, the Fourteenth Amendment, are to protect speech and speakers that are not popular." It hinges on the fact that Clemson is a public college. If it were a private company, Bender said, it would be within their rights to fire an employee for such posts. |
| Survey: Most College Presidents Worried About New Federal Policies | |
| Nearly three-quarters of college presidents are "extremely concerned" about the implications of the Trump administration and Congress's new federal policy priorities, according to a survey the American Council on Education published Monday. ACE surveyed 517 senior leaders -- including college presidents, provosts and heads of trade associations -- between July 28 and Aug. 8 about their most pressing concerns for the higher education sector. Nearly half (46 percent) said they were most concerned about long-term financial viability; 41 percent said public perceptions about the value of college; 26 percent said upcoming enrollment numbers and student mental health. The college presidents who responded to the survey also answered additional questions about the impact of executive actions and legislative changes on higher education. Seventy-four percent said they were "extremely concerned," while 13 percent said they were "moderately concerned." Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has terminated billions in federal research funding for universities. The administration has also moved to cap indirect research cost reimbursement rates, which universities say would hurt their budgets if it goes into effect. |
| College Employees and Students at these Universities Have Been Punished for Comments on Charlie Kirk's Death | |
 | Since Charlie Kirk's murder on September 10 at Utah Valley University, higher education has come under intense scrutiny due to the reactions of faculty, staff, and students. A pattern has emerged: The college employee or student says something negative about Kirk -- mostly online, but occasionally in class or on campus. State and congressional lawmakers and right-wing social-media accounts amplify the comments and advocate for the colleges to take disciplinary action. Some lawmakers have threatened to pull funding or enact other consequences if the colleges don't fire the employees. Given that pressure, a number of colleges have moved swiftly to punish faculty and staff members for speech that they argue crossed a line. Some of the professors are tenured or tenure track, a designation that typically affords a right to a hearing before termination. In one case that drew particular attention, a student expelled from Texas Tech University was arrested after she taunted people who attended a vigil for Kirk. |
| How College Leaders Responded to Activist's Slaying | |
| Many college presidents began to refrain from statements on current events in the aftermath of the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas and Israel's response, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians and widespread campus protests. Such statements were often sharply criticized by university communities for failing to adequately condemn Hamas as terrorists, or to recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people -- or both -- prompting multiple presidents to apologize for their remarks and/or refrain from future comments. Multiple universities adopted institutional neutrality policies amid the fallout, essentially agreeing to refrain from making statements on political matters and to show more restraint, generally, on issuing statements on current events. But following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University last week, statements are flowing as institutions and presidents denounce political violence, with some leaders arguing this moment requires an exception to institutional neutrality. |
| To Attend a College Aligned With Their Politics, Students Would Pay Higher Price | |
| College students are willing to pay more than an additional $2,000 in tuition to attend a college where fewer students hold political beliefs that oppose their own, according to a new working paper analyzing how students' political views impact college choice. Researchers conducted an experiment in which current college students were presented the details of hypothetical institutions of higher education, including academic quality, location, cost and the political makeup of the student body. From there, they were asked which institution they'd prefer to attend. On average, liberal students indicated they would be willing to pay $2,617 more to attend a college with a 10-percentage-point lower share of conservative students, and conservative students indicated they would be willing to pay $2,201 for a 10-percentage-point lower share of liberal students. Those numbers are about on par with how much students would be willing to spend based on other characteristics, like better academic quality or a location closer to home. "Our findings suggest that college choices in the United States are increasingly shaped not just by academic or financial considerations but by political identity as well. These results have several important implications for both higher education and American society more broadly," the researchers wrote in the report. |
| Nash's book chronicles a new take on the realities of 'Reconstruction in Mississippi' | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: For many years, Greenville native Jere Nash was best known as a tough, smart Democratic political consultant who entered Mississippi government service as former Democratic Gov. Ray Mabus's chief of staff. Previously, Nash served as deputy state auditor and as Mabus's director of policy and chief of staff. Nash went on to work for a number of Democratic candidates and progressive political causes -- enjoying both success and failure. That part of his career ended in a Teamsters Union election money laundering scandal that The Washington Post called "liberal activism gone awry." After facing those adversities, Nash reinvented himself after a fashion. His political skills remained razor-sharp, and he had an enviable list of political contacts on both sides of the political aisle. While his zeal and passion for his political beliefs almost took him down, Nash's native intellect, work ethic and ability to write extremely well redeemed him. The rest is a Mississippi literary and political story that is worth retelling about a man who willed himself to become a respected writer and historian. |
SPORTS
| 'I Just Kept Believing:' Seth Davis' resilience led to a moment he and his teammates will never forget | |
| Seth Davis gave himself one day to be sad. Almost two years ago now, during the 2023 Egg Bowl, the Mississippi State running back was in agony on the field at Davis Wade Stadium. He'd just suffered a left knee injury and he knew it'd be awhile before he'd have the chance to play football again. "The very first day after it happened, I was like, 'Dang'' Davis recalled. "But after that, I just kept working and working. I was coming back." Driven by his faith, his determination and the support around him, Davis has done just that. Last Saturday when MSU hosted Alcorn State, Davis returned to the gridiron for the first time since getting hurt and responded by delivering a 23-yard touchdown run that put a giant exclamation point on State's 63-0 win. A huge celebration ensued. It wasn't about six points. Instead, it was all about pride for a young man that earned everyone's respect with how he stared adversity in the face and didn't flinch. |
| NIU defense poses physical test for Bulldogs | |
| The best part of being 3-0? The chance to go 4-0. Mississippi State football is off to its best start since 2018. The Bulldogs have an opportunity to go undefeated in nonconference play this week against Mid-American Conference school Northern Illinois, which would be an ideal way to shift focus to No. 15 Tennessee at the start of Southeastern Conference play the following week. Head coach Jeff Lebby spoke of the matchup during his Monday media session, noting the team's ambition to stay undefeated in their final test before Tennessee comes to town. "It's about having the ability to go 4-0, 1-0 on Saturday, and for us having an undefeated nonconference. We talked about that a ton as a team, it's incredibly important for us to start 4-0. We put ourselves in position to do that, but we've got a great test on Saturday." |
| Perry earns third SEC weekly award after strong showing against No. 1 Vols | |
| Mississippi State soccer celebrated a memorable win to kick off its Southeastern Conference regular season title defense on Friday, coming from behind in the second half to defeat No. 1 Tennessee in the final moments of the match. MSU forward and captain Ally Perry scored two goals in the final 15 minutes, netting the winner with just over one minute left on the clock. Perry's efforts earned her SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors, her first of the 2025 season but third career award, as well as making the TopDrawerSoccer women's team of the week. Her heroics on Friday came with the team trailing 2-1 and in danger of conceding again as Tennessee swarmed forward. "We said we just needed a moment," head coach Nick Zimmerman said. "One moment of magic, one moment of brilliance." "It just felt surreal," co-captain Zoe Main said. "Ally came up huge for us, and you know, big players, big moments. I think that's what it came down to: finishing our chances, being efficient. We knew that's what we needed to do coming into the game, and that's what we did." |
| NCAA back in court over eligibility rules for Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia | |
| The NCAA was back in court Tuesday fighting for the future of its eligibility rules through the case of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who is playing his fourth Division I season under a preliminary injunction. Attorney Rakesh Kilaru argued in court before a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. District Court of Appeals that the NCAA believes its rules determining athlete eligibility do not violate the Sherman Act or other antitrust laws. Kilaru also said the association intends to enforce its rules. "I would venture we'll be back in court in weeks or months," Kilaru said. Any ruling by the appeals court won't affect Pavia's status this season. The NCAA granted a waiver after the injunction granting eligibility through the 2025-26 academic year for junior college athletes who would have exhausted eligibility during the 2024-25 academic year. |
| Why is the SCORE Act in limbo? College sports' long wait for help from Congress continues | |
| A flurry of activity in Washington D.C. in July suggested lawmakers would return from summer recess ready to move on a bill designed to potentially bring order to college sports, taking meaningful action after years of being lobbied by the NCAA, conferences and schools. First, the SCORE (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements) Act passed through committee in the House of Representatives, a milestone no sweeping college sports bill had reached before. Then, to further ramp up attention to the issue, President Donald Trump signed an executive order. Most everyone involved with the SCORE Act agreed it still had hurdles to clear and was likely to hit a wall if it did get to the Senate. Still, there was optimism that bringing the bill to the floor for debate and a vote could happen sooner rather than later. Now, the SCORE Act is in limbo. There was speculation and anticipation last week that the bill could hit the floor this week. As of Monday, that's no longer the case. Exactly what that means is unclear, but generally, legislation doesn't go up for a vote until those who want it to pass know it has the votes to do so. So what gives? Why has SCORE stalled, and what does that mean? The answer appears to be a blend of politics as usual and the exploitation of some familiar fault lines within college sports. |
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