| Tuesday, September 30, 2025 |
| New Starkville High School coming to Mississippi State's campus | |
 | Students in one Mississippi public school district will soon have an even longer exposure to the university setting thanks to a recent memorandum of understanding signed between Mississippi State University and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Currently, MSU's campus is home to Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Partnership Middle School. Not only is it the nation's only public school in operation on the campus of a public university, it also provides an opportunity for all of the district's middle school students to experience a university setting. Now, through a memorandum of understanding between the two educational organizations signed on September 25, a new high school will be built on the campus to replace the district's existing Starkville High School. "Today marks the beginning of the latest chapter in the highly successful partnership between Mississippi State University and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. By working together, we are creating new and exciting opportunities for students along every step of their educational journey," MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. "The new Starkville High School will be a true asset and resource for not only our community, but a model for innovative teaching, learning, discovery and career and technical education for school districts around the state and across the country." |
| MSU to host Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show, nation's largest in-woods demo | |
| Mississippi State University will host the 2025 Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show Oct. 3–4 at the John W. Starr Memorial Forest on Highway 25. Billed as the largest live in-woods demonstration of forestry equipment in the nation, the biennial event has been in operation since 1984 and typically draws between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees. The show is a partnership between the Mississippi Forestry Association, Mississippi Loggers Association and MSU's College of Forest Resources and Forest and Wildlife Research Center. It brings together natural resource professionals, equipment manufacturers, and forestry and logging experts for networking, training, and continuing education opportunities. This year, 81 exhibitors will showcase products and services ranging from forestry equipment and portable sawmills to hydraulics, insurance, real estate and truck sales. Major manufacturers including TigerCat, John Deere, Komatsu and Ponsse will provide live demonstrations. Education remains a major focus. More than 500 high school students are expected to attend Friday for free, meeting exhibitors and learning about career opportunities in forestry and logging. |
| Mississippi's rice crop struggled through tough crop year | |
 | In a challenging year for several crops around Mississippi, rice harvests appear volatile compared to the previous year's harvest. A report from the Mississippi State University's (MSU) Extension Service showed rice acreage went up while average yield went down due to numerous challenges. Farmers in Mississippi harvested about 156,000 acres of rice this year, showing an increase of around 25,000 acres from 2024. Officials said this year's harvest faced issues with seed shortages, abnormally heavy spring rainfall, and a new pest known as the rice delphacid which was first reported in Stoneville. The spring rains in particular caused many issues for crops planted in April. Officials said this rice that received early rains delayed nitrogen application and saw lower than expected yields. "One particular phenomenon that was reported was rice split stem, a condition where the plant forms an additional tiller on an upper node of the plant," said Will Eubank, rice specialist with the MSU Extension Service. "Many factors can influence these occurrences, such as herbicide, delayed nitrogen or environmental stressors. Split stem rice has never been as prevalent as it was this year in Mississippi, and it resulted in some fields with as much as a 100-bushel-per-acre yield reduction." |
| CAAD students at MSU compete to design Golden Triangle resource center for local nonprofit | |
 | Sources from an MSU press release say that a design and construction project for a local nonprofit organization has allowed Mississippi State's College of Architecture, Art and Design students to develop collaborative skills and tackle real-world challenges this semester in the Golden Triangle. Thirteen teams comprised of students from CAAD majors -- architecture, art, building construction science, and interior design -- competed for a cash prize in the annual Brasfield & Gorrie Student Design Competition. This year's competition tasked students with developing a comprehensive design, construction and branding plan for a housing resource center serving Starkville Strong, a nonprofit that provides essential support to residents in need. The center, named The Stronghold, is to be housed in an existing building and must include an office with a meeting room, a food pantry, overnight shelter accommodations, staff parking and outdoor space for clients. MSU faculty overseeing the competition included Lecturer in Architecture Ryan Ashford, Associate Professor of Architecture Alexis Gregory, Associate Professor of Interior Design Lyndsey Miller, Associate Professor of Art Suzanne Powney and Visiting Assistant Professor of Building Construction Science Roberto Soares. |
| Discovery Center receives award from MSU Extension Service | |
 | The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Discovery Center has received an award from the MSU Extension Service for it's work with the Cooking Matters for Adults program. The program, which the MSU Extension Service brought to Mississippi in 2018, is designed to help adults better budget their food, cook healthier meals for them and their children and teach them food preparation skills. The award was given to the Discovery Center and two other partners in the state for their work to go above and beyond to support the program. "It means everything because it gets our program, project care, out in the public and it helps parents learn how to cook healthy for their children," said Tequila Stallings, Resource Assistant for Project Care. The program has been a success at the Discovery Center and has had an important impact on community members. "We see the impact from the first class to the last class," said Stephanie Allsup, one of the instructors for the course at the Discovery Center, "People tell us of the changes they made at home or how they've changed the recipe they used to use and now cook with less salt and less sugar or fat." |
| MSU's T.K. Martin Center hosts annual Trick or Trot fun run | |
| According to an MSU Press Release, Mississippi State's T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability invites families and individuals of all ages to "Trick or Trot" during its 13th annual fun run on October 18 on MSU's campus. The center's largest annual fundraiser kicks off at 9 a.m. with on-site registration and activities for children, and the fun run starts at 10 a.m. Participants are encouraged to wear child-friendly costumes as they run, walk, or stroll the 1-mile loop through campus beginning at the center. Cheer stations will be set up along the route to encourage participants, provide candy, and hand out other goodies. Registration for the fun run and cheer stations is available at www.ecommerce.msstate.edu/tkmartin/funrun. "The Trick or Trot fun run showcases the best of Mississippi State, with our community coming together to support children's growth and learning," said Teresa Jayroe, College of Education dean. "Funds raised ensure the T.K. Martin Center can continue making a lasting difference for children and their families." |
| Mississippi lawmakers considering guardrails on AI | |
| By the middle of December, the Artificial Intelligence Legislative Task Force expects to have legislative recommendations ready to help guide Mississippi's policies on the burgeoning technology. The 11-member task force has been touring the state meeting and listening to public and private stakeholders. The group recently toured Mississippi State University to gain insight on how the institution supports the state's goal of being a national and global technology and innovation leader. "We are a tech destination," State Senator Bart Williams (R) said. Future stops, he said, included an October visit to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and two meetings at the Capitol in Jackson in November and December. "We welcome public input," Williams said. "We know good legislation comes when we seek public input." During the task force's visit to MSU, members toured key technology research facilities in Starkville. Williams explained why Mississippi economic development is seeing interest from other states. "We're on the radar throughout the nation thanks to the leadership of many in this room, and we want to continue to do that," he said. The task force saw MSU's new data center facility with nearly triple the floor space to house state-of-the-art supercomputing infrastructure. The university also showed visitors its work on off-road autonomous vehicles as well as the Agriculture Autonomy Institute, which will aid farmers in decision-making through data-driven insights. |
| Justice served? Mississippi Today asks congressional delegation about DOJ welfare scandal probe | |
| A majority of Mississippi's congressional delegation had little say about the vast welfare scandal that rocked the state for years and led to multiple people pleading guilty to state and federal crimes. Mississippi Today recently interviewed members of the state's congressional delegation in Washington and asked each of them whether they were satisfied with the Department of Justice investigation, which began during President Donald Trump's first term and stretched at least into the Biden administration. Congress has oversight of the Justice Department and has the authority to request information about the agency's investigations. Seven people have pleaded guilty to crimes within the welfare scandal that first came to light in 2020. Millions of taxpayer dollars meant to provide support to the poor in one of the country's most impoverished states were diverted to the rich and powerful -- including pro athletes. Prosecutors have suspended sentencing for the seven people until they decide they no longer need the defendants' cooperation for potential cases against others. Federal authorities have been tight-lipped about the progress of their investigation or who else they might charge in the future. |
| Centrists give up hope to prevent shutdown as Trump talks fizzle | |
 | Centrist senators are giving up hope of avoiding a government shutdown this week after a contentious meeting between President Trump and congressional leaders Monday failed to make progress on a short-term funding bill. One Democratic senator who requested anonymity said it's now highly unlikely that Trump and congressional leaders will reach any preliminary agreement to allow a funding bill to pass by Tuesday's deadline. The source said both GOP and Democratic leaders appear to be itching for a shutdown and feeling confident they'll score political points with their parties' bases. Those hardened positions have quashed behind-the-scenes efforts by a group of moderate Democrats and Republicans to work out some sort of mutual understanding or soft deal to avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1. "There's a lot of interest in seeing a resolution but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be shared by leadership of the other side or the president. Trump wants a shutdown and the House Democrats want a shutdown," the source said. |
| No deal in sight as shutdown nears | |
 | Congressional leaders left a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday without any agreement to head off a partial government shutdown and no apparent exit strategy once the federal funding lapse begins on Wednesday. The Oval Office session did nothing to resolve "very large differences" between the two parties that make a shutdown likely, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters after the meeting. Republicans want a "clean," seven-week funding extension, which the House passed Sept. 19 before Democrats blocked it in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had planned to call it up for a do-over vote Tuesday, but that seems likely to encounter the same fate as earlier this month. Schumer said any stopgap funding deal must include an extension of enhanced tax credits for health insurance bought on government-run exchanges that will otherwise expire at the end of this year. Democrats also want protections against additional White House efforts to claw back previously appropriated money. "I think we're headed to a shutdown because the Democrats won't do the right thing," Vice President JD Vance said after the meeting. "I hope they change their mind." Schumer, in a later news conference, said he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., rejected the GOP insistence on negotiating an extension of the health care premium subsidies separately from the continuing resolution that is needed by Tuesday night, when current funding runs out. |
| Trump, Hegseth Address Generals in Gathering Without Modern Precedent | |
 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on the military to toughen standards and assailed what he described as "decades of decay" that he said were the result of past policies that emphasized diversity at an extraordinary meeting of top military officers. Hundreds of commanders and other senior officers from around the globe have been summoned to the short-notice meeting that is without recent precedent, held in a packed hall at the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va. Hegseth, who has rebranded himself as the "secretary of war," didn't explain the purpose of the gathering in instructing generals and admirals to attend the session. Since then, Trump administration officials have said that Hegseth intends to stress his efforts to build a "warrior ethos." Trump, who wasn't initially included in the planning for the event, according to some officers instructed to attend, has opted to follow Hegseth with his own address. Much of his address focused on standards in the military, saying personnel would be judged on their fitness and appearance. Physical fitness tests would be set to male standards, he stressed, warning that it could mean women are no longer able to serve in some combat roles. The emerging strategy, said current and former officials, underscores the priority of securing the Western Hemisphere, a requirement that reflects the Trump administration's opposition to the Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro and the White House's focus on stopping illegal immigration. But the strategy is also being drafted as the U.S. military is trying to strengthen its capability to deter China from taking action against Taiwan in the Western Pacific and the Pentagon is encouraging European nations to assume the lead role in defending the continent against potential Russian aggression. |
| Marines say they hit recruiting goals and point to 'unapologetic' standards | |
 | The Army, Navy and Air Force, with encouragement from the Trump administration, all announced this summer that they had met their recruiting goals months ahead of schedule. That is a major shift from the past several years when the military has failed to meet its recruiting goals because of complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, tight job markets and a growing generation of young Americans struggling to meet fitness and academic standards. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed the turnaround as an early victory, arguing that recruits had been put off by what he called a weakened military under Democratic President Joe Biden. However, the uptick began well before President Donald Trump won office again in November, and a major driver has been programs the services started years ago to boost numbers. While the Marine Corps didn't wade into the fray earlier, it is now claiming success. And the general in charge of the effort says the politics of the moment have had no impact on Marine recruiting. "The Marines are probably the most inelastic of the services," Lt. Gen. William Bowers told The Associated Press this month. "We appeal to a certain type of young man or woman -- that really doesn't change with the economic winds." "They want to be part of that mystique," he added. |
| Trump and Netanyahu Tell Hamas to Accept Their Peace Plan, or Else | |
 | President Trump on Monday cast his plan for a cease-fire in Gaza as a landmark deal to bring peace after two years of catastrophic violence. But in reality, it was more like an ultimatum to Hamas. Standing alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Trump unveiled a proposal to which both men had agreed. If Hamas refuses to do the same, Mr. Trump said, the United States will let Israel "do what you would have to do." "Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas," said Mr. Trump, who under the plan would become the temporary chairman of a board in charge of the redevelopment of Gaza. The joint appearance by Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu at the White House was a clear display of unity at a moment when Mr. Trump has shown signs of frustration with the Israeli prime minister, and when much of the world has grown horrified at Israel's prosecution of the war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. But it was far from assured that Hamas would agree to their demands. Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations who worked for three Republican presidents, including Mr. Trump, said the Israel military campaign had put Hamas in such a weakened position that its leaders might have to accept the deal to save their own lives. |
| 'Semiconductor slush fund': How the Trump admin seized control of Biden's $7.4 billion chips initiative | |
 | A $7.4 billion tech initiative devised as the linchpin of America's semiconductor resurgence is in limbo after the Commerce Department abruptly yanked its funding, triggering mass layoffs and pushing a group the Biden administration chose to lead the effort to the brink of shutdown. Natcast, which brought together premier chip companies and research universities, had a multi-billion-dollar contract to secure the United States' place as the epicenter of advancements in semiconductors. President Donald Trump and lawmakers from both parties still recognize the directive as essential in the global technology race with China. The Silicon Valley-based nonprofit was little-known until Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently derided it as a "semiconductor slush fund that did nothing but line the pockets of Biden loyalists with American tax dollars." Lutnick based his incursion on charges that the organization is not on sound legal footing, saying his goal was to keep control of federal funds. POLITICO spoke with more than 50 people -- many of whom requested anonymity to avoid potential retaliation -- for the most extensive account to date of the fallout from his bombshell decision to reclaim the billions of dollars approved under former President Joe Biden. |
| White House to Announce 'TrumpRx' Drug-Buying Website, and Deal With Pfizer | |
| The White House is planning to unveil a direct-to-consumer website for Americans to buy drugs, dubbed TrumpRx, as well as announce that Pfizer plans to lower prices on several of its medications in the U.S., according to people familiar with the matter. TrumpRx would allow people to pay cash for certain drugs directly from a government website, at a discounted price negotiated by the government. It's unclear how many drugs would be offered, or whether the website would be useful for the majority of Americans who are already covered by private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Pfizer is expected to be the first to announce a plan to lower drug costs after President Trump pushed companies for months to lower prices in the U.S. More companies are expected to follow suit. Trump and Albert Bourla, the chief executive of Pfizer, are set to announce the cost-cutting measure at the White House later today, according to a White House official. Bourla is also expected to announce a $70 billion investment on manufacturing medications in the U. S., according to Pfizer spokeswoman Amy Rose and a White House official. The official estimated Pfizer's lowered prices could benefit as many as 100 million patients. |
| State Invests in Future Educators with $2.9 Million in Teacher Residency Grants | |
 | The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has awarded nearly $3 million in grants to nine public and private universities to support the next generation of teachers through the Mississippi Teacher Residency (MTR) program. The $2,968,855 in funding will help up to 236 individuals earn licensure in elementary or special education. The grants will cover tuition, testing fees, books, and other program costs, with a focus on preparing educators to serve in Mississippi's geographical critical shortage areas. "This investment reflects the state's commitment to building a strong, sustainable teacher pipeline," said MDE officials. "By supporting aspiring educators through training and mentorship, we're helping ensure every student has access to a qualified teacher." The following institutions received grant awards based on their proposed budgets: Mississippi State University – $1,298,981; Delta State University – $280,000; Mississippi Valley State University – $279,000; Jackson State University – $272,417; University of Mississippi – $242,773; University of Southern Mississippi – $196,000; Mississippi University for Women – $140,000; William Carey University – $140,000; and Mississippi College – $119,684. |
| 9 Mississippi universities receiving nearly $3 million for teacher residency program | |
| Nearly $3 million will be divvied out among nine Mississippi universities to cover major expenses for 236 individuals seeking elementary and special education licenses. The money, made available by the Mississippi Department of Education through its Mississippi Teacher Residency (MTR) program, was appropriated by the state legislature in its most recent session. Funding will go to universities' educator preparation programs to enroll candidates to complete an approved program to obtain their initial license or supplemental endorsement in elementary education or special education. The residency program will include training alongside a mentor, licensure testing support, professional development, and a commitment to teach in an area facing a critical shortage of educators. Applications were accepted and awarded to Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi College, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi, and William Carey University. Unlike previous cohorts of the MTR program, which exists to expand access to qualified educators statewide, applicants must apply directly through the university or college instead of applying through the Mississippi Department of Education. |
| Education: MUW launches application for four scholarships | |
 | Mississippi University for Women is now offering one application that qualifies students for four different scholarships, including one full-tuition scholarship. "With the Premier Scholarship initiative, The W has combined the selection processes of four of our most competitive scholarships into a single application," said David Brooking, executive director of enrollment management. "We know that a big part of being successful in college is finding the right fit. The Premier Scholarship application supports this by connecting students with the most valuable opportunities and experiences available." To receive the Centennial Scholarship or Honors Award Scholarship students must participate in The W's residential honors program. The First Generation Ambassador Scholarship and W Leadership Scholarship can be combined with other select scholarships. |
| Ole Miss College Republicans Host Former Senator Trent Lott | |
 | Ole Miss College Republicans hosted an event featuring former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott on Thursday. Students gathered to hear him share his perspectives on politics, the current state of the government and leadership. The event was originally scheduled for Thursday, Sep. 11 but was postponed after the killing of Charlie Kirk. Lott began his talk speaking on his years in office and the construction of the Trent Lott Leadership Institute. "I am very proud of that leadership institute," Lott said. "The lessons I learned about leadership, I learned at Ole Miss. This was where leaders were willing to take a stand and get things done." The former senator delved into the beginnings of his political career, including the importance of the university in his political development. "My political career, my political thinking -- even though I came from a political family -- it really began at Ole Miss," Lott said. "When you are at Ole Miss, take advantage of it," Lott said. "Secondly, while you're here, start thinking about what you want to do for the rest of your life." Hard work was also a recurring theme in Lott's advice. |
| Turning Point USA to bring Charlie Kirk tour to Ole Miss with new speakers | |
 | Turning Point USA is bringing a revised version of the speaking tour that Charlie Kirk was on before his death to Ole Miss in October. The conservative action group has also scheduled a national leader of GOP youths to talk at the University of Mississippi. This week, Gen Z speaker Brilyn Hollyhand is set to talk in the Student Union Ballroom about Charlie Kirk and how the Turning Point co-founder and conservative activist mentored him personally. "Donald Trump wouldn't be in the White House without Charlie Kirk," Hollyhand said to Fox News talk show host Will Cain on Sept. 10. He'll address how people can help Kirk's legacy continue. In October, a revised version of the speaking tour that Kirk was on before his death will continue at the same date and time as previously planned. |
| FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez to speak at Ole Miss | |
| The University of Mississippi will welcome Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Anna M. Gomez to campus on Thursday for a public event titled "Free Speech in Focus." The event will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the Overby Auditorium inside Farley Hall and is open to everyone. Gomez's visit is part of her nationwide First Amendment Tour, aimed at addressing growing concerns about freedom of speech, a free press and the role of the FCC in a shifting media and political landscape. With more than 30 years of experience in communications law and policy, Gomez will share her insights into the FCC's responsibility in safeguarding democratic values, while also listening to the perspectives and concerns of the university community. "We are in a critical moment for First Amendment rights," Gomez said in a statement ahead of the tour. "It is essential that we engage with the public about the role of the FCC and push back against efforts to weaponize the agency against speech and press freedoms." |
| A Black Man's Death in Mississippi Strikes the Nation's Raw Nerves | |
| On the morning of Sept. 15, a 21-year-old Black student named Demartravion "Trey" Reed was found dead on the campus of a small college in northwest Mississippi. Mr. Reed's death was twice ruled a suicide, and no evidence has emerged that would suggest otherwise. But the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People declared "a man was lynched," a proclamation the group later tempered in a statement to The Times. Colin Kaepernick, the N.F.L. quarterback turned civil rights leader, pledged to fund an independent autopsy. The lawyer who represented George Floyd's family got involved. Closer to home, at Delta State University, students faced their schoolmate's death soberly, replacing the revelry that typically accompanies a new school year with candlelight vigils and fund-raisers for Mr. Reed's family. "We're just trying to look out for one another," said Jy'Quon Wallace, a 20-year-old junior at Delta State, which has almost 2,700 students, 40 percent of them Black. Mr. Wallace, who encountered Mr. Reed the night before he was found dead, said he has been following the speculation online and has great sympathy for Mr. Reed's family. But he expressed worry at the tone of the national conversation. |
| High school students sharpen their business skills to prep for careers | |
| The Jackson Convention Complex was abuzz with activity. Upstairs, groups of teens got to learn about topics such as starting a business and working at nonprofit organizations. Downstairs, one group of students browsed tables, talking to representatives from local colleges, nonprofits, and more. One table passed out free candy-colored popcorn. Christopher Steverson, a senior at Jackson's Callaway High School, was among the many students in attendance. "I love making money," Steverson said. "Money's always there, you just have to find a way to get it." Steverson, 18, runs a lawn care business with his father, and is working on his own streetwear line and has two properties from his father. He's one of about 200 high school students from the Jackson metro area who attended workshops and received hands-on experience on college and career readiness, financial literacy and business skills Wednesday at the Entrepreneurship and Employability Skills Symposium. United Way of the Capital Area and Jackson State University TRIO Talent Search partnered to put on the event. |
| Gucci Mane to headline homecoming concert at Jackson State | |
| Atlanta-bred rapper Gucci Mane is heading to Mississippi for Jackson State University's highly anticipated homecoming. Gucci Mane will headline the HBCU's "Thee Premiere" Homecoming 2025, which takes place Sunday, Oct. 5, through Sunday, Oct. 12. The week-long celebration will feature the Grammy-nominated artist on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Lee E. Williams Athletic & Assembly Center. Doors to the concert open at 4 p.m. with the show beginning at 6 p.m. General admission tickets are on sale now for $65 to the general public. Both residential and non-residential students can get in for $15. Homecoming at Jackson State will feature other events and parades throughout the week including a day for alumni at the Mississippi State Fair, a rave party, prom, a fashion show, a step show, and a block party. On Saturday, the Tigers football team will take on Alabama State at 2:30 p.m. inside Veterans Memorial Stadium. |
| JSU receives federal grant for blind rehabilitation program | |
| Jackson State University (JSU) will receive a six-figure donation for a project to help individuals who are blind. U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (R-Miss.) announced that JSU was selected to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education under the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training - Rehabilitation of the Blind Program. The university will receive $175,000.00 for the first budget period (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026), with an anticipated total of five years of support. According to officials, the funds will provide long-term training for rehabilitation counselors who specialize in delivering vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind. "This investment in Jackson State University highlights the importance of preparing skilled professionals to assist individuals who are blind in reaching their full potential and achieving independence," said Thompson. "I am proud to see JSU continue its leadership in advancing opportunities for students while serving the broader community." |
| William Carey University sees spike in enrollment across all campuses | |
 | William Carey University is seeing record enrollment numbers across all three of its campuses. University leaders said that the number of residential students on the Hattiesburg campus had increased by 50% since 2022. Throughout the entire university, first-time freshmen numbers rose by 80% and total undergraduates by 40%. Since 2024, William Carey's combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment has gone up by 14%, from 4,502 to 5,140. WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett said he believed the numbers reflect leaders' efforts to make the university a "destination campus." "The renovation of our coffee house has made a big impact on campus life as well," said Burnett. "So, we focused not just on bringing students to campus, but we focused on making the campus student-friendly and a place where people will want to come." William Carey University also welcomed another class of 200 medical students this fall. WCU's College of Medicine is the largest medical school in Mississippi. |
| Florida university presidents converge on UF as DeSantis touts state's work in higher education | |
 | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the success of the State University System during a Sept. 29 stop at the University of Florida following the release last week of the U.S. News & World Report's 2026 university rankings. Speaking at Emerson Alumni Hall, DeSantis was joined by university presidents from across the state, including new interim UF President Dr. Donald Landry and newly appointed Florida A&M President Marva Johnson. DeSantis emphasized that the state's higher education system is focused on providing a high-quality education while making sure students don't "mortgage their future." He said he's most proud of the fact that the cost of college in Florida has remained flat due to state programs like Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid. "The tuition is exactly the same as it was when I took office, there's been no increases in tuition," DeSantis said. DeSantis spoke glowingly about Landry's credentials as UF's interim president, noting his distinguished career at Columbia University and his time as physician-in-chief at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center. "He's even been recognized by President George W. Bush during that era, and we are really fortunate to be able to have someone of his caliber here," DeSantis said. |
| Professors' suit against state DEI funding ban largely dismissed | |
| Complaints filed by professors "disrupted" by Florida's ban against diversity, equity, and inclusion spending were mostly dismissed by a federal judge last week. The academics, through American Civil Liberties Union attorneys, filed the suit against the state earlier this year, claiming SB 266 from 2023 imposed viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment, that the law is over-broad, and that it violates Florida's Campus Free Expression Act. Thursday, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker dismissed the complaints that SB 266 "left instructors and students fearful for the future of not only education, but also free thought and democracy in Florida." The law banned general education courses "based on unproven, speculative, or exploratory content." "In short, this Court agrees with Defendants that Plaintiffs fail to allege facts demonstrating that they have suffered a plausible constitutional injury with respect to their claims challenging the general education requirements," Walker wrote. "Instead, Plaintiffs' allegations and arguments attacking the language governing and application of the general education requirements are largely rooted in policy disagreements." |
| Mun Choi wants an immediate plan to solve downtown 'crime crisis' after fatal shooting | |
 | University of Missouri System President Mun Choi has called on Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and other community officials to take immediate action regarding safety downtown after a fatal shooting early Saturday on Broadway. In his call to city and county leaders, he called the crime problem in downtown Columbia "at a crisis point." "The shootings, burglary, larceny, property damage, trespassing and loitering are unacceptable," he told the government officials. He also advised the university community in an email that he had taken this action. Choi asked officials for an immediate response with an ultimatum if they didn't address what he called "a rampant crime problem that we are witnessing on a daily basis." He told them he wanted an immediate action plan or he would take the issue to Gov. Mike Kehoe. The action was precipitated by the shooting of three people early Saturday morning on East Broadway. Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams died Sunday after being declared brain dead from injuries in the shooting. All three gunshot victims were on the 1000 block of East Broadway when they were shot after an argument erupted downtown. None of the three, two women and one man, were involved in the argument with the suspect, according to Columbia police. Police say he fired multliple rounds into the crowd during the 1:40 a.m. altercation. |
| Anti-DEI crusader Sid Miller urged UT to enroll student emphasizing her race and socioeconomic status | |
| In January, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller declared "war on DEI," directing his agency to stop working with businesses that embrace policies that give advantages to people based on "race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin." He condemned the Biden Administration for allowing "unfair" diversity, equity, and inclusion policies "to infect all aspects of our federal government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, and institutions of higher education," Miller said in a press release. But in May 2023, he wrote a letter to leaders of the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas at Austin emphasizing a student's ethnicity and socioeconomic status as he urged the schools to reconsider her enrollment. He said the student was a "biracial Latina," whose father had "retreated" to Argentina a decade ago, leaving her mother to raise the student and her brother by herself. The student, he said, had been accepted but missed the enrollment deadline earlier that month. She did not have a computer, and did not know to look for the acceptance letter online, Miller wrote. The commissioner, who is serving his third term leading the state's agriculture agency, said in his letter he was using the "full weight of my office" to implore the school officials to admit the student. |
| Electric space heating, appliances reduce US residential energy consumption | |
| Electric space heating systems and appliances like water heaters can help American homeowners reduce their energy use, and possibly their utility bills, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State. The researchers set out to identify the most important factors driving U.S. on-site residential energy consumption, which the team said accounts for approximately 21% of primary energy consumption in the country and is more complex than commercial energy use. Electric and gas systems have different transmission losses, but the bigger driver is equipment efficiency, said lead author Sepideh Korsavi, assistant professor of architecture at Mississippi State University who completed the work as a postdoctoral scholar at Penn State. "Modern heat pumps often deliver two to three times more heat per unit of energy than typical gas furnaces," she said. "When you account for delivery and efficiency together, electrified systems can lower household energy use and emissions in many regions." |
| Can College Students Stand to Ditch Their Phones for an Hour or So? | |
| Nearly every student clutches a phone in one hand as they traverse the University of Central Florida campus, even while walking in groups. Laptops and tablets are lunchtime companions, and earbuds and headphones are routine accessories. While waiting for class to start, many students sit in silence, drawn into their devices. It is a familiar and exasperating scene for Seán Killingsworth, 22, a former U.C.F. student. "What is this life I'm signing up for?" he asked himself during his sophomore year. "It was just like, I'm talking to a bunch of zombies." Mr. Killingsworth craved a space where he could chat with his peers without feeling as though he was intruding. When he was in high school, he ran into similar conundrums, so he would organize phone-free hangouts with friends. Why not in college too? In 2023, he helped bring the idea of no-phone social time to two different Florida campuses -- U.C.F. and Rollins College. He called it the Reconnect Movement: During meetings, everyone was required to hand over their phone and socialize without devices, a concept that has become a big draw for like-minded students. Reconnect has now spread to six schools in four states. And in September it broadened its reach beyond students, hosting a phone-free event in New York -- soon to be followed by Orlando and Tampa -- that anyone could attend. Reconnect's popularity dovetails with a cultural shift in how smartphones and social media are perceived by adults and adolescents alike. |
| Can Colleges Be Run Using AI? | |
 | Is artificial intelligence transforming the way college administrators work? They are adopting AI tools in budgeting, enrollment-management, and facilities offices, and other key areas, but piecemeal and often cautiously. AI evangelists say it's a game changer that will transform how they do their jobs, but even boosters acknowledge the growing pains and unknowns as the technology burgeons and morphs from week to week. The speed with which AI is developing and spreading further complicates efforts to measure its impact. A survey of college business officers conducted in late 2024 by the National Association of College and University Business Officers, known as NACUBO, found that only a third of respondents were using the technology to support their operations. A year later, said Lindsay K. Wayt, senior director for business intelligence at the organization, "my gut would tell me that number is higher." As colleges become more complex to run and institutional budgets tighten, AI's appeal only grows. The technology can make core tasks a relative snap and possibly more efficient, but rolling out such functions requires training and oversight. Conversations with college business officers and experts outlined the following pros and cons. |
| 'A perfect storm' -- more colleges at risk as enrollment falls and financial pressures mount | |
| As college and university leaders returned to campus this fall, there were new signs that a long-building financial crisis may finally be reaching a breaking point. Closures and mergers are looming "at a pace we haven't seen since the Great Recession," said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. The warning lights have been flashing for years. Fewer high school graduates are enrolling in college and the overall population of college-age students is shrinking, a trend experts refer to as the "demographic cliff." Higher operating costs and limitations on tuition increases have restricted institutions' ability to raise revenue, according to 2024 research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Higher education as a whole is "facing serious financial headwinds," the report said. And now, international student enrollment is poised to drop off due to the Trump administration's tougher visa rules and anti-immigrant policies, representing billions of dollars in lost tuition and stripping away one of higher ed's most reliable financial lifelines. Add deep federal funding cuts, and the sector faces what Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors, calls "a perfect storm." |
| From drones to police presence, Utah campus where Kirk was shot lacked key public safety tools | |
| The Utah college where conservative leader Charlie Kirk was assassinated lacked several key public safety measures and practices that have become standard safeguards for security at events around the country, an Associated Press review has found. Utah Valley University's outdoor courtyard, where Kirk showed up on Sept. 10 to debate students, was surrounded by several tall buildings, leaving Kirk vulnerable. That was made all the more potent because campus police didn't fly a drone to monitor rooftops or coordinate with local law enforcement to secure the event. It deployed only six officers from a force that was already small for a campus its size. There were no bag checks or metal detectors. A sniper took position on a nearby roof and killed Kirk with a single shot about 20 minutes after the event began, escaping notice from campus police. Security at Utah Valley University will come into sharper focus in the coming months as lawmakers and the public seek answers about what could have been done differently. In an interview, the AP asked the university president, Astrid Tuminez, if there was a security failure on campus surrounding the Kirk assassination. "Somebody was killed and that's a tragedy, I think that's what I would say right now," she responded. Tuminez declined to answer more detailed questions about campus security, citing a pending external review. A university spokesperson also declined to answer questions about staffing, equipment, security planning and budgets. |
| How a Smaller NIH Could Have Hindered Medical Research | |
 | Since the mid-1940s, the National Institutes of Health has sent billions of dollars to university researchers whose work has led to the creation of scores of lifesaving treatments for a range of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease. By one estimate, NIH-funded research was linked to roughly 99 percent of drugs that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved between 2010 and 2019. However, patient advocates and researchers warn that the United States won't be able to maintain its global standing as a powerhouse of medical breakthroughs if the NIH loses 40 percent of its budget, as President Donald Trump has proposed. While key lawmakers in the House and Senate have so far rejected such drastic cuts to the NIH, threats of deep reductions remain as the president and his allies aim to reduce the federal government's footprint. For now, some economists are looking to a hypothetical past for more insights about how the budget cuts might affect NIH-funded research. A new peer-reviewed paper published in Science last week found that more than half of the drugs approved in the 21st century are linked to research that would have been at risk of never getting funded if the NIH had been operating with a 40 percent smaller budget. |
| What Would a Shutdown Mean for Department of Education Rule Making? | |
| If the government shuts down Wednesday, it's not clear whether the Department of Education will be able to continue with the meetings it had planned to iron out a batch of regulatory changes this week. The advisory rule-making committee began its work Monday and was originally slated to continue through Friday. But at the start of Monday's meeting, department officials noted that if the government runs out of funding Oct. 1, the remainder of the session would be delayed and the plan would be to resume virtually in two weeks. (This was consistent with a pending notice that was posted to the Federal Register in the morning.) That all changed once again moments before Monday's meeting ended when Jeffrey Andrade, the deputy assistant secretary for policy, planning and innovation, said the department was reconsidering its earlier statement and that the negotiated rule-making committee might be able to continue operating in person through the end of the week. "There is a possibility that we can work through this," Andrade said, adding that he had just received word of the possibility himself. This rule-making session is focused on clarifying the details of new graduate loan caps and a consolidated version of the multiple existing income-driven repayment plans. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State still believing after season's first loss | |
 | Mississippi State suffered its first loss of the season against Tennessee, but the Bulldogs are still believing after taking the No. 15 team in the country the distance. The Bulldogs take on No. 6 Texas A&M this weekend on the road, so they don't have much time to linger on Saturday's heartbreaking overtime loss to the Volunteers. This will also be their first road game in conference play. "It's always about what's next," Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby said on Monday. "It doesn't matter what happens on Saturday on the right side or the wrong side. You've got to be better on Monday, we've got to have the best Monday we've ever had. That is the message, and I think because that's the message every single week, I'm hopeful our guys are able to clear this and have the ability to go prepare the right way." |
| Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby on Blake Shapen, Kamario Taylor roles | |
| Mississippi State football's recent struggles in the passing game have some fans on social media wondering if freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor should take some snaps away from starter Blake Shapen. Coach Jeff Lebby pumped the brakes before MSU's Week 6 game at No. 5 Texas A&M (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Kyle Field on Oct. 4 (6:30 p.m., SEC Network). Lebby was asked at his weekly news conference if Taylor would get more snaps or involvement this week. "I think for us, as we move forward, Kamario is still going to have the packages that he has as we get into it," Lebby said Sept. 29. "That will all be dictated on how the game is played and what situations we are in." Taylor has been a part of Mississippi State's gameplan in some situations. Usually, they have been in short yardages, like third-and-1, when he can sneak up the middle for a first down. The Noxubee County four-star quarterback has completed 2-of-3 pass attempts this season for 46 yards and one touchdown. He's also rushed 10 times for 79 yards. Taylor has played in four games, meaning he'll burn his redshirt in the next game he plays. |
| Could this be the last year of a PGA Tour event in Mississippi? It looks possible | |
| As the 13th and final year of sponsorship for Wayne Sanderson Farms at Mississippi's only PGA Tour event is nearing an end, there is no better way to find a new sponsor than to show off at this year's tournament. However, if the tournament cannot find a new sponsor in the next couple of months, Mississippi's run of having a PGA tournament since 1968 could possibly come to an end. Wayne Sanderson Farms' run as a full partner with Jackson and its PGA tournament has been a historic one. It has been the title sponsor since 2013. The 2025 Sanderson Farm Championship will be its last for the company as the title sponsor of the Jackson PGA Tour stop. The tournament went into last year's event with the same issue, but Wayne Sanderson Farms had a last-minute change of heart and agreed to sponsor the 2025 tournament. While its original contract ran through 2026, the company announced that it had moved on as the title sponsor, but it would remain as a major sponsor for the tournament. Tournament director Steve Jent now goes into the week searching for a 2026 sponsor. "Wayne Sanderson Farms has been one of the best sponsors on the PGA tour," Jent said. "While this will be their last year as a sponsor, they will continue to help with the Century Club in our effort to raise money for Mississippi charities." Jent said there are no announcements that are imminent for a new sponsor. |
| Paul Finebaum says he is considering running for U.S. Senate | |
| SEC Network host Paul Finebaum said Monday that he would consider leaving ESPN to run for the U.S. Senate, representing Alabama. The 70-year-old Finebaum said during a recent interview with Outkick that he'd run as a Republican to fill the seat vacated by former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, who has said he'll run for Alabama governor in the 2026 elections. Tuberville's current Senate term ends in 2027. The qualifying deadline to run for Senate is Jan. 26, 2026. Finebaum said he would likely have to leave his hosting and analyst duties if he decided to run. He told Outkick he'd make a decision within the next 30-45 days. Finebaum said he hadn't seriously considered politics, but the assassination of Charlie Kirk was the impetus to give a run at politics further thought. Finebaum is currently registered as a Republican in North Carolina, where he works for the SEC Network. He told Outkick he recently moved to Alabama, where he hosted a radio show for years, and would re-register there. |
| New Orleans has landed a future College Football Playoff championship game | |
 | The College Football Playoff national championship for the 2027 season will be played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 24, 2028, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, marking a return of the title game to the city for the first time since 2020. New Orleans, which must bid on hosting the national championship against other potential host cities, will have two collegiate playoff games at the Superdome that season, with the Allstate Sugar Bowl serving as a quarterfinal contest -- as long as the playoff remains under its current format. An official announcement on the title game coming to New Orleans is expected to made on Wednesday. It will represent a victory for local sports boosters who have warned in recent years that attracting the event has become harder each year, as more cities look to draw the tens of thousands of fans, and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in spending, that the game can bring. The city's hosting of Super Bowl LIX in February provided a big boost boost to New Orleans' tourism-dependent economy, while also spurring a major cleanup of downtown areas in preparation for the game. The city was widely praised by NFL leaders and the national media for its handling of the event. |
| College-reform bill could generate extra billions by allowing conferences to pool their TV rights | |
| Democratic senators introduced a bill Monday that would rewrite a 1961 law prohibiting college sports conferences from banding together to sell their media rights. It's a move they say is designed to protect athletes, Olympics sports and smaller leagues that could be getting priced out of the increasingly expensive business of name, image and likeness deals. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., joined with Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., in backing the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act, a bill that gives lawmakers an alternative to a bill on the House side that has yet to come up for a floor vote. "We take a broader approach of: How do we solve the fundamental problem of implementing NIL rights, but also keeping revenue for women's and Olympic sports and an environment where everyone feels like they can compete?" Cantwell said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And we're maximizing for consumers and the public the amount of content available." The Democratic proposal, which would offer schools the same antitrust protection it does for the NFL and other pro leagues regarding their TV rights, is what billionaire Texas Tech regents chair Cody Campbell has proposed, going as far as running 30-second TV ads devoted to the topic on college football broadcasts. |
| As SCORE Act regains momentum, Senate critics launch new bill to reshape college sports | |
| Just as the most vocal skeptics of the SCORE Act within college sports decided to pledge their support for the bill, another is being introduced by one of the most ardent critics of the potential legislation that has been making its way through the House of Representatives. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), along with Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), introduced the Student Athlete Fairness Enforcement Act on Monday. The SAFE Act includes amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to allow schools and conferences to pool media rights, an idea touted by some as a way to fund the rising costs facing athletic departments, though the potential solution has been met with skepticism by many in college sports. Cantwell and other critics of the SCORE Act, a bipartisan bill which made it through committee in the House in July but has not yet gotten to the floor for debate or a vote, have said it allows the Big Ten and SEC to accrue too much power and wealth. There had been some concerns within college sports about whether the SCORE Act combined with the NCAA's new governance model -- which gives more voting power than ever to the Power 4 conferences -- could lead to smaller schools being pushed out of Division I. But revisions to the language in the bill were made to address those concerns last week, and earlier Monday 10 mid-major conferences sent a letter to Congress pledging their support for SCORE. |
| Senate Democrats introduce bill to amend Sports Broadcasting Act | |
| A group of Senate Democrats, led by Maria Cantwell, are introducing a bill -- the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act -- that, among other concepts, amends the Sports Broadcasting Act to permit college conferences to pool broadcasting rights. Sens. Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal are co-sponsors of the new college sports legislative proposal. As of now, it does not have bipartisan support. In fact, Senate Republicans led by Ted Cruz, who have spent the last several months drafting a college sports bill, were unaware Monday of the introduction of the Democrat-backed bill, dubbed the SAFE Act. As chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Cruz controls movement of college sports legislation. Despite the SAFE Act's challenges of passage, the long-discussed change to the Sports Broadcasting Act is a notable inclusion in any legislation. Not everyone is a believer in the SBA change, though. Leaders in the SEC and Big Ten have pushed back on any mass consolidation of media rights. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., an important figure in controlling college sports legislation in the House as the House Majority Leader, is not supportive of any significant change to the SCORE Act, including any amendment related to the Sports Broadcasting Act. |
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