| Tuesday, October 28, 2025 |
| SEC Faculty Tackle Today's Health Challenges | |
 | The Southeastern Conference is home to more than athletic competition -- it's also a network of universities whose faculty are driving progress. Their research tackles some of today's most urgent problems, including health care and factors affecting daily life. From training the next generation of providers to fighting diseases and addressing disparities in care, their expertise is improving lives throughout the region and beyond. This collection highlights how SEC researchers are bringing those real medical solutions to life. Whether in laboratories, clinics or community partnerships, their work embodies the SEC's commitment to making a transformative difference in the world. Dr. Rahel Mathews, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Mississippi State University, conducts research to tackle pressing issues of food insecurity, nutrition, and health disparities, generating evidence that informs public health solutions and strengthens community food systems. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, applies innovative strategies like guided notes and community-based learning, and mentors students at all levels. |
| What's old is new again: 104-year-old State Fountain Bakery at MSU makes return to original, newly renovated site | |
 | Crowds may be flocking to new and trendy bread and pastry shops these days, but sometimes getting back to what's familiar can tickle the taste buds a little more. State Fountain Bakery has been preparing desirable delicacies like dog bone cookies, chess pies and caramel cakes on the campus of Mississippi State University for more than 100 years, a feat many businesses might envy. The essential ingredient: it's a place shaped by community -- the Bulldog family. While the bakery's size has fluctuated through the years and products have come and gone, loyal campus bakers like Angel Jennings continue to mix up recipes -- many of them longtime secrets -- starting around 3 a.m. in preparation for an early morning of hungry students, employees, alumni and visitors. "I've been here for a long time now and enjoy the tradition involved -- especially visiting with alumni and taking their orders, which usually include some of our oldest recipes," she said. Regina Hyatt, MSU vice president for student affairs, agreed. "The recipes are certainly important -- the dog bone cookie of today tastes like the ones from decades ago. But it's the nostalgia and feeling that you get from eating that treat that brings people back time and time again." |
| 'A defining moment': Cadence, Huntington merger will create largest bank in Mississippi | |
| Having acquired a number of banks during its nearly 150-year history, Cadence Bank wasn't looking for a buyer. As a regional bank with nearly 400 offices and $53 billion in assets, it was among the Top 30 largest banks in the country already. But an opportunity to partner with another bank with an even older history, a larger footprint, deeper resources and impressive technological prowess led to a defining moment on Monday: Cadence announced it will be acquired by Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Bancshares in an all-stock deal valued at $7.4 billion. "This is a partnership. We were not looking to sell the bank, but this fast-forwards what we've been delivering," Cadence Chairman and CEO Dan Rollins told the Daily Journal Monday afternoon. "We're going to be bigger and better for our customers than we ever could have been on our own." "This is an important next phase of growth for Huntington," said Steve Steinour, chairman, president and CEO of Huntington Bancshares. Steinhour and Rollins met with Gov. Tate Reeves earlier in the day, and the Huntington CEO told the governor that Tupelo will maintain its importance in the newly merged bank. "We've got a lot to live up to, but that's our intent -- to be good to the community," Steinhour said. |
| Regional banks are merging so they can better compete with banking giants | |
| There's news today of the regional bank consolidation variety. Huntington Bancshares, based in Ohio, is reportedly buying Cadence Bank, based in Texas and Mississippi, for nearly $7.5 billion. It's the latest in a flurry of recent regional bank deals. In fact, both Huntington and Cadence have already made acquisitions this year. Other regional banks that have made deals recently include Fifth Third, PNC, and Pinnacle. The banking industry is changing quickly, said Meg Tahyar, head of financial institutions at the law firm Davis Polk. "A lot of banks just need more scale to survive in the next generation," said Tahyar. More scale as in more assets on the balance sheet to invest in new technology, like building fancy apps for mobile banking. And Tahyar said consolidation can free up cash to make that happen. Another driver of the recent acquisitions is pent-up demand. "Over the past several years, regional banks were reluctant to merge during the Biden administration, which was seen as unfriendly toward bank consolidation," said Jeremy Kress, a professor of business law at the University of Michigan. |
| Delta Grain investing $3.76 million to expand Sidon operations | |
| The Mississippi Development Authority announced Monday that grain elevator and merchandiser Delta Grain is expanding its operations in Sidon through a corporate investment of $3.76 million. Delta Grain, a full-service grain elevator, merchandiser and 105-unit rail shuttle facility with locations in Sidon and Minter City, expects to complete its latest expansion by the end of October. MDA Executive Director Bill Cork said the company's expansion reinforces the strength of Mississippi's agriculture industry and ensures local farmers have a reliable, homegrown partner they can count on. Governor Tate Reeves said Mississippi has one of the best agriculture industries in America. "It's a cornerstone of our state's economy, and it keeps our rural communities strong. Mississippi helps feed families all across the nation, and we're proud of the massive role we play in putting food on their tables," Reeves said. "Delta Grain's investment in Leflore County means more capacity for our local farmers and stronger supply chains for our state. It's another win for Mississippi." Frank Brumfield, Owner of Delta Grain Company, said the company remains committed to reinvesting strategic capital into improving its facilities to enhance operational efficiency and productivity "in order to provide the Mississippi farmer the best possible harvest experience at Delta Grain." |
| More Southern farms using internet for marketing, buying inputs | |
| As high-speed broadband reaches more rural communities, it is important to explore how farms are utilizing the internet and advanced technologies in their operations. Every two years since 1997, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service has conducted a survey to get an overview of technology use on farms. The survey asks producers about what devices they own, whether they can access the internet, if their services are through fiber, cable, etc., and how they use the internet for business-related purposes. The most recent survey's findings were released in August 2025 and include comparisons, where applicable, to responses from the 2023 survey. The table shows the 2025 response rates for the percentage of farms that purchase agricultural inputs over the internet, conduct agricultural marketing activities over the internet and use precision agriculture to manage crops or livestock for states across the South. The values in parentheses are percentage changes in response rates between the 2023 and 2025 surveys. Generally, the results indicate that having reliable internet access is an essential tool for farmers. |
| New hotel in Fondren will mean big business for retail shops | |
 | Business is booming in the Fondren district of Jackson, and the newest development in the hip and funky area proves the point. Ground is expected to be broken on a $25 million 111-room boutique-style Hampton Inn with first-floor retail and dining space along State Street between the Station pizza restaurant and Pig and Pint BBQ during the first quarter of 2026. The development was originally slated to get off the ground a couple of years ago, but the Jackson water crisis, and other factors, including the recent economy caused the delay. Chico Patel, CEO of Wealth Hospitality, which is spearheading the project, also built the 125-room Homewood Suites, just down the street and also in the Fondren District. So there will be two hotels within walking distance that combine for nearly 240 rooms and almost $50 million in investment in the last several years for Fondren. It is the second of many new announcements coming for the business district. Just last week, Duvall Decker Architecture made a big splash in Fondren, and it shouldn't take long to see the results. The architectural firm is building on the site of the former Kolb's Cleaners at the corner of Mitchell and State Street on a 22,000 square foot energy-efficient, mass timber mixed-use development. |
| Mississippi Economic Council's annual Hobnob happening Thursday | |
| The Mississippi Economic Council's annual Hobnob will be returning to the capital city this week, allowing the public to engage with elected officials and local business leaders. On Thursday, folks will gather at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson for a friendly exchange of handshakes and conversations with leading figures in the state. With no statewide elections taking place this year, the audience won't hear from candidates stumping for a gig in office. However, they will hear from current elected leaders. "It's always a fun event. It's where we kind of relax a little bit with a major meeting," Mississippi Economic Council President and CEO Scott Waller said of the event. "We have it aptly named, in my opinion, because we get to hear from statewide leaders and they're going to talk about what's going on in their area." Also on deck this year will be the unveiling of the Mississippi Business Alliance, a merger between the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, and the Business and Industry Political Education Committee. |
| The Good Vibes Are Back on Wall Street: Earnings, deals and trade talks have helped send stocks to records | |
 | From trade deals and foreign elections to merger announcements to corporate earnings, investors are finding plenty of reasons to be happy. Stocks hit fresh records on Monday, marking a significant pickup in momentum after a bumpy stretch in which tariff fears and worries about loan losses at regional banks weighed on major indexes. The optimism isn't limited to U.S. markets. Benchmarks in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan notched new records Monday, while the Shanghai composite closed at its highest level in more than 10 years. Argentine stocks rocketed 22% higher, powered by a decisive political win for President Javier Milei in the country's midterm elections. "There's just a lot of stuff in the 'good' column and not a lot in the 'bad' column," said Jed Ellerbroek, portfolio manager at Argent Capital Management. All three major stock indexes hit new all-time highs on Monday, with tech companies leading the charge. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained around 337 points, or 0.7%. The S&P 500 added 1.2%. The Nasdaq composite rose 1.9%, notching back-to-back gains greater than 1% for the first time since May. Stocks were lifted by hopes for improving trade relations between the U.S. and China. |
| Hosemann says Senate will support public-to-public school transfers, signals opposition to broader proposals supported by President Trump | |
| Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann says the Mississippi Senate will file legislation in the 2026 session that supports allowing public school-to-public school transfers, sometimes referred to as "open enrollment." "We think public-to-public transfer ought to be available," Hosemann said on WLOX News This Week. "Wherever you are, wherever you want to go." Hosemann made similar declarations in the lead up to last year's legislative session, but when the supermajority Republican Senate had an opportunity to pass an open enrollment bill, it died in Chairman Dennis DeBar's Education Committee. Mississippi law currently allows for the transfer of students between public schools, but only with the approval of both the school a child is currently enrolled in and the school they want to attend. Last session, as previously reported, the House passed HB 1435, which would have made the process easier by removing the veto power of the school the child wants to leave. The Senate did not act on the proposal. Hosemann's comments come as Speaker Jason White (R) and Republicans in the Mississippi House, who also hold a supermajority, have made education freedom their top agenda item heading into the 2026 legislative session. |
| Food banks are preparing for a surge as federal food aid could be paused in the government shutdown | |
 | Food banks and pantries were already struggling after federal program cuts this year, but now they're bracing for a tsunami of hungry people if a pause in federal food aid to low-income people kicks in this weekend as the federal government shutdown persists. The rush has already begun. Central Christian Church's food pantry in downtown Indianapolis scrambled Saturday to accommodate around twice as many people as it normally serves in a day. "There's an increased demand. And we know it's been happening really since the economy has downturned," volunteer Beth White said, adding that with an interruption in funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, "it's going to continue to get worse for folks." It's a concern shared by charitable food providers across the country as states prepare for lower-income families to see their SNAP benefits dry up. SNAP helps 40 million Americans, or about 1 in 8, buy groceries. The debit cards they use to buy groceries at participating stores and farmers markets are normally loaded each month by the federal government. It's the latest in a string of hardships placed on charitable food services, which are intended to help take up the slack for any shortcomings in federal food assistance -- not replace government help altogether. |
| Food pantry workers in Mississippi brace for Trump's threat to cut off SNAP on Nov. 1 | |
| Cindy Hudnall runs Saints' Brew Soup Kitchen in Tupelo where she serves hot breakfasts to close to 100 people every weekday – working parents, the elderly, the homeless, veterans and even young adults aging out of the foster care system. There's always been a need for people to find enough food to eat in Mississippi, one of the nation's poorest and most food insecure states. But lately, things are different. Federal money that funded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has dried up due to the government shutdown – so far the second longest in history -- and big changes to the program coming down the pipeline are leaving people desperate and scrambling. "You can hear it in their voice, you can see it in their face -- they are scared," Hudnall said. "And there's no magic solution in the foreseeable future. When you get large groups of people who are worried about their livelihoods, you cannot have a thriving community." President Donald Trump opted not to tap into emergency funds to continue running the nation's largest anti-hunger program, according to a memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, obtained by Politico. While officials in at least three states have pledged to keep the program going in the absence of federal funds, the Mississippi Department of Human Services announced Friday that its SNAP program had been paused. |
| Coast military employees line up for food as government shutdown enters Week 5 | |
 | Federal employee Micah Getter sat in the family van, scrolling through a list of South Mississippi food pantries on his cell phone while two of his three sons attended a training camp. He had gotten his last paycheck a week earlier and was wondering how he and his family would manage through the government shutdown, which is in its fifth week. "It's definitely taxing, especially on my wife and kids," said Getter, a civil servant who manages all support agreements on Keesler Air Force Base and retired 10 years ago from active duty. Getter found help for himself -- and hundreds of other Keesler families -- through a local food pantry. Hope for the Coast food pantry organized a food giveaway for all the Keesler personnel going without pay, Getter said. Based at Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast church in Biloxi, the nonprofit Hope for the Coast distributed food to about 900 families, most of them connected to Keesler. Most of the food came from the nonprofit food bank Feeding the Gulf Coast, which supplies pantries in 28 counties in South Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. While the SNAP wave hasn't crashed ashore yet, Feeding the Gulf Coast has 34,000 federal employees in its service area -- not counting the military. Without an additional federal appropriation, active-duty members of all military branches would miss paychecks for the first time on Friday, October 31, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. |
| Shutdown imperils key education program for young children | |
 | Tens of thousands of children from low-income families could lose access to education, meals and health care if federal Head Start cash doesn't resume by Nov. 1 -- just as the funding drought stokes fears of lasting damage to the program. A fresh round of grant money for Head Start, the 60-year-old federal early education program serving children under age 6, is in limbo as the federal government remains shut down. The lack of funding is expected to hit Head Start centers in red and blue states alike as Republicans and Democrats spar over who's to blame for the shutdown. And the program is in trouble despite the fact that bipartisan support for it runs deep, including from senior Trump administration officials such as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, whose agency oversees the program. The shutdown has already caused some programs to shutter, while others are making plans to do the same. A Head Start agency serving 378 children across six centers in Florida's panhandle closed its doors Friday until the shutdown is over and its federal money starts flowing after scraping for funds to keep itself afloat for weeks. Early education advocates fear the closures could be harmful for Head Start centers, which may lose their low-paid educators to more stable jobs. And program leaders and others fear it will cause parents to leave the workforce to take care of their kids. |
| Trump Says a Recent M.R.I. Scan Was 'Perfect,' and He'd 'Love' a Third Term | |
 | President Trump said that he underwent magnetic resonance imaging earlier this month, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday that the results had been "perfect" but declining to say why his doctors had ordered the scan. Mr. Trump also reiterated that he was interested in serving a third term, saying that he "would love to do it" because of his popularity with his supporters. Mr. Trump, who spoke to journalists for about 30 minutes on a flight to Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during his almost weeklong trip to Asia, seemed intent on presenting himself as fit to lead, if not run for the presidency again. The Constitution sets a two-term limit for presidents, but Mr. Trump and his supporters have increasingly floated the possibility of finding a way to circumvent the 22nd Amendment, which states that "no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice," regardless of whether the terms are consecutive. At 79, Mr. Trump is the oldest person to be elected president, and he would be well into his 80s by the end of his second term. Mr. Trump's critics have speculated about his health in recent months after he repeatedly appeared on camera with bruises on the back of his hand and swollen ankles. |
| GOP-Led House Panel Urges DOJ to Probe Biden's Executive Actions | |
| The Republican-led House Oversight Committee recommended that the Justice Department investigate all of former President Joe Biden's executive actions, particularly clemency decisions, and determine whether he authorized them. The committee, in a 91-page report released Tuesday, accused Biden's staffers of making executive decisions in his place toward the end of his presidency. House Republicans were probing what was known about Biden's health and age-related decline while in office. Following interviews with 14 former Biden staffers, the committee said it believed the Democrat's aides covered up his decline. The panel recommended that the Justice Department "assess whether legal action must be taken to void any action that the former president did not, in fact, take himself." The committee asked the Justice Department to scrutinize Biden aides Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, who pleaded the Fifth Amendment during the investigation. The committee said Biden aides failed to document that Biden himself had approved decisions before they used an autopen. Presidents have long used autopens, devices that replicate signatures, to handle a deluge of paperwork. President Trump has said autopens shouldn't be used to sign important documents. Biden has previously denied that his aides used an autopen to issue pardons and commutations without his approval. |
| Biden says the nation is facing 'dark days' under Trump | |
| Former President Joe Biden urged Americans to remain hopeful as the nation faces "dark days" in his first public appearance since completing a round of radiation therapy for prostate cancer. After receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston on Sunday, Biden warned against what he called attacks on free speech and tests on the limits of executive power by President Donald Trump. "Friends, I can't sugar coat any of this. These are dark days," the 82-year-old said, according to the Associated Press. But, he said, America is "more powerful than any dictator." The former president went on to list people who are standing their ground against threats from the Trump administration, including comedians who have been targeted by Trump. "The late night hosts continue to shine a light on free speech knowing their careers are on the line," Biden said. "America is not a fairy tale," Biden said Sunday. "For 250 years, it's been a constant push and pull, an existential struggle between peril and possibility." Biden said he still believes in the promise of America. Though it may be easy to "check out," he said, it is not time to give up. |
| Private donors gave more than $125M to keep foreign aid programs going after US cuts | |
| When the Trump administration froze foreign assistance overnight, urgent efforts began to figure out how to continue critical aid programs that could be funded by private donors. Multiple groups launched fundraisers in February and eventually, these emergency funds mobilized more than $125 million within eight months, a sum that while not nearly enough, was more than the organizers had ever imagined possible. In those early days, even with needs piling up, wealthy donors and private foundations grappled with how to respond. Of the thousands of programs the U.S. funded abroad, which ones could be saved and which would have the biggest impact if they continued? "We were fortunate enough to be in connection with and communication with some very strategic donors who understood quickly that the right answer for them was actually an answer for the field," said Sasha Gallant, who led a team at the U.S. Agency for International Development that specialized in identifying programs that were both cost effective and impactful. |
| JSU president search committee hears concerns from staff, students | |
| Students and faculty of Jackson State University took advantage of an opportunity Monday to share qualities and traits they would like to see in the school's next president. Some also aired grievances about what they believe needs to change on campus. The listening session is part of the search for a new president by the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Institutions for Higher Learning. The Board hired AGB Search to head up data collection in this effort due to the high number of presidential hires that have occurred in such a short time. JSU's last president, Marcus Thompson, resigned from the post in August after less than two years on the job. His resignation marked the fourth time in five years that the IHL Board has had to search for a new president due to resignations or terminations. During the Monday listening session, JSU staff, faculty and other stakeholders said the next president will need strong communication skills, the ability to understand the academic landscape of JSU and its culture, and experience leading a Historically Black College and University. Shawna Smith, who is with the university's English Department, specially asked for a president who is able to effectively communicate with faculty, staff and students. She added that she wants to see JSU excel academically just as much as the football team. |
| Delta State named top music business school by Billboard | |
| For the fourth year in a row, Billboard magazine has named Delta State University's Delta Music Institute as one of the top music business schools in the world. The unranked list, which appeared in the Oct. 25 issue of the magazine, has Delta State alongside other schools such as Abbey Road Institute in London, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Spain, Belmont University in Nashville, and Middle Tennessee State University. Schools were selected on industry recommendations, alumni success, faculty credentials, and information provided by each institution, combined with nearly a decade of research by Billboard staff. Delta State's Music Institute, also known as its Entertainment Industries Studies program, is intended to develop a broad range of skills in audio engineering technology and entertainment industry entrepreneurship, providing students with a foundational base of knowledge for working in various entertainment industry careers. The program promises that alumni will be prepared for the technical, business, and legal issues that confront the entertainment industry in not only today's world but also the future. "Being recognized by Billboard for the fourth year in a row underscores the incredible dedication of our faculty, students, and staff," DMI Director and Entertainment Industry Studies Chair Richard Tremmel said. |
| U. of Tennessee adds more international students while navigating Trump policies | |
 | The University of Tennessee at Knoxville enrolled more international students this semester, despite concerns that President Donald Trump's immigration policies could keep students from getting the documents they need to study in the United States. The 94-student increase brought UT's international students total to 1,487 for the fall semester -- more than any previous semester going back to fall 2016 -- including 100 or more students each from India, China and Bangladesh. UT had 1,393 international students in the spring semester, by comparison. William Vittetoe, the university's director of international student and scholar services, shared the update with Faculty Senate members Oct. 20, roughly six months after Knox News reported nine international students had their immigration statuses revoked and then restored by the Trump administration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is operating during the ongoing federal government shutdown to process visa applications and enforce changes from the Trump administration, including a proclamation effective Sept. 21 that requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee for each specialty worker requiring an H1-B visa. "The language does not specifically target higher education," Vittetoe said. "It is very much focused on the tech sector. That said, it absolutely impacts us. We are not excluded, so we are included within this, even if the language doesn't necessarily directly target us." |
| Report shows continued enrollment rise at Oklahoma colleges | |
| Oklahoma's public colleges and universities saw enrollment increase by 3.6% this fall semester, which officials attributed in part to a rise in first-time students. The 6,100 student increase marked the fifth consecutive year of growth and represented Oklahoma's highest fall semester headcount in eight years. Over 175,100 students enrolled in a public institution of higher education, officials said. The greatest growth was at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, which saw a 4.7% increase in enrollment, according to the analysis. Community college enrollment grew by 4.3% growth. The state's regional schools saw the slowest growth at 1.2%. A different analysis found that over 91% of graduates from Oklahoma higher education institutions are still employed in the state a year after graduation, but that number dropped to 83% after five years. Engineers who earned a bachelor's degree in Oklahoma were employed one year after graduation at a rate of 72%, but this fell to 56% after five years. "Our engineers leave the state at higher rates than some of our other critical occupations," said Cass Minx, the associate vice chancellor for workforce and economic development. "So this one in particular, I think really is one that we should focus on and need some of the most support to incentivize them to stay in the state." |
| More first-generation students in Texas are applying for college | |
| Adrian Torres' obsession with race cars began when he was 11 years old. He got hooked watching a YouTube video of someone playing a Formula One game and quickly grew fascinated with the race cars themselves. In high school, he joined the robotics club. "I've always wanted to learn how things work," Torres said, and the robotics club taught him "that's what mechanical engineering is." Going to college to pursue a degree in that field seemed like a good next step, but he had a lot to figure out. Neither his father, who is from Puerto Rico, nor his mother, who is from Guatemala, has a college degree. All they could do was encourage him. With help from others, including mentors at the robotics club, Torres applied to college and is now a freshman at the University of Texas at Dallas. He's part of a large wave of first-generation students applying to college in the state, one that has grown significantly over the last five years. In recent years, Texas has received national attention for being one of the first states to ban all diversity, equity and inclusion programs in colleges and for ending in-state tuition rates for undocumented students. At the same time, the state has seen the number of first-generation college applicants more than triple in the last five years. Many of them are Hispanic. |
| Missouri Board of Curators approves new defined contribution plan for employees | |
 | The University of Missouri announced a limited-time voluntary retirement option for eligible long-term employees to transfer the lump-sum value of their pension benefits into a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k). The plan, approved by the UM System Board of Curators in June, aims to give employees greater flexibility and control over their retirement savings. Employees who are eligible include those who have a defined benefit or hybrid pension plan and have not yet qualified for full retirement benefits. "The voluntary Defined Contribution Opt-In Program is a result of requests from employees in the DB or Hybrid Plans who have asked for greater flexibility, choice and control in their retirement planning and have expressed a preference for earning their retirement benefit under a defined contribution plan," a UM System news release said. "In a pension plan, you're a passenger on the road to retirement. The route and destination are set for you. In a defined contribution plan, you're in the driver seat making the decisions that determine the route and pace to your retirement goal," Megan Bauer, manager at Williams-Keepers, said. |
| Big Tech Makes Cal State Its A.I. Training Ground | |
| On the first day of A.I. Camp, a new summer program at California State University, Savannah Bosley got a hands-on introduction to Amazon Bedrock, a system for building artificial intelligence apps. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to put it on the résumé, to learn a new tool that's maybe marketable," said Ms. Bosley, a computer science major who graduated this year from California Polytechnic State University, a Cal State campus in San Luis Obispo. Dozens of students attended the five-day program, which was held on the Cal Poly campus and "powered by" Amazon Web Services, the e-commerce giant's cloud computing division. Students scooped up free swag like Amazon-branded pens and notebooks. They tackled assignments on AWS Jam, a training app where students can practice A.I. skills. They listened as Amazon employees extolled company principles like "Think Big." Cal State, the largest U.S. university system with 460,000 students, recently embarked on a public-private campaign -- with corporate titans including Amazon, OpenAI and Nvidia -- to position the school as the nation's "first and largest A.I.-empowered" university. One central goal is to make generative A.I. tools, which can produce humanlike texts and images, available across the school's 22 campuses. Cal State also wants to embed chatbots in teaching and learning, and prepare students for "increasingly A.I.-driven" careers. Cal State's growing industry ties offer a glimpse into an extraordinary shift in campus power dynamics unfolding across the United States. Some major universities are inviting tech companies, which typically supply campus computers and email, to take on a much bigger role as education thought partners, A.I. instructors and curriculum providers. |
| Survey: Students Share Feelings of Belonging on Campuses | |
 | Seven in 10 college students say most or nearly all students on their college campus feel welcomed, valued and supported, according to a July 2025 survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab. The data, collected from over 260 two- and four-year colleges across the country, paints a relatively rosy picture of students' sentiments on campus this fall against the backdrop of free speech restrictions, tense protests and cutbacks to programs that serve students from racial minorities. While respondents indicated the average student is welcome at their institution, they were less confident about whether they themselves fit in academically or socially. Fewer than one-third of respondents said they have an "excellent" or "above average" sense of social belonging on campus; 42 percent reported "average" feelings of belonging. Additionally, 38 percent of students said they had an "excellent" or "above average" sense of academic fit at their institution, while just under half said they had an average sense of academic fit. Survey data also pointed to positive sentiments about personal and academic inquiry. When asked how encouraged and supported they felt to explore different perspectives and challenge their beliefs, a majority of students indicated they feel "somewhat" (45 percent) or "very" supported (35 percent) on campus. |
| Top universities ramp up lobbying amid Trump higher education crackdown | |
 | The nation's top schools have ramped up their spending on lobbying the federal government this year amid President Trump's crackdown on higher education, disclosures filed last week show. Twenty-four top universities and one of the nation's largest college systems have already spent around $24 million lobbying Washington this year, more than double what they spent during the same time period last year, according to federal disclosures. "Universities have been upping their lobbying game to try to be influential, either try to directly influence the White House or, probably in a lot of cases, trying to lobby members of Congress with perceived influence in the White House," said Thomas Holyoke, a political science professor at California State University, Fresno who has researched lobbying for over 20 years. At least 11 universities and the University of California (UC) system shelled out more than $1 million each lobbying the government in the first nine months of the year. The UC system -- which includes UC Berkeley and UC Los Angeles -- spent more than $3.2 million this year on lobbying alone. Experts predict colleges will spend even more before the year's end as the Trump administration continues to shake up higher education. |
| GOP Senator Accuses AAUP President of Exacerbating 'Organizational Antisemitism' | |
| n a letter to American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten, Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who chairs the education committee, accused American Association of University Professors president and AFT vice president Todd Wolfson of promoting "organizational antisemitism" within the AAUP. Cassidy cited an August Inside Higher Ed interview with Wolfson in which the union leader stood against sending weapons to Israel, accused the Trump administration of weaponizing antisemitism for political gains and advocated for the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, a definition of antisemitism that does not include anti-Zionism. Cassidy also referenced a statement from Wolfson calling Vice President JD Vance a fascist as well as a March letter to the AAUP from the Anti-Defamation League and Academic Engagement Network that said "the AAUP [is] being perceived as increasingly moving in a virulently anti-Israel direction, and as a result, growing insensitive and even hostile to the concerns of its Jewish and Zionist members." The AAUP is an affiliate of the AFT, one of the largest unions nationwide for K–12 and higher education professionals. The two became formally affiliated in 2022 and share some leadership, including Wolfson. |
| The Little-Known Way That Trump Is Upending Community College | |
 | President Trump's funding battle with the nation's research universities has made headlines for months. But the federal government is also looking to reshape a less-talked-about component of higher education that serves over a million students. The Trump administration has proposed cutting funding for adult education, a suite of programs that includes English-language learning and high-school equivalency training, which can confer GEDs. "Adult ed is like a little secret -- nobody really knows what we do," said Dian Organ, director of adult education at Colby Community College, in Kansas. "We serve the population that nobody wants to see." Given that the federal government has also said it wants "to address the work-force needs of American companies" and "develop alternatives to four-year college degrees," leaders of community colleges and adult-education programs say they are confused. "There doesn't seem to be an understanding about the value of adult education as the talent pipeline of the work force," said Sharon Bonney, chief executive of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, or COABE. Not all leaders of community colleges are pessimistic about potential changes to adult education. Vincent June, chancellor of South Louisiana Community College, said that although a huge chunk of his institution's funding comes from the federal government, he is confident that the college would be able to adapt to cuts. "I'm not panicking," he said. |
| Searching for Compromise on Student Loan Caps | |
| The Department of Education confirmed Monday that its second week of rule making over student loans is a go starting Nov. 3, regardless of whether there is a resolution in sight for the government shutdown. Once again, the main issue on the table for the advisory committee will be which types of postbaccalaureate programs should qualify for which of the two recently instituted graduate loan caps. Under Congress's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, students in professional programs can borrow up to $200,000 to pay for their degrees, though they'll be limited to $50,000 a year. Loans for other graduate programs are capped at $100,000 over all and $20,500 a year. Regulating what types of programs fall in each category is just one of the many tasks outlined for ED in the sweeping budget bill, but experts said the loan caps are likely to be one of the most consequential changes, as they could force hundreds of thousands of borrowers into the private loan market. President Trump and Republicans on the Hill hope the loan limits and privatization process will force graduate schools to lower the cost of attendance. But many higher education and workforce development advocates say that in certain high-demand, high-cost programs like health care, there is little fat left to trim. As a result, they say, college costs will stay the same, but the loans will be less accessible and fewer students will enroll in high-demand programs. |
| China seeks self-reliance in science in next five-year plan | |
| China's top leaders convened in Beijing this week for a high-level political meeting to map out the country's next five-year plan (FYP), which runs from 2026 to 2030. During this period, the country aims to achieve greater self-reliance in science and technology, develop innovation-driven industries and "key core technologies", notes a communique released after the meeting on Thursday. The plan -- the 15th in China's history -- is expected to be released early next year. The government intends to increase its support for advanced semiconductor technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and basic research, said Yin Hejun, the Chinese minister for science and technology, at a press conference in Beijing on Friday. Researchers say this is part of China's effort to overcome technological bottlenecks. Huang Baorong, a researcher of sustainable development policies at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, expects China will increase its science-related investments over the next five years. This could help to offset some of the impact of the US government's anticipated budget cuts to science, particularly in areas such as climate change and public health, Huang says. China's annual research and development (R&D) expenditure has skyrocketed over the past two decades. Last year, it spent more than 3.6 trillion yuan (US$505 billion), up 8.9% from 2023 and a sixfold jump compared with 2009. The Chinese government is the world's biggest R&D spender. |
| Chinese biotech industry shows no signs of slowing as threat of U.S. restrictions loom | |
| As the U.S. government moves to guard against an increasingly competitive Chinese biotech industry, Chinese drugmakers are striking major deals with their global counterparts -- including some in the U.S. Last week, Innovent Biologics announced a deal with the Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda that will provide it $1.2 billion up front and more than $10 billion in potential "milestone" payments -- along with a $100 million equity investment -- for rights to a pair of cancer medications. Under the agreement, the biggest deal yet for Chinese-developed antibodies, the two will jointly develop and commercialize one of the drugs in the U.S. Earlier this month, Zenas Biopharma, a U.S. biotech company developing therapies for autoimmune diseases, announced it would license three drugs from China's InnoCare, which will receive up-front and "near-term" milestone payments of up to $100 million, along with far larger long-term potential revenue if the programs advance. |
SPORTS
| Making Memories With Challenger Baseball | |
| Rainy weather on Sunday afternoon may have forced a small change in venue but it didn't dampen the spirits of the Challenger Baseball players who competed alongside their Mississippi State counterparts inside the Palmeiro Center. The Challenger organization is centered around baseball lovers with special needs and have collaborated with Diamond Dawgs for decades of memories for players and families alike. "The families and everybody involved in this event, we all know how much it means to them," MSU head coach Brian O'Connor said. "Certainly, for our players at Mississippi State, for them to engage with the people in the community and for them to have the opportunity to share a couple hours with people that look up to them is really special." Four teams competed in two games in front of large crowd of friends, family and fans with Challenger players paired up their own representative from the Bulldogs with smiles shared all around. "It allows us to be able to put it into perspective and understand that it's more than baseball here in Starkville," said MSU first baseman Noah Sullivan, who participated in the event for the second consecutive year. The annual event is something the families of Challenger Baseball players look forward to each fall. |
| Lebby, Bulldogs back to work again as conference losing streak grows | |
| Devastation was felt for yet another Southeastern Conference game last week as Mississippi State found another creative way to lose. For 16-straight games in league play, that's been the case. It was different the last two years for the Bulldogs as the talent level and depth wasn't where it needed to be. This year, Jeff Lebby's team is on the doorstep and that's the frustration for the fanbase and the team alike. As the Bulldogs walked off the Scott Field grass on Saturday, they couldn't believe what had happened. A 17-point lead vanished in a fourth quarter blink as No. 20 Texas erased a 38-21 deficit and won 45-38 in overtime. That same shock and frustration followed the team into the doors of the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex on Sunday afternoon but they left the building that day with a page turned to Arkansas. "Guys inside the building (Sunday) – which I expected – disappointment, frustration, shocked that this really happened and it did. Our guys (Monday) morning through leadership council meetings, our team meeting, position meetings, unit meetings, kids are resilient man," Lebby said. "They'll fit off the leader and fit off the people coaching them every single day. I think we have a pissed off football team. A team that isn't hanging their head, is not feeling sorry for themselves. A football that that is ready to go prove we're a good football team. That's my charge." |
| Jeff Lebby's advice to Blake Shapen after Mississippi State QB booed | |
| Before Blake Shapen set a career high in passing yards, the Mississippi State football quarterback was getting booed by fans at Davis Wade Stadium. The MSU offense had a slow start to its 45-38 overtime loss to Texas on Oct. 25. The Bulldogs went three-and-out on their first two possessions and then had a 47-yard field goal blocked before scoring any points. Fans got increasingly restless. Shapen finished 26-of-42 with 381 passing yards and four passing touchdowns, which also tied a career high. Coach Jeff Lebby was asked at his weekly news conference on Oct. 27 how he coaches Shapen to handle the criticism. The Bulldogs (4-4, 0-4 SEC) play at Arkansas (2-6, 0-4) on Nov. 1 (3 p.m., SEC Network). "For me, I talk about this all the time," Lebby said. "Leadership is lonely and it's part of this profession. It's part of playing that position inside this conference. There is a responsibility for each and every one of us to make sure that we do a great job of just focusing on our job and making sure we play with great emotion and great energy. And at the same time, handling that emotion and energy at the right time. For us, when you step inside that arena, you're going to get criticized. That's part of this game. That's what every single one of us signed up for. There's so much good that comes with it. I don't want him to feel any type of way of that part of it. It's about going and playing the best of our ability, and me coaching the best of my ability to give our guys a chance to go win." |
| Razorback report: Petrino says defensive captain Ball expected back from injury | |
| University of Arkansas defensive captain Cam Ball is expected to return on Saturday against Mississippi State, interim Coach Bobby Petrino said on Monday. Ball missed last week's 33-24 loss to Auburn and Petrino said he could not elaborate on the injury, which he said Ball suffered in Tuesday's practice. Bo Mattingly, co-host of the "Chuck and Bo Show" radio program, reported Ball was in concussion protocols. "Cam will practice tomorrow, no contact, and then should be ready for Saturday," Petrino said. "So we still have to wait and see, but he should be ready to go." ... Mississippi State Coach Jeff Lebby, whose team is riding a 16-game losing streak in SEC play, was asked Monday if he felt the Arkansas game represented his team's best shot at winning in the SEC this year. "Not in the least bit," Lebby said. "We played a team (Florida) a couple of weeks ago that was the best 2-4 team in the country. We're playing the best 2-6 team in the country this week." Lebby went on to tout quarterback Taylen Green. "They have a quarterback that is elite at everything he does," Lebby said. "They have played really well offensively." |
| Bulldogs drop regular season finale, will face Oklahoma in SEC Tournament | |
 | Mississippi State soccer closed out its regular season on Sunday with a 1-0 home loss to Georgia. The 11 a.m. start meant that many of the usual fans didn't make it out and a playing surface that had endured an evening of rain. The Bulldogs finish the regular season with a 10-5-1 overall record, 5-4-1 in conference play, with four losses in their last five SEC games. The game was moved up to 11 a.m. due to concerns over severe weather and lightning at the original kickoff time of 2 p.m., which would have occurred in unison with the rest of the conference as the regular season winds down. MSU will enter the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed and face Oklahoma in the first round at 4:30 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla. on Sunday. "It's just one of those," head coach Nick Zimmerman said. "I thought we did enough to get a result, but credit to them, they punished us. We didn't track and at this level, that's what happens. We get some time off now, get ready to go to Pensacola and figure out how we can continue to get better and grow." |
| Congressman Demands College Coach Pay Cap Amid Buyout Bonanza | |
| The record-setting rate of college coaching buyouts this year has reignited one member of Congress' push to impose sweeping limits on how much universities can pay their coaches -- both to lead their teams and, if desired, leave them. The Correcting Opportunity and Accountability in Collegiate Hiring (COACH) Act, introduced Monday by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to cap the total annual compensation of any athletics department employee at no more than 10 times the institution's annual in-state costs for a full-time undergraduate student. Baumgartner floated a similar measure in April as part of his Restore College Sports Act. But in the wake of Brian Kelly's firing at LSU -- with a staggering $53.8 million left on his contract -- Baumgartner decided to separate the pay cap this week as a standalone bill. In a phone interview with Sportico, Baumgartner contends that, while dramatic, there is nothing unreasonable about the figure he is proposing -- which would bring it in line with pre-1990s coaching pay -- given that college athletics remains, in his view, "subsidized public good." "We are trying to have a public policy baseline that is reasonable within the broader general public," Baumgartner said, when asked how he arrived at his calculations. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
