| Tuesday, December 16, 2025 |
| Stone Blvd. closing for traffic circle construction | |
 | Beginning Wednesday [Dec. 17], Stone Boulevard will close temporarily from the Highway 12 Bypass to B.S. Hood Road for construction of a new traffic circle at the intersection of Stone and Bost Drive. The west side of campus will remain accessible via University Drive, College View Drive and Bully Boulevard. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time and follow posted signage as traffic patterns adjust during construction. The traffic circle is expected to be completed in July. Contact the Facilities Management Service Desk at 662-325-2005 with questions. |
| Risk management key as cattle market volatility continues | |
 | An ag economist says the volatility in the cattle markets is expected to continue. Josh Maples is with Mississippi State University Extension. "This market is not someone out there pulling a lever saying 'ope, bad news today, we're going to push prices down or good news today we're going to push prices up'," he says. "The market is a reflection of real positions that people are taking. They're reacting to the information that comes out." He tells Brownfield the continued threat of New World screwworm has influenced how the market has moved. "On one hand, people are going to see this and maybe it is going to be negative for the market because we're worried about it being so close to the U.S.," he says. "So it could lead to some traders to be a bit bearish." And, he says rumors play another factor in the volatility. "It shows the complexity of these markets," he says. "It really is about the news that comes around and how it affects the particular traders. And people take different positions based on the exact same information." Maples says it's a good reminder for producers to implement solid risk management plans for their operations. |
| Mississippi wants more citizens to earn a college degree or obtain industry credentials | |
| Mississippi has a goal of more of its citizens being trained in an industry recognized credential or obtaining a college degree, an effort referred to as Ascent to 55%. Jennifer Rogers, Director of State Student Financial Aid at the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, told lawmakers last week at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Universities and Colleges Committee about a potential program that could help the state reach that goal. Currently, Mississippi is at roughly 48.7 percent. Jean Massey, Executive Director of the Mississippi Economic Council for Ascent to 55%, said during her presentation that the national average is 54.9 percent. One of the ways to raise that rate is by providing adult learners with access to state aid programs. Rogers said a large percentage of Mississippi community college students are not recent high school graduates, making them ineligible for the current state aid programs. Tennessee's Reconnect was put forward as an example of a program that Mississippi could use as a model. Tennessee's program has increased community college enrollment by 40 percent among the adult population and raised credential completion of that population by more than 14 percent. |
| OCH hospital sale proceeds climb up to $58M | |
 | While initially poised to receive about $30.5 million in net proceeds from the sale of OCH Regional Medical Center, Oktibbeha supervisors are now expecting to pocket between $55 million and $58 million, though they're no closer to deciding what to do with it. County Administrator Wayne Carpenter explained the difference in estimated proceeds could be chalked up to a "cash sweep" of hospital assets. "The hospital had cash sitting in checking accounts and those types of things," Carpenter told The Dispatch following the board's regular meeting Monday. "... That's where the confusion lies. People look at the net sales price, $55 million. They look at the bonds ... and that gets you down to $35 million. Where they get lost is, there's cash sitting on the books, and all that got swept, and that brought you back up to $55, $58 million." That amount is still fluid, Carpenter said, with roughly $3.8 million set aside for potential lawsuits and about $1 million set aside to pay health insurance costs. "We may not spend all that, so some of that may come back," he said. "Who knows? We may get this huge lawsuit and have to pay it. There's still a lot of balls in the air right now." |
| Explore outdoors with the new Great Mississippi Nature Trail | |
 | The State of Mississippi has created the Great Mississippi Nature Trail, and it's an open invitation to get outdoors and explore some of the most beautiful areas the state has to offer. "This trail is more than a collection of pins on a map," said Gov. Tate Reeves in a Monday afternoon press conference at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. "It is a gateway to open new doors for Mississippians and our visitors to experience the landscapes that make our state unlike anywhere in the nation. "From the marshes of the Gulf Coast to the longleaf pine forests of the South to the rivers and farmlands of the Mississippi Delta and the rolling Appalachian foothills in the Northeast, Mississippi's outdoor experiences are as diverse as they are beautiful. The Great Mississippi Nature Trail connects 20 of these incredible places creating a seamless network of outdoor recreational opportunities across our state." Drew St. John, District 2 commissioner of the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said among millennial and Gen Z populations, outdoor recreation is a priority with hiking being the top activity. "This is a lot of hiking, but it's also a lot of other great opportunities to get out and enjoy the trail," St. John said. |
| Natchez Trace Parkway closure extended in Choctaw, Webster counties | |
 | The construction-related closure of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Choctaw and Webster counties will remain in effect longer than originally planned. The section of the parkway, between Mississippi Highway 413 and U.S. Highway 82, has been closed since June 9, 2025, to allow for the removal and replacement of failed pavement and culverts. The closure includes the Jeff Busby Campground and day use area. While the project was initially expected to be completed by the end of summer, officials with the National Park Service (NPS) said unforeseen site conditions and weather delays have extended the timeline. A definitive reopening date is not available at this time, and construction will continue into 2026. "We understand this extended closure is frustrating for travelers and local communities," said Natchez Trace Parkway Superintendent Wendy Ross. "The safety of visitors, staff, and construction crews remains our priority with this project. We are committed to completing the work as safely and efficiently as possible." The closure affects all traffic, including vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. A signed detour remains in place between Mississippi Highway 413 and U.S. Highway 82. |
| Exploring Bayous and Beaches on the Reborn Gulf Train | |
 | "I am never sure of time or place on a Railroad," Charles Dickens wrote in 1856 as rail travel was beginning to change our concept of distance. I recognized the feeling when I recently rode Amtrak's new twice-daily Mardi Gras Service running along the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. On the way out of New Orleans, the train moseyed past the Superdome, past famed 19th-century cemeteries, past freeways and skyline and into the vast bayou to the east of the city. As the late-afternoon glare gave way to a golden-green smolder on the Mississippi River Delta, a lone wooden house on stilts punctuated the landscape while the train sent egrets flying upon its approach. The visual feast reinforced for me rail travel's timeless charms. Yet time and place are central to the story of this rail line. Until August, it hadn't seen a passenger train since Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago. For a long time, it was unclear it if ever would. But the Mardi Gras Service has become a test case in the renewed effort to expand passenger rail travel in the United States. And now, I was on my way to visit the string of newly accessible, pleasantly walkable towns dotting the Gulf Coast. It's now possible to explore this stretch of coast, and explore it well, without a car. |
| Local waterways create unique environment for research | |
| Vicksburg is a river city. For 200 years, the ebb and flow of the waters of the Mississippi, Yazoo and Big Black rivers have influenced the culture, economics and landscape of the area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recognized the importance of these waters early on and has been a constant mainstay of the community with both the Mississippi Valley Division and the Vicksburg District calling Vicksburg home. Following the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, a national hydraulic laboratory was established to study the Mississippi River in hopes of mitigating future flooding, and Vicksburg was chosen as the best site for the new Waterways Experiment Station (WES). Seventy years later, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) headquarters was established on the historic WES campus. "The Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) is the reason ERDC is actually in Vicksburg today," CHL Director Dr. Ty Wamsley said. "We are the original laboratory." ERDC currently consists of seven laboratories across three states and provides solutions to the nation's toughest military and civil works challenges. |
| Poultry processor Amick Farms announces $74.5M expansion at Laurel facility | |
| Poultry processor Amick Farms is expanding operations at its Laurel facility through a $74.5 million corporate investment, officials announced Monday. Headquartered in South Carolina, Amick Farms purchased its Laurel production facility in 2021. The expansion is slated to increase processing capacity from 800,000 to approximately 1.1 million head per week and create approximately 190 jobs over the next three years. "Agriculture has been at the core of Mississippi's economy for centuries. This $74 million investment and nearly 200 jobs in Laurel build on that strong foundation and legacy," Gov. Tate Reeves said. "Mississippi has the natural resources, transportation network, and pro-growth environment to help ensure our state keeps feeding America for generations to come." The project is being supported by the Mississippi Development Authority through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive. MDA is also assisting with infrastructure improvements. The Economic Development Authority of Jones County is assisting, as well. |
| City mayors expect major economic development from West Rankin Parkway | |
| The West Rankin Parkway officially opened Nov. 25 and has helped drivers traveling from Flowood to Pearl cut their trip to just about five minutes. The parkway connects Highway 80 in Pearl to Flowood Drive in Flowood and sits on a large tract of land. We spoke to Flowood Mayor Kathy Smith to see how the parkway has impacted the community so far. "It's so much easier to run from one city to another and connect us all and have more sense of a community if the drive distance is just so much shorter," Smith said. Not only has it reduced travel time for drivers, Mayor Smith said, but it will play a role in major economic development with great potential for industrial use. "But we do have great potential there with a thousand acres and then also having rail access and access to an interstate," Smith said. "That's just almost unheard of to have all of that in one area with that much land, so it's going to have a huge economic impact for the city of Pearl and the city of Flowood." |
| Former LINK executive, 'unreplaceable friend,' passes away Friday | |
| Brenda Lathan was known to many for her work as senior vice president of economic development at the Golden Triangle Development LINK. Lathan, 68, passed away Friday. Born June 20, 1957, in Monroe County, Lathan served with the LINK through its various iterations beginning in 1999. Lathan served as a receptionist when the organization was known as the Columbus-Lowndes Economic Development Authority and eventually worked her way up senior vice president of economic development. She retired in 2019. Chief Operations Officer of the LINK, Meryl Fisackerly in a Saturday email said that Lathan will be remembered for her dedication not only to the development of the Golden Triangle but also for her commitment to those with whom she worked. "Her leadership, strategic insight, and tireless advocacy helped shape initiatives that continue to benefit our communities today," Fisackerly wrote. |
| Westlake's PVC plant ceasing operations, impacting 100 employees | |
 | Westlake Corporation has announced it will cease operations at four plants, including its PVC plant in Aberdeen. The company announced its decision on Monday, Dec. 15. Approximately 100 people will be laid off at the Aberdeen plant. The other three plants set to close by Dec. 31 are located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In a press release, the company blamed "persistent trough economics facing the global commodities chemicals industry" for the closures, and said the operations being shuttered represent "older assets and technologies within the Westlake Performance & Essential Materials portfolio." Trough economics refers to a low turning point in business. He added on a global scale, the industry has faced difficulties for the past three or four years. "Approximately 295 union and nonunion employees combined are affected by this decision," the company stated. "A limited number of employees will remain at the sites once production ceases to facilitate the safe and orderly closure of the plants." Of the 100 employees affected at the Aberdeen plant, 70 are union employees. The company said it will be negotiating with their union representatives shortly. |
| U.S. Unemployment Rose in November Despite Job Gains | |
 | The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, its highest in more than four years, fueling questions about the American economy's underlying strength. A long-delayed government report on Tuesday showed that 64,000 jobs were gained in November, while 105,000 jobs were lost in October. The unemployment rate in November rose to 4.6%, from 4.4% in September, the last month the Labor Department had reported the unemployment rate. Job losses in June, August and October mean the U.S. economy has shed jobs in three out of the past six months. Major stock indexes were swinging between small gains and losses in morning trading. The department published two months of data instead of one, after pausing its data collections during the 43-day government shutdown. An unemployment rate for October wasn't available because, during the shutdown, officials weren't able to conduct the survey needed to calculate that number. Payroll gains in November were slightly better than the 45,000 forecast by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal, but they had expected a lower unemployment rate of 4.5%. |
| Leary ready to take on criminals as U.S. Attorney | |
| The newly confirmed United States Attorney is a husband, father, grandfather, horseman and lover of John Wayne movies. Scott Leary also has an impressive record of prosecuting criminals over the last three decades. Last week, the U.S. Senate formally confirmed Leary as the top prosecutor for U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. He had been doing the job as an interim for about a month. Not a political appointee, Leary has been a working prosecutor for nearly his entire career. After graduating from Ole Miss law school in 1991 with more debt than he wanted, he joined a law firm to pay the bills and repay his student loans. But before the decade ended, he had landed a prosecuting job within Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore's public integrity unit. Leary said his three main goals are cartel trafficking and violent crime; child exploitation and pornography; and white collar and corruption cases. While keeping up the strong relationships with federal partners, Leary wants to maintain and strengthen relationships with state and local agencies. "They are our boots on the ground. They normally learn about things first," Leary said. "We've got to be in a position where they will call us. And when they do, we will prosecute." |
| White House weighs risks of a health care fight as ACA subsidies set to expire | |
 | The White House is wary that the current debate around health care subsidies could go the way of Republicans' failure to repeal Obamacare that fueled Democrats' return to power in 2018. If only it were that simple. The administration is also contending with differing opinions over the political ramifications of the subsidies expiring, the question of whether President Donald Trump's engagement might be unproductive on the Hill and the reality that Trump, behind the scenes, likely knows something must be done to prevent the premium spike some Americans would see. As congressional Republicans duke out their intraparty divisions on how to address the expiration of some Affordable Care Act subsidies, administration officials don't believe Trump should engage -- more than he already has. That's because they're fearful of the president getting yoked into a messy health care fight, according to two people close to the White House and another person familiar with health care conversations between the White House and the Hill, granted anonymity to discuss them. “The White House does understand how important this issue is,” one of the people close to the White House said |
| Trump's Top Aide Acknowledges 'Score Settling' Behind Prosecutions | |
| President Trump's chief of staff said she tried to get him to end his "score settling" against political enemies after 90 days in office, but acknowledged that the administration's still ongoing push for prosecutions has been fueled in part by the president's desire for retribution. Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, told an interviewer that she forged a "loose agreement" with Mr. Trump to stop focusing after three months on punishing antagonists, an effort that evidently did not succeed. While she insisted that Mr. Trump is not constantly thinking about retribution, she said that "when there's an opportunity, he will go for it." Ms. Wiles made the comments in a series of extraordinarily unguarded interviews over the first year of Mr. Trump's second term with the author Chris Whipple that are being published Tuesday by Vanity Fair. Over the course of 11 interviews, Ms. Wiles offered pungent assessments of the president and his team: Mr. Trump "has an alcoholic's personality." Vice President JD Vance has "been a conspiracy theorist for a decade" and his conversion from Trump critic to ally was based not on principle but was "sort of political" because he was running for Senate. Elon Musk is "an avowed ketamine" user and "an odd, odd duck," whose actions were not always "rational" and left her "aghast." Russell T. Vought, the budget director, is "a right-wing absolute zealot." And Attorney General Pam Bondi "completely whiffed" in handling the Epstein files. |
| Senate Republican on Trump's Reiner post: I think he 'should have said nothing' | |
 | Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said Monday that President Trump should not have weighed in on the deaths of acclaimed actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found with stab wounds over the weekend at their home in Los Angeles. Kennedy joined a growing chorus of Republicans pushing back on the president for suggesting the director, a prolific Democratic donor and advocate for progressive causes, died because of his disdain for Trump -- what the president has termed "Trump derangement syndrome." "A wise man once said nothing. Why? Because he's a wise man," Kennedy told CNN's Manu Raju at the Capitol. "I think President Trump should have said nothing." The Reiners were found stabbed to death in their home this weekend. Their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, has been "booked for murder," according to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell. The younger Reiner is being held without bail. Trump responded to news of their deaths with a social media post noting Reiner's political opposition to him, and support for liberal causes. The post drew criticism from several swing-district Republicans, as well as GOP members who have previously spoken publicly against the president. |
| Pentagon plan calls for major power shifts within U.S. military | |
 | Senior Pentagon officials are preparing a plan to downgrade several of the U.S. military's major headquarters and shift the balance of power among its top generals, in a major consolidation sought by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, people familiar with the matter said. If adopted, the plan would usher in some of the most significant changes at the military's highest ranks in decades, in part following through on Hegseth's promise to break the status quo and slash the number of four-star generals in the military. It would reduce in prominence the headquarters of U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command by placing them under the control of a new organization known as U.S. International Command, according to five people familiar with the matter. Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine is expected to detail the proposal, which has not previously been reported, for Hegseth in the coming days. Such moves would complement other efforts by the administration to shift resources from the Middle East and Europe and focus foremost on expanding military operations in the Western Hemisphere, these people said. Like others interviewed for this report, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the effort before it is conveyed to the secretary. |
| Research Finds Benefits From Cutting Saturated Fats, as RFK Jr. Promotes Them | |
| People susceptible to developing heart issues benefit the most from reducing their consumption of saturated fats, according to a review of research that comes as the federal government prepares to revise dietary recommendations. A paper published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people at high risk of developing cardiovascular problems saw a reduction in major health issues including heart attack and stroke when they cut back on saturated fats. The picture was different for people without those same cardiovascular risks. Within five years, cutting saturated fats didn't yield the same benefits for that group, the review said. The report comes ahead of an anticipated change to federal dietary guidelines that are likely to embrace the consumption of saturated fats. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the government's new guidelines would "stress the need to eat saturated fats, dairy, good meat, fresh meat and vegetables." The secretary, who has said he follows a carnivore diet, has lauded food companies that use beef tallow, the melted-down fatty tissue of cattle carcasses, instead of seed oils. |
| Lawmakers see financial literacy as a growing need in Mississippi's colleges and universities | |
| The Senate Committee on Universities and Colleges discussed the importance of financial literacy in Mississippi on Friday on day two of hearings at the state Capitol, particularly as it relates to those who may go into debt while seeking a higher education or certificate. State Senator Nicole Boyd (R), the committee's chair, has put a focus on financial literacy due to growing concerns that those who seek a degree or career certificate can face difficulties without the skills to effectively manage their bank accounts. Jean Massey, Executive Director of the Mississippi Economic Council, agrees this topic is of great importance because employers say their employees are regularly seeking help in understanding their pension and other financial issues. Boyd's intent in bringing in experts on the issue hinge on the expectation that legislation will be introduced in the coming session mandating that every person seeking a degree or certificate in Mississippi's college and universities attend financial literacy courses. "We will be looking at some legislation that will mandate financial literacy at our colleges and universities and really at every level," Boyd described. Massey said data indicates only two out of every six incoming college students have basic knowledge of financial literacy, and less than half have taken a financial literacy course prior to attending a college or university. |
| Professors, students appeal ruling on Alabama law banning DEI initiatives at public universities | |
 | A group of students and professors at public universities across Alabama are asking an appeals court to halt a state law that bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public schools and prohibits the endorsement of what Republican lawmakers dubbed "divisive concepts" related to race and gender. The Alabama measure, which took effect in October 2024, is part of a wave of proposals from Republican lawmakers across the country taking aim at DEI programs on college campuses. The state law prohibits public schools and universities from using state funds for any programs or curriculum that endorse "divisive concepts" related to race, religion, gender identity and religion. Instructors are also prohibited from "encouraging" a person feel guilt because of those identities. U.S. District Judge David Proctor allowed the law to remain in place, writing that a professor's academic freedom does not override a public university's decisions about the content of classroom instruction. |
| LSU's reorganization is a threat to Shreveport medical school's autonomy, senators say | |
 | Just how big of a change is the restructuring at LSU? System President Wade Rousse has said it amounts to title changes to "push the LSU system to new heights." But, for institutions not in Baton Rouge or New Orleans, some fear it means a loss of independence and funding in an increasingly centralized system. State Sen. Thomas Pressly, R-Shreveport, and Sen. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, condemned a recent reorganization at LSU that removed the position of chancellor from LSU Health Shreveport and renamed the head of the health sciences university "senior vice chancellor." "It's incredibly disappointing that LSU chose to take away the Chancellor position of the Health Sciences Center in Shreveport without any conversation at all with the community, elected officials, business leaders, and even their own students and faculty about doing so," Pressly said in a press release Monday morning. Under leadership changes approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors last week, the senior vice chancellor now reports to Executive Vice President James Dalton, who is also the chancellor of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge. Leaders at the LSU AgCenter, LSU Health New Orleans and the Pennington Biomedical Center have also been named senior vice chancellors and placed under Dalton. |
| U. of Tennessee graduates carrying Vols spirit to new careers | |
 | This week marks the final chapter for nearly 2,100 University of Tennessee at Knoxville students, and graduates walk away ready to make a difference in Tennessee and beyond. Before they crossed the stage Dec. 12, Knox News caught up with a handful of new UT graduates who have big plans as they step into their careers: caring for expecting mothers through high-risk pregnancies, launching a nonprofit and combining military service with technical knowledge to continue pursuing excellence. Approximately 1,330 undergraduate degrees were awarded Dec. 12, according to UT, and another 739 graduate degrees and certificates were awarded. |
| Schools and Colleges Across New England Tighten Security | |
| With the Brown University shooter still at large, and no information about a motive in an attack that killed two students over the weekend, schools up and down New England were grappling with fear and uncertainty on Monday. Several private schools in the Providence, R.I., area canceled classes on Monday. Public schools in the area stayed open, but with a heightened police presence. At the University of Rhode Island, about 30 miles away in South Kingstown, in-person exams were canceled. Officials said there were no known threats to schools or colleges, but that decisions were made out of caution and in response to community concerns. On many campuses, students are wrapping up final exams this week. The news that a suspect detained by the authorities had been released and that officials did not know if the gunman was still in the city spiked new anxieties on Monday, in a geographically dense part of the country home to many universities and several Ivy League campuses all within driving distance. |
| You Can't AI-Proof the Classroom, Experts Say. Get Creative Instead. | |
 | Blue books made a comeback in 2025. In an effort to prevent students from feeding final essay prompts into ChatGPT, some professors asked their students to sit down and write in-person in the lined, sky-blue booklets that served as the college standard for written assessments in the pre-laptop era. But it may not be the foolproof way to prevent AI-assisted cheating that faculty are looking for: Meta now offers Ray-Ban glasses with a built-in AI assistant that sees what the wearer sees and can communicate silently and privately via an in-lens display. "What is to stop someone from sitting in the back of a classroom and whispering into their glasses to say, 'Hey, I need help with solving this problem,'" said Luke Hobson, an assistant director of instructional design at MIT and lecturer at University of Miami's School of Education and Human Development. "Every time I see someone saying, 'Blue books are the future,' I'm like, 'So are we going to ban students from wearing glasses?'" And glasses are just one of the newest AI gadgets. Students can also talk to their smartwatches, rings or other AI-infused wearables. Though a long way from widespread use, Neuralink began trials this year for its brain-computer interface, which is designed to decode neural activity so that users can control a computer or smartphone simply by thinking about it. |
| Phil and Penny Knight's donation tops the Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of 2025's biggest gifts | |
| The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totaled $5 billion in 2025. Topping the list was $2 billion from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, followed by a $746.7 million donation from Warren Buffett and a $500 million pledge from the mother and stepfather of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Nearly 40% of the $5 billion total came from the Knights' gift to Oregon Health & Science University. More than $1.3 billion, or about one-quarter of the total, came from four donations to Buffett family foundations. The top three gifts went toward cancer care and research, a private grantmaker, and an international effort to fight hunger and malnutrition among women and children. Two donations totaling $600 million went to university athletics programs. One gift of $300 million backed the construction of a new hospital and an effort to expand the health care workforce in South Dakota. Another gift of about $200 million went to an art museum for an expansion project. Phil Knight, whose net worth Forbes pegs at more than $31 billion, and his wife, Penny, gave their $2 billion donation in August to Oregon Health & Science University to expand clinical trials and basic cancer research at the Knight Cancer Institute and bolster a range of support services for cancer patients and their families, including psychological, genetic, and financial counseling, nutritional care, and survivorship support, among other offerings. |
| Will Trump Try to Strong-Arm College Accreditors? | |
 | For decades, policymakers and elected officials have tried, with limited success, to force major changes in higher education by pressuring the accreditors that control the financial-aid spigot. Under the Trump administration, it just might work. But a key question remains: Will the proposed changes serve students or political purposes? The White House is seeking to place new limits on the authority and autonomy of accrediting agencies, pushing for more government oversight of how they operate and what they require from colleges. Nicholas Kent, the Education Department's top higher-education official, has made it clear that overhauling accreditation is a top priority in the coming year and said new regulations are coming soon. The Trump administration says it aims to increase the focus on outcomes, create competition among accreditors, and eliminate what it describes as "unlawful discrimination" from efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the past, accrediting agencies adapted just enough to escape the heat, said Kevin Kinser, a professor of education policy at Pennsylvania State University. What's different now, Kinser said, is that the Trump administration has been unrelenting in its pressure on colleges to adopt certain policies -- and may even be willing to ignore regulations and laws, as has been the case with some colleges and other organizations. |
| How 2025 showcased the power and resilience of science | |
| A year of chaos. That is how many researchers in the United States, at least, will remember 2025. Cuts to federal funding and the federal workforce, political threats to US universities, an immigration crackdown and the country's withdrawal from global organizations have stymied research in many fields and reshaped, probably for decades to come, the landscape of the world's leading sponsor of science. Throughout the world, financial pressures, political interference and rising nationalist sentiment have put increased strain on a scientific enterprise that thrives on independence, openness and diversity, as Nature's special series on the future of universities has reported over the past few months. Yet there remains much to celebrate -- which is made plain in the stories of the scientists and innovators profiled in this year's Nature's 10, a selection of ten people who shaped the research landscape in 2025. Some stood up for scientific values, such as Susan Monarez, who was fired after a brief tenure as head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during which time she was asked to pre-approve vaccine recommendations without considering the relevant data. Others kept the flame of multilateralism and evidence-based policymaking burning. |
| A ChatGPT Advent story and writing lesson | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: An Advent story entitled "An Unexpected Lesson" led to a captivating lesson from ChatGPT. Requested to write a story on an unexpected consequence in Matthew 2, on a lark, I asked ChatGPT for help: "Please write me a 250 to 300 word Advent story that focuses on the Bible story of the three wise men following the star to Bethlehem. The plot should highlight the unexpected consequence of their tarrying with Herod which allows Herod to order the death of newborn boys." Though excellent, the resulting story missed my intent and contained too much conjecture. So, I edited the story and crafted a different ending. |
SPORTS
| LIU visits McGhee and Mississippi State | |
| Mississippi State faces LIU Tuesday after Ja'Borri McGhee scored 29 points in Mississippi State's 82-74 win against the Utah Utes. The Bulldogs are 3-1 on their home court. Mississippi State is 2-2 in games decided by 10 or more points. The Sharks are 4-3 on the road. LIU allows 79.4 points to opponents and has been outscored by 3.4 points per game. Mississippi State averages 8.6 made 3-pointers per game, 1.9 more made shots than the 6.7 per game LIU gives up. LIU averages 5.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 fewer made shots on average than the 8.0 per game Mississippi State gives up. Josh Hubbard is scoring 20.4 points per game and averaging 2.8 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Jayden Epps is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers. Malachi Davis is shooting 49.6% and averaging 15.8 points for the Sharks. Greg Gordon is averaging 15.5 points. |
| Bulldogs hope to continue rise after bounceback win at Utah | |
| When the final buzzer sounded at the Delta Center on Saturday, Mississippi State basketball had life again. The Bulldogs, now 5-5, led for a total of 6:45 out of 40 minutes of basketball in Salt Lake City, and trailed by as many as 17 points in both halves. Head coach Chris Jans' squad has had a rocky start to the 2025-26 season. Road defeats to Big 12 opponents early on and heartbreaking losses to SMU and San Francisco at home put the season in jeopardy through just nine games. Yet those losses have had positive performances in between, and that was the case again on Saturday as Ja'Borri McGhee and Jayden Epps led the Bulldogs to a late comeback win. "We just weren't playing very well," Jans said. "There were some fired-up huddles from me to them. We had great energy in practice and shootaround yesterday. We know that isn't a predictor very often, but then we came out, and I just thought we were flat." The team traveled to Utah on Friday, with around six hours of flight time against the jet stream beforehand. More than the travel, Jans looked to another factor in his team's slow start: altitude. "We're not an 'excuse' type of program, but you play at sea level and go to altitude, it makes a difference. It really does. We tried to do what we could to minimize it as best we could, and the research always says get to the last 10 minutes of the game. Everyone is tired, and it wears off, so we subbed pretty liberally to do that." |
| Mississippi State plays Alabama State after Nwaedozi's 21-point game | |
| Mississippi State hosts Alabama State Wednesday after Favour Nwaedozi scored 21 points in Mississippi State's 87-64 win over the Southern Miss Lady Eagles. The Bulldogs are 8-0 in home games. Mississippi State ranks sixth in the SEC with 13.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Nwaedozi averaging 4.3. The Lady Hornets have gone 0-5 away from home. Alabama State is third in the SWAC with 23.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Charlese McClendon averaging 3.7. Mississippi State's average of 6.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.3 fewer made shots on average than the 6.3 per game Alabama State allows. Alabama State has shot at a 35.6% clip from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point greater than the 34.6% shooting opponents of Mississippi State have averaged. Destiney McPhaul is scoring 13.2 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Nwaedozi is averaging 13.2 points and 10.8 rebounds over the last 10 games. |
| Nwaedozi's 20-20 day, senior leadership show an MSU team coming together | |
| When Mississippi State took a 40-28 lead over Southern Miss into halftime, there wasn't a sense of discomfort. The Golden Eagles are a talented team with players who can punish complacency, but the tension wasn't there at Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. At least not in the stands. In the locker room, though, there was a push for more focus and intensity. Those have been points of emphasis for head coach Sam Purcell in recent weeks, but this time it came from the players. "At halftime, Trayanna (Crisp), she's been a really good leader and making sure that we refocus on every quarter, because it's important," Chandler Prater said. "Once we get to SEC play, there's no plays off. First through fourth quarter, we have to be locked in. It was definitely a point at halftime." "A lot of maturity," Purcell responded when asked about the halftime show of force from his players. "We're on an airplane in the air and we're building it as we go. For Chandler and some of the vets, to understand the urgency, shoutout to Coach Castro. He watched last year's game, and we were up 10 on ULM, but we never put them away. So Chandler referenced what he was sending home all week in preparations, it was: 'Here we go again.' You've got a chance, you're up. Are we going to step on their neck or allow them to come back?" The Bulldogs came out in the third quarter on a 13-0 scoring run in what would eventually become a 28-14 frame. |
| Power Conference Commissioners Defend NCAA Redshirt Rule in Court | |
| Over the weekend, the commissioners of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC filed a sworn statement to a Tennessee federal court in support of the NCAA's current eligibility rules. The case at issue is Langston Patterson et al v. NCAA. Patterson, a senior linebacker at Vanderbilt, is among the players claiming that the eligibility rules, and in particular the ones that govern redshirts, violate antitrust law. They claim that if they have "five years to practice" and "five years to graduate," they should therefore have five years to play. U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. -- who last year granted a preliminary injunction allowing Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia to play a sixth college season (fourth Division I season) in 2025 -- is holding a hearing on Monday that could lead to him granting a preliminary injunction letting Patterson and similarly situated players get another season. Through attorneys including co-lead counsel Ryan Downton of the Texas Trial Group, Patterson and other players argue there is an antitrust problem for the NCAA and its member schools and conferences. Those entities are buyers of athlete services to play a sport, and when buyers agree to limit how they compete, they could harm the marketplace for those selling their services. |
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