| Tuesday, March 31, 2026 |
| The war in the Middle East is disrupting helium supplies. That's bad news for more than party balloons. | |
 | The war in the Middle East has already upended global supply chains for petroleum and fertilizer -- and now it's helium's turn. Normally, about a third of the global supply of the gas comes from Qatar -- and through the Strait of Hormuz. With that source cut off, a shortage is looming for industries that depend on helium. That would have consequences well beyond your next balloon purchase at Party City. Nick Fitzkee orders about $6,000 of liquid helium every three months. He's the director of the magnetic resonance facility at Mississippi State University, and he needs the helium because it's extremely cold. As in, 450 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. "Helium is used, basically, to keep the superconducting coils at the temperature where they can be superconducting. And if they rise above that temperature, then your MRI no longer works," Fitzkee said. Semiconductor chip makers need helium too. And it's produced as a byproduct. "It's usually associated with places where they can extract large amounts of natural gas," Fitzkee said. And because only a few places do that, "that's why we have this bottleneck right now." |
| Energy prices are going up. Here's why you shouldn't expect the Fed to do anything about it. | |
| Usually when prices go up, the Fed raises rates -- see all the rate hikes of 2022 and 2023. But these are not usual inflation times. The price increases people are experiencing are in the energy category. And the Fed usually ignores food and energy prices and focuses on core inflation, which strips those categories out. That's because food and energy prices are volatile, and therefore not predictive of future price increases. Think of a drought affecting one season of soybean crops and raising food prices. There is suddenly a lot less oil supply moving through this economy than we're used to because of the war. An interest rate hike can't really fix that. So the Fed is likely to look through this energy shock. But there is a scenario that could lead to the Fed raising rates right now: if inflation expectations go up. "That can lead to a cycle where prices keep rising faster," said Brian Blank of Mississippi State University. |
| MSU faculty member's debut book on Coptic Christian migration wins national book prize | |
 | Mississippi State Assistant Professor Candace Lukasik has received the Alixa Naff Prize in Migration Studies for her debut book "Martyrs and Migrants: Coptic Christians and the Persecution Politics of US Empire," published last year by NYU Press. The annual prize, awarded by the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies at North Carolina State University, recognizes outstanding scholarly work examining migration, refugees and diasporas connected to the Middle East. Drawing on more than a decade of research with Coptic Christian communities in Egypt and the U.S., Lukasik's book explores how migrants navigate religious identity, political narratives and belonging across national and cultural boundaries. Lukasik joined the MSU Department of Philosophy and Religion in 2022 and also serves as an affiliate faculty member in the university's Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures. |
| Man assaulted, robbed at Sprint Mart gas pump | |
 | Two people are in custody following a Monday afternoon robbery at a gas station in Starkville. Terrell Prater, 25, is charged with robbery and Diona McNeal, 41, is charged with robbery as an accessory after an alleged assault and robbery at Sprint Mart, 12258 Hwy. 182 E., according to a Starkville Police Department press release. No weapons were involved. Matt Bogue, vice president of Dutch Oil Company, which owns the Sprint Mart convenience stores in Starkville, told The Dispatch the incident was limited to an "altercation between two customers." Although the press release did not share further details regarding the incident, Keke McNair, a cashier at the gas station, said the altercation took place at the gas pumps and resulted in gas being stolen out of the pump from a customer. "I really didn't see too much, but the man that got assaulted ended up coming in here asking us (if) we (saw) the other man assault him," McNair told The Dispatch. "... It wasn't a fight. The man was just hitting on the other man because ... he asked the man for some gas, and then the man didn't give him the gas, so he ended up beating the man up and taking his gas." |
| 'Southern Dish': MPB series spotlights state's chefs, restaurants | |
| For well over a year, state Sen. Lydia Chassaniol of Winona and a Mississippi Public Broadcasting film crew have been crisscrossing the state with a delectable purpose. That is to create a new TV series that will engage the state's would-be visitors and its residents by introducing them to restaurants and their chefs statewide in order to tell Mississippi's story through their food. The result is MPB's new series, "Southern Dish." Chassaniol, had the idea for the series, raised the money to fund it and serves as its host. The series premieres at 7 p.m. Thursday with visits to Weidmann's in Meridian and The Traveler in Ocean Springs and will air at the same time each Thursday for six weeks. "We have been to 14 restaurants, and as soon as I can get to 12 more, we can use those to complete the series," Chassaniol said recently. She was on her way from her home in Winona to the Capitol in Jackson, where she chairs the Senate's tourism committee. In that role, she said, "I had a chance to go all over the state. One of the things I noticed is that 100% of tourists eat." But, she noted, "It's expensive to go out to eat. If you are, you want to make sure the chef knows what they are doing." |
| Mississippi lawmakers send bill making changes to public employees' retirement system to governor | |
| Mississippi lawmakers have been working to reshape controversial changes made to the public employees' retirement system a year ago. Last year, as part of legislation to phase out the state income tax, lawmakers made some changes to PERS -- including a provision placing individuals hired after March 1 of this year into a new tier where they would be required to work for the state for 35 years before drawing benefits. This provision drew backlash from multiple groups, most notably first responders, who argued that recruitment efforts would be stifled drastically. Accounting for these concerns, both legislative chambers, in a roundabout way, reached a compromise on a plan to alter PERS. On Sunday, the House of Representatives and Senate nearly unanimously adopted a conference report that checked multiple priority boxes. This followed multiple failed attempts within the 2026 session to address PERS. Notably, lawmakers agreed to return the required time of employment before drawing benefits to 30 years. Another change, one that was supported by both House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, would allow retirees to return to the workforce sooner, with the separation period dropping from 90 days to 30 days. This is expected to play a meaningful role in boosting the number of teachers in public schools amid a shortage. |
| Mississippi lawmakers adopt increased K-12 public education budget even as student totals decline | |
| A conference report that will provide teachers, assistant teachers, CTE instructors, special education teachers, and other educational personnel pay raises has been approved by the both the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives. The measure will be officially sent to the governor's office once motions to reconsider are tabled. According to State Senator Dennis DeBar (R) on Sunday, the conference report for HB 1935 sets the total appropriation for K-12 public education in Mississippi, which includes state, federal and special funds, at about $5.3 billion this year, which is $111 million over the legislative budget recommendation and $121 million over last year's funding. "So, we are increasing the amount we spend on education this year," DeBar explained. Funding for Mississippi's K-12 public education system and its teachers has continually increased year after year even as the Mississippi Department of Education reports annual drops in student totals. Over the past five school years alone, public school population has decreased from 442,000 students to 424,534. A decade ago, student totals surpassed 483,000. The state, however, provided a teacher pay raise of $5,100 in 2022 and now this round of pay raises in the 2026 session. Raises of $2,000 annually for professors at the state’s public universities and community colleges are also being provided this session, but those raises are included in a conference report for other bills, DeBar said. |
| Speaker White: legislators working to revive PBM reform, may ask governor for special session later this week | |
| House Speaker Jason White on Monday night said legislators were working on a proposal to revive legislation to enhance the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers and may ask Gov. Tate Reeves to call a special legislative session later this week if legislators reach an agreement. The speaker's remarks came as lawmakers finalized the bulk of the state's $7.36-billion budget for the next fiscal year to fund state agencies and signaled they will conclude their 2026 session by the end of the week. It also came just after the House passed a resolution that would extend the legislative session, at least "on paper," to April 15, a legislative maneuver White said would give legislators flexibility to address any last-minute issues. The Senate is expected to agree to the resolution, which would buy lawmakers a little more time to haggle out some measures. The speaker said those measures could include any last-minute snafus in an agreement to give teachers a pay raise, and efforts to revive measures to redraw Mississippi's Supreme Court districts and pharmacy benefit manager reform. |
| Mississippi National Guard members to be reimbursed for health insurance premiums | |
| Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) took to social media Monday to mark the passage of SB 2018, a measure that reimburses active members of the Mississippi National Guard for the cost of premiums for TRICARE Reserve Select health care plans. TRICARE Reserve Select provides qualified National Guard and Reserve members a premium-based healthcare plan, similar to TRICARE Select through payment of a monthly premium. According to the U.S. Army's January 2026 benefit highlight, the TRICARE Reserve Select premium is $57.88 per month for members only and $286.66 per month for the member and their family. "National Guard members will now receive health insurance at no cost with the passage of Senate Bill 2018 and the Department of Military's budget," Hosemann shared on Facebook. "Months of work with our National Guard leaders have gone into this legislation, which has been a priority of mine and the Senate's to support their recruitment and retention." Governor Tate Reeves (R) signed the bill into law in early March and with the accompanying appropriations now approved for the department, the reimbursement will be available to those actively drilling members of the Mississippi National Guard who are eligible for Tricare and who are not insured by another employer. |
| Protesters urge lawmakers to override Gov. Reeves' veto of medical marijuana expansion bills | |
| Lawmakers, medical cannabis patients, dispensary owners, and growers rallied at the Mississippi Capitol on Monday, urging legislators to override Gov. Tate Reeves' veto of two bills that supporters say would expand access and ease restrictions in the state's medical marijuana program. Rep. Lee Yancey, who authored the legislation, told the crowd, "What we're doing is for the patients." The vetoed bills, House Bill 1152 and House Bill 895, both passed the Mississippi House and Senate before Reeves rejected them last week. HB 1152, known as the Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act, would create a new pathway for people with serious illnesses to participate in the program even if their condition is not currently on Mississippi's list of approved qualifying conditions. Under the bill, a treating medical provider could petition the Mississippi State Department of Health for authorization for a patient to access medical cannabis. The rally comes as advocates urge lawmakers to take the rare step of overriding a governor's veto as time winds down in the legislative session. |
| Legislature creates Jackson Water Authority, sends bill to governor | |
| Landing on the desk of Governor Tate Reeves (R) soon is the Jackson Water Authority Act, a legislative measure creating a nine-member board to oversee the capital city's water and sewer system. With no debate, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed HB 1677 on Monday, with scant support from Democrats. The House passed the conference report by a vote of 78 to 40 while 15 senators voted against the measure. The city's water system went into federal receivership in November 2022 and is being managed by a court-appointed third-party interim manager. The pared-down conference report on the matter now means more members will be appointed by the City of Jackson. Jackson Mayor John Horhn will appoint a third of the board. The governor will appoint two members along with another member appointed in consultation with Horhn. The Lt. Governor will have one appointee as will the mayors of Bryam and Ridgeland. The original version gave more appointments to state government officials. |
| The DHS shutdown might never end | |
 | Washington is locked in a high-stakes game of chicken over Department of Homeland Security funding, raising the possibility that thousands of federal workers could go unpaid for several more weeks -- if not longer. The shutdown is already the longest ever experienced by any part of the federal government, and in recent days the political sparring has gone from being a mostly partisan showdown between Republicans and Democrats into a messy internal battle for the GOP. Both the House and Senate have adjourned for two weeks, with neither chamber seriously considering returning early despite a wave of online outrage and calls from the White House to return to session. Instead, House Republicans and Senate Republicans have spent the last several days pointing fingers at each other, while Democrats dig in against funding immigration enforcement agencies without implementing guardrails the GOP has resisted. "The House has their process, we have ours and this happens periodically," Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) told reporters Monday. There is no immediate hope the standoff, which has affected tens of thousands of workers since it began Feb. 14, will soon end. An administration official granted anonymity to speak candidly said that "people are thinking this will go into the summer." "Morale is low. The TSA getting paid while the rest of us suffer is not playing well inside the building," the official added. |
| Hegseth Says Coming Days in Iran War Will Be Decisive | |
 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the coming days of the conflict would be decisive, and that the number of projectiles launched by Iran in the past 24 hours represented the lowest during the war. Hegseth spoke in a joint press conference with Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The comments came shortly after President Trump lashed out on social media at U.S. allies, pushing them to launch their own operation to wrest control of the Strait of Hormuz from Iran. Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told aides he is willing to end the campaign against Iran even if the strait remains largely closed, leaving a complex operation to reopen it for a later date. Separately, the U.S. hit a large ammunition depot in the Iranian city of Isfahan with 2,000-pound bunker buster bombs, an official said, while the United Arab Emirates suffered one of the most intense days of Iranian attacks since the first week of the war. |
| JD Vance has a new book about his religious faith, 'Communion,' coming out later this spring | |
 | Vice President JD Vance has a new book coming out that will explore his religious faith and his conversion to Catholicism as an adult. "Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith" comes out June 16, the HarperCollins Publishers imprint Harper told The Associated Press on Tuesday. HarperCollins also released "Hillbilly Elegy," the million-selling memoir from 2016 that helped make Vance a national figure. "The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with," Vance, 41, said in a statement. "The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path. Why the Christian faith of my youth failed to properly take root," he wrote. The announcement Tuesday is likely to ramp up speculation that Vance will seek the presidency in 2028 -- a possibility the Republican vice president has said he's not focused on right now, indicating he'd wait until after the 2026 midterm elections to decide on a campaign. |
| Supreme Court says conversion therapy ban violates counselor's speech rights | |
 | The Supreme Court on March 31 said Colorado's ban on LGBTQ+ "conversion therapy" for young people infringes on the free speech rights of a Christian counselor, reversing a lower court's decision that had upheld the law. Colorado officials argued that the law -- which is similar to restrictions in about half the states -- regulates professional conduct, not speech. And major medical groups have repudiated conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful. But the Supreme Court sided 8-1 with the therapist challenging the ban, agreeing that the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should have applied a stricter constitutional test to evaluate the law. "Colorado may regard its policy as essential to public health and safety. Certainly, censorious governments throughout history have believed the same," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority. "But the First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country." Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who read portions of her dissent from the bench, said the court's decision threatens to prevent states from regulating medical care, risking "grave harm to Americans' health and wellbeing." |
| Education: Larmon receives MUWAA Distinguished Achievement Award | |
| Brandy Larmon, of West Point, dean of the Vandergriff College of Nursing and Health Sciences, has been named the 2026 Distinguished Achievement Award winner by the Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association. The Distinguished Achievement Award recognizes faculty, staff and friends of The W who have achieved professional distinction and made significant community service contributions at the local, national and/or international levels, bringing distinction and honor to the university. Larmon graduated Cum Laude in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in nursing, then continued her education at the University of Mississippi, graduating with a master's degree in nursing and healthcare administration in 2008. She graduated in 2015 from Delta State University with an educational doctorate in professional studies and higher education. Larmon has been a registered nurse since 2005, with a background in geriatrics, women's health, obstetrics and pediatrics. |
| UMMC's cancer center campaign reaches $100M milestone | |
 | Officials with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) announced the "It's About Time: The Campaign for the Cancer Center and Research Institute" has reached $100 million. This is 80% of its $125 million goal. The campaign recently received a $10 million gift from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation. According to UMMC, the campaign has now entered its public phase, which focuses on broad engagement to complete the campaign and bring this transformative vision to life. "Cancer has touched nearly every family in Mississippi, and we believe our state deserves access to the very best care and research available anywhere," said Stephen Sims, director of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation. The new five-story home for the Cancer Center and Research Institute (CCRI) will combine advanced collaborative cancer care with convenience and comfort for patients. The advanced 250,000-square-foot center will include research labs and clinical trials. |
| Handprints mark progress on $30M-plus early learning center coming to Ole Miss | |
| With paint-covered hands, students helped mark the future of the University of Mississippi's Early Learning and Evaluation Center, leaving prints on a beam during a March 27 event for the $30 million-plus project slated to open in early 2027. In addition to hard-hat-wearing students who left their prints behind, those in attendance were Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce and his wife Emily, Wille Price Lab School director Alyce Krouse, Ole Miss education dean David Rock, state Rep. Clay Deweese, state Sen. Nicole Boyd, and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann. The officials signed the middle of the beam and took time to speak to those in attendance. "Every child deserves the support to reach their fullest potential. The new Early Learning and Evaluation Center at Ole Miss will help make that a reality," Hosemann said while thanking all involved in the project. |
| Students recognized at Southern Miss' 116th Founders' Day celebration | |
 | As the spring semester rolls into its final weeks, the University of Southern Mississippi recognized several students for their academic and professional efforts. The ceremony was a part of the university's 116th Founders' Day celebration. Scholarships and awards were presented to several students. Senior and Pass Christian native Kendall Desporte was one of them. "I hope the other students see the award and work that was put into the award by not only myself, but also the others that won and use it as inspiration to achieve more in their college experience and leave the university better than they found it," Desporte said. The university inducted new names into its hall of fame, as well as a new team of leaders for the Student Government Association. "Now, they're going to go out into the world and do extraordinary things," USM President Joe Paul said. "That continues to help Southern Miss get better because they become a part of our brand. So, we're ready to let them fly out of the nest." |
| Alabama college hires new band director after controversial retirement | |
 | The University of North Alabama announced Monday its hiring of a new Director of Bands following the retirement of former director Lloyd Jones. Dr. Joseph Gray, who served as Associate Director of Bands at UNA from 2019 until 2025, will be leaving his position at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., to accept the role at UNA, according to a news release. "Joe brings a wealth of knowledge about music as well as the Marching Pride," Dr. Brien Smith, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, said in the release. "He is familiar with UNA, the program, and the students, and he has a long history of professional and teaching experience that make him the right fit." Gray referenced the band's previous longtime director and said he is "excited to come into this new role and build on the legacy of the band program established by the Jones Family." After weeks of speculation and controversy surrounding his employment status, Jones sent a letter to students in late January announcing his retirement but did not specify his reason for leaving. Jones, who took over as director of the band from his father Edd Jones, in the fall of 2000, attempted to ease community concerns in his announcement. |
| Auburn kicks off signature speaker series with Condoleezza Rice and Margaret Hoover | |
| Auburn University's America250 celebration kicked off its first signature speaker series with a conversation between 66th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and "Firing Line" host Margaret Hoover. The event took place in the Gogue Performing Arts Center from 6 to 7 p.m. on March 30. America250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the U.S. through a yearlong celebration, featuring programs about democracy, civic life and U.S. history. The event, "Democracy in Dialogue," focused on maintaining and building up skills and institutions that are necessary for democracy. Hoover opened the conversation with asking Rice about the "American idea." Rice said that the founding fathers' ideas of self-determination and self-government constitute the "American idea" through a spirit of revolution that carries on today. "That revolutionary spirit remains, and it remains because if you are an American, you are not actually united by ethnicity or nationality or religion. You are united by creed: a belief that it doesn't matter where you came from, it matters where you are going," Rice said. |
| U. of Arkansas to add 2 more Narcan vending machines to campus to combat drug overdoses | |
| Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin visited the University of Arkansas on Monday to announce an expansion of his office's efforts to combat drug overdoses with the installation of additional Narcan vending machines on campus. Griffin kicked off his "One Pill Can Kill" initiative -- which aims to provide greater awareness about fentanyl and fake prescription medications -- with a visit to the university almost a year and a half ago. At the time, his office provided funding for a single vending machine on campus containing free Narcan, a trade name for naloxone. The drug can provide lifesaving treatment in the event of an overdose from fentanyl or other opioids. Now, the attorney general's office will fund two more vending machines. Students could participate in a round of training Monday to learn more about illicit drugs and treatment options. Chancellor Charles Robinson said students "need this training." The university is focused on making campus a true "Razorback Community (where we) are our brothers' and sisters' keepers like never before," he said. It's not hyperbole to say one pill can kill, Griffin said. |
| How 2 students turned Chick-fil-A technology into elaborate alarm clock startup | |
| Two University of Tennessee students created a unique alarm clock with the mission of breaking bad habits for young adults. The Rise Alarm's design requires users to get fully out of bed and tap their phone on a physical "pod" to turn it off -- no snoozing and no way around taking the first step out of bed. "It's an alarm clock app, very similar to your traditional iPhone alarm clock app," Max Gallinek, a UT sophomore and Rise founder, said. "But the only caveat is -- there's no snooze button, and you cannot disable the alarm until you stand up out of bed." After hacking the Chick-fil-A mobile check-in system, the supply-chain management major saw the same technology as a potential solution to his pattern of alarm snoozing. Gallinek had already been using near-field communication technology to get to the front of the queue when mobile-ordering Chick-fil-A. "I built my own little Chick-fil-A tag so that I could check in to Chick-fil-A from my backpack," Gallinek said. "So I was cheating the system, skipping the line. I realized, like, that technology is very cool. We can use that technology to verify location. Why don't we use it for the same alarm clock wake up app?" |
| Thousands of Texas students lose college credits when transferring | |
| Thousands of students take classes every year that won't count toward their degree, losing transfer credits, setting back college careers and raising education costs. In the 2023-24 school year, more than 19,000 Texas community college students didn't get credit for at least one of their courses when they transferred to a university. Recent data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board offers a window into why students are losing out on college credit and which courses are most frequently getting denied. The report also gives insight into pitfalls for dual-credit high school students trying to get a head start on college. "It is adding time to degree completion, and it is costing the students more money," said Kelli Cano, director of the transfer center at South Texas College in McAllen. "We want to have them on the right track so that they can complete as quickly as they would like to." The loss of time and money diminishes the value of a college degree. Students often have to pay to retake classes, which can increase student loan debt. Student loans in the state average nearly $16,000 at community colleges and more than $24,000 at public universities. Credit loss also slows graduation, delaying entry into the workforce and earnings that follow. |
| Helium shortages affect U. of Missouri research | |
 | The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing natural gas shortages, including helium shortages. One-third of the Earth's helium is produced in the Middle East, and Columbia is starting to see local impacts of the conflict as these shortages affect research. Airgas, a local supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, has restricted the amount that it can deliver by as much as 50% due to supply shortages, according to an email from the company. "Airgas regrets to inform you that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, QatarEnergy's complete suspension of its LNG and Helium production, and other associated supply chain issues have impacted the supply of Product," Airgas wrote in an email to University of Missouri officials on March 17. Michael Greenlief, an associate professor of chemistry at Mizzou, said the helium shortage affects the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Core facility. Greenlief's team is conserving helium by being more careful when transferring the gas and using all the helium they receive, he said. Greenlief plans to propose a helium capture, recovery and recycling system to help with issues like this in the future. |
| A college instructor turns to typewriters to curb AI-written work and teach life lessons | |
| The scene is right out of the 1950s with students pecking away at manual typewriters, the machines dinging at the end of each line. Once each semester, Grit Matthias Phelps, a German language instructor at Cornell University, introduces her students to the raw feeling of typing without online assistance. No screens, online dictionaries, spellcheckers or delete keys. The exercise started in spring 2023 as Phelps grew frustrated with the reality that students were using generative AI and online translation platforms to churn out grammatically perfect assignments. "What's the point of me reading it if it's already correct anyway, and you didn't write it yourself? Could you produce it without your computer?" said Phelps. She wanted students to understand what writing, thinking and classrooms were like before everything turned digital. So, she found a few dozen old manual typewriters, in thrift shops and online marketplaces, and created what her syllabus simply calls an "analog" assignment. |
| Students Embrace AI but Fear False Accusations | |
 | As institutions navigate the changing role of artificial intelligence in the classroom, many have implemented broad policy changes -- ranging from restricting AI use to fully integrating it into coursework -- with limited input from students. However, new survey data suggests AI is reshaping how students learn and work in ways that are not always reflected in the decisions colleges make. In January, Packback, an educational technology platform that uses AI, surveyed nearly 700 college students across a range of institutions, including four-year universities, community colleges and online programs, about their use and views of AI. Respondents had all been enrolled in at least one Packback-supported course. The report found that roughly 5 percent of students said they always or often use AI to generate a full assignment, a rate comparable to pre-AI forms of contract cheating, when students had to copy material from texts or peers. Of those, about 46 percent cited time constraints as their reason for using an AI shortcut, while 43 percent said they didn't know enough about the topic and 42 percent said they lacked interest. |
| 3-Year Degrees Are on the Rise. But Shorter May Not Mean Better. | |
 | For as long as anyone can remember, a bachelor's degree has taken a minimum of four years and required 120 credits. But concerns about the value and cost and time needed to earn a bachelor's have drawn renewed interest in an old idea: the three-year degree. For decades, the three-year degree was imagined as a way to allow a certain kind of student -- typically an academically focused and self-directed one -- to shave off a year of tuition and living costs to head out early into the work force. It often meant a student packed 120 credits into fewer semesters by barreling through a program on a year-round schedule. The three-year degree now emerging might be more accurately called a "reduced-credit bachelor's degree," as many programs lop off about a quarter of the credits. Sixty institutions are part of the College-in-3 Exchange, a collective sharing ideas about reduced-credit degrees and advocating for recognition of those degrees by accreditors. Much like dual enrollment, the "college-in-three" movement has emerged with broad goals of streamlining and reducing the cost of college, with individual institutions taking a variety of approaches to accomplish those goals. |
| Some of the most popular graduate degrees don't pay off financially, study finds | |
 | Going to graduate school can boost your career and salary -- but some of the most popular advanced degrees are not worth the cost. That's one of the main findings of a report released Tuesday by the Postsecondary Education & Economics Research Center at American University. The report, based on research from the Yale Tobin Center for Economic Policy, found that graduate degrees in medicine, law and pharmacy generally have the highest return on investment. By contrast, degrees in popular fields such as social work, psychology, and curriculum and instruction may actually have a zero to negative return after factoring in the full cost. The study comes at a time when the Trump administration and many education advocates have urged people to carefully consider the cost of graduate programs before enrolling, particularly if they need to take on student loans. Economists say it can be tricky to figure out whether a particular graduate program is worth the investment. The earnings vary not only by degree, but also by institution; whether students can continue to work while earning their degree; how likely they are to drop out; and how much they may be able to earn while in school. |
| Trump Reveals Presidential Library Design: A Glass Tower in Miami | |
| President Trump released mock-up images of a gleaming glass tower emblazoned with his last name that will serve as his presidential library once he leaves office. In a nearly two-minute video posted on social media on Monday night, Trump previewed for the first time the design of his library, which will be located in downtown Miami. A red, white and blue spire sits atop the multistory tower. The library is set to feature golden escalators, a golden statue of the president raising his fist in the air and several aircraft, including what appears to be one of the jets used as Air Force One. Davis Ingle, a White House spokesman, said the library will be "one of the most magnificent buildings in the world." Trump and his advisers aim to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a library fund. The 2.63-acre land, originally owned by Miami Dade College and valued at $67 million, was transferred to the state of Florida last year, and then to Trump's library foundation. The president has long said that construction is one of his biggest passions. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: No. 4 MSU Meets Grambling In Midweek Matchup | |
| Riding one of the nation's hottest starts and fresh off a statement weekend, No. 4 Mississippi State returns home Tuesday looking to keep its momentum rolling as it hosts Grambling State at Dudy Noble Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network +. The Diamond Dawgs enter the midweek matchup at 24-4 overall and 7-2 in SEC play, carrying an eight-game winning streak and having won nine of their last 10 contests. State has been nearly untouchable in Starkville, boasting a 17-0 home record this season and a dominant stretch at The Dude dating back to late April of last year. Grambling State (9-17, 6-3 SWAC) arrives looking to play spoiler, but the Tigers face a daunting task against an MSU club that has controlled the all-time series. The Bulldogs hold a 5-0 advantage, including a 21-2 rout in the most recent meeting in Starkville in 2023. On the mound, MSU is expected to turn to right-hander Chris Billingsley Jr., who is 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA across eight appearances this season. The junior has shown flashes out of the bullpen, including a perfect outing against Tulane and a scoreless two-inning start versus Southern Miss last week, as he continues to carve out a larger role on the staff. |
| No. 4 Bulldogs flex arms in series sweep of Ole Miss | |
| It was Ben Davis' turn to deliver for Mississippi State on Sunday in the sixth inning. One of many reliable arms out of the bullpen, Davis got his first taste of action in Game 1 with a 3-1 lead and a chance to get the Bulldogs to the ninth unscathed. Instead, he allowed a three-run home run. MSU was able to complete a ninth-inning comeback and a 6-1 win on Saturday set up an opportunity to sweep in Game 3. Davis was again called upon by head coach Brian O'Connor with the bases loaded in the sixth and Ole Miss on the verge of pulling level. "I met (Davis) outside the bus on Saturday morning and told him to look to the sky. The sun was out, and I said it's a new day," O'Connor said. "This is a tough game. It's all about how you bounce back." Davis didn't let this opportunity pass by, getting a flyout from Judd Utermark to strand the runners and tossing two more scoreless innings to set up Dane Burns for the closeout in MSU's first sweep of Ole Miss since 2019 and their ninth series win over their rivals in 10 years. "Really a complete weekend in every phase of the game, we did some great things," O'Connor said on the postgame radio show. "Nice comeback by Ben Davis. Nobody feels worse on Friday night that he gives it up. That was uncharacteristic, but we have a ton of confidence in him. He did a great job getting us to the ninth inning." |
| Tickets on sale for College Showdown, Governor's Cup at Trustmark Park | |
| Mississippi college baseball fans got a taste this past week of in-state action with Mississippi State coming out victorious over both Southern Miss and Ole Miss. But there's more rivalry action left to play out with two games set for Trustmark Park in Pearl next month. The Mississippi Mud Monsters, who replaced the Mississippi Braves as the occupants of Trustmark Park, are urging fans to go ahead and make plans to be in attendance at the College Showdown between Southern Miss and Ole Miss on Tuesday, April 14, and the annual Governor's Cup between Mississippi State and Ole Miss on Tuesday, April 28. "Both events showcase the deep passion for college baseball across Mississippi, bringing together fans from across the state for two nights where the energy in the stands often rivals the action on the field," a press release from the Mud Monsters notes. The April 28 game between Mississippi State and Ole Miss will continue a tradition that started in 1980 with the Mississippi Farm Bureau Governor's Cup. First pitch for the Governor's Cup between Mississippi State and Ole Miss is scheduled for 6 p.m. |
| Softball: Bulldogs Halt Late Rally To Clinch Series Against No. 23 South Carolina | |
| No. 12 Mississippi State took the series against No. 23 South Carolina with a 4-3 victory on Monday night. After a solo home run by Paige Ernstes put the Bulldogs out front, the Gamecocks answered back in the fourth to tie up the game. Two doubles from Anna Carder and Xiane Romero in the fifth along with an RBI ground out from Nadia Barbary gave the Bulldogs (32-7, 4-5 SEC) a three-run lead. South Carolina (22-15, 2-7 SEC) had a chance to tie it in the sixth when Lexi Winters doubled with the bases loaded, but the Bulldogs cut down the tying run at the plate. "I'm just proud of the fight and toughness that it takes to fall behind after losing Game 1 in the series and bouncing back the way we did," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. The Bulldogs will travel to No. 3/5 Florida next week for a three-game series that will start early. Friday night's game is still scheduled for 5 p.m. CT, but Saturday's contest will be televised nationally on SEC Network beginning at 10:30 a.m. The series finale is set for noon. |
| Gus Malzahn, Jeff Tedford joining CFP selection committee | |
| Recently retired coach Gus Malzahn, who won a national title in 2010 as Auburn's offensive coordinator, will join former Cal head coach Jeff Tedford on the College Football Playoff selection committee this spring, the CFP announced Monday. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek will return as the committee chair for the second season, and Louisiana athletic director Bryan Maggard will also join the group. The three new committee members will serve three-year terms and replace outgoing members Chris Ault, a former head coach, Jeff Long, a former longtime collegiate administrator, and Miami (Ohio) athletic director David Sayler, whose terms have expired. "The additions of Bryan Maggard, Gus Malzahn and Jeff Tedford will introduce strong, fresh perspectives to the selection committee as we enter our 13th season," CFP executive director Rich Clark said. "Each brings a deep understanding of the game, a genuine passion for college football and a commitment to integrity and excellence. Their diverse backgrounds as university leaders, recent coaches and former student-athletes will complement our returning members and allow for a seamless transition." |
| LSU is reshaping its athletic department amid NIL, revenue-sharing era | |
 | LSU athletics will have a new reporting structure under athletic director Verge Ausberry, he announced Monday shortly after Will Wade's introductory news conference as the new LSU men's basketball coach. Ausberry will oversee the whole department, but he revealed that he's tabbed a handful of administrators to lead the charge with raising money for certain programs. "This is a new day and age," Ausberry said. "Not the same days of the old athletic director sitting in the offices and just dictating what you're doing. Now we've got to be out there, concentrating and focusing on how we generate revenue." "We're going to be out there beating the streets," Ausberry said. "LSU is a charity. Like (Skip Bertman) used to say, LSU as an athletic department is a charity. So that's the way we're looking at this." LSU's decision to hire Wade is the latest chapter in the athletic department's recent spending spree. |
| What Public Records Reveal About College Football's Spending | |
| At a time when institutions are funneling millions of dollars into coaching salaries and name, image and likeness deals, calls to reform their runaway spending on athletics -- football in particular -- have come from as high up as the While House. Amid the spending spree, one man is doing his best to shine a light on what's happening behind the scenes at athletic departments across the country, from the underappreciated expenses to which politicians are watching football games with university presidents and chancellors. David Covucci is editor in chief and founder of the newsletter FOIAball, and he has spent much of the last year sending out thousands of public records requests to colleges and universities. He's gotten his hands on receipts, emails and other records, uncovering how colleges are using a Department of Homeland Security information-sharing platform for surveillance and a draft episode outline for the since-canceled Hulu show on UNC football coach Bill Belichick. Thanks to the records requests, he can tell you that 38 universities spent $2.8 million on fireworks at home games, and that the University of Mississippi spent the most at $212,480. |
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.
