| Tuesday, December 2, 2025 |
| Education: 'Officially a Space Cowboy': Make-A-Wish child launches MSU rocket | |
 | Six-year-old Christopher Best, of Flora, loves everything about space. Diagnosed with the congenital condition known as Pierre Robin sequence, his Make-A-Wish request was simple -- he wanted to experience anything and everything to do with rockets. This fall, that wish came true thanks to Make-A-Wish Mississippi, Richland-based Lyle Machinery and Mississippi State University's nationally recognized Space Cowboys rocketry team. To help bring Best's wish to life, MSU mechanical engineering senior Cooper Shanks, of Vienna, Illinois, spent more than a week fully refurbishing one of the team's Saturn V-style high-power rockets. The Space Cowboys then renamed the rocket the "Christopher VI" wrapping it as a surprise gift for Best. "We wrapped it up for him, specially made," Shanks said. "Now he's officially a Space Cowboy." Best's mother, Emily Catazaro, said the moment was unforgettable. "Watching those college students pour so much love, effort and excitement into making my child's dream come true brought me to tears," she said. |
| Education: MSU students, Partnership Middle School educators engage in 'Building Thinking Classrooms' professional development | |
| Aspiring and current secondary math educators from Mississippi State University and Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Partnership Middle School are engaging in professional development together, thanks to a $10,560 grant secured by the university. Liza Bondurant, MSU associate professor of secondary mathematics education, is receiving funds from the Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership to cover books, flip charts, stipends and continuing educational units, or CEUs, for eight Partnership Middle School math teachers and administrators, and nine MSU secondary education students. Bondurant is leading the group to read, discuss and implement practices from "Building Thinking Classrooms," which offers 14 teaching practices to enhance learning and engagement. "This book provokes teachers to consider practices they can use to promote thinking in their classrooms," Bondurant said. |
| Why do family companies even exist? They know how to 'win without fighting' | |
 | Mississippi State University's Jim Chrisman and colleagues write in The Conversation: When you hear the phrase "family business," you might think of the backstabbing Roys of "Succession" or the dysfunctional Duttons of "Yellowstone." But while TV's family companies are entertaining, their real-life counterparts may be even more compelling. Around the world, family businesses produce about two-thirds of all economic output and employ more than half of all workers. And they can be very profitable: The world's 500 largest family businesses generated a collective US$8.8 trillion in 2024. That's nearly twice the gross domestic product of Germany. If you're not steeped in family business research -- and even if you are -- their ubiquity might seem a little strange. After all, families can come with drama, conflict and long memories. That might not sound like the formula for an efficient company. We are researchers who study family businesses, and we wanted to understand why there are so many of them in the first place. In our recent article published in the Journal of Management, we set out to understand this different kind of "why" -- not just the purpose of family firms, but why they thrive around the world. |
| Starkville Mayor delivers State of the City briefing to community leaders | |
 | With growth comes some growing pains. Starkville is experiencing some of those, but overall, things are going well. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill delivered a "State of the City" briefing today to business and community leaders. Spruill pointed out that even with an increase this year, Starkville still has a tax rate lower than many cities of its size. And, the city provides high-quality services at that rate. She also noted that sales tax makes up a good portion of the city's budget, and part of that is driven by visitors to town. Spruill noted development is in the works that will help add more hotel rooms to the city. An ongoing project that has been affecting sales downtown is progressing, and the city is also looking ahead to improve infrastructure. "I love Main Street. I realize right now it's a bit of a mess, but it's a good mess, because the end result is something we'll be able to see, and we're seeing it fairly quickly. We will be done with it in the latter part of 2026." Spruill also touted the Highway 182 project, saying it's bringing development and investment to an area of town that has been long neglected. |
| MDA Executive Director scrutinizes Gulf Coast over GCRF program | |
 | Coast leaders are under scrutiny from the state's top economic leader. A letter from Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork says the coast has lost out on big economic opportunities due to a lack of strategy. State Senator Scott Delano admits a lack of cohesiveness has been a problem for decades. "It's not new news that we don't get along that well and that we could do a better job of coordinating a strategic plan for economic development projects," said State Senator Scott Delano. While Delano says legislators could do a better job, he says the coast could benefit from help on the local level. Delano said a leadership group could help ensure the area remains competitive in attracting large-scale retailers, similar to Mission 3, the new organization established to bring military missions to the coast. The head of the Gulf Coast Business Council, Jamie Miller, believes the Gulf Coast Restoration Funds (GCRF) should be leveraged to get the most out of BP's Funds. Miller says the revolving loan fund would allow easier access to money rather than waiting for the MDA approval. |
| Historic American flag visits Mississippi on nationwide semiquincentennial tour | |
 | Mississippi welcomed a traveling American flag to the Governor's Mansion on Monday as part of a national commemoration leading up to the country's 250th anniversary of independence. The Flag Sojourn 250 campaign is sending a single American flag on a multiyear journey to every U.S. state and territory, as well as to overseas American military cemeteries, before it returns to Washington, D.C., for the nation's semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026. The project is led by the National Flag Foundation in partnership with America250, the congressionally designated effort planning the 250th anniversary. Monday's event marked the flag's only stop in Mississippi. Gov. Tate Reeves told a crowd gathered outside the Governor's mansion that the ceremony was meant to highlight the state's place in the broader American story. "Our state has contributed soldiers, leaders, artists, scientists, athletes, and everyday citizens who built communities, strengthened our nation, and carry the ideals of freedom and opportunity forward," Reeves said. |
| Why Kevin Hassett Is Winning the Fed Chair Race Before It Has Ended | |
 | Officially, the search for a new Federal Reserve chair is still under way. A handful of finalists are scheduled to sit down for interviews beginning this week with Vice President JD Vance and senior White House staff. Unofficially, the process seems to be all but over, with President Trump appearing to favor longtime adviser Kevin Hassett. If Hassett does end up the nominee, it will be because he met Trump's two key criteria: loyalty, and credibility with the markets. "I know who I am going to pick," Trump told reporters on Sunday. Asked if Hassett was the selection, Trump grinned but said little. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been running a methodical search since Labor Day, whittling an initial field of 11 candidates down to five: Hassett, currently director of the White House National Economic Council; former Fed governor Kevin Warsh; sitting Fed governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman; and BlackRock executive Rick Rieder. Warsh had been considered a front-runner along with Hassett this summer. People who have spoken to him recently came away with the impression he no longer sees himself that way. The choice of a successor to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who steps down in May, arguably the most consequential personnel decision of Trump's second term, has become a spectacle: a monthslong, public audition in which candidates jockeyed for attention on cable television between several interviews with Bessent. |
| The agriculture secretary says SNAP changes are coming | |
 | Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is promising big changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which currently helps almost 42 million Americans buy groceries. In recent media appearances, she said attention on SNAP during the government shutdown "has given us a platform to completely deconstruct the program" and said details about structural changes to the program would be released this week. Rollins has made a case for sweeping changes to SNAP by asserting her agency uncovered "massive fraud" in state data the agency demanded, and has emphasized statistics suggesting wrongdoing without providing the underlying data or details. The Trump administration's latest campaign for SNAP changes comes as millions of recipients are already poised to lose benefits in the coming years as states begin to implement new work requirements and eligibility rules that Republicans in Congress passed over the summer that are the deepest cuts in history to the program. Food policy experts say they are concerned that Rollins' talking points suggest a distorted view of the prevalence of SNAP recipients committing fraud, and seem to conflate fraud with payment errors of any kind. |
| Republicans show new signs of independence from Trump | |
 | Republicans are showing signs of picking their battles against President Trump, with the administration's handling of military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean serving as the latest catalyst. Republicans in Congress have been exceedingly deferential to the White House for much of Trump's first year back in office, but lawmakers have shown an increased willingness to speak out about their concerns with the administration, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. GOP lawmakers have sounded the alarm about reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered in September that everyone on board one alleged drug boat be killed. The GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee and House Armed Services Committee have each pledged to look further into the strikes. The White House's acknowledgment and justification of the multiple strikes in early September comes as Republicans have shown a rare willingness to use congressional oversight tools to probe what exactly took place at the Pentagon. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member, said in a joint statement the panel "will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances." |
| Bipartisan outcry grows over alleged double-tap boat strike | |
 | Bipartisan scrutiny of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's reported order to "kill everybody" aboard an alleged drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean grew Monday as the Trump administration worked to contain the fallout. Lawmakers in both parties, including the Republican chairmen and the Democratic ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees, have vowed to investigate following a Washington Post article about Hegseth's alleged order -- marking a rare instance of GOP unease with the Trump administration. The calls for accountability intensified Monday as lawmakers returned to Washington, D.C., from a one-week Thanksgiving break. Those comments followed statements over the weekend from Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and from House Armed Services Chairman Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala., and ranking member Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., that said their panels are investigating the allegations of a so-called double-tap strike. Wicker told reporters Monday that he also spoke to Hegseth over the weekend in addition to Caine and that he expects to speak to Bradley too. "We're going to do a vigorous oversight," Wicker said. "It's a very serious charge, and we'll find out if there's anything to it." |
| Hegseth, with White House help, tries to distance himself from boat strike fallout | |
 | Officials in Congress and the Pentagon said Monday they are increasingly concerned that the Trump administration intends to scapegoat the military officer who directed U.S. forces to kill two survivors of a targeted strike on suspected drug smugglers in Latin America, as lawmakers made initial moves to investigate whether the attack constituted a war crime. The Washington Post reported Friday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a spoken order to kill the entire crew of a vessel thought to be ferrying narcotics in the Caribbean Sea, the first of nearly 20 such strikes directed by the administration since early September. When two survivors were detected, the military commander overseeing the operation, Adm. Frank M. Bradley, directed another strike to comply with Hegseth's order that no one be left alive, people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Post. The Trump administration has said 11 people were killed as a result of the operation. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, acknowledged Monday that Hegseth had authorized Bradley to conduct the strikes on Sept. 2. Bradley, she added, "worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed." Her scripted remarks at a news briefing elicited a furious backlash within the Defense Department, where officials described feeling angry at the uncertainty over whether Hegseth would take responsibility for his alleged role in the operation -- or leave the military and civilian staff under him to face the consequences. |
| Senate barrels toward failure on health care | |
 | Senators have about a week before they're set to vote on soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies. Most of them already believe the chances for a bipartisan breakthrough by then are roughly zero. There's no clear momentum for any plan that would avoid a lapse in tax credits that could raise insurance premiums for 20 million Americans. House and Senate members involved in the talks said Monday they are still trading ideas, and Congress is in the dark about whether President Donald Trump will roll out an 11th-hour framework for an extension, which could help provide a needed boost. "Right now, it's not on a fast track," Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said about the chances for a health care deal. Instead, the most likely outcome is that Senate Democrats put up a bill that has little GOP support for a vote, if any, while Republicans offer a competing bill of their own. And even those partisan proposals remained in flux as lawmakers returned to Washington from a weeklong recess. |
| Slumping Trump Says 'Whole World Is Watching' Tennessee Special Election | |
| President Trump is pushing voters to cast a ballot for the Republican House candidate in a Nashville-area special election that has become uncomfortably tight for the GOP in recent weeks. Democrats are framing the contest between Democrat Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps as a referendum on Trump's second term, as the president faces slumping poll numbers, particularly in his handling of the economy. Early voting ended Nov. 26 with more than 84,000 ballots already cast, and voting wraps up Tuesday evening. "The whole world is watching Tennessee right now, and they're watching the district," Trump said to a rally for Van Epps on Monday morning. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) was at the event and held his phone to the microphone so the crowd could hear the president. "It's got to show that the Republican Party is stronger than it's ever been," Trump said, encouraging Republicans to get out and vote. Both parties are treating Tuesday's contest as a gauge of the political climate before the 2026 midterms, in which Democrats have a strong chance to take back control of the House. The seat is also important to maintaining Johnson's power in the House, where the party has a 219-213 edge, leaving little cushion for intraparty dissent. |
| How Fraud Swamped Minnesota's Social Services System on Tim Walz's Watch | |
 | The fraud scandal that rattled Minnesota was staggering in its scale and brazenness. Federal prosecutors charged dozens of people with felonies, accusing them of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from a government program meant to keep children fed during the Covid-19 pandemic. At first, many in the state saw the case as a one-off abuse during a health emergency. But as new schemes targeting the state's generous safety net programs came to light, state and federal officials began to grapple with a jarring reality. Over the last five years, law enforcement officials say, fraud took root in pockets of Minnesota's Somali diaspora as scores of individuals made small fortunes by setting up companies that billed state agencies for millions of dollars' worth of social services that were never provided. Federal prosecutors say that 59 people have been convicted in those schemes so far, and that more than $1 billion in taxpayers' money has been stolen in three plots they are investigating. Outrage has swelled among Minnesotans, and fraud has turned into a potent political issue in a competitive campaign season. Gov. Tim Walz and fellow Democrats are being asked to explain how so much money was stolen on their watch, providing Republicans, who hope to take back the governor's office in 2026, with a powerful line of attack. |
| Education: MUW signs MOU with DeSoto County Schools to create career pathways, dual enrollment opportunities | |
| Mississippi University for Women and DeSoto County Schools have signed a memorandum of understanding to create eight career pathway programs, expanding affordable career exploration opportunities for high school students. University President Nora Miller and DCS Superintendent Cory Uselton signed the agreement Monday during a ceremony at DCS. "DeSoto County Schools is always seeking innovative ways to increase opportunities for our students. Partnering with Mississippi University for Women allows us to provide even more pathways for students to begin their postsecondary journey with confidence," Uselton said. "We look forward to the positive impact this will have on students across our district." Tuition for courses included in The W's Dual Enrollment Pathways will be fully covered by university scholarship. All other dual enrollment/dual credit courses available to DCS will be charged a partner school rate. Dual enrollment courses will be offered in spring 2026. |
| Ole Miss Esports Relocates As E. F. Yerby Conference Center Is Set For Demolition In 2026 | |
 | The home of the Ole Miss Esports team, the E. F. Yerby Conference Center, located on the corner of Grove Loop and University Avenue, is set to be torn down and replaced by the new Patterson School of Accountancy building, Jones Hall. Construction for the accountancy building is set to start in June 2026, while esports is set to move to the Jackson Avenue Center sometime during the spring semester. John McDermott, director of esports programs at the university, confirmed the move in a statement to The Daily Mississippian. "Esports does have a space designed," McDermott said. "We are going to be moving into the Jackson Avenue Center. If you know the layout of the Jackson Avenue Center, it is the old bookstore." McDermott noted that the transition to the new space has its benefits. Zach Taneri, a senior accountancy major and secretary of Ole Miss Esports is less certain of the benefits of moving to a new space and worries about the disruption the move will cause for the esports group. |
| Herrington pleads guilty to murder of Ole Miss grad | |
 | Timothy Herrington avoided a second capital murder trial by pleading guilty Monday morning to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence related to the 2022 killing of an Ole Miss graduate. Circuit Court Judge Kelly Luther is scheduled to sentence Herrington Tuesday morning at the Lafayette County Courthouse in Oxford. Prosecutors are recommending that the 25-year-old Grenada man serve 40 years in prison. Herrington was scheduled to go on trial this week for killing Jimmie "Jay" Lee, 20. Officials have said the motive was to keep their sexual relationship from going public. The first trial, held last December, ended with a hung jury and a mistrial. Prosecutors, defense attorneys and Judge Luther were in Rankin County Monday morning to select a jury to hear the case when Herrington agreed to a plea agreement. |
| Hattiesburg expands tuition partnership with USM, opening free education opportunities for all city employees | |
 | A partnership between the City of Hattiesburg and the University of Southern Mississippi is now giving all city employees the opportunity to continue their education at no cost. "We're thrilled to enter into this partnership with the City of Hattiesburg," said USM President Dr. Joe Paul. "We have done this with first responders and to extend it to all city employees is a win-win." The city first launched the program in 2018, offering six, free tuition hours each semester for police officers and firefighters. On Monday, city leaders signed an agreement with USM to expand that benefit to the entire city's workforce. "We've had a number of police officers and firefighters that have utilized it, and when the opportunity arose with the university to expand it as something that was available to all city employees, we jumped at it," said City Council Vice President Jeffrey George. Now, those same six, free credit hours can be used by any city employee pursuing either an undergraduate or graduate degree. |
| USM Fall 2025 commencement ceremonies set for December | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi will hold its fall 2025 commencement ceremonies in December. The ceremonies will take place December 11-12, 2025, at Bernard Reed Green Coliseum on the Hattiesburg campus. Thursday, Dec. 11 – 5 p.m.: All doctoral, specialist and master's degree candidates. Friday, Dec. 12 – 9 a.m.: All undergraduate degree candidates in the College of Business and Economic Development and the College of Education and Human Sciences. Friday, Dec. 12 – 2 p.m.: All undergraduate degree candidates in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Nursing and Health Professions. |
| Students rally around Alabama college's first Latino fraternity, sorority: 'Momentum' | |
 | As the October sky faded to black, Kevin Ponce and his fraternity brothers practiced their moves behind a busted piñata on the campus green. The lights strobed on and off, signaling the start of the annual stroll off -- and the boys' big debut. It would be the first time a Latino fraternity participated in the tradition on the University of Alabama at Birmingham's campus, and the group was going to bring an old-school Rick James routine into the mix. Ponce's organization, a chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta, is the college's first Latino-founded fraternity, and the only active one in Alabama. As advocates work to boost the college-going and graduation rates of Hispanic students, social organizations are important, experts say. "Having that circle makes college life more meaningful," he said. "We're going through the same struggles. We're dealing with the same things that are going on in the world." |
| Rolling down the runway: Couture A La Cart brings fashion on wheels to UGA | |
 | On any given weekday, students crisscross the University of Georgia's Tate Lawn, backpacks in tow. Parked amid the chatter and class changes, a white cart stands out from the crowd, its interior draped with handmade jewelry, colorful clothing, and carefully arranged accessories. Couture A La Cart isn't just any pop-up, though. It's a piece of UGA lore on four wheels. The mobile boutique, designed and operated entirely by students, serves as a launchpad from outside the classroom to real-world experience. What first began in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences evolved into a fully functioning retail venture that rolls style straight into the heart of campus. "This class is completely hands-on in that students run the entire course themselves through running the Couture A La Cart business," said Clair McClure, senior lecturer in textiles, merchandising, and interiors and the faculty lead for the project. When McClure first taught the class in 2017, she arrived with lectures and lesson plans about entrepreneurship. But, she quickly realized there was no time for theory. Her students were too busy actually doing the work itself. |
| A Conservative Student Got a Zero on Her Paper about Gender. Did She Deserve It? | |
 | Did a student paper arguing for traditional gender roles and identities deserve its failing grade? Or was that mark proof of political bias, and of academe's hostility to religious conservatives? That debate is unspooling at the University of Oklahoma. There, Samantha Fulnecky was recently asked in a psychology course on lifespan development to respond to an academic article. In her short reaction paper, Fulnecky wrote that while the article "discussed peers using teasing as a way to enforce gender norms," she did "not necessarily see this as a problem," according to screenshots of her paper that were posted on X by the university's Turning Point USA chapter. That's because "God made male and female and made us differently from each other on purpose and for a purpose." The dispute is emblematic of the white-hot scrutiny over how gender issues are taught in public-college classrooms. |
| Oklahoma TA On Leave After Student Claims Religious Discrimination | |
 | University of Oklahoma officials placed a graduate teaching assistant on leave Sunday after a student who was given a failing grade on a written assignment claimed she was discriminated against due to her religious beliefs. Samantha Fulnecky, a junior psychology major at the university, submitted an essay response to an assigned article in a psychology class about how people are perceived based on societal expectations of gender. Her response focused on her interpretations of the Bible and the ways in which she disagreed with the article. Fulnecky's instructor, Mel Curth, a graduate teaching assistant in the psychology department, gave Fulnecky a zero on the essay. "Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs, but instead I am deducting point [sic] for you posting a reaction paper that does not answer the questions for this assignment, contradicts itself, heavily uses personal ideology over empirical evidence in a scientific class, and is at times offensive," Curth wrote in response to Fulnecky. |
| Texas A&M announces massive faculty hiring push as academic freedom takes center stage | |
| Texas A&M University plans to hire 167 new tenure and tenure-track faculty members in the next few years, an effort to keep pace with a booming student body as professors across the state warn recruiting has gotten tougher due to concerns over academic freedom. A&M officials announced the $25 million hiring spree -- called "Foundation for Good" -- on Monday, several weeks after the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents voted to fund the initiative from a state endowment. "This investment will allow us to strategically add faculty in departments with the greatest need, and strengthen the academic experience at every level," Provost and Executive Vice President Alan Sams said in a statement. "It positions us to better serve our students, remain competitive and continue attracting and supporting exceptional faculty who elevate Texas A&M's mission every day." |
| Texas Tech System limits how race and gender can be taught, says faculty could face discipline for noncompliance | |
| Texas Tech University System Chancellor Brandon Creighton on Monday imposed restrictions on how faculty discuss race, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms and introduced a new course content approval process, underlining that instructors could face discipline for not complying. In a memo to university presidents, Creighton said instructors may not promote that "one race or sex is inherently superior to another; an individual, by virtue or race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, consciously or unconsciously; any person should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment because of race or sex; moral character or worth is determined by race or sex; individuals bear responsibility or guilt for actions of others of the same race or sex; or meritocracy or a strong work ethic are racist, sexist or constructs of oppression." Creighton defined promotion as "presenting these beliefs as correct or required and pressuring students to affirm them, rather than analyzing or critiquing them as one viewpoint among others." |
| College Students Flock to a New Major: A.I. | |
| Artificial intelligence is the hot new college major. This semester, more than 3,000 students enrolled in a new college of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity at the University of South Florida in Tampa. At the University of California, San Diego, 150 first-year students signed up for a new A.I. major. And the State University of New York at Buffalo created a stand-alone "department of A.I. and society," which is offering new interdisciplinary degrees in fields like "A.I. and policy analysis." The fast popularization of products like ChatGPT, along with skyrocketing valuations of tech giants like the chip maker Nvidia, is helping to drive the campus A.I. boom. Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft have poured billions of dollars into the technology. And this year, Google and Microsoft announced company efforts to train millions of students and adult workers on A.I.. Now interest in understanding, using and learning how to build A.I. technologies is soaring, and schools are racing to meet rising student and industry demand. Over the last two years, dozens of U.S. universities and colleges have announced new A.I. departments, majors, minors, courses, interdisciplinary concentrations and other programs. |
| Colleges are using AI tools to analyze admissions essays, applications | |
 | Students applying to college know they can't -- or at least shouldn't -- use AI chatbots to write their essays and personal statements. So it might come as a surprise that some schools are now using artificial intelligence to read them. AI tools are now being incorporated into how student applications are screened and analyzed, admissions directors say. It can be a delicate topic, and not all colleges are eager to talk about it, but higher education is among the many industries where artificial intelligence is rapidly taking on tasks once reserved for humans. In some cases, schools are quietly slipping AI into their evaluation process, experts say. Others are touting the technology's potential to speed up their review of applications, cut processing times and even perform some tasks better than humans. "Humans get tired; some days are better than others. The AI does not get tired. It doesn't get grumpy. It doesn't have a bad day. The AI is consistent," says Juan Espinoza, vice provost for enrollment management at Virginia Tech. |
| UVA interim president to senators: Agreement with DOJ to pause probes was 'best option available' | |
| In a rare moment in Virginia's legislative history, the Senate on Monday invited higher education leaders from the University of Virginia and Virginia Military Institute to speak in an open forum about how they are choosing their institutions' leaders, and why UVA opted to sign a controversial agreement with the federal government to suspend civil rights investigations. Monday's meeting comes as lawmakers are preparing to return to Richmond in January to develop the state's next two-year budget that would include state funding to support Virginia's colleges and universities' operations and capital projects. The schools' decisions raised alarms among lawmakers, who are charged with financially supporting the institutions and appointing governing board members. For months, Democratic legislators have expressed concern about federal overreach at Virginia's universities. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chair on Higher Education Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, highlighted the stakes of the situation at Monday's gathering, saying Virginia's nationally ranked institutions have been one of the key drivers of the state's success. |
| New Book Aims to Help College Presidents Pick Their Battles | |
| In his new book, The University's Voice: Principled Silence and Purposeful Speech (Johns Hopkins University Press), Steven Poskanzer draws on his 20 years as a college president -- first at SUNY New Paltz and then Carleton College -- to offer guidelines for when university leaders should issue public statements on behalf of their institution and when they should remain quiet. A lawyer by training, Poskanzer is a firm proponent of First Amendment protections for free speech, but also believes that in general, higher education and society both benefit when top administrators practice reticence -- except in a few key situations. He spoke with Inside Higher Ed over Zoom about slippery slopes, moral culpability and the limits of academic freedom. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi high school football championships taking place this week | |
| You've blinked, and the high school football season in Mississippi has neared its conclusion but not without championship games crowning title winners from each of the state's seven classifications. While the MidSouth Association of Independent Schools has already held its title matchups, the Mississippi High School Activities Association will wrap up the 2025 campaign this week with a stacked lineup of games. Headlined by the 7A battle between Tupelo and Gulfport, schools from all over Mississippi will look to secure bragging rights as the top dogs of their classifications for at least a year -- unless, of course, you play for West Point and have practically lived in the postseason finale. As for Saturday night's marquis showdown, a pair of talented squads will have a lot on the line. For Tupelo, a talented roster including Florida commit JaReylan McCoy at defensive end and Mississippi State commit Jaiden Hill at running back is trying to repeat as state champions. Meanwhile, a Gulfport crew led by multi-purpose running back Cooper Crosby is making its first title appearance in 43 years. The Admirals will attempt to take down a juggernaut in 7A. State championship contests will kick off on Thursday at 4 p.m. and run through Saturday night, with the last game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Games will be played at Davis Wade Stadium on the campus of Mississippi State University |
| Mississippi State takes on Georgia Tech following Epps' 21-point outing | |
| Mississippi State plays Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Wednesday at 9:15 p.m. EST after Jayden Epps scored 21 points in Mississippi State's 87-81 overtime loss to the SMU Mustangs. The Yellow Jackets are 5-0 on their home court. Georgia Tech is sixth in the ACC with 27.1 defensive rebounds per game led by Mouhamed Sylla averaging 7.0. The Bulldogs play their first true road game after going 3-4 to begin the season. Mississippi State is 1-4 against opponents over .500. Georgia Tech averages 71.5 points per game, 9.8 fewer points than the 81.3 Mississippi State gives up. Mississippi State averages 12.2 more points per game (79.7) than Georgia Tech allows to opponents (67.5). Josh Hubbard is averaging 23.3 points and 4.3 assists for the Bulldogs. Epps is averaging 15.0 points. |
| Melendez credits year at MSU for strides in his game | |
| RJ Melendez's time at Mississippi State only spanned 34 games last season, but the relationships he built in Starkville and the impact which Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans had on the young forward will last a lifetime. "It was amazing, honestly. I'm so glad coach Jans took me into his hands," Melendez, 22, said after an NBA G-League game at the Texas Legends on Nov. 28. "It really felt like four years. The year I was there felt like a family. I still go back and visit, did this summer. It was great. They stay in contact with me. It's that family bond we built in one year, but that's how coach Jans is, he loves his players. "Nobody recruited me like him, and how he treated me when I was at Mississippi State, that was amazing," Melendez added. Melendez, who had spent two seasons in the Big Ten at Illinois and another in the SEC at Georgia prior to his season at State, is now playing for the Mexico City Capitanes of the NBA G-League. |
| Football: Taylor Earns Second SEC Weekly Honor | |
| Mississippi State freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor was named the SEC Freshman of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Taylor earned his second career honor following a strong performance in just his first career start in last Friday's Egg Bowl. In the contest, Taylor completed 15 of 31 passes for 178 yards while also rushing for a game-high 173 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor's 173 rushing yards were the most rushing yards Ole Miss has allowed to an opposing quarterback since 2016, when they gave up 258 yards to Nick Fitzgerald. Taylor earned his first career 100-yard rushing performance and his second career multi-touchdown game. Taylor ended his freshman campaign throwing for 388 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 395 yards and seven scores. He scored a touchdown, rushing or passing, in each of the final six games of the season. |
| Softball: Sacco-Ferrie, Davidson Selected By Cascade On AUSL Draft Day | |
| A pair of Mississippi State alumni heard their names called on Monday night during the AUSL Draft. The two-part event was made up of an expansion draft as the league welcomes two new teams and an allocation draft for all remaining available free agents that did not end the 2025 season on an active roster. Former Bulldog All-Americans Sierra Sacco-Ferrie and Mia Davidson will be teammates this summer with the Cascade as the league expands to six teams and shifts those franchises to permanent home cities. Both have prior professional experience with Athletes Unlimited. Sacco-Ferrie (2024-25), who was a member of the inaugural champion Talons roster in 2025, was not one of the team's five protected players to begin the night. As such, she was taken in the third round of the expansion draft by the Cascade. Davidson's professional career will continue after the catcher was selected with the eighth overall pick in the second round of the allocation draft by the Cascade. |
| Athletes, leagues raise concerns about artificial turf and injuries | |
 | During the last 10 minutes of a summer league soccer game, Madison Hendershott was defending a player. When she reached for the ball, Hendershott turned awkwardly and felt a pop. She tore her ACL. "All throughout high school and before that, I never had injuries," Hendershott said about her time playing soccer. "I always thought I was going to be that person (who) never got injured." Hendershott is a redshirt sophomore on the University of Missouri's women's soccer team, but she has not played the last two seasons after tearing her ACL twice in the last two years. Her injury is part of a broader debate happening across college and professional sports about whether artificial turf puts athletes at greater risk, particularly for lower-extremity injuries. |
| Inside the college sports LLC boom -- and why schools are building them | |
| They leaned back in their chairs, equal parts awestruck and mesmerized at the lesson playing out before them. Former Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd served as the evening's professor, diagramming plays and walking Clemson fans through concepts that offered a peek into the psyche and requirements of a high-major signal-caller. The fans and partners in attendance could thank Clemson Ventures -- the school's third-party LLC, which encompasses the bulk of its commercial business arms -- for the experience. "It's funny because that's like, table-stakes-type stuff in my pro days," joked Clemson Ventures CEO Michael Drake, who spent two decades in the NBA and NFL. To Drake's point, hosting events for major benefactors isn't new. Premium hospitality is a constant in college athletics. But the newly established LLC helping the Tigers boost their bottom line is an increasingly public-facing part of college athletic department operations in the South Carolina Upstate and across the country. Clemson was among the first to develop such a setup. Kentucky followed in a slightly different form. Michigan State and West Virginia have since joined the LLC trend, as has Texas Tech. Returns are early, but the last 15 months at Clemson are proof of concept. The school is generating more than double the gross and net revenue it produced in the final year of its JMI Sports deal, despite the operational costs. |
| College Football's Business Playbook Shouldn't Use Pro Sports Plays | |
| Gordon Gee, a longtime college administrator who did two tours as president at Ohio State, recently penned an op-ed for The Hill that recommends colleges unify in the sale of media rights. The idea is based on sound reasoning, but its execution would prove problematic and highlight why the businesses of college sports and pro sports are so different. Gee points out that college football is leaving a lot of money on the table. The sport has twice the viewership of the NBA but "brings in only half of the NBA's media revenues," Gee stresses. He also questions why college football "is America's second-most popular sport by viewership" but "ranks only fifth in revenue." The core problem, the piece contends, is that media rights are sold in an "outdated, fragmented system." Gee posits this problem could be mitigated if conferences and schools unify "the sale of their football media rights." Gee is a formidable figure in higher ed. He recently retired as president of West Virginia University, and in addition to his tenure at Ohio State, he previously served in that capacity at Vanderbilt, Brown and Colorado. Gee's rationale also enjoys both historical and empirical support. |
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