| Monday, March 5, 2018 |
| Mississippi State psychology program seeking participants in nightmare study | |
 | Fourth-year Mississippi State University graduate student Kat Speed is looking for people to participate in her Nightmare Treatment Study. Specifically, Speed is looking for active or former military members 18 or older who experience frequent nightmares -- once per week or more, she said. "With nightmares ... whether it's a specific trauma that you keep reliving over and over again or you're just having really scary and disturbing dreams over and over again every night not related to a trauma, if that's happening constantly, it's going to kind of spill over into your daytime," Speed said. Speed and her professor Michael Nadorff even referenced studies which suggest correlation between frequent nightmares and suicidal tendencies. Given 15 percent of college students suffer from at least one nightmare a week that affects their sleeping patterns, Speed decided to focus her dissertation on nightmare treatment. |
| Erasing the stigma: How families, communities can have discussions about youth suicide | |
| Suicide among teenagers and young adults has increased steadily every year for the past decade, said Michael Nadorff, a psychology professor at Mississippi State University. Suicide is the second most common cause of death among teenagers and young adults, Nadorff said. In Mississippi alone, 58 people ages 10-25 died from suicide in 2016, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- down from 68 in 2015, but still higher than every other year since 2010. But the increase is nationwide. Less than 5,000 people in that age range died by suicide in 2010, at an age-adjusted rate of 7.29 per 100,000 deaths. In 2016, that number was 6,159, at a rate of 9.21. "There are actually more suicides than there are motor vehicle deaths," Nadorff said. "That's the one that really surprises people." |
| Focus turns to wellness with Mississippi State program | |
 | A new graduate certificate program at Mississippi State University is promoting healthier lifestyles and wellness for Mississippians. The university's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Division of Student Affairs are collaborating on the initiative, funded through the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. The certificate program is pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Health Promotion and Wellness Coaching includes hands-on learning and a field-based internship in a Blue Primary Care Home clinic in the region. "These coaches work with patients to modify their behaviors in the direction of a healthier lifestyle to prevent and manage chronic disease, as well as add healthy years to life," said Will Evans, project director and MSU department head of food science, nutrition and health promotion. "Recent research has shown that wellness coaches improve preventive health care in rural communities." |
| Deer in chronic wasting disease case native to Mississippi | |
 | Wildlife experts picked up another piece of the puzzle in the first documented case of chronic wasting disease in Mississippi. The four and a half-year-old deer found in Issaquena County is native to Mississippi. Biologists say that means the deer most likely contracted the disease from other deer who were already infected. A report from Mississippi State University indicates the deer is genetically similar to those found in the Sunflower County Wildlife Management area more than three counties away. Biologists say they will continue to investigate until they find the exact source of the disease. |
| Calhoun headlines Marszalek lecture Wednesday at Mississippi State | |
| Charles W. Calhoun, a historian who specializes in the political history of the United States from 1865 to 1900, is the featured speaker for Mississippi State's 16th annual John F. and Jeanne A. Marszalek Speaker Series. The free event will take place at 2 p.m. March 7 in the John Grisham Room of MSU's Mitchell Memorial Library. Calhoun will give a lecture on "The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant: Myths and Realities." Ryan Semmes, an MSU Libraries faculty member and a history doctoral student also will give a presentation titled "The Two Hirams: Hiram R. Revels, Ulysses S. Grant Party Politics, and the Annexation of Santo Domingo." The lecture series is sponsored by MSU Libraries in honor of the Marszaleks. |
| 'PostSecret: The Show' comes to Mississippi State's Lee Hall Monday | |
| A unique show that brings secrets to light and has led audiences across the country to both laughter and tears will be at Mississippi State Monday. "PostSecret: The Show" is an immersive, poignant journey through the humor and humanity of the personal stories people keep to themselves, and on rare occasions, share with others. The program takes place Monday at 7 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium of historic Lee Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free to all, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. MSU's Center for Student Activities is sponsoring the special event in conjunction with the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness, Student Counseling Services and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center. |
| Master Gardeners prepare for Everything Garden Expo | |
 | The Oktibbeha County Master Gardeners will host the Everything Garden Expo March 24 and 25 at the Mississippi Horse Park. The expo will feature guest speakers, vendors and children's activities, providing a family environment for all ages beginning at 7:45 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. "We have some very well known speakers coming --- Garden Mama, who is Nellie Neal, Gary Bachman and Jim DelPrince," Everything Garden Expo committee member Jim McKell said. "They're all very well-known in their field and very educated." The expo will benefit Master Gardener projects, MSU agriculture programs and scholarships, and MSU Extension programs. n Saturday, Chrissy Hamilton from Freedom Ranch Outreach Education will give a birds of prey animal education program at 11 a.m., and the Mississippi State University Extension Service will host "Farmtastic" hands-on agricultural exhibits at 1 p.m. Hands on Gardening Fun with 4-H will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday. |
| Pride parade coming up for reconsideration | |
| The Starkville Board of Aldermen will have another chance on Tuesday to consider allowing a LGBT Pride parade after denying the initial request on Feb. 20. Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk confirmed to The Dispatch that she placed the parade on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting Friday afternoon. She thought, in light of a federal lawsuit that has been filed against the city, and in light of the financial burden it could place on the city, it's important to give the board a chance to reconsider the vote, she said. "Clearly, I think that each of us ought to have the opportunity to reconsider a vote, and take it out of whatever context it was in before and look at what we know now," she said. "It's moving toward an injunction. Legal fees are accruing. The people I've talked to who are attorneys tell me that we really are not likely to prevail. I understand that attorneys all have opinions, but I've not talked to anybody who's told me we're standing on solid ground here." |
| Officials urge caution, vetting on social media | |
| In the wake of several incidents across the Golden Triangle and nation, law enforcement agencies are cracking down on social media threats toward schools. In the Golden Triangle alone, social media threats have taken place in Starkville, West Point and New Hope. The Armstrong incident took place the day after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, resulting in a stampede of parents checking out their children in response to a social media post. No harm came to anyone, and the school never went on lockdown. "As powerful as social media can be for a communication tool, we just saw this morning how a post that isn't true can create an unnecessary disruption for students, teachers and families," Superintendent Eddie Peasant said following the Armstrong scare. Starkville Police Department Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady urged citizens to research social media threats before believing them. "Social media can be a great tool, but you also don't want to desensitize people by putting false, or potentially false claims on social media," Lovelady said. |
| Dispute heightens between Oktibbeha supes, waste provider | |
| Golden Triangle Waste Services board members from Lowndes and Webster counties are asking Oktibbeha County supervisors to meet with them before deciding to contract with a new waste service provider. In a letter, which was delivered to supervisors on Wednesday, the waste services board outlines several points of contention with supervisors' efforts to shift to a new waste service provider. The letter also says it would be "unfair" for Oktibbeha County to move to another provider without first meeting with its board. Supervisors reviewed bids from Arrow Disposal Services, WastePro and Waste Management at their Feb. 19 meeting but delayed a decision until March. Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisor President Orlando Trainer said while Golden Triangle Waste Services may be cheaper, the other companies the county is considering are offering to do more. |
| Golden Triangle Regional Airport hosts TSA Precheck enrollment | |
 | Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus will be hosting their third TSA Precheck enrollment event March 5th through March 9th. It is open to anyone and appointments are highly recommended. Enrollment in the program means a traveler will be allowed to pass through expedited security check-in at more than 180 different airports across the U.S. Those enrolled do not have to remove their shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids bag, belts, and light jackets. |
| Mississippi architect to design new federal courthouse | |
| It may not be unusual for a Mississippi architectural firm to win a multimillion-dollar contract to build a federal courthouse. But when the firm is majority owned by a woman, the odds are against it. According to data from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, in 2016 women accounted for 36 percent of newly licensed architects. Safe to say then that Anne Marie Decker defied the odds. After competing against architects across the nation, the Mississippi architecture firm of which she is majority owner has been awarded a $3.1 million contract to build a new federal courthouse in Greenville. The General Services Administration awarded the contract to Duval Decker, Jackson-based architecture firm, for design and completion of the 62,000-square-foot federal courthouse for the Fifth Circuit in the Northern District of Mississippi. Originally from Tennessee, Decker first moved to Mississippi to attend Mississippi State University. |
| Local officials react to defeat of education funding bill | |
| On Thursday, the Mississippi State Senate voted down House Bill 957, effectively ending per-student funding this legislative session. The bill called for a $4,800 base amount per student in a given district, with various additions depending on the student's needs and situation. Districts would have received $6,240 per high school student. The per student funding model was based on recommendations from the New Jersey-based consulting firm EdBuild, which was first hired by the state in 2016. The bill was defeated 27-21, with eight Republican senators crossing party lines to vote with Democrats. Leslie Fye, a Starkville public education advocate and co-founder of the Mississippi Public Education PAC said she considered the bill's demise a victory. |
| Public school lobby can claim win in halting formula rewrite | |
 | Mississippi's traditional public school lobby is not dead, any rematch over rewriting the school funding formula could have to wait until after the 2020 elections, and the prospect for increased funding of the current formula looks uncertain. Those are among the takeaways after the effort to replace the current Mississippi Adequate Education Program crumbled Thursday under the opposition of unified Democrats and a crucial minority of Republicans. It was the refusal to go ahead by eight GOP senators that turned the tide in the 27-21 rejection of the bill, after many faced heavy lobbying from back home. |
| Analysis: Conflicting messaging helped doom new school funding formula | |
 | Legislative leaders in their failed effort to rewrite the Mississippi Adequate Education Program school funding formula touted two, conflicting messages. On the one hand, they argued that the Adequate Education Program needed to be replaced because the state could not afford to provide the amount of money to local school districts that was called for under the school funding formula. "To fully fund MAEP is impossible if other essential services are to be provided to Mississippians," wrote House Education Chairman Richard Bennett, R-Long Beach. On the other hand, often in the next breath, Bennett and others contended that their new school funding formula, the Mississippi Uniform Per Student Funding Formula Act, would provide more funds for the local school districts than they received for the current fiscal year or school year. |
| Northeast Mississippi projects alive in bond bill | |
| Legislation is alive that would provide $8 million in funds to four-lane Mississippi 145 from The Mall at Barnes Crossing to Saltillo. The project was inserted into a bond bill by Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown. The bill has passed the Senate and is pending in the House. Whether that project survives most likely will not be known until the final days of the 2018 session, which is scheduled to end by April 1. Traditionally, the final decision on what bonds to authorize to finance construction projects is hammered out by legislative leaders and voted on during the final week of the session. |
| Gov. Bryant's stance on guns in school is a reversal from his legislator days | |
 | Gov. Phil Bryant last week spoke out in support of allowing employees to carry guns on school campuses -- but he hasn't always believed that was a good idea. As a legislator representing Rankin County in the early 1990s, then-state Rep. Bryant co-authored a bill that would have stiffened penalties for anyone carrying a gun on school grounds. "It shall be unlawful for any person to carry a concealed pistol or revolver on any public school premises or at any public school or school district sponsored activity regardless of the possession of a permit to carry a weapon pursuant to the provisions of this section," states the text of House Bill 319, filed during the 1992 regular legislative session. Bryant told Mississippi Today in an interview Thursday that the proposed legislation sought to protect schools from people intent on doing harm. |
| Mississippi could set fines for impeding left-lane traffic | |
| Mississippi could set a small financial punishment for drivers who lollygag in the left lane. House Bill 80 is headed to the desk of Republican Gov. Phil Bryant. It says that on any road with at least four lanes, a vehicle should not impede traffic in the left lane. Punishment would be a fine of $5 to $50. The bill specifies that drivers should only use the left lane for passing -- unless the right lane is closed, is in disrepair or is otherwise impassable. Drivers could also use the left lane for a left-hand turn or left exit. |
| Southaven, Horn Lake tourism bills sent to governor | |
 | Two tourism tax measures which will benefit Southaven and Horn Lake were overwhelmingly approved by the Mississippi State Senate on Thursday and are on their way to Gov. Phil Bryant for his signature. The "Penny for the Parks" measure will mean more than $1.9 million in tourism tax revenue for the City of Southaven, and a surcharge or tax on hotel rooms in the City of Horn Lake amounts to more than $325,000 for that city. The measures were approved earlier in the Mississippi House of Representatives. State Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, helped shepherd the bills through the Senate where it was approved without difficulty. "I'm happy to see this get through so that we can move on to other things which are equally important," Parker said. "We put a referendum in there so if there is a move in the community to see another referendum on this it can happen." |
| Tax break might mean relief for craft brewers | |
 | Here's news you can lift a mug and do a "cheers" to. In late December the U.S. Congress passed a two-year version of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, which cuts the federal excise tax for craft breweries in half from $7/barrel to $3.50/barrel for domestic brewers producing less than two million barrels annually. The legislation reduced the federal excise tax from $18/barrel to $16/barrel on the first six million barrels for all other brewers and all beer importers while maintaining the current $18/barrel rate for more than six million gallons. "This savings will allow Mississippi small brewers, including many manufacturers and entrepreneurs, to reinvest in their businesses, expand their operations and hire more workers," said Mississippi Brewers Guild Executive Director Matthew McLaughlin. |
| Baria runs on debunking 'rosy' picture painted by GOP leaders | |
| Rep. David Baria mentioned none of his challengers by name, but in the formal announcement Friday of his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, he took direct aim at several themes pushed by one high-profile Republican challenger. The announcement from Baria, 55, who was born in Escatawpa and grew up on the Coast, came two days after state Sen. Chris McDaniel made his candidacy official in his hometown of Ellisville. In his speech, McDaniel drew a line in the sand between "us" (those who believe in his brand of conservatism) and "them" (everyone who doesn't). From the steps of the Hancock County Courthouse, and without naming McDaniel, Baria offered a rebuke of us-vs-themism and unwillingness to compromise. "I think we need to fight together as Mississippians because if this ship is sinking it affects every single one of us. There can be no more us and them when it comes to our jobs, our infrastructure, schools and hospitals," Baria said. |
| The W presents an evening of Russian piano music | |
| On Monday evening, the Mississippi University for Women Department of Music will host Alexey Trushechkin, an internationally renowned pianist, in an evening of Russian solo piano music. The recital will take place in Connie Sills Kossen Auditorium in Poindexter Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Trushechkin will perform virtuosic pieces by Alexander Scriabin, Sergei Prokofiev and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Trushechkin is a laureate of numerous international piano competitions including the Parnassos International Competition (Monterrey, Mexico); first place at the Skriabin International Piano Competition (Paris, France) and, most recently, the 2018 Los Angeles International Piano Competition. |
| MUW's 'Meet the Author' series hosts Shores Wednesday | |
| The Meet the Author series at Mississippi University for Women's Fant Memorial Library continues Wednesday with visiting writer and Tuscaloosa, Alabama-native Elizabeth Findley Shores from 5-7 p.m. Published by The University of Alabama Press in 2017, Shores' "Earline's Pink Party: The Social Rituals and Domestic Relics of a Southern Woman" sifts through the author's family's artifacts to understand Shores' grandmother's life in relation to Tuscaloosa's troubled racial history. The book set against a background of geography and culture explores the life of a small-city matron in this combination of biography, cultural analyses, social history and memoir. |
| Ole Miss unveils new contextualization plaques | |
| The University of Mississippi unveiled six history and context plaques on Friday, following months of discussion from the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on History and Context and feedback from stakeholders. The plaques are located in various locations around campus as part of Chancellor Jeff Vitter's commitment to item five of the University's 2014 action plan. According to the plan, the plaques "offer more history, putting the past into context" and do so "without attempts to erase history, even some difficult history." In addition to the markers at the cemetery, Vitter detailed plans to clarify that Johnson Commons is named after Paul B. Johnson, Sr. by adding the designation to the building's signage. He also confirmed that Vardaman Hall will be renamed once renovations are complete "in a few years." |
| Black Alumni Reunion connects UM grads, highlights alumni impact, progression of diversity on campus | |
 | More than 800 alumni registered for the 2018 Black Alumni Reunion, bringing the alumni and their friends and family back to Oxford and the University of Mississippi to celebrate. The four-day weekend full of concerts, panels and galas reunited friends and highlighted the impact African-Americans have made on the university. Notable events from the weekend included Thursday's #BAR18 stand up comedy show, Friday's State of the University address and Black-Out Concert, Saturday's "Alumni Experiences Through the Decades" panel, picnic and Black Alumni Reunion Awards Gala and Sunday's closing breakfast. According to event organizer Torie Marion White, the weekend served as a way for alumni to reconnect with those from their pasts as well as foster new relationships with current students. |
| Hattiesburg eyes 1 percent tax increase to help Southern Miss, city projects | |
 | Less than 24 hours after Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett asked Hattiesburg City Council for financial help renovating Reed Green Coliseum, the council unanimously passed a resolution to request the state Legislature raise the city's restaurant and hotel/motel tax by 1 percent. The current tax on restaurants and hotels/motels is 9 percent -- 7 percent sales tax and 2 percent additional tax. If approved by the Legislature, there are many steps that must be followed before the increases could become law, including getting the approval of 60 percent of voters. Mayor Toby Barker said the increase on restaurants would raise about $2 million a year, while the hike on hotels and motels would generate a few hundred thousand dollars. The money would be split 50/50 for Southern Miss athletic facilities and City of Hattiesburg park and recreation projects. |
| Delta State gifted with $3M for teaching and learning | |
| Delta State University, once a teacher's college, recently received a gift allowing the school to focus on continuing faculty development to better the lives of the students. The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation made a donation, announced Thursday, to the university of $3 million. The foundation, created in 1991, is founded for the purpose of supporting religious, charitable, scientific, literary and education activities, and the humane treatment of animals. DSU Academic Provost Charles McAdams said, "Our goal is the same and that is to provide the conditions to help students stay on a clear path to graduation. A successful student is one who meets all program requirements and completes a degree. A principal way to help students with this is good teaching and advisement. That is where the rubber hits the road. But what enhances our ability to do this is based on a simple word, partnership." John Lewis, a board member of the foundation, said the funding would go a long way in developing quality faculty at Delta State. |
| Race relations dialogue continues at Delta State | |
| Delta State University is continuing a conversation that began four years ago and earned it the 2014 Civil Rights and Social Justice Award at the fourth National Civil Rights Conference in Philadelphia. The race-relations conference Winning the Race returns to the Cleveland campus for a fifth year on March 26-27. The conference began with a focus on engaging, promoting and rekindling conversations in hopes Delta-area communities could move toward greater equity, forward thinking and reduced racial tensions. This year's conference will highlight the various ways in which race and race relations intersect with people's daily lives -- from politics, economics, health and housing to education, entertainment, art and science. |
| Mississippi Valley State University revamps security after campus shooting | |
| A campus shooting at Mississippi Valley State University has leadership reevaluating its communications and security policies. At around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, one person was shot in the Charles Lackey Recreation Center on MSVU's campus, according to a university statement. But hours passed before the university alerted students and released official information. "While we were preparing a statement, someone posted on Facebook saying there was an active shooter on campus," said Brittany Davis-Green, a MSVU spokeswoman. "Had we released a holding statement earlier we could have nipped that rumor in the bud." The victim, who wasn't a student, sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. Police are still looking for the shooter. Students were notified by text, email and social media once the university sent out a statement. |
| Community college training, workforce development transforms lives | |
 | Centers of job training and better livelihoods embrace East Mississippi to help employ a better future through the region's community colleges. When businesses and industry need workers trained and certified for particular needs, community colleges provide assistance. Community colleges within a relative short driving distance to many people in the region offer job training for people looking to improve their skills and earning power. For a state filled with memories of many closed low-wage, low-skill manufacturing plants, skills taught through Mississippi community colleges provide transformational opportunities. A shining example is found about 90 miles north of Meridian in Mayhew, home to East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus. |
| Auburn University construction projects scheduled to end in spring, summer | |
 | At least one construction project at Auburn University is scheduled to be up for bid next month, with a bid on a second project possible. As spring is in the air, bringing with it the sounds of construction sites, new buildings and renovations elsewhere on campus are scheduled to be wrapping up. The new North Auburn Poultry Science Research Building is scheduled to bid April 3, but is subject to change if bidders request more time, said Martha Gentry, communication director for Facilities Management at the university. The anticipated start date for the project is late April or early May, with the goal of completion in late March 2019. The building will be located on Auburn Lakes Road and will not impact main campus traffic, she added. Renovations to Goodwin Hall are scheduled to be bid in April as well, according to the Facilities Management website. But Gentry said that "schedule is subject to change, as the university is re-evaluating the project schedule at this time." |
| U. of Kentucky's Robinson Forest could make millions from carbon credits | |
 | For decades, people have sparred over the University of Kentucky's Robinson Forest, a 15,000-acre block of ecologically diverse Appalachian woodland that serves as a living laboratory for how healthy forests can impact the water and animals that run through them. Since 1923, when timber magnate E.O. Robinson handed over the clear-cut land in parts of Breathitt, Perry and Knott counties to UK, people have argued about whether UK should benefit from its rich resources. Either the coal seams below or timber harvests above could yield significant new revenue for Kentucky's financially-strained flagship university. Just a month ago, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, suggested UK should mine the land in order to fund its Robinson Scholars' program, a scholarship program Gov. Matt Bevin had proposed to eliminate from the state budget. Now, UK officials hope they have found a way for the forest to financially benefit the school while preserving it as a living laboratory. UK is exploring a partnership with The Nature Conservancy to implement a program that could pay UK millions for allowing the forest to offset environmental pollution elsewhere. |
| U. of Tennessee president criticizes reaction to post-tenure review | |
 | University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro sent an email to faculty Thursday criticizing the response to proposed changes to the post-tenure review process that some opponents say amounts to eliminating tenure. "Periodic post-tenure review of all tenured faculty is not uncommon in higher education, and I am convinced that requiring it will enhance academic excellence, accountability and transparency at the University of Tennessee," DiPietro said in the email. "Additional rationale for doing so is that it will recognize faculty accomplishments and achievements, rejuvenate underperforming faculty, identify inadequate annual faculty evaluation procedures and support removal of faculty who are performing unsatisfactorily." DiPietro also said recent faculty comments have been "disappointing, false and misleading" and that the university has a responsibility to "ensure that tenure is not misinterpreted as unconditional job security for life regardless of performance." |
| Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agents help connect communities, officials during Harvey recovery | |
 | As the statewide effort to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey continue, the Texas A&M University System's AgriLife Extension Agency is doing its part to help local governments and communities get back on their feet. Susan Ballabina, AgriLife Extension executive associate director, said it was a natural fit for the agents to act as liaisons between the Governor's Commission to Rebuild Texas -- led by A&M System Chancellor John Sharp -- and local leaders, making it easier for communities to access the resources available to them to assist in the recovery process. "Our agency's mission is to help Texans better their lives," Ballabina said. "This just makes sense and fits in with the kinds of things our agents do to impact their communities every day. While AgriLife Extension agents typically work to connect their communities with educational and support programming, Ballabina said it was an easy transition for the representatives in the 42 affected counties to shift their responsibilities to have a greater focus on conveying information to and from their local government officials. |
| U. of Missouri School of Medicine addresses issues to receive full accreditation | |
 | The University of Missouri School of Medicine has taken the steps it needed in diversity and other issues to receive full accreditation through the through the 2023-24 academic year, MU said in a news release. The Liaison Committee on Medical Education visited the school in January 2016 and listed four areas for improvement among 95 elements it reviewed, the news release said. The school submitted an action plan on those issues -- affiliation agreements, diversity and inclusion, how students are treated and curricular management -- in November 2016. The committee issued accreditation for an indeterminate period in June 2016 and for the period to the end of the 2024 school year after receiving the status report from MU in December. |
| Numbers on how many NTT faculty were cut at U. of Missouri trickle in | |
 | It was still unclear late Friday afternoon how many non-tenure-track faculty at MU will not have their contracts renewed for the 2018-2019 school year. Some NTT faculty members up for reappointment were notified Wednesday that they will lose their jobs effective at the end of May. Interim Provost Jim Spain said in an email that the non-renewals were a consequence of state budget cuts and decreasing net student enrollment. Three of the four colleges from which information could be verified so far were not affected by the NTT cuts. "To my knowledge we had no non-renewal notifications sent this week," Christopher R. Daubert, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, wrote in an email Friday. The same was true for the College of Education. "Zero," Steve Adams, the college's manager of strategic communications, said Friday. |
| DACA continues for now, but colleges and students face uncertainties | |
 | Today was supposed to be a last-ditch deadline for Congress to act if it wanted to keep the protections provided by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in place. Two nationwide court injunctions blocking the Trump administration from ending DACA are temporarily keeping much of the program alive, but with no legislative solution in sight, uncertainty about the long-term prospects for the hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers who have benefited from the program continues. To recap: DACA, established by former president Obama in 2012, offers temporary protection against deportation and also provides work authorization to a subset of young undocumented immigrants, including many current or former college students, who were brought to the U.S. as children. In September, the Trump administration announced plans to gradually end the program, arguing that the establishment of DACA represented an unconstitutional overreach of Obama's executive power, a conclusion many legal scholars disagree with. |
| Can Colleges Act More Quickly to Punish Professors Who Harass? | |
 | When professors sexually harass a colleague or a student, it can take a long time for colleges to punish them, especially if the professor in question has tenure. Faculty members often call for the extra layer of due process provided by separate, faculty-run hearings. A newly completed federal investigation of the University of California at Berkeley suggests that colleges should try to speed up those proceedings. But that's easier said than done. After a four-year review, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced this week that Berkeley's handling of certain sexual-assault and -harassment complaints was "out of compliance" with Title IX, the federal gender-equity law. The civil-rights office took issue with the lack of a defined time frame in Berkeley's faculty disciplinary process --- specifically, the faculty-led proceedings that begin after the university's Title IX staff has investigated a complaint. (The investigation is supposed to wrap up within 60 days.) |
| 'Contra-power' harassment of professors by students isn't that common, but it's a real problem | |
| Academe's Me Too movement has thus far focused on professors harassing students, or senior professors harassing junior professors. And that makes sense, given the obvious power differential between those groups: in many cases, students depend on faculty members for not only grades but mentorship, recommendations and professional opportunities. Much the same can be said for the dynamic between junior and senior faculty members. Yet a recent case highlights the fact that professors, too, may be vulnerable to abuse by students. Last week, a judge issued a temporary restraining order against a student at Florida SouthWestern State College accused of harassing and stalking a faculty member. The history instructor, Matthew Vivyan, asked the court for the order after his college issued the student a no-contact order, which she allegedly violated multiple times via email. |
| How College Campuses Are Trying to Tap Students' Voting Power | |
 | College campuses are often seen as hotbeds of political engagement, with controversial speakers routinely kicking up loud protests. But abysmally low turnout among young people has long been a hallmark of American elections, particularly in midterm years. Data suggests that only 18 percent voted in 2014, compared with about 37 percent in the overall population. Now a growing number of universities are using their institutional power to increase student turnout on their campuses, spurred by a desire to develop students into better citizens. The new emphasis on voting --- among a population that tends to vote Democrat --- comes as the nation gears up for a high-stakes midterm election. It is unclear whether the efforts to increase student turnout will impact the nation's political map. Among the students who vote, many cast absentee ballots for districts where they grew up. |
| New Fellowship Seeks to Help Tenure-Track Faculty Members Elevate Teaching | |
| Tenure decisions typically hinge on a candidate's research contributions, providing an incentive for even the most dedicated instructors to prioritize scholarship over teaching. A new fellowship program aims to help "rising postsecondary education stars" bolster their commitment to teaching. The Course Hero-Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching will provide each of five professors who "love teaching" and are "making their mark as exceptional researchers" with a one-time award of $40,000, according to the announcement. Course Hero, a company that provides tutoring and other study aids online, was looking for a way to highlight the role good teaching plays in student success, said Andrew Grauer, its co-founder and chief executive. Through conversations with professors, the company identified the period after tenure-track faculty members complete their midpoint institutional reviews as a point when pressure to focus entirely on research is especially high. |
| President Trump nominates Jon Parrish Peede to lead humanities endowment | |
| President Trump nominated Jon Parrish Peede Friday to become chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Peede has worked at the NEH since April 2017, serving as senior deputy chairman. Since William D. Adams, an appointee of President Obama, stepped down as chairman in May, Peede has been the senior person at the NEH. In his first two budget proposals, Trump proposed eliminating the NEH, but Congress has rebuffed him. Peede has experience in the humanities publishing world and in government. He has served as publisher of Virginia Quarterly Review, at the University of Virginia; literature grants director at the National Endowment for the Arts; director of communications at Millsaps College; and an editor at Mercer University Press. Peede said he counted among his most important mentors William R. Ferris, who led the NEH during President Clinton's second term in office. Peede earned a master's degree at the University of Mississippi in the Southern studies program Ferris led. |
| Our View: Starkville, MSU bring the First Amendment into focus | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "In Starkville, the First Amendment, particularly as it relates to free speech, has moved from theoretical discussion to practical reality over the past couple of weeks. Two lightning rod issues, gay rights and abortion, have served to bring the discussion of what constitutes free speech into sharper focus. ...What progress we have made as a nation has relied on the First Amendment, which ensures the right of people to express their views, to make their cases in the marketplace of ideas, without restraint from the government. ...Mississippi State, through its actions, has supported that right. ...We commend Mississippi State, its students and those who gathered both in support and opposition of Thursday's speaker for what was, with only a few exceptions, an orderly, civil and fair exchange of ideas." |
| Scheduling students' time requires flexibility | |
| Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State, writes: "An average school day for students begins in the classroom somewhere around 8 a.m. and concludes near 3 p.m. However, for many students across the nation, this merely signifies the beginning of their second schedule. Whether it's soccer, track, basketball, football, baseball, cheer, softball, tennis, band, drama or a combination of such activities, students often face an after-hours set of obligations that would weaken the knees of even the most organized adult. In addition to a significant homework load and sometimes a part-time job thrown in to help cover some of their additional expenses, students often find their time dedicated from early morning until late evening. While many of the additional involvement areas may appear to manifest as optional selections, the reality is that the students also realize that colleges are looking for far more than just academic merit. " |
| McDaniel determined to take down an incumbent senator | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Well, here we go again. State Sen. Chris McDaniel has again anointed himself as the conservative messiah sent to save us from a successful incumbent U.S. Senator. Most will remember the nasty and controversial campaign McDaniel waged four years ago to unseat Sen. Thad Cochran. ...Now McDaniel wants to throw out Sen. Roger Wicker. There is no reason to expect the tone of this campaign will be any different. However, the campaign itself will have a much different focus because of President Donald Trump. McDaniel says he aligns with and supports Trump, but Trump has issued a strong endorsement of Wicker." |
| 'Remember Mississippi?' Good Lord, how could we ever forget #MSSen 2014? | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "'Remember Mississippi' is state Sen. Chris McDaniel's battle cry in his new bid for the U.S. Senate, the title of a book by one of his supporters and the name of a new super PAC that supports him. It's a recriminatory reminder of his last, failed bid, which came against incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran -- a race McDaniel believes was stolen from him through liberal trickery -- as he takes on incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. But really, how could anyone forget the wild, dirty, crazy, tragic, epic 2014 Republican primary? Even while many would like to forget it." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State foiled again in SEC title game | |
| A'ja Wilson screamed, waved four fingers in the air and danced in front of the South Carolina pep band. Doing something nobody has ever done deserves a mighty celebration. Wilson scored 16 points as eighth-ranked South Carolina become the first Southeastern Conference women's program to win four straight tournament championships Sunday with a 62-51 upset of No. 2 Mississippi State. The loss for the Bulldogs snapped the nation's longest winning streak at 32 games. "Just wasn't our day offensively," Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said. "And it just was really frustrating from an offensive standpoint because it didn't matter what string we pulled, it just didn't work." |
| Poor offensive showing costs Mississippi State women first loss of season | |
| There was a changing of the guard at the top of the Southeastern Conference this season when the Mississippi State Bulldogs stormed through the conference slate with a 16-0 record. The SEC Tournament, however, is still owned by the South Carolina Gamecocks. Sunday's SEC Tournament Championship was the same song and different verse between those two teams in title games. South Carolina (26-6) dictated the tempo and dominated on the defensive end, halting State's nation-leading winning streak with the 62-51 victory. "It was one of those days," MSU head coach Vic Schaefer said. "It was really frustrating because it hasn't happened in a long time. I think our lack of maturity showed." |
| What Mississippi State's loss in SEC Tournament means for NCAA Tournament | |
| Vic Schaefer constantly reiterated that Mississippi State didn't need one of these. It wasn't necessary for the Bulldogs to lose in order for him to get their attention, he often said this season. The goal of national championship and all the things necessary to achieve winning one have always been clear to the Bulldogs. But a loss is just what the Bulldogs suffered for the first time right before the NCAA Tournament. No. 2 Mississippi State lost to No. 8 South Carolina, 62-51, in the SEC Tournament final on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena because the Bulldogs experienced their worst shooting performance of the season. The only silver lining for the Bulldogs (32-1), of course, is that this didn't happen in the NCAA Tournament, which doesn't start until March 16. |
| How one weird lineup change helped spark South Carolina's offense to an SEC title | |
 | Coming into SEC tournament, South Carolina women's basketball looked like a team on a downswing. The No. 8 Gamecocks had dropped a tough regular season finale to Tennessee, senior forward A'ja Wilson was suffering from vertigo, and the team hadn't been blowing out overmatched opponents with its usual ease. A week later, and USC has three impressive wins, its fourth consecutive SEC tournament title and all sorts of momentum heading into the NCAA tournament. And in some ways, it started with head coach Dawn Staley's decision to keep her best player on the bench --- at least to begin games. On Friday against Tennessee, the All-American Wilson was cleared to play restricted minutes by the team's medical staff. Rather than start her star in hopes of building up a quick lead, Staley chose to keep Wilson on the bench, only inserting her for short periods of time. And it worked. On Sunday, Herbert Harrigan was in the starting lineup while Wilson was on the bench to start against undefeated Mississippi State. Then, later in the game, Wilson took over with high energy and excitement, helping keep MSU at bay and powering South Carolina to the conference title. |
| Perfect storm (and South Carolina) ends State's previously perfect season | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "For Mississippi State's most accomplished team in school history, it was a worst-case scenario -- that dreaded perfect storm, thunder and lightning -- here Sunday. Thunder: Early foul trouble for Teaira McCowan, especially against a player of South Carolina center A'Ja Wilson's ability. Lightning: An off-shooting night from all of the Bulldogs' usually accurate 3-point shooters: Victoria Vivians (1 for 5), Roshunda Johnson (2 for 8) and Blair Schaefer (0 for 5). That's 3 for 23 overall and that won't get it against anybody, much less South Carolina. With little inside presence and nothing happening from the outside, State was defeated for the first time after an incredible run of 32 straight victories. ...This State team, the best in school history won't be remembered for this game. The way it will ultimately be remembered is still to be determined." |
| Victory over Sam Houston State clinches weekend sweep for Mississippi State | |
| To close out a 12-day road trip, No. 21 Mississippi State rode a solid weekend on the mound to three victories in the Shiner's College Classic at Minute Maid Park. MSU completed a weekend sweep to finish its season-opening 11-game road swing with a 4-1 win over Sam Houston State. In three tournament victories, MSU (6-5) allowed 17 hits and four earned runs with 39 strikeouts in 30 innings of work. "We pitched well the entire weekend," MSU head coach Gary Henderson said. "We did much better with our concentration. We have shown this weekend what this team is capable of doing on the mound with focus. Defensively, we were great. Our entire infield was exceptional. We made some great plays when the other team was threatening to score." |
| Holly Ward, Bulldogs blank Sam Houston State in Bulldog Slamboree finale | |
| Senior Holly Ward kept Sam Houston State (6-12) off-balanced to record her third shutout of the season as No. 25 Mississippi State capped an undefeated weekend over the Bulldog Slamboree with a 5-0 victory on Sunday at Nusz Park. Ward (7-2) was aggressive in the circle, recording a strike on the first or second pitch on every single batter she faced. The right-hander racked up 10 strikeouts and did not allow a free pass in the game. Ward gave up two hits, but neither one left the infield. "Holly (Ward) pitched lights out," head coach Vann Stuedeman said. At the plate, MSU was led by junior Emily Heimberger, who went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored. |
| Charles Huff finds a good situation in Starkville | |
| Charles Huff had a good thing going at Penn State. For four years, Huff had served as running backs coach for the Nittany Lions and had just helped produce one of the top tailbacks in program history in Saquan Barkley this past season. But when Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead accepted the head coaching position at Mississippi State, Huff decided to join him in Starkville and was Moorhead's first staff hire. "I wouldn't have left a really good situation if I wasn't going to a good situation," Huff said. "After working with coach Moorhead for two years, he's probably one of the best people that I know. He cares about his players and cares about his coaching staff. "His family comes first. He's not a guy that going to be sitting in a room with ashtrays, black coffee and the film reel going until midnight. He's going to come in, do his work and get it done. He cares about the people he comes in contact with." |
| Mississippi State's Kody Schexnayder fired up for spring competition | |
| Four-year starter Logan Cooke has graduated and Mississippi State will be in search of a new starting punter this spring. But Cooke's departure does not mean the Bulldogs are completely barren of experience in the punting department. Kody Schexnayder served as MSU's primary punter for the final four regular season games of his true freshman year in 2016 when Cooke went down with a knee injury. Schexnayder punted 18 times for a 36.9 yard average and a long of 52-yards in games against Alabama, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Ole Miss. "That experience was what I needed to come in and compete for the starting job in the spring time," Schexnayder said. Schexnayder, who is a preferred walk-on, will be competing with Tucker Day -- a former high school All-American -- for the starting job. |
| What does Jon Gilbert hope to accomplish in his second year as Southern Miss' AD? | |
| Jon Gilbert never wants to be considered the face of Southern Miss athletics. That is every bit as true today as it was on Jan. 24, 2017, when he was introduced as the school's athletic director. Instead, Gilbert prefers the spotlight shines on the Golden Eagles' coaches and student-athletes. "That's not my style," he said during a recent interview. "I want our coaches and student-athletes to be the face of the program. I understand I'm leading the program, and I'll make the decisions that need to be made. I'm comfortable with all that. I think it's really important that I set the tone and the culture for where we're headed." Gilbert, who took office full time on Feb. 27, 2017, is confident strides have been made during the past year to do just that. |
| Ole Miss fires women's basketball coach Matt Insell | |
| Both of Ole Miss' basketball programs are now in the market for a coach. In what the school called a mutual agreement to part ways, Ole Miss fired women's coach Matt Insell on Friday. The move comes a day after the Rebels finished the worst season in the SEC with a second-round exit from the league tournament Thursday. The school announced it will begin a nationwide search for Insell's replacement. Insell had three years remaining on his contract after receiving an extension after last season. Ole Miss finished last in the SEC three times under Insell, whose teams won just 23 percent (18-62) of their league games. It's the latest struggle for a program that's been to 17 NCAA Tournaments, 10 Sweet 16s and five Elite Eights but hasn't been dancing since 2007. |
| Report: Thad Matta meets with Ole Miss officials | |
| Ole Miss officials met with former Ohio State coach Thad Matta Friday, according to a report by ESPN's Jeff Goodman. Matta has spent the previous 13 seasons coaching the Buckeyes and posted a 337-123 record, which included two trips to the Final Four (2007 and 2012). Andy Kennedy stepped down as Ole Miss' coach last month after 12 seasons, which featured nine 20-win seasons. Matta, 50, was fired at Ohio State in June, and has dealt with some health issues, primarily with his back. In his report, Goodman quoted a source, who said Matta "wouldn't take any job, but he'd possibly consider coming back for the right one." |
| Tennessee, ex-AD John Currie likely to settle, expert says | |
| More than three months after being ousted from his role as Tennessee's athletic director, John Currie remains suspended with pay while the university works toward a resolution. University spokesman Ryan Robinson confirmed that Currie continues to be paid under the terms of his contract. Robinson said there has been no change in Currie's status since Chancellor Beverly Davenport wrote in a Dec. 1 letter to Currie's replacement, Phillip Fulmer, that Currie was being placed on paid suspension "pending an investigation or decision relating to termination" of Currie's employment for cause. Asked about Currie's ongoing situation, Fulmer said: "That was before me, and that's something I can't concern myself with." The most likely resolution, according to one national expert on NCAA matters, is that Currie and UT will reach a settlement that would amount to less than the buyout Currie would be owed if he were to be fired without cause. |
| NCAA's Emmert: Changes needed, but not paying players | |
| NCAA President Mark Emmert is hopeful the scandal roiling college basketball will lead to major rule changes, but schools paying players is likely a nonstarter. In a 45-minute phone interview Friday with The Associated Press, Emmert said he expects a commission to reform college basketball to put forth proposals to modernize NCAA rules on player-agent relationships, devise new ways to handle high-profile enforcement cases and address the NBAs one-and-done rule. The commission, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, is on track to give its recommendations to NCAA leadership when the Division I Board of Directors meets April 24-25. |
| NCAA recommends altering kickoff rule to include fair catch, touchback inside 25 | |
 | Players who fair catch a kickoff inside their 25-yard line would be awarded a touchback, according to a new NCAA college football rules recommendation. The NCAA Football Rules Committee on Friday proposed the change, with the idea to "address player safety on the kickoff and to address tactics that attempt to pin the receiving team close to its goal line." All other kickoff rules -- including kicking off from the 35-yard line and starting at the 25 after a touchback -- would remain the same. "The committee discussed the kickoff play at great length and we will continue to work to find ways to improve the play," said Larry Fedora, chair of the committee and head coach at North Carolina. "We believe making one change will allow us to study the effect of this change in terms of player safety." The change is still the proposal stage, and must pass through the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which meets April 13. |
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