Monday, March 26, 2018   
 
Mississippi State professor set for Australia as Fulbright scholar
A Mississippi State University professor is traveling to Australia to continue her robotics research as a Fulbright U.S. Senior Scholar. Cindy Bethel, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is known for developing a therapeutic robotic dog called Therabot. Bethel will continue her work at the University of Technology Sydney, where she and university researchers will work to improve and further test Therabot during the 2018-19 academic year. Bethel's work in therapeutic robotics aims to create a support system for people in therapy, especially those with post-traumatic stress disorders.
 
Mississippi State cotton development program supporting supply chain
Cotton producers in the Delta may not know about an invaluable ally they have in their corner with broad influence that expands with every graduation commencement at Mississippi State University. Housed under the School of Human Sciences, the Center for Retail Cotton Product Development (CRCPD) was launched in 2014 to bridge connections between apparel brands, retailers, supply chain partners, and MSU. Building and maintaining that value and the viability of those connections is accomplished in part through the department's Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) major. At the helm of the FDM concentration is Dr. Charles Freeman, assistant professor. The major is so specialized it attracts students from all over the United States.
 
Accepting the challenge: About 40 students show interest in pilot Innovation program
Jeffrey Rupp took only 20 copies of the entry form to Thursday's interest meeting for the first Oktibbeha County Innovation Challenge. Before he arrived, he thought he might have wasted paper. As it happened, he needed about twice that number. A crowd of more than 60 -- including roughly 40 students along with parents, teachers and school administrators -- crammed into the lobby of Glo's headquarters on East Lampkin Street. All sought to know more about the pilot program geared toward harvesting the entrepreneurial spirit from Starkville public and private school students, grades 6-12. "I'm absolutely blown away by this response," said Rupp, outreach director for the Mississippi State University Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach that is collaborating with The Partnership in Starkville for the program. "
 
Oktibbeha County Master Gardeners host Everything Garden Expo
The Oktibbeha County Master Gardeners hosted the Everything Garden Expo Saturday and Sunday at the Mississippi Horse Par, which featured guest speakers, children's activities and vendors selling everything anything and everything related to gardening. The Mississippi State University Extension Plant Doctors set up a booth, providing attendees with information regarding plant deceases and insect control. MSU Extension entomology specialist Blake Layton offered advice on how to deal with fire ants and termites for not only gardeners, but any homeowners. "Fire ants are the insect I get the most questions about, because everyone has them," Layton said. The MSU Horticulture Club also hosted its plant sale during the Everything Garden Expo.
 
Mississippi State Hosts Annual Southeast Severe Storms Symposium
Professional meteorologists and weather enthusiast have taken over Mississippi State's campus for the Southeast Severe Storms Symposium. The 16th annual Southeast Severe Storm Symposium brings around a hundred meteorologists from all over the southeast to MSU. They come to share their knowledge and connect with students. President of the East Mississippi chapter of the N.W.A. and A.M.S., Alex Herbst, says it is a great way for students to stay up to date in the weather world. "The symposium is a great opportunity for students, faculty, professionals, to all come together and be able to learn more about the weather enterprise and what is going on right now in the world of weather. It's put on every year by the local chapter of Mississippi State and we really try to have a wide variety of people come and talk about what's going on right now with the world of weather," said Herbst.
 
MSU Opera Workshop to present 'Dreaming of Mozart'
Under the direction of internationally acclaimed soprano Roza Tulyaganova, the Mississippi State University Opera Workshop is hosting two performances of scenes from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's operas. The family-friendly performances take place at 7:30 p.m. April 6 and 7 at First United Methodist Church's Connection Center in Starkville. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and MSU students with ID. Tickets may be purchased in advance by contacting Cathy Evans in the Department of Music at 662-325-3070. "Roza Tulyaganova has created a story that connects the scenes in a way that allows the audience to enjoy and follow the story without knowing the synopses of the operas themselves," said Ryan Landis, MSU voice instructor. "Originally written for orchestra, this production will feature the MSU Faculty Wind Quintet."
 
Music Maker Productions announces Old Main lineup
Music Maker Productions presents the return of Old Main Music Festival April 13. The festival will begin at 2 p.m. at the MSU Amphitheater on the campus of Mississippi State University. Old Main Music Festival will include a full day of both local and national musicians, outdoor games and activities, an art market and food vendors. The Art Market will begin at 2 p.m. and food trucks will begin serving at 3 p.m., with both open until 7 p.m. Local acts will begin at 2:30 p.m., and the Main Stage will kick off at 6:30 p.m., opening with LV Baby and Rayland Baxter and concluding with headliner St. Paul and the Broken Bones. Music Maker Productions is a student organization whose primary goal is to provide quality, contemporary entertainment for the MSU community.
 
'The hungriest state in the nation'
No state grapples with hunger, proportionally, as much as Mississippi, according to Mississippi Food Network CEO Charles Beady. In fact, 20.8 percent of households in Mississippi are at risk of hunger, he said. That's the highest, percentage-wise, in the country. Beady, speaking Friday at Mississippi State University as the featured guest for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Charles E. Lindley Lecture series, said the Mississippi Food Network is working with agencies across Mississippi to try to combat the state's hunger issues. The Mississippi Food Network is the state's only food bank associated with Feeding America, a nation-wide network of more than 200 food bank locations in almost every state.
 
Refuge hosts first Noxubee Wildlife Refuge Gator Run
The Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee Wildlife Refuge hosted its first Noxubee Wildlife Gator Run 5k and Fun Run Saturday morning. Friends of the Noxubee Refuge member Loraine Walker said the Noxubee Wildlife Gator Run was a fundraiser for the Friends of the Refuge, a group who helps with the up keep of the Refuge and plans events. Women's first place winner was Meggan Franks and second place was was Mary Beth Woodward. Men's first place winner was Trey McMullan and second place was Andrew Eaves. Mississippi State University student volunteers helped with the run by handing out water and bagels to runners, picking up trash and assisting with traffic as a part of The Big Event, which also took place Saturday. The Big Event, sponsored by the Maroon Volunteer Center and the Student Association, is a one-day service opportunity for students and the community to volunteer at various locations throughout Starkville.
 
Lights, camera, action: Movie production sports Golden Triangle flair
Critics agree -- the Golden Triangle is a great place to film a horror movie. The Mississippi Film Group is shooting "The Craving," a suspense-horror movie that's being co-produced by Twelve Productions and 13 South Productions. Bryan W. Carpenter, one of the project's executive producers, told The Dispatch the project fulfills one of his long-standing goals of filming a movie in Mississippi. Carpenter is from Carthage. Carpenter is working with Jennifer Sulkess, vice president of Twelve Productions, on the movie. He said he convinced her to film in Mississippi because he said what the state lacks in tax incentives, it makes up for in hospitality. Producers set up a casting call one weekend at MSU, with help from Melanie Harris, an instructor in the Communication Department. "For one, Mississippi State University is just outstanding and for them to open their arms the way they did for us is huge," Carpenter said.
 
Starkville Pride event largest parade in city history
Close to 3,000 people flooded downtown Starkville on Saturday for the first LGBTQ Pride parade in the city's history. After grabbing national attention, the grassroots group Starkville Pride was allowed to move forward with its parade despite initially being voted down by the city's Board of Aldermen in late February. The group took legal action following the city's decision to deny the event request, and after a tense few weeks, Mayor Lynn Spruill served as the tie-breaking vote to approve the event request. "I never expected to have this many people," Spruill said. "Somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 people and this would never have happened if we didn't have the controversy, so I'm almost grateful for the controversy in the sense it became something more than it ever would have been and it became something we can be very proud of, with no issues associated with it."
 
Manufacturers benefit from flexibility in hiring
Manufacturing is a multi-billion dollar segment of the economy that accounts for a significant portion of the labor pie in Northeast Mississippi. In the region, about 11 percent of labor is manufacturing-related, which in turn accounts for one-quarter of all jobs in the region. And the composition of that manufacturing labor force is dependent on what are called variable workers. Variable workers are a form of temporary workforce typically drawn from a large pool of workers managed by a staffing agency or branch of a company's human resource department to convert costs to a variable expense, particularly for large-scale production. Mississippi Economic Council President Scott Waller said variable labor gives companies some flexibility in hiring.
 
Negotiators agree on most parts of $6B Mississippi budget
Negotiators in the Mississippi House and Senate have agreed to most parts of a roughly $6 billion state government budget for the year that begins July 1, including increases for education, health programs and foster care. Lawmakers filed final versions of most budget bills Saturday night but were still working on a few important ones. The K-12 education budget bill was delayed, although leaders had agreed to a $9 million increase for schools. "I'm very pleased with what we have at this point -- if we can hold it together for the next 24 hours," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman John Read, a Republican from Gautier. Negotiators also agreed on a borrowing package of about $280 million in bonds to finance several projects.
 
Lawmakers near completion of budget, session
Lawmakers reached agreement on the broad strokes of a roughly $6 billion state budget Saturday night, and planned to haggle out details and start passing budget bills Sunday. The spending plan for the coming budget year that begins July 1 is expected to leave most major agencies roughly "level funded" compared to this year. Lawmakers are expected to come up with small increases for K-12 education and universities, to address a shortage of medical examiners in the Department of Public Safety and to help the state's troubled foster care system comply with federal court orders. Under agreements reached Saturday night, K-12 education would receive about a $9 million increase to its $2.5 billion budget. Universities would also see about a $9 million increase. Child Protective Services, which oversees foster care, would see a $12 million increase to help comply with a federal court's mandates for reform, and CPS's parent agency, Department of Human Services, would see about a $16 million increase.
 
State budget not complete despite deadline passing
The waiting game continues at the Capitol as lawmakers did not finish specifics on next fiscal year's $6 billion budget before Saturday night's deadline to pass committee reports. The deadline to pass conference committee reports for state agency budgets was Saturday at 8 p.m., but lawmakers passed placeholder bills for several appropriations bills. "Generally speaking, most state agencies will see year-over-year numbers that are flat," Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said. Several agencies do not yet know how much money they'll receive next year, but Reeves did answer questions about specific agencies: Institutions of Higher Learning will see an increase of about $9 million.
 
Lawmakers OK more road and bridge repair money, pending state revenue growth
Lawmakers have given approval to a bill to potentially provide additional money for road and bridge repairs, but it is contingent on state revenue growth above 2 percent in a fiscal year. The House and Senate conference report on House Bill 354 was adopted Monday. House Transportation Chairman Charles Busby, R-Pascagoula, said lawmakers in the Senate agreed to the bill's language. In January, Speaker Philip Gunn and the House passed the bill. It provides up to $100 million in road and bridge funding if there is growth in general fund revenue of more than 2 percent above the estimate adopted for the fiscal year.
 
Medicaid funding goes down to the wire
If the House and Senate cannot come to an agreement on Monday, the Legislature may leave without a state budget this session for the the $6 billion Department of Medicaid. The House declined to approve the Mississippi Department of Medicaid's appropriations bill on Sunday as the Legislature continued the process of putting together the Fiscal Year 2019 state budget. Instead House members voted to recommit the bill to conference for further deliberation as a means to keep a separate Medicaid Department technical amendment bill alive. The technical bill lays out how the agency will spend its $6 billion annual budget, whereas the appropriations bill outlines how much money the agency will receive. The technical bill is hung up in a tug-of-war between the state Hospital Association and the insurance companies responsible for paying them. Provider-run insurance plan Mississippi True lost a bid last summer to become one of Medicaid's three managed care contractors, and the group has lobbied since then for inclusion.
 
Managed care fight stalls Medicaid budget bill
The Mississippi House refused Sunday afternoon to pass the budget bill to fund the Division of Medicaid, fearing that if it did the Senate leadership would not negotiate on another bill on possible changes to Medicaid's managed care program. The fight over Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to about 700,000 Mississippians, primarily the disabled, poor pregnant women, poor children and the poor elderly population, occurred as House and Senate leaders worked late Sunday to finalize an overall $6.1 billion state support budget before a Monday night deadline. The disagreement centers around whether the Mississippi Hospital Association should be awarded a contract to operate a managed care company for Medicaid recipients. Currently, three private, for-profit companies have the contracts, totaling more than $2 billion, to operate managed care programs where the companies receive a specified amount of money to provide health care for the Medicaid recipients.
 
Lawmakers set stage for possible special session to fund Medicaid
The House sent a funding bill for Medicaid back to a House-Senate committee Sunday, leading to the prospect of a special session to deal with a Medicaid funding unless an agreement is reached by Monday's deadline. On Sunday, lawmakers in the House and Senate presented funding bills negotiated in conference as they worked on final details of an approximately $6.1 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. When it came to funding the Division of Medicaid, one of the state's largest agencies, concerns were raised on the House floor about the $917.5 million bill not including the companion Medicaid technical amendment legislation. At issue is that if no technical bill is passed, ultimately it could hand over the Legislature-controlled Medicaid program to the governor.
 
RRC to honor Steve Holland with Rasberry Award
Steve Holland frequently invokes the late John "Red" Rasberry's catch phrase "Thanks to God and the good people of Lee County." On April 17, the long-time state representative from Plantersville will be honored with the annual Red Rasberry Humanitarian Award for his contributions at the annual awards dinner benefiting the Regional Rehabilitation Center, which provides physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as early intervention and dyslexia services free of charge to children and adults. Holland said, "I cannot tell you how extraordinarily humbled and honored I am," to receive an award named for Rasberry, who served as Lee County Chancery Clerk and RRC executive director. Holland considers Rasberry a mentor who inspired his political career in the legislature, his professional career as a funeral home director and his community service, including 41 years as a RRC board member.
 
Hyde-Smith visits DeSoto with Olive Branch stop
Mississippi's newest U.S. Senator, Cindy Hyde-Smith, has hit the ground running since she was tapped by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant to fill the seat long held by U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, who is officially stepping down from his duties as of April 1. Bryant appointed Hyde-Smith on Wednesday. "It's been incredible," Hyde-Smith said after visiting DeSoto County, one of the state's fastest-growing metropolitan areas, with a population of around 176,000. "I was on the Gulf Coast yesterday and I could not have had more of a welcoming reception. This was a gathering of Republican women and men. The reception was absolutely overwhelming." Hyde-Smith said she has since traveled around the state and she hears the hopes and wishes, wants and needs of average working Mississippians.
 
Hyde-Smith visits Tupelo as incoming U.S. senator
Mississippi's incoming U.S. senator is traveling the state, and her travels took her to Tupelo Saturday afternoon. Cindy Hyde-Smith met people outside a local restaurant just a few days after being appointed by Governor Phil Bryant as interim U.S. senator to replace Thad Cochran, who's resigning April 1. The outgoing agriculture commissioner must now introduce herself to voters as a Senate candidate and share her views on a new set of issues, such as federal spending. "I want to spend wisely," said Hyde-Smith. "I want to make sure we protect the tax cuts that have already been put into place. I want to be on that team to protect that." "I've been in these races before statewide that people underestimated me then. That stuff just doesn't bother me," said Hyde-Smith.
 
Group says Chris McDaniel campaign, super PAC broke law
The Campaign Legal Center has filed a Federal Elections Commission complaint that Chris McDaniel's U.S. Senate campaign and a super PAC that supports him have illegally coordinated events and spending. McDaniel called the complaint "completely bogus" and "another establishment dirty trick" and appeared to blame the nonpartisan non-profit's complaint on a potential opponent for Senate. "When your candidate is in third place and President Trump opposes your candidate, you file an FEC complaint," McDaniel said, apparently referring to Cindy Hyde-Smith. Gov. Phil Bryant announced he would appoint Hyde-Smith to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Thad Cochran on April 1. There have been media reports that a National Republican Senate Committee poll showed Hyde-Smith in third behind McDaniel and any generic Democrat. The Campaign Legal Center's complaint uses McDaniel's and his campaign's own words to media and posts to social media as evidence for many claims.
 
Republicans fear Cochran replacement puts Senate seat at risk
President Trump and Republican leaders are concerned that retiring Sen. Thad Cochran's (R-Miss.) replacement will be vulnerable in a special election because she was once a Democrat, making the seat vulnerable for a candidate opposed by the Republican establishment. State Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) was tapped by Gov. Phil Bryant (R) to serve out the rest of Cochran's term after he leaves April 1 over health issues. Hyde-Smith will be the first female senator from Mississippi, boosting the ranks of female senators to a record 23. Republicans are worried that Hyde-Smith, who switched her party affiliation to Republican in 2010, is a poor candidate to take on conservative firebrand Chris McDaniel. "I can understand why the White House is moving cautiously after Alabama. I thought it was a reasonable reaction from the White House," a Mississippi GOP strategist told The Hill.
 
Cochran delivers final vote along with hundreds of millions in funding for Mississippi
In the last vote of his career US Senator Thad Cochran delivered hundreds of millions in funding and an Omnibus Approprations bill with the largest defense funding increase in fifteen years. FY2018 Ominbus Appropriations Act (HR 1625) completes the federal funding cycle for the year. It passed 65-32. The legislation includes 12 of the annual appropriations bill and awaits the President's signature. Sen. Cochran's office released a statement detailing some $125-million in funding for specific programs impacting Mississippi.
 
Alcorn president appointed as Higher Ed Commissioner
Al Rankins, president of Alcorn State University, will replace Glenn Boyce as Commissioner of Higher Education. His appointment marks the first time an African American has been selected to oversee Mississippi's college board -- a group of trustees that governs the public universities he would not have been permitted to attend 60 years ago. Rankins was named president of Alcorn in March 2014. He has also served as the Institutions of Higher Learning deputy commissioner and on the faculty of Mississippi State University. Rankins' appointment comes at a time of significant transition for the university system, with four board members retiring next month, Nora Miller being named interim president of the Mississippi University for Women on Thursday, as well as the appointment of new presidents for Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University during 2017.
 
Mississippi names first black higher education commissioner
The first-ever African-American has been named to oversee Mississippi's eight public universities. The state College Board announced Friday that Alfred Rankins Jr. will become higher education commissioner July 1 when Glenn Boyce retires. Rankins is the current president of Alcorn State University. It's a return to the central office for Rankins, who previously served as deputy commissioner. After temporarily leading Mississippi Valley State University, Rankins was named in 2014 as permanent president of Alcorn, where he earned his undergraduate degree. "My top goal is to increase support for our universities and continue to broaden the message on what a great value our universities offer the state and this nation," Rankins said Friday.
 
MUW's CFO to lead university after Borsig's departure
Mississippi University for Women's Senior Vice President for Administration Nora Miller will be acting president of the university starting July 1, the Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning announced Thursday. Miller, who has worked for the university since 2001 and who also serves as chief financial officer, will take over for current president Jim Borsig, who in January announced his plan to step down after the end of this academic year. "I've been here a good long while and I was a student here," Miller told The Dispatch Thursday. "This place means so much to me and I think it's great being a small campus. You're involved in a lot of things, so I've probably had a broader vision of the university than many CFOs would have had the opportunity to have. Dr. Borsig's been very inclusive in his management style. The school cabinet is pretty well-informed of what's going on in school decisions, but it'll be interesting for me to look at things from a different perspective than simply from the finance. I'm looking forward to that."
 
Southern Miss junior Jack Hoda is finalist for Truman Scholarship
Southern Miss junior Jack Hoda can add one more impressive honor to his already gleaming academic portfolio: Truman Scholarship finalist. Hoda is the only University of Southern Mississippi student to be nominated for the Truman Scholarship this year. Hoda is one of 194 finalists nationwide selected from 756 nominated students. An anxious weekend of anticipation in late February turned into elation when Hoda learned he had been named a Truman finalist. "I had been watching the Truman Scholarship Twitter feed all weekend to see when my region would be released, and when I saw that email come up with the word 'Congratulations!' I literally fell to the ground in tears," Hoda said. Hoda has some rigorous preparation to do as he gets ready for Truman interviews. Robyn Curtis, director of Nationally Competitive Awards at Southern Miss, has been mentoring Hoda through the application process.
 
JSU student found dead on campus identified
The body found on the Jackson State University campus Sunday afternoon has been identified as 19-year-old computer science major Lawrence Joshua. He was found in Dixon Residence Hall, and campus police are investigating. "Our hearts go out to his family, friends and the JSU community as we mourn this untimely and tragic death," said JSU President Dr. William Bynum. "Our students are always our first concern, and we have made counselors available to help them cope with this unfortunate loss."
 
Auburn University hosts annual pre-veterinary medical symposium
Carefully, each student of a group of about 12 visiting pre-veterinary students took turns giving Diesel -- a pregnant horse at Auburn University's College of Veterinary School - an ultrasound on Saturday. The group of students was just a few of more than 700 students from across the nation visiting Auburn University for the 2018 American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium, a two-day event held annually at a different university to highlight different opportunities within veterinary medicine. "I was really excited about this. I had a horse for 11 years so this is really cool to do today," said visiting Rutgers University student Adayla Michalowicz about the ultrasound lab, adding that the hands on experience gives future graduate students a better idea of the school's program. "You get to see how the professor teaches and see if your style works with their teaching style... And it gives you a taste of actual vet medicine." Hosting the annual event this year at Auburn is an opportunity for the its veterinary school to showcase what the school has to offer in a more engaging way, said associate professor Peter Christopherson.
 
U. of Tennessee board approves controversial tenure changes
A new plan to add an extra layer of review to tenure was approved by the University of Tennessee board of trustees Friday, despite concerns that have been raised over the last few weeks by some faculty. The changes have been controversial, particularly at the UT Knoxville campus, where the state's higher education union, United Campus Workers, held a protest against them earlier this week. The policy approved Friday puts in place a new requirement for comprehensive reviews of tenured faculty at least every six years and allows for reviews of all faculty based on the findings of academic program reviews. "The goal of the board is to improve excellence at the University of Tennessee," said Vice Chair Raja Jubran. "With this vote, the board believes this will enhance academic excellence, transparency and accountability."
 
Knoxville March for Our Lives brings 1,000 to U. of Tennessee campus
Approximately 1,000 students and activists listened to anti-gun violence speakers at the University of Tennessee's Humanities Ampitheater, then marched to Circle Park Saturday in Knoxville's March for Our Lives rally. The local event, which began at 2 p.m. under chilly, rainy conditions, aimed to promote gun violence awareness and gun reform. It happened in conjunction with the National March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of thousands converged Saturday. The protests follow the Feb. 14 mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 classmates and teachers. Ed Nelson, a Navy veteran and UT student, kicked off the march by listing numerous gun violence events from around the country, adding "thoughts and prayers," after each. The crowd responded to each with booing and "Thoughts and prayers are not enough!"
 
March against gun violence draws hundreds to Texas A&M campus
More than 1,500 people of various ages, races and nationalities passed through Rudder Plaza during Saturday's March for Our Lives event on the Texas A&M campus, calling for action from Congress on gun control. The event was organized by Texas A&M senior Samira Choudhury and six committee members as part of the national March for Our Lives movement started by students who attended Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman shot and killed 17 people and injured many others on Feb. 14. "I think what's extraordinary in some ways about Texas A&M is the fact that people from diametrically opposed political positions can actually talk about these things and listen to each other. They may not convince each other -- people may not move an iota one direction or another -- but they're talking, and that is an example for the rest of the country," A&M journalism professor Hannele Rubin said.
 
U. of Missouri schools receive less annual grant money than the national average
Schools and departments at the University of Missouri receive less grant money per faculty member than the national average and their counterparts at other colleges in the Association of American Universities. Documents containing data on faculty, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral productivity for various schools and departments at MU were released by the MU News Bureau. Almost all of the MU departments included received grant money below the AAU average for similar departments at other public institutions from 2012-16. Of the 67 departments and schools in the data set, 59 received less money than the AAU average. Forty-six received less than the national average; 23 received no grant money. The data were used by the Academic Programs Task Force to help select the dozens of graduate programs which were recommended in a Jan. 25 report for possible closure or further review.
 
Budget bill partially fixes financial aid data-sharing problem
The budget bill President Trump signed Friday fixes a technical problem for private scholarship providers that rely on federal student aid data to help students pay for college. But experts said some nonprofits and public assistance groups will remain blocked from receiving financial aid data from institutions, even with students' written consent. "The fix in the omnibus bill will get us back to being able to share information for purposes of awarding financial aid from scholarship providers," said Justin Draeger, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. "But I don't know if it necessarily gets to allowing financial aid offices to work with departments of social services for food stamps and other public benefit programs." The snag began last year when the U.S. Department of Education changed guidance on what had been common practice.
 
California Supreme Court rules public colleges must protect students in education-related activities
In a decision that experts say could have nationwide significance, the California Supreme Court has ruled that public colleges and universities have a duty to protect their students from potential violence in "school-sponsored activities." This overturns a lower court decision and allows a former University of California, Los Angeles, student to proceed with her lawsuit against the institution, stemming from when she was attacked in a classroom more than eight years ago. The Supreme Court's ruling is the first nationwide to clarify that a "special relationship" exists between a college and its students, meaning that institutions must take steps to ensure students are protected. A similar dynamic exists between prisoners and jailers, and a bus driver and passengers, for instance -- one party has more control, and thus more responsibility.
 
Key GOP legislators must be fake Republicans too
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Hey, all you Mississippi legislators who switched from Democrat to Republican. Yes, all y'all who vote the conservative party line and give Republicans super-majorities in the House and Senate. Are y'all really fake Republicans? That seems to be the message coming from your colleague Sen. Chris McDaniel regarding another former legislator who switched from Democrat to Republican. ...Yes, guys, when Cindy Hyde-Smith was elected to the Mississippi Senate in 2000, like y'all, she was a Democrat. In 2010 she switched to the Republican Party. In 2011 she ran for Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce as a Republican and won. In 2015 she ran unopposed in the Republican primary and was handily re-elected in the General Election. ...Obviously, longtime Republican and conservative Gov. Bryant thinks Hyde-Smith is Republican and conservative enough, as do many other state conservative leaders who point to Hyde-Smith's campaigning for Trump and serving as co-chair of the his campaign's agriculture advisory committee. We'll find out what Mississippi voters think in November."
 
Roy Moore-lite emerges in Mississippi
Political consultant Ed Rogers writes in The Washington Post: "While almost nobody is looking, a perfect storm may be developing that could elect a Democrat in Mississippi to the United States Senate. Impossible, you say? Well, just as it was seemingly impossible for a Democrat to be elected in Alabama, something similar could be happening in the Magnolia State. Everyone should take note of Mississippi's upcoming special election. Vying to fill Sen. Thad Cochran's (R-Miss.) long-held Senate seat in November is Mississippi Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel. McDaniel is Roy Moore-lite. McDaniel has earned a reputation as someone who is every bit extreme, shallow, hypocritical and ignorant as Moore, but he has more energy and will be a better campaigner. Minus the child molestation aspect, McDaniel might actually be even worse than Moore."
 
2018 lawmaking season coasts toward a ho-hum close
Longtime Mississippi journalist Charlie Mitchell writes: "No spark. Another session fizzles toward adjournment. No great ideas. No bold initiatives. No coordinated strategies to make Mississippi better. There were fireworks on the seek-to-serve scene, what with the resignation of U.S. Sen Thad Cochran and the decision of U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper not to seek another term, but calm prevailed in the marbled chambers where Mississippi lawmakers huddle from January through March. OK, there was the moment Rep. Charles Young Jr., D-Meridian, did wave a handgun while arguing against the wisdom of allowing people to pack at college sporting events. Otherwise and without actually counting, it's a safe guess that 98 percent of actions commended high school teams, to named various buildings or stretches of highway or mourned the passing of solid citizens. (Not saying that's not important.)"


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State Beats UCLA 89-73 to Reach Second Straight Final Four
Mississippi State's Vic Schaefer was in no hurry to talk about returning to the Final Four, instead spending the first few minutes on the dais quietly circling the highlights on the box score. There were plenty of them. Teaira McCowan had 23 points and 21 rebounds, Victoria Vivans added 24 points, and top-seeded Mississippi State held on after blowing most of its big lead to beat third-seeded UCLA 89-73 on Sunday night and earn a repeat trip to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs will meet another No. 1 seed in Louisville on Friday night in Columbus, Ohio. "They've lived all year with a bulls-eye on their backs. That's hard to do, y'all," said Schaefer, who arrived at the postgame news conference with the net draped around his neck. "These kids," their coach added, "are special."
 
Final Four Bound: Mississippi State holds off UCLA to return national semifinal
The power of five Sunday pushed the Mississippi State women's basketball team back to the Final Four. Victoria Vivians scored a game-high 24 points, and Teaira McCowan added 23 points and a career-high 21 rebounds to lead No. 1 MSU to an 89-73 victory against No. 3 seed UCLA in the championship game of the NCAA tournament's Kansas City Regional before a crowd of 4,089 at the Sprint Center. Morgan William had 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists, Roshunda Johnson had 12 points and five assists, and Blair Schaefer had nine points in an effort that epitomized the chemistry and execution that have fueled MSU (36-1) on its road to its second-consecutive appearance in the Final Four. MSU, which added it to its program record for wins, will face No. 1 seed Louisville (36-2), which defeated No. 6 seed Oregon State 76-43, at a time to be determined Friday in the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Bulldogs headed back to the Final Four
Mississippi State's Vic Schaefer said he hadn't slept much in two nights trying to prepare for No. 3 seed UCLA and its star players Jordin Canada and Monique Billings in the Elite Eight. But when Schaefer woke up on Sunday he was confident his Bulldogs would be making their way back to the Final Four for the second straight year. He was right. MSU cut down the nets for the second straight season as regional champions following an 89-73 victory over UCLA in front of 4,089 in the Sprint Center. "I just had a real confidence in this group," Schaefer said. "I was very concerned because I respect UCLA and Cori Close so much. You're always concerned it may be the last (game) but I just didn't feel that was going to happen today. I just had a real confidence today that I had the better team and they were ready to play."
 
Defensive effort helps get Mississippi State to second Final Four
The Secretary of Defense can rest a little easier. Mississippi State women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer might not admit it after his team defeated No. 3 seed UCLA 89-73 in the championship game of the NCAA tournament's Kansas City Regional at the Sprint Center. Still, it's hard to deny the defense Schaefer questioned so many times earlier in the season played a key role in helping MSU (36-1) punch its ticket to the Final Four for the second-consecutive season. The key stretch came in the second quarter, when MSU limited UCLA (27-8) to 2-for-12 shooting (16.7 percent) to build a 42-26 halftime lead. The Bruins shot 10-for-31 in the second half (32.3 percent), which was the second-lowest shooting percentage in the first half this season.
 
Mississippi State's Victoria Vivians, Teaira McCowan named AP All-Americans
Mississippi State's Victoria Vivians was voted part of the Associated Press All-America team on Monday. Vivians was honored for the first time by the 32-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Voting was done before the NCAA Tournament. Vivians came to Mississippi State as a scorer, but was far from being a complete player. Now she's much more multi-faceted and has been a key reason that the Bulldogs only lost once this season. Center Teaira McCowan was named to the AP's third-team All-American. Both McCowan and Vivians have earned multiple all-american nods for their play this season, and shared most outstanding players honor at the Kansas City regional. Morgan William was named an honorable mention all-american.
 
Notebook: Schaefer makes most of opportunity to shoot
Blair Schaefer has said numerous times in her career that she has a small window to get her shot off. Mississippi State women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer, who is Blair's father, knows it too. That didn't stop coach Schaefer from getting on Blair in the first half when she didn't take a shot when he felt she had an opening. "She was wide open on it and just turned it down," Schaefer said. Coming off a scoreless outing against North Carolina State in the Sweet 16, Schaefer didn't let the missed opportunity affect her confidence. Like any good shooter, she just waited for her next chance and didn't hesitate.
 
MSU NOTEBOOK: Vivians, McCowan share MVP honor
Media voters had a tough time deciding which of Mississippi State's star players would be the Most Outstanding Player. So they picked both. Victoria Vivians scored 38 points in the Kansas City Regional while teammate Teaira McCowan provided 47 points, 36 rebounds and eight blocks and shared the honor on Sunday. Vivians and McCowan were also named to the All-Tournament team at last year's regional in Oklahoma City along with Morgan William, who was named Most Outstanding Player there.
 
Louisville and Mississippi State Roll to Final Four Berths
Louisville players strutted around the court in championship hats, some adorned with a little piece of the net. Cardinals Coach Jeff Walz brushed off confetti dumped on him during an interview to climb the ladder and clip the rest of the nylon, twirling it to celebrate his top-seeded team's dominant run through the Lexington Region of the women's N.C.A.A. tournament. "It's a great feeling," Walz said. "I'm going to go home, and my 4-1/2-year-old and my 2-1/2-year-old, all they're going to talk about is the confetti on the floor. That's all they care about. To them, if we win, there's confetti on the floor that I get to play on." Louisville's next quest is collecting another net and more confetti in next weekend's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. Louisville, which reached the Final Four in 2009 and 2013 under Walz, losing the championship game both times to Connecticut, is headed to a national semifinal against Mississippi State.
 
Driven, determined Mississippi State is back in the Final Four
The Clarion-Ledger's Hugh Kellenberger writes: "This has been cool. This was great. But you know what's going to be really fun? What comes next. Mississippi State is going to another Final Four, the logical next step in a spectacular season that continues on after beating UCLA 89-73 on Sunday in the Sprint Center. After the game, which looked to be on the verge of a rout at halftime only to get within a couple of possessions in the fourth quarter, the Mississippi State women's basketball team did allow itself a few moments of celebration, rare in this process-oriented season where the victory was often assured early and the margin of victory largely inconsequential to how the team and its coach felt about themselves at the end of it. 'Our vision, our focus, our intensity hasn't changed since last year,' Schaefer said. 'We're intent on trying to do what we didn't get done a year ago.'"
 
Vivians earns first team All-American honors, but what about McCowan?
Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "On Sunday, in Kansas City, Mississippi State defeated UCLA, a very good team playing extremely well, to earn a berth in the Bulldogs' second straight Final Four. On Monday, State's marvelous senior Victoria Vivians earned first team All America honors from the Associated Press. Another day, another accolade for Vic Schaefer's basketball team that now has won 36 games, while losing only one and has not lost a game to a team not named South Carolina since Feb. 26, 2017. But if the Bulldogs still need motivation, there's plenty to be found. Especially if your name happens to be Teaira McCowan. Remarkably, the Bulldogs' McCowan was relegated to the AP's third team All-America list, which means those who select that squad believe there were at least 10 players more deserving of All-America designation. That's absurd."
 
Jackson State president says he is in charge of athletics department
Jackson State president William Bynum said Thursday he plans to wait at least another two months before naming a replacement for former athletic director Wheeler Brown, but that even when he does, he still intends to be "hands on" with the program. Bynum removed Brown from his post in December -- a decision that was affirmed by the IHL board in February, but Brown has challenged his removal and is currently going through the school's internal appeals process. "Until all that is cleared ...and people have made decisions relative to his contract, I'm not going to move," Bynum said. "I'll continue to be the acting AD along with my administrative team. My hands are tied until that process runs its course." Bynum, who sat down Thursday for an interview with the Clarion Ledger in his 10th month on the job, said he hopes the appeals process will allow him to have a new AD in place by June 1.
 
'You're going to believe that there's a God': How South Carolina thinks it can take down UConn
Less than two months ago, Connecticut came to Colonial Life Arena and thrashed South Carolina women's basketball in front of 18,000 fans, 83-58. It was a thorough, dominant effort by the top-ranked Huskies, who led the Gamecocks for more than 38 minutes. So now, seven weeks removed from that game, what gives No. 2 seed USC confidence that it can reverse that result against UConn in the Elite Eight in Albany, New York, deep in hostile territory? "I was walking out after scouting UConn yesterday, and I guess a UConn fan, he started yelling at me like, 'You're next on Monday,' giving me the thumbs up," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Sunday. "So I turned around and gave him the thumbs up. I don't know why this came to me but it came to me, I said, 'On Monday night, you're going to believe that there's a God.' And that's what we're going with." Divine intervention, however, is not all that's in the Gamecocks' game plan.
 
Florida announces plans for $130 million in facility upgrades
The Florida Gators' future looks bright, shiny and new thanks to $130 million in upcoming projects the school recently unveiled. The University Athletic Association announced plans for a $65 million football facility, a $50 million baseball stadium and $11 million in improvements to the softball stadium. "Our athletic department is consistently among the top five in the nation, and it is our intent that all three of these facilities mirror that," UF athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. The Gators' facilities, however, lately have lagged behind some of the top programs, especially in football.
 
Fired UGA assistant equipment manager accused of placing cameras in men's shower
Georgia's football associate equipment manager was fired after a complaint that two wireless cameras were found in a men's shower in the Butts-Mehre building, which houses the football program, according to a police incident report obtained Monday by the Athens Banner-Herald. Kevin Purvis is facing three felony charges of unlawful surveillance along with drug charges. The victim is identified in the incident report as a white male who is also a football staff member. The Athens Banner-Herald is not identifying the victim by name. Georgia's human resources department contacted university police about suspected unlawful surveillance at the Butts-Mehre Building on Feb. 27 at 1:14 p.m. A UGA employee went to human resources a day earlier after finding the cameras in the shower. The incident is classified in the police report as "Peeping Tom." A subsequent investigation at an off campus resident led to discovery unprescribed fentanyl patches and suspected marijuana. The police incident report also indicates Purvis' Ford Explorer also was searched.



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