Monday, April 2, 2018   
 
Work begins on $67M housing project at Mississippi State
Mississippi State University celebrated a formal groundbreaking last week for the College View development, a $67 million student housing project that also includes retail and commercial space. "We hope to be setting the standard for all the other colleges and universities in the state," MSU President Mark Keenum said in a news release. The first-of-its-kind project is the result of a multiyear effort by the university to address a demand for on-campus housing options for its growing enrollment. MSU formed a public-private partnership with Memphis-based EdR Collegiate Housing to finance the project, eliminating the need for issuing bonds or assuming additional debt.
 
Photographer Russ Houston retiring after three decades of capturing Mississippi State history
For the next week, to step into the Colvard Student Union's second floor art gallery is to take a look through the storied career of longtime Mississippi State University photographer Russ Houston. Houston, 55, is retiring from his position as photographic services coordinator on June 1, after nearly 30 years with the university. Houston is a Starkville native and 1985 broadcasting alumnus of MSU. The exhibit, which is already on display in the art gallery, features 36 photos from across Houston's career. They cover just about every aspect of Mississippi State. MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter said Houston has, throughout his career, been an asset for MSU. "Russ Houston has been an outstanding ambassador for Mississippi State for the last three decades," Salter said.
 
Cultural diversity will take center stage at International Fiesta at Mississippi State
It's like taking a trip around the world without ever buying a plane ticket. That's how World Neighbors Association President Joan Mylroie describes the International Fiesta held annually on Mississippi State University's Drill Field. The 28th fiesta is set for Saturday, April 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event hosted by the WNA and Holmes Cultural Diversity Center invites the public to celebrate world cultures and experience live performances, national attire, children's games and international cuisine available for purchase. All are invited to participate in the opening Parade of Flags by gathering at 10:45 a.m. in front of Allen Hall, said Mylroie. Flags from various countries will be available to carry. About 50 student and community groups will set up displays and food booths to showcase aspects of different cultures.
 
Michael Kardos launches new mystery novel with Wednesday reading at Mississippi State
A faculty member in Mississippi State University's Department of English is celebrating the launch of his new mystery novel with a Wednesday public reading. Free to all, Michael Kardos's presentation of "Bluff" takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Colvard Student Union's third-floor Fowlkes Auditorium. Hailed by Literary Hub as one of this year's most anticipated crime, mystery and thriller titles, "Bluff" will be released April 3 by Mysterious Press. Independent literary publisher Grove Atlantic also praised Kardos's book for taking the reader "deep inside the fraught and fascinating world of a modern magician who becomes obsessed with magic's dark twin -- the underworld of the card cheat."
 
PetSmart Charities funds free animal shelter training at Mississippi State
Mississippi State is opening registration for its first animal shelter education conference. Taking place April 21 and 22 at the Wise Center and hosted by the university's College of Veterinary Medicine, the program is designed to benefit everyone from local veterinarians and shelter managers to staff members and community volunteers. Online registration before the April 13 deadline may be completed at cvm.msstate.edu. Admission is free, thanks to a $16,050 gift from PetSmart Charities of Phoenix, Arizona. A nonprofit animal welfare organization, the philanthropy was founded in 1994 by the world's largest specialty retailer of services and solutions for pets. CVM's home, the Wise Center, is a major complex located off Blackjack Road on the west side of the Starkville campus.
 
With summer coming, popular Mississippi State camps begin registration
Continuing a much-anticipated tradition for students in elementary through high school grades, Mississippi State announces its 2018 summer camp schedule. The special programs are designed to expand personal knowledge and skills while providing lasting memories of Starkville university life in particular and higher education in general. MSU Extension's Center for Continuing Education serves as a clearinghouse for information about university camps. Parents are encouraged to contact individual camp coordinators or sponsoring departments for complete details and camp offerings.
 
Collegiate DECA hosts etiquette workshop at MSU-Meridian
More than a hundred students from high schools and colleges attended a dinner etiquette workshop Thursday at MSU-Meridian. The event included a five-course meal. Students learned how to engage in a conversation with others, how to eat properly and how to dress for success in a professional environment. MSU-Meridian associate clinical professor, Dr. Stacey McNeil, says making a professional brand for yourself is very important. "Professionalism has not gone away and so we're trying to teach them what they need to know not only about dinner etiquette, but also about dressing for success and well as social media because you create a brand that lasts forever online," said McNeil. "We want them to know about it early."
 
Mississippi State wants to hear from Gulf Coast beachgoers
Mississippi State researchers are asking for the public's help in evaluating an expanded coastal monitoring system that provides beachgoers with information needed to ensure their planned outings truly are "a day at the beach." The study is asking ocean visitors about factors such as weather, crowds and water quality, all of which can impact perceptions of whether a day in the surf and sand is "fun in the sun" or a crowded, windswept headache replete with rip currents and other hazards. An anonymous survey is being conducted to help the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System develop data and data products that appeal to beachgoers. "The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System provides a wide array of science-based data and related products," said Dan Petrolia, associate professor of agricultural economics in the university's Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.
 
Mississippi farmers say they'll plant fewer acres in 2018
Mississippi farmers plan to plant less, even though cotton and soybean prices are higher than they were a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Thursday that farmers told the department they plan to plant 100,000 fewer acres statewide, down about 2 percent. Agricultural specialists at Mississippi State University say cotton planting could expand if weather cooperates, considering higher prices and a new federal subsidy program for cottonseed.
 
State unemployment rates continue to fall
Mississippi's unemployment rate hit another record low in February, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security's monthly report. The report, released on Wednesday, says Mississippi's seasonally-adjusted rate fell from 4.6 in January to 4.5 percent in February. The 4.6 percent unemployment rate, first reached in December 2017, was the previous record for the lowest rate since the U.S. Labor Department started calculating state unemployment rates in January 1976. Unemployment rates for the Golden Triangle's three counties have held steady or dropped from revised January rates, according to the report. Clay's County's rate of 5.6 percent is .2 percent lower; Oktibbeha County's rate of 4 percent is .5 percent lower, and Lowndes County's held steady at 4.7 percent.
 
Toyota Mississippi president: 'We have a bright future'
Sean Suggs has been president of the Toyota Mississippi assembly plant in Blue Springs for three months, and he marvels every day at the people working under his tutelage. "We have 1,500 team members under roof, and with our on-site suppliers we have more than 2,000 people working there," he said. "Without them, I wouldn't be standing here today ... they are world-class." Suggs, who joined Toyota Motor Corp. more than 20 years ago and joined Toyota Mississippi in 2013, was promoted to plant president on Jan. 1. A reception was held in his honor at the Union County History & Heritage Museum Thursday evening, where community and business leaders joined in the celebration.
 
Legislative leaders dole out blame at end of 2018 session
Midway through the 2018 session when Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves let die without calling up for a vote in the Senate one of his priority proposals to greatly expand a school voucher program, he said that decision was made because there were not enough votes in the House to pass the controversial bill. House Speaker Philip Gunn's reaction to Reeves' statement shifted between amusement and anger. "Let me get this straight...He is saying that it is our fault (the bill was not brought up in the Senate.) I don't understand that logic," Gunn said. Only weeks before that, Senate Finance Chair Joey Fillingane, R-Smurall, had said he opted not to bring up what appeared to be a popular lottery proposal for consideration in his committee because it was opposed on the other end of the building by Gunn. The conservative political philosophy of the House and Senate leaders is not that divergent, but that did not prevent the blame game from being played during the 2018 session.
 
Analysis: Mississippi lawmakers leave big issues unresolved
Leaders of the Republican-dominated Mississippi Legislature put only a few big items on their to-do list for 2018, and two of the biggest -- education and transportation -- remained unresolved when the nearly three-month session was gaveled to a close Wednesday. The House and Senate completed two must-do items: They wrote a $6.1 billion state budget for the year that begins July 1, and agreed on a plan for Medicaid services. Legislators' inability to rewrite the education funding formula or to set a comprehensive, long-term plan for transportation raises questions about whether they will have the energy or political will to tackle complex issues during the election-year session of 2019. Most of the 122 House members and 52 senators will be seeking new four-year terms, and some will be running for regional or statewide offices.
 
Jim Hood, Tate Reeves renew political sparring, teasing a 2019 race
Neither Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves nor Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood have formally announced bids for the 2019 governor's race, but the two renewed their political rivalry Thursday with attacking press releases. Hood initiated the drama Thursday morning, sending to reporters his reaction to the 2018 legislative session that ended on Wednesday. He used the platform to criticize Republican leaders -- and calling out Reeves specifically, but without using his name -- for failing to address key issues like infrastructure and mental health. Reeves fired back a response Thursday afternoon, criticizing Hood directly for calling for increases in taxes and supporting "sole-source, no-bid contracts." Reeves has delivered speeches right after Hood for two straight years at the Neshoba County Fair, one of the state's premier political events. Both times, Reeves pointedly slammed Hood's record, policies and ideology, while Hood has focused on his own agenda.
 
Jim Hood, Tate Reeves have differing views of 2018 session
Attorney General Jim Hood, the only statewide elected Democrat, said too much emphasis was placed on helping large corporations instead of average Mississippians during the 2018 session, which ended Wednesday. And Hood, viewed as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2019, placed the blame for focusing on large corporations instead of average people on Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, viewed as the leading Republican candidate for governor. In an emailed response to a question on his thoughts about the 2018 session, Hood, who is in his fourth term as attorney general, said, "Unfortunately for the taxpayers of Mississippi, the Senate leadership was bought and paid for this legislative session by giant corporations with little interest in the well-being of our citizens."
 
Plastic bags, slow drivers and symbols: Mississippi micromanaging lives?
One of many cliches at the Mississippi Capitol is that decisions are best made by types of government that are closest to the people. Legislators say it when advocating for education policies to be set by state or local school boards rather than the federal government. They also say it to denounce federal regulation of businesses. Yet, some of the same Mississippi officials who say they favor local control are enacting a new state law that specifically tells city and county governments what they cannot do about plastic grocery bags.
 
State Rep. Andy Gipson named Mississippi agriculture commissioner
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday appointed a third-term state lawmaker to be the state's new agriculture commissioner. Rep. Andy Gipson will succeed fellow Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith once she moves to the U.S. Senate. He will serve the rest of the current commissioner's term, which ends in January 2020. Gipson, 41, is an attorney and Baptist pastor and has been in the state House since 2008. His family lives on a farm in Braxton, and he has been posting photos and videos on Facebook of fresh eggs from their chickens and milk from their cows. Gipson is chairman of the House Judiciary B Committee and has been an advocate of gun rights and an opponent of abortion.
 
Rep. Andy Gipson moves into Ag Commissioner job
On Wednesday, Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, bid farewell to his colleagues in the Mississippi House of Representatives -- but at the time he couldn't admit that he would be yielding the floor for good. Everything made sense one day later when Gov. Phil Bryant announced Gipson as the next state Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, succeeding Cindy Hyde-Smith who will soon head to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Senate. Gipson, 41, said his family did not have to pray long on the decision to accept Bryant's offer, joking that the opportunity is "a bullet that fit our gun." One of the most vocal social conservatives in state government, Gipson has made a name for himself championing such issues as promoting gun rights, limiting abortion and cracking down on illegal immigration.
 
Andy Gipson says he will bring same energy as Judiciary B chair to ag commissioner
Newly appointed Mississippi commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson said he will bring to his new post the same work ethic he displayed for the past seven years as the House Judiciary B chairman. In that post, the Braxton Republican was a leader in the Legislature on expanding conservative social causes in the state and on expanding the rights of Mississippians to carry firearms in public. Gipson, 41, said when Gov. Phil Bryant offered to appoint him to the post he "was totally shocked...I did not have to think about it or pray about it very long. This is a bullet that will fit our gun." Gipson was introduced as the new commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce by the governor Thursday afternoon during an event at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson.
 
Developers receive millions from defunct CRA rebates
Developers have received nearly $18.6 million in diversions from the now-defunct cultural retail attraction (CRA) rebates. To date, the state has diverted around $13.8 million to developers of the Outlets of Mississippi in Pearl, and $4.8 million to builders of the Tanger Outlet in Southaven. Four other projects, which have been approved for a combined $174.6 million, had not gotten under way at press time. The rebates were approved by lawmakers in 2013, and repealed the following year after an outcry from the public. The law spelled out several requirements to receive the rebates, but many criticized it for being a measure designed to subsidize the construction of shopping centers. District 29 Sen. David Blount has authored several measures to do away with the remaining subsidies, but efforts have fallen flat.
 
Mississippi lawmakers vote to toughen dog fighting penalties
Mississippi lawmakers are giving more teeth to the state's penalties for dogfighting. Senate Bill 2934 would make participation in dogfighting a felony offense, punishable by a fine up to $5,000. It was sent to Gov. Phil Bryant after Mississippi's House and Senate passed it Tuesday. Those who promote or stage fights, bet on fights, own a dog with intent to enter it into a fight or own dogfighting paraphernalia could be sentenced to between one and five years in prison.
 
Governor OKs long-awaited golf cart legislation for Bay St. Louis & Waveland
Last week, the Mississippi Legislature approved Senate Bills No. 3026 and 2940, which will authorize the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland to allow the operation of low-speed vehicles on certain streets within the cities' limits. District 46 Senator Philip Moran authored both bills and said he's been working on this golf cart legislation for the past three years. They have both been approved by Gov. Phil Bryant and will be signed in the next few days, he added. "I'm glad to be able to get them passed," Moran said Thursday. "Everyone is looking forward to utilizing them (low-speed vehicles) downtown. Several others in the state passed this year as well. Next year, I'll be trying to get a blanket bill for the entire state."
 
Saltillo tourism tax proposal dies in Legislature
The latest effort by municipal leadership in Saltillo to put a hotel and restaurant tax up before voters has fallen short. When the gavel fell this week on this year's regular session of the Mississippi legislature, it signaled the death of a local and private bill authorizing a referendum on a limited sales tax hike in Saltillo. State Sen. Chad McMahan had introduced the bill in question at the request of the Saltillo Board of Aldermen. Often called a "tourism tax," Saltillo leaders want to pursue a 2 percent sales tax hike within the municipal limits on restaurants and hotels. At present, Saltillo has no hotels. McMahan's bill would not have directly imposed such a tax. The Republican senator has been quick to underscore this point.
 
Feds approve Mississippi Succeeds education plan
After months of back and forth, the U.S. Department of Education approved Mississippi's expansive state education plan. Federal officials approved the Mississippi Succeeds plan this week, along with those proposed by Idaho and Rhode Island. "The state plans met ESSA's (Every Student Succeeds Act) requirements, and I am pleased to approve them," U. S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in a release. "I look forward to seeing how these states dive deeper into the flexibility afforded by ESSA to innovate on behalf of their students." Mississippi Succeeds outlines how the state will improve education outcomes in testing, graduation rates, access to quality early learning opportunities and other areas.
 
Local in the Senate couldn't hurt: Hyde-Smith win a long-term benefit
What does it mean to be the hometown of a U.S. senator? Will automobile manufacturing plants spring up from the ground overnight? Will defense contractors open local offices and begin pumping grant money into high school science labs? Will local elected leaders get a say-so in heavy national policy issues? Probably not. But if Brookhaven's Cindy Hyde-Smith wins her special election this November to become a permanent fixture in the U.S. Senate, it will certainly open up benefits and new opportunities for the citizens of Lincoln County. "Will manna flow in from Heaven? I wouldn't think so. But it will be great for Brookhaven to have a relationship with the person making decisions that concern our country and our area, in particular," said Bank of Brookhaven Chairman and CEO Bill Sones. "From that standpoint, it's going to be a great thing."
 
Gov. Phil Bryant ready to set qualifying period for Senate special election
Multiple people have expressed interest in running for the U.S. Senate seat that Thad Cochran is vacating this weekend after holding it since 1978. Soon, those potential candidates will know when they can officially qualify to run for the post. Gov. Phil Bryant said earlier this week he would announce as early as Monday the time period he is setting for candidates to qualify for the seat. The Republican governor said he plans to provide a 20-day qualifying period. Earlier this month, Bryant announced he was appointing Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven to fill the post in the interim. She will become the first female from Mississippi to serve in the U.S. Senate. She already has said she will run in the special election in November to fill the rest of the term that expires in January 2021.
 
Defying Trump, China Slaps Tariffs on 128 U.S. Products
The Chinese government hit back Monday at President Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum by acting on a threat to put tariffs as high as 25 percent on imports of 128 American-made products, including pork and seamless steel pipes. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce indicated that the tariffs, which it first publicly suggested almost two weeks ago, were intended to pressure the Trump administration to back down from a simmering trade war. In addition to imposing additional tariffs on steel and aluminum from China and other countries, President Trump has threatened to put protective duties on other Chinese-made products worth $60 billion.
 
Art historian explores 'Whose Hallowed Ground?' in Thursday talk at MUW
An art historian known for her exploration of African-American themes will deliver the Diane Legan Howard Art History Lecture at Mississippi University for Women Thursday, April 5. The annual lecture, sponsored by the family of the late W alumna, will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Stringer Auditorium of Summer Hall. There will be light refreshments, and the public is invited to attend. A graduate of Jackson State University, with a doctorate in art history from the University of Missouri, Betty J. Crouther will deliver a presentation titled "Whose Hallowed Ground? Sculpture in Outdoor Spaces." She has been a professor at The University of Mississippi since 1983 and will discuss many of the memorials on that campus in light of their contemporary reinterpretation.
 
Ray Hawkins takes over as chief of University of Mississippi Police Department
Ole Miss has selected a new chief of police for the University Police Department following the former previous chief's resignation earlier this year. Ray Hawkins, a 22 year veteran of UPD, started his new position as chief of police Sunday. He previously held the associate director position. "Ole Miss PD is pleased to announce Ray Hawkins as our new Chief of Police!" UPD said in a post on the Ole Miss Police Facebook page. "Chief Hawkins looks forward to the challenges of leading our department. He also looks forward to continuing to serve the University community and making Ole Miss a safe campus!" Hawkins joined UPD as patrolman in December 1996. During his tenure, he served as a field training officer, police lieutenant, acting captain of investigation and detective lieutenant, among various other positions.
 
Campus construction set to continue into 2018-19 school year
Construction on campus is continuing at a steady rate as the Department of Facilities Planning and the Special Planning Committee work together to implement a construction plan as part of the university-wide strategy known as Flagship Forward. "The vision outlined in the Flagship Forward plan is one that sets the university down the path of pursuing excellence in four different pillars: academics, health, athletics, and people, places and resources," said Richard Forgette, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and member of the planning committee. Included in this plan is the development of a STEM research center on campus. Partnering with Globalstar, Inc., a provider of mobile and data services, the university plans to have the facility on All-American Drive finished and opened by 2021.
 
Conversation on race: Untold history of Northerners' fear of black migration
Addressing the troubling history of race in America, two native Mississippi authors -- a seasoned historian and a veteran journalist -- dive into race relations in the North and South and how much hasn't changed in today's society. "A Conversation About Race" is one of many conversations hosted at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at the University of Mississippi in the lead up to the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in an effort to reflect on a time that changed the course of history. Throughout the conversation, Eugene Dattel, cultural and economic historian and author, talked about a recurring theme of how white people in the North did not want to see African-Americans prosper economically, educationally or politically and wanted to keep them in the South. He added that this attitude of white Northerners is an ignored part of history.
 
UMMC pick to head Department of Medicine well known in cardiology
Dr. Javed Butler can describe the exact moment when he began the switch to hearts from livers. "I had wanted to be a hepatologist," said Butler, who recently joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center as the Patrick Lehan Chair of Cardiovascular Research and chairman of the Department of Medicine, "but, in my second year of residency, I was sitting in an auditorium for Grand Rounds, listening to Dr. Milton Packer. "When I heard him," Butler said, referring to the iconic cardiology researcher, "I was in awe. That lecture changed the entire direction of my career." Those who know Butler say it was not Packer's fault, but instead his virtue -- one that has benefited cardiology research and treatment.
 
USM seeking artists for 2018 Outdoor Sculpture Competition
he University of Southern Mississippi and the College of Arts and Letters are calling for artists to enter in this year's 2018 Outdoor Sculpture Competition. The competition seeks five outdoor sculptures that will be exhibited on campus for an 18-month time period. This call is open to international artists or teams. Artists will have a chance to showcase their artistic skills and have an opportunity to work with different students and give lectures. These art sculptures will be placed in five different spots throughout Southern Miss (Hattiesburg campus). Afterwards, a selection committee will decide the final location of the selected works. The sculptures will be installed Sept. 13-14, and will remain on campus until March of 2020.
 
Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival highlights musical culture
Good weather, good food, good friends and good music, you can't get a better mix. The 10th annual University of Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival in Long Beach provided all of that and more. It's the sounds that take Glenn Cobb back to his childhood. "It's part of my heritage," he said. "My mom used to play jazz records, and I used to sneak into the parties and listen to them play the jazz. ...And so, I became associated with it and grew to love it." Hundreds gathered around the music stages set up throughout the campus to hear the sounds of Mississippi's musical heritage. The music was front and center for most. Some used it to put a little show of their own.
 
New Theater Director at Jackson State University
Jackson State University named alumnus Prince Duren as director of the school's theater department this week. Duren is a native of Itta Bena, Miss., and received his bachelor's degree in mass communications and English from JSU in 2010. He later received a master's degree in playwriting at the University of Arkansas. He has served as an assistant theater professor at JSU since 2013. In 2016, Duren published five plays and authored his first textbook, "The Road to Your First Play." He has received several awards for his work, including the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award from the John F. Kennedy Center Theatre Festival; the Mississippi Theatre Association Award for Playwriting; and the Manhattan Theatre Festival Award. He was also a guest playwright for the 40th anniversary of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters Play Series.
 
Auburn Is Hiring 500 Tenure-Track Faculty Members; Here's What That Means
Auburn University plans to hire 500 tenure-track faculty members by 2022, Steven Leath, its president, announced on Thursday. Those hires will be part of an effort to attract more Ph.D. candidates and research projects to the university, he said. While the number of hires will draw attention, the actual number of faculty members employed at Auburn will grow by about 100 once attrition and retirements are factored in, the university said. University officials expect the 1,144-member faculty to reach 1,250 by 2022. Some of the new hires will take open positions; others will fill new positions. Most of the new hires will be in the STEM fields, including agriculture and veterinary medicine, but there will also be additions in the arts and humanities. The university will focus on subjects that have proved popular, like kinesiology, a relatively new major at Auburn.
 
Alabama women suing for equal pay lack state protection
Amy Heatherly believes she would have been paid at least $50,000 more to do her job over the past five years if she had been a man. As the only female human resources director overseeing compensation at the University of Alabama's main campus, Heatherly said she knew for years she was getting paid less than three men on a similar management level with fewer years of experience. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2014, after receiving a raise that was half of her male colleagues'. In 2016, she sued the university. The university argues differences in pay are justified because her position is not comparable to her male colleagues. Heatherly says that she is a victim of gender discrimination because she's not receiving equal pay for equal work.
 
Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport, highest-paid UT leader, reflects on first year's highs and lows
One week after the unraveling of the search for a new football coach finally concluded with the announcement of a $2.5 million settlement for a former athletic director, University of Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport spoke confidently about the university's future. "My biggest regret is that in the midst of everything that happened, all the good work we've done at this university was lost in the shuffle," Davenport said. "Not the work itself, but the Vol nation's attention was thwarted and focused on that." Davenport left her role as interim president at the University of Cincinnati to become the highest-paid leader in UT's history a little more than a year ago. Her base salary is $585,000 annually, and she is eligible for up to $95,000 in additional compensation as well as performance bonuses that could pay her as much as 15 percent of her salary, or $87,775.
 
Study finds the lecture remains dominant form of teaching in STEM
You've heard about the revolution in STEM teaching? About how professors are retooling their courses to focus on active learning? About how the flipped classroom has made the traditional lecture obsolete? It turns out that the revolution hasn't quite taken place, at least broadly, in higher education. A new analysis (summary available here) of more than 2,000 classes in science, mathematics and technology, at a range of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, has found that the lecture remains dominant -- in 55 percent of the classrooms, class time was spent on "conventional lecturing." Another 27 percent of classes were based on lecturing but also had some interactivity, such as students answering multiple-choice questions during class via clickers. Only 18 percent of classes could be classified as emphasizing "a student-centered style heavy on group work and discussions." The findings suggest that major efforts to promote improved science teaching -- such as those by the Association of American Universities -- may not have reached most professors.
 
UCF police arrest Wenliang Sun, a student who bought rifles, showed odd behavior
Law enforcement officials in central Florida say they may have thwarted another school tragedy after arresting a 26-year-old international student who bought two rifles and was exhibiting troubling changes in his behavior. Wenliang Sun, a Chinese national enrolled at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, did not make any threats against the school or other students. But campus Police Chief Richard Beary said that "red flag after red flag" led investigators to believe that Sun could be a danger to himself and to others. Campus police learned of him in late January, when an employee reported him as a "student of concern," according to a heavily redacted police report. Police were again alerted a few days later, when Sun made "some unusual statements" to a counselor.
 
Cybersecurity in schools
Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State, writes: "In society today, there are a myriad of acronyms which have evolved into a unique component of the 21st century vernacular, evidencing that the digital world, first introduced as a companion for the tactile world, has now become an essential component for survival. Nowhere is this digital omnipresence more vivid than in schools, as the federal government requires these institutions to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act or CIPA. Basically, this law's employment is designed to require schools to use effective web filters to block, and in many cases alert, one's access to sites, phrases, email, chat rooms, and other threads which could pose danger for students. In schools which have employed the one-to-one initiative, where every student uses an electronic device for scholastic purposes in nearly every class, taking the devices home for additional work, monitoring this voluminous exchange of information can be overwhelming."
 
On Thad Cochran: A going away gift from the 'Quiet Persuader'
Steve Katsinas, the director of the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, writes: "On Sunday, Thad Cochran retires from the United States Senate after six terms and some 45 years of service to Mississippi and our nation. Thanks to the steadfast leadership of this son of school teachers, thousands of students in Mississippi and millions across our nation have access to Pell Grants. This helps them access academic training and creates our future workforce. That 52 percent of community college students enrolled in Career and Technical Education curricula across Mississippi and Alabama last year were on Pell Grants speaks to the importance of Pell as an economic driver in workforce training. This is just one reason why we should all take a moment to reflect on his record."
 
Will Donald Trump's strongman example become U.S. norm?
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Dictators rule. In the U.S., presidents are supposed to govern. The differences between ruling and governing are stark, e.g., Russia's Vladimir Putin rules, Germany's Angela Merkel governs. Unlike Ronald Reagan, our current president just doesn't get it. President Donald Trump tends to praise the Putins and disdain the Merkels. ...The U.S. presidency was designed to be held by a leader who governs, not a dictator who rules. How far Congress and the American people will let Trump go before reining in his strongman tendencies, is one question. A more important one may be, will Trump's strongman example become the norm for future U.S. leaders."
 
Legislative conference process no longer done in open
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "In the late 1990s, there was a big powwow between legislative leaders and members of the Mississippi Press Association over opening to the public the conferencing process where House and Senate leaders meet to work out the differences when the two chambers pass differing versions of the same bill. An agreement eventually was reached where the conference committee process would be open to the public, but legislators did not have to give notice of the meetings that often can be hastily convened. It was incumbent on members of the media and the public to check in pre-determined committee rooms in the Mississippi Capitol to see if conference members were in negotiations. If they were, under the agreed to joint legislative rules, the public was welcome to attend. I cannot recall attending a conference committee in the past seven legislative sessions."
 
Will lawmakers continue to fund Mississippi Public Broadcasting?
The Clarion-Ledger's Jimmie E. Gates writes: "The 2018 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature is now history, but one of the discussions that piqued a lot of the interest near the end of the session was language in the budget bill for Mississippi Public Broadcasting that state funding will end in 2024. The Legislature appropriated more than $3.9 million in general fund money for MPB for the upcoming budget year, which begins July 1. The figure doesn't include all state funding. The budget bill came with the following language: 'It is the intention of the Legislature for the Educational Television Authority (MPB) to initiate a planning process for the authority to transition from receiving any state general funds beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, to the authority being fully funded by Corporation for Public Broadcasting, fees/revenues generated by the authority, and contributions from donors to the authority's foundation.'"


SPORTS
 
Bulldogs needed 'one more' in national title bid
After Mississippi State lost in last year's national championship game, the Bulldogs adopted the motto "one more." MSU even had the slogan engraved on its national finalist rings as a reminder of just how close it had been to claiming the school's first national title. As it turned out, the Bulldogs simply needed to make one more play. With the game tied at 58, Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale buried a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining to give the Fighting Irish a 61-58 victory, delivering more anguish and heartache for State to suffer through in the offseason. "It hurts right now," said MSU coach Vic Schaefer.
 
Mississippi State loses to Notre Dame on last-second shot in national championship
In the bowels of Nationwide Arena, Vic Schaefer walked to the postgame press conference between Morgan William and Blair Schaefer. He had his right arm over Blair's back. His left arm hugged William. No words were said. With watery eyes, both players walked with their heads down. Vic looked ahead into the distance as he walked with a blank stare on his face. A season that began with the highest of expectations ended here Sunday night just short of reaching the ultimate goal. Mississippi State was not able to become a national champion for the first time. Not after Notre Dame 61, Mississippi State 58. It was never supposed to end like this for Mississippi State (37-2).
 
Bulldogs fail to keep momentum
The quarters couldn't have been more different. In the second quarter, the Mississippi State women's basketball team looked like the nation's best defensive team as it limited Notre Dame to three points. The Bulldogs used the momentum they built from a 13-point halftime lead to extend that cushion to 15 with 6 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter. That's when nearly everything turned in favor of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame closed the third quarter on a 16-1 run that helped it erase the largest deficit in national title game history. That run set the stage for Arike Ogunbowale's 3-pointer just before time expired that lifted Notre Dame to a 61-58 victory against MSU before a crowd of 19,599 at Nationwide Arena. "Mississippi State was a tremendous defensive team," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. "They really gave us a lot of problems in the first half. We lost our composure a little bit, but we got it back and we just kept fighting."
 
Dawn Staley's message to a heartbroken Mississippi State and victorious Notre Dame
South Carolina women's basketball watched along with millions of others as Mississippi State and Notre Dame competed for the NCAA championship Sunday night in a back-and-forth battle that went down to the very last second, In the end, Irish guard Arike Ogunbowale finished the game with a wild 3-point basket that crushed the Bulldogs, sending them to their second consecutive runner-up finish. Like many, Staley and her Gamecocks took to social media to react to the contest, with Staley in particular expressing sympathy for MSU coach Vic Schaefer and his players, before going on to congratulate Notre Dame and its coach, Muffet McGraw. Staley noted McGraw, like herself, has roots in the Philadelphia area, though she was also quick to point out that McGraw and legendary UConn coach Geno Auriemma are both from the suburbs.
 
Notre Dame's miracle shot ends State dream
Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "Give Notre Dame credit for making one more play than State. That's what it comes down to, one more play. Ogunboewale made a miracle shot just a few minutes after State missed the chippie. ...But also give State credit for reaching the national championship game for the second time in two years. Give McCowan credit for one of the greatest individual tournament efforts in NCAA history. Give Victoria Vivians credit for capping a storied career with a game-high 21 points, nine rebounds and four steals in her final game. ...As Vic Schaefer put it, 'They're going to be so successful in life because of their grit, their determination, and how they embrace the grind of life, as well as the game of basketball. They played their hearts out... It hurts, but Notre Dame just made one more play.'"
 
Mississippi State's Joe Moorhead speaks at Golden Triangle Boys & Girls Club fundraiser
Joe Moorhead isn't a fan of talking about himself at length. Mississippi State's new football coach said as much as he addressed supporters of the Boys & Girls Club of the Golden Triangle Thursday night, when he found a way to tell his tale from playing youth sports in Pittsburgh to his exceedingly brief professional football career all in the span of a few minutes. Unfortunately for him, his audience wanted to hear every word of it and more. Moorhead was the star speaker at the Sports Talk Charity Fundraiser at the Bryan Building on MSU's campus Thursday night, a significant fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of the Golden Triangle. He went straight to the event from the practice field -- with his whistle from practice still in his pocket -- and came upon an appreciative audience when he got there. "I thought his talk was very appropriate for this occasion," retiree Jerry Gill said. "I thought he was very likable." After repeating some of his visions and goals for the MSU football program under his leadership, Moorhead brought his audience in with self deprication.
 
Kylin Hill more comfortable going into year two with Bulldogs
Kylin Hill arrived at Mississippi State prior to last season as the school's highest-rated running back signee in a decade and a half. Not since Jerious Norwood back in 2002 had a Bulldog tailback showed up on campus with so much hype. By almost any measure, Hill's freshman season in 2017 was a success. As he goes through spring practice now with an eye towards his sophomore season, Hill says he feels like he belongs and the best might be yet to come. "When I first touched the field last year, I had to get used to the speed with guys faster than me and guys stronger than me," Hill said. "Now I'm just so used to it that it feels like football all over again." A more confident, better Hill is an exciting thought for the Bulldogs.
 
Erroll Thompson ready to anchor Mississippi State linebackers
Dez Harris was more than a middle linebacker producing over five tackles per game for last year's Mississippi State football team; he was a senior for a position group that desperately needed one, as the rest of its rotation was made up of two freshmen and a sophomore. In the midst of installing a new defense with a new coaching staff, MSU will have to find a replacement for Harris as the defensive signal caller, the one in charge of all post-snap adjustments. If all goes according to plan, that man will be Erroll Thompson. Thompson was MSU's second-most productive linebacker last season as his 46 tackles, one for a loss, earned him Southeastern Conference All-Freshman honors, but that's not why he is picked as the next defensive leader. If Thompson is the one making the calls for MSU in the fall, it's because he's the kind of guy MSU wants to do it.
 
Southern Miss football players humbled by spring break mission trip to Mexico
Drake Dorbeck, Paxton Schrimsher and Cody Block have been teammates and roommates for years. Each March since joining the Southern Miss football team, the trio has reserved the week of spring break for just that -- a break from the stress of school and the rigors of college athletics. Two years ago, they cooled their heels at Orange Beach, Alabama. Last year, they spent several days relaxing in the Smoky Mountains. So when the time came to settle on a destination for 2018, Dorbeck had an idea. "My sister had contacted me about going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with some people back home," said the Vicksburg native, who started 10 games for the Golden Eagles as a redshirt sophomore last season. "It ended up falling through. So we were sitting at the house one night and I said, 'What if we got something together (ourselves)?'" That's when Block, who spent 2015-17 as a long snapper at Southern Miss, connected the dots. Born and raised in Glendale, Arizona, Block grew up about 150 miles from the Mexican border and has been a part of multiple trips to poverty-stricken portions of Puerto Penasco.



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