| Tuesday, June 4, 2019 |
| Power outage to impact Old Main, YMCA, others Wednesday morning | |
 | A planned power outage will affect Harned, George, and Magruder halls, Old Main Academic Building and the YMCA Building this week as MSU Facilities Management conducts a test on a power generator. The power outage is scheduled for Wednesday [June 5] at 7 a.m. and will last until approximately 7:45 a.m. Please contact the Facilities Management Service Desk at 662-325-2005 with any questions. |
| Brave new world of drones, ag data | |
 | If machines are going to go out and identify weeds and then send out drones or sprayers to control them, the cameras researchers first must "teach" the machines how to tell the weeds from crops and weeds from weeds. And if cattle farmers and ranchers are going to use drones to count cattle and check them for diseases, they'll need some "machine learning" to sort out what behavior is meaningless and what might indicate disease stress. These are among the goals of new precision agriculture studies underway at North Dakota State University, which has just launched a new precision agriculture degree program with major and minor degrees precision agriculture. The project is part of a larger project with USDA scientists and with Mississippi State University. |
| Funeral reflects bipartisan work of former US Sen. Cochran | |
 | A second funeral for former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran reflects the Mississippi Republican's reputation for working across party lines. Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama and Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont are scheduled to speak at the service Tuesday at Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson. "This all-American boy became an all-American leader," Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant told more than 300 mourners during a first funeral Monday at Mississippi Capitol. Cochran was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, bringing billions of dollars to Mississippi for agriculture, university research, military contracts and disaster relief. Shelby now leads that committee with Leahy as vice chairman. Leahy has described Cochran as one of his dearest friends. |
| 'He fought every single day for Mississippi:' Sen. Thad Cochran honored in Capitol funeral service | |
 | They crowded the second-floor rotunda of the Mississippi Capitol. They filled the marble stairs, and leaned over the railings above, their eyes drawn to longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's flag-draped casket. They came -- about 300 of them -- to honor the boy from Pontotoc who grew up to represent Mississippi for nearly half a century in Congress before his retirement last year. They came to pay their respects to perhaps "the most celebrated public servant in the history of our state," as Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn put it. Cochran died Thursday in Oxford after battling several health issues. He was 81. "He fought every single day for Mississippi," Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves told the crowd. "Thad Cochran was a gentle man. But he was also a strong man ... He knew what his purpose was every day. It wasn't glory, it wasn't power. It was simply to work for Mississippi families." |
| Thad Cochran funeral: State leaders honor senator's legacy at Capitol memorial | |
| Thad Cochran's legacy was on full display at the state Capitol Monday morning as state leaders honored the late senator and his 45-year congressional career. The service for Cochran, who died last week at the age of 81, focused not just on the senator's influence and character but on his place, as Republican Speaker Philip Gunn put it, as "arguably the most celebrated personal servant in the history of our state." "He was one of those public figures who only needed one name. You said Thad, everyone knew who you were talking about," Gov. Phil Bryant said. "Everyone knew him, everyone wanted to be his close friend, whether they were or not. Thad wanted to make them feel as such." The respect Cochran held statewide was evidenced by Monday's service. |
| 'I'll never forget his graciousness.' Senate's top Democrat, Republican praise Cochran | |
| The U.S. Senate's top Republican and Democrat on Monday praised their former colleague, Thad Cochran, a Republican, in lengthy floor speeches. The warm words from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York underscore the strong relationships Cochran built up with members of both parties over his 45-years representing Mississippi in Congress. Cochran died Thursday in Oxford at 81. Schumer recalled how Cochran backed New York when it needed aid after Hurricane Sandy, even as some other Republicans didn't. McConnell remembered how Cochran showed "that a dogged work ethic and compassionate friendship are not incompatible" in Congress. Both described him as a friend. |
| Former Chief of Staff Keith Heard Reflects on Senator Thad Cochran's Life and Legacy | |
 | Friends and family reflected on the life of former U.S. Senator Thad Cochran at his visitation in Oxford on Sunday. Cochran's former Chief of Staff, Keith Heard was at his home in Columbus, when he got the call. Heard started working with Cochran once he was out of college, kicking off what ended up being a long-time friendship. He says he is going to remember Cochran as one of the finest people he has ever been associated with. "He was tough and he was strong and he would take a position and he wouldn't bend. That's what I remember most about him. He was kind. He was gentle, but he was always tough and he got the job done. He was a good Republican. He did his job. He worked with the party to get things done, but he always represented Mississippi and all of them and that was the thing that meant the most to me and he loved the institution of the United States Senate. The way the Forefathers built it and he loved the tradition and history and the importance of the most important, deliberative government body in the world." |
| Jim Hood long railed against Mississippi's mental health system. Now, amid his campaign for governor, he must defend it in court | |
| When Mississippi faces off against the Department of Justice this week in the longstanding battle over the state's treatment of mentally ill Mississippians, its defense will depend on the office of Attorney General Jim Hood -- despite the fact that Hood has been, arguably, one of the biggest critics of the state's mental health system. In 2016 the U.S. Department of Justice sued Mississippi, claiming the state warehoused people seeking help in its state-run hospitals and institutions and defied the federal standard of community-oriented care. Hood quickly latched on, criticizing lawmakers for cutting mental health funding. Two years later, few people are as focused on the next election as Hood, considered the front-runner for Democrats' nomination for governor. And the lawsuit could provide ammunition against his likely opponent in November, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. But Hood has toned down his rhetoric going into the trial, which begins June 4 and is projected to last until July. |
| House finally sends $19.1 billion disaster aid package to Trump's desk | |
 | The House sent a $19.1 billion disaster aid package to President Donald Trump's desk Monday, more than a week after the first of three Republican holdouts objected to passing the legislation by unanimous consent. The bill, which was the result of months of exhaustive negotiations between Republicans, Democrats and the White House, received a vote of 354-58 just hours after the House returned from a weeklong Memorial Day break. Trump has said he supports the bill and is expected to sign it. The legislation would provide $4.6 billion to help farmers and rural communities, $3.25 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers disaster mitigation projects, $3.2 billion to rebuild military bases and Coast Guard facilities and $2.4 billion for Community Development Block Grants that will help communities rebuild homes and businesses. |
| Mexico optimistic it can head off tariffs but Trump expects them to take effect | |
 | President Trump emphasized Tuesday that he plans to slap a 5 percent tariff on Mexican goods next week, even as Mexican officials expressed optimism they could reach a deal to head off the penalties. "It's more likely the tariffs go on and we'll probably be talking during the time the tariffs are on," the U.S. president said during a news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May in London. High-level delegations from both Mexico and the United States are scheduled to meet Wednesday in Washington to try to hammer out an agreement. Trump has threatened to impose the economic penalties unless Mexico significantly reduces the flow of irregular migration to the U.S. border. |
| China issues US travel alert warning of official harassment | |
| China issued a travel warning for the U.S. on Tuesday, saying Chinese visitors have been interrogated, interviewed and subjected to other forms of what it called harassment by U.S. law enforcement agencies. The warning urges Chinese citizens and Chinese-funded bodies in the U.S. to step up their safety awareness and preventative measures and respond "appropriately and actively." It was issued by the foreign ministry, as well as the Chinese Embassy and consulates in the U.S. The warning comes amid an increasingly bitter trade dispute between Beijing and Washington and tougher immigration enforcement by the Trump administration. Chinese students abroad were urged on Monday to assess the risks involved given tightened visa restrictions. |
| Ole Miss preschool got $850K from Mississippi Legislature | |
| As Mississippi lawmakers struggle to fund public pre-K programs, they have funneled nearly a million dollars of state education money to a preschool in Oxford that charges about $6,000 a year in tuition. Until recently, Mississippi remained the only state in the South without publicly funded pre-school, and only a fraction of Mississippi 4-year-olds are currently enrolled in publicly funded programs. Meanwhile, Willie Price Learning Lab, a preschool at the University of Mississippi, got $850,000 in earmarks between 2016 and 2019. Ole Miss spokesman Rod Guajardo said via email the school will have a sliding tuition scale starting next year that will be based on a family's income. Guajardo said the money was used to achieve and maintain accreditation from the National Association for Education of Young Children, which he described as "a rigorous accomplishment achieved in 2018." Pre-k programs housed at five of Mississippi's public universities have this accreditation, according to NAEYC's website. |
| 2 indicted over spending at Mississippi community college | |
| Two former community college employees have been arrested on indictments they stole more than $750,000. Mississippi's state auditor says Gwendolyn Jefferson and Stacie Neal used Coahoma Community College credit cards to buy items including shoes, watches and a chandelier from 2013 to 2017. Auditor Shad White says Jefferson was arrested Monday for conspiracy and embezzlement. Neal was arrested for conspiracy, embezzlement and false representation. In September, White demanded the two pay the state more than $980,000, including interest and investigation costs. |
| Auburn trustees to address housing costs, tuition rates this week | |
 | The Auburn University board of trustees is expected to discuss raising rates for campus housing during Friday's regular meeting. "For the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years, Auburn University Housing is proposing an overall annual 2% housing rate increase with each rate rounded to the next zero," according to a memo from Kevin Hoult, director of university and residence life. The memo states that the proposed rental rates are based on the housing office's commitment to sound fiscal management. While rates differ depending on the dormitory building itself and the occupancy type, a chart listing the proposed rates shows a semester average cost of $4,595 during the 2019-20 academic year, and $4,687 during the 2020-21 academic year. |
| U. of Kentucky's Eli Capilouto elected president of SEC | |
 | University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto will serve a one-year term as president of the Southeastern Conference, presiding over meetings that make the rules for college athletics at the SEC's 14 member schools. He was elected by his fellow presidents at last week's meeting in Destin, Fla. The meeting made headlines because the SEC allowed its member schools to decide if they want to serve alcohol at games. Many schools, including UK, allow alcohol in select areas, but the new rule opens the potential for stadium-wide access. The SEC, whose operations are run by Commissioner Greg Sankey, has been a powerhouse conference due mostly to the strength of its member football and basketball teams, and helps negotiate the millions of dollars in sponsorships and television rights to member games. The SEC is one of three dozen Division 1 college conferences that report to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. |
| Former UGA student accused of operating Ponzi scheme out of frat | |
| For most University of Georgia students, SEC means Southeastern Conference sports. But one former Bulldog just encountered a different kind of SEC. The Securities and Exchange Commission last week filed a civil complaint in federal court in Athens accusing Syed Arham Arbab of running a Ponzi scheme out of an unnamed fraternity house. The SEC alleges Arbab, 22, defrauded at least eight people -- including fellow UGA students, graduates and their family members -- of at least $269,000. Arbab allegedly used the funds for Las Vegas gambling trips, adult entertainment and other personal expenses, the complaint said. The hedge fund Arbab purportedly ran, Artis Proficio Capital, wasn't real, and investment returns he reported to clients through an online portal were allegedly fictitious. |
| U. of Florida composer scores his own destiny | |
 | Jordan Alexander Key sat in composer Jack Gallagher's office in his first week at the College of Wooster in Ohio. Key had chosen music composition over a promising career in physics and Gallagher wanted to make sure he knew exactly what he was in for. "I make sure to have that talk with every student of mine, so they know how hard it will be," Gallagher said. "I have to say Jordan took it to heart more than most composers I speak to do. I knew early on that he was going to do well." Since that first talk with Gallagher, Key's career as a composer has taken him from his hometown in Roanoke, Virginia, to Ohio, Arizona and now to Gainesville, where he's pursuing a doctorate in composition at the University of Florida. At UF, he found success using the school's connections to land frequent performances -- most recently on May 18 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where his music was played live in the ballet "To Say Pi." |
| Texas A&M's STEM teacher recruitment program awarded grant for more than $1M | |
 | Texas A&M University was awarded a federal grant for more than $1 million Monday to address the ongoing shortage of elementary and middle school teachers in science, technology, engineering and math fields in Texas by the National Science Foundation. Texas A&M's math department and its College of Education will enter into a five-year partnership with the Grand Prairie school district and other high-need districts. The goal, according to the National Science Foundation's website, is to provide 37 new, certified math teachers for high-need elementary and middle schools in Texas. The project, which will run through 2024, will have support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas announced the federal grant Monday and credited the administration of President Donald Trump for supporting Texas A&M. |
| Chinese officials warn students of visa problems if they come to U.S. | |
 | China's Ministry of Education on Monday warned students interested in studying in the U.S. about potential difficulties getting visas from the American government. The statement from China's Ministry of Education comes amid increasing tensions between the U.S. and China over the issue of higher education and in the context of a broader trade war. The U.S. last year shortened the duration of visas for Chinese graduate students in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields from five years to one year, and Chinese-U.S. research collaborations have become the focus of intensified scrutiny from the White House, members of Congress, scientific funding agencies and national security agencies, all of which have raised concerns about the risk of espionage and intellectual property theft posed by Chinese students and scholars. |
| Audit reveals policy violations at Clemson University summer camps | |
 | Clemson University officials are working to "shore up" safety procedures at the summer camps on its campus after an audit identified policy violations that included incomplete background checks for camp staff members. In 2018, more than 10,000 children attended camps and similar activities hosted at Clemson facilities, according to a report by the university, and at least that many are expected again this year as the season warms up this month. The camps cover programs from technology and life sciences to baseball and fishing and are held both on the main campus and at other sites such as the Clemson Outdoor Lab, South Carolina Botanical Garden and Camp Bob Cooper on Lake Marion. Clemson's Pre-Collegiate Programs Office was established in 2012 following the discovery that former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused minors at Penn State. The office at Clemson, directed by Greg Linke, ensures that Clemson's camps follow the university's Protection of Minors policy. |
| $100-million gift to UCLA shows growing role of private donors in public universities | |
 | Deep in the engineering labs at UCLA, students and faculty are hard at work on the future. In one lab, Jacob Rosen, a professor of medical robotics, shows off robots that can stitch up wounds and help rehabilitate stroke victims. Other faculty and students are developing a carbon-neutral concrete to mitigate the effects of climate change, a new type of insulin to protect diabetics from potentially perilous hypoglycemia, and portable treatment systems to purify contaminated groundwater for drinking. Drawn by such cutting-edge work, about 26,000 students apply to UCLA Samueli School of Engineering each year -- but the school can accommodate only 775 of them. That is about to change. On Tuesday, UCLA announced a $100-million gift to expand the engineering school from Henry Samueli, who cofounded semiconductor and software firm Broadcom Inc., and his wife, Susan. It is the school's largest ever private donation. The gift will allow the engineering school to do what diminished state funding no longer does: significantly grow to meet the demands for training in some of the world's hottest career fields. |
| Who's doing the heavy lifting in terms of diversity and inclusion work? | |
| The term "invisible labor" has been used to describe the unrecognized work underrepresented faculty members are called on to do by virtue of that status: mentoring students who see aspects of themselves in their professors, for example, or otherwise engaging in inclusion and diversity work. A new study in Nature: Ecology and Evolution seeks to make that labor more visible, at least within the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology. The findings have implications for how universities allocate resources for diversity and inclusion and how professors who engage in that work -- particularly those who do the heavy lifting -- are evaluated and valued. Tricia Matthew, an associate professor of English at Montclair State University who has written about invisible labor in academe, said the study "definitely holds true across the academy," not just in ecology and evolutionary biology. |
SPORTS
| State preparing for another super weekend in Starkville | |
 | Mississippi State is making its fourth straight trip to a super regional and is the only college baseball program that can make that claim. But the Bulldogs won't be traveling far. In fact, they won't be traveling at all as the new $68 million Dudy Noble Field will serve as the host site for the Starkville super regional later this week against the winner of the Stanford Regional. Fresno State (40-15-1) and Stanford (44-12) played late on Monday in that championship game. MSU made short work of the Starkville Regional, sweeping all three games over Southern (11-6), Central Michigan (7-2) and Miami (5-2). The Diamond Dogs averaged 9,784 fans over those three games, including a regional school record 11,511 for Saturday's game. "We have the best fans and atmosphere -- it is the pinnacle of college baseball," said MSU first-year coach Chris Lemonis. "I know there are some other great places, but I know there is nothing better than Dudy Noble. It is a fun place to compete. When you get those big hits in those moments, it feels like the place is rocking." |
| Dates, times and TV schedule for Mississippi State baseball's Super Regional against Stanford | |
 | The Starkville Super Regional is set. For the first time since 2016, Mississippi State is hosting a best-of-three series in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The No. 6 Bulldogs (49-13) host the No. 11 Stanford Cardinal (45-12) starting Saturday, June 8, at 2 p.m. The full schedule for the series, along with television information, is GAME 1: Saturday, June 8, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN 2). GAME 2: Sunday, June 9, 8 p.m. CT (ESPNU). GAME 3 (if necessary): Monday, June 10, 6 p.m. CT (ESPN2). The Bulldogs swept their way through the Starkville Regional to advance this far. The Cardinal lost once to Fresno State in its Regional but ultimately beat those Bulldogs twice in a row to advance. Stanford won 9-7 late Monday night. |
| Mississippi State pitcher Ethan Small selected by Milwaukee Brewers in first round of MLB Draft | |
| Ethan Small's nationally-recognized junior season at Mississippi State has worked wonders for his potential career at the next level. Small, the Southeastern Conference's 2019 Pitcher of the Year, was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft. They selection has a slot value of $2,493,900. Small was taken in the 26th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in last year's draft. Small is the 15th Mississippi State Bulldog in program history to be picked in the first round of the draft. He's the first since Brent Rooker went to the Minnesota Twins with the 35th overall pick in 2017. Small jumped forward by 25 rounds from one year to the next because of the way he's pitched since February. |
| Brewers select Mississippi State's Ethan Small 28th overall | |
| The Milwaukee Brewers have had success with Mississippi State's Brandon Woodruff in its pitching rotation. So much so that the Brew Crew came back to the Bulldogs to take junior pitcher Ethan Small with the 28th pick of the MLB Draft. Small becomes MSU's 15th first round draft pick and the program's first since Brent Rooker in 2017. He is the first Bulldog to be drafted by the Brewers since Daniel Brown in 2016. Small, the SEC's Pitcher of the Year, has posted a 9-2 record in 16 starts this season with a 1.88 earned run average, 160 strikeouts and only 27 walks over 96 innings of work. |
| Mississippi State's Nuno Borges named ITA National Player of the year | |
 | A dominant senior season continued to receive national praise on Monday, as Mississippi State's Nuno Borges was named the 2019 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men's Tennis Player of the Year. The five-time All-America honoree (three singles honors, two doubles) and three-time SEC Player of the Year becomes the second Bulldog to earn the honor, joining Thomas Dupre, who took home the prestigious laurel in 1997 after finishing ranked No. 1 in singles. Last week, Borges became the third Bulldog ever to finish a season ranked No. 1 nationally in singles, joining Dupre (1997) and Marco Baron (2001). The Maia, Porto, Portugal, native is the only MSU player ever to earn the top billing in singles and doubles to end a season (he did so in doubles with Strahinja Rakic in 2018). He was also the only player in collegiate tennis to finish in the top 10 in both singles and doubles this season. |
| Mississippi State's Anderson Peters lands on final watchlist for The Bowerman | |
| Anderson Peters continues to build his case for The Bowerman, collegiate track and field's highest honor, and has earned a spot on the final watchlist of the year for the award. The Bowerman was created in 2009 and is given annually to the top male and female athlete in track and field by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Peters, the South Region Co-Field Athlete of the Year leads the NCAA in the javelin this year and will be the top seed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships beginning Wednesday in Austin, Texas. The Mississippi State sophomore won his second SEC Championship this season while breaking the conference meet record in his event for the second consecutive year. Peters holds facility record at all but one venue he threw at this year (Texas). He will attempt to claim back-to-back national titles on Wednesday and would be just the third MSU athlete to do so. |
| Arkansas-Ole Miss super regional will begin Saturday | |
| Arkansas' super regional against Ole Miss will begin Saturday at 11 a.m. and will be televised by ESPN2. The best-of-three series will continue Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPNU, and a third, if-necessary game will be played Monday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2. The winner of the Fayetteville Super Regional will advance to the College World series to play against either LSU or Florida State in the opening round. Arkansas (44-17) is hosting a super regional for the fourth time in program history. The Razorbacks won their three previous home super regionals against Florida State in 2004, Missouri State in 2015 and South Carolina last season. The Rebels' series win in March was the Razorbacks' only series loss at home this season and Arkansas' first home series loss since Ole Miss won in 2017. |
| Game times announced for LSU baseball super regional vs. Florida State | |
 | The road to Omaha is now set for either host LSU or visiting Florida State. The NCAA announced Tuesday the scheduled game times for the Baton Rouge super regional, a best-of-three series which starts Saturday and goes through Monday. The third game will only be played if necessary. Game one will be played 2 p.m. Saturday. Sunday's game will be at 5 p.m. and the tiebreaker Monday will be at 7:30 p.m. All games will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. The Tigers, the No. 13 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, advanced to host the super regional after sweeping the Baton Rouge regional last week. Florida State moved through the Athens regional as a No. 3 seed. |
| Auburn's Super Regional at North Carolina set to run Saturday-Monday | |
| Auburn and North Carolina will open their Super Regional series at 11 a.m. CT Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C., after the NCAA announced its weekend schedule on Tuesday morning. Super Regionals across the country will run from Friday to Monday. Auburn and North Carolina will start Saturday, with the best-of-three series scheduled to run over three days until Monday. Saturday's opener will be televised on ESPN2. Sunday's middle game has a start time to be announced, but the game will be broadcast on ESPN. The third game, to be played if necessary, is set for a noon CT start time and an ESPN2 broadcast. |
| Newly hired AD Ross Bjork excited to get started at passionate Texas A&M | |
| What newly hired Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork remembers most about his first trip to Aggieland was Kyle Field's press box shaking. "I thought, 'Is that an earthquake? Is that the band?'" he said. Bjork discovered it was the fans' passionate swaying to the Aggie War Hymn, and more than two decades later, it's his job to get the most out of their passion. "I know a lot of things have changed since 1998," Bjork said. "But you come on this campus, even in 1998, you know this place is special. They care, and it's big time, and if the stadium is shaking, you know you're at a special place. So that really just stayed with me." Bjork, who was joined by his wife and two sons at his introductory welcome event Monday afternoon at the Ford Hall of Champions, will return later this week to Ole Miss to help with its transition. "I can't work two jobs," Bjork said. "I hope to come over here maybe mid-June for a few days to continue to meet people." A&M has not released any terms of Bjork's contract. |
| Big Ten will reveal its new commissioner today -- and Kevin Warren is the choice, reports say | |
| Jim Phillips has warned friends not to underestimate his ox-strong ties to Northwestern, stressing he has the "best" athletic director job in the nation. And while many assumed Phillips would leave Northwestern to succeed Jim Delany as Big Ten commissioner if he were offered the post, he will be remaining in Evanston. Delany's successor will be officially revealed at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the conference office in Rosemont. WSCR-AM 670 morning hosts David Haugh and Mike Mulligan reported Monday evening that the conference has selected Kevin Warren, the chief operating officer of the Minnesota Vikings. ESPN reporters Adam Schefter and Mark Schlabach also reported it will be Warren. In 2015, Warren became the first African American chief operating officer of an NFL team. Shortly after, University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler appointed Warren to help select the school's athletic director, a search that yielded Mark Coyle. Other than that, Warren, 55, appears to have no obvious Big Ten ties. |
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