| Monday, October 14, 2019 |
| Helping Others Helps Us: Guest column by MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum | |
 | Working to find solutions to the many problems posed by hunger and poverty have defined much of my professional life. As a former USDA Under Secretary and now as president of one of our nation's leading land-grant universities, I have seen first-hand the powerful difference American investment can make in addressing these significant global challenges. In just a few days during World Food Prize Week in Des Moines, Iowa, the presidentially appointed advisory board to USAID -- the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD) -- will release the results of a study that show the strong benefits to the United States of international aid investments. The report, "How the United States Benefits from Agricultural and Food Security Investments in Developing Countries," illustrates in great detail how American aid helps the people of the developing world, as well as American farmers, ranchers, consumers and taxpayers. This aid also plays a central role in enhancing both U.S. national security and global security and stability. |
| MSU Lyceum Series to feature hot jazz ensemble Tuesday | |
 | An acclaimed jazz ensemble will take the stage for the second performance in Mississippi State's Lyceum Series. Performing Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium is the Hot Club of San Francisco, whose playing has been hailed by Acoustic Guitar as "intricate, scorching and often brilliant." The ensemble's current members include leader and guitarist Paul Mehling, guitarist and vocalist Isabelle Fontaine, violinist Evan Price, guitarist Jordan Samuels and bassist Sam Rocha. Price, a former member of jazz ensemble Turtle Island Quartet, came to the group with two classical crossover Grammy wins. For more information about MSU's Lyceum Series, contact the Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930, visit lyceum.msstate.edu or email lyceum@msstate.edu. Contributions to the Lyceum Series can be made via the MSU Foundation by contacting Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918. |
| Courtney Cox named Starkville airport operations manager | |
 | A new operations manager has just landed at George M. Bryan Airport in Starkville. Courtney Cox was hired to serve as the airport operations manager in September, and has officially begun her new role. As operations manager, Cox is responsible for the general operations of the airport, including fueling, plane parking and fixed base operations. Cox is a licensed general aviation pilot and a Mississippi State University graduate in communication. She was born in Nashville, but spent her high school years in Sacramento, California. She began her job in the first week of September. he said the airport was a common stopping point for private jets and other aircraft, with massive influxes on game days. "It's so busy on game days," Cox said. "There's a ton of jets that come in and out, and this is the first place they see when they come in, whether they come in from another SEC school, or Kansas State. We had a lot of planes come in for Kansas State. It's the first impression of Starkville for people who are flying in." |
| Second blooming: Retirement fuels inspiration and a new series for Brent Funderburk | |
| "No one told me I couldn't do it," said Brent Funderburk. And so, he did. Funderburk began decades ago honing his unique style of painting with watercolors, of interpreting with intensity, of teaching with passion. For 36 years at Mississippi State University, he inspired next generations of artists, gathering academic, teaching and research honors along the way. After retiring 18 months ago, the MSU Department of Art professor emeritus and William L. Giles Distinguished Professor could have slowed down, taken up fishing or golf, or even painting pictures of sailboats and beaches. Instead, Funderburk immersed himself in a "second flowering," one he might liken to the unexpected second blooming a pear tree in his yard put out in September. The pear trees and their fruit are Funderburk's old friends and collaborators, reoccurring in many of his paintings. |
| Tate Reeves, Jim Hood: Campaign contributions | |
 | Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves spent nearly $7 million to defeat an unexpectedly robust challenge in the Republican primary for governor, according to the latest campaign filings. Through his main campaign committee, Reeves spent more than $375,000 in the final week of the runoff election against retired Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller. Waller, who has not endorsed Reeves in the general election, spent and raised a little more than $2 million. Through the end of September, Reeves has spent about $8.3 million as he heads into a Nov. 5 general election showdown with Attorney General Jim Hood. The Democrat has spent a fraction of that so far -- about $3.1 million. Reeves has more than $3.2 million on hand between several accounts. Hood, who's raised $3.4 million this year, has about $1.3 million remaining. |
| Analysis: Mississippi has options for new secretary of state | |
 | Mississippi voters are choosing a new secretary of state this year, and the two candidates are divided over some big proposals for the office. Democrat Johnny DuPree says he would push legislators to authorize online registration for new voters. Republican Michael Watson says he'd support that only with assurances that cybersecurity wouldn't be compromised. Watson says he wants the secretary of state's office to take over the responsibility of issuing driver's licenses -- a service that's provided by the Department of Public Safety and is plagued by long lines. DuPree says he opposes moving the licensing process. Mississippi's current secretary of state, Republican Delbert Hosemann, has held the office for three terms and is now facing state Rep. Jay Hughes in the race for lieutenant governor. |
| Trustee Randy McCoy discusses PERS | |
| Those working for the state of Mississippi have a vested interest in PERS, as that is where their income after retirement, that is not Social Security, will be coming from. Randy McCoy, one of 10 members of the PERS Board of Trustees, spoke to the Clay County Retired Education Personnel of Mississippi Tuesday, about retirement. "Once I took the position on the PERS Board," McCoy said. "I became a fiduciary. I am supposed to do what is good for the system. I work for PERS to make sure those who pay into this system, receive what their money when they retire." According to McCoy, the average paid out of the system to retirees is $23,000 per year. McCoy said the number of retirees is growing due to the last of the Baby Boomers coming into retirement age. In five years the number of those entering into retirement will slow, in 10 years even less people will be retirement age. |
| U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith expects growth at local airport | |
 | U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith chose her home turf to meet with a representative of Alliance for Aviation Across America and to show off the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport. Hyde-Smith, along with Sen. Roger Wicker, both Republican senators from Mississippi, announced in July that the airport would receive a $190,000 Federal Aviation Grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The city embarked on a 20-year, $12 million airport improvement plan in February. The airport board of directors and city leaders met Friday with Hyde-Smith and alliance representative Ernest Baynard to discuss some of the improvements planned. Hyde-Smith said aviation is part of the overall global economy and would like to see a younger generation set their sights on the skyline. She'd like to see area schools participate in field trips to the airport in Brookhaven so children will be exposed to aviation careers. |
| Judges Strike Several Blows to Trump Immigration Policies | |
 | President Trump's immigration agenda ran into legal blockades in courts around the country on Friday as judges in four states barred his administration from trying to withhold green cards from people who use public benefits and rejected his plan to divert funds to erect a border wall. In three rulings, federal judges in New York, California and Washington State issued injunctions temporarily blocking the "public charge" rule, which would impose serious impediments to legal residency for those who use benefits such as Medicaid or those deemed likely to use them in the future. The rule, widely seen as an attempt to keep out immigrants who are poor or in need of help, was one of the Trump administration's signature immigration policies -- and it ran into a legal brick wall in three corners of the country on a single day. |
| How 'White Guilt' in the Age of Trump Shapes the Democratic Primary | |
| When Donald Trump was elected, John Olsen felt enraged by the racial tension that fueled his rise, the silence of his white neighbors and the stories of racial discrimination he heard from his nonwhite friends. Black friends said they were followed around department stores, so Mr. Olsen, who is white, became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He thought that white Americans were scared of the country's growing Latino population, so he joined the League of United Latin American Citizens. He now registers voters weekly, including with the League of Women Voters, to atone for his "white privilege," he said. "I try to have my bases covered," said Mr. Olsen, 50, who wore a N.A.A.C.P. T-shirt to a campaign rally for Senator Kamala Harris here last week. White liberals -- voters like Mr. Olsen -- are thinking more explicitly about race than they did even a decade ago, according to new research and polling. |
| 'Fortnite' disappeared into a black hole and fans are freaking out | |
 | The hit video game "Fortnite" is down, but not for the reasons you might expect. On Sunday, "Fortnite" became unavailable to play after it was sucked into a virtual black hole, part of an event wrapping up Season 10 of the popular game. The Twitter account for "Fortnite" now features a single tweet: a live video feed of the black hole. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this event: it's not exactly clear when "Fortnite" will be available again. The last several seasons of "Fortnite" have launched on Thursdays, although because of the timing of Season 10's ending, it could happen sooner. In a tweet posted after the "Fortnite" blackout, Sony said all in-game items and V-bucks, the currency used in the game to buy items like skins, are safe. Video of the event shows what appear to be projectiles falling from the sky, concluding with a black hole sucking up every single piece of the game, then going dark. |
| At MUW, renowned sportswriter talks about finding stories, impact in unlikely places | |
| Of all the keynote speakers during the 31 years of the Eudora Welty Symposium, John Feinstein faced a unique challenge. Over the years, the keynote speaker at the Eudora Welty Gala has represented a wide variety of genres. Friday evening at the Trotter Center, Feinstein became the first sports writer to hold that distinction. A sports writer and sport columnist at The Washington Post since 1980 and author of 35 books, all of them sports-related, Feinstein found common ground with an audience whose interest in sports range from zero to fanatic and all points in between, relying on humor and the stories of the real people behind the games he's covered for 40 years. Feinstein noted that sometimes sports can be transcendental, with impacts that go far beyond a respective game. "I think Title IX was the most important piece of legislation of my lifetime," said Feinstein of the 1972 legislation requires colleges and universities to provide equal access to sports programs and athletic scholarships to women. "It didn't just change athletics," he said. "It changed the world." |
| It's Glenn Boyce's first school day as chancellor. Some want it to be his last. | |
 | On Glenn Boyce's first school day as chancellor, he'll be met with a crowd of students, faculty and Oxford residents outside of his office -- and they won't be there to welcome him to campus. The group, organized by the Abolish IHL coalition, plans to march to the Lyceum at 12:30 p.m. on Monday in protest of the Institution of Higher Learning's selection process. They will demand Boyce resign on his first day as chancellor. Along with demanding Boyce's immediate resignation, the group demands the immediate resignation of all 12 IHL Board of Trustees members and that the chancellor search process be reopened and selected by a democratically elected committee of university stakeholders. The coalition was formed following the Oct. 3 news of Glenn Boyce as the university's 18th chancellor. Since then, they've demonstrated twice. |
| IHL Board: Rumors of replacing UM Foundation's governing board are false | |
| In response to a Mississippi Today article that was published on Thursday, the Institutions of Higher Learning released a statement denying a claim listed in the story. The story in question reports the IHL and the University of Mississippi Foundation were struggling to agree to terms on which organization would pay what portion of Dr. Glenn Boyce's salary, which is reported to be around $800,000. The report claimed the UM Foundation was asked to pay $500,000 of the salary, but that the Foundation's Board was not in unanimous support of Boyce or paying the reported amount. Later on Thursday, the IHL sent out a statement disputing the article's claims. "Any rumors of the Board of Trustees considering replacing the membership of the governing board of the UM Foundation are simply false," the statement read. "Further, the Board of Trustees has not tried to dictate that the University of Mississippi Foundation pay a supplement; it has merely made the request, as it has done with previous chancellors and other presidents at the eight public universities in the state." |
| Glenn Boyce's Ole Miss: An inside look at the new chancellor's previous involvement with the university | |
 | Before Glenn Boyce was ever named the University of Mississippi's next chancellor, his actions and words permeated the campus during his tenure as commissioner of higher education for the state of Mississippi. Exclusive records obtained by the Daily Journal through a public records request provide a deeper look into Boyce's views and response to the search for former Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter and how he viewed the university's contextualization efforts with Confederate symbols. Boyce's correspondence with the former chancellor offers a glimpse into how he might view issues affecting the university today. |
| Ole Miss alum Shepard Smith departs Fox News network, steps down as chief news anchor | |
 | Shepard Smith, the Fox News anchor who made headlines for on-air criticisms of President Donald Trump, has departed the conservative-leaning news network. During his 3 p.m. show on Fox, Smith announced his decision and said: "Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter. After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged. The opportunities afforded this guy from small town Mississippi have been many. It's been an honor and a privilege to report the news each day to our loyal audience in context and with perspective, without fear or favor. I've worked with the most talented, dedicated and focused professionals I know and I'm proud to have anchored their work each day -- I will deeply miss them." Smith has been with the network since its inception in 1996. |
| USM Homecoming Parade features The Pride, floats, homecoming court | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi celebrated Homecoming 2019 on Saturday with several events, including its annual parade on Hardy Street. The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band was featured in that event, which began at Midtown Market and ended on campus. The homecoming court participated in the festivities while many members of fraternities and sororities rode on floats. The grand marshal of the parade was Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. The theme for homecoming was a "Golden Family Reunion." |
| JSU's Homecoming Week brings revenue to the City of Jackson | |
| Homecoming week for Jackson State University brings in fans, alumni and money. Thousands have come to the city of Jackson to buy and spend before and after the game. "Homecoming is always -- you sell more. Because, it is homecoming." Vinson Duncan is one of the many vendors that cashed in on Jackson State University's Homecoming game Saturday. Alumni and Tiger fans, like Mimi Berry, spending time and money to enjoy the festivities. "We are celebrating an anniversary with our sorority so it's our 25th so I mean, just that alone, thousands of dollars. You know, thousands of dollars when you think of hotels, flights, food, venues," said Berry. Duncan said the support that comes to historically black colleges and universities normally brings in lots of revenue, and Berry believes that is important. "And I think it's wonderful because it helps small businesses, even those that may not have a store front operation be able to take advantage of all of the money and wealth that is coming in from out of town and from people that are locally here," said Berry. |
| Delta State facing $1.7 million budget shortfall | |
| Delta State University revealed this week to faculty that it is currently experiencing a $1.7 million budget shortfall. A Delta State faculty member, who wished to remain anonymous, reached out to The Bolivar Commercial with details of what was revealed on Wednesday afternoon. The faculty member said they were told of a $1.7 million budget shortfall that was attributed to overly optimistic projections of revenue versus expenditures. The person also said they were informed that auditors representing the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning were on campus. In a statement sent to The Bolivar Commercial, James Rutledge, vice president for finance and administration, addressed the concerns. "Delta State did not meet its revenue projections for 2019-20, and for a period of years before that, causing a cumulative $1.7 million shortfall," Rutledge said. "University officials made the decision to address the issues head-on and develop a realistic and sustainable budget." |
| U. of Alabama Dean Resigned the Same Day Breitbart Published Article on His Tweets | |
 | Jamie D. Riley, the former dean of students at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, resigned the same day that the right-wing outlet Breitbart News resurfaced some of his old tweets. As part of his resignation, Riley will receive more than $300,000 in severance, amounting to nearly two years of pay, according to his separation agreement, which The Chronicle obtained through an open-records request. The hasty nature of Riley's resignation may heighten questions on the campus about the circumstances surrounding his departure. Since then, students have protested, demanding answers and better diversity and inclusion efforts from the administration. In the wake of Riley's resignation, Alabama's campus has seen student protests, sit-ins, and student-government votes for reform. Faculty members have also made demands of the Alabama administration. |
| Texas A&M to implement tobacco-free campus policy in January | |
 | Texas A&M University will implement a tobacco-free policy in January, using a $20,000 grant from the American Cancer Society to help fund the effort. This month, Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp called on all system institutions to ban e-cigarettes, but the flagship campus has been working toward a tobacco-free environment since this summer. A&M Chief Wellness Officer Jay Maddock said the university applied for a grant in June and just received approval last week. Officials are still in the early planning stages, but Maddock said funds likely will support signage and social media campaigns to inform people about the policy changes. Smoking and vaping are already prohibited on most parts of campus. The rules require smokers to be 100 feet away from any building, so Maddock said the changes won't be significantly different than what is in place. However, the biggest challenge will be enforcing the rules at sporting events when there are people from out of town who are unaware of the changes. |
| Bovine respiratory disease affects animal welfare and sustainability | |
| Animal welfare, sustainability and economics are affected when beef cattle suffer from bovine respiratory disease, or BRD. "BRD is hard to simplify as there are multiple risk factors and pathogens involved, but it is one of the biggest health issues facing the beef and dairy industries," said Dr. Sarah Capik, assistant professor of ruminant animal health with Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Amarillo. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture is providing $465,000 in funding for a four-year study: "Impact of Management Decisions During the Cow-Calf, Backgrounding, and Feedlot Phases of Beef Production on BRD Morbidity and Mortality Risks." Capik will lead the group of scientists in research to determine what effect certain management practices used at different phases of beef production can have on BRD. The project is a collaboration between three institutions that takes advantage of their respective strengths. Joining her on the team are Dr. Brad White, Dr. Robert Larson and Dr. David Amrine, all with Kansas State University, and Dr. Amelia Woolums, Jane Paris and Brandi Karisch, all with Mississippi State University. |
| Chancellor highlights U. of Missouri strength in State of the University speech | |
 | The people are what matter, University of Missouri Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said Friday in his State of the University speech. Cartwright began his third year as chancellor by highlighting the university's strengths in Cornell Hall's Busch Auditorium. "Our people bring value to society in so many ways," and the value is beyond numbers, he said. "Mizzou is among the nation's leading research universities and our people make that possible," he said. Cartwright highlighted George Smith, who shared last year's Nobel Prize in chemistry, and a U.S. Department of Education grant to help rural schools in Kansas and Missouri, as examples of MU's value. The university's mission includes ensuring student success inside and outside the classroom, solving the world's grand challenges and serving the people of Missouri and beyond, he said. |
| U. of Missouri receives $6 million for NextGen building construction | |
 | Jim Fitterling has a lot of identities: Missourian, MU alumnus, businessman and stage four cancer survivor. He added "donor" to his list with a $6 million donation to the NextGen Precision Health Institute, announced Friday at the University of Missouri. Fitterling had many reasons to donate to the construction of the NextGen Precision Health Institute, but one of his biggest motivations was his hope to encourage research collaboration opportunities. According to Elizabeth Loboa, dean of the MU College of Engineering, the initiative will combine the research and strengths of all four universities in the UM System to "truly address and treat and improve patient outcomes in cancer, multiple neurological disorders -- including PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, Alzheimer's, dementia -- and cardiovascular disease." |
| Higher ed shrinks: number of colleges falls to lowest point in two decades | |
 | Higher education enrollments have been falling for years, a well-documented outcome that can be attributed to some combination of a strong U.S. economy, changes in birth rates and, perhaps, growing doubts about the value of a college degree. Another decline is also unfolding -- this one attributable to a mix of economic and political forces: the number of colleges and universities in the United States is at its lowest ebb since at least 1998. The enrollment data confirm what most college officials who've been paying attention already know: that the number of people enrolled in U.S. colleges has tumbled since the recession, dropping from a total head-count peak of 29.5 million in 2010-11 to 26.4 million in 2017-18. Less frequently examined, however, are what has happened to colleges and universities themselves over that time. In total, the number of American colleges and universities eligible to award federal financial aid fell to 6,138 in 2018-19, down 5.6 percent from 6,502 the year before. |
| 3 ways to expand higher education opportunities for rural students | |
| A new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy outlines three strategies rural communities are using to increase the college-going rates of their population. Understanding local barriers to attending college, using innovative means to recruit and serve students, and forming partnerships between schools and the workforce are all critical to boosting completion rates, the researchers found. The report comes as workforce development has become a growing need in rural regions, which often have few college options and low levels of credential attainment. The researchers zeroed in on four rural communities working to increase degree attainment: Shasta County, in Northern California; Texas' Rio Grande Valley region; Elkhart County, in northern Indiana; and Columbus, in southeast Indiana. The Lumina Foundation has designated all four regions as Talent Hubs, which receive grants from the organization to support local efforts to increase degree attainment among college-aged, stopped-out and adult students. |
| Georgia Southern students burn novels after author visit | |
| Georgia Southern University defended its students' rights to burn a university-required book on Friday, following the circulation of a video of freshmen standing around several burning copies of a novel by an author they found offensive. The novel, Make Your Home Among Strangers, is by Jennine Capo Crucet, an English professor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, who came to the Statesboro, Ga., campus last Wednesday to read "Imagine Me Here, or How I Became a Professor," an essay included in the novel, according to a statement from Crucet. Make Your Home Among Strangers was selected among a list of recommended readings for freshmen as part of Georgia Southern's first-year experience program. It is the story of a first-generation American born to Cuban immigrant parents who is accepted into an elite university and is rejected by her family as well as the white students at the college. Some white Georgia Southern students who attended Crucet's reading and subsequent talk felt she made "unfair generalizations" about white people, according to a statement from PEN America, an organization that advocates for freedom of expression in literature. |
| $100 million gift to U-Va. dedicated to students whose parents didn't go to college | |
 | David Walentas didn't know anyone who had been to college when he was growing up. His father, a postal clerk, was paralyzed by a stroke when Walentas was a little boy, so he and his brother were sent to live and work on a farm. It was something halfway between being an indentured servant and an orphan, he said. They would get up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows and muck out the barn, go to school and come back home to milk and shovel again. But he knew college could be a path out of poverty, so he jumped at the chance to go to the University of Virginia on an ROTC scholarship. "It was transformational for me," he said. "Education is a great equalizer." Now, the billionaire real estate developer is making that kind of leap possible for others, with a landmark $100 million gift to U-Va. that will fund scholarships for outstanding students who are the first in their families to attend college. |
| The Citadel lags behind rival military schools in commissioning officers | |
 | The Citadel, known across Charleston and beyond for its military history and tradition, produces hundreds of business, civic and political leaders every year and has become a networking powerhouse in the Palmetto State. But compared to schools with similar military traditions, it doesn't produce as many commissioned officers in the armed services. Founded in Charleston in 1842, The Citadel is one of only six senior military colleges in the country -- private or public schools that require mandatory or voluntary military lifestyles. Historically, these schools were created to foster intense leadership training within a rigorous structure. Other such schools include Virginia Military Institute, Norwich University, University of Northern Georgia, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M University. These schools are all different. But the majority send a larger percentage of their cadets to serve in the U.S. military as officers after graduation. |
| U. of Alaska President Acknowledges Contributing to a 'Fractured' System | |
| James R. Johnsen, president of the University of Alaska system, shared a video message this week acknowledging that, by staying in crisis mode and refusing to consider alternative ideas from his chancellors, he had played a role in fracturing a spirit of unity the system needs to get through its latest budget cuts. That reaction kicked in when Gov. Michael J. Dunleavy announced three months ago that he was slashing the system's state funding by 41 percent, or $135 million, this fiscal year. The regents eventually worked out a deal with the governor to limit the cut to $70 million over three years, which took away some of the pressure, but not all of it. "What I've learned is that I stayed in that crisis mode that I was in over the spring and summer, trying to fight off that huge budget cut, and I didn't adjust to our new, still urgent, reality," Johnsen said. |
| Student loan default rates inch down as for-profit sector contracts | |
| Despite all the concern about the student loan crisis in our nation, student loan default rates have been dropping. In September 2019 the Department of Education's Office of Federal Student aid released data showing two consecutive years of falling default rates. Only about 450,000 people or 10.1 percent of students who graduated or dropped out of college during the 2015-16 academic year defaulted before the end of September 2018. One can think of it as a measurement of students who go into default shortly after leaving college. The latest figure is a drop of 1.4 percentage points from the default rate of students who graduated or left school in 2013-14. Even this small percentage drop means that more than 100,000 fewer people are going into student loan default annually. And it's a whopping 4.6 percentage point drop from the peak default rate of 14.7 percent of students who graduated or left school during the 2009-10 year. |
| Erosion of the nuclear family affects education | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: One of the great pleasures of being in the news business is getting to know some of the great leaders in the community. Jackson's Leland Speed is right up there on my list. After founding two companies on the New York Stock Exchange, you would think Leland would take it easy, but he's like the energizer bunny, going at a speed men half his age couldn't maintain. Leland has been instrumental in Jackson's charter school movement. He walks the halls and knows the children by name. It's incredible. There are many people who think public education should be a government monopoly and that those supporting charter schools are anti-education. Nothing could be less true. Competition is the key ingredient to progress. Charter schools infuse a much-needed measure of competition into the educational system bureaucracy. In the course of his work with charter schools serving disadvantaged students, Leland has stumbled headlong into what he refers to as "the elephant in the room." In his opinion, it is the source of most of the problems facing our public schools and society at large. The elephant is the break up of the nuclear family. |
| U. of Mississippi chancellor search controversy origins can be traced back to 2015 | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: The controversy surrounding the decision of the Board of Trustees of state Institutions of Higher Learning to appoint Madison educator Glenn Boyce as the University of Mississippi's next chancellor arguably had its origins in 2015. That year the 12 member state college board made the equally controversial decision not to renew the contract of popular Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones. The board cited primarily issues with the operations of the University of Mississippi Medical Center for the decision not to renew Jones' contract. That decision was condemned across the political spectrum -- by many Republicans and Democrats and by multiple conservatives and liberals. |
SPORTS
| Team Foscue claims Fall World Series finale | |
| All nine starters reached base and five different student-athletes drove in runs, as Team Foscue got the victory to close out the 2019 Mississippi State baseball Fall World Series on Saturday with a 5-1 win over Team Westburg at Dudy Noble Field. Team Westburg (2-1) was able to take the first two games of the series by scores of 5-4 and 4-2, before Team Foscue (1-2) took the series finale. Team Foscue scored three times in the first inning and twice in the fourth inning to account for their five runs, while Team Westburg tallied its lone run in the fourth inning. Redshirt freshman Christian MacLeod (1-0) threw the first two innings scoreless for Team Foscue, allowing one hit and striking out two to get the win. Freshman Xavier Lovett allowed one run in two innings of work, before the trio of junior Wesley Grantham, freshman Jaxen Forrester and freshman Landon Sims each tossed scoreless innings to close out the win. Mississippi State will hold its final intrasquad scrimmage of the fall on Oct. 18, before traveling to UAB for a 14-inning exhibition game on Oct. 20 to close out the fall practice schedule. |
| SEC Nation to visit Starkville for LSU vs. Mississippi State home game | |
| In what has annually become one of the SEC Network's most popular visits, "SEC Nation" will originate from the Junction from 9-11 a.m. CT Saturday prior to Mississippi State's SEC Western Division matchup with No. 2 LSU. The Bulldogs (3-3, 1-2 SEC) and Tigers (6-0, 2-0) kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, the conference announced Sunday. For the first time since the 2015 season, CBS will originate a broadcast from Davis Wade Stadium with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Jamie Erdahl (reporter) calling the action. "SEC Nation", the network's traveling gameday show, is in its sixth season on SEC Network. The lineup features former NFL and SEC players Tim Tebow and Marcus Spears, host Marty Smith and media personality Paul Finebaum. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as the pit will open at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The first 100 fans will receive free T-shirts, while the first 250 fans will receive free Hardee's biscuits. The fan with the best sign in the pit will receive a free pregame sideline pass. "The Paul Finebaum Show" will be held from 2-6 p.m. live Friday from the Junction and feature special guests. Fans are encouraged to attend the show Friday. |
| After big losses, bowl eligibility up in air | |
| College Football's Week 8 arrives with the Northeast Mississippi entries licking wounds and wondering, perhaps, if the season finale on Thanksgiving night might be for bowl eligibility. Mississippi State (3-3, 1-2 SEC) and Ole Miss (3-4, 2-2 SEC) both have non-conference games in which they will be favored the week before the Egg Bowl, but both are still sitting at three wins as this work week begins. The Bulldogs were a touchdown favorite at winless Tennessee before falling 20-10 in Knoxville. The Vols allowed just 267 total yards, and MSU quarterbacks Tommy Stevens and Garrett Shrader combined to throw three interceptions. MSU are home against new No. 2 LSU on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on CBS. The Tigers remain unbeaten after a 42-28 win over then-No. 7 Florida in Baton Rouge. |
| LSU-Mississippi State set for CBS Game of the Week | |
| Mississippi State's game against No. 2 LSU on Saturday has been selected as CBS' Game of the Week and will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs enter the contest at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play while the Tigers are a perfect 6-0 and coming off a 42-28 victory over Florida in a top 10 match-up. LSU leads the overall series 74-35-3 and 15-7-1 in Starkville. The Tigers topped MSU in Baton Rouge last year 19-3 scoring their lone touchdown on a three play, three-yard drive following a Nick Fitzgerald interception on the game's opening drive. The Bulldogs won the last meeting in Starkville 37-7 in 2017. In addition to CBS, SEC Network's "SEC Nation" will air live from The Junction from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday featuring Laura Rutledge, Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears, Paul Finebaum and Marty Smith. |
| LSU-Mississippi State scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on CBS, the SEC announces | |
 | The Southeastern Conference announced Sunday that LSU will play Mississippi State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on CBS. The conference had placed a six-day hold on kickoff time and TV plans for the Oct. 19 game between the Tigers (6-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) and Bulldogs (3-3, 1-2 SEC) in Starkville, Mississippi, along with two other games. Before Florida, LSU's last two games -- Sept. 21 at Vanderbilt and the Tigers' home game this past Saturday against Utah State -- kicked off at 11 a.m. on the SEC Network. LSU has not been on CBS yet this season. Kickoff time and network for LSU's Oct. 26 home game with Auburn is expected to be announced Monday. |
| LSU jumps big in AP Top 25 poll after 42-28 win over Florida | |
| The LSU football team jumped to No. 2 in the latest rankings of the AP Top 25 poll, which was updated and released Sunday afternoon. LSU (6-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) beat No. 9 Florida (6-1, 3-1 SEC) 42-28 on Saturday in Tiger Stadium, and the Tigers are now considered a serious championship contender heading into the core of its conference schedule. LSU received 12 first-place votes, second behind Alabama's 30. Alabama remains ranked No. 1, and LSU jumped No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Ohio State. |
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