Tuesday, October 22, 2019   
 
MSU faculty encouraged to attend info sessions on writing for The Conversation
Mississippi State University faculty are encouraged to attend upcoming information sessions Wednesday [Oct. 23] and Thursday [Oct. 24] on The Conversation, an independent source for informed commentary and news analysis, written by academic researchers and edited for the general public. In the first year of MSU's partnership with The Conversation, articles by MSU authors have been read more than 2 million times and been published by media outlets around the world. The Conversation aims to promote better understanding of the latest research news and breakthroughs, covering social sciences and the humanities, science and technology, health, education, and the environment. This outlet offers commentary on the big issues of the day, current affairs and complex issues.
 
Starkville seeks to legally protect restaurants that allow dogs on patios
Julie and Matt Capella take their beagles, Frances and Jasmine, everywhere and never leave them at home. "We pick restaurants where we can eat with our dogs outside," Julie Capella said. "That's our criteria." They were not aware until recently that it's against state law to have dogs on restaurant patios, and they have never had a restaurant refuse to allow the beagles on the premises, they said. Allowing dogs on restaurant patios violates Mississippi's adoption of the United States Public Health Service Food Code, but several local restaurants do so without knowing it is illegal, according to the Starkville Board of Aldermen meeting agenda last week. The board voted 4-2 to petition area state legislators to pass a local and private measure legalizing dogs on restaurant patios exclusively in Starkville.
 
SAAC's John Bateman updates Oktibbeha County supervisors
Oktibbeha County Supervisors heard an update at its meeting Monday night from John Bateman, director of the Starkville Area Arts Council. The county gives the SAAC $8,000 in grant money, and Bateman said he was grateful for the funds, noting roughly 35% of the non-profit's budget came from grants. Bateman said about 22% came from individual donors but pointed out a huge amount of support for the organization was in the form of in-kind services. "If we had to pay for everything that we benefit from directly, we'd go out of business," Bateman said. "We get about $50,000 in support from various businesses and individuals." Bateman reminded Supervisors of the lightning storm that hit Starkville in April, which led to the cancellation of the Cotton District Arts Festival, a major event for the area and the organization. The storm, Bateman said, was expensive.
 
Oktibbeha supes: Rails-to-Trails proposal needs further discussion
Oktibbeha County leaders expressed concerns at Monday's board of supervisors meeting about lost tax revenue if the potential conversion of the railroad that bisects Starkville and Oktibbeha County into a walking and biking trail becomes a reality. The railroad has not been used in years but still brings in about $80,000 in property taxes that the county splits with the city and the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, County Administrator Emily Garrard said. Board Attorney Rob Roberson said this is a factor to consider in the decision of whether to support the proposed project. "(We) have to have a cost-benefit conversation," District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard said. "It's got to benefit the county and the city equally." The Starkville Board of Aldermen voted unanimously on Oct. 1 to ask permission from the federal Surface Transportation Board to work with Kansas City Southern, the company that owns the railroad, to remove the rails and turn the route into a trail. The railroad runs from Ackerman to West Point.
 
Speaker Philip Gunn discusses education, state finances at Rotary
Budgeting, education and infrastructure were among the topics discussed by Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, when he spoke at the Starkville Rotary Club meeting Monday. Gunn has served in the Legislature since 2004 and as Speaker since 2012. Gunn said he believed the state to be in the best financial shape it had been in in a long time. "One of the things we promised is that we'd live within our means," Gunn said. "Well, what does that mean? That means we will not spend more money than we have to spend, and if we don't spend the money in accordance with the budget, we get into financial trouble." He said the state's general fund was close to $6 billion, with a $500 million rainy day fund capable of meeting the state's budgetary needs if needed. He also said approximately 54% of every dollar the state took in went to education, including public schools, community colleges and universities.
 
Secretary of state nominees differ on expanding early voting
Two candidates for secretary of state said Monday that they have different ideas about whether Mississippi should change its laws to expand early voting. Under current Mississippi law, absentee voting is limited to people who have a temporary or permanent disability, are at least 65 years old or will be out of town on Election Day. The Republican nominee, state Sen. Michael Watson, said he sees no need to change the system. The Democratic nominee, former Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, said he supports expansion of early voting to get more people involved in the election process. The two candidates spoke Monday in Jackson at a forum sponsored by Mississippi State University's Stennis Institute of Government and the Capitol Press Corps. Both said they support efforts to educate people about voting.
 
Local candidates share views on healthcare, education, ethics reform
Around 70 people gathered to listen to candidates running for local office at the Link Centre on Monday night, where candidates addressed issues such as criminal justice reform and diversity in local government offices. The most notable exchanges at the event came from candidates running for state legislative seats in Northeast Mississippi, who discussed ethics reform, rural healthcare and public education. For the Mississippi House of Representatives District 16 race, Democratic candidate Rickey Thompson and Independent candidate Steve Holland both agreed that the state Legislature should be more transparent, but had different views on if Holland had been transparent while serving in the Legislature. Holland, the incumbent, said he thought that Mississippi politicians have the same problem as federal politicians, that they are "bought out" by large donors.
 
Lieutenant governor candidate: Delbert Hosemann on roads and bridges
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said he has a creative plan to fix Mississippi's crumbling roads and bridges if elected lieutenant governor. Rather than impose a statewide gas tax, the Republican said he wants counties to have an option to impose their own local gas tax for specific infrastructure projects. "We would let each county determine if they wanted to have an increase in their use tax from 2 to 6 cents," Hosemann said. "The board of supervisors would do a transportation plan." Hundreds of bridges across the state are currently closed due to disrepair, Hosemann said, but only a handful are state roads. Most are actually county roads, he said. Mississippi's gas tax stands at 18.4 cents a gallon, same as the federal rate. Neither has been raised for decades. But if Mississippi passed a new gas tax, only a fraction would go back to counties, Hosemann said, with the majority going to the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
 
Lieutenant governor candidate: Jay Hughes on Mississippi's roads and bridges
Jay Hughes, a freshman lawmaker from Oxford, said he supports a plan that would raise the state's gas tax to pay for infrastructure repairs. Hughes is the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor and he said he knows that raising the gas tax is not a popular idea, but it's the only way to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges. "I'm here to make the hard decisions, not the popular ones," Hughes said. "...We've got to generate revenue. Period." Hughes said he wants a 12-cent raise phased in over time, with "offsetting income taxes," similar to other plans articulated by lawmakers. However, Hughes wants money generated by the lottery to go toward public education. Under the current system, the first $80 million generated annually goes toward infrastructure.
 
Mississippi governor race: Jim Hood, Tate Reeves attack each other
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Attorney General Jim Hood have adopted similar messages as they fight to become Mississippi's next governor: The other guy is unethical or has conflicts of interest. Vote for me instead. But they may cancel each other out. Both Hood, a Democrat, and Reeves, a Republican, have long faced criticism over their actions surrounding campaign finance, state contracts and pet projects. Most recently, the candidates traded attacks about a frontage road, a television ad and lucrative state contracts for trial lawyers. And in most cases, their claims are accurate. The latest barrage of allegations came last week, as Hood hammered Reeves for filming part of a public education commercial at the private New Summit School in Jackson. Reeves has a simple rebuttal to Hood's attacks: trial lawyers own Jim Hood.
 
Trump dives into red-state races to reverse impeachment slump
Donald Trump is going all-in on a trio of Southern governor's races in November, gambling that a clean sweep will help him regain his political footing at the most perilous moment of his presidency. Trump is expected to barnstorm Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana over the next few weeks, while dispatching prominent supporters to help in each contest. Trump badly needs a boost right now, and the White House sees the elections in the conservative states as the best near-term hope of achieving it. But the offensive isn't without risk: Though all three races are in Trump-friendly states, Democrats have a decent shot in at least two of them. "Mississippi, Kentucky, and Louisiana are states where Republicans can win races for governor. Those would be big momentum wins for President Trump heading into 2020, but in the unlikely event we lose in all those states it would clearly be a troubling sign that the president would have to overcome," said Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committee member and the nephew of former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.
 
Immediate backlash hits Trump after he calls impeachment probe a 'lynching'
Conjuring memories of racially motivated murders and drawing an immediate bipartisan backlash, President Donald Trump on Tuesday described House Democrats' impeachment inquiry as a "lynching." Trump made the statement in a morning tweet that began with a warning that "if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights." Then, for reasons that remain unclear, he opted to poke unhealed wounds from America's difficult -- and bloody -- racial history, writing: "All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here -- a lynching. But we will WIN!" House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest ranking African American in Congress, was on CNN minutes after Trump posted the tweet, and called it offensive. He noted that no other president who has faced an impeachment inquiry or the inevitability of one ever resorted to such racially charged language in an attempt to cast himself as a victim.
 
Mississippi Lottery: Powerball, Mega Millions sales date announced
The Mississippi Lottery, which will begin selling scratch-off tickets Nov. 25, has announced it will begin selling multi-state lottery tickets on Jan. 30. The new state lottery will sell Powerball and Mega Millions tickets starting Jan. 30. Mississippi's lottery was accepted into the Multi-State Lottery Association in August. Drawings for both games are twice a week and have had jackpots reaching more than $1 billion. "Mississippians will no longer have to cross into neighboring states to participate in these drawing-style games," said Tom Shaheen, president of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation. "They will soon have the opportunity for a chance to play big jackpot games four times per week, as well as many secondary prizes."
 
Rural Broadband Summit Reveals Hurdles to Cross
One third of children in Mississippi live in a home without high speed internet. That's according to officials at the Mississippi Rural Broadband Summit in Raymond. Members from federal and regional agencies are here with businesses discussing ways to expand rural broadband. John Rounsaville is with the state USDA. He says they offer competitive grants and loans states can apply for, but few Mississippi businesses or non-profits know about them. "We're not seeing a lot of activity and if our entities in Mississippi aren't even applying for those funds then those dollars are going to other states so that's why we need to create more awareness that these programs are out there," said Rounsaville.
 
Finish the Pumps? Rolling Fork residents question EPA officials at public listening session
The Rolling Fork community attended a public listening session Monday night and heard directly from the Environmental Protection Agency. Residents showed up, eagerly waiting to get their questions answered. Those affected by the flooding said Monday night was their chance for federal officials to hear first hand just how desperately they need help finishing the pumps. "On our farm we had over 6,000 acres underwater. All of this was preventable. The EPA and the corps can do whatever they can to fix our problem here," said local resident Jeffrey Mitchell. Senator for District 23 and moderator, Briggs Hopson, said even though the historic flood waters have gone down, the devastation still remains. "People lost their farming crops, people lost their homes and businesses. This has had a tremendous economic and environmental for this area."
 
USDA faces huge vacancy rate at research offices following relocation
Staffing levels for the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture are exceedingly low following their relocation to Kansas City from the Washington, D.C. area, the chairwoman of the House Agriculture Biotechnology and Horticulture Subcommittee said. The ERS, which has funding to support 329 employees, currently has 214 vacant positions. Of the 336 appropriated positions for NIFA, 264 are currently vacant as well, said Del. Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue moved the two research agencies to bring researchers closer to farming communities. The department hoped the relocation would improve recruitment and help retain staff. USDA has said that placing ERS and NIFA outside of Washington would result in $20 million in annual savings that could be reinvested back into the agencies. "These gaps in service reinforce the notion that this relocation was hurried, misguided and mismanaged," Plaskett said during a hearing.
 
Some Democrats fear that Hillary Clinton will interfere with the 2020 race
Some Democrats are putting up caution signs for Hillary Clinton as she wades back into presidential politics by casting 2020 candidate Tulsi Gabbard as a "Russian asset," mocking President Donald Trump's dealings with a foreign leader and drawing counterattacks from both. Bernie Sanders, who lost the 2016 nomination to Clinton and is running again in 2020, took to Twitter with implicit criticisms of his erstwhile rival. "People can disagree on issues," Sanders wrote Monday, "but it is outrageous for anyone to suggest that Tulsi is a foreign asset." Her scuffle with Gabbard and other recent headlines she's driven demonstrate that the 71-year-old remains a political lightning rod, just as she's been through much of the last three decades. The dynamics raise questions about how Clinton and her party can best leverage her strengths and navigate her weaknesses through next November. For her part, aides say Clinton isn't attempting any calculated play.
 
What if a delivery drone falls on your head? Thorny legal questions loom as services increase
Imagine you're standing in your front yard when a drone flies overheard, delivering a package to one of your neighbors. The drone goes over your house, flying much lower than a helicopter could. Would that be considered trespassing? After all, you didn't even order the package. What if the drone took pictures of you and everything else in your yard as it went by; is that allowed? What if it malfunctioned and fell on your head -- who would be at fault? These are some of the thorny legal questions that will have to be answered as companies such as Google parent Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and UPS Inc. start preparing for a future where delivery by drone is more widespread. "Legal precedent is very thin here," said Arthur Holland Michel, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College. "Little of the existing law is based specifically on drones." It's also unclear who will be the ultimate arbitrator for these concerns. The FAA is in charge of aircraft safety, but questions of privacy or trespassing could be left up to the states.
 
U. of Mississippi announces Glenn Cofield Memorial scholarship
Glenn Cofield was a man known for giving to others, but one who did not want all the accolades that go along with charitable giving. Last week, the University of Mississippi announced a scholarship in Cofield's name to continue, and honor, his legacy. The Kappa Alpha Order at Ole Miss and others established the Glenn Cofield Memorial Scholarship Fund as a tribute to their fallen fraternity brother. Cofield was murdered in Memphis this past June, at the age of 57. Before his untimely death this summer, Cofield had worked as an independent financial advisor for the last 25 years. Two of Cofield's sons, Scott and Houston, are Ole Miss alumni and members of the Kappa Alpha Order. His youngest son, Andrew, is currently a freshman at Ole Miss. "Everyone should know how giving Glenn Cofield was and how much he cared for others," said O'Keefe Graham, chapter advisor for Kappa Alpha at Ole Miss. "For it to be a need-based scholarship tells you what you need to know about Glenn's character."
 
UMMC opens the state's first LGBTQ health clinic
The University of Mississippi Medical Center opened Mississippi's first LGBTQ health clinic in September to help serve a community that advocates say is in need. The medical center opened a mental health facility for LGBTQ people in 2015, but many people who visited that clinic needed their physical medical needs met as well. "We had patients coming to that clinic who were asking about primary care issues like managing their hypertension and diabetes," Scott Rodgers, co-director of the Center for LGBTQ Health, said. "That's not what we do in psychiatry, so we realized we needed more." Rodgers said that UMMC opened the mental health clinic after reviewing research about suicide and depression rates among LGBTQ individuals. "There's been a lot of interest around the country ... in creating specialty clinics to serve the community because of the health disparity that the community faces and there was just nothing in-place in Mississippi," Rodgers said.
 
UMMC, C Spire unveil app for virtual urgent care visits
Mississippians can now have an urgent care clinic in their pocket. C Spire and the Center for Telehealth at the University of Mississippi Medical Center have launched a mobile app that offers live video visits to diagnose and treat minor medical problems. "It's a new world," said C Spire senior telehealth manager Jack Bobo. "Medical care can go to people where they are." The C Spire Health app can be used by anyone in Mississippi, regardless of cell phone carrier. The medical care will be provided by Mississippi licensed nurses practitioners and doctors via video chat. No insurance is required; the visits will cost $59. C Spire and UMMC leaders believe the app will be particularly helpful to Mississippi residents in rural areas who must travel long distances for health care and older adults with mobility issues, as well as convenient for busy families.
 
Community, School District Help Students With College Prep
Greenville Public School District is taking steps to make sure students succeed after they graduate. In a partnership with Mississippi Valley State University, high school students can get dual credit for high school and college. The district also has clubs and resources available for students taking the ACT and hosts college nights for students. Get2College, a group that provides college prep and other educational resources, recently held an event at a local library focused on how the community can help students get ready for college. Tori Langworthy is with Get 2 College. "One thing we love that the schools do is they bring people in who have that information and just share it. Maybe community members can just start sharing their stories. We work with a lot of people who say, 'Oh, I'm from the Mississippi Delta.' I think it would be huge if people who grew up in the Mississippi Delta started sharing their experiences with high school students so they could see, 'Okay, this is the path they took.'"
 
Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science holds open house to celebrate high rankings
The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science once again scored exceptionally high in the Niche.com 2019 rankings. The rankings were released in August of the best public schools in America. To celebrate the ranking, the school held an open house and campus tour on Monday. MSMS was ranked No. 1 as the best faculty in America and ranked No. 6 as the best public high school in America. The school's executive director, Germain McConnell, said the school is excited about the rankings and used the open house to show the community what the school has to offer. He said the school is also celebrating three consecutive years in which its faculty has been ranked as the No. 1 faculty in the nation.
 
U. of Alabama ranked state's top school: Here's the rest of the list
Alabama's best university can be found in Tuscaloosa, according to a recent analysis. Wallethub's new national university rankings looked at a host of factors to determine the best schools in the country. Among the data considered were student selectivity; cost and financing; faculty resources; campus safety; campus experience; educational outcomes; and career outcomes. The University of Alabama scored the highest in the state, doing particularly well -- 43rd overall -- in education outcomes, which includes retention and graduation rates. Nationally, UA ranked 258th. UA earned high scores for its graduation rate and post-attendance median salary. University of West Alabama ranked first in two categories -- admission rate and gender and racial diversity. University of Montevallo was third in admission rates and fifth in both student/faculty ratio and lowest-on campus crime.
 
U. of Kentucky gets serious about gaming with school's new esports partnership
On the same day its men's basketball team was ranked No. 2 in the country and its football team began preparations for an important game against Missouri, the University of Kentucky announced a new sports program Monday for students and alumni to engage with in the years to come. This program will look a whole lot different than what we're used to --- and that's the point of its creation. UK announced a partnership with a company called Gen. G to build a global gaming and esports program at the school. The program will launch later this school year. The school already has an esports club. The new program will work in collaboration with the existing club. Unlike many schools operating esports teams and clubs, UK's partnership with Gen. G promises to take Kentucky's program beyond mere competition. UK says Gen. G will help it develop new ways to recruit students and expand classroom and internship opportunities. The partnership is also designed to offer new research avenues for scholars across a variety of colleges, as well as provide professional development for alumni.
 
President takes his case to the streets of South Carolina campus by holding meetings out in public
In front of the Russell House student union on the University of South Carolina campus Monday morning, numerous groups tried to get the word out on their causes. Members of the Delta Zeta sorority handed out packets of fruit punch with a reminder about the risks of alcohol abuse, while two other students manned a table to talk about politics with a sign reading "Ask A Socialist." Just a few feet away on Greene Street, new university President Bob Caslen also was getting to word out. Caslen used a pleasant October day to bring his meetings out onto the street and to see and be seen at the heart of campus, talking to his leadership team as students zipped by on bikes or skateboards. The retired West Point superintendent sat at a table talking to advisers and making time to meet with students in an effort to build ties after his controversial selection this summer divided the campus.
 
U. of Arkansas seeks outside bids from firms to operate campus bookstore
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has asked for outside bids to operate its main campus bookstore, requiring interested companies to commit to keeping full-time employees for six months. But the long-term outlook for those workers would remain uncertain as the campus bookstore industry undergoes change related to the increased use of digital course materials, experts said. "For the whole industry, the whole challenge is then, 'How do you bring traffic into the bookstore if it's digital content and it's being purchased online?" said Jonathan Bibo, chief executive officer for the Independent College Bookstore Association, which includes the UA bookstore as a member. Among other large public universities in the region that responded to Democrat-Gazette queries, a University of Missouri spokesman stated the school operates its campus bookstore. Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University have Barnes & Noble campus bookstores, spokesmen for the schools said.
 
UGA to cut lab, art other fees on students
University of Georgia students soon won't have to pay extra fees for laboratory and other supplementary course materials. Beginning in the spring 2020 semester, those fees are being eliminated, the university announced this month. The move is the latest step in UGA efforts to reduce costs for students. According to UGA estimates, eliminating lab and supplementary course fess will save an average of $50 per semester for between 13,000 and 14,000 students in about 450 courses. In all, that's $1.2 million to $1.3 million per year which the university will now cover. Those fees cover such things as lab kits for sciences, paints for art classes, and for some courses, digital license fees. The fees in question mainly cover "consumables," Alan Dorsey, dean of UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, explained in a recent meeting of the college's Faculty Senate. Chemistry accounts for the largest overall amount, but not the highest fees of the affected departments, he said. Art students will also benefit, and students in sciences other than chemistry as well, he said.
 
UGA partners with Google Books for digital access
University of Georgia Libraries' books will soon transcend shelves and be available online. Through a new partnership with Google, about 120,000 of the Libraries' 4.5 million volumes will be digitized, allowing further access to literary, historic, scientific and reference books and journals through UGA's library catalog. "The University of Georgia Libraries' collection of 4.5 million volumes is a vast resource for students and scholars at our campuses, and the Google Books partnership extends those benefits to people across the globe," University Librarian and Associate Provost Toby Graham said. "The ability to search through the full text of these digitized materials will make it even easier for researchers to gain access to the knowledge that helps them to better understand our world." The University of Georgia is one of the first partners in the region to contribute to the 35 million volume database.
 
Officials: U. of Florida pharmacy student believed to have taken own life on USF campus
A University of Florida graduate student is believed to have taken her own life while completing her studies in Tampa, just months after a UF doctoral candidate took his own life in his on-campus office. Thao Tran, a 25-year-old student in her third year in UF's College of Pharmacy, fell from an upper level of an eight-story parking garage on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa on Friday afternoon, according to a USF community alert. Officials at USF say an investigation into Tran's death is ongoing. In June, a doctoral candidate in UF's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Huixiang Chen, took his life in the UF Benton Hall office where he worked. UF students have free access to therapy and counseling, including during crisis situations, through the Counseling and Wellness Center.
 
Clemson tops U. of South Carolina in best colleges ranking, report says
Clemson University ranks as the top college in South Carolina, according to a newly released study. The study, conducted by personal finance website WalletHub, created the rankings using 33 metrics including: how selective a college is, the test scores of incoming freshmen, net cost, student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, faculty salary, campus safety, retention and graduation rate and employment rate, according to the website's methodology page. Clemson was ranked the 94th best college in America, while the University of South Carolina ranked 336th, according to the rankings. Throughout the state, Clemson had the No. 1 graduation rate and the No. 2 "post attendance median salary," according to the report.
 
Bush School panel weighs potential implications of a Trump impeachment
As the political storm continues over the question of whether the contents of a July 25 phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy ought to result in Trump's impeachment, scholars from the Bush School of Government and Public Service held a panel discussion on the potential foreign policy, domestic and political implications of impeachment inside Rudder Tower Monday evening. Lori Taylor, head of the department of public service and administration, served as moderator for the panel, which included former U.S. ambassador Larry Napper, assistant professor Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause, who is the head of the department of international affairs. The impeachment inquiry, which began in late September, centers on whether Trump and the U.S. withheld military aid until Zelenskiy's officials investigated former Vice President Joe Biden and Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
 
U. of Missouri stresses contributions to all of state with Engagement Week
Engagement Week activities, celebrating how the University of Missouri serves all communities in the state, open on campus Tuesday with activities highlighting MU Extension Service roles. On Monday, MU Chancellor Alexander Cartwright noted in an email that the university will host "a series of events celebrating and demonstrating our flagship university's land-grant mission" that improves the state's economy, education and health. Activities during the week include a panel presentation featuring the MU system chancellors discussing the role of engagement for their institutions, a speech by Stephen Covey on the role of trust in leadership and a panel conversation about challenges facing rural broadband access in Missouri. Cartwright and UM System President Mun Choi also trumpeted the launch of the system's Engagement Portal, a virtual platform that showcases the progress of university-state investment programs in economy, education and health. The data will be available to the public on both the UM System and the four universities' separate portals.
 
Four-year-college leaders not feeling ready for the future
Do college and university presidents believe their institutions are well prepared to adapt to the major headwinds facing higher education? And are their institutions operating in ways that suggest they are well positioned? Not really, to judge by a report and survey published Monday by the American Council on Education, Huron Consulting Group and the Georgia Institute of Technology. The report, "The Transformation-Ready Higher Education Institution," included a survey of nearly 500 senior administrators at four-year colleges and universities, roughly half of whom were presidents and chancellors. The survey sought to gauge the campus leaders' assessments of the most significant challenges awaiting their institutions in the next three to five years, how prepared they felt to respond to those pressures, and whether their institutions were structured and managed with agility and responsiveness in mind.
 
After student protests, 2 white UConn students arrested for shouting racial slur captured on video
Two white UConn students have been arrested by campus police for repeatedly shouting a racial slur outside students' apartments earlier this month. The incident was captured on a now-viral video that has led to pointed conversations about racial inclusion on campus and sparked a rally Monday afternoon during which hundreds of students and the campus NAACP demanding action from top school officials. Jarred Karal, of Plainville, and Ryan Mucaj, of Granby, both 21 years old, were arrested by the UConn Police Department and charged with ridicule on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality or race, university spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said Monday night. Officers investigating the incident watched the video of the men yelling late on Oct. 11 outside the Charter Oak Apartments and ultimately traced their whereabouts back through the night, determining they walked back through the complex playing "a game in which they yelled vulgar words," according to a police report.
 
U.S. drops in ranking of university research funding
The U.S. has dropped its position relative to other countries in university research funding, according to a new report by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, and now holds the 28th spot out of 39 countries, with just 0.2 percent of its gross domestic product dedicated to university research funding. "Other nations are increasing their investments in university research because they understand the critical role research universities play in generating innovation-based economic growth. Research drives innovation, and innovation drives long-run economic growth -- creating jobs and improving living standards in the process," Rob Atkinson, ITIF president and lead author of the report, said in a written statement. "The United States can't rest on its laurels. To once again lead the world in innovation, policymakers must make the necessary investments in university research." Switzerland, Denmark and Norway occupy the top three spots.
 
King of Id golden rule prevails today
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: Which "golden rule" do you follow? The one from the Bible? "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets," -- Matthew 7: 12-14. Or the one attributed to the King of Id? "Whoever has the gold makes the rules!" -- Wizard of Id cartoon published May 3, 1965, by creators Brant Parker and Johnny Hart. If you remember the cartoon, you should remember the dwarfish tyrant known as "the King" who proclaimed this gold version of the golden rule. He also would refer to his subjects as "idiots," and when told "the peasants are revolting," replied, "you can say that again." Hmmm. Anything sound familiar here?


SPORTS
 
Can Colleges Police Sports Betting? Some Are Trying
In Mississippi, university officials sent state gambling regulators names for a "watch list" for big bets. Iowa colleges have simply kept teaching their athletes longstanding, narrowly applied rules on sports wagering. And in Indiana and Pennsylvania, some universities flatly banned students and employees from betting on their school's athletics events. The rapid spread of legalized sports betting, made possible by a United States Supreme Court ruling last year, is prompting colleges and universities to grapple quickly with whether they can, or should, control a lawful activity so explicitly linked to the performances of their students. Major universities in Mississippi, a bastion of gambling in the South for decades but a newcomer to legalized sports wagers, took a series of steps (some overt, others more subtle) last year to deter misconduct. Sid Salter of Mississippi State said that schools coordinated "an extensive education and public awareness campaign" for students, employees and fans "to make sure everyone was aware of essential compliance issues."
 
3 questions Mississippi State football must answer against Texas A&M
A win this weekend would change a lot for Mississippi State. A loss would only intensify the current negative perception of the program. The latter makes the following weekend's trip to Arkansas a must-win for Joe Moorhead's team. That's a scary conundrum to face considering that game is probably Arkansas' best chance at an SEC win in its remaining schedule, and the Razorbacks will undoubtedly come out playing as if that's the case. But a victory would vault the Bulldogs back to .500 and give them confidence they can get back on top of that mark against the Hogs. A win would also be Mississippi State's first true road triumph of the season and just the third of Moorhead's tenure.
 
Mississippi State's Joe Moorhead saw missed opportunities in LSU loss
Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead was excited about the energy and passion his team played with in a 36-13 loss to No. 2 LSU on Saturday night. But when Moorhead went into the office the following morning to review the film with his staff, he couldn't help but have some regrets about what could have been. "Watching the film, there were a ton of missed opportunities throughout that game in all three phases that would've made it a much closer game," Moorhead said. "I'm not saying it would've been a win, but this is not coach speak -- there were a bunch of plays left on the field that certainly would've given us more of a chance." As the Bulldogs begin preparations to play at Texas A&M this week, Moorhead has issued a challenge to his team to showcase the same consistency on Saturday that they practice with during the week.
 
Why Joe Moorhead isn't worried about Mississippi State RB Kylin Hill
One month ago, Kylin Hill said something he'd probably love to find useful again at some point later this season. "Redemption always feels good." Hill, MSU's junior running back, said it after the Bulldogs had just beaten Kentucky 28-13 on Sept. 21. It was a revenge game for State, who lost to the Wildcats 28-7 a year ago. Now Hill could use some redemption of his own. After the Kentucky game, he was the third-leading rusher in the country with 551 yards through four games. He's since dropped to No. 33 nationally with 643 yards through seven games. After running for 100-plus yards in each of those first four games, Hill has less than 100 in the last three games combined. His yards per carry average has dipped to 4.8. He averaged 5.0 as a freshman and 6.3 as a sophomore. Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead still isn't worried about his starting running back's drastic decline in production. He said Hill's Doak-Walker type numbers in September probably set an unrealistic expectation for the rest of the season.
 
NOTEBOOK: Injuries leave Bulldogs thin at corner
Starting senior cornerback Maurice Smitherman sustained an injury to his right leg during a non-contact drill at practice last week and was lost for the remainder of the season, leaving Mississippi State awfully thin at the position. The Bulldogs have also been without sophomore Tyler Williams at corner for the past three games due to a lower body injury and junior Korey Charles has missed four of the last five contests but returned last week against LSU. Redshirt freshmen Jaylon Reed and Esaias Furdge have yet to play this season leaving true freshmen Martin Emerson Jr. and Jarrian Jones to fill that void. Both Emerson and Jones have appeared in every game this season. "They don't lack confidence," MSU coach Joe Moorhead said of his true freshmen.
 
Mississippi State-Arkansas scheduled for 3 p.m. kickoff
Mississippi State's game at Arkansas on Nov. 2 has been slated for a 3 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network. It marks the seventh daytime kickoff for the Bulldogs among their first eight games and second 3 p.m. start. MSU has won its last two meetings against Arkansas, including a 52-6 victory last season in Starkville. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 16-12-1 although Arkansas has a 3-2 edge in Fayetteville. State, however, has won its last two trips to Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
 
Mississippi State's Gregor Ramskogler reaches finals at ITA Southern Regional Championships
or the fourth year in a row, a member of the Mississippi State men's tennis team will represent the Maroon and White in the championship singles match of the ITA Southern Regional Championships. MSU sophomore Gregor Ramskogler outlasted State true freshman Davide Tortora in a three-set semifinal battle Monday to move into Tuesday's title match where he will face Auburn's Tim Dollman at 10 a.m. CT. He will look to become the fourth Bulldog in as many years to claim the ITA Southern Region singles crown. With the Reichraming, Austria, native Ramskogler reaching the finals of this week's ITA Regionals, MSU will now have another entry into the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships Nov. 6-10 in Newport Beach, California, as all ITA Regional singles finalists advance to the national event. Bulldog senior All-American Giovanni Oradini qualified for the Oracle by reaching the quarterfinals of the ITA All-American Championships earlier this fall.
 
Ole Miss does roughly $128,000 in first-game beer sales
The first day of beer sales at Ole Miss took in $128,000, interim athletics director Keith Carter said. The school sold 15,400 units at $8 and $9 per unit. Net sales numbers were not available. Ole Miss became the seventh SEC school to announce beer sales after conference presidents voted last May to amend an SEC policy in effect since the 1970s by allowing individual schools to make their own decisions. Domestic and imported beer along with spiked seltzers were sold beneath the east and west side stands but not beneath student seating in the north end zone or in premium seating areas. Beer will also be sold at basketball and baseball games.
 
Managing Risk With Football Tailgating Alcohol Policies
Tailgating in the United States is a lucrative and increasingly expansive industry. Support for this statement is reflected in the total number of individuals, which has been estimated to be around 50 million, participating in tailgating at professional and intercollegiate sporting events in the United States. Tailgating, while a potentially profitable marketing program, poses unique legal and risk management challenges for athletic administrators. Perhaps the major challenge for collegiate administrators is to avoid liability for negligence. An important component in preventing an incident from happening is the landowner (e.g., university/college) being able to foresee possible tailgating activities and manage those risks. Specifically, certain college football games result in more alcohol consumption than others, including homecoming, contests between interstate rivals, and high profile games such as league championships and bowl games.
 
A&M will work to fix a few costly mistakes
Texas A&M made the biggest plays in Saturday's 24-17 victory over Ole Miss, but the Aggies flirted with danger by making a few basic mistakes. Ole Miss had six plays of at least 20 yards in gaining more than half of its 405 yards. The Rebels opened the second half with a five-play, 65-yard touchdown drive for a 14-10 lead that was jump-started by a 38-yard run by Scottie Phillips. "We've got two guys perfectly there to make the play," A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said at his weekly Monday press conference. "We just fit it wrong, [we were] one gap over. Is it easily fixed? Yes. That player could say, 'I made only one mistake,'" Fisher added. "But, OK, how big was that mistake?" A&M (4-3, 2-2 SEC) will play Mississippi State at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kyle Field on the SEC Network.
 
Alabama student pleads not guilty to Tiger Stadium bomb threat; faces up to 20 years in prison
A University of Alabama freshman accused of phoning in a bomb threat to a packed Tiger Stadium during the high-profile LSU-Florida game pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony charge that carries up to 20 years in prison. Connor Bruce Croll, 19, was charged Friday by the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office with communicating false information of a planned bombing on school property. Croll, of Crozet, Virginia, pleaded not guilty before state District Judge Fred Crifasi, who scheduled Croll's next court date for Jan. 8. State District Judge-elect Tarvald Smith will preside over the case. "He seems like a good person," said Baton Rouge lawyer James Rothkamm, who represents Croll. "We're just waiting on all the information before determining how to proceed."
 
Does Gus Malzahn's massive buyout at Auburn make him untouchable?
On an unseasonably warm evening in October 2017, Gus Malzahn arrived at his postgame news conference wearing a striped Auburn polo and traces of a scowl. The Tigers had just blown a 20-point lead on the road against LSU. They were 10-10 in their past 20 games in the Southeastern Conference. They hadn't beaten Alabama or Georgia in nearly four years. And their past three seasons had ended with records of 8-5, 7-6 and 8-5. "It's not the end of the world," Malzahn told reporters. In Auburn country, however, there was a growing sense it might soon be the end of Malzahn's time on the Southern plains. Then, in a span of just seven weeks, everything changed. Auburn clobbered then-No. 2 Georgia and dominated then-No. 1 Alabama. Malzahn went from coaching on the hot seat to signing a seven-year, $49 million contract extension -- complete with a massive buyout clause that won't dip below eight figures until 2023. That buyout -- which would be more than $27 million at the conclusion of the regular season -- was intended to give Malzahn some much-needed stability. Instead, it has become a potential complicating factor.
 
Under Armour taps its chief operating officer to succeed Kevin Plank as CEO
Under Armour, one of the biggest names in sportswear and a major employer in the Baltimore area, announced Tuesday that founder Kevin Plank will step down as chief executive and turn the reins over to his chief operating officer. Patrik Frisk, the former head of the Aldo Group, will assume his new role on Jan. 1. Since joining Under Armour in July 2017, Frisk has focused on boosting the lagging North America business . Plank has been Under Armour's only chief executive, as well as its public face, since the company was founded in 1996. Plank's empire had modest roots: He started it as a college student working out of his grandmother's basement. But with its novel use of synthetic materials, Under Armour quickly caught up with giants like Nike and Adidas, particularly as athleisure became a go-to even off the field or court. He took the company public in 2005. Some had been calling for a leadership change at the company, partly because of troubling reports about its work culture.
 
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 both diverse and wildly accomplished
Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Monday afternoon announced its Class of 2020 -- surely one of the most diverse and accomplished in MSHOF history. The six who will be inducted Aug. 1, 2020, include (in alphabetical order): record-setting high school baseball coach Jerry Boatner; trail-blazing pro golfer, the late Pete Brown; NBA superstar Antonio McDyess; renowned, trend-setting stadium architect Janet Marie Smith; long-time Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton; and Ole Miss and NFL football great Patrick Willis. ... Born 55 yards from Scott Field on the Mississippi State campus, Templeton served his university in several capacities, including 21 years as athletic director during which he also served as the chair of SEC Athletic Directors, chair of the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee and as a high-ranking member of several other NCAA policy-making committees. Working with minimal resources compared to most other Southeastern Conference members, Templeton oversaw great changes, facilities-wise and otherwise, in MSU athletics.



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