| Friday, November 8, 2019 |
| Protecting Lives and Property with Increasingly Powerful HPC Systems | |
 | The High Performance Computing Collaboratory at Mississippi State University is a coalition of member institutes and centers that share the common objective of using HPC to advance excellence in computational science and engineering. The supercomputing center at MSU has been behind critical projects, such as safeguarding the John Glenn Space Shuttle mission, and providing resources for simulation and design for military vehicles, data analytics for the U.S. Department of Energy, cybersecurity research for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and ocean and storm surge modeling for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To advance the state of weather, climate and oceanic research, NOAA recently awarded MSU with grants totaling $22 million for a new supercomputer capable of performing up to an additional five quadrillion floating point operations per second (five petaFLOPS) of HPC capacity over NOAA's existing research capabilities. The Orion supercomputer will provide the additional HPC capacity to run more complex models and simulations. |
| Starkville/MSU Symphony to present 'Sing, Dance, Clap, Draw!' Friday | |
 | The Starkville/MSU Symphony presents the "Sing, Dance, Play, Paint!" concert Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Lee Hall on the Mississippi State campus. Admission is free to the public. The annual family concert concludes the Symphony Association's month-long Programs for Children, a multidisciplinary music education program designed to introduce area school children to symphonic music. During the day Friday, more than 3,000 area K-5 children and teachers will attend three concerts in Lee Hall. "Our Programs for Children initiative began in 1975, and this year, we are excited to showcase the program to over 3,000 area elementary students during our daytime concerts," said Joe Ray Underwood, Starkville/MSU Symphony Association board member and director of the program. "The Programs for Children initiative is truly a community effort," said Eric Hill, Symphony board president. "MSU transportation and event services, the Day One program, area school administrators, art and music teachers and Symphony musicians all work together to make it happen. And, of course, the program would not be possible without Joe Ray's tireless efforts over the years." |
| Exciting new artists join old favorites in MSU Riley Center's Spring/Summer Series | |
 | Exciting entertainment from old favorites and innovative new artists, plus something extra to make the evening even more special: That's what the MSU Riley Center will offer during its 2020 Spring/Summer Performing Arts Series. Announced Thursday evening at the historic downtown Meridian venue, the season -- which will kick off Feb. 6, 2020, with a concert featuring Lyle Lovett, will be the first under the leadership of the center's new executive director, Dan Barnard, who said several elements were paramount to the selection process. "We want to keep what's working -- because it's working," Barnard said. "And while we're doing that we want to attract younger audiences and we want to attract a more diverse audience because we feel it's our responsibility to serve the whole community and not just any one particular slice. And then fourthly, we want to book shows that are big enough that people will come from a long way away so that we can enhance cultural tourism." |
| MSU Riley Center announces spring, summer and concert series | |
 | The MSU Riley Center has announced its lineup for the 2020 spring/summer arts series, with next year's series offering a little something for everyone. The 2020 spring/summer arts series lineup consists of concerts, theater, and dance as well as showing independent films. MSU Riley Center executive director Daniel Barnard says they are coming up with ways to attract a younger audience. "We also have some specific goals of attracting younger audiences and audiences that are more diverse. You'll see over time certain shows that we do will be aimed at that. It's a new direction for us," says Barnard. The season begins on February 6 at 7:30 p.m. with a performance from Lyle Lovett. |
| Mississippi State plans to host several events to honor veterans | |
| As part of its annual Veterans Day celebration, Mississippi State University plans to host several events to honor the U.S. Armed Forces during the week of Veterans Day. MSU's Veterans Day ceremony will take place on Monday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. on the campus' Drill Field. MSU Libraries will commemorate Veterans Day with a reading of soldiers' correspondence from World War I and II on Nov. 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the John Grisham Room at Mitchell Memorial Library. The Fourth Annual Veterans 5K Run will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 12, beginning at 6 p.m. at Nusz Hall. Advance registration for the event is available at racesonline.com. All proceeds will benefit the MSU Student Veterans Association and veterans scholarships. The annual Veterans Recognition Game will take place on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m., when MSU hosts the University of Alabama. |
| Mississippi: Business Is Blossoming In The Magnolia State | |
| Most people know Mississippi for its music, its food and its Southern hospitality, but the state also is home to burgeoning industries that add millions of dollars to the economy and employ thousands of people. Some of the world's most renowned names in aerospace have a Mississippi location. Mississippi's universities and community colleges also are involved with aerospace companies. Raspet Flight Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University is the public sponsor of a Certificate of Authorization for flight testing of the Heron, a Stark Aerospace UAS. Raspet often locates research staff on site to support engineering, design and flight testing of large-scale UAS. In 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration designated MSU as home of the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, an MSU-led coalition of dozens of world-renowned universities and more than 100 government and industry partners working together to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace. |
| Researchers Just Resolved the Proton Radius Puzzle | |
| The old "proton radius puzzle" which was an unanswered problem about the size of the proton has been solved by Mississippi State University scientists. The research is called "Proton Radius Experiment" and three of the national scientific team who performed the research were MSU physicists. The research is published today in Nature. The MSU faculty members participated in the research were Physics Professors Dipgankar Dutta, James A. Dunne, and Assistant Professor Lamiaa El-Fassi. According to Dutta, the research confirms that proton is slightly smaller than it was thought before. He said "our results show there is no discrepancy in proton size when measured using ordinary hydrogen atoms or an exotic form of hydrogen atoms." |
| Farm Economy: 'We've Been Here Before' | |
| The U.S. ag economy continues to struggle because of low prices, trade disruptions and bad weather. The current downturn has lasted for most of this decade, yielding percentage declines in net farm income that are comparable to the farm crises of the 1980s, 1950s and 1920s. "We've been here before," said John Newton, chief economist of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Newton and other ag economists spoke during an Oct. 22 Farm Foundation Forum at the National Press Club in Washington. In the long run, trade may not be the biggest problem China poses, said Keith Coble, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University. The Asian power now puts more public funding into ag research than the U.S., which could put America at a competitive disadvantage in the long term. Coble said one Chinese researcher told him that his government's policy was to build bigger and better universities than the American land-grant institutions. |
| Holocaust survivor shares harrowing story in Starkville | |
 | Students at both Mississippi State University and Starkville High School were able to hear from a survivor of one of humanity's darkest hours Thursday. Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann gave a talk to a group of SHS students and later, a public lecture on the MSU campus discussing his experiences and sharing his views of the current world. Steigmann also allowed the students to ask him questions about his life and experience. In 1941, Steigmann and his parents were sent to the Mogilev-Podolsky labor camp in Ukraine, where the family remained until 1944 when the Soviet Army liberated the camp. As he was too young to work, Steigmann was subjected to numerous Nazi medical experiments. While he has no recollection of the experiments, he suffered several health issues throughout his life as a result. Steigmann also spoke at Mississippi State University for a second time Thursday as a guest of Hillel, the MSU Jewish Student Association and MSU's Holmes Cultural Diversity Center. He first came to the university to speak three years ago. |
| MSU homecoming king meets President Trump during Tupelo visit | |
 | After being named Mississippi State Homecoming King, Tupelo native Spencer Kirkpatrick received recognition for his accomplishment from the highest elected office in the United States: President Donald Trump. Kirkpatrick, alongside his father, Kevan Kirkpatrick, and stepmother, Maribeth Kirkpatrick, met Trump Nov. 1 before Trump's political rally in Tupelo. Spencer Kirkpatrick is a senior enrolled in Mississippi State's Access program, a four-year non-degree program for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Kevan Kirkpatrick said the opportunity for his son to meet Trump happened by chance. He was meeting with the lead press advance representative from the White House, who was touring the BancorpSouth Arena days prior to the rally. The representative mentioned being a Mississippi State graduate and talked about Spencer winning homecoming king, not knowing he was Kevan's son. |
| Federal grant to fund $12.66M in improvements along Highway 182 | |
| About a mile of downtown Starkville along Highway 182, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, will get a long-awaited makeover thanks to a $12.66 million federal grant, the largest infrastructure grant the city has ever received, Mayor Lynn Spruill announced Wednesday. "It's phenomenal and tremendous (and) changes the whole landscape of 182 from an economic development standpoint," Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver said. Oktibbeha County, Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, both of Mississippi's U.S. senators and U.S. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Brandon) all helped advocate for Starkville to receive the grant. Guest, U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Biloxi) and U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, also Republicans, worked together to secure the grant for Starkville and a $20.46 million grant for Gulfport, according to a joint press release from the four Congressional offices. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant program, funds "projects that have a significant local or regional impact," according to the DOT website. |
| Governor-Elect Tate Reeves names Brad White as leader of transition team | |
| Two days after his victory in Mississippi's gubernatorial election, Governor-Elect Tate Reeves has announced that Brad White will lead his transition team ahead of the 2020 inauguration. In a news release, Reeves' campaign described White as one of Mississippi's most experienced, influential, and battle-tested leaders---having served as the Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, Chief of Staff of the Mississippi Department of Audit, Chief of Staff to Senator Thad Cochran, and Chief of Staff to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. "Brad is a good friend, trusted advisor, and political giant. There is perhaps no one who knows Mississippi as well as he does. He loves the people of this state and he has been a true servant of Mississippi for many years. I am honored to have him join our team. He will play a critical role as we get to work for all the people of Mississippi," said Governor-Elect Tate Reeves. White has been a fixture in Mississippi politics for decades, dating back to his role as President of the Mississippi Teenage Republicans in 1995. |
| Mississippi House GOP affirms Philip Gunn as speaker for another term | |
 | In a proforma vote, the state House Republican Caucus on Thursday unanimously chose Rep. Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, as speaker for another four years. The official House vote on Gunn's continued speakership will be in January when the Legislature convenes, but with the GOP House Caucus maintaining a supermajority in that chamber after Tuesday's election, his reelection is a foregone conclusion. The House is also expected to ratify Gunn's choice of Rep. Jason White, R-West, as speaker pro tem, the second-ranking House leadership position. He will replace Rep. Greg Sowden, R-Meridian, who lost in his District 83 reelection bid this year. White has been a top lieutenant on Gunn's leadership team and has served as chairman of the powerful Rules Committee. The House is also expected to reaffirm longtime former lawmaker Andrew Ketchings as clerk of the House, a position he's held since 2012 when Gunn became speaker. While the full House elects the positions, the membership typically ratifies the speaker's choices for pro tem and clerk. |
| Philip Gunn again named speaker, Jason White tapped as pro tem at Republican caucus meeting | |
| Incumbent Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton was selected by his Republican colleagues to continue as the presiding officer in the Mississippi House for the next four-year term starting in early January. The Republican caucus' decision to support Gunn for a new four-year term was expected. The 74-member Republican caucus met at the Mississippi Agriculture Museum Thursday to throw its support behind Gunn and for Jason White of West to be the next speaker pro tem. No other member of the caucus challenged Gunn or West for the posts. The Republicans, who hold a three-fifths super majority in the 122-member House, are expected to vote unanimously for Gunn and West on the opening day of the session, formalizing the decisions made Thursday. The state Senate also will have to decide on a new pro-tem. Terry Burton, R-Newton, resigned from the post early in 2019 and was replaced by Gray Tollison, R-Oxford, who did not run for re-election. Many political observers believe Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, is the front-runner for the post. |
| Black Democrat Wins in Redrawn District After Racial Gerrymander Case | |
| Even as Republicans swept statewide offices in Mississippi on Tuesday night, Joseph Thomas, an African American Democrat in a district that stretches across six counties, narrowly flipped a GOP-held Senate seat. Earlier this year, a federal court forced the GOP-led Legislature to redraw the boundaries for that district, Senate District 22, after finding that they had drawn it in a way that was intended to dilute black voting power. "It was an exciting race. We did our best and we came out victorious. We're excited to serve all the citizens of District 22," Thomas told the Jackson Free Press Thursday morning, saying he wants to focus on job creation, advocating for the elderly, and working as "a champion for our schools." |
| Mississippi ICE raids and investigation have cost $1.3M so far, official says | |
 | A federal immigration enforcement official said the investigation and workplace raids that rounded up 680 people at central Mississippi poultry plants in August have cost $1.3 million so far. Richard Rocha, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said those costs stretch back as far as 18 months before the Aug. 7 raids, when the investigation first began. Rocha gave the updated total to the Clarion Ledger shortly after a U.S. House congressional hearing was held at Tougaloo College to address the raids and their aftermath. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, held the hearing, in which new information about the raids was revealed. About 600 federal agents descended on chicken plants in five Mississippi towns, and Thompson the salaries paid to those agent for the single-day raid cost $487,000 alone. |
| Questions on impact to communities continue three months post immigration raids | |
| Exactly three months after the largest workplace raids in a decade at seven chicken processing plants in central Mississippi that resulted in almost 700 arrests, the impact is still being identified. Mississippi Congressman Bennie G. Thompson hosted a hearing Thursday at Tougaloo College that revealed several undocumented workers remain detained, there are more than 400 cases of identity theft, and no employers have yet been charged. Thompson, a Democrat and chairman of the Committee of Homeland Security, was joined by members Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, both of Texas, and Congressman Steve Cohen, Tennessee, chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. In opening statements, Thompson shared concerns over the care taken for children whose parents were arrested, stating that communities instead had to "scramble to find separated children." Professor Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center with the University of Mississippi School of Law, testified that charges against undocumented workers demonstrated a lack of prosecutorial discretion. |
| U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith names Doug Davis to be Chief of Staff | |
| U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today named Doug Davis, a longtime associate and former state senator, as her incoming chief of staff. Davis, who currently works in Jackson as the Senator's deputy chief of staff, will replace Brad White, who will be leading the transition for Mississippi Governor-elect Tate Reeves. "Doug Davis has the legislative, political, and personal abilities needed to administer my Senate offices. I believe he will serve me and all Mississippians well as my chief of staff," Hyde-Smith said. "I am also grateful to Brad White for his leadership and skills, which have been invaluable to me." Davis, a DeSoto County native, was chief of staff to Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann from 2013 to 2018 before joining the Hyde-Smith's Senate staff as a senior advisor. |
| Book by 'Anonymous' describes Trump as cruel, inept and a danger to the nation | |
 | Senior Trump administration officials considered resigning en masse last year in a "midnight self-massacre" to sound a public alarm about President Trump's conduct, but rejected the idea because they believed it would further destabilize an already teetering government, according to a new book by an unnamed author. In "A Warning" by Anonymous, obtained by The Washington Post ahead of its release, a writer described only as "a senior official in the Trump administration" paints a chilling portrait of the president as cruel, inept and a danger to the nation he was elected to lead. The book is an unsparing character study of Trump, from his morality to his intellectual depth, which the author writes is based on his or her observations and experiences. The author claims many other current and former administration officials share his or her views. |
| Ukraine Pressure Campaign Undermined 'Rule Of Law,' Top State Dept. Official Says | |
 | A top State Department aide questioned the legality of a U.S. president asking for an investigation into a political rival in his hours-long, closed-door deposition before congressional impeachment investigators. "Politically related prosecutions are not the way of promoting the rule of law. They undermine the rule of law," said George Kent, deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The House released a transcript of his deposition on Thursday. Kent's remarks bolster the accounts of other officials whose depositions have been made public and underscore the intense back-and-forth within the Trump administration over its Ukraine policy. The policy, as Kent described it, pitted the traditional bipartisan foreign policy consensus over U.S. relations with Ukraine, a fledgling post-Soviet state that needs Western support, against a parallel policy being advocated by Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer. |
| Michael Bloomberg opens door to 2020 presidential campaign | |
 | Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, is opening the door to a 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, signaling his dissatisfaction with the current crop of candidates vying to take on President Donald Trump. Bloomberg has not made a final decision on whether to run, according to advisers, but he is taking steps toward a campaign, including filing to get on the ballot in Alabama's presidential primary. Alabama has an early filing deadline and is among the states that vote on Super Tuesday, named for the large number of state contests that day. Bloomberg flirted with a presidential run earlier this year, visiting early voting states and conducting extensive polling. He ultimately decided against a run, citing in part the apparent strength of former Vice President Joe Biden, a fellow moderate. |
| Charlotte Fant Pegues named interim vice chancellor for student affairs at UM | |
 | After Brandi Hephner LaBanc, formerly the vice chancellor for student affairs, announced that she plans to leave the University of Mississippi, assistant provost Charlotte Fant Pegues will be taking over as the interim vice chancellor for student affairs Nov. 13. Pegues has worked at the university for 26 years, previously acting as the assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and currently serving as the assistant provost and the registrar in the Office of the Provost. As vice chancellor for student affairs, Hephner LaBanc oversaw all student affairs on campus, including the dean of students and other offices, such as campus recreation, the Ole Miss Student Union and the office of Fraternal Leadership and Learning. She served as vice chancellor for student affairs since July 2012. Hephner LaBanc accepted the position of vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her last day at Ole Miss will be Nov. 12. |
| Ole Miss Journalism School cancels conservative speaker but administration overrules and invites speaker back | |
 | The administration of Ole Miss abruptly overruled a decision from the School of Journalism to cancel a renowned conservative speaker, Elisha Krauss, from a scheduled appearance over concerns of overly conservative bias. The School of Journalism and New Media notified Krauss of an unwritten policy stating that no ideological groups can host speakers in the venue. She was scheduled to speak on November 13. The email was penned by noted journalist and author Curtis Wilkie: "Young Americans for Freedom is described as an 'ideologically conservative youth activism organization.' From my many years as a political reporter, I know that the group is strongly linked to the Republican Party. So I feel we have to say 'no' to you, too." Upon hearing of the unauthorized actions by the Journalism School leadership, the Ole Miss administration immediately took to Twitter to reach out to Krauss saying that they were overruling the unauthorized decision of the Journalism School. |
| At least 22 Millsaps College students registered to vote didn't appear in county poll books | |
 | The department of government and politics at Millsaps College is demanding answers from the Hinds County Election Commission after nearly two dozen students registered to vote were missing from the poll books. This number could soon rise Under federal law college students can use their campus dorm address to register to vote and here at Millsaps College, the alma mater of governor-elect Tate Reeves over 200 students are registered but hit some unexpected obstacles Tuesday. "About 10 of these people we've already cross-checked them with the clerk's office," Professor Nathan Shrader explained. "They are on the role and they should have been allowed to cast a regular ballot. We're trying to get a number so we can track how many names were on the roll and left without voting at all." Many students not in the books were able to fill out affidavits to cast their votes which still count after reviewed by the Election Commissioner. |
| Mississippi College to reduce tuition for military | |
| Mississippi College is reducing tuition for students in the military. Beginning with the Spring semester in January, military personnel will receive reduced tuition for graduate or undergraduate programs. "We believe this agreement will open doors for men and women serving in our nation's military forces to enroll at Mississippi College to advance their careers," President Blake Thompson said. "We have a heart for the military at our university and see this as a very positive development for all involved. We appreciate and commend the USA's military for their dedicated service to our great nation." They're the first private school in the state to offer reduced tuition for all branches of the military. Some programs will be exempt, like MC Law School in Jackson and the physician assistants program. |
| Auburn's program for students with intellectual disabilities expands to offer four-year option next fall | |
| A portion of the Auburn Creed reads, "I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all." One organization is working to put this statement into action, providing everyone a chance at pursuing higher education. The Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success program gives young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to have an immersive college experience. "Our four overarching goals are employment development, academic enrichment, personal-social skill development and independent-living skills," said Betty Patten, director of the program. EAGLES currently offers a two-year program with the students living in on-campus housing. However, Patten said a four-year program is on the horizon. |
| Author explores George Mitchell's legacy during Texas A&M visit | |
 | Journalist and author Loren Steffy's latest book explores the life of the late George Mitchell -- an Aggie known for his contributions to Texas A&M University and recognized around the world for leading the way in the development of hydraulic fracturing. Award-winning author and writer-at-large for Texas Monthly, Steffy released George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability, and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet last month. Steffy is an A&M graduate, class of 1986, and is a managing director for 30 Point Strategies communications firm. Mitchell died in 2013 at 94 and is known by many as the "father of fracking," which is the process of injecting liquids at a high pressure into rocks to extract oil and gas. At a book signing in the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy on Wednesday, Steffy said he was surprised by how much he learned about the renowned businessman and philanthropist during his approximately four years working on the book. |
| U. of Missouri student government leaders face questions of transparency and change | |
 | University of Missouri students asked for greater transparency and concrete change from student leaders and administrators Thursday evening at a Missouri Students Association town hall meeting. Representatives from MSA -- Maya Hill, director of outreach, and Mark Bremer, chair of MSA Senate's social justice committee -- were repeatedly questioned by students on how the student leaders would respond to and approach issues of race and inclusion. The representatives explained their efforts to meet with organizations and student groups around campus, aiming to understand "how (they) can best support students" and "getting as many perspectives as possible." That wasn't enough for some students, who criticized the student government for lack of action and visible change on campus. "When will we hear about what has actually changed?" sophomore Jessika Cole said. "Talking to black students who are seniors now, it doesn't feel like anything has changed." |
| Sigma Chi headquarters suspends U. of Missouri chapter | |
| The Sigma Chi chapter at the University of Missouri has been indefinitely suspended, according to a letter sent Wednesday by the Executive Committee of Sigma Chi International Fraternity. Sigma Chi confirmed the action Thursday in an online announcement. "The severity of the offenses that the chapter has committed are simply too grievous to allow the culture that exists within the group to perpetuate," said the letter, signed by Steven Schuyler, the organization's international president. He also wrote the fraternity's executive committee was "left with no other option" than to close the chapter. MU chapter members have been given suspended active status, meaning that they are recognized as initiates but barred from engaging in Sigma Chi activities until 2024. Members who live at the MU chapter of Sigma Chi at 500 S. College Ave. told the Missourian they are looking for new housing. The MU chapter of Sigma Chi has a troubled history. |
| Betsy DeVos at risk of subpoena after refusing to testify before House education panel | |
 | Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is refusing to testify before the House Education and Labor Committee about her department's collection of student loan debt from former Corinthian Colleges students, despite a threat of a subpoena from House Democrats. "Secretary DeVos has declined to testify and we are reviewing our options, including a subpoena," a committee aide told POLITICO Thursday night. Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.) had given DeVos until Thursday at 6 p.m. to respond to the committee's request that she appear. Last month, a federal judge held DeVos in contempt of court and imposed a $100,000 fine for violating an order to stop collecting on the student loans owed by former Corinthian students. The department admitted to the court earlier this year that it had erroneously collected on the loans of some 16,000 borrowers who attended Corinthian Colleges. |
| Virginia pledges $1 billion for computer science degree expansion | |
 | The commonwealth of Virginia will produce an additional 31,000 technology graduates over the next 20 years, Governor Ralph Northam announced yesterday. That goal is an expansion of the state's originally stated legislative target of graduating 25,000 additional students with technology degrees by 2039. Virginia's public universities currently award approximately 1,300 bachelor's degrees and 400 master's degrees in computer science per year, according to the governor's office. The push to boost the tech talent pipeline was driven by the imminent arrival of Amazon in Virginia. The Seattle-based company is building a second headquarters near Arlington, Va., and is expected to create thousands of jobs in the region for skilled workers, particularly those with cloud computing expertise. |
| Sigma Phi Epsilon Leaves North American Interfraternity Conference, Saying Its Reforms Fall Short | |
 | The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity announced on Thursday that it had severed ties with the North American Interfraternity Conference, accusing the reorganized advocacy group, known as NIC 2.0, of doing too little to curb alcohol abuse and hazing. "The original vision of NIC 2.0 was one that could have been transformational for fraternity communities, but the conference is no longer proceeding toward those goals," Sigma Phi Epsilon's chief executive officer, Brian Warren, said in a prepared statement. The NIC responded by chastising the fraternity for how it had chosen to communicate its departure. In a statement, the conference listed some of its efforts to enact stricter health and safety guidelines, including banning hard alcohol from chapters and working to strengthen antihazing laws. The decision by one of the nation's largest fraternities, commonly known as SigEp, to sever ties with the NIC is being closely watched by other Greek organizations, said Gentry McCreary, a Greek-life consultant. |
| Fraternity leaves national group, setting off a war of words over whether enough is being done for student safety and other reforms | |
| Sigma Phi Epsilon is leaving the North American Interfraternity Conference and calling on the large fraternity trade association to do more to emphasize student safety, personal development and working with professionals on campus. The fraternity's announcement on Thursday exposed simmering tensions between different fraternities and the NIC as hazing, drinking and sexual assault scandals continue to rock chapters across the country. It immediately set off a war of words. "The original vision of NIC 2.0 was one that could have been transformational for fraternity communities, but the Conference is no longer proceeding toward those goals," Brian Warren, SigEp's chief executive officer, said. Fraternities have been under intense public and financial pressures for years as media scrutiny, legislation, lawsuits and campus suspensions mount in the wake of high-profile student deaths and sexual assault reports. Warren acknowledged financial pressures such as rising insurance costs but said SigEp's decision was motivated by driving change. |
| Mindfullness new student strategy | |
| Angela Farmer, an assistant clinical professor in Mississippi State University's Shackouls Honors College, writes: Today's students face a wide variety of stresses. Whether it's homework challenges, test anxiety, social pressures, less than ideal home environments, or any combination of these threats, being a student is not easy. Given these complex matrices, it is not surprising that many students enter the classroom anxious and stressed. In addition to the wide-ranging responsibilities that educators face each day from ensuring academic achievement to incorporating behavior management, there is a tool which may provide some degree of respite for students and even enhance the educator-student relationship. The approach is called mindfulness, and its implementation is gaining interest across grade platforms and entire school districts. It works for all ages and even offers the educators a moment's reprieve. Mindfulness is a strategy to help educators direct students back on track toward their academics by giving them a few moments to gather their thoughts and relax. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi deer hunting: Study indicates bucks avoid areas of danger | |
| A buck's daily home range may be smaller than some hunters think, and according to a recent study, you're probably not hunting in it. "I'd average it out at 140 acres in October and November," said Steve Demarais of the Mississippi State University Deer Lab. "Within a day, that's pretty reasonable I think." The daily home range of a deer is the area in which it travels in one day. Demarais said bucks may concentrate their time in a different location each day, explaining that bucks don't have a set location where they always eat and sleep. As deer season progresses and rutting activity increases, the daily home ranges expand. In the study, mature bucks outfitted with tracking collars and ear tags in Yazoo and Madison counties expanded their daily ranges to 190 acres in the pre-rut and to about 240 acres in the peak- and late-rut. Demarais pointed out that the study was conducted in high-quality habitat along the Big Black River. In other areas, the daily ranges could be different. |
| Bulldogs host Bearkats in men's hoops | |
| After a successful season opener on Tuesday, Mississippi State's men's basketball team returns to its home floor tonight at 7 against Sam Houston State. The Bulldogs beat Florida International 77-69 to start the season led by Tyson Carter, who had 23 points, seven rebounds and six steals. Sam Houston State is also off to a 1-0, having downed Paul Quinn 95-57 on Tuesday. The Bearkats were paced by senior forward Kai Mitchell with 18 points and eight boards. It will also be a homecoming of sorts for Sam Houston State junior guard Terryonte Thomas. The Columbus native starred at New Hope High School and East Mississippi Community College. Today marks only the second meeting between the Bulldogs and Bearkats. MSU claimed an 80-67 victory in the previous battle in Starkville on Nov. 30, 1998. |
| Mississippi State women to open season with plethora of talent, inexperience | |
| As Vic Schafer parozed the box score following Mississippi State's 78-57 exhibition win over Lubbock Christian Monday night, junior forward Chloe Bibby peered toward him with a smirk. Using his systematic approach of circles and squares to indicate which stats he liked and which he didn't, Schaefer occasionally muttered a few nods to the piece of paper as gathered reporters looked on. "They had four points in the paint in the second half, y'all," he said fidgeting with the paper before him. "They had 24 in the first half. Much better job I thought defensively." While the No. 10 Bulldogs eventually raced past the defending Division II national champion Chaparrals, Schaefer remained steadfast in his incessant attention to detail as the Bulldogs begin regular season play Saturday against Southern Miss. |
| Mississippi State replacing Teaira McCowan's production by committee | |
| No. 10 Mississippi State is missing one of the most dominant forces in women's college basketball with the graduation of Teaira McCowan. The 6-foot-7 All-American center left behind some big shoes for the Bulldogs to fill in the post. However, instead of relying on one player to replace McCowan's production, MSU will split those duties between three players -- Jessika Carter, Yemiyah Morris and Promise Taylor. "You have to consider doing that by committee," said MSU coach Vic Schaefer. "That's 18 (points) and 14 (rebounds) a night and we got spoiled with that for two-straight years. I can't remember a more dominant five player in the college game in a long time with what (McCowan) brought from an offensive and defensive standpoint." The Bulldogs open their season Saturday at home against Southern Miss. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. |
| Ole Miss to pay $1.5M to New Mexico State for college football game | |
| Win or lose, Ole Miss has agreed to pay New Mexico State $1.5 million for their college football game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this weekend. Which begs a simple question: Why? From the New Mexico State perspective, the game makes perfect sense. For an athletic department with an annual budget that ranges between $18-20 million annually, making almost 10% of that in one afternoon is a no-brainer. But what does Ole Miss get out of the game? Interim athletics director Keith Carter said these games right now are about building up the program, especially coming off years of NCAA probation where most of the SEC got stronger and Ole Miss got weaker. "In the state of the program now, you'd love to find six wins to go to a bowl and get this thing going again," Carter said. "You want to try to schedule teams that you hope come in and you can win the home game." |
| Arrive early, U. of Alabama officials advise football fans | |
 | University of Alabama officials reiterated their recommendation that fans to arrive early for Saturday's matchup between LSU and Alabama, which is expected to draw more than 150,000 people to campus, including President Donald Trump. "We are ready to go in case he says he is not coming," Nick Frenz, UA assistant director of Transportation Event Management, said Thursday. Other than the additional security, Frenz had few additional details about the presidential visit. "It just sort of depends on what time his arrival would be. We don't know that. It just sort of depends on what time he gets here. Secret Service is going to handle that. We will do our best to accommodate all of that," he said. For fans hoping for a glimpse of Trump, Frenz's response was similar. "We don't know where he is going. We have no idea where that detail will take him," he said. The Tuscaloosa National Airport is advising those considering flying in for the game to arrive by Friday or early Saturday because of heavy air traffic expected for the weekend and the delays and disruptions that will occur later Saturday with the arrival of the president. |
| Fundraiser to bring Baby Trump balloon to Tuscaloosa tops goal | |
 | Fundraising efforts to bring a giant baby Trump balloon to Tuscaloosa this weekend have topped their goal. The GoFundMe campaign by Trace Fayard and Nic Gulas has received $5,675 -- $1,675 over its goal -- in donations since it was created yesterday. The campaign has received donations from 286 people. Organizers said the cost of bringing the baby Trump balloon to Tuscaloosa is $4,000. Any money over that amount will be donated to the Equal Justice Initiative. The balloon will be stationed four blocks from Bryant-Denny Stadium, the site of Saturday's football game between the University of Alabama and the LSU Tigers. President Trump confirmed last night he will be attending the game. The baby Trump balloon has become a popular symbol for critics of the president. Most recently, one of the inflatable diapered figures was in Kentucky ahead of a presidential visit. |
| Popeyes chicken is riding on the outcome of the LSU-Alabama game | |
 | Popeyes chicken is on the line for Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy in his wager with Alabama Sen. Richard C. Shelby over Saturday's NCAA football game between Louisiana State University Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide. "I am betting as much extra-spicy Popeyes fried chicken as the senator can eat," Kennedy said Thursday. "Popeyes chicken is among the best fried chicken God ever put breath in." Shelby is betting a double serving of Conecuh Sausage made in Evergreen, Alabama. |
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
