| Friday, November 22, 2019 |
| MSU Extension reaches out to struggling farmers | |
 | The Mississippi State University Extension Service is doing what it can to make sure everyone in the state's agricultural community knows there is help available when the stress of life seems unrelenting. David Buys, Extension state health specialist, said the stress farmers and rural residents face regularly can cause mental health problems. If unchecked, these issues can lead to unhealthy behaviors and addictions. "Extension believes that the best way we can address farm stress is by helping the ag community be as informed as possible," Buys said. "We are focused on educating producers in best practices, technology, farm policy and more. And for those who fall through the cracks, we want to be there to pick them up." MSU Extension has lined up a variety of resources to serve the needs of this community. |
| Women's Suffrage Exhibit and a Chevron STEM Program at Mississippi State | |
| Mississippi State University recently announced that it will commemorate next year's centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the women's suffrage movement with a special fall semester exhibit at the MSU Libraries. Ratified in 1920, the 19th Amendment granted all Americans, regardless of sex, the right to vote. The 19th Amendment's centennial anniversary is on Aug. 18, 2020. The exhibit is on display in the Louis Burns Brock, Jay Brock, and Hank Brock Gallery on the first floor of MSU's Old Main Academic Building. Chevron and Mississippi State's Bagley College of Engineering recently partnered with Chevron to launch a program to help increase the number of minority and female students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math degrees. CREATE, which stands for Chevron's Reaching Excellence, Accelerating diversity & inclusion and Transforming Engineers, is part of a larger effort on Chevron's part to support STEM education in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and through university partnership programs. |
| SOCSD starts fall clothing drive for district-wide clothes closets | |
 | The clothes closets in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District started as a quick and easy solution for students to get clean clothes in case of emergency and return to class quickly. The effort at a few individual schools consolidated into a district-wide program that grows every year, said Marchelle Brain, a member of the SOCSD Parent Teacher Organization since 2013. Brain has been an active coordinator of the clothes closets and said the program has been "an organic thing that arose" after people regularly donated their outgrown uniforms. Brain said SOCSD could not run its clothes closets on its own. Some of those organizations are the Modern Woodmen of America, the Progressive Starkville Network, Mississippi State University's Maroon Volunteer Center and churches including Sand Creek and Second Baptist. The Salvation Army held a supply drive over the summer and will donate hygiene supplies to the schools in addition to clothes, Brain said. |
| Columbus firm nets $3M contract for Highway 82 project | |
 | The Mississippi Transportation Commission has approved a routine maintenance project for U.S. Highway 82. At its meeting in Jackson on Nov. 12, the commission approved a $3 million mill and overlay project for the four-lane portion of Highway 82. The section will begin at the intersection of Highway 82 and Highway 182 west of Starkville and run four-and-a-half miles to the concrete bypass section. Work will be completed by Falcon Contracting Company, Inc., based in Columbus. "This is the first maintenance mill and overlay project on that section of Highway 82 since it opened in 2005," said Mississippi Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert. "We typically shoot for overlay maintenance somewhere around the 12 year mark, but with our growing list of needs, a lot of our projects are behind on that schedule." He said work on the project would begin in spring 2020, once the weather began to warm up. |
| Stark Aerospace lays off 25 employees | |
| Stark Aerospace has laid off 25 employees, sources confirmed to The Dispatch on Wednesday. Stark Human Resources Director John-Paul Morgante referred all questions to corporate communications director Pete Costello, who did not return calls as of press time Thursday. The Israeli-owned defense contractor began operations in Columbus in 2006 at its 120,000-square foot facility near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. It is heavily involved in unmanned aircraft systems as well as weapon components and systems. According to Owler, a company that tracks businesses throughout the U.S., Stark has 140 employees with annual estimated revenue of $22 million. Although company officials would not comment on the layoffs, word quickly circulated through the community. Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins said he learned of the layoffs during an annual site visit to the Stark campus on Wednesday. |
| Starkville Utilities looking ahead with $40,000 land purchase | |
| Aldermen authorized a request Tuesday by Starkville Utilities to buy a 10-acre parcel of land south of the Starkville Wastewater Plant on Sand Road. Starkville Utilities General Manager Terry Kemp said the price was determined after an outside appraiser surveyed the land and found the land itself to be worth about $20,000 and the timber on the land to be worth roughly the same amount. There are no current plans for the land, Kemp said, but it was purchased with the future expansion and operation of the wastewater plant in mind. Kemp said seeing land on the market so close to the facility presented an opportunity to plan for years to come. "If you look down the road, we think this land will be valuable for the facility," Kemp said. "Where it's located fits in real well with our operation," Kemp said. Currently, the 10 acres give the city breathing room to plan. |
| How 'Sister District' Helped Shanda Yates Unseat Longtime Mississippi Republican | |
| Sister District, a California-based group dedicated to helping elect Democrats in state legislatures across the country, helped one Jackson area political newcomer unseat a longtime Republican incumbent. Once Hinds County officials finished counting provisional ballots this week, Jackson attorney Shanda Yates narrowly defeated Republican Bill Denny, who has represented House District 64 for 32 years. "This was a Trump district. Hillary got 44% in House District 64. This was not a traditionally blue district," Sister District co-founder and Political Director Gaby Goldstein told the Jackson Free Press on Tuesday. Yates, who had never planned to run for office until Democratic leaders began urging her to enter the race about two weeks before the March filing deadline, told the Jackson Free Press that Sister District helped her with the technical "in the weeds stuff that I wouldn't have been able to handle on my own" -- like field organizing, identifying likely supporters and tracking doorknocking. Their support, she said, was "huge." |
| Democratic leader Tom Perez: 'We're going to keep fighting in Mississippi because I know we can win' | |
| After two years of Democratic defeats in Mississippi, Tom Perez, the Democratic National Committee chairman, said the national party will "redouble" its Mississippi investment in the 2020 cycle. Earlier this month, Attorney General Jim Hood -- broadly considered the Democratic Party's best shot at the Mississippi governorship since 2003 -- lost by five and a half points to Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. Hood's loss came a year after an eight point loss by former Democratic congressman Mike Espy to Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in a 2018 special U.S. Senate election. "We're in for the long haul in Mississippi," Perez told Mississippi Today following the Democratic presidential debate in Atlanta on Wednesday night. "We're going to keep fighting in Mississippi because I know we can win," Perez said. |
| Farm credit chief sees shadow of 1980s farm crisis | |
 | Farm Credit Administration Chairman Glen Smith told the House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday that the farm lending system is currently "safe and sound" -- but officials are "very concerned and closely monitoring some weakening in credit quality." At a subcommittee hearing, Smith also drew parallels between the current downturn and the run-up to the 1980s farm crisis. "I think we're at a level that's comparable to the early '80s," he said, citing economic trends like falling farm income, rising debt-to-asset ratios and concerns about the value of farmland. "At that time in the Midwest, we'd lost 15-20 percent of our land values. Guess what? Today we've lost 15-20 percent of our land values in the Midwest." Farmland values remain largely stable across the country. But that could change, Smith warned in his written remarks to the committee, if larger amounts of farmland go up for sale -- like if farm bankruptcy rates continue ticking upward. Another similarity to the Eighties? "The late '70s and early '80s were typified by trade wars," Smith added, referring to the U.S. grain embargo against the Soviet Union. |
| Democrats Have Wrapped Their Public Case On Impeachment. What Comes Next? | |
 | The marathon of testimony in Democrats' impeachment inquiry this week confirmed that the Ukraine affair, like so many earlier subplots in the era of President Trump, boils down to two big questions: What do the president's words mean? Can the president do what he did? The answers to those questions have been a partisan inkblot test since Trump exploded onto the political scene, and now they are burning again as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats decide how they'll move ahead in a showdown over impeachment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reiterated to reporters this week that he'll convene that trial as required by the Constitution, but he believes it's "inconceivable" that the sufficient 20 Republicans would break ranks with Trump and vote to remove the president. Pelosi, meanwhile, insisted to reporters separately that, on Thursday at least, she hadn't decided what next moves to discuss with the committees of jurisdiction and didn't know what course they'll set. |
| Fight for LGBTQ inclusion may finally split United Methodists | |
 | After years of debating gay rights, the United Methodist Church is probably headed for a big split. Months after global Methodist leaders voted against LGBTQ rights this year, five bishops representing the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church released a statement Nov. 6 in support of LGBTQ clergy. Church leaders are debating whether to fracture into two organizations -- one liberal and one conservative -- before the denomination's next annual gathering in 2020. "Unity is a high priority for many of us, and we watched it fall apart in front of our very eyes," said the Rev. Erin Martin, the Columbia District superintendent who oversees more than 40 Methodist clergy in the Portland, Oregon, metro area, of the vote against LGBTQ rights in February. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "It felt as though something died that day within the United Methodist communion," she said, her voice cracking. "We may not be able to hold together." After Southern Baptists, Methodists make up the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination, totaling more than 6.8 million members. |
| Tips on how to navigate political Thanksgiving table talk | |
| No matter where you turn, political conversations are all around us. We just wrapped up a statewide election, the impeachment hearings are underway and the 2020 campaigning is in full swing. So, how do you navigate politics at the Thanksgiving table? Dr. Susan Buttross with the University of Mississippi Medical Center has some ideas on where to start. "Some families enjoy that a lot and getting into a real high-brow discussion," said Dr. Buttross who serves as Children's of Mississippi's Medical Director for the Center for Advancement of Youth. "But the truth is is in a family gathering where everybody is likely on different pages, you don't want to end up in a conversation that perhaps may cause negative conversations and shut down what otherwise could've been a happy occasion." And as you set the table, go ahead and set the stage for the conversation. "My suggestions would be before the dinner gathering, designate someone who is a good leader in that," noted Buttross. |
| UM ASB President says Chancellor Boyce is capable, search process was destructive | |
 | University of Mississippi ASB President Barron Mayfield said that Chancellor Glenn Boyce was capable even though the search process was destructive to the university at a campus update to the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees at its meeting on Thursday. Mayfield started his speech with accomplishments of the student body throughout this semester including hosting Everybody's Formal, having record voter turnout in personality elections which resulted in the first ever Homecoming King and hosting the Longest Table event. He then transitioned into what he called a period of "tremendous pain and incredible loss" for the campus in reference to the murder of student Ally Kostial, the surfacing of a photo of university students in front of a bullet-riddled Emmett Till memorial and the shortened chancellor search process. |
| UM Parking/Transportation Director Mike Harris Leaving for LSU Position | |
| For more than five years, Mike Harris has been telling people on the University of Mississippi campus where to go -- and how to get there. However, as of Jan. 3, 2020, UM's Parking and Transportation director will be directing LSU students around their Baton Rouge campus. Harris announced Wednesday at the Oxford-University Transit Commission meeting that his last day at Ole Miss will be Dec. 3. Harris said he was contracted by LSU back in September. "They asked if I would be interested and I said I was open to discussing it," Harris said. "I didn't reach out to them. But we talked about it and things starting falling into place." Harris came to Ole Miss in February 2014 from Mississippi State University. |
| Slurs, swastikas and white power signs: the ways prejudice persists at UM | |
| Homophobic slurs yelled at students, racist vandalism across campus, white power symbols displayed in photos and a professor telling a student to drop out of school because of a medical condition are some of the 26 incidents of bias that were reported to the university during the 2018-19 school year. The details of the incidents -- sent to the Bias Incidents Response Team, which receives and responds to reports of bias at the university -- were obtained by The Daily Mississippian in a public records request. On average, a report was filed every eight days during the fall and spring semesters. The reports offer a look into the interactions that make some feel unwelcome or unsafe on campus, from swastikas being carved in bathroom stalls to drinks being thrown at students while homophobic slurs are shouted at them. |
| Greek organizations move away from 'Ole Miss' brand | |
| The University of Mississippi's National Pan-Hellenic Council, College Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council have all removed "Ole Miss" from their official names and instead are opting for "University of Mississippi." This decision was made independently from the Office of Fraternal Leadership and Learning by student leadership, and comes before the results of the External Review Team are released spring 2020 to present an external review of the Greek community, according to the FLL website. However, the change is not a mandate to all fraternities and sororities within the three systems. IFC fraternities can still use the "Ole Miss" name and brand themselves as they choose. Doctor said that with his work as the FLL director, he hopes to create a more inclusive Greek system that prioritizes inclusivity and engagement. |
| USM Golden Baskets gives back in time of need | |
 | Tasty Thanksgiving treats and family holiday surprises are what some people on the Gulf Coast wait all year for. For others, providing those things can be stressful, if not impossible. So, for the last eight years, the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park has stepped up with the Golden Basket program. Casey Maugh Funderburk, the Vice Provost of USM Gulf Park campus, is part of a group that sponsored a family. "We work with local area schools, and we work families that are identified as families with the greatest need on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We try to pick families from each of the three coastal counties," Funderburk said. Staying engaged with the community is important to Funderburk and the university. "We love to give back, but we also really love when we can identify opportunities for us to connect with our community. One of the things that universities do really well is educate and train people, but we also love to be able to just help people when we know there is need," Funderburk said. |
| Mississippi College holds Dance Marathon fundraiser for Batson Children's hospital | |
| How do you raise money for a serious cause and make it fun too? Organizers at Mississippi College are doing it with a Dance Marathon to benefit Children's of Mississippi and Batson Children's hospital. More than a hundred college students and children who've been cared for by the hospital, show off their dance moves for big bucks. Decimbra Middleton, whose son has been a Batson patient said, "It's such an honor; we really appreciate this opportunity. it kind of makes us feel like everyone is family and they try to relate to things that certain families are going through." The event is not only to raise money, but to raise awareness of the kids at Batson Children's Hospital. Mississippi College students partnered with school administrators and UMMC officials to initiate their first dance marathon three years ago. |
| Tiger Apprenticeship program pairs NEMCC students with local companies | |
 | Dozens of Northeast Mississippi Community College students signed internship agreements at a ceremony hosted by the school in Booneville on Tuesday. The Tiger Apprenticeship Signing Ceremony followed an interview day in October where students met with representatives to narrow down the list of companies for which they preferred to work. NEMCC career technical counselor Carrie Cobb said students have been working since the beginning of the semester to prepare resumes and get enrolled in the apprenticeship program. "We let them know what companies are participating so that we can get them to understand that it is something that will only help them grow with their program, with their education that they're getting here," Cobb said. "It'll put them into opportunities to get the hands-on experience in the job market that they need in their field." |
| Dr. Tyrone Jackson: One of the Hardest Working Educators in the Mississippi Delta | |
| The Mississippi Delta has long been a fertile ground providing opportunity for those in and around it. The jobs provided can be an educational ladder to bigger and better opportunities for anyone willing to climb. For Rosedale native, Dr. Tyrone Jackson, his first job was that of a newspaper delivery boy. His latest job was announced last March (took office on July 1) is that of the ninth president and first African American President of Mississippi Delta Community College. The office of president at MDCC has been the culmination of dreams, inspiration and hard work. And a few extra paper routes along the way. "I knew I wanted to be in education," says Dr. Jackson. "Originally, I wanted to be a high school history teacher." After attending West Bolivar High School in Rosedale, Dr. Jackson travelled to Cleveland where he attained his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, a Master's Degree and Doctorate in Education. But it was his part-time jobs that helped provide the opportunity to be a Statesmen. |
| Grant paves the way for a community fruit orchard at Copiah-Lincoln Community College | |
 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College plans to use a $20,000 grant to develop a community fruit orchard and spruce up the campus. The Mississippi Urban Forest Council wrote the grant and will help with all aspects of project implementation. Co-Lin students, employees and community members will participate in the project. "We are so excited to participate in this initiative for both campus beautification and the educational opportunities it will provide," said Co-Lin President Jane Hulon. The Mississippi Urban Forest Council is Mississippi's own statewide nonprofit that works with communities and local groups to improve quality of life and support strong communities for economic success on a local level. |
| MSMS ranked as one of country's top STEM high schools | |
| The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus has been named one of the best of its kind in the country. The school was ranked 34th on Newsweek magazine's list of the best 500 STEM high schools in the country. "We are thrilled to be recognized by Newsweek as one of the top STEM schools in the country," said MSMS Executive Director Germain McConnell. "This ranking is a testament to the tremendous faculty and staff at MSMS who continue to provide innovative learning experiences that prepare students to serve as future STEM leaders in Mississippi." MSMS has also appeared on other rankings, including being ranked as the 6th best public high school in the nation by Niche.com. Niche also ranked the MSMS faculty as the best high school faculty in the nation and ranked MSMS as the best public high school in Mississippi. |
| Auburn University investigating noose incident | |
 | Auburn University is investigating how an extension cord tied into a noose wound up inside a campus residence hall. Tweets sent late Wednesday by the school's safety and security department say the noose was discovered and removed Wednesday from a common area of the building. University officials issued a statement to "condemn this action as antithetical to the values of the Auburn Family." Auburn University President Jay Gogue told the Opelika Auburn News on Thursday that the incident was "... obviously a terrible sort of thing to happen." Gogue said investigators are looking at two possibilities: a racist statement or possibly an attempted suicide or cry for help. "Either one of them is awful, but we'll take the right action" to address the matter, he promised. |
| Why Matthew Naquin might only serve a few months in jail after Max Gruver's hazing death | |
 | Former LSU student Matthew Naquin likely will serve only a few months behind bars after a judge sentenced him Wednesday to 5 years in prison, but suspended all but 2-1/2 years of the term, in the 2017 alcohol-related hazing death of 18-year-old fraternity pledge Max Gruver. Gruver's parents had called for the maximum sentence of 5 years for Naquin's negligent homicide conviction, while Naquin's attorney asked for a penalty comparable to the 30-day jail terms meted out to former LSU students who were also members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and present when the hazing took place. Ryan Isto, who was Naquin's LSU roommate, and Sean-Paul Gott, of Lafayette, pleaded no contest last year to misdemeanor hazing and testifying at Naquin's trial in July, receiving the lighter sentences months ago. "Matthew's conduct was no worse than theirs," John McLindon, who represents the 21-year-old Naquin, told the judge. Gruver's father spoke in court prior to McLindon and disagreed with that statement. |
| UGA professor resigns amid Homeland Security investigation | |
| A University of Georgia professor has resigned and is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, authorities confirmed Thursday. Jamie Monogan, who was a political science professor, resigned this week from the School of Public and International Affairs amid the investigation, UGA spokesman Greg Trevor told AJC.com. "He is not permitted on campus and has been relieved of his duties," Trevor said, adding that the university would not comment further. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Lindsay Williams said the investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security. However, he declined to provide further details on the investigation. Since Monogan's resignation, UGA has removed social media posts and web pages that mention him. |
| UGA President Jere Morehead releases statement condemning swastikas drawn in dorms | |
| University of Georgia President Jere Morehead sent an ArchNews message to faculty, staff and students on Nov. 21 condemning "swastikas drawn on message boards and placards in two of our residence halls." "I am appalled by such offensive and outrageous displays of hate. Let me be clear: this type of behavior has no place on our campus," Morehead wrote. "The University of Georgia is defined by our shared values. Respect for others, diversity of thought, a love of learning, and a drive to expand knowledge and make a positive difference -- these values unite us as a campus community and inspire our academic endeavors." Morehead also asked students with information about the drawings to contact the Equal Opportunity Office or UGA police, before calling for the community to "reaffirm our commitment to ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment." |
| UGA students share concerns after Democratic debate | |
 | While 10 Democratic presidential candidates on Wednesday stood on an Atlanta stage to debate important topics, Athens residents listened closely and pondered how these issues might impact them. Former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Harris and Elizabeth Warren; Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; businessman Tom Steyer; and, entrepreneur Andrew Yang met the polling and fundraising requirements set by the Democratic National Committee to debate. Some University of Georgia students decided to come together to watch the debate at The Globe, hosted by the Public Affairs Professional program. Students took part in discussion, refreshments and shared interest in the debate. Carter Chapman, a fourth-year political science and public relations student, assisted in putting the event together and bringing in students to the watch party. "I hope attendees come away better informed if they haven't made a decision yet on who they're supporting, as well as getting a better sense of what their peers are believing and where they're leaning," Chapman said. |
| U. of Missouri System curators discuss improving graduation, retention rates | |
 | During a meeting that featured a robust discussion on improving retention and graduation rates in the University of Missouri System, the UM Board of Curators elected its lone woman member to serve as next year's chair. Julia Brncic, who was appointed to the board by then-Gov. Eric Greitens in 2017 and is chair of the finance committee, won her colleagues' unanimous approval. The senior vice president, chief counsel and corporate secretary for health services company Cigna, Brncic cited "affordability, enrollment and modernizing the delivery of education" as challenges all universities face during a press conference following the meeting. During the daylong session on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus, the curators focused largely on improving retention and graduation rates in the system --- a response, in part, to U.S. News & World Report rankings that showed the UM system dropping several places this year. |
| When a College Student Has a Troubled Roommate | |
 | When college students come home for Thanksgiving, they often bring all sorts of news about the opening months of the school year. Many will have stories to tell about the adjustment to living with roommates. But some may be seeking guidance on living with someone who has significant psychological difficulties. College life is extraordinarily taxing for students who are suffering from pronounced mental distress or illness. (If this is true for your son or daughter, take steps to help your student secure the right supports.) But it can likewise be enormously stressful to live in close quarters with a roommate with acute or chronic psychological challenges. The Thanksgiving break may be the first opportunity your college student has had to step back from the situation and evaluate his or her role in it. |
| Indiana University condemns prof's racist, misogynistic tweets in strongest terms but won't fire him | |
 | Indiana University at Bloomington will not terminate Eric Rasmusen, professor of business economics and public policy, for the "stunningly ignorant" views he expressed on social media. So said Provost Lauren Robel this week amid calls that Rasmusen be fired. Rasmusen "has, for many years, used his private social media accounts to disseminate his racist, sexist and homophobic views," Robel wrote in a statement. "When I label his views in this way, let me note that the labels are not a close call, nor do his posts require careful parsing to reach these conclusions." At the same time, "We cannot, nor would we, fire Professor Rasmusen for his posts as a private citizen, as vile and stupid as they are, because the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids us to do so," Robel said. That's "not a close call," either. Rasmusen, who has tenure, has been at Indiana since 1992. |
| UC Berkeley keeps a lid on 2,000 protesters, allowing conservative commentator to speak | |
 | The protesters gathered 2,000 strong, demanding the crowd shut down a talk about immigration by right-wing commentator Ann Coulter at UC Berkeley this week. Some wore black. Some marched in a circle, yelling anti-Coulter chants. Some waved signs calling Coulter a racist who supports fascism, ethnic cleansing and white supremacy. In diverse and liberal Berkeley, the student and community protesters were particularly riled up by Coulter's anti-immigrant slams in her 2015 book, "Adios America! The Left's Plan to Turn our Country into a Third World Hellhole." But Coulter came. She spoke. She left. And it all occurred without major problems -- the kinds of violent protests that shut down a 2017 Berkeley appearance by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, drew national headlines and prompted President Trump to threaten to cut off the university's federal funding. Police arrested five people, including three students for resisting law enforcement. |
| How Bernie Sanders would pump billions into historically black colleges and universities | |
| Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to dish out billions of dollars to historically black colleges and universities -- plus other colleges that largely serve minority students -- as part of his latest presidential pitch for the country's higher education system. The Vermont independent is building out his left-leaning posture on higher education with plans to send big sums of money to private colleges, eliminate more than $1 billion in schools' debt to the government and expand job training programs for minorities. A Sanders campaign official said ideas unveiled Thursday would cost an estimated $36 billion over 10 years. That's in addition to an estimated $13 billion the campaign said is needed over a decade for the senator's free college plan. How to pay for it? Taxes on Wall Street. Two big planks of Sanders' plan tackle job training for minority teachers and medical professionals. |
| As more colleges become Hispanic-serving, some are playing catch-up | |
| Four years ago, administrators at the University of Central Florida realized the college was on the cusp of becoming a "Hispanic-Serving Institution" (HSI), a federal designation given to colleges and universities where at least one-quarter of undergraduate students are of Hispanic origin. The new label would allow the public university to compete for federal grants set aside for those schools and might attract even more Latino students. But it would also bring a heightened feeling of responsibility: to ensure that those students were succeeding at the same rate as their white peers. So UCF did what many colleges faced with changing demographics do -- it formed a committee. That committee evolved into a task force that began disaggregating data to better understand who UCF's Latino students were and where they were struggling. They got advice from other HSIs and hired an assistant director of Hispanic-serving initiatives to lead the effort. Similar preparations are underway at colleges across the country. |
| A Doomsday List of Possible College Closures Inspired Panic and Legal Threats. That's Telling. | |
 | Higher education's walking dead are already among us. Figuring out exactly who they are, though, is tricky and fraught. That fact came into sharp relief this week, when a college-advising company scuttled its plans to release a list of private, nonprofit colleges that it expects to run out of money and close in the coming years, according to a new financial-modeling tool. Edmit, the advising company, decided against releasing the information when some of the 946 colleges that were to be named in the analysis pushed back or threatened legal action. The episode set off renewed discussion about the limited information that many students and families possess about the precarious finances of some of the nation's colleges, hundreds of which have closed in recent years, upending students' lives. (Most of the college closures of the last five years have been for-profit institutions, a recent Chronicle analysis found.) |
| A new kind of 'big deal' for Elsevier and Carnegie Mellon University | |
| Carnegie Mellon University and Elsevier Thursday announced a new agreement to radically change how the institution pays to read and publish research. Instead of paying separately to access Elsevier's catalog of paywalled content and publish open-access articles in Elsevier journals, Carnegie Mellon will pay one flat fee for both. The deal means that starting on Jan. 1, 2020, all principal investigators publishing in Elsevier journals will have the option of making their research immediately available to the public, at no additional cost. The "read-and-publish" deal is a first with a university in the U.S. for Elsevier and is the result of nearly yearlong negotiations. Elsevier struck a similar deal with a consortium of Norwegian research institutions earlier this year. Like the Norwegian deal, the Carnegie Mellon deal is being treated as an experimental pilot by Elsevier, Keith Webster, dean of university libraries and director of emerging and integrative media initiatives at the university, said in an interview. |
| Strategic school safety | |
| Angela Farmer, an assistant clinical professor in Mississippi State University's Shackouls Honors College, writes: Dramatic changes have transpired over the past 20 years when one imagines school safety. Historically, safety meant that the teachers and administrators would intervene and terminate a physical altercation between students. Students were safe from the elements of the environment in a setting where the temperature was relatively stable, meals were served, and plumbing was reliable. Safety drills meant fire drills or tornado drills. Flashing forward, it's almost difficult to realize that school today has transformed most all of those definitions. Physical altercations between students like a fistfight in the parking lot, while still in evidence, rarely top the list of paramount concerns of students, teachers, or parents. The larger, more frequent and more omnipresent concerns are often those of social medial linked harassment or bullying. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State ready for FCS program Abilene Christian | |
 | Mississippi State finishes the nonconference portion of its schedule against Football Championship Subdivision program Abilene Christian. The Bulldogs (4-6) must win their final two games to become eligible for a 10th consecutive bowl appearance. The matchup with Abilene Christian (5-6) on Saturday gives Mississippi State an opportunity to sort out its biggest concerns heading into Thursday night's Egg Bowl showdown with Mississippi (4-6). "I think it goes back to our 1-0 mindset and mentality," Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead said. This will mark Abilene Christian's second game against an FBS opponent this year. The Wildcats opened the season by losing 51-31 to Conference USA program North Texas. |
| Abilene Christian excited about playing SEC opponent | |
| Abilene Christian is out of the FCS Playoff picture due to a 5-6 season but the Wildcats still have quite the consolation prize to close out their campaign. ACU travels to Mississippi State on Saturday to mark the program's first game against a Southeastern Conference opponent, although the Wildcats did play Arkansas in 1948 -- long before the Razorbacks joined the SEC. "It's an amazing feeling just to be able to play an SEC team and put our name on the map," said ACU defensive end Corey Smith. "Just having one last game for my senior season in a vibrant stadium -- one of the top 10 stadiums to play in -- and play against same guys that play against Alabama and LSU gives you the best feeling in the world." Despite losing its last two games at home to Sam Houston State (24-10) and Southeastern Louisiana (35-14), moral remains upbeat for Abilene Christian heading into their 2019 finale. |
| Mississippi State preparing for FCS opponent Abilene Christian | |
| Homecoming week is nearing its conclusion. While fraternity houses are decked for the occasion and alumni have begun their descent on campus, the Mississippi State football team (4-6, 2-5 SEC) welcomes FCS foe Abilene Christian (5-6, 4-5 Southland) to town at 6:30 p.m Saturday. Despite MSU boasting a 7-0 all-time record against Southland Conference competition, Abilene Christian brings a prolific passing attack to Starkville. Quarterback Luke Anthony -- who's passed for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns this season -- and the Wildcats boast seven receivers with at least 10 catches on the year. Leading the way are Kobe Clark and Josh Fink, who boast 76 and 63 receptions, respectively, and have combined for 1,543 of Abilene Christian's 2,973 receiving yards this season. On paper, Saturday's game lacks the high profile matchups that past weeks of SEC play have brought to Starkville. But with a season finale against Ole Miss that should determine MSU's bowl eligibility, the Bulldogs can ill-afford to take the Wildcats lightly. |
| How Mississippi State linebackers coach meshes football and faith | |
| The room was dark and quiet. A projector played Mississippi State's previous practice on a large screen in front of the Bulldog linebackers. Pre-season film breakdowns are dull and tend to drag on. This one was no different. But suddenly the room erupted with laughter, signaling an abnormal occurrence for the setting. The tape showed senior linebacker Tim Washington intercept a pass. As he ran toward the opposite end zone for a pick six, a figure as large as one of Washington's fellow linebackers was the first to greet him. It wasn't team captain Erroll Thompson or the always energetic Willie Gay Jr. It wasn't senior stalwart Leo Lewis either. It was a man sweating as profusely as a player and screaming loudly, as if he nabbed the interception and scored the touchdown. It was first-year linebackers coach Chris Marve. "He was just jumping up and down like a kid, so full of energy," Washington said through a smile. "It's exciting for us to see a coach getting that pumped when we're making plays. It makes us want to go harder." |
| Anatomy of an upset: How Joe Moorhead led FCS Fordham to wins over two FBS opponents | |
| Six years on from Fordham's historic win over Temple -- its first against an FBS team -- Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead -- then the head coach of the Rams -- finds himself on the flip side of that matchup as FCS foe Abilene Christian heads to Starkville Saturday. And while the Bulldogs come into the contest as heavy favorites, Moorhead is well aware of the attitude the Wildcats will bring with them. "In an FCS program, the kids look at this (game) with a chip on their shoulder and a chance to compete against players at the highest level," Moorhead said Monday. Saturday, Abilene Christian will enter Davis Wade Stadium with the hopes of etching itself into the FCS history books with a win over an SEC school. But if Moorhead has his way, the Bulldogs will find themselves in anything but a close contest. "I know (Abilene Christian) is going to be fired up and I know they are going to be excited," he said. |
| Tyson Carter surpasses 1,000 career points in Mississippi State's win against Tulane | |
| Behind efficient scoring efforts from Reggie Perry and Iverson Molinar, the Mississippi State men's basketball team passed its first test in the Myrtle Beach Invitational Thursday in Conway, South Carolina. Molinar made 6 of 8 shots, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, en route to a career-high 21 points in his team's 80-66 victory over Tulane at the HTC Center. Meanwhile, Perry chipped in 18 points on a 7 of 8 shooting effort with five rebounds. "Reggie dominated the game, scoring 18 points in 20 minutes. If you could keep him out of foul trouble, he would have had 30," MSU coach Ben Howland told The Dispatch. "He definitely asserted himself early in the game and gave his teammates confidence by how well he was playing." After being held scoreless in the first half, senior guard Tyson Carter scored 16 second-half points and also grabbed 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. In the victory, Carter surpassed 1,000 career points, giving him a total of 1,003 in his collegiate career. |
| Iverson Molinar scores 21 as Mississippi State beats Tulane | |
| Freshman Iverson Molinar scored a season-high 21 points and Mississippi State beat Tulane 80-66 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Myrtle Beach Invitational. Tyson Carter added 16 points and 11 rebounds, Reggie Perry scored 18 points, and the Bulldogs (5-0) shot 61% overall and made 13 of 19 shots in the second half. "We've got guys who are capable of shooting," Carter said, "and tonight was just a good night for Iverson and Reggie Perry." Mississippi State never trailed, established a 41-16 rebounding advantage, led by 25 and withstood a late rally to earn a matchup with No. 17 Villanova on Friday in one semifinal. |
| Mississippi State runs away with road victory at Jackson State | |
| There were no surprises in the Williams Assembly Center on Thursday night when No. 10 Mississippi State overpowered Jackson State. Sophomore center Jessika Carter scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, leading the Bulldogs to a 92-53 win. Mississippi State (5-0) had a 64-32 advantage in points in the paint. Freshman Rickea Jackson added 13 points and four rebounds for the Bulldogs. "I just want to thank Jackson State for having us down and allowing us to play in the state capital with them here on their campus," Mississippi State women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer said. Next up, the Tigers travel to Central Arkansas, and the Bulldogs head on the road to face Marquette. |
| Rickea Jackson's big second quarter helps Mississippi State to win over Jackson State | |
| It was Rickea Jackson's night in Mississippi's capital city Thursday night. Shaking off a handful of low-scoring outputs, Jackson finished her night with 13 points on 6 of 13 shooting as she guided Mississippi State (5-0) to a 92-53 victory over Jackson State (1-4) at the Williams Assembly Center. "I thought she provided a great spark in the first half," coach Vic Schaefer said. "Thought she was solid all night long -- she didn't settle, she attacked." Despite scoring in double-digits just once this season, Schaefer has remained complimentary of Jackson's play publicly. That said, he brought his star freshman off the bench for the first time this year Thursday -- starting junior guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter in her place -- in hopes of sparking his former five-star recruit. "It definitely gave me a different look," Jackson said postgame. "Just to see the person I'm trying to guard how she plays -- it gives me a heads up. I kind of like it." |
| No. 10 Bulldogs cruise to 5-0 | |
| Jessika Carter had 21 points and eight rebounds to help No. 10 Mississippi State rout Jackson State 92-53 on Thursday night. Freshman Rickea Jackson added 13 points, Andra Espinoza-Hunter had 12, and Myah Taylor finished with 11 points and five assists for the Bulldogs (5-0) in their first road game of the season. Chloe Bibby had a career-high 15 rebounds. Former Mississippi State player Ameshya Williams had 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Tigers (1-4). The Bulldogs took the lead before the opening tip after Jackson State was given an administrative technical foul. |
| Inside the SEC on CBS contract discussions and what could come next | |
 | It was the most anticipated game of the year, a battle of two undefeated SEC teams ranked atop the polls with an SEC West title on the line. ESPN's College GameDay and SEC Network's SEC Nation both broadcasted live from Tuscaloosa. Even President Donald Trump couldn't miss the "Game of the Century, Part 2," watching the game from a Bryant-Denny Stadium suite. And, to the surprise of no one, the game did huge television ratings. LSU's 46-41 win over Alabama gave CBS the highest-rated college football game of the season with more than 20 million viewers at its peak, the best rating for a regular-season game since the 2011 version of Alabama-LSU, the original Game of the Century. It's the highlight of what has been a standout ratings season for CBS as the network also has the second-best rated game, Georgia-Notre Dame, and still has the Iron Bowl and SEC Championship Game on deck. However, a pressing question in certain circles is how long those good times will last for CBS. In conversations with television insiders, conference experts and others with knowledge of the situation, anything but a crystal clear picture emerges about what will happen to the highly valuable SEC package when its deal with CBS ends after the 2023 football season. |
| Ole Miss names Keith Carter as permanent athletic director | |
| After a national search spanning just over three weeks, Ole Miss has found its new athletic director. Keith Carter, the former basketball All-American at Ole Miss who has been serving as the interim athletic director, will be formally announced as the school's permanent athletic director in a press conference on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. "This search was committed to finding the right leader who possesses the integrity and character needed to lead Ole Miss Athletics, a strong and proven record of success and excellent management and interpersonal skills," said University of Mississippi Chancellor Dr. Glenn Boyce. Following Boyce's appointment as chancellor, the University officially launched the search for the permanent athletic director role on Oct. 30. The committee, headed by former FedEx executive Mike Glenn, included David Dellucci, Peggie Gillom-Granderson, Jesse Mitchell, David Morris, Ron Rychlak and Wesley Walls. |
| Alcorn, JSU ready for rivalry showdown | |
| It's late November, which means Alcorn State has clinched another SWAC East Division championship and is starting to turn its attention toward winning the conference and black national championships. Before that, however, there is one important and nagging piece of business to take care of. Alcorn (7-3, 5-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) will finish the regular season Saturday with the annual "Soul Bowl" rivalry game against Jackson State (4-7, 3-3) in Jackson. It's a game the Braves are favored in, but also one that has given them some trouble during the first five years of their continuing reign as division champs. "If I've got to talk to you about getting read for this one, then we don't have a chance," JSU coach John Hendrick said at his weekly press conference. "I've been a part of a lot of rivalries in my career and this is as good as any of them. It just doesn't get the national notoriety. Ole Miss and Mississippi State, LSU and Alabama -- it's as mean as any of them." |
| Image-Licensing Deals Could Enrich Big-Time College Athletes. What About the Soccer Team? | |
| If Joey DeZart played the right kind of football, he could make millions. With California's new law granting college athletes the right to benefit from their name, image, and likeness -- and similar legislation proposed in more than a dozen other states and Congress -- football and men's basketball stars figure to benefit the most. Big-name quarterbacks like Tua Tagovailoa and one-and-done basketball players like Zion Williamson, if he'd stayed at Duke University, could stand to make millions under such legislation. But for nonrevenue players like DeZart, a midfielder for Wake Forest University's soccer team, those projections are much smaller. Rashida Gayle, director of talent marketing at GSE Worldwide, estimates that college athletes from nonrevenue sports could make five or six figures "if they do it right." Gayle, who represents professional athletes in both kinds of football, expects a competitive, oversaturated market. |
| Memphis football coach Mike Norvell meets with Arkansas regarding opening, per report | |
| Memphis football coach Mike Norvell has met with Arkansas regarding its coaching vacancy, per a report from FootballScoop. Norvell was reported to be a candidate for the Arkansas job in 2017 before the school hired Chad Morris, who was fired this month after going 4-18 in two seasons, including being winless in SEC play. After Florida State fired Willie Taggart earlier this month, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported that Norvell's name was gaining traction as a candidate. Norvell is 35-15 record in his four seasons at Memphis and has a low buyout of $500,000. The Tigers (9-1) are ranked No. 18 in the Amway Coaches Poll, Associated Press Poll and the College Football Playoff ranking. This is the third consecutive season Norvell's name has come up in the coaching carousel. He was also reported to be a candidate last season for vacancies at Louisville and Kansas State. |
| Sports-bet setup not regulated by Arkansas commission, but objections aren't ruled out | |
| The Arkansas Racing Commission on Thursday instructed its attorney to inform a Nevada company that operates a site for people to buy and sell active sportsbook tickets that the commission doesn't regulate the firm under its rules. But the commission stopped short of heeding PropSwap's request to confirm that there is no objection to the Las Vegas company doing business in Arkansas, after attorneys for Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and Southland Casino Racing said they recently learned about the company and have numerous questions about the company's operations. Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution, approved by voters in November of 2018, authorized the commission to license up to four casinos in Arkansas, including the expansion of Oaklawn and Southland and a casino apiece in Jefferson and Pope counties, and also authorized sports betting. PropSwap provides a platform for people who made a legal sports bet from a licensed sportsbook to sell their bet to an interested buyer. |
| 'Zombie' disease could kill Alabama's $1.8 billion deer hunting industry | |
| It's inevitable that a disease that is always fatal to whitetail deer will spread to Alabama, a top state conservation official says. And the effects it will have economically, culturally and even medically is unfathomable. Chronic Wasting Disease is likely "three to five years," from showing up in the state, said Chuck Sykes, director of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Hunting generates a $1.8 billion annual economic impact in Alabama. The closest states to Alabama with confirmed cases of CWD are Mississippi and Tennessee, with those cases being in free ranging deer. The disease has been confirmed in Hardeman and Fayette counties in southwestern Tennessee and Pontotoc County in northeastern Mississippi. The counties are not contiguous to Alabama, but are within 50 miles of the state line. According to economist Rob Southwick, Alabama hunters spend twice as much each year as the combined annual revenues of the 10 largest companies in the state. |
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