| Tuesday, April 21, 2026 |
| Mississippi farmers to reduce corn, rice acreage in 2026 | |
 | Mississippi farmers are planning to plant fewer acres of most major row crops in 2026, reflecting continued pressure from falling commodity prices and rising production costs, according to new USDA data. USDA's Prospective Plantings report shows intended acreage declines for corn, rice and cotton in Mississippi, while soybean acres are forecast to increase significantly. Nationally, total acres intended for planting across all crops dipped slightly compared with last year, underscoring what analysts say will be another challenging year for agriculture. Will Maples, an ag economist with Mississippi State University Extension, noted that some markets have shown modest improvement this winter. "We have seen a decent rally in soybean and cotton prices this winter. Margins are still expected to be tight, but things are slightly better," Maples said. Input costs remain a concern, however, especially fertilizer and fuel. Conflict in the Middle East has added volatility to energy markets, which can extend to agriculture. |
| Trailblazing Veterinarians: Purdue Honors 5 Alumni at Inaugural Dean's Dinner of Distinction | |
| At a time when veterinary medicine is evolving rapidly -- spanning everything from rural animal care to global research -- Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine used a new stage to spotlight the breadth of that work, honoring five alumni whose careers reflect the profession's expanding reach. "These individuals represent the very best of Purdue Veterinary Medicine," said Bret D. Marsh, the college's dean. "Their impact has extended far beyond their individual careers as they have shaped communities, advanced animal and human health, and strengthened the profession as a whole." Among them is Nicholas Frank, an internationally recognized expert in equine endocrinology whose career has bridged research and academic leadership. After early work in private equine practice, Frank returned to Purdue for advanced training before holding senior roles at the University of Tennessee and Tufts University. He now serves as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. |
| MSU and SOCSD partner to provide students with education tutoring enrichment | |
 | The educational partnership between the Starkville Oktibbeha County School District and Mississippi State University is proving to be beneficial for both groups. The most obvious sign of this is the district's Partnership Middle School for 6th and 7th graders. Housed on the MSU campus, it provides middle school teachers and students access to facilities and activities on campus. It also provides them access to university faculty and their expertise, as well as students in the Education Department who can help with tutoring and enrichment programs for students. For the university, it gives prospective teachers a chance to learn from veteran teachers and a chance to interact with students at the level they plan to teach. "So, MSU is training their teachers by putting them in Partnership. They put them in classes in our building, but they are also putting them in the classrooms with our teachers, and they're training our teachers at the same time they're training their teachers," said SOCASD-MSU Liaison, Mandy Scarpulla. |
| USDA says 45 Mississippi counties have been affected by drought | |
| The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently notified Governor Tate Reeves (R) that 21 counties in Mississippi have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to recent drought conditions. Another 24 counties were listed among contiguous counties impacted by the disaster. Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson shared the news Monday, saying, "A very large portion of Mississippi is in a drought situation even at this early stage of the year." "I received and am sharing a copy of the USDA's letter designating a drought disaster in 21 primary counties in Mississippi, plus 24 contiguous counties," Gipson said. "I encourage you to review this list and visit your local federal Farm Service Agency." Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton sent a letter to Reeves on April 10 stating that a Secretarial disaster designated by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins makes farm operators in the affected counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance. |
| Neshoba County Fair to be held a month earlier this year | |
| Mississippi's Giant Houseparty will kick things off a month earlier than normal this year. Instead of getting underway in late July, as has been the case for decades, the 137th Neshoba County Fair will run from June 19-26. Fair officials announced last year that the 2026 edition of cabin-filled festivities was moving back on the calendar to accommodate early school starts and late-summer scheduling conflicts. The June start might not be a permanent fix, though. Neshoba County Fair Association President and state Rep. Scott Bounds said officials would reconvene to discuss the pros, cons, and overall outlook on the fair running in June, while working to iron out future dates that are as convenient as possible for event-goers. As for 2026, folks can enjoy another round of porch swing conversations at a cabin belonging to a friend, family member, or random stranger showing southern hospitality, while also delighting in some of the finer things rural Mississippi has to offer, in just over two months. |
| MDOT executive director pleased with 'pro-transportation' legislative session | |
| The executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation said Monday afternoon that he is pleased with the nearly $2 billion in funding the department received for the coming fiscal year. "This session was pro-transportation," said Brad White, noting the passage of HB 325, which eliminates the reverse repealer for lottery funding going to MDOT. The legislation allows a guaranteed $80 million to flow to the state agency. "You can now plan," said White of the dedicated funds, adding, "In transportation, we don't just move cars, we move people. If we don't tell people what we are doing, they will assume we're lost." However, White said MDOT did not receive full funding for its capacity projects and must now rely on the federal government to move ahead on those projects. He told a group of about 30 people at the Stennis Capitol Press Forum in Jackson that MDOT received about half of the department's needs, or $150 million, from the Legislature. The remaining funding could come from the Federal Highway Administration, but that is not a guarantee. |
| MDOT executive director discusses latest funding totals from lawmakers | |
| The Mississippi Department of Transportation will operate on a nearly $2 billion budget next year. But the agency did not receive its full funding request from lawmakers for capacity projects. Now, they will have to wait for the green light from the Federal Highway Administration to proceed. MDOT Executive Director Brad White said the agency received $150 million for capacity projects, about half of what is needed. The funding shortfall affects three major planned expansions: I-55 in Madison County, Highway 25 in Rankin County, and I-55 in DeSoto County. "$150 million gets you maybe halfway on those projects," White said. White said the agency is working to show the Federal Highway Administration how it will cash flow the projects from beginning to completion rather than delaying construction. |
| Conservative wins on immigration, abortion in Mississippi Legislature | |
 | Mississippi remains, to the disappointment of advocates and legislators led by Speaker Jason White, the only state in the southeast without comprehensive school choice after a resounding "no" in the state senate. Legislators ultimately didn't heed federal directives encouraging them to adopt policies such as easier transfers between school districts and state-funded private school vouchers. Although the most prominent piece of conservative legislation didn't make it over the finish line, classifying the 2026 legislative session as a loss for conservative voters would be a mistake. The chambers, both dominated by Republican members and guided by the party in leadership roles, passed through several measures aligned with state and national conservative priorities and doubled down on previous ones, like tax cuts. |
| Inside the secretary of state's $50,000 deal to use Experian's unverified information that he said would 'strengthen' election integrity | |
| The Mississippi Secretary of State's Office spent $50,000 to run nearly 2 million checks of Experian's unverified commercial data on registered voters, saying it did so to verify their addresses and help determine their status in a push starting last July to "strengthen the integrity of elections" statewide. For years before the deal, Mississippi's county election commissioners solely relied on government information to do the routine job of identifying and inactivating voters who had moved. When Secretary of State Michael Watson announced a partnership with the credit-reporting giant last year, his office issued a press release saying the deal would "bring a new level of reliable data" to enhance this process from the commercial realm, after a "successful" experiment using the company's data in Lafayette County in early 2024. But internal records show Watson's office proceeded to expand the use of Experian's information statewide, despite receiving disclaimers from the company that it couldn't guarantee the data's reliability. |
| Hunting enthusiasts notch farm bill win with greyhound ban fix | |
 | The 2026 farm bill is on its way to the House floor as soon as next week with a subtle change to the sweeping legislation's greyhound racing ban after an outcry from hunting advocates. The latest version of the bill, released by the Rules Committee last week, would axe language that would have imposed a nationwide ban on live lure training -- the use of live animals such as jackrabbits as bait for racing and hunting dogs. It also drops a proposed ban on open field coursing, competitions where hounds are released to hunt down jackrabbits and hares. At the House Agriculture Committee's farm bill markup in early March, the panel approved by voice vote an amendment by Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., that would prohibit commercial greyhound racing, live lure training, open field coursing, betting on greyhound races and the trafficking of greyhounds for these purposes. The amendment is functionally identical to a bill introduced by a bipartisan group of House members last August. |
| Warsh Embarks on High-Wire Act of Convincing Investors Without Angering Trump | |
 | Wall Street and Washington will be watching Kevin Warsh on Tuesday for any sign he has an understanding with President Trump to cut interest rates if installed as chair of the Federal Reserve. Trump will be watching for any sign he doesn't. The high-wire act starts before Warsh even has the job. Warsh secured the nomination by convincing Trump he shares the president's view that the Fed should be cutting rates. At his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, he can reaffirm that case -- at a moment when the Iran war has turned economic conditions against it -- or begin, carefully, to distance himself from it. Air cover from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who last week said he understood why the war had made the Fed hesitant to cut, might have helped Warsh. But Trump publicly overruled Bessent one day later, saying he didn't agree. Warsh has said almost nothing in public about monetary policy in five months -- since before he was selected for the job. He broke the silence Monday, saying in prepared remarks for his confirmation hearing that the Fed's independence isn't threatened when elected officials "state their views on interest rates." But he also warned that continued inflation would raise public doubts about whether monetary-policy independence is worth preserving. |
| Who owns presidential records? Trump's Justice Department says it's him | |
 | Over the past year, President Trump has bulldozed through multiple restraints on his power. He's fired watchdogs, dismantled agencies, and declared emergencies to impose tariffs and mobilize troops. Now, he's shrugging off a law Congress passed decades ago to preserve White House papers -- and historians are taking him to court. At stake is the fate of millions of papers and electronic messages -- not just for Trump's second term in office, but for future presidents and people who want to understand them. The story begins more than a half century ago, in July 1974, when the Supreme Court unanimously ordered President Richard Nixon to turn over White House recordings to a special prosecutor. Nixon left office only a few weeks later, setting off a struggle over the ownership of presidential papers. |
| 'The absolute edge of precedent': Feds prepare to take on data centers | |
 | The White House wants federal energy regulators to act on data centers. They're gearing up to take a big swing. Over the coming weeks, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hammer out the details of a proposal that could be a striking assertion of federal power to manage the nation's rapidly rising electricity demand. Under a plan put forward by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, FERC would regulate the way America's biggest electricity customers are brought onto the power grid. FERC's chair, Laura Swett, has echoed President Donald Trump's willingness to test the limits of federal power to shape the U.S. energy economy. "I know very well from litigating where the absolute edge of precedent, when it comes to FERC, is," Swett, a former energy attorney at Vinson & Elkins, said of her leadership style at last week's Energy Bar Association annual conference. "I have an appetite to push right up to that edge if it may secure effective results." Buffeting the Trump administration's policy drive are clear signs that data centers have become toxic to many voters. |
| Jackson City Council considers limits on data centers amid state boom | |
| As data centers surge across Mississippi, Jackson may be drawing a line. A proposed ordinance on the Jackson City Council's Tuesday, April 21 agenda would establish a temporary moratorium on new data center development, while also creating a regulatory framework for future projects. Typically, more details would be included in the council's agenda packet, but the full ordinance was not available as of Monday, April 20. The measure is being introduced by Ward 4 Councilman and Council President Brian Grizzell. Under city rules, ordinances must first be introduced at a council meeting before the council can vote on adoption two weeks later. In the past two years, at least four major data center projects have been announced in cities surrounding Jackson. The boom extends beyond the Jackson metro. |
| The Rise of Apple's New CEO: A Hardware Expert Takes Over in the AI Era | |
| The Mac Mini was sorely in need of an update, and John Ternus hoped he didn't need to go through design guru Jony Ive. Years ago, before Ternus was tapped to take the helm of one of the world's biggest and most influential companies, he led Apple's Mac hardware division. It was one of many stops as he rose through the ranks of the insular company and learned to navigate its curious internal politics. The AI revolution that would make the Mac Mini hugely popular was still years away, yet software developers needed a new version with updated chips. A new enclosure for the Mini could require work by Ive's industrial design department that could lead to delays. Ternus ordered the update after determining that the design wouldn't need a major change, people familiar with the move said. He didn't dwell on the product's profit potential, focusing instead on its value to Apple's overall ecosystem. It was one of many episodes that showed his decisiveness, keen understanding of Apple's culture and products, and how to get things done inside the company, the people said. Over his 25 year career at Apple, those characteristics have propelled Ternus all the way to the company's top job, which he will take over Sept. 1, the company announced Monday, instantly making him one of the highest-profile corporate leaders in the world. Longtime Apple CEO Tim Cook will become executive chairman. |
| IHL contractor continues work to develop new university funding model | |
| Development of a new funding model for Mississippi's eight public universities continues as the June deadline approaches for the third-party contractor to present options that include performance metrics. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning have contracted with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) to develop the new funding model. Feedback from the universities revealed that the old model was inflexible with respect to the base cost of running an institution. It also did not take into consideration how large gaps in funding occur between each university, NCHEMS President Brian Prescott described. Another overlooked factor was the cost of maintaining state owned property, particularly in regard to ensuring deferred maintenance backlogs do not get out of hand. "To be brief about it, we determined that starting with the appropriated amount, and then dividing it among institutions, really failed to account for how well institutions are funded relative to one another and related to their missions in particular," Prescott told the IHL Board. "And it does not consider the full range of institutional funding needs that they have." |
| Dr. Steven Cunningham takes over as IHL Board president | |
 | Leadership of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) changed at the board's monthly meeting on April 16, 2026. The gavel was passed from outgoing president Gee Ogletree to incoming president Dr. Steven Cunningham. The term for a board president is one year. "Serving as president during these challenging times in higher education has been a privilege," Ogletree said. "The opportunity to help lead this board and advocate for Mississippi's public universities is an honor for which I will always be grateful." Ogletree was appointed in 2018 by Gov. Phil Bryant to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will officially end in May 2027. Cunningham was also appointed by Bryant in 2018 to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will also expire in May 2027. Cunningham will chair his first meeting as president of the board on May 21, 2026. |
| USM Remembers Former President Dr. Shelby F. Thames | |
| Dr. Shelby Freland Thames, the eighth president of The University of Southern Mississippi and an accomplished research scientist and respected academic leader, passed away Friday, April 17, 2026. His life's work left a lasting imprint on higher education, scientific research and institutional resilience during one of the most challenging periods in the University's history. Thames served as president of Southern Miss from May 1, 2002, to May 20, 2007, following nearly four decades of service to the University as a faculty member and administrator. Over the course of his career, he was recognized nationally as a pioneer in polymer science while also guiding Southern Miss through significant academic growth, capital expansion and disaster recovery. |
| Students raise concerns as JSU housing shortage continues | |
| A housing shortage at Jackson State University continues to affect students as demand for on-campus living exceeds available space. While the university says it is providing resources and alternative housing options, some students say the uncertainty is causing stress ahead of the upcoming school year. Zion Washington, a JSU sophomore majoring in political science, said the shortage is creating widespread concern across the campus community. Mason Rollins, a JSU senior political science major, said he wants the university to be more direct about its plans. "The main thing that I want to see JSU do is to just address it head-on and say this is what we're doing. I want to see steps saying here's step one. Here's what we're gonna do to continue this. I just want updates." Jackson State University said in a statement that it understands student concerns and is actively working to support those affected by the shortage. |
| Reissue of JSU's centennial history resonates for its 150th anniversary | |
| Following the American Civil War and during the Reconstruction era, a small but important private college was established by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York and African American Baptists in Mississippi. The efforts of Rev. Henry P. Jacobs, a prominent leader among Mississippi Black Baptists and the first president of the state Baptist convention, were instrumental in the school's founding. Founded in October 1877 in Natchez, this institution was initially named Natchez College and was dedicated to training African American preachers and teachers. It was not the first of its kind in Mississippi -- Rust College, Tougaloo College and Alcorn State University had already been planted in the fertile soil of Mississippi between 1866 and 1871. This timely reissue of "Jackson State University: The First Hundred Years, 1877-1977" by Lelia Gaston Rhodes aligns with Jackson State University's 150th anniversary in 2027, just as the original publication aligned with the celebration of the school's centennial. |
| SEC ALDP Spring Workshop Prepares Faculty for Leadership Roles | |
| Faculty leaders from across the Southeastern Conference gathered at the University of Alabama for the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Spring Workshop, a multi-day event focused on practical skill-building and cross-institutional learning. The workshop brought together fellows from each SEC institution for interactive sessions, panel discussions and campus experiences designed to prepare faculty for senior leadership roles. It also marked the final workshop for many in the cohort, following their fall meeting at Mississippi State University. During the spring event, participants engaged with university leaders and peers on key topics shaping higher education. Discussions ranged from how institutions are leveraging research and partnerships to current and future trends in student enrollment. Fellows heard from University of Alabama President Peter Mohler, Interim Provost Lesley Reid, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne and other campus leaders throughout the week. |
| Alabama cyber school opens new $12.5 million facility, announces first-of-its-kind research hub | |
 | The Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering celebrated the opening of the $12.5 million Sentinel Center on Friday. The 1,100-seat facility was constructed by Brasfield & Gorrie. The facility supports athletics, student programs, and collaborative space. "This is about preparing students for what comes next," said PeggyLee Wright, Executive Director of the ASCTE Foundation in a school news release. "Many people don't realize just how unique this school is," Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said. "The Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering is one of a kind in the nation, drawing some of the brightest students from across the state. These are young people who are already thinking at a high level and preparing to lead in critical fields. Investments like this strengthen our community's competitive edge and position Huntsville and Alabama for long-term success." |
| U. of Tennessee's Tombras School celebrates The Orange Room's launch, emphasizes hands-on learning | |
| Students and faculty gathered Tuesday evening to celebrate the launch of The Orange Room, a University of Tennessee student-led advertising and public relations firm, after more than a decade of its development. "The moon, the sun and the stars needed to be aligned for this," David Norman, co-faculty director and assistant professor of practice, said. The Orange Room, an initiative crafted by the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, provides hands-on experience to prepare students pursuing advertising or PR after graduation. "Here in the university and in this college, we focus on building a best-in-class student experience," College of Communication and Information Dean Joseph Mazer said. "There are many ways we do that. A lot of those ways are in classrooms, but most of it happens outside the classroom." |
| Tenn. Passes 'Charlie Kirk Act' Defending Campus Speakers From Disruption | |
 | The killing last fall of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who founded the campus-focused group Turning Point USA, continues to echo in politics, triggering sometimes-heated debates over his legacy. Conservative lawmakers in some states have filed higher ed–related bills named in honor of Kirk, who was shot to death Sept. 10 while speaking on Utah Valley University's campus. Tennessee's GOP-controlled General Assembly passed one last week that specifically protects the speech of invited campus speakers, and it now just needs Republican governor Bill Lee's signature to become law. Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso told Inside Higher Ed he filed the original House version of the bill for two principal reasons: to promote "robust civil debate on our public colleges and universities" and "to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk for his work in promoting civil debate" on campuses. |
| AI is changing how Texas universities teach computer science as job market slows | |
| Anxiety is in the air at computer science programs on university campuses across Texas. Universities are incorporating artificial intelligence into education more every year, while admissions to computer science programs are down roughly 20% in Texas and nationally as hiring slows for software engineers. Students are experiencing those changes in real time as they prepare to enter an uncertain job market in a rapidly changing industry. "At the very beginning, it was a joke," said Derek Do, a third year computer science major at the University of Texas at Austin. "The industry took it seriously, but a lot of the students didn't." A computer science degree, previously seen as a reliable path to a well-paying tech job, doesn't seem like such a sure thing to many students who worry that they will be the first victims of a future built around AI. "I've applied to a billion jobs, as everyone has too," added Do, who was recently able to secure an internship with a top tech company. |
| Why has U. of Oklahoma graduation weekend become less profitable? | |
| Reports recently obtained by OU Daily found that despite the city of Norman generating more sales tax revenue from Oklahoma football and back-to-school season, revenue from May graduation weekend has decreased since moving to the Southeastern Conference in July 2024. Now, city financial and economic leaders are weighing in on what they describe as a "fascinating" trend that could ultimately force the city to "tighten our belt" if the decline continues. In an interview with the Daily, Clint Mercer, city of Norman finance director, said though the city is not too concerned with the trending decline in revenue from May 2023 to May 2025, the decline follows revenue trends since the COVID-19 pandemic. Mercer added that though the move to the SEC has benefited Norman's economy, the overall effect has been mixed. |
| Ukrainian students at Mizzou are concerned the war at home has been forgotten | |
 | When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Alina Rohulia was in her five-story apartment in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, about 20 miles from the Russian border. She woke up at 5 a.m. to the sound of explosions and her dad shouting, "Wake up, it has started." At one point, Russian troops were one mile from her home, she said. Rohulia and her parents had been in the basement of the apartment in Ukraine for a week when a missile penetrated the roof, causing her parents to send her to the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Rohulia was in Poltava for 7 months before she came to the U.S. Now, four years later, Rohulia, a doctoral student at the University of Missouri studying health informatics, said she is disappointed to hear less conversation surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war. She said she believes many people seem to have forgotten that the war continues to cause Ukrainian casualties. |
| 'We got to get out of here': U. of Iowa students recall Ped Mall shooting | |
| Students in the Ped Mall at the time of the shooting early Sunday are recalling the moment when they heard the shots ring out, KCCI reports. Iowa City police responded to a report of a fight at 1:46 a.m. Sunday when gunshots rang out. University of Iowa sophomore Ellie Mangold was maybe 100 feet or so from the gunshots. "I heard the four gunshots, and I talked to my friend and was like, 'Was that gunshots?'" Mangold said. "We hear people screaming, I look back, everyone starts running. So we were just like, we gotta move now. We got to get out of here." "We were just like walking around, and I had no idea because usually I feel really safe in this town," Mangold said. "So just seeing that happen was insane to me." |
| Scientist Irritated by Lab Colleague Accused in Poisoning Attempt | |
 | A scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had simmered for years with such resentment and jealousy over a colleague that he poisoned the man's water with chemicals this month, local authorities said. The victim quickly discovered the plot when he took a sip from his contaminated Trader Joe's water bottle and spat out the foul-tasting water, according to a state criminal complaint charging the defendant, Makoto Kuroda. Two days later, the victim, who was identified in the complaint only by the initials T.M., smelled a suspicious odor coming from the laboratory shoes he kept in his office and reported the incident. Mr. Kuroda, 41, a staff scientist at the Influenza Research Institute in the School of Veterinary Medicine, faces two felony charges of recklessly endangering safety and tampering with a household product with the intent to kill, injure or endanger someone's health. John Lucas, a spokesman for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said in a statement that Mr. Kuroda was currently on administrative leave and that the university was conducting an investigation. |
| Employers say they struggle to find graduates with the right AI skillset | |
| Although artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way companies do business, 53% of employers said their main challenge was finding graduates with the right AI skills, according to new research from Pearson and Amazon Web Services. The report found that 78% of higher education leaders said they believed they were meeting employer expectations, but only 28% of employers said universities were keeping up with AI‑driven change. Meanwhile, a scant 14% of current graduates said they had achieved a high level of proficiency when it came to applying AI tools in a professional setting. Although 64% said they frequently used AI for core academics, only 34% said they felt confident that their use was compliant with institutional policies. Tom ap Simon, president of higher education and virtual learning at Pearson, said in a statement that it was clear that basic AI literacy was no longer sufficient. |
| Colleges Were Sweating a Major Compliance Deadline. Now the Justice Dept. Has Delayed It. | |
 | Public colleges across the country were days away from a major compliance deadline: By this Friday, their websites, digital tools, and course materials were supposed to meet new federal accessibility standards under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Instead, the Department of Justice has pushed that deadline back by a year, offering institutions more time to overhaul sprawling and often outdated digital ecosystems. The delay, announced Monday in an interim final rule published in the Federal Register, extends the effective date of the department's stricter accessibility rules, which were finalized in 2024 under the Biden administration. The Justice Department cited circumstances "beyond the department's control." The new compliance deadline for most public colleges is April 26, 2027. Some public colleges categorized as small entities will have until April 26, 2028. |
| States Grapple With Effects of OBBBA Cuts on Higher Ed | |
| Nine months after Congress passed the sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its multibillion-dollar cuts to health care and nutrition-assistance programs, researchers and policy analysts are still trying to clarify the toll the legislation could take on state budgets. And as the picture starts to come into focus, they say, it is not a pretty one -- especially for public colleges and universities. Some level of funding cuts for higher ed are inevitable as states figure out how to fill the gap in social services left by the federal cuts. Historically, funding for public colleges and universities has served as an indicator of overall budgetary health: When state budgets and tax revenue are strong, typically so is funding for higher ed. But when states face tight budgets, colleges are first on the chopping block. Now -- with a little less than a year to go before OBBBA's nearly trillion-dollar 10-year cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are slated to take effect -- policy experts are trying to determine which states are most at risk, and to what degree. |
| Trump Administration Proposes New 'Earnings Premium' Accountability System | |
| The Department of Education issued a proposal for a new accountability system Monday that it claims will "break the cycle of low return on investment for students and taxpayers." Under the system, institutions would have to show that graduates from their undergraduate degree programs earn more per year than a typical high school graduate. Programs that fail on this metric would lose access to federal student loans and possibly Pell Grants, the department stated. "The Trump Administration's proposed accountability framework is grounded in common sense," said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent. "If postsecondary education programs do not leave graduates better off, taxpayers should not subsidize them." The department is accepting public comments on a draft of the new accountability framework through May 20. Few topics have gotten more attention in higher education over the past decade than accountability and making sure that taxpayers, students and families can discern which programs pay off economically. |
| States eulogize Charlie Kirk with new laws promoting religion and free speech | |
 | A new Kansas law will allow college students to sue their schools for free-speech violations. In Tennessee, a new law will encourage teachers and professors to include "the positive impacts of religion" in American history courses. The common factor: Both are being done in the name of Charlie Kirk. The laws are among the first of what could become multiple state tributes to the conservative activist who was killed while speaking at a Utah university last year. More than 60 Kirk-themed bills have been proposed in over 20 states seeking to promote his ideology, establish official days of remembrance or affix his name to roads and public places, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural. Just like Kirk, who was known for his provocative campus debates, the measures are not without controversy. |
| Lawmakers are keen on transparency and oversight for governor's spending, but not their own | |
| Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender writes: In a recent dustup between the Legislature and Gov. Tate Reeves, lawmakers were demanding oversight and transparency on how he spends hundreds of millions of dollars meant to help rural hospitals. That sounds mete and just. Who could argue that spending hundreds of millions of tax dollars shouldn't be done in the open and by the rules? But even as lawmakers passed a bill to foist transparency and rules on the governor's rural health spending (spoiler alert: He vetoed it, and the Senate didn't have the sand to try to override), they themselves were writing a taxpayer check for hundreds of millions of dollars. And they were doing it in a most non-transparent, unregulated way. ... Mississippi lawmakers talk a lot about transparency and oversight, and they try to apply it to others every chance they get. But they go to great pains to make sure no transparency ever splashes onto them. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: No. 15 MSU Returns Home To Host Memphis | |
| No. 15 Mississippi State returns to Dudy Noble Field on Tuesday night looking to keep its momentum rolling when the Diamond Dawgs host Memphis in a midweek matchup that has recently belonged to the Maroon and White. MSU enters at 30-10 overall and riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping South Carolina on the road for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs have won six straight meetings against Memphis and own a commanding 60-27 edge in the all-time series. State defeated the Tigers twice last season, a 5-3 win in Memphis and an 18-5 run-rule victory in Starkville. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+ as Mississippi State returns home before a pivotal SEC series in Starkville against LSU later this week. Memphis arrives at 15-23 overall, 7-8 in AAC play and riding a five-game winning streak. |
| Memphis Rides Five-Game Winning Streak Into Clash at No. 15 Mississippi State | |
| The University of Memphis (15-23, 7-8 American) baseball team will ride their five-game winning streak into Starkville, Mississippi for a midweek clash against the No. 15 Mississippi State Bulldogs (30-10, 10-8 SEC). Mississippi State holds a 40-13 advantage in the all-time series against Memphis. The upcoming matchup will represent the 54th meeting between the two programs. A season ago, the Tigers hosted the Bulldogs at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field, dropping a close 5-3 decision on April 1. Memphis later traveled to Starkville on April 29, where it fell 18-5 in a seven-inning contest. Memphis (15-23, 7-8 American) comes into Tuesday with the ninth longest active win streak in D1, winning their last five games, including a sweep of conference for Rice over the weekend. No. 15 Mississippi State (30-10, 10-8 SEC) comes into Tuesday on a four-game winning streak of their own, run-ruling Samford 11-1 last Tuesday and sweeping South Carolina over the weekend. |
| Clyde Muse contributed much, including to the sport of T-ball | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Many readers surely have seen the news that Clyde Muse, an educator for 67 years and for 42 years the president of Hinds Community College, died last week at the age of 96. Muse has often been referred to as the "Godfather" of Mississippi's community college system. Little kids probably would better appreciate Muse as one of the people crediting with inventing T-ball, a sport that has become a rite of spring for thousands upon thousands of youngsters too small to throw strikes or hit thrown baseballs. If you've never seen a game, you owe it to yourself. A thorough internet investigation has found T-ball was "invented" in different parts of the country by different people. It was first played in Mississippi, in Starkville, during the summer of 1961 when Muse was directing the town's park programs. The game is now played -- often with hilarious results -- virtually everywhere. |
| House v. NCAA Class Counsel Asks Court to Rein in CSC's 'Overreach' | |
| An escalating dispute over the extent of the College Sports Commission's jurisdiction is now headed to court. Late Monday, the House v. NCAA class counsel filed a motion asking the court to rein in what they characterized as the CSC's "overreach" in defining and enforcing a "narrow" category of NIL agreement involving so-called "associated entities or individuals." The lawyers argue that the CSC has significantly overstepped its intended authority in regulating the types of NIL deals it was designed to oversee. The motion to enforce the settlement follows a CSC memo issued earlier this month reaffirming the commission's view that athlete NIL deals involving university multimedia rights partners (MMRs) -- such as Learfield or Playfly -- as well as certain third-party brand sponsors, should fall within the scope of the CSC's NIL Go review. Under this approach, such agreements are subject to the same fair market scrutiny applied to deals involving NIL collectives or boosters. |
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