| Wednesday, January 6, 2021 |
| In Difficult Times, Celebrate Your University's Successes! | |
 | Jim Martin, associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development at Mississippi State University, writes for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities: Throughout the year, all of our universities have, out of necessity, given a substantial amount of attention to the many logistical, financial, and personal challenges brought on by the pandemic. With so much uncertainty, it is easy to move from one crisis to the next without stopping to appreciate the things that are being accomplished. The celebrations that do take place are often substantially altered by necessary safety precautions. That said, it is important that universities take time to celebrate successes during times such as these. In addition to boosting morale on campus, this also helps lift the spirits of the communities that we are inextricably linked to as economically engaged universities. The pandemic has underscored the tremendous value a connected university brings to our local and state communities as we have all seen our institutions step up to assist in the fight against COVID-19. We have also continued the everyday work that is needed to carry out our teaching, research and service missions. |
| MSU Extension Service launches new 4-H center | |
 | The Mississippi State University Extension Service is launching a new Extension Center for 4-H Youth Development. 4-H provides non-formal youth development education across the state for eight to 18-year-olds through programs delivered locally by Extension agents and registered 4-H adult volunteers. "Renaming the office and program furthers our strategic goal of expanding outreach and engagement while adhering to Extension's core values," said Extension Director Gary Jackson. "The center will allow for greater synergy between state and county level faculty and staff and raise 4-H's visibility as a potential partner with other organizations." Jackson asked veteran 4-H leader and MSU youth development professor Linda Mitchell to serve as the interim director of the center for up to one year while a national search is conducted. |
| MSU's Gholson promoted to NCAAR coordinator | |
 | Dr. Steve Martin, the interim Head at Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Drew Gholson as the Coordinator of the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research (NCAAR). NCAAR is a jointly created and cooperative organization established by MSU and USDA/ARS. The mission of NCAAR is to conduct research and provide information for issues surrounding water-use for agriculture and natural resources in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB). "I am excited about this opportunity as a whole," said Dr. Gholson. "The level of expertise at the Center is outstanding. The talent and dedication is part of the spirit of the MSU and ARS organizations, and this side-by-side collaboration is invaluable to our local producers and ag industry," added Gholson. |
| Wallace Community College forms partnership with Mississippi State | |
| From an idea given birth on the golf course, students in the Demopolis area seeking an undergraduate degree now have the option of earning one from Mississippi State University, thanks to a partnership between MSU-Meridian and Wallace Community College. The two schools signed an agreement that went into effect Jan. 1 allowing students at WCC -- at both the Demopolis and Selma campuses -- to earn full credit for the first two years of college at MSU. "It's important to have a relationship with them," said Blaine Hathcock, director of the WCC Demopolis campus. What makes the arrangement even more attractive is that MSU students living in west Alabama don't have to pay out-of-state tuition. MSU-Meridian has created Partnership Pathways with several community colleges in Mississippi. This is the first partnership with an Alabama college. WCC spent some $40,000 over the Christmas break to install special camera and computer technology to allow synchronous instruction. Students in Demopolis can interact with their teachers on the Meridian or Starkville campuses, and the instructors can see their students. |
| Former Columbus mayor to run for alderman in Starkville | |
 | Former Columbus mayor Jeffrey Rupp officially re-entered politics Monday when he qualified to run for Ward 3 alderman in Starkville. Rupp was one of two non-incumbents to file paperwork for city elected seats in Starkville on the first day of qualifying. William "Mike" Brooks, the city's Planning and Zoning Commission chairman, qualified to run for Ward 4 alderman. Aldermen David Little of Ward 3 and Jason Walker of Ward 4 both announced in November they would not run for reelection after two terms each. Rupp stepped down from his position as mayor of Columbus in 2006 to move to Starkville and work for Mississippi State University, where he serves as director of outreach for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach. Brooks has been on the Planning and Zoning Commission since 2013 and has been chairman since 2015. He is also a real estate broker and appraiser. Mayor Lynn Spruill and the remaining five incumbent aldermen -- Ben Carver of Ward 1, Sandra Sistrunk of Ward 2, Hamp Beatty of Ward 5, Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins of Ward 6 and Henry Vaughn of Ward 7 -- all submitted their qualifying paperwork Monday, City Clerk Lesa Hardin said. |
| Garrard retiring after 18 years with Oktibbeha County | |
| Oktibbeha County Administrator Emily Garrard will retire in June after almost seven years in the position and 18 working for the county, she announced at Monday's board of supervisors meeting. She had told the board in October she hoped to retire in December but agreed to stay an extra six months while the board searches for her successor, she told The Dispatch. The board voted unanimously to clarify the job description and start advertising for applicants. An Oktibbeha County native and Mississippi State University graduate, Garrard was the county comptroller from 2002 to 2014, and she was an administrative assistant and bookkeeper at MSU from 1980 to 1987. In her time as county administrator, Garrard said, some of the county's achievements include building a storm shelter, starting the development of North Star Industrial Park in collaboration with the city of Starkville and putting the Blackjack and Longview road projects under contract. In other business, County Engineer Clyde Pritchard told the board he is working on submitting state aid funding applications to repair the bridges at Harris Road, near Oktoc, and Harrell Road, northwest of the Oktibbeha County Lake. |
| Oktibbeha County cemetery sees more burial ceremonies during pandemic | |
 | Nearly five thousands Mississippians have lost their lives due to COVID-19 and the challenges continue for loved ones who have to deal with safety restrictions as they make funeral arrangements. With indoor gatherings limited to 10 people or less, cemeteries like Memorial Garden Park in Oktibbeha County are seeing more and more large graveside ceremonies. "Usually people will come out there, just the family and you may have 20 people come out there to a service," says cemetery manager Russ Houston. "But now their whole funeral is happening right here on the grounds." He says he lets families know the current guidelines, reminds them to wear masks and leaves the rest to their judgment. "Make sure everybody has a mask, I've always said that," Houston says. "Whether they obey those or not remains to be seen. Most people that I've seen have had masks on." Houston also says they have seen a 25 percent increase in cremations as some families wish to hold onto their loved one's remains and wait for a time where they can safely hold the service they want to without any restrictions. |
| Drive-through vaccine sites set up for health workers | |
| Health care professionals in Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties will have the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccine from the Mississippi State Department of Health this week. MSDH officials will host drive-through vaccination sites at health departments throughout the state for health care workers at risk of being exposed directly or indirectly to COVID-19, according to MSDH's website. A site will be set up at Lowndes County Health Department on Lehmberg Road today and Thursday at Oktibbeha County Health Department on Yeates Street on Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Vaccines are available to health care workers, both paid and unpaid, who work at acute care facilities, long-term acute care facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health care, mobile clinics and outpatient facilities such as physicians' offices, MSDH's website says. Health officials said the vaccination at drive-through sites will take about 10 minutes and that patients will receive a card reminding them when to return for their second dose -- 21 days after the first dose for those who take the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for those who take the Moderna. The sites at Lowndes and Oktibbeha health departments will both distribute the Moderna vaccine. |
| CDC: Mississippi almost last in nation in COVID-19 vaccine initiation | |
 | Mississippi is second to last in the nation in people receiving their initial dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC's tracking module, which monitors how many vaccines have been distributed and administered nationwide, shows Mississippians are getting the first dose of the vaccine at a rate of 745 per 100,000 residents. Only Kansas has a lower rate, with residents being vaccinated at a rate of 642 residents per 100,000. Georgia, Alabama and Arizona round out the bottom five. According to the Mississippi Department of Health's vaccination monitoring report released Tuesday, 25,324 people in the state have begun their vaccinations, which is higher than the number reported on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Dr. Thomas Dobbs, Mississippi's state health officer, said delays in reporting are expected as data is entered into the state's immunization database and then sent to other reporting agencies. |
| Pandemic-era Mardi Gras: No big crowds, but plenty of cake | |
 | A subdued Carnival season begins Wednesday after the coronavirus pandemic put an end to the crowd-heavy balls and street parades that draw thousands of people to the city every year. The Mardi Gras season always starts on Jan. 6 and ends on Fat Tuesday, which this year falls on Feb. 16. The season is usually marked by extravagant balls and parades where costumed riders throw trinkets to the mobs of people packed along the parade routes. The coronavirus has put an end to those large events. But that has not stopped notoriously creative New Orleanians from coming up with socially distant ways to celebrate. But people can still eat cake -- king cake that is. The sweet cakes, which are decorated with the official Carnival colors of purple, green and gold, are only to be eaten starting on Jan.6. |
| Mississippi works to formalize new flag without rebel icon | |
| Mississippi is a short step from formally adopting a new state flag with a magnolia and the phrase "In God We Trust" to replace a Confederate-themed flag legislators mothballed six months ago. Voters approved the new flag in November after a commission recommended the design. Legislators must put a description of the new flag into state law. House members voted 119-1 to do that Tuesday, moments after the 2021 legislative session started. The only "no" vote came from Republican Rep. Steve Horne of Meridian. He was among the 23 House members who voted against retiring the old flag last year. Senators are scheduled to finish passing the bill for the new flag Wednesday, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is expected to sign it into law. "This new flag boldly declares our trust in God, as a state," Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn said Tuesday. "As we enter into a new year, a new session, may God bless our efforts and may God bless the state of Mississippi as we set sail under this new flag." |
| Mississippi lawmakers close to finalizing new Magnolia-themed state flag design | |
| Mississippi lawmakers moved to cement the new Magnolia-themed state flag design into law as they met in Jackson for a new session on Tuesday. The House easily passed a bill to codify the flag's design into state code, plus legislation to provide funding to buy flags for use at government buildings. The Senate is expected to consider the same bills Wednesday. "The mood is a little bit lighter today, the air's not hanging quite as thick and heavy as it was back in June when I was before you with this same legislation," Speaker Pro Tempore Jason White, R-West, told his colleagues. Lawmakers voted in late June to remove Mississippi's former flag which featured a Confederate battle emblem. It was a contentious decision that came amid escalating pressure from business, athletic and religious groups. Voters in November overwhelmingly approved a new design featuring the Magnolia blossom and the phrase "In God We Trust." The flag has already been flying off the shelves at local stores. "They spoke loudly about the direction of this state," White said of voters approving the new design, which was selected by a flag commission. |
| New Mississippi flag almost official: Lawmakers move for final ratification | |
| The state Senate is expected on Wednesday to pass on to the governor final ratification of a new state flag -- sans the divisive Confederate battle emblem that flew for 126 years. The House on Monday voted 119-1 to accept the new "In God We Trust" Mississippi flag, after more than 70% of state voters approved it in November. The measure -- the first bill of the 2021 legislative session, which began on Tuesday -- cleared a Senate committee on Tuesday with no opposition. A Senate floor vote on the bill is expected on Wednesday. If passed there, the bill would then move to the governor's desk for signature or veto. "This new flag boldly declares our trust in God, that we are all equal in his eyes ..." said Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn, who for years was the lone statewide GOP leader advocating for changing the flag. "May God bless our efforts, and may God bless Mississippi as we set sail under this new flag." House lawmakers also approved an appropriation of $10,000 for the Department of Finance and Administration to buy new flags for state buildings this year. Longtime state Rep. Alyce Clarke, D-Jackson, on Tuesday said, "I'm elated we finally did it." |
| Indianola Native Named Reeves Policy Director | |
| Indianola native Anne Hall Brashier has been named Gov. Tate Reeves' policy director. Reeves made the announcement Tuesday afternoon. "Anne Hall Brashier is a capable leader with a sharp mind and unbeatable spirit. She has already proved invaluable in our work, and I have no doubt that she will accomplish great things for the people of Mississippi in this role," said Reeves in a statement. Hall is a graduate of Indianola Academy, and she got her start in politics after accepting a summer internship under the late Sen. Thad Cochran. Brashier told The E-T in an interview two years ago that she fell in love with politics while in Washington that summer and ended up forgoing physical therapy school to accept a full-time position with Cochran in 2014. That lasted until 2018. She went on to serve as deputy chief of staff for Congressman Trent Kelly, then as military legislative assistant to Sen. Thom Tillis before eventually taking the role as deputy policy director for Reeves when he entered office last January. |
| Mississippi rural hospitals struggling with pandemic impacts | |
| Mississippi is largely a rural state, and its rural hospitals have long served as not only major healthcare providers, but as some of the largest employers and purchasers of supplies in their communities. Rural hospitals also allow patients to be treated closer to home, which makes it easier to be visited by family, friends and clergy. "I don't know what we would do without our rural hospitals," said Paul Gardner, vice president of the Rural Hospital Alliance that has 39 rural hospital members in the state. "When a small community loses its hospital, it leads to the community drying up, pretty much." The current pandemic has added to the economic and staffing challenges of rural hospitals. The hospitals and their associated clinics are seeing less business as some patients avoid the hospital out of fear of catching the virus that causes COVID-19. "The pandemic itself has had tremendous impact on the facilities by reducing the volume of business," Gardner said. "The hospitals are just trying to weather this thing and survive. The fear of COVID definitely has a negative impact on the financials causing tremendous financial strain. The tragedy of all that is that many of these people have a lot of serious health issues such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems." |
| Gov. Reeves sees approval rating from Mississippi voters drop after one year in office | |
| A significant number of Mississippi voters don't approve of Gov. Tate Reeves' performance during his first year in office, a new survey has found. About 49% of Mississippi voters surveyed said they disapproved of Reeves's performance in office since the start of the pandemic in Mississippi, according to a survey by Millsaps College and Chism Strategies. The State of the State Survey -- conducted quarterly since September 2017 with the aim at providing unbiased views on political issues -- found that the governor's overall approval rating declined from 28 points in June 2020 to negative 15 points this month. Reeves' office did not respond to calls for comment. Nathan Shrader, a Millsaps College political science professor and survey researcher, said Reeves's current approval rating isn't permanent, but he faces a challenge in winning back approval from Mississippian voters. "Polling is a snapshot in time," Shrader said. "He has plenty of time to change that, to win the approval back from some of those folks, but he's got to be ready to do that and do it soon, politically." |
| Gov. Tate Reeves' approval rating tanked as COVID-19 pandemic worsened | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves, after almost one full year as the state's chief executive, currently has a 34% approval rating and a 49% disapproval rating, according to a poll released Tuesday. As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened in Mississippi, Reeves' popularity has tumbled, according to the Millsaps College/Chism Strategies poll. In June, the same pollster found that 50% of Mississippi voters approved of the job performance of Reeves, while 28% disapproved. The poor marks for Reeves are almost certainly affected by his perceived handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the poll released Tuesday, 37% of voters believe his management of the pandemic has been excellent/good, 26% say it has just been fair, and 35% say it has been poor/totally unacceptable. Other findings from the poll released on Tuesday: 42% believe the measures taken by Mississippi's state government have not gone far enough to stop the spread of COVID-19. 36% feel the measures have been appropriate, while just 16% say the state has gone too far already. |
| Under pressure from Trump, Pence resists push to intervene in Electoral College count | |
 | Vice President Mike Pence is resisting pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies to use his constitutional role overseeing the Electoral College count on Wednesday to somehow alter its outcome at the last moment. Pence has said little publicly about how he intends to conduct himself on Wednesday. But he has told people in the West Wing privately that he views his role in the process as ceremonial, and that view has not changed, according to a source familiar with the matter, despite weeks of lobbying from Trump and fellow Republicans who falsely claim the election was stolen through voter fraud in multiple states. Pence has been a loyal partner to Trump throughout their four years in office, and his role as president of the Senate this week pits his legal duties against his allegiance to Trump, who has refused to accept the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election. Republican and Democratic legal experts agree that Pence's role at the Electoral College count is procedural, requiring the vice president to open state certifications of their election results. |
| Republicans turn on Trump after Georgia loss | |
 | Democrats have pulled off at least one Senate win in Georgia, with another likely to follow. And Republicans are pointing a frustrated finger at Donald Trump. With control of the Senate at stake in the state's two races, the president chose to spend weeks peddling baseless claims that Georgia's electoral system was rigged, fueling an online movement to boycott Tuesday's election. He demonized the state's Republican leaders and fractured the local GOP. He ignored calls from his allies to rally in the state sooner. His support for Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue mainly came in the form of the occasional tweet and two rallies, including one on Monday. He blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not heeding his calls for boosted stimulus checks. So when Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated Loeffler early on Wednesday -- and with Democrat Jon Ossoff having a good chance of toppling Perdue -- Republicans were quick to blame Trump. The immediate recrimination is emblematic of the complicated GOP dynamics that have emerged after Trump's loss in the November election. Fissures are forming as Republicans decide whether it's useful to cling to Trump -- even as he tries to subvert an election -- or to distance themselves. And if the Georgia races are any indication, it appears Republicans are willing to turn on Trump if he can't reliably turn out the vote for candidates in the months and years ahead. |
| Biden plans federal board to surge COVID-19 testing. What might that look like? | |
| The incoming Biden administration plans a massive scale-up of COVID-19 testing, with a plan modeled on wartime efforts to mobilize industry for national emergencies. But such an effort may test the flexibility or resources of the private sector. Ten months into the pandemic, public health advocates say the country still doesn't have enough tests to go around and that results come too slowly. By the end of January, some 10 million tests will be performed every day, according to a recent report from the Rockefeller Foundation. But the country needs at least four times that many, said Mara Aspinall, the report's co-author and a biomedical diagnostics professor at Arizona State University. In particular, she said, it's important to test individuals with no symptoms. "Some recent studies would say 80% of people [with COVID-19] are asymptomatic," Aspinall said. "So every day we hear, 'I feel fine.' But the reality is, you may still have COVID and you may still be infectious." Even people who receive the vaccine may require testing. "It looks like the vaccines reduce symptoms to essentially zero, but it's not clear whether the vaccine prevents you from getting COVID," she said. "So you could be a carrier." |
| U. of Mississippi forms COVID-19 vaccine task force | |
| With COVID-19 vaccinations becoming available throughout Mississippi this month, the University of Mississippi is making plans for on-campus distribution. The school recently announced the Vaccine Distribution and Administration Task Force to develop a strategy to immunize students, faculty and staff once doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine arrive at the University. The task force will be chaired by David D. Allen, Dean for the School of Pharmacy. Along with Allen, 13 others make up the task force. Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Noel Wilkin revealed all committee members in an email sent out to the University community late last month. "I'm deeply appreciative of their willingness to serve," Wilkin said. "We will keep the university community informed of the task force's work as it moves forward." The Mississippi State Department of Health began distributing the state's allotment of the vaccine to hospitals and long-term care facilities in December. |
| UM Says Ombudsman Caffera 'Raising False Alarms' Over Investigation | |
| The University of Mississippi is asking a Lafayette County chancery court to dismiss a lawsuit its ombudsman, Paul J. Caffera, filed in November seeking to bar school officials from obtaining information about visitors to his office amid an investigation into the ombudsman and a group of anti-racism whistleblowers at the school. Since October, the ombudsman has resisted the UM Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance office's requests for him to turn over information officials hope will lead to the whistleblowers who played a pivotal role in this publication's "UM Emails" expose. Those reports revealed a tangled web in which some UM officials catered to certain wealthy donors' often sexist and racist expressions in order to procure money for the school. The EORC informed Caffera on Oct. 13 that he was under investigation for allegations that he "violated the University's non-discrimination policy by creating a race-based hostile work environment for certain employees on campus" and for "abusing the powers of his ombuds position to pursue a personal grudge for a friend or intimate," the university's Dec. 23 motion to dismiss says. The university has not explained the basis for those allegations, including in its new response to Caffera's lawsuit. In November, Caffera filed the lawsuit to block UM from forcing him to provide testimony or turn over emails and other private communications as part of the EORC investigation. |
| Women's business center to be opened at JSU | |
| The U.S. Small Business Administration on Monday the launch of 20 Women's Business Centers (WBC) across America, including one at Jackson State University, to serve rural, urban and underserved communities alike. In addition to opening these 20 new WBCs, SBA will launch Ascent, a free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses. A webinar is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 7, at noon Central Time. |
| Mississippi Humanities Council receives $375K grant | |
| On Tuesday, the Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC) announced the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded them a $375,000 grant. The funds will be used to support humanities education in Mississippi prisons. The grant will support humanities courses taught by Hinds Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College, and Mississippi Delta Community College for the next two years as part of a new Community College Prison Education Consortium. MHC has recently partnered with community colleges to help provide for-credit courses for incarcerated learners. This grant will enable the Council to expand these programs and hire a project coordinator to work with the community colleges and the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to facilitate student enrollment and recruitment, course management, and teacher training. |
| How Mississippi students are coping during the pandemic | |
| After schools closed in early March 2020, Donal Washington, 16, looked forward to what he hoped would be a normal upcoming school year playing sports and socializing with peers. But not long after the doors closed, he suffered a tremendous loss. In July, his mother died of pancreatic cancer, he said. About a month later his school, Leland High School announced it would reopen virtually due to a spike in COVID-19 cases. All sports were cancelled until further notice. Washington, an honors student coping with his mother's death and little social interactions, felt unmotivated to do his work. He said he did not learn as much as he would in a traditional school setting. With students around the state scheduled to return to school this month, Mississippi Today recently spoke with several high school students who shared similar stories of isolation, loss and resilience as they navigated through their first semester of school during a pandemic. Washington, like other students living in rural parts of the state, experienced connectivity issues which are a hindrance to online learning. Students who spoke with Mississippi Today said support from immediate family and the hope for a "normal" life helped them get through a difficult semester. |
| U. of Alabama political expert Bill Stewart dies at 81 | |
 | In Alabama politics, there are players and there are observers. And then, every once in a while, someone comes along to help make sense of it all. William H. "Bill" Stewart Jr. was among the best of the latter, spending the most of the past five decades educating students, reporters and the voting public alike on the complexities that influenced state and local politics. But Alabama lost that voice on Sunday when Stewart, after battling illness, died at the age of 81. A Hartselle native who taught political science as a University of Alabama professor for more than 40 years, Stewart continued to teach will beyond his retirement, serving as a professor emeritus in the political science department of UA's College of Arts and Sciences, where he was recognized as an expert on Alabama politics. Across his career, his students have gone on to hold elected offices at the highest levels, said his wife, Connie. "He was always mentoring students. That was his passion," she said. "And he was just so proud of all of his students and the achievements that they made." |
| Here's what the spring semester will look like at Tennessee colleges as COVID-19 spreads | |
| With the new year comes a new semester for Tennessee college students -- and new challenges as COVID-19 continues to race through the state. Across Tennessee, the spring semester will look a lot like the fall for most students. It'll be different than typical years. Classes start in mid- or late-January, with some schools skipping the traditional spring break to prevent students from traveling. Some schools have encouraged their employees to continue working from home in 2021. Online or hybrid classes will continue, as well as masks and social distancing. All UT campuses will have online, in-person and hybrid classes this semester, similar to the fall. COVID-19 guidelines, like the mask requirement and social distancing guidelines, also remain in place. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will begin its spring semester on Jan. 20, one week later than originally planned. Classes will continue in person, online and with a hybrid model that combines online and in-person learning. UT canceled its scheduled spring break and instead will hold classes that week to reduce the number of students traveling and returning to campus, possible with COVID-19. |
| U. of Florida opens vaccines for faculty and staff over 65 | |
 | UF Health expanded its distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to faculty and staff on Tuesday, kicking off with President Kent Fuchs. At 8 a.m., Fuchs rolled up his sleeve and became one of the first non-health care workers at the university to receive a vaccine. The university's medical system is now allowing the school's faculty and staff over 65 to sign up for doses. UF Health officials said about 1,100 university employees are now able to get inoculated. "As soon as I was eligible and it was my turn, I wanted to do it in a very visible way," Fuchs told reporters after getting his Pfizer dose. UF Health has given more than 15,000 doses at its Gainesville, Jacksonville and Central Florida campuses. Tuesday, many health care workers in Gainesville were given their second dose. But while UF Health has begun inoculating the campus community, some 12,000 Alachua County residents 65 and older who registered for vaccines have been told to sit tight and be patient, for at least a couple weeks, and perhaps longer. Paul Myers, director of the state's health department in Alachua County, said any blowback over UF inoculating its own faculty and staff over 65 before local residents is unfair. "That narrative that there's some sort of white privilege or disparity with the ivory tower that they perceive UF to be, just isn't true in practical operations," he said. |
| Unraveling SolarWinds hack's fallout for higher ed | |
 | The full scope of the massive SolarWinds hack is still unclear, but the attack is already being described by cybersecurity experts as a "cyber Pearl Harbor." For months hackers have been poking around computer networks at U.S. government departments, Fortune 500 companies and possibly higher education institutions and research organizations -- undetected. What information may have been stolen and exactly whom it was stolen from is unclear. Information technology experts told Inside Higher Ed that investigations into the attack at the federal level could take many months to complete. But even before the impact of the attack on higher education institutions is known, college IT leaders can take steps to guard against future intrusions. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Departments of Homeland Security, State, Defense and Commerce were among the branches of government successfully targeted in the attack, according to multiple media reports. So far, no U.S. university has confirmed a significant breach. But that doesn't necessarily mean higher ed institutions will be in the clear as more details emerge. |
| Displaced Workers Haven't Turned to College for a Fresh Start. Here's What Might Bring Them Back. | |
 | About a third of Americans believe they would need more education or training if they lost their job during the pandemic, according to recent data from the Strada Education Network's Center for Education Consumer Insights. But with the economy still in a pandemic-induced recession, displaced workers haven't turned to colleges to retool their skills. Some higher-education observers wonder if that disconnect will end this year. "Does that belief start to translate into enrollment and pursuit of education and training?" Dave Clayton, a senior vice president at Strada, asked during a recent webinar about the surveys the nonprofit group has conducted of adults, their work, and their education plans during the pandemic. "That's really a key theme we'll be watching in 2021." When laid-off workers begin seeking ways to quickly get the knowledge they need to re-enter the work force, the growth in nondegree credentials issued by colleges could resume. Sub-baccalaureate certificates, for instance, were on the rise before the pandemic. And data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center this past fall show that, as of late October, postbaccalaureate certificates grew by 5 percent from a year earlier -- one of the few bright spots in enrollment trends by credential. |
| Faculty members of color see 'illusion of inclusion' | |
| White professors and their nonwhite counterparts have very different perceptions of what constitutes diversity and inclusion, according to a recent analysis from the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. White faculty members are much more likely to agree (73 percent) that there is visible leadership support and promotion of diversity on their campus than are Black professors (55 percent). Thirty-one percent of Black professors disagree with the statement entirely, based on data from COACHE's ongoing surveys of faculty job satisfaction across many colleges and universities. An even bigger perception gap exists as to how department colleagues support and promote diversity and inclusion within programs. While 78 percent of white professors agree that their departments are committed, just 58 percent of Black faculty members feel that way. Twenty-eight percent of Black professors disagree that their departmental colleagues are committed to these goals. |
| As the Pandemic Worsens, Colleges Prepare to Test Their Spring Plans | |
| It's a spring of hope -- and danger. After a long and challenging fall, colleges learned a few important lessons about how Covid-19 spreads on their campuses, and what might work to reduce student cases. Widespread vaccination is on the horizon, as the gradual rollout of two vaccines in the U.S. may herald a return to some sense of normalcy by late 2021. At the same time, infection rates are spiking across the country, which is still waiting to realize the full toll of possible case surges from winter holiday gatherings. In addition, a new variant of the coronavirus that appears to be more contagious has emerged, and is expected to spread quickly across the United States. Even as much has changed since the fall, higher education's approach to the spring looks remarkably familiar. Many campuses that operated mostly online in August have opted to do so again. And many colleges that held in-person classes and housed students are planning to remain in person -- knowing, however, that their carefully laid plans may end up going out the window. Even with the spring semester just weeks away for some, what it will look like remains up in the air. |
| Covid-19 Case Studies Make Their Way Into M.B.A. Curricula | |
 | It is spring 2020, Covid-19 is exploding world-wide, and you are leading a pharmaceutical company seen as behind rivals in finding a vaccine. Should you accept government money, and the strings attached with it, to try to catch up? Scenarios like that are already being studied by first-year M.B.A. students at Harvard University and other business schools around the country. The courses are aimed at analyzing management decisions -- good and bad -- made during the pandemic and gleaning what lessons can be taught, given the benefit of hindsight. "My aspiration was to give them, as future leaders, a way to judge these things. How do I ask the right questions? How do I make a reasoned judgment?" Harvard Business School professor Willy Shih said about this pharmaceutical case study used in his fall course, which also exposed students to the inner workings of the life-sciences industry. His technology and operations-management class -- which was taught online and in person on the school's Boston campus -- considered how the company could offset the costs of clinical trials and ramping up manufacturing by accepting funding from Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government's coronavirus vaccine program. But the M.B.A. candidates also had to weigh whether the company would want the requirements that come attached to such funding, including allowing the government to control how the vaccine is priced. |
| Wealthier colleges and universities targeted in COVID relief bill | |
| After President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos criticized giving private colleges and universities with large endowments help in the CARES Act, wealthier institutions like Harvard, Yale and Stanford Universities had their share of the money in the latest coronavirus relief package cut in half. Under a little-noticed provision in the bill passed two weeks ago, private higher education institutions that were required by a 2017 law to pay a 1.4 percent excise tax on net investment income not only had their aid slashed, they were barred from using the money they will get to defray their financial losses from the pandemic. The relief bill allows them only to use the aid on emergency grants to students or to pay for personal protective equipment and other health and safety costs associated with the coronavirus. Higher education received about $23 billion in the legislation. The provision affects about 30 private colleges and universities who have to pay the tax because they have at least 500 tuition-paying students and assets of at least $500,000 per student, said Steven Bloom, the American Council on Education's government relations director. However, that number is constantly changing, particularly during the economic fallout of the pandemic, as the value of the endowments fluctuates over and under the threshold. |
| Power shift in Senate could bring major changes in U.S. science and climate policy | |
| Democrats appear to be on the cusp of retaking the United States Senate after runoff elections in Georgia, an outcome with potentially momentous implications for science and climate policy. Democratic control would likely make it easier for President-elect Joe Biden to win Senate confirmation of his appointees, for Congress to revoke controversial rules finalized in the last months of President Donald Trump's administration, and for lawmakers to pass new legislation aimed at curbing climate change and boosting federal research investments. The most immediate change would be in the Senate's leadership. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as Majority Leader, giving Democrats extensive power to decide legislative priorities and which bills advance to final votes. Although Schumer's job as Senate leader means he will have to balance the many competing demands of his caucus, he has recently shown a keen interest in boosting federal spending on research. Earlier this year, he was a key player in crafting bipartisan legislation, The Endless Frontiers Act (S. 3832), that calls for giving the National Science Foundation (NSF) a sweeping makeover. It would change the agency's name to the National Science and Technology Foundation and give it an additional $100 billion over 5 years along with responsibility for maintaining U.S. global leadership in innovation. Schumer has also said he would work with the Biden administration to advance climate legislation and boost federal spending on clean energy research. |
| As municipal qualifying begins, Democrats in Mississippi struggling to remain competitive even at the local level | |
 | Frank Corder writes for Y'all Politics: Qualifying for Municipal Elections in Mississippi opened Monday and runs through February 5th. The Mississippi Republican Party expanded its reach into cities and towns during the 2017 cycle, seating more Republicans in City Halls across the state than ever before. This was largely due to targeted outreach in communities where voters routinely supported Republicans in state and national elections by a greater margin, making voting for Republicans on the local level a natural fit. Mississippi Democrats are against the wall in many areas, having lost even more local officials through party switching since the 2017 cycle at the municipal, county and state levels. Democrats have lost once firmly held seats at the local level, even in locales where the demographics would indicate a different outcome on the surface. ... One bright spot for Democrats other than the City of Jackson, where the left will certainly maintain their control, may be in Starkville. Mayor Lynn Spruill has announced for intention to seek re-election, but has not said whether she will run again as a Democrat, although that is expected. |
| Biden's choice of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture bodes well for Mississippi | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: President-elect Joe Biden's choice of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as his U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary should bode well for Mississippi farmers whose agriculture production value was $7.35 billion in 2020. As a former mayor, state legislator, governor, and dairy industry advocate, Vilsack brings a wealth of experience to the job. He served eight years as the head of USDA during the administration of President Barack Obama. The Biden appointment will position Vilsack to become the second longest-serving USDA secretary since fellow Iowan James Wilson headed the agency from 1897 to 1913. Vilsack, 69, is no stranger to Mississippi. ... Vilsack in 2013 inspected several U.S. Department of Agriculture research projects being conducted on the Starkville campus of Mississippi State University and joined MSU President Mark Keenum for a press conference after the tour. Vilsack also met with students from the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine during his MSU visit. ... In 2015, Vilsack announced 53 grants totaling more than $18 million to support research, teaching, and extension activities in 1890 historically Black land-grant colleges and universities through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Alcorn State University received just over $1 million. |
SPORTS
| Stewart leads Mississippi State rally past No. 13 Missouri | |
| DJ Stewart scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, and Mississippi State overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to roll past No. 13 Missouri 78-63 on Tuesday night. Mississippi State trailed by 14 early in the second half before taking the lead with a 15-0 run and then pulling away with a 21-4 burst. Iverson Molinar added 20 points for the Bulldogs (7-4, 2-1 Southeastern Conference). Tolu Smith had 15 points and nine rebounds. "I wish I could take credit for it, but I thought we had good leadership within the team," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. "DJ, Molinar, Abdul (Ado) and Tolu all stepped up and played with fire. Missouri only shot 38% in the second half and we only turned it over three times. "DJ really got us going when we were down and he was unbelievable. He had 13 points in a row at one stretch in the second half and we kept going to him." Mississippi State is at Vanderbilt on Saturday. |
| Stewart, Molinar help Bulldogs declaw No. 13 Tigers for upset victory | |
| The final seconds ticked down Tuesday. Giddy with anticipation, Mississippi State point guard Iverson Molinar didn't even bother waiting for the final horn to sound before shooting his backcourt mate, D.J. Stewart, an ear-to-ear grin. The sophomores, the two catalysts of a 14-point second-half comeback Tuesday at Humphrey Coliseum, leapt off the ground for a celebratory bump as Deivion Smith dribbled out the final Bulldog possession. "I knew we needed a person to step up and fight back to get the (win)," said Stewart, who finished with a game-high 24 points on a 10 of 14 shooting effort. "I just had to lock in and put the team on my shoulder." Saturday night, the Bulldogs were deflated, frustrated, and searching for answers after blowing their best chance at beating Kentucky in 15 years. But on Tuesday, the backcourt duo that MSU coach Ben Howland called the one of the best in the Southeastern Conference bolstered MSU (7-4, 2-1 SEC) to a NCAA tournament-worthy victory, taking down No. 13 Missouri 78-63. "This was a total shot in the arm for us," Howland said. |
| Mississippi State stuns No. 13 Missouri in comeback win | |
| Riding the backs of DJ Stewart and Iverson Molinar, the Mississippi State men's basketball team stunned No. 13-ranked Missouri with a come-from-behind victory on Tuesday night. Mississippi State beat No. 13 Missouri, 78-63, at the Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs, which improve to 7-4 and 2-1 in SEC play, trailed by 14 points early in the second half before storming back and outscoring Missouri 49-20 over the last 18 minutes of the game. Sophomore DJ Stewart scored 24 points, 20 in the second half, while sophomore Iverson Molinar added 20 points with 16 coming in the second half. "To come back like that against a Top 10 team in the country is just incredibly thrilling, ..." head coach Ben Howland said. "Our locker room, needless to say, was fun after this game. They were having a good time. It was really, really great and I'm so happy for our guys." Mississippi State's team will have a full day off on Wednesday before getting back to practice on Thursday and traveling to face Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon. |
| 3 takeaways as Iverson Molinar, DJ Stewart rally Mississippi State past No. 13 Missouri | |
| Ben Howland said his Bulldogs could bounce back. Boy, did they ever. Three days after blowing a second-half lead in a loss to Kentucky that would have been the program's first win in 15 tries against the Wildcats, Mississippi State beat No. 13 Missouri 78-63 at Humphrey Coliseum on Tuesday. "It doesn't erase it, but it sure feels good after a brutal defeat," Howland said. It looked like another bleak night for the Bulldogs (7-4, 2-1 SEC) as they went to the locker room trailing by 12 at halftime. The Bulldogs erupted in the second half, however, and cruised to victory over the Tigers (7-2, 1-2). "I thought they showed a lot of moxie and a lot of character to bounce back, especially when we were struggling early," Howland said. Mississippi State could not stop Missouri down low in the first half. The Tigers scored 22 points in the paint to the Bulldogs' 12. Mississippi State figured it out in the second half, however. The Tigers shot 50% from the field in the first half. That dipped to 39.3% in the second. The Bulldogs' offense benefited from the intensity on defense. |
| A tale of two halves: Missouri falls to Mississippi State after impressive start | |
 | Leading by 12 points at the half, No. 13 Missouri was 20 minutes from securing its second straight Southeastern Conference road win. Mississippi State couldn't match the Tigers' energy in the first 20 minutes on Tuesday night, but a monster second-half rally put the Bulldogs in the driver's seat. The Bulldogs' scored 51 second-half points despite making just one 3-pointer after halftime. Their high-scoring guards, D.J Stewart Jr. and Iverson Molinar, caught fire, and Mississippi State never looked back, winning 78-63 at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi. After each scored four points in the first half, Stewart and Molinar combined to score 19 of the Bulldogs' first 21 points after the break, and Mississippi State took the lead midway through the second half. "We tried to stop them, but they just kept rolling," Missouri forward Jeremiah Tilmon said. "They had got hot and once they got hot it was hard to turn them off." |
| Five things we learned in Mizzou's 78-63 loss at Mississippi State | |
 | Missouri men's basketball played arguably its best half of basketball this season in the first 20 minutes Tuesday night against Mississippi State. The Tigers committed only one turnover and held a 12-point lead, consistently seeming a step ahead of the Bulldogs. Then it all went away and never came back with a vicious, unforgiving swing. Mississippi State knocked off No. 13 Missouri 78-63 at Humphrey Coliseum, keeping the Tigers winless in Starkville since 2013. Mississippi State outscored Missouri 51-24 in the second half. Center Jeremiah Tilmon went 4-for-5 from the field after halftime, while every other MU player combined to shoot 5-for-20. Missouri falls to 7-2 overall and 1-2 in Southeastern Conference action, while the Bulldogs improve to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Tigers are scheduled to return to action Saturday night at home against LSU. |
| Missouri's guards outplayed in big loss at Mississippi State | |
| Through generations of basketball, teams built their organizations around the big man. But in recent years, teams have put more trust in point guards. For many teams, they can only go as far as their point guard can take them. The same has rung true for Missouri men's basketball through its first several games of conference play. The No. 13 Tigers took to Starkville to play the feisty Mississippi State Bulldogs on Tuesday night. Despite playing their best half of basketball this season through the first 20 minutes, the Tigers completely crumbled, falling to the Bulldogs 78-63. Junior Xavier Pinson led the charge in the first half, ending the half with six points and five assists. Pinson looked like a fantastic initiator in the cleanest offense Missouri had displayed all season. His telepathic connection to Jeremiah Tilmon that thrived against Arkansas was alive and well through the first 20 minutes, with the two producing a SportsCenter-worthy play. But even after an amazing half from Pinson and his Tigers, Mississippi State only trailed by 12 at the midway mark, which proved not to be a lengthy lead at all. The script completely flipped for both Pinson and his Tigers in the second half, with the Bulldogs leading a menacing run that never came to a halt. |
| Mississippi State linebacker Erroll Thompson to enter NFL draft | |
| Mississippi State linebacker Erroll Thompson is headed to the professional ranks. A two-time captain and one of the more prolific tacklers in school history, Thompson announced Tuesday afternoon that he will forgo the extra year of eligibility the NCAA is offering student athletes this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic to enter the NFL draft. "To my teammates and coaches -- especially Zach Arnett, Todd Grantham and Bob Shoop -- I was blessed to be surrounded by many great people that helped me reach this point and am grateful for each of you," he wrote on Twitter. "Finally, to my Mississippi State family, thank you for always showing up, being loud and ringing those cowbells. Keep being the driving force behind this program, because big things are coming." Thompson, who spent the bulk of his career as a stalwart in the middle of the MSU defense, concludes his career with 312 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 22 tackles for a loss over 50 games. The Florence, Alabama, native was also named a third team all-SEC performer by Phil Steele on Tuesday and previously earned second team all-SEC recognition from the Associated Press in 2018 and SEC all-Freshman honors in 2017. |
| MSU's Thompson enters NFL Draft | |
| Mississippi State's football program is sending another defensive playmaker into the NFL ranks. MSU linebacker Erroll Thompson, a four-year starter, announced on Twitter that he is turning pro and entering the 2021 NFL Draft in April. "To my Mississippi State family, thank you for always showing up, being loud and ringing those cowbells," Thompson tweeted. "Keep being the driving force behind this program, because big things are coming. At this time, I am blessed to announce I will be entering my name into the NFL Draft to pursue my life-long dream." Thompson is foregoing his extra year of eligibility granted to every player by the NCAA this year. He hinted at entering the NFL Draft last season, but decided to return to MSU for his senior season. As a senior this year, he recorded a career-high 95 tackles with four tackles for loss and three sacks. He led the Southeastern Conference with six double-digit tackle games. |
| ESPN Makes Plans for Possible CFP Championship Postponement | |
| ESPN is working on contingency plans in case Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship is postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. After a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the live sports schedule, ESPN is being "flexible" with its production plans for Alabama vs. Ohio State, said sources. Still, a schedule change would entail massive logistical changes in ESPN's flood-the-zone production strategy around college football's biggest event. Every year, ESPN "MegaCasts" the CFP National Championship, with over a dozen separate productions, top-of-the-line TV talent, dozens of cameras and state-of-the-art technology. The network typically sends hundreds of staffers to the site of the game. During last year's MegaCast of LSU's 42-25 victory over Clemson, for example, the Walt Disney Co.-owned ESPN offered 15 total presentations across its networks and ESPN App. Besides the National Championship Game production itself, ESPN would also have to reschedule the dozens of hours of studio "shoulder" programming scheduled to air before, during and after the game on Jan. 11. ESPN would likely replace it with NFL programming because it will be the Monday after the league's Wild Card Weekend. |
| Ole Miss Athletics Launches Social Responsibility & Engagement Department | |
| As part of its ongoing mission to advance the social impact and personal growth of its student-athletes and staff, Ole Miss Athletics has launched the department of Social Responsibility & Engagement. Leading the new unit is Dr. Jennifer Saxon, who has been promoted to Senior Associate A.D. for Social Responsibility & Engagement. Saxon is in her seventh year as part of Ole Miss' senior athletics leadership team and has led the Student-Athlete Enhancement office. "We are excited to invest in this important area and provide our student-athletes and staff the resources necessary to reach their fullest potential through social impact," said Keith Carter, Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. "Jennifer has provided tremendous leadership on this subject during her time on campus, and I look forward to seeing her excel in this new role. With her vision and dedication, Ole Miss can be at the forefront of these discussions in college athletics." Key areas that the division will identify, organize and amplify will be: 1) Student-Athlete Enhancement, including career development and personal advancement; and 2) UMity, including community engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion. |
| Alabama football's DeVonta Smith first receiver in nearly 30 years to win Heisman Trophy | |
| The Slim Reaper harvested college football's biggest individual prize Tuesday night. DeVonta Smith, who shattered receiving records all season long, was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991. He is Alabama's third Heisman Trophy winner, joining running backs Mark Ingram Jr. (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015). Smith received 1,856 points with 447 first-place votes from the voting (which includes 870 media members, 56 living past winners and one vote from a collective fan poll, with points awarded for first-, second- and third-place votes from each voter), nearly 700 more than runner-up Trevor Lawrence of Clemson (1,187 points, 222 first-place votes). Smith's victory ended a trend that had seen the last four Heisman Trophies, and nine of the last 10, go to quarterbacks. This year was by far Smith's best statistical season as he has caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns with one game remaining, the CFP championship game against Ohio State on Monday night. |
| Nick Saban's daughter tweets, deletes, apologizes for criticism of Ohio State COVID-19 issues | |
 | The possibility that Monday's national championship game between Ohio State and Alabama could be postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Buckeyes isn't sitting well with some Crimson Tide fans. Among them, the daughter of Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Kristen Saban Setas wrote in a since-deleted Twitter post directed at Ohio State on Tuesday: "If you're not confident to play then SAY IT. I call BS on the COVID cases. They're just worried about their QB and want him to have more time to heal. If he's hurt put in your backup. You didn't see us postpone the rest of the season to wait for (wide receiver Jaylen) Waddle. BYE." After initially deactivating her Twitter account as well as the tweet, Setas returned later in the evening to post an apology. "In a moment of frustration, I let my anger get the best of me and acted before thinking. I sincerely regret my choice of reckless words. In no way did I intend to undermine the seriousness of the global pandemic and my heart goes out to those it has affected." Ohio State has been dealing with coronavirus issues since November and, according to multiple reports, could be without an entire position group if the game is played on Monday. |
| In Derrius Guice case, LSU ordered to release unredacted police records to the public | |
 | LSU has been ordered to make public unredacted police records involving a former student's allegation of video voyeurism against former star running back Derrius Guice, and the university has also been ordered to pay $100 a day for the three-month period that LSU withheld those records after receiving requests for them. In a ruling signed Dec. 29, Baton Rouge District Judge Janice Clark sided with former LSU student Samantha Brennan and USA Today in a public-records lawsuit that pitted their requests for public information against LSU's claims that they needed to protect the privacy of their students. Brennan, who accused Guice of taking and sharing a partially nude photo of her without her permission in 2016, requested a copy of the police report this year that she had filed at the time. But LSU refused to turn over the records for months to Brennan or to USA Today, and once the university did release them, Guice's name was redacted. Clark ruled that LSU was to turn over the records, free from redactions, within seven days of her judgment. She awarded Brennan and USA Today $10,000 in attorney's fees, and ruled that LSU was "unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious in its refusal and delay and the redacted manner in which the documents were produced." |
| Questions about Mullen's future at Florida | |
| Florida coach Dan Mullen could be on the verge of opting out. One week after insisting he hadn't even thought about the NFL, there are reports that Mullen might walk away from the Gators, telling NFL teams he's interested in making the jump to the pros. It was a tumultuous season for Mullen. He landed Florida on NCAA probation, was dealt a show-cause penalty for recruiting violations, was fined and reprimanded by the Southeastern Conference for his role in a benches-clearing fight, and was widely criticized for seemingly tone-deaf comments following two losses. Mullen has acknowledged the landscape in college football is changing. The burgeoning transfer portal forces coaches to continually re-recruit their own players and there are also the undetermined challenges regarding name, image and likeness earning potential. And the coronavirus pandemic exposed college athletics for having an overspending financial model that's capable of crumbling on short notice. The Gators are 29-9 since Mullen took over for fired coach Jim McElwain following the 2017 season. He signed a six-year, $36.6 million contract that made him the 10th-highest paid coach in college football in 2020. But Mullen hasn’t received a raise or an extension during his three years on the job, though athletic director Scott Stricklin made it clear he was working on an extension and raise for Mullen when COVID-19 essentially shut down Florida’s athletic department for months. |
| Former UGA AD Greg McGarity lands new job with Gator Bowl Sports | |
 | Greg McGarity won't be out of work long. Five days after his last official day as UGA athletic director, Gator Bowl Sports announced McGarity Tuesday as its new president and CEO effective March 1. McGarity and his wife Sheryl moved to Ponte Vedra, Fla, and his name was connected for the opening affiliated with the Jacksonville bowl. The 66-year old Athens native was Georgia's athletic director for more than 10 years and served as a college athletics administrator for more than four decades including as a senior administrator at Florida. "I saw this as an opportunity,"McGarity said Tuesday afternoon. "Positions like this don't occur very often. ...I need to do be doing something. Sheryl already has made it clear, I'm not hanging around the house. I've already asked her enough questions about what do I need to do next in only a few short days. I've always said timing is so important. I'm just very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time." |
| U. of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops and wife Chantel divorcing | |
 | University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops and his wife Chantel are getting divorced. The couple released a statement through the UK Athletics department Monday afternoon. "It is very difficult to make an announcement about something that is so personal for our family, however, after careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce," the statement read. "We realize that we are well-known within the community and feel we need to acknowledge this publicly. We have a deep care and respect for each other and that will continue as our family moves forward. Please be respectful of our family's privacy during this time." Mark and Chantel, who married in 2002, have two sons, Will and Zack. The Stoops have been active in multiple charities around Lexington since arriving in 2013, including The Team Kentucky Fund, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Kentucky Children's Hospital. The couple recently became investors in Wm. Tarr Distillery on Manchester Street. |
| Universities pay millions to departing football coaches amid cuts to staff members | |
| As the 2020 fall sports season comes to a close for most Division I programs and colleges cut ties with underperforming head coaches, university employees who've been laid off or furloughed are calling out institutional leaders for paying out millions of dollars to the departing coaches. The employees, including faculty and staff members, say the payouts are a stark and insulting contrast to budget cuts made last year that largely fell on employees whose earnings were far below the stratosphere of the salaries of the coaches. At the University of Arizona, outgoing head coach Kevin Sumlin will receive up to $7.29 million, half of which will be paid by Jan. 12, as stipulated in Sumlin's contract, the Arizona Daily Star reported. The University of Texas will spend around $24 million in total to terminate the contract of Tom Herman, the former head football coach, and to pay out his assistant coaches, according to multiple media reports. The payouts don't include the millions of dollars more these universities will spend to pay new football coaches. Months before the head coaches were fired, some employees in the athletics departments of the two universities were told the departments could not afford to pay them because of the disruption to college sports and the loss of revenue resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. |
| How the Second Stimulus Package Will Affect the Sports Ecosystem | |
| Back in early December, Sportico's Brendan Coffey reported that nearly 4,000 sports-related businesses had received "more than $1.7 billion through the federal government's Payroll Protection Program," including 473 teams, conferences and halls of fame. The PPP money was part of the record $2 trillion CARES Act stimulus package Congress approved last March. With President Trump having recently signed a second COVID-19 relief bill -- this one worth $900 billion -- we spoke to a pair of economists as well as the CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association to find out how the latest round of government aid is likely to affect the sports ecosystem. To be clear, the legislators behind the CARES Act didn't intentionally set out to prop up the sports industry. The original PPP loan program was a "huge multibillion-dollar program designed and implemented in less than six weeks," said Victor Matheson, a sports economics professor at College of the Holy Cross. "It was meant to be fast rather than accurate." That helps to explain how the Pittsburgh Penguins, a trio of MLS clubs (Washington D.C., Seattle and Orlando) and several large motorsports teams (including Richard Childress Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Roush Fenway Racing) all managed to take in millions of dollars designed for small businesses. Sports organizations are going to find PPP money harder to come by the second time around. |
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