| Thursday, February 11, 2021 |
| MSU hosts panel to help bridge gap between race and law enforcement | |
 | As part of the school's Black History Month program, Mississippi State University (MSU) held a panel diving into some tough topics. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Holmes Cultural Diversity Center gathered on Wednesday night to hold a panel giving individuals of the African American community a chance to ask candid questions to law enforcement in the area. The president of the NAACP at MSU said the panel was about bringing comfort to a not so comfortable conversation. "In order to be comfortable, you must first be uncomfortable," he said. McKenzie helped put together MSU's annual Black and Blue panel, giving community members a chance to ask questions to local officers. Topics ranged from police brutality to understanding what to do when being pulled over. However, that wasn't the only focus for the discussion. McKenzie said he also wanted attendees to get to know the officers on the panel on a personal level. He believes this connection could help bring comfort between law enforcement and citizens. |
| New health initiative kicks off at Partnership Middle School | |
 | Folks are on the move with a new walking track at Partnership Middle School in Starkville. It's all part of a new health initiative for faculty and staff with Mississippi State University and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. The kickoff included stress level surveys, health measurements, and walking tests. Each week, PMS faculty and staff will have 3 fitness activities available to them after school. Exercise equipment is also being purchased with a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield. "We just thought that having this opportunity to get a baseline on where they are health-wise at the beginning of this semester, and then offering different opportunities throughout the spring semester to help alleviate some of that stress and increase their knowledge on physical and mental health and wellness," said Director of Innovation Brandi Burton. There are various wellness partners supporting this initiative like MSU's Department of Kinesiology. |
| Proposed legislation would allow college athletes to be paid for use of their name, image or likeness | |
 | College athletes can receive scholarships. Beyond that, the NCAA rules don't allow any other kind of player payment. They're looking at changing that rule. But states like Mississippi are jumping in on the issue. Agents, endorsements, cashing in on use of name, image or likeness... it's a scenario you're likely familiar with tied to professional sports. But there's a movement to give college athletes that same opportunity. "Florida has already passed the bill," said Rep. C. Scott Bounds (R-Philadelphia). "I think it goes into effect this July. Most of the schools in the southeastern conference, to my knowledge, and states are trying to pass it this year." "I think it's a time that is come and I think it's a fair thing to do," explained Rep. Robert Johnson (D-Natchez). Mississippi lawmakers say they would prefer federal legislation for this issue but don't think they can afford to wait on it. "They will pass them in other states and then we have that recruiting disadvantage both academically and athletically," said Bounds. Both the bill that's passed the Senate and the one pending in the House include restrictions about what those student athletes could endorse. It couldn't be anything like gambling, marijuana, alcohol or tobacco that would be "inconsistent" with the school's values. |
| House agrees Gov. Tate Reeves should reveal who funded his inauguration | |
 | Legislation that would require Gov. Tate Reeves and future governors to publicly show who paid for their inauguration festivities easily passed the House on Wednesday. Mississippi politicians and candidates are required to disclose with the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office who donates to their campaigns and how they spend that campaign money in the interest of public transparency and accountability. House Bill 1019 would require governors to take those same steps when they fundraise for their inauguration events, such as the inaugural ball, ceremony and other parties or parades. Many other states have laws that require this transparency for inauguration funds. The bill passed the House 116-1 and heads to the Senate for consideration. "Right now it's not regulated at all," said Rep. Jim Beckett, R-Bruce, of inauguration funds, noting the legislation was not requested by the governor's office. The bill's passage follows reporting by the Daily Journal and Clarion Ledger showing how Mississippi does not regulate inauguration fundraising unlike other states and the federal government. Mississippi governors and other officials have instead set up nonprofits to fund their inaugurations. Donors to those organizations can legally stay secret. |
| GOP-led Mississippi Senate OKs faster purge of voter rolls | |
 | A sharply divided Mississippi Senate voted Wednesday to speed up the process of purging inactive voters' names from election rolls. The bill passed 36-16, with all the support coming from Republicans and all the opposition from Democrats. The bill says local election commissioners would send a postcard to registered voters who do not cast a ballot in any local, state or federal election during a two-year period that includes two federal elections -- a presidential election and a midterm congressional election. Legislators pushing for the change say outdated voter rolls make it difficult for courts to find enough people for jury service. Democrats opposing the bill said it would hurt people who choose not to vote for whatever reason -- maybe they just don't like the candidates running for many years -- but suddenly are motivated to vote because they find a candidate who appeals to them. |
| Senate bill to purge voter rolls passes chamber, critics say it suppress the vote | |
 | Mississippians who don't vote within a two year period, according to Senate Bill 2588, will receive a notification in the mail to confirm or update their information. If they fail to do so, and don't vote in four more years, their names will be removed from the rolls. Republican Senator Jeff Tate of Meridian, authored the bill. "The rationale is to clean our voter rolls, make sure that we maintain good voter rolls. A lot of legislations out there dictates how much counties have to spend on elections based on their active voter roll. With inflating books were going to have more costs that go down to the counties," said Tate. Tate also says using this tactic will reduce fraud. Democratic Senator David Jordan of Greenwood took issue with Tate's statement. "Don't you think you would need some statistics to show where there's a great deal of it going on" said Jordan. "Well what I think this will do, this will not be discriminatory just to certain areas. I would be the entire state" said Tate. "But you don't have any evidence there is voter fraud do you?" "It's there I promise you," said Tate. "Do you have any evidence?" said Jordan. "I don't have it with me but I promise you it's there." said Tate. |
| Senate passes 'voter fraud' bill that some say could disenfranchise Black Mississippians | |
 | State Sen. David Jordan, the 86-year-old Democrat from Greenwood and veteran of the Civil Rights struggles, said legislation approved Wednesday by the Mississippi Senate on a straight party line vote could potentially remove "people who look like me" from the voter rolls. Jordan, the son of sharecroppers who became a nationally known political activist in the 1960s, spoke emotionally from the Senate floor on Wednesday against the bill that Republican authors said was aimed at preventing voter fraud. "Voter fraud is no major problem in Mississippi," Jordan said. "I think people who look like me have paid a great price in Mississippi and across this nation to be full-fledged citizens. To bring a bill that could disenfranchise and create problems for people of color to vote and is aimed directly at people like me, people of color, is wrong. We don't have to do this." Senators passed the bill on Wednesday by a vote of 36-16 straight down party lines, with Republicans voting yes and Democrats voting no. The bill now moves to the House for consideration. Jordan said the bill was trying to fix a problem that did not exist. Jordan said the instances of voter fraud, if any, were small and not widespread enough to merit the risk of accidentally removing eligible voters from the voter rolls. |
| Secretary of State Michael Watson speaks to Jones County GOP Women | |
 | Secretary of State Michael Watson spoke to Jones County Republican Women Wednesday about a number of election-related issues in Mississippi. Watson addressed a monthly luncheon for the organization at the Laurel Country Club. He said there needs to be a better way to purge voter rolls in the state and he favors a bill passed in the State Senate Wednesday, which would make that process quicker. He also said Mississippians should be required to show proof of citizenship before they vote. "We want to make sure that only United States citizens are voting in Mississippi elections, who are residents in Mississippi," Watson said. "So this is a thing that we've studied for years now. You've heard me talk about it on the campaign trail, so it's not only a promise that we made, but it's one that we're keeping. We're working on actively." Watson said he also supports online voter registration in Mississippi. "Typically, you see Republicans and conservatives shy away from it, that's not something that we like and we don't address it," Watson said. "So, I think it's incumbent upon us to have these hard conversations of, 'is this good for Mississippi or is it not.' so if you look at it, take it apart on the facts of it, I would say yes, it is good for Mississippi." |
| Ticket quotas illegal under bill approved by House | |
| Law enforcement traffic ticket quotas would be illegal in Mississippi under a bill authored by a Northeast Mississippi legislature that passed the state House of Representatives Wednesday morning. House Bill 883, sponsored by first-term Rep. Rickey Thompson, D-Shannon, would prohibit any state or local law enforcement agent from requiring officers to make a specified number of arrests or tickets within a given time frame. "It protects the officer and it also protects the citizens to make sure they have a fair shake," Thompson said. The bill passed with overwhelming support: 117-1. The legislation would also prevent law enforcement agencies from using arrest or citation statistics as the "as the sole criterion for promotion, demotion, dismissal, or the earning of any benefit provided by the agency." Thompson's legislation does not levy any penalties for agencies that violate the law, an issue that was raised during discussion on the House floor Wednesday. |
| Poll shows Mississippi voters approve of Gov. Tate Reeves, disapprove of Biden, oppose Trump conviction | |
| According to a new poll by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, voters in Mississippi oppose the U.S. Senate's conviction of former President Donald Trump. Additionally, voters approve of Governor Tate Reeves's job performance and disapprove of newly elected President Joe Biden's performance so far. The Florida company conducted the poll from February 2 through February 5, 2021. A total of 625 registered Mississippi voters were interviewed live by telephone statewide. Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc. of Jacksonville, Florida says those interviewed were randomly selected from a phone-matched Mississippi voter registration list that included both landline and cell phone numbers. |
| House Ag advances bill to provide $16B to industry for pandemic relief | |
 | House Democrats on Wednesday evening advanced a proposal to provide more than $16 billion in relief for the food and agriculture industry. The House Agriculture Committee approved the measure 25-23 along party lines after considering about a dozen amendments during a lengthy markup. The proposal is part of the sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid relief package that Democrats are pushing through Congress. Numerous amendments offered by Republicans to redirect or reduce funding were defeated. One GOP amendment did slide through. A proposal to make crop losses from derechos eligible for disaster payments passed by a vote of 24-23 after garnering the support of one Democrat, Rep. Cindy Axne of Iowa, whose state was pummeled by a derecho in August 2020 that was regarded as the most costly thunderstorm in U.S. history. |
| Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Raphael Warnock introduce bills to tackle needs of farmers of color | |
| Two bills were introduced in the Senate on Monday aimed at boosting the growing push for equity and diversity within food and agriculture policy and politics. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) reintroduced his Justice for Black Farmers Act to address discrimination and injustices to Black farmers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act that would provide $5 billion to farmers of color. Warnock said he hopes to get his bill included in President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package moving through Congress. Booker and Warnock, new members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, are co-sponsors of each other's bills. Warnock's bill has already garnered support from fellow new member Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Other co-sponsors for Booker's bill includes Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). |
| Chilling video footage becomes key exhibit in Trump trial | |
| Chilling security video of last month's deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, including of rioters searching menacingly for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence, has become a key exhibit in Donald Trump's impeachment trial as lawmakers prosecuting the case wrap up their opening arguments for why Trump should be convicted of inciting the siege. The House will continue with its case Thursday, with Trump's lawyers set to launch their defense by week's end. The footage shown at trial, much of it never before seen, has included video of the mob smashing into the building, distraught members of Congress receiving comfort, rioters engaging in hand-to-hand combat with police and audio of Capitol police officers pleading for back-up. It underscored how dangerously close the rioters came to the nation's leaders, shifting the focus of the trial from an academic debate about the Constitution to a raw retelling of the Jan. 6 assault. |
| Sen. Tommy Tuberville says he told Trump about Pence's evacuation during Capitol riot | |
 | Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said late Wednesday that he spoke with then-President Trump on Jan. 6 and told him that then-Vice President Pence was being evacuated as rioters descended on the Capitol. "I said 'Mr. President, they just took the vice president out, I've got to go,'" Tuberville said during a call with journalists, according to the Capitol Hill pool report. It had previously been known that Tuberville and Trump spoke, though the details of the conversation are new. The fact that the Alabama senator told the president that Pence was in danger is a potentially useful nugget for the Democrats' impeachment managers, who are trying to convince Senate Republicans that Trump egged on the mob and then did nothing to quell the violence once it erupted. Trump, who has never addressed the danger to Pence, sent out a tweet around the time of his call with Tuberville saying the then-vice president did not have the "courage" to halt the certification of the Electoral College results. Rioters were heard on Capitol Hill chanting "hang Mike Pence" over his refusal to unilaterally subvert the election results. |
| A 'Scary' Survey Finding: 4 In 10 Republicans Say Political Violence May Be Necessary | |
 | The mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol may have been a fringe group of extremists, but politically motivated violence has the support of a significant share of the U.S. public, according to a new survey by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The survey found that nearly three in 10 Americans, including 39% of Republicans, agreed that, "If elected leaders will not protect America, the people must do it themselves, even if it requires violent actions." That result was "a really dramatic finding," says Daniel Cox, director of the AEI Survey Center on American Life. "I think any time you have a significant number of the public saying use of force can be justified in our political system, that's pretty scary." The survey found stark divisions between Republicans and Democrats on the 2020 presidential election, with two out of three Republicans saying President Biden was not legitimately elected, while 98% of Democrats and 73% of Independents acknowledged Biden's victory. The AEI survey found that partisan divisions were also evident along religious lines. |
| EPA says surfaces with copper alloys can fight COVID-19 | |
 | Special copper doorknobs and handrails can help fight the coronavirus, according to the EPA. The agency announced a move Wednesday that allows products with antimicrobial copper alloys to be marketed with that virus-killing claim -- the first product to be registered with such residual properties for nationwide use. "Providing Americans with new tools and information to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 is one of EPA's top priorities," Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff said in a news release. "Today's action marks another step forward in EPA's efforts to listen to the science and provide effective tools to help protect human health." The EPA polices disinfectant claims under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, or FIFRA, an area of authority that's received more attention as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Over the past year, the agency has moved to stop the sale of products making unfounded or misleading claims about their effectiveness in killing the virus. |
| Celebrating Black History: Princeton professor gives keynote address on a necessary 'revolution of value' | |
 | Eddie S. Glaude Jr. sat in front of his bookcase filled with works by authors such as Toni Morrison and Martin Luther King Jr., wearing Apple Airpods and a black and white striped tie as he spoke at this year's Black History Month keynote. Glaude Jr. is a native of Moss Point and a distinguished scholar of African American studies at Princeton University, and to him, Mississippi represents "a metaphor for America and all its contradictions, in a state that carries such profound beauty and such extraordinary horror." His virtual address, "Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own," took place via Zoom on Tuesday evening. The UM Center for Inclusion & Cross Cultural Engagement premiered its intersectional approach to heritage month planning last year and has continued to implement it this year. The approach, called "All In. All Year," encourages continued conversations about diverse identities throughout the academic year. The continued commitment to the "All In. All Year" campaign and the less-than-traditional online formats of 2021 Black History Month events come on the heels of a year that caused the university to reassess diversity on campus. |
| Sandglass Theatre to perform at third annual USM Revelry | |
| Sandglass Theatre's presentation of "Rock the Boat" will be featured at the annual Revelry, presented by the University of Southern Mississippi School of Performing and Visual Art. The performance will be livestreamed on Zoom on at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13. The 45-minute performance will be followed by a Q&A with the cast. Find out more at artdesign.usm.edu. "SPVA, as a school of student and faculty artists, is fortunate to have Sandglass Theatre included in the Revelry," said Stacy Reischman Fletcher, director of SPVA. "While COVID made so many things difficult for the performing arts, that we can share the artistry of Sandglass Theatre here in Hattiesburg is an example of something gained from this unique time." "Rock the Boat" aims to get young audiences thinking about relocation, displacement and the interconnectedness of racial, climate and social justice. In addition to a presentation of "Rock the Boat" on the Revelry Community Day, ensemble members are participating in a virtual residency with local elementary students as well as graduate and undergraduate students at USM. |
| FedEx pledges $5M to 4 schools, including Jackson State and Mississippi Valley | |
 | FedEx announced Wednesday it is giving $5 million in support to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Mississippi and Tennessee. The multinational shipping company's new initiative aims to increase education and job readiness for students at Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, LeMoyne-Owen College and Tennessee State University. A portion of the donation will be used to help students, faculty and staff at each school who have been economically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a FedEx news release. "With many students and families struggling right now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our hope is that this timely investment will help keep more students in school and provide future access to leadership, educational and employment opportunities," FedEx spokesperson Judy Edge said. The initiative builds on FedEx's previous relationships with the schools including endowed scholarships and leadership summits at JSU and a customized career readiness program at MVSU. |
| 'It's very obvious that we do not value teachers': Why educators say there's a critical teacher shortage | |
| Three years ago, Kaitlyn Barton taught high school English in the Mississippi Delta, a rural, low income area with a high percentage of non-certified teachers. The Flowood native said she felt undervalued, a result of low pay coupled with limited opportunities to grow. In 2019, she moved to Texas seeking more. "We expect teachers to wear every hat, but we don't pay them well or respect them as professionals," Barton told Mississippi Today. "The level of respect and pay go hand-in-hand. In our capitalist society, we put our money where our value is. And based on how we pay teachers, it's very obvious that we do not value teachers." Barton, who was forced to work a second job as a waitress while teaching in Clarksdale, no longer struggles to make ends meet. She brings in more than $60,000 a year -- about $23,000 more than her Mississippi teaching salary -- in her new position as the dean of instruction at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston. Two years ago, Mississippi Today interviewed Barton and other teachers for an in-depth series that highlighted the state's critical teacher shortage. As we continue to cover the shortage -- perpetuated by little action from state leaders -- we followed up with those same teachers this month to ask what they are up to and whether they were still in the profession. |
| Reports of COVID-19 at UGA drop to lowest level since Thanksgiving | |
 | Reports of positive COVID-19 cases among faculty, staff and students at the University of Georgia dropped dramatically last week, plunging 37% from the previous week to a level not seen since Thanksgiving. Overall, 115 individuals reported positive tests through the DawgCheck system for Feb. 1-7. Of those, 87 were students, 23 were staff and five were faculty members. Surveillance tests were administered to 2,478 people at the Legion Field surveillance site and at pop-up locations in high-traffic areas across campus. Of those tests, 40 yielded positive results for a positivity rate of 1.61%. "These data are consistent with what we are now seeing in the broader community and across the nation. Reports of new cases are declining as we move past the post-holiday surge that had been anticipated," said Dr. Garth Russo, executive director of the University Health Center and chair of UGA's Medical Oversight Task Force. "However, we know that more contagious variants of the virus are emerging. Therefore, we have to remain vigilant." The University Health Center and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories provide free saliva-based testing for faculty, staff and students. |
| New UF class teaches students about the political, social context of whiteness | |
| Between the racial reckoning of summer 2020 and COVID-19 compounding racial health disparities, a University of Florida professor's new class on whiteness aims to foster discussion on racial issues. UF professor Lance Gravlee created a class this semester called Whiteness in response to the racial injustice protests in 2020 over the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. He said the unequal impact of COVID-19 across racial lines also inspired him to create the class. The class examines the historical, political-economic and sociocultural context of whiteness, according to the syllabus. While whiteness can be defined in various ways, it's important to distinguish it from white people, Gravlee wrote. "Whiteness isn't just a social identity," he wrote. "It's a structuring principle of society that sustains white supremacy and racialized oppression." Gravlee has taught the Race and Racism course in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences every Fall since 2005. Like Race and Racism, Whiteness addresses racial issues, he said, but it's more narrowly focused on the concept of whiteness. |
| South Carolina colleges expect Savannah River nuclear lab research to reach $1B under partnership | |
 | After the University of Tennessee joined forces in a research partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, it was able to more than quadruple the research dollars that flowed through the institution over the course of a decade. The University of South Carolina hopes to accomplish similar results under its new alliance with the Savannah River National Laboratory, which sits 50 miles west of the Capital City near Aiken. Over the years Savannah River's lab had grown stagnate, said Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of USC's College of Engineering and Computing. Its funding was lumped in with that of the larger Savannah River nuclear waste site and scientific research took backseat to the environmental cleanup work the site was charged with. Originally established in the 1950s as a think tank aiding in the development of the country's nuclear arsenal the lab would become largely consumed with research supporting the subsequent hazardous material cleanup and containment work for Savannah River and other national nuclear sites. But in December the U.S. Department of Energy spun the lab off into a separate entity, with its own budget, and awarded Ohio-based Battelle Memorial Institute the $3.8 billion contract for its management. In winning the award Battelle partnered with USC, as well as Clemson University, Georgia Tech, University of Georgia and South Carolina State University in this collaborative agreement. |
| Missouri student-run not-for-profit to get funding from university, city programs | |
 | The CEO and co-founder of a University of Missouri student-led not-for-profit on Thursday appealed to the board of Regional Economic Development Inc. "We need help," Will Granberry with The Relevant Youth said. The Relevant Youth is a student-run creative agency in Columbia, designed to equip students with the skills and experience they need for careers in marketing and advertising industries. All its work for clients is pro-bono -- no cost -- and students aren't paid. He compared his effort to a car that's out of fuel. Granberry made his presentation during a section of the REDI meeting agenda labeled "Equality through Economic Opportunity." REDI Chairman Matt Jenne said it was an initiative he and REDI President Stacey Button had worked on. The Relevant Youth now is working with 107 students, and has a program to serve minority-owned businesses. Ninety-five percent of the students who participate in The Relevant Youth get hired after graduating, he said. |
| COVID-19 variant now found on six campuses | |
 | The University of Michigan was the only major institution to have reported evidence of the new coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 on campus at the beginning of last week. Five additional universities have since joined that list. Tulane University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Miami; the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington have all now reported cases of the B.1.1.7 variant. While viral mutations are not always cause for alarm, the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus, first discovered in Britain, transmits more rapidly and efficiently than previously observed variants of SARS-CoV-2. Some studies have suggested it also may be more deadly, but there is not currently scientific consensus on the severity of the variant. With nearly 1,000 cases of the new variant so far in 34 states, it was only a matter of time before it reached college campuses. In higher education, so far only research universities have reported cases of the variant, possibly because they have many students, but also possibly because many of them are doing sequencing for the virus in their own university labs. |
| Data on financial aid applications portend drop in low-income, minority enrollment | |
| Last spring, as college and university officials fretted about how the global pandemic and associated recession might affect enrollment in the fall, troubling news emerged in the form of data about declines in the number of current college students who had resubmitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid. As of May, renewals were down by about 5 percent -- higher among minority students and those from low-income backgrounds, suggesting that the most traditionally vulnerable students were far likelier to be deterred from continuing their educations. That is indeed what happened. As the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center began releasing reports on fall enrollments in the final months of 2020, they showed modest declines in overall enrollment and sharper drops for underrepresented minority groups and community college students, among others. If data on FAFSA completion are a canary in the coal mine for eventual college attendance, especially for higher education's neediest students, early statistics from the 2020-21 cycle portend that fall 2021 could be another tough one for colleges and universities -- especially when it comes to first-year enrollment. |
| Public Colleges Are Going After Adult Students Online. Are They Already Too Late? | |
 | Three struggling campuses of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education plan to pursue an increasingly popular strategy in higher ed: building a new "virtual campus" that will educate working adults who have some college credit but no degree. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, the president of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, described the online operation, which would not go into operation until next year, as an attempt to "aggressively compete" with Southern New Hampshire University and other online providers that have "stolen" students from Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania virtual campus, as described by Pehrsson in an interview with The Chronicle, would combine existing undergraduate and graduate online courses from Clarion and Edinboro Universities and California University of Pennsylvania, three campuses of the Pennsylvania system in the western part of the state that are in the process of merging into one entity. It would also join a handful of similar moves by public-college systems in recent years to reach the 36 million Americans with some college credit with no degree --- an especially attractive market for public colleges facing enrollment challenges, given the waning number of high-school graduates in many parts of the country. But competing with the established national players in online education presents a tall order. The so-called mega-universities have a huge head start and deep pockets, two advantages public universities are unlikely to overcome easily, if at all. |
| Open legislative season on the faculty in Iowa and elsewhere | |
| Proposed legislation in Iowa would require the state's Board of Regents to survey all employees of the three universities it oversees as to their political party affiliations, disaggregating the data by job classification but not by individual. The regents would deliver the information to state lawmakers by the end of the calendar year. The bill doesn't provide an explanation, and Jim Carlin, the Republican state senator who introduced it, didn't respond to a request for comment. But the meaning is clear: by disaggregating employee groups, Iowa's General Assembly could measure the political beliefs of the faculty. In Iowa and elsewhere in recent years, Republican state lawmakers have lamented what they describe as academe's lack of intellectual or ideological diversity. In 2017, for instance, another Iowa Republican state legislator proposed an ultimately unsuccessful bill that would have prevented regents institutions from hiring professors who caused the "percentage of the faculty belonging to one political party to exceed by 10 percent" the share of the faculty belonging to the other dominant party. |
| House committee moves ahead with additional aid | |
| The Democratic majority on the House education committee early Wednesday approved, along party lines, a coronavirus relief package that would include another $40 billion in aid to colleges and universities. The package sets the education and labor pieces of the $1.9 trillion proposal House Democrats are assembling to send to the Senate. In a marathon meeting that began at 3 p.m. Tuesday and stretched until after 4 a.m. Wednesday, Democrats also beat back a slew of Republican amendments that would have denied emergency grants in the package to undocumented students, denied relief funds to institutions with partnerships with China and steered funding from those with large endowments to community colleges. Democrats also voted down amendments offered by the committee's top Republican, Virginia Foxx, to undo a provision in the bill that would strengthen the so-called 90-10 rule regulating for-profit institutions. Republicans, including Foxx, criticized the Democrats' proposal as doing "more for the left-wing playbook than it does for struggling Americans." Foxx said Democrats had not tried to reach a bipartisan compromise. But committee chairman Bobby Scott said there wasn't time. "We must address the urgent needs of the people now," the Democrat from Virginia said. |
SPORTS
| PREVIEW: Mississippi State Women's Hoops at #18 Arkansas | |
| Having only played one game during the last 25 days, Mississippi State women's basketball returns to the hardwood with a trip to Bud Walton Arena to face the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday at 8 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Tamika Catchings (analyst) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on the MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder. Mississippi State has claimed 10-straight meetings in the series against Arkansas, marking the Bulldogs' second-longest active win streak against an SEC foe. During last year's meeting, State defeated the Razorbacks 92-83 at Humphrey Coliseum. Jessika Carter finished with a team-high 21 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Aliyah Matharu earned her first career start in the game and recorded 18 points seven rebounds and four assists. In that game, State held National Player of the Year candidate Chelsea Dungee to a season-low four points. This season, Dungee has been one of the top offensive players in the country, averaging 21.9 points per game behind three 30-point performances. She's the heart and soul of a Razorback offense that averages 84.3 points per game. When playing at home, Arkansas is 9-1 on the year and owns wins against top-5 opponents in UConn and Baylor. |
| Mississippi State women's basketball enters crucial stretch of season | |
 | A lot has changed since Mississippi State lost to South Carolina on Jan 28. That was the last time the Bulldogs stepped on the floor for a game. They fell out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2014. MSU had been ranked for 125 consecutive weeks, one of the longest streaks in the nation. Coach Nikki McCray-Penson's team is still ranked No. 24 in the coaches poll, but the media has spoken. Sports writers and broadcasters across the country don't believe the Bulldogs are the Top 10 team they were polled to be in the preseason. A loss at No. 17 Arkansas (14-7, 4-6 SEC) on Thursday (8 p.m., SEC Network) would slip Mississippi State (8-5, 3-4) further away from the team prognosticators predicted them to be, putting McCray-Penson in a predicament – either she changes the narrative by leading MSU to victories or she ends her first season in Starkville as what would widely be seen as a disappointment. It's make or break time for McCray-Penson and Mississippi State, and she believes her team can rise to the occasion. |
| How Mississippi State is preparing to mitigate No. 18 Arkansas' 3-point shooting | |
 | Mississippi State is preparing for a 3-point barrage. Facing No. 18 Arkansas on Thursday in Fayetteville, the Bulldogs will take on the Southeastern Conference's most prolific shooting team from behind the arc as they desperately search for their first victory since a Jan. 10 meeting with Ole Miss. "We can't let them score how they like to score consistently," head coach Nikki McCray-Penson said. "For us, we're going to have to match their energy and effort in transition." Sitting below .500 in SEC play for the first time since the 2013-14 season, MSU has been a mixed bag in defending the 3-point line. In a Jan. 3 overtime loss to Kentucky, a team that averages just under 7.4 makes per game from behind the arc, the Wildcats shot an absurd 14 of 28 from 3-point range as the Bulldog defense floundered in its help-side rotations. It was this same meager defending that saw Alabama, the conference's second-most prolific 3-point shooting team, knock down 11 of 30 attempts from distance during the Crimson Tide's Jan. 14 win in Starkville. Then there's Arkansas. Through 10 SEC games this winter, the Razorbacks are draining a smidge under 10 3-point buckets per contest, good for the nation's eighth-best mark and nearly two makes more than the next closest conference opponent. |
| Cameron Thomas, Javonte Smart lead LSU to 94-80 win over Mississippi State | |
| Cameron Thomas scored 25 points, Javonte Smart had 22 points and 11 assists, and LSU pulled away down the stretch to beat Mississippi State 94-80 on Wednesday night. Darius Days added 16 points and 11 rebounds and Trendon Watford had 14 points for LSU (12-6, 7-4 Southeastern Conference). Deivon Smith made a layup to cap an 8-2 spurt that trimmed Mississippi State's deficit to 73-70 with 8 minutes to play. Smart answered with a step-back fade-away jumper and Thomas followed with a 3-pointer to start a 12-3 run that pushed LSU's lead into double figures for good. Tolu Smith had 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds for Mississippi State (11-10, 5-7). Derek Fountain scored 20 points, Iverson Molinar added 16 and Deivon Smith 12. |
| Fighting together: USM Coach Joye Lee-McNelis making difference for cancer patients | |
| Whether you, your spouse, a loved one, or a friend is battling cancer, the feelings can be overwhelming. But brave words from Coach Joye Lee-McNelis remind us all to look for the hope in each situation, no matter what we are facing. Her leadership is an example of kindness and selflessness in action. "My parents always taught us that in life, you were not put on this earth to be self-serving; you're put here on this earth to serve others," she said. The University of Southern Mississippi women's basketball coach for the past 17 seasons, McNelis earned C-USA Coach of the Year accolades during the 2016-17 season. She applies the philosophy of serving others across all areas of her life -- from how she coaches her team to how she handles times of personal adversity. McNelis was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017.She recently shared that her cancer has returned, and she is mapping out her treatment plan with her oncologist at the Forrest General Cancer Center. "Even in times when we think that our lives are a wreck and things seem to be going in a spiral, it's about the impact you make on others' lives; that's how you make a difference," McNelis said. |
| Southern AD Roman Banks takes issue with Alcorn State opting out: 'All of us are facing tough times' | |
 | Alcorn State's decision to opt out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference spring football season has left Southern athletic director Roman Banks without half of his home games, and with many reservations. Alcorn officials confirmed Tuesday that it will not play the six-game spring schedule that the 10 SWAC members agreed upon last year. The conference voted to delay the 2020 season to spring 2021 because of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. SWAC commissioner Charles McClelland declined to comment Wednesday on how the league would proceed, other than to say he will meet with the league athletic directors soon to discuss the "next steps." Banks was especially chagrined at Alcorn State's intentions to opt out while "moving forward with traditional spring practice to prepare for fall play," according to a quote from Braves coach Fred McNair in the Tuesday press release. If the Braves can conduct spring practice, they should. "I would love to say, 'Let's not play; let's have a good spring and get prepared for the fall,' " Banks said. "But teams are going to be playing and getting banged up because we made a commitment. There are certain rules that protect all the universities. That's my issue. I don't want to jump the gun until we get all the points and factors and give the conference office a chance to do their due process." |
| What LSU baseball games will look like at Alex Box Stadium in 2021 | |
| Two members of LSU athletics' event management staff walked through the bleachers inside Alex Box Stadium holding zip ties Wednesday afternoon. From section to section, they looped the plastic restraints through designated seat backs, preventing anyone from sitting in those chairs when the season begins Feb. 19 against Air Force. With Alex Box Stadium limited to 25% capacity this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the venue will look much different the next time LSU plays a baseball game. Signs throughout the concourse encourage physical distancing and remind fans to return to their seats, saying, "No congregating." Zip ties block every other row to maintain 6 feet between people. Stickers signify closed bleacher seats. Overall, the protocols match what LSU has implemented throughout its athletic venues since the pandemic began. Fans can't tailgate, and they must use mobile tickets to enter the gates, which open one hour before first pitch. Once inside, fans have to wear a facial covering except when eating or drinking. "Procedurally, protocols are pretty much the same from football in Tiger Stadium to the PMAC to here," said Richard Dempsey, an assistant director of game and event management. "There are some nuances with the ballpark that are different, but for our fans, a lot of this stuff is pretty consistent from what we've done throughout the fall and winter." |
| Who can attend Vanderbilt baseball games amid COVID-19? University releases policy | |
 | Vanderbilt baseball players' parents and family members will be permitted to attend home games when the season starts next week. The remaining fans will have to wait to see the defending national champion. On Tuesday, Vanderbilt announced its COVID-19 attendance policy for baseball, beginning with the series opener against Wright State on Feb. 19-21 at Hawkins Field. A limited number of opposing players' guests will also be allowed to attend, as required by SEC rules. The policy will be evaluated during the season, leaving the possibility that season-ticket holders and fans eventually could attend home games. According to the release, limiting attendance at games is "based on the advice and guidance of Vanderbilt's public health partners, including the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and local public health officials." The Commodores face a 54-game schedule, including 35 home contests. |
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