| Tuesday, April 20, 2021 |
| Mississippi State U. creates chief tech transformation officer role | |
 | Mississippi State University announced Monday it's restructuring its IT department and creating a new chief technology transformation officer position. The university of about 22,000 students created the new position to relieve some of the responsibilities currently held by the university Chief Information Officer Steve Parrott. The new chief technology transformation officer role, which hasn't yet been filled, will report to university Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw, while "serving as a strategic advisor to MSU leadership and working to develop and implement long-term technology improvement strategies," according to a university press release. As head of the school's Information Technology Services office, the CTTO will be tasked with executing the university's strategy and managing the university's technology budget, while Parrott, who's held the CIO role since 2018, will report up to the new position as he heads day-to-day technology operations. "As the past year has shown, information technology is a vital and rapidly-changing part of any institution of higher learning," Shaw said. |
| MSU-Meridian sets spring commencement with COVID protocols in place | |
 | MSU-Meridian has announced its spring graduation plans, and once again, there are changes to the norm due to COVID. 116 students are expected to walk the isle on Monday, May 3rd during ceremonies at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian. All participants will be limited on the number of tickets they'll receive and face coverings must be worn throughout the service. It's certainly not standard procedure but safety is the top concern for the school. "We are taking all the protocols to make sure we are safe as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Terry Dale Cruse, Associate Vice President and Head of MSU-Meridian. "Our capacity for graduation will be limited to half of the capacity of the Riley Center's Opera House and students are issued two tickets ahead of time to provide for their family members." The ceremony will also be live streamed on MSTV at http://utc.msstate.edu/mstv/ and on the MSU-Meridian Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/msstatemeridian. Each graduate will be allowed two (2) tickets to distribute to family and friends. Once in the facility, the party of up to two will be presented tickets with seat assignments. The party must be seated together for the entire ceremony. There are 116 spring degree candidates. |
| Teen charged as adult in Starkville shooting | |
 | A 16-year-old male is being held on a $200,000 bond, charged as an adult in connection with a Saturday night shooting in north Starkville. Police patrolling the Westside Park area Saturday April 17 heard shots fired in the area of the Brookville Garden Apartments around 9:30 p.m. Officers responded to the apartments and found one juvenile male who had been shot in the thigh. He was airlifted to a hospital out of the area for medical attention. The Starkville Police Department charged Cameron Jones, 16, of Starkville, was charged Monday April 19 with aggravated assault. He is being held in the Oktibbeha County Jail. This is not his first run-in with the law over a shooting. In February, the then-15-year-old Jones was arrested by the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and shooting into a dwelling. This incident remains under active investigation and officials say more arrests are expected. |
| New Carbon Market Pays Southern Pine-Growers Not to Cut | |
 | Here is a new way for Southern pine growers to get paid for their timber: Leave it standing. Companies eager to offset their emissions are paying Southern timberland owners not to cut more than a million acres of mill-bound pine trees until next year. The idea is that the longer the timber stands, the more carbon the trees can sponge from the atmosphere before becoming two-by-fours and telephone poles. The companies are credited with socking away carbon in wood, measured in metric tons and documented with tradable assets called carbon offsets. Companies buy offsets to scrub emissions from the carbon ledgers they keep to show investors and customers their pollution-reduction efforts. Landowners get a check as long as their trees remain standing. The market's architect, SilviaTerra, plans to expand its Natural Capital Exchange this summer from Southern pine to hardwood forests there as well as to woods around the Great Lakes. Big landowners took the offer, too. Molpus Woodlands Group LLC, one of the country's largest timberland investment-management organizations, agreed to hold off harvesting about 468,000 acres across the South, said Dick Kempka, whose job is to generate non-timber income from Molpus properties. The pay-to-wait offer was opportune for Mr. McDaniel, Molpus and thousands of other timber owners in the South, where there are so many pine trees that log prices have plunged to their lowest levels in decades despite prices for finished lumber and pulp that have soared during the pandemic. |
| Ridgeland's Spence Flatgard elected to serve as MDAH's board president | |
 | Spence Flatgard of Ridgeland has been elected to serve as president of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History beginning in October. The election came during a regular meeting of the MDAH Board of Trustees on Friday, April 16, at which board member Reuben Anderson announced his plans to retire in July. "Mississippi has been uplifted by Justice Anderson's leadership, character and grace," said Flatgard. "We all stand on his shoulders and those of former board presidents Mayor Kane Ditto and Governor William Winter. We invite every Mississippian to visit our world-class museums and compelling sites throughout our state to reflect on our rich history and look ahead to our bright future together." Flatgard began his career as Senator Roger Wicker's first Legislative Director and has served as State Bond Attorney for both Governors Barbour & Bryant. He is now a government affairs attorney and partner at Watkins & Eager, PLLC. Other members of the board of trustees of the Department of Archives and History are Hilda Cope Povall of Cleveland, vice president; Nancy Carpenter, Columbus; Betsey Hamilton, New Albany; Web Heidelberg, Hattiesburg; Edmond Hughes, Ocean Springs; Mark Keenum, Starkville; and Helen Moss Smith of Natchez. |
| Nearly $2.6 million Old Capitol repair project expected to wrap up this summer | |
| The Old Capitol Museum will likely remain closed at least through early this summer, as crews continue work on a $2.6 million renovation project. Construction began in 2019, as a project to repair the copper roof, windows, and interior plaster. Work was expected to be completed in eight months, but subsequent leaks brought about by heavy rains showed that work also needed to be done to repair the facility's copper dome, said Michael Morris, director of public relations with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. "The repair work on the dome is very sensitive because of the concerns about how the project may affect the ornamental plaster on the interior dome that the public sees inside the building," he said. The building is closed to the public because of the major plasterwork being done inside, as well as a large amount of scaffolding being used there. The Old Capitol is home to a museum exploring the history of the site when it was the seat of Mississippi government. The Greek Revival facility was home to the state legislature and other government offices between 1839 and 1903 and was the site of some of the state's most important legislative actions, including the passage of the 1839 Married Women's Property Act, the vote to secede from the Union in 1861 and the crafting of the 1868 and 1890 state constitutions. |
| Analysis: Is the Mississippi ballot initiative working as intended? | |
| Mississippi voters' right to change the state constitution hangs in the balance with the state Supreme Court, at a time when numerous groups are eyeing the ballot initiative as a way to overcome legislative fiat or recalcitrance. It's also coming at a time when political leaders and experts nationwide are wondering if ballot initiative and referendum is getting out of hand, at least in some states. The 2020 passage of medical marijuana Initiative 65 helped inspire current movements to undo the Legislature's removal of the Confederate-themed state flag, and to expand Medicaid and early voting over opposition from the state GOP legislative leadership. It has also prompted some talk at the Capitol of taking other issues directly to voters -- such as the House income tax for sales tax swap that died without a vote in the Senate or the creation of a sportsman's fund with diverted sporting goods sales taxes, which likewise died in the Senate despite public support. But a challenge to Initiative 65 is pending before the state's high court on whether the process to put initiatives on the ballot is constitutionally flawed. This decision will be of great moment for current and future efforts, just at a time when Mississippi's ballot initiative process, for good or ill, appears to be coming into its own. An adverse ruling to Initiative 65 could halt or even eliminate Mississippians' ballot initiative rights. |
| Mississippi legalizing home delivery of alcohol as of July 1 | |
 | Starting this summer, Mississippi will allow home delivery of liquor, beer, wine or light spirits from local package stores or retailers. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed House Bill 1135 on Wednesday, and it will become law July 1. Buyers will have to prove they are at least 21, delivery people will have to be at least that old and deliveries cannot be made to any person who "appears intoxicated." Deliveries also cannot be made to dry counties or cities. The bill specifies that deliveries may only be made within 30 miles of the store selling the alcohol, so Mississippi residents still will not be able to receive bottles from out-of-state wine clubs. |
| Groups plan effort for Mississippi voting rights restoration | |
| Three groups will sponsor an initiative to try to simplify the way Mississippi restores voting rights to people convicted of some felonies, a person involved with the effort said Monday. Danyelle Holmes, a national organizer with the Mississippi Poor People's Campaign, said paperwork to begin a ballot initiative will be filed soon with the secretary of state's office. The Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition and the People's Advocacy Institute will join the Poor People's Campaign as sponsors. Holmes said the proposal is to automatically restore voting rights to anyone who finishes serving a sentence, including probation, for a disenfranchising crime. She said people would not be required to pay any monetary penalties that are part of a sentence before getting back the right to vote. The Rev. William Barber, national co-chairman of the Poor People's Campaign, spoke Monday at a gathering in downtown Jackson and said restoring voting rights to people who have finished serving time is a moral imperative. "We should not hold people captive beyond their sentence," Barber said. |
| Brad Mills appointed Madison, Rankin circuit judge | |
| Brad Mills was appointed Circuit Court Judge for the Twentieth Circuit Court District, Place 1 Monday by Gov. Tate Reeves. "Brad Mills has been a leader in the legal community in our state for years, working hard to protect the rights of Mississippians," Reeves said. "I am grateful that he will continue serving the people of Mississippi as circuit judge for the 20th Circuit Court District." The Twentieth Circuit Court District covers Madison and Rankin counties. Mills, a personal injury attorney from Brandon, began his legal career in 2007 and has served as a solo practitioner in Brandon for 13 years, handling over 1,000 cases. Mills received his bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University and his juris doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law. Mills replaces Judge John H. Emfinger who was appointed to the Court of Appeals District 3 Place 2 in March. Mills is a native of Corinth. |
| George W. Bush: Today's GOP is 'isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent, nativist' | |
 | Former President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that today's Republican Party is far from what it used to be. "I would describe it as isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent, nativist," Bush said to host Hoda Kotb during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show. "Well that's not exactly my vision, but you know what I'm just an old guy they put out pasture," he added. "So just a simple painter." The former president also said that he thinks a GOP candidate with progressive positions on immigration laws, young immigrants brought to the U.S. by their parents, gun reform, and education funding for public schools has a shot to win the White House in 2024. "I think that it depends upon the emphasis. I think if the emphasis [is] integrity and decency and trying to get problems solved. Yeah, I think the person has a shot," he said. His comments come as House GOP leaders are struggling to rein in the increasingly open nativism within their conference. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) tweeted over the weekend that the GOP is not the party of "nativist dog whistles" after a draft policy platform was leaked for a proposed caucus that called for promoting "Anglo-Saxon political traditions" and infrastructure that reflects "European architecture." |
| Walter Mondale, who rose from small-town Minnesota to vice presidency, dies at 93 | |
| Walter F. Mondale, a preacher's son from southern Minnesota who climbed to the pinnacle of U.S. politics as an influential senator, vice president and Democratic nominee for president, died on Monday. He was 93. Known as "Fritz" to family, friends and voters alike, Mondale died in Minneapolis, according to a statement from his family. Former President Jimmy Carter, who chose Mondale as his running mate in 1976, called his friend "the best vice president in our country's history." "He was an invaluable partner and an able servant of the people of Minnesota, the United States and the world," Carter said in a statement. "Fritz Mondale provided us all with a model for public service and private behavior." After serving four years under Carter, Mondale was the Democratic nominee for president in 1984. He lost to the incumbent, President Ronald Reagan, in a historic landslide. Even in defeat, Mondale made history by choosing as his running mate Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to run for vice president on a major-party ticket. It followed a series of political landmarks in a public career that spanned seven decades. |
| Florida Adopts Nation's Toughest Restrictions On Protests : NPR | |
 | Florida's governor has signed a law that he called the "strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement measure in the country." The law was written in response to protests around the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. It provides new protections for police and increases the penalties for people who take part in property damage or violence during protests. Florida experienced little of the violence seen elsewhere in the country last summer following Floyd's death. But Gov. Ron DeSantis said tougher laws were needed to make sure Florida doesn't see the kind of protests that occurred in Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., and other cities. At the bill signing Monday, DeSantis said, "If you riot, if you loot, if you harm others, particularly if you harm a law enforcement officer during one of these violent assemblies, you're going to jail." The law increases penalties for protesters who block roadways or deface public monuments. It creates a new crime, "mob intimidation." And it requires that anyone arrested at a protest be denied bail until their first court appearance, likely making for overnight jail stays. |
| Herd immunity in US likely impossible, but vaccines can control COVID | |
 | For almost a year, Americans have been looking forward to herd immunity, when enough people are protected through vaccination or past infection to stop the spread of COVID-19. Once there, public officials have said, masks won't be necessary and hugging and handshakes -- not to mention gyms, bars and indoor dining -- can return. But even as more than half of Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine and many others are protected by recent infections, health experts are moving away from the idea of reaching some magic number. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor, doesn't want to talk about herd immunity anymore. "Rather than concentrating on an elusive number, let's get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can," he said at a White House briefing last week, a sentiment he's since repeated. What Fauci doesn't explicitly state, but others do, is that with about a quarter of Americans saying they might not want to be immunized, herd immunity is simply not an attainable goal. "It's theoretically possible but we as a society have rejected that," said Dr. Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "There is no eradication at this point, it's off the table. The only thing we can talk about is control." |
| Tougaloo, USM, UMMC partner for COVID-19 study in young adults | |
| Tougaloo and the University of Southern Mississippi are pooling resources to try to gauge how the pandemic is impacting lives, especially younger people as more people get the virus. The research study is called Young Adults Against COVID-19, and UMMC is leading the project. "This is an NIH-funded initiative that is focused on combating misinformation and mistrust about COVID-19, especially in under-served communities," said UMMC worker Caroline Compretta. The project asks young people to talk about how the pandemic impacted their lives and how they have felt about the vaccine. The project reaches out to students on various campuses as this demographic is engaged in multiple platforms and faces challenges of hybrid and online learning. Researchers are hoping to learn more about the pandemic complications on young people, many of who are still uncertain about getting the vaccine. Since the research began, they have learned that traditional avenues of social media do not reach all young adults. Dr. Wendy White with Tougaloo College said more young adults are seeing information on platforms such as Twitter and TikTok. "It would be best if Dr. Fauci did a TikTok video every day to inform them because that is where they are spending most of their time on," Dr. White said. |
| Health educators warn that Mississippi has a shortage of nursing educators in community colleges | |
 | A grant from the Bower Foundation is being awarded to the University of Mississippi Medical Center and partnering community colleges. The grant will help nurses get their master's degrees and become educators themselves. Julie Sanford is Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She says the coronavirus pandemic created a high demand for nurses and nursing educators, and other states were able to pay more. "We're seeing people leave the state and go and work in other places. They have tremendous sign-on bonuses, thousands of dollars and then the salaries are so high. We do expect what's going to happen as the pandemic resolves, that we'll see some of those individuals return to our state. We hope so," says Sanford. The nearly $4 million grant pays for tuition for 64 master's degree nursing students, and hospital leaders say they will be qualified to work at community colleges across the state. Kathy Elliott is Dean of Health Sciences at Hinds Community College. She says having more educators in the classroom will have a rippling effect towards building the state's nursing profession. "And that's really our ultimate goal is to get students in and to keep students long enough to graduate," says Elliott. "Nursing school is hard, but when we provide the tools that faculty need to do their jobs as best as they possibly can, then that's a win-win for faculty and for students." |
| Multi-million dollar grant will address nurse educator shortage | |
| Mississippi has a nursing shortage and the pandemic is making it worse. But there's an even deeper rooted problem that needs repair: the nurse educator shortage. The draw of more money and paying off student loan debt is hitting not just practicing nurses but also nursing educators who are training up the next generation of nurses. A $3.8 million grant from the Bower Foundation will allow 64 nursing scholarship recipients at the state's community colleges to get their masters through UMMC tuition free with the hope that they'll stick around for longer. "We're hoping it just stops some of the bleeding," noted Dr. Julie Sanford, Dean of the School of Nursing. Building up that bullpen of nursing educators will ultimately have a domino effect for health care in the state. "Better education also results in better patient care," explained Dr. Ralph Didlake, UMMC Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. "So, in a very real way this grant reaches every patient that those future students will ever touch. So, you can understand why the medical center is so excited about this grant because it aligns perfectly with our mission to improve the health of Mississippi." |
| USM ROTC presents VFW with Space Force flag | |
 | Members of ROTC at the University of Southern Mississippi presented a Space Force flag to the VFW in Hattiesburg during a special ceremony Monday. The National Defense Authorization Act created the Space Force branch of the military in December 2019. Now, thanks to the ROTC's fundraising, the Space Force's flag will fly next to the rest of the military flags in the VFW. Post commander Gary Iverson says he is thankful to members of ROTC detachment 432 for sponsoring the Space Force flag at the VFW. "Receiving this flag from ROTC is -- I don't even know how to explain it. Getting a new armed forces flag means a lot. [It] is a big deal that we have this and they gave us this flag for presentation that we will use from here on out. It's a historical moment for us and for them and for America," Iverson said. Cadet Colonel Emily Riter spearheaded the fundraising. She says it was a group effort. "We just really wanted to be a part of helping this post get the flag and being one of those first detachments to have a sponsorship like that," Riter said. She presented the flag to Iverson while the Space Force anthem played. |
| East Central Community College to offer limited on-campus summer housing | |
| East Central Community College in Decatur will offer limited on-campus housing for those students attending one of the summer academic terms in June and July. Those interested in on-campus housing while attending summer classes should contact Dr. Amanda Walton, director of housing and student activities, at awalton@eccc.edu or 601-635-6213, or go by the Housing Office in the Smith Student Union Building on the Decatur campus. ECCC is offering four summer terms, including a June On-Campus Term that begins June 1, a July On-Campus Term that begins July 6, a June Online Term that begins June 1, and an Online Full Term (June and July) that also begins June 1. Complete course listings for all terms are located under the myEC tab on the college's website at www.eccc.edu. Students can apply for admission online and after acceptance will be emailed information on how to register for classes online. |
| Coahoma Community College earmarks $660,000 for SAFE Center | |
| The Coahoma Community College board approved spending $660,000 to complete the new Student Activity Family Enhancement (SAFE) Center during this month's meeting. That led to discussion about other non-athletic facility upgrades on campus from 2019 to 2021 that cost approximately $4.5 million. CCC chief financial officer Deborah Valentine said the money to complete the SAFE Center would come from CARES Act funds. Flagstar Construction out of Brandon will be doing the work. "We've got to install some mechanical, electrical and plumbing," said chief of staff and director of physical plant Jerone Shaw. "Those are the outstanding issues." Shaw said the building is currently standing. "It's on the lake. It's right next to the auto body and collision shop. It's on the north end of the football field." CCC president Dr. Valmadge Towner made a presentation breaking down 11 non-athletic facility upgrades the past two years that add up to nearly $4.5 million. "You just approved $600,000-plus to be approved for the SAFE Center -- the Student Activity Family Enhancement Center," Towner said. "One of the criticisms I may receive is that we spend a lot of money on athletics. Let me say this, too. You see how nice things are here? Go other places. I'm telling you. I know we can't compete, but I'm telling you this is a very modest campus in comparison to a lot of other institutions." |
| Mississippi charter school leader calls renewal process unfair, an 'injustice' | |
| Operators of a Jackson charter school say the board overseeing charter schools in the state did not take into account the most recent data and denied them due process when considering the school's contract renewal. But Lisa Karmacharya, executive director of the board that made the decision, said the board was simply following guidelines outlined in state law and the recommendation of an evaluation team of independent, highly qualified individuals. The Charter School Authorizer Board, the state body that oversees public charter schools in the state, granted Joel E. Smilow Prep in Jackson a four-year contract with conditions at its meeting last week -- even though they were eligible for a five-year, unconditional renewal. State law says a charter school in Mississippi is eligible for a five-year, unconditional renewal if it meets certain criteria. Although the school performed well in the areas of academics and finances, a report by evaluators highlighted deficiencies or lack of data in the category of organizational performance. Officials from RePublic Schools, which operates Smilow Prep and two other charter schools in Jackson, say a report they received in September of last year showed the school met expectations in all areas of the performance framework, so the news they received in March was "an utter and absolute shock," said the group's CEO Jon Rybka. |
| Asian Americans wary about school amid virus, violence | |
| A Chinese American mother in the Boston suburbs is sending her sons to in-person classes this month, even after one of them was taunted with a racist "slanted-eyes" gesture at school, just days after the killings of women of Asian descent at massage businesses in Atlanta. In the Dallas area, a Korean American family is keeping their middle schooler in online classes for the rest of the year after they spotted a question filled with racist Chinese stereotypes, including a reference to eating dogs and cats, on one of her exams. As high schools and elementary schools across the country gradually re-open for full-time classes, Asian American families are wrestling with whether to send their children back out into the world at a time when anti-Asian hostility and violence is on the rise. Swan Lee, a Chinese American mother in the Boston suburb of Brookline, isn't so sure keeping Asian American students at home is the answer to what ails the country. Her two high school-age teens are preparing to return to classes full-time later this month, and she's emphasized the importance of being strong and staying positive, though she admits she's worried about what might happen outside the relative safety of the school building. |
| Asian and Asian American student activists call for changes on their campuses | |
 | In the month since the March 16 shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent, Asian and Asian American student groups at campuses across the country have renewed their activism and advocacy efforts and are demanding changes on their campuses. The student activists are variously calling for the establishment of Asian American studies programs, expansion of mental health services for Asian American and Pacific Islander students, increased resources for cultural centers, improved processes for reporting hate and bias incidents, and more. The activism comes in the context of intense concerns about an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. At Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn., students launched a campaign on March 15, the day before the Atlanta shootings, calling on the university to establish an Asian American and Asian diaspora studies program. Vanderbilt is currently hiring for a three-year, non-tenure-track assistant professor position in the field, which a spokesman described as "an important step in an overall strategy to build interdisciplinary curricular efforts." "Students should not have to pay $70,000 a year to teach themselves their own history and identity," said Iris Kim, a senior who founded the Vanderbilt Asian American Studies Initiative. "That has been the most heartbreaking thing to witness is when people leave this university with a bachelor's degree and are still unable to recognize where they fit into our American history and system." |
| New Tiger Transit buses en route to The Plains | |
| Auburn students will soon be riding to and from campus with added comfort and convenience. The University's Tiger Transit system is set to receive a facelift in the form of an entirely new fleet of buses slated to arrive on The Plains beginning at the end of May. Ten hybrid-electric buses and 60 new fuel-efficient diesel buses will fully replace the existing fleet, which has been in operation on campus for eight years, according to Don Andrae, director of Auburn University's Transportation Services. "[The hybrid-electric buses] will look a whole lot different because they're more city-type buses," Andrae said. "They'll have all inward-facing seats and every seat will have a USB charger. There'll be WiFi on the buses." Andrae said Transportation Services employees will be traveling to Livermore, California, next month to watch the first of the diesel Tiger Transit buses roll off the line at the headquarters of Gillig, a bus designing and manufacturing company. From there, 56 of the diesel buses will be driven cross-country to Auburn. "You can't get a better testing than that," he joked. "It won't impact our warranty but we'll definitely know if the buses work by the time they get here." |
| LSU leaders say they can't require students to get COVID vaccine, but strongly encourage it | |
 | LSU leaders won't require students to get vaccinated against coronavirus ahead of the fall semester -- they say the university doesn't have that authority -- but they are strongly encouraging students, faculty and staff to get the vaccine. "We're all very encouraged by the more than 10,000 students and employees who have already gotten vaccinated against COVID-19," LSU officials said in a Facebook post Monday. "Although we can't require vaccinations under FDA Emergency Use Authorization status, broad immunization is critical to helping end the current pandemic and to protecting our overall university community," said Tom Galligan, LSU's interim president, and Stacia L. Haynie, LSU's executive vice-president and provost. The vaccinations for COVID that Americans are currently receiving have not been fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but are being distributed under emergency rules. Health experts say they are safe. Galligan and Haynie said vaccinations would "help us return to pre-pandemic normal this fall, including face-to-face courses, a wider range of events and activities on campus, expanded dining and recreation options, and greater interpersonal collaboration among faculty, students and researchers." |
| U. of Kentucky faculty allege they're being left out of hiring process, shared governance | |
 | University of Kentucky faculty representatives took issue with the hiring process for a university administrator last week, alleging that the process deviated from previous norms and rendered faculty input on the process pointless. Working to fill an open position for the dean of the graduate school, UK Provost David Blackwell announced one finalist for the spot last week after a search committee interviewed multiple candidates. At issue for some faculty members is the naming of just one finalist for the position, stated an email sent last week to UK President Eli Capilouto from Aaron Cramer, the chair of the university's Senate Council. Typically after a finalist is named for a position, faculty and students get the chance to interact with the finalist at open forums where they can provide feedback about a candidate. The email stated that the naming of just one candidate is the latest installment in a growing decision-making pattern that leaves out the voice of faculty. In a statement, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said the search "has been conducted completely in accordance with university policy" and has been consistent with other recent position searches like those for the deanships of the Colleges of Social Work, Law and Dentistry, all of which were filled in the past two years. |
| Texas A&M scientists identify new COVID-19 variant | |
 | Texas A&M University scientists announced Monday that they have identified a new COVID-19 variant in a saliva sample taken from an A&M student in College Station as part of the university's ongoing testing program. A team at the Texas A&M University Global Health Research Complex named the variant -- which is related to the United Kingdom variant -- BV-1, after the Brazos Valley region. Ben Neuman, a Texas A&M professor who is chief virologist at the GHRC, said in a phone interview that the sample tested positive at the A&M research complex on March 5; a university press release states that the finding was confirmed at St. Joseph Regional Hospital. The student lives off campus but is active in on-campus organizations, according to the university. "We have some of the U.K. variants on campus, and this is one of those -- but it's like a U.K. variant with a little twist. We think this is fairly recent and that it's pretty local," Neuman said. Neuman said the student provided a second sample that tested positive on March 25; he said it is difficult to glean too much from one case, but the length of positive results may indicate that the BV-1 variant could cause a longer-lasting infection than is typical of COVID-19 for adults ages 18 to 24. A third sample obtained on April 9 was negative and revealed no evidence of the virus. |
| U. of Missouri plans to restructure student resource centers | |
 | When University of Missouri students seek resources related to their ethnicity, gender, sexuality or disability, they turn to various centers on campus that cater to those needs. Online conversations cropped up over the weekend about these centers and plans the university has to restructure them. Students and alumni wanted to know what this would mean, and it led to a demonstration Monday in support of the centers and their staff. Posts on social media expressed dismay over the notion that resource center staff could be facing layoffs by the end of June, using #Justice4MUSocialJustice. Suzy Day, alumna and former women's center coordinator, expressed "horror" Sunday on Twitter over the restructuring. She sees the changes as a way the university is decreasing support of the centers and said she planned to bring her concerns to Maurice Gipson, vice chancellor of inclusion, diversity and equity. But what exactly will the restructuring entail? There is no definitive answer yet, even though there were media reports Monday that some positions may be eliminated. "It depends on what happens in the restructuring process," said MU spokesman Christian Basi. Assistant director roles are being developed, he said. |
| U. of Missouri students protest diversity and inclusion staff restructuring | |
| Students at the University of Missouri are confused and upset about pending changes to top staff positions at campus centers focused on supporting underrepresented groups on campus, including LGBTQ and Black students and survivors of sexual assault. The university plans to eliminate coordinator positions at five social justice-focused centers that are part of the Division for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, including the LGBTQ Resource Center, Women's Center, Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, Multicultural Center and Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center, according to a private message shared with members of the LGBTQ Resource Center. The message, which said the changes are to be implemented by June 30, was shared with Inside Higher Ed by a member of the message group. Christian Basi, director for media relations for the Columbia campus and the university system, said the university is "elevating the supervision positions" as part of a broader restructuring plan and some coordinator roles will be promoted to assistant directors. When the plan is complete, "the centers will be in a better position to support students, faculty and staff at the university," Basi said. |
| Sororities delay vote on inclusion of nonbinary members | |
| Leaders of national sororities delayed a vote last week on whether to allow their organizations to change their definitions of "women" in order to be more inclusive of nonbinary members, according to a statement from Dani Weatherford, CEO of the National Panhellenic Conference, an umbrella organization that governs the policies and practices of 26 national and international sororities. The vote was seen as a potential turning point for the organizations, which have historically been women-only groups and criticized by some as unwelcoming to LGBTQ people. But Weatherford said there is "a need for further consideration and research to ensure that all members have an understanding of the implications of any potential changes." "The current policy, which was adopted specifically to ensure that transgender women were eligible for recruitment, remains in effect, and NPC staff will continue to engage campus-based partners in the months ahead to provide additional clarity when and if questions arise about recruitment eligibility," Weatherford's statement said. Nicole DeFeo, international executive director of Delta Phi Epsilon, a sorority that has been pushing for the policy change, said the vote delay was shocking and disappointing. She said the sorority is determining when to bring the change to a vote again at an upcoming conference meeting. |
| Here's Who Was Hit Hardest by Higher Ed's Pandemic-Driven Job Losses | |
 | Since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March of 2020, institutions of higher education have shed a net total of at least 570,000 workers, according to preliminary, seasonally adjusted figures from the U.S. Labor Department. Put another way, for every nine workers employed in academe in February 2020, at least one had lost or left that job a year later. Mirroring trends in the larger economy, certain workers in higher education have endured a disproportionate share of the losses. Workers with limited labor protections, like those providing administrative support or working in food service, were particularly hard hit. So were employees of color, who saw outsized losses relative to their share of the overall work force. Job losses were worst in the early months of the pandemic, when higher ed shed hundreds of thousands of jobs in a relatively short period. Despite a significant increase in recent months, the net loss in jobs remains so large that it's erased more than a decade of job gains for the sector, with higher ed's work force now matching its size in February 2008. |
| Should colleges mandate Covid-19 shots? Encourage? Incentivize? All of the above? | |
| It's clear: With students eager to get back on campus this fall and college leaders eager to have them, most institutions will try to provide an experience that's something close to normal. It won't look quite like it did before the Covid-19 pandemic, however. According to scores of college officials, masking will remain the norm at most campuses at least through the end of 2021. Social distancing will still be required, but might gradually be relaxed depending on infection rates. Students will continue to monitor themselves for symptoms and, at many colleges, record those data on apps. Where possible, they will live in less densely populated dorms. And many classes and activities will stay at least partly online. But whatever else colleges do right, if students, faculty, and staff members aren't vaccinated in high enough numbers, institutions' plans will crumble. "To us," says Michael Huey, interim CEO of the American College Health Association and former assistant vice president for student-health services at Emory University, "the key thing is to get as many students, faculty, and staff vaccinated before the fall semester, because everything is going to hinge on that." |
| Is it ethical to pay students to get vaccinated? | |
| Colleges are giving out a wide range of freebies -- gift cards, T-shirts, free courses or hard cash -- for students who can show proof of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. But decisions about whether to incentivize the vaccine and how to go about it are fraught with ethical questions for scholars and campus leaders. At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, students who upload a copy of their vaccination card through April 28 receive gift cards for a drink at the Starbucks on campus. They can also win serious money toward food or textbooks, and even free housing. The university is raffling off 10 $150 flex meal plans and 10 $350 bookstore scholarships. One student will receive free on-campus housing for the next full academic year. The funds for the raffle come from federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds, which were part of the coronavirus relief package passed in late December. The list goes on. Vaccinated students at the College of Wooster in Ohio get free shirts bearing a Scottie dog, the college's mascot, wearing a mask with the hashtag #ScotsProtectScots. Students with campus jobs will also be compensated if they miss work hours for a vaccine appointment, which is in line with the college's policy to pay student workers through the pandemic even if their campus jobs were shut down. |
| How President Biden's infrastructure plan may fracture the nation's colleges | |
 | Free community college, a big hit on the campaign trail, is a key piece of President Joe Biden's plan to rebuild the economy, and projects a blue-collar message that dovetails with his public persona and his wife's teaching career. It has also splintered the nation's colleges and universities. So far, Biden has stayed faithful to his community college pitch by including $12 billion for updating physical and technological infrastructure at community colleges in his $2 trillion infrastructure plan unveiled earlier this month. But what community colleges see as a boon after years of financial struggles, some four-year colleges see as a potential threat to their sagging enrollment. Community colleges also have a champion in first lady Jill Biden, who teaches at a community college in Northern Virginia. Education groups are hoping Biden won't make them choose between proposals for free college and those that boost financial aid, because they're convinced Congress can't stomach the price tag of doing both. "I'm concerned that there could be a food fight," J. Noah Brown, president of the Association of Community College Trustees, said in an interview. "If you really want to screw things up, pit the sectors against one another," he said. "When the sectors are pitted against one another, as you can well imagine, community colleges tend to lose more. I'm very worried about it." |
SPORTS
| Diamond Dawg Gameday: host UAB | |
| After winning 10 of its last 11 games, No. 2 Mississippi State baseball opens a new week with a midweek tilt against UAB on Tuesday (April 20) at 6:30 p.m. CT at Dudy Noble Field. The Diamond Dawgs (27-8) are coming off of three straight SEC series victories, including its most recent home series win over in-state rival No. 6 Ole Miss, while the Blazers (12-23) split a four-game series at home over the weekend. Fourth-year duo Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan lead the team in batting average, hitting .336 and .316, respectively. Jordan has raised his average significantly during SEC play and owns a career-best 20-game reach base streak. Allen had the big hit in MSU's series clinching win against Ole Miss, as his bases-clearing three-run triple gave MSU a 7-4 lead in a five-run sixth inning rally before State would go on to win 7-5. UAB's Chandler Simpson leads the team in hitting, batting .340 on the year. Simpson owns a .384 on-base percentage, and has caused trouble when he reaches, stealing 17 bases on 18 attempts. The Blazers are hitting .245 as a team to go along with a 5.48 earned run average. |
| Mississippi athletes will be able to earn money for likeness | |
| College athletes in Mississippi will soon be able to earn money from their own name, image or likeness. Gov. Tate Reeves signed Senate Bill 2313, also known as the "Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Rights Act" on Friday. The legislation becomes law July 1. A small number of other states have also enacted such laws. A Florida law that also takes effect July 1 will let student-athletes make money through contracts. A similar California law takes effect in January 2023. All eight of Mississippi's public universities and the state College Board supported the proposal, which officials said will help the schools compete for talent. The NCAA, which governs intercollegiate sports, says that it is "best positioned to provide a uniform and fair name, image and likeness approach for all student-athletes on a national scale." The NCAA and the Power Five conferences have been lobbying Congress to set nationwide standards for how college athletes could earn money from endorsements while also remaining amateurs. But the prospects of congressional action remain uncertain. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves OKs bill allowing Mississippi college athletes to get image, likeness compensation | |
 | College athletes in Mississippi will soon be able to get compensated for their image and likeness. Gov. Tate Reeves approved Senate Bill 2313, better known as the "Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Rights Act" on Friday. The bill goes in effect July 1. Mississippi becomes the seventh state, behind California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska and New Jersey, to pass the bill. Mississippi, along with Florida, is also the state that will enact the bill the earliest. It won't come without national pushback, however. The NCAA can seek an injunction against or sue states that legalize NIL payments without a federal ruling. Or there could be a federal ruling that renders all state decisions moot. Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders, athletic director Ashley Robinson and school president Thomas Hudson recently met with Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker to discuss the bill. Sanders has been a public supporter of the bill for months now. On Monday's SWAC call with media, Sanders said he was focused on getting the bill passed because his duties as a college coach go beyond what takes place the field. |
| Governor Tate Reeves signs bill to allow college athletes compensation when their name, image or likeness is used | |
 | On Friday, Governor Tate Reeves signed SB 2313 which allows college athletes to receive compensation in the even their image, name or likeness are used in advertising for the university. Mississippi is not the first to make a move like this. They are joining California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, and New Jersey. Several other states are also considering legislation on the topic but no action has been taken by the NCAA until the United States Supreme Court rules on Alston v. NCAA. The case was brought by former college athletes who say the NCAA's rules restricting compensation, violate federal antitrust laws. The bill allows college athletes to be paid market value if their name, image or likeness are used while enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution. Those athletes may retain a certified agent to handle these matters. Athletes must give the institution a written notice, seven days before entering into an agreement with an agent and those agents must be registered. The bill does allow colleges and universities to propose reasonable limitations on the dates and times that an athlete may take part in any advertising. It also cannot impact the student's scholarship in any way. |
| Mississippi in vastly different place regarding COVID-19 restrictions | |
 | The trek back towards normalcy is finally showing signs of progress. This past weekend, Mississippians were treated to a music festival and an elite college baseball rivalry. It's a stark contrast to the experience available in many other states. It's a fact that Governor Tate Reeves alluded to on Twitter on Monday. The governor did not hold back when comparing Mississippi State's attendance to the New York Yankees. "I'll take the Neanderthals over Team Lockdown all day. The time for panic is over -- get a vaccine and live your life," tweeted Reeves. The Yankees attendance is currently capped at 20 percent capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, thousands came out to Dudy Noble Field for the Bulldogs clash with the Rebels. The fact that fans are being welcomed and allowed back in numbers has many thankful to live in the Magnolia State. "I am very proud to be a Mississippian and that we are kind of doing that. I hope our friends up north will take note and this will encourage other states to start opening up because it's time for that normal fun as we say," said Ocean Springs native and Mississippi State student Taylor Reeves, who is of no relation to the governor. |
| South Carolina expanding capacity at home park | |
| South Carolina is expanding its seating capacity at Founders Park for the remainder of the baseball season, beginning with this week's series against No. 1 Arkansas. A maximum attendance of 3,350 will be allowed for future games, up from 1,938 for earlier games this season. Founders Park has a total listed capacity of 8,242, including 6,600 seats. South Carolina campus guidelines recently narrowed the recommended social distancing from 6 feet to 3 feet between parties. Those who attend games at Founders Park are still encouraged to wear face coverings. The No. 11 Gamecocks (24-10, 10-5 SEC) are 16-2 at home this season, including 5-1 in SEC games against Florida and Missouri. "Obviously everybody wants a home field advantage, and as many fans as they'll let in here, I hope that that many come because our guys feed off it, there's no question about it," South Carolina coach Mark Kingston said following a 13-4 victory over Missouri on April 11, according to The State newspaper. "And they've all seen the videos from a while ago when this place when it was packed full pre-pandemic. They've seen how emotional and great it can get and how exciting it is and they love that and hopefully we keep playing well and hopefully they keep letting more fans in because it could be a really fun ride." South Carolina is one of several SEC schools to increase capacity since the beginning of the regular season. Ole Miss and Mississippi State have reported weekend attendances in excess of 33,000 as covid-19 guidelines have been lifted in that state. |
| U. of Tennessee IDs COVID-19 cluster from women's soccer team | |
 | The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has identified a COVID-19 cluster, its 19th cluster identified during the spring semester. The most recent cluster comes from activities involving the women's soccer team, and includes seven COVID-19 cases and seven close contacts, UT spokesperson Owen Driskill said. Routine testing done by athletics identified the initial case, he said. "All those involved have worked with university contact tracing and taken precautions, and their cooperation is greatly appreciated," Driskill said. The cluster occurred on April 8 and was identified by the university on April 13. As of April 18, there are 37 active COVID-19 cases and 104 people in isolation at UT. Of the 19 clusters identified this semester, one other cluster involved a sports team. The football program paused team activities on March 17 after multiple positive COVID-19 tests among staff and athletes. That cluster included 11 COVID-19 cases and 13 close contacts. Most of the other clusters have come from Greek housing, which is more susceptible to clusters because of the shared living spaces. |
| Despite NCAA warning, Oklahoma House moves to limit transgender athletes in female sports | |
| Despite a warning that legislation limiting transgender participants in sports could keep future NCAA events out of Oklahoma, the state House advanced a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. Following more than two hours of fierce discussion and debate Monday, the Oklahoma House passed legislation aimed at preventing "male-bodied athletes" from participating in female sports at K-12 schools, colleges and universities. The GOP-controlled House passed Senate Bill 2, which states: "Athletic teams designated for 'females,' 'women' or 'girls' shall not be open to students of the male sex." The legislation, which was amended on the floor, would require parents to sign an affidavit "acknowledging the biological sex of the student at birth" in order for a child to participate in youth sports. Democrats said the bill was a disgusting and shameful attempt to bully transgender Oklahomans, namely transgender youth. Republicans said they were simply leveling the playing field for their daughters and granddaughters to participate in sports. NCAA events pump some $100 million annually into the Oklahoma economy. The Women's College World Series alone brings in between $22 million and $27 million annually. |
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