Tuesday, May 25, 2021   
 
Golden Triangle Lemonade Day returns in June
The second Golden Triangle Lemonade Day will be June 19 in Columbus, Starkville and West Point in various locations throughout the cities. Lemonade Day is a national, experiential program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate a business. Program Coordinator and Director of Outreach for the Mississippi State University Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach Jeffrey Rupp said due to COVID-19, the event was canceled last year, but kids can once again participate in Lemonade Day this year. The event, sponsored by Golden Triangle developer Mark Castleberry, Cadence Bank and the MSU E-Center, first came to Starkville in 2018 but expanded to Columbus and West Point the following year. Lemonade Day 2019 saw nearly 300 children selling goods, and Rupp said this year he hopes even more kids participate. "It was such a huge success in Starkville, so we included all of the Golden Triangle, and that was huge," Rupp said. "So, we're hoping the kids come back this year." Participants can sign up online through the program's website, lemonadeday.org/golden-triangle.
 
Good habits the Harvard community developed during COVID
To cope with the isolation and uncertainties brought on by the COVID pandemic, many people added new rituals to their lives: nature walking or home exercising, baking or gardening, video chatting or binge watching, learning to play an instrument or adopting a pet. The Gazette asked members of the Harvard community what they tried -- and whether they plan to keep those new preoccupations in their lives, including Donald Brown, Ph.D. '22, Specializing in English: I'm in Mississippi for the year on a visiting fellowship to teach at Mississippi State University, my alma mater. Since I have been here, I've been taking lots of road trips. I went to Memphis, [Tennessee,] Nashville, [Tennessee,] Birmingham, [Alabama,] and other cities nearby, and I began listening to audible books while driving. I had listened to audiobooks before, but because I needed to drive around, I wanted to take advantage of the situation and kill two birds with one stone. I realized that listening to audiobooks is entertaining, but it also helped my imagination run wild. At the core, I found that the tone in audiobooks mattered a lot. ... I haven't lived in Mississippi for seven years. The pandemic gave me the opportunity to go back, and during my road trips, I'd look at my state anew, and because a lot of the books I was listening to were about Mississippi, the whole experience was kind of surreal. I definitely plan on listening to audiobooks once we go back to our lives before COVID.
 
One Billion Birds Die From Building Collisions Every Year
Bird populations have declined over the past 30 years. According to study in 2019, North America has 3 billion fewer birds than it did in 1970, a 29% decrease. Scientists, including Oklahoma State University wildlife ecology professor Scott Loss, estimate that up to 1 billion birds die every year in the United States after colliding with a building -- a side effect of light pollution from cities. Now, researchers are using weather radar technology to track migrations with the hope to predict and prevent collisions. Radar technology may be part of the solution. When large flocks are seen migrating across the country, cities could be given a heads-up to dim lights. Loss says the radar works similarly to a weather forecast. "When we saw a lot of birds coming through the airspace, and they were migrating at lower heights, we would expect, you know, a higher number of collisions to occur," said Jered Elmore, a research associate at Mississippi State University and lead author of the study. Elmore said he hopes his research could inform public policy. "It (the radar) can hopefully be more effective than just, you know, making a broad suggestion of, 'hey, turn off your lights all the time,' because people don't like to do that," Elmore said. "But if you can nail down a few times out of the year, when it would be greatly beneficial to turn off those lights, then people may be more likely to, you know, follow those suggestions."
 
Termites swarm in the South as their mating season begins
Thick swarms of termites are appearing nightly throughout south Mississippi, signaling that their mating season is underway. The winged insects -- often called swarmers -- are likely Formosan termites, The Sun Herald reported. The species arrived in Mississippi in the mid-1980s, according to the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Formosan termites are also found in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas, according to the Louisiana State University College of Agriculture. The Formosans swarm at dusk and are strongly attracted to lights. Experts say that swarms around a house do not necessarily mean the home is infested by termites, but should be a reminder to have the home inspected.
 
Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana State Troopers to Conduct 'Line to Line' Patrols on I-55
Beginning Wednesday, May 26th, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, in conjunction with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Louisiana State Police, will conduct the "Line to Line" traffic safety initiative on Interstate 55. This high visibility safety initiative will precede the Memorial Day travel period and is designed to keep motorists safe during peak travel times. Troopers in their respective states will be placed statewide on I-55 to reduce the number of crashes, promote seatbelt usage, deter speeding and remove impaired drivers. "Our goal with "Line to Line" is to raise driving safety awareness as we approach the Memorial Day holiday travel period. We encourage drivers to remember that their actions behind the wheel have consequences, both good and bad, for themselves and others," said Colonel Randy Ginn, Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. "If everyone will simply slow down, buckle up, put down their phone and avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, we can all have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend." The official MHP 2021 Memorial Day enforcement period begins on Friday, May 28th at 12:01 a.m. and will conclude on Monday, May 31st at midnight.
 
Wicker, Hyde-Smith: Louisville company to produce modern container handler prototype for the U.S. Army
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today applauded the award of a $1.27 million contract to Taylor Defense Products in Louisville to develop a prototype for a modernized Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH) for the U.S. Army. The Taylor Defense prototype to modernize the V1 Variant of the RTCH is part of the Army's mission to replace obsolete components. The company will work to incorporate new technology to increase RTCH capabilities and extend the system service life of the vehicles. "Taylor Defense makes some of the best heavy-duty equipment in the world, right here in Louisville, Mississippi," Wicker said. "This award is an opportunity for Taylor Defense to show the U.S. Army it has the capability to equip our soldiers with top-tier container handlers that can operate in any environment worldwide." "The Taylor Defense team is so proud to continue to win contracts with the U.S. military and have the opportunity to show what we can do and always have done to provide the best products and long term support for our customers. We thank the Mississippi delegation for their help in supporting Mississippi jobs," said Robert Taylor, president of The Taylor Group of Companies. In June 2019, the U.S. Navy selected Taylor Defense to repair and maintain all-terrain cranes for the Marine Corps, a contract worth up to $84 million over 10 years.
 
State leaders won't acknowledge that young people are leaving Mississippi in droves
Every Mississippian knows the problem: Young people, in search of high-quality education, high-paying jobs or more fulfilling lifestyles, have left Mississippi in droves in recent years. Thanks to newly released data, Mississippians can now better understand the full scope of the problem: In late April, the U.S. Census Bureau released preliminary 10-year data showing that Mississippi was one of just three U.S. states to lose population over the past 10 years. Only twice before had Mississippi lost residents in a 10-year span: 1920 and 1960. But since the data was released, nearly all of the state's most powerful elected officials -- the ones responsible for setting agendas and passing policies -- have failed to even acknowledge the problem, let alone offer up solutions. Mississippi Today tried multiple times to get comment about the population decline from the state's top three policymakers: Gov. Tate Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn. Hosemann was the only one to respond. "Traveling out in the state and talking with citizens, the issues which matter to Mississippians are apparent: good schools, affordable healthcare, secure infrastructure, and jobs and opportunities for our children and grandchildren," Hosemann said in a statement. "These are the issues we must focus on in Mississippi to keep our young people here and attract new residents to the state."
 
Lawmakers Want To Weaken Voter Power, Sen. Chris McDaniel Warns
State leaders are considering the prospect of a special session to repair Mississippi's ballot initiative law after the state Supreme Court nullified it earlier this month in a decision that also killed the voter-approved medical-marijuana law. But even if lawmakers come to the rescue to quell widespread voter anger, some will use the opportunity to weaken direct democracy in the Magnolia State, one Jones County Republican is warning. "There's obviously an element within the Legislature that doesn't like the ballot-initiative process, and you're starting to hear these rumblings right now -- they're saying it's too easy," Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ellisville told the Mississippi Free Press on Friday. "But what they're really saying is they don't trust the people. And when politicians don't trust the people, that's a problem. So they're going to do everything in their power to deflect and circumvent the legislation." Lawmakers could simply fix the law by modifying it to reflect that the state currently has four congressional districts -- or by wording it so that the requirements automatically adjust to a change in congressional representation. But McDaniel says the temptation will be too strong for some legislators who would like to reserve more control over state laws for themselves.
 
Minority Leader McConnell sends warning shot on Majority Leader Schumer's China bill
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is warning that Republicans want additional changes to legislation aimed at combating China's competitiveness before a final vote. The warning shot comes as Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wants to wrap up the bill before the Senate leaves for a one-week break in a matter of days. To get the bill to the finish line, Schumer will need the support of at least 10 GOP senators. The Senate easily voted to take up the China legislation last week in an 86-11 vote. But Republicans are pushing for additional changes. Lawmakers held roll call votes on four GOP amendments to the bill last week, but three were rejected. "So far we've had a few votes on important amendments. There are a lot more that need consideration. And we should not close debate on this bill until those amendments are addressed," McConnell said from the Senate floor Monday. "I hope and expect we'll have a number of further votes on important amendments before there would be any amendment to shut off debate on this ranging measure," he added. McConnell's public comments come as Republicans have been putting in requests for changes to the bill, which could threaten to drag out debate over the legislation, even after the Senate Commerce Committee fielded dozens of amendments during its work on the Endless Frontier Act, the bill at the core of Schumer's package that he spearheaded with Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.).
 
'Time to move on': Infrastructure talks near collapse
Washington's bipartisan infrastructure talks may soon look a lot like its cicada population: squashed after staggering around haplessly. Senate Republicans negotiating with the White House sounded dour notes on Monday evening and are mulling whether to even make a counteroffer to President Joe Biden's proposal last week. Democrats are increasingly calling for Biden to consider going it alone rather than see the GOP water down his agenda. An unofficial deadline for a bipartisan accord on infrastructure hits a week from now and negotiators are some $1.5 trillion apart, with severe differences in both size and scope, after more than a month of talks. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Republicans won't come up "anywhere near the number the White House has proposed," and Democrats are even more skeptical that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will green-light a deal they find palatable. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the next move is up to Republicans and the White House is "not quite there" at bailing on the talks. The main holdups are moderate Democrats, who are signaling they still aren't quite ready to go it alone on a massive new spending bill, ensuring the plodding talks continue for at least a few more days. The group of GOP negotiators is planning to huddle Tuesday on the next steps.
 
State Revenues Pour In, Raising Pressure on President Biden to Divert Federal Aid
From California to Virginia, many states that faced devastating shortfalls in the depths of the pandemic recession now find themselves flush with tax revenues because of a rebounding economy and a soaring stock market. Lawmakers who worried about budget cuts are now proposing lucrative increases in school spending, tax cuts and direct payments to their residents. That turnaround is partly the product of strong income tax receipts, particularly in states that heavily tax high earners and the wealthy, whose finances have fared well in the crisis. The unexpectedly rosy picture is raising pressure on President Biden to repurpose hundreds of billions of dollars of federal aid approved this year, in order to help fund a potential bipartisan infrastructure deal. Last week, Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, suggested that Mr. Biden and Republican negotiators look to "some of the funding that's been sent to states already under the last few bills" to help pay for that agreement. "They don't know how to use it," Mr. Romney said. "They could use that money to finance part of the infrastructure relating to roads and bridges and transit." Some economists and budget experts support that push, arguing that the money could be better spent elsewhere and that states' spending plans could add to a risk of rapid inflation breaking out across the country. Other researchers and local budget officials say that the federal aid is rescuing harder-hit cities and states, like New York City and Hawaii, from a cascade of layoffs and spending cuts.
 
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visits SC to tout new loan payment program for minority farmers
The country's top agriculture official visited a family farm in Orangeburg County as the federal government begins to roll out a new debt forgiveness program aimed at helping socially disadvantaged Black and minority farmers. As part of the $1.9 trillion economic relief package Congress passed in March, lawmakers approved a $4 billion initiative for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make debt relief payments for about 13,000 loans issued by the agency to minority farmers. At the invitation of House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack came to Rowesville May 24 to meet with Black farmers in the community and update them on the program, which is slated to begin doling out payments in early June. The initiative has been met with pushback from some White farmers who argue it amounts to reverse discrimination, as well as banks, who fear that it will cut their profits due to lost interest payments. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., criticized the program as "reparations" that have nothing to do with COVID-19. Those comments drew a sharp rebuke from Clyburn, who said Graham should know more about the financial discrimination Black farmers have faced in their shared home state. In response to the banks, Vilsack noted the program will also fund prepayment penalties to reimburse them for losses they may incur with the loan getting paid off early, and he said it will also eliminate the risks that the loans will not be repaid.
 
President Biden to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on June 16 in Switzerland
President Joe Biden will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland on June 16, the White House announced on Tuesday. Although Biden and Putin have known each other for years, this will be their first summit since Biden became president. "The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues, as we seek to restore predictability and stability to the U.S.-Russia relationship," press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. U.S.-Russia relations have been tense since Biden took office, as the White House confronted Moscow over election interference and cyberattacks, among other aggressions. In March, Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States after Biden said Putin would "pay a price" for Moscow's interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and essentially labeled the Russian leader a murderer. The latter remark came in an interview with ABC News, when Biden was asked if he thought Putin was a killer. "I do," the president responded. In April, Biden expelled 10 Russian diplomats and sanctioned more than three dozen individuals and companies over the Kremlin's role in last year's SolarWinds cyberattack that hit a spate of U.S. federal agencies and private companies. Russia responded by moving to expel 10 U.S. diplomats, among other retaliatory steps, as its showdown with Washington intensified. Biden's national security team has sought to calm tensions since those diplomatic flare-ups.
 
Texas Gets Ready To Allow Unlicensed Carrying Of Handguns
Texas is poised to remove one of its last major gun restrictions after lawmakers approved allowing people to carry handguns without a license, and the background check and training that go with it. The Republican-dominated Legislature approved the measure Monday, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he will sign it despite the objections of law enforcement groups who say it would endanger the public and police. Gun control groups also oppose the measure, noting the state's recent history of mass shootings, including those at an El Paso Walmart, a church in Sutherland Springs, and a high school outside Houston. Texas already has some of the loosest gun laws in the country and has more than 1.6 million handgun license holders. Supporters of the bill say it would allow Texans to better defend themselves in public while abolishing unnecessary impediments to the constitutional right to bear arms. Once signed into law, Texas will join nearly two dozen other states that allow some form of unregulated carry of a handgun, and by far be the most populous. Texas has allowed people to carry handguns since 1995, and has been reducing the cost and training requirements for getting a license for the last decade.
 
Board approves adding context to Confederate memorial at Stone Mountain Park
A modicum of change is coming to Stone Mountain Park. The Stone Mountain Memorial Association board on Monday approved a handful of resolutions that it hopes will help soften the image of the world's largest Confederate monument --- and, perhaps, get the park out of a looming economic bind. The adopted resolutions included giving the go-ahead for a new on-site museum exhibit that officials say would aim to "tell the truth" about the ugly history of the park and the mountainside carving of Confederate leaders Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The board also approved relocating a Confederate flag plaza from the mountain's walk-up trail. The flags, which were erected in the 1960s by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, would be moved to Valor Park -- an area near the base of the mountain that already hosts a number of other tributes to the Civil War South. "We're just taking our first step today, to get where we need to go," said Rev. Abraham Mosley, who became the memorial association's first Black board chairman when he was appointed last month. But activists who have spent years calling for a reckoning at Stone Mountain hope there's a lot more to come. Officials admit the changes currently being considered at the park are largely driven by financial concerns.
 
Intelligence on Sick Staff at Wuhan Lab Fuels Debate on Covid-19 Origin
Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, according to a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report that could add weight to growing calls for a fuller probe of whether the Covid-19 virus may have escaped from the laboratory. The details of the reporting go beyond a State Department fact sheet, issued during the final days of the Trump administration, which said that several researchers at the lab, a center for the study of coronaviruses and other pathogens, became sick in autumn 2019 "with symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness." The disclosure of the number of researchers, the timing of their illnesses and their hospital visits come on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into Covid-19's origins. Current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed differing views about the strength of the supporting evidence for the assessment. One person said that it was provided by an international partner and was potentially significant but still in need of further investigation and additional corroboration.
 
Moderna says its Covid vaccine is 100% effective in teens, plans to seek FDA OK in early June
Moderna said Tuesday its Covid-19 vaccine was 100% effective in a study of adolescents ages 12 to 17, making it the second shot behind Pfizer's to demonstrate high efficacy in younger age groups. The company said it plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration to expand the emergency use of its Covid vaccine for teens early next month. If approved, it would likely dramatically expand the number of shots available to middle and high school students ahead of the next school year. Pfizer and German partner BioNTech were cleared to use their vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds earlier this month. The phase 2/3 study the company is citing Tuesday included more than 3,700 adolescents. No cases of Covid were observed in participants who received two doses of the vaccine, while four cases were observed in the placebo group, according to the company. No significant safety concerns have been identified, and side effects generally are consistent with those seen in an earlier trial of adults, the company said. U.S. regulators are expected to grant Moderna's request for use in teens. Vaccinating children is seen as crucial to ending the pandemic.
 
Memorial Day could be a test for the movie theater industry
Memorial Day weekend is coming up -- traditionally a big day for theaters. It'll be a bit of a test for how U.S. consumers feel about going to the movies again. When movie theaters were open this past year, they didn't sell many tickets, and that created a downward spiral. Studios didn't want to release their big movies to empty theaters. So then the theaters had no new films to draw people in. "It's been a real chicken-and-egg situation for quite a while," said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst with Boxoffice Pro. But things are looking up now. More than half of Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine "and studios are committing to releasing major films again, essentially on a weekly basis for the rest of the year." That starts this Memorial Day weekend. Right now, people are eager to do anything that feels like going back to normal. That's especially true for movies, said Jason E. Squire, editor of "The Movie Business Book" and professor at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. "There's this enormous pent-up emotional need to go to movie theaters, to enjoy movies in the exciting circumstance of the dark room with strangers around you," Squire said. "This is a time-honored entertainment experience."
 
Donation from Alumnus Supports UM Website, Brand Efforts
A University of Mississippi alumnus and retired FedEx executive has provided University Marketing and Communications with a substantial gift to support the modernization of the university's digital communications and marketing function. T. Michael Glenn (BBA 77), former executive vice president of market development and corporate communications for FedEx Corp., has given $150,000, which will be used to procure a digital asset management solution. "Mike's leadership roles at FedEx included oversight of their communications, so he knows and appreciates the importance of effective marketing and communications," said Jim Zook, UM chief marketing and communications officer. The gift will enable the university to adopt a digital asset management platform, which will provide an online, cloud-based archive of every kind of digital resources created and captured at the university. These include photos, videos, graphic designs, logos, web-based content and designs, infographics, finished marketing collateral such as brochures or postcards, and much more. A provider called Widen, which is used by many colleges and universities, has been contracted and will launch the platform this summer.
 
In LSU sexual misconduct lawsuits, all Baton Rouge federal judges disqualify themselves
Every federal district judge in the Baton Rouge area has recused themselves from ruling on high-profile legal proceedings against LSU over allegations of sexual misconduct on campus, and a New Orleans federal district judge has been appointed to take over the cases. The two lawsuits, filed last month in the Middle District of Louisiana, name LSU and more than a dozen defendants who are affiliated with the university, Athletic Department and Tiger Athletic Foundation. One of the suits comes from a group of current and former students who say that the university failed to properly comply with federal Title IX laws, which prohibit institutions from discriminating based on sex. The other stems from an Athletic Department employee who alleges that she was retaliated against for complaining about inappropriate behavior from former LSU football head coach Les Miles. The chief judge for Louisiana's Middle District, Shelly Dick, signed orders in both cases May 19 that said, "all the district judges of this Court have been recused from this proceeding." The Baton Rouge judges who have been recused include Dick, Brian Jackson and John deGravelles. Dick and Jackson had both previously filed individual recusal notices into the court records, though neither outlined their reasons for stepping off the LSU cases. A Middle District Magistrate Judge, Erin Wilder-Doomes also filed a recusal order for the LSU cases.
 
Tuition on U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville System agenda
Tuition and mandatory fees are proposed to increase this fall by about 2% for in-state students at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville while remaining flat at a majority of other UA System campuses. The University of Arkansas System board of trustees will meet for two days beginning Wednesday in Little Rock and via Zoom, with proposed tuition and fee changes a part of the 10-member group's agenda. If approved, the tuition and mandatory fee costs at UA-Fayetteville would increase to $9,572.40 annually in 2021-22 from $9,384.90 for an in-state student taking a 30-hour schedule over the academic year. UA-Fayetteville spokesman Mark Rushing said in an email that the university seeks to keep any tuition and fee increases "as modest as possible." Rushing added that UA-Fayetteville works to stay "in alignment with the Higher Education Price Index, keeping our tuition competitive and among the lower third of tuition among SEC institutions." UA-Fayetteville typically has students from outside the state making up half of its incoming freshmen. The university is proposing that its out-of-state tuition rate rise about 1.77% to $816.06 per hour. Out-of-state students who meet certain academic thresholds are eligible for a UA-Fayetteville scholarship award program that covers up to 90% of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition.
 
$1,000 bonuses after COVID year, raises and new benefits coming for U. of Kentucky employees
Paid family leave, retirement contributions, salary increases and $1,000 bonuses would go to some University of Kentucky employees under a plan that requires Board of Trustees approval, President Eli Capilouto said. In a campus-wide email Thursday, Capilouto outlined the budget changes that would apply to all staff members. Faculty would be eligible for some of the benefits while UK HealthCare employees' pay is set through a separate process. The university has about 12,000 staff and 2,000 faculty, according to its website. The minimum hourly pay for regular employees would increase from $12.50 to $13.75 on July 1 before hitting $15 on Jan. 1, 2022. Most staff would get two weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child and one week of paid leave to care for an ill parent. Those who are 0.5 full-time equivalent and greater are eligible. Faculty leave is set through a different process. Merit increases of 2 percent would begin Jan. 1. Capilouto noted the pay increase is the eighth in 10 years. The budget also includes an expected resumption of UK's 10 percent retirement contribution starting July 1. It's "one of the most competitive retirement benefits available anywhere," Capilouto said.
 
He worked with McMaster to elect Caslen. Now he's leading U. of South Carolina's new presidential search
The top official overseeing the search for a new University of South Carolina president coordinated with Gov. Henry McMaster's staff in 2019 to promote the candidacy of now-former USC President Robert Caslen. Thad Westbrook, a board of trustees member since 2010 who on Friday was named the chair of USC's presidential search committee, coordinated with Gov. Henry McMaster's chief of staff, Trey Walker, in rallying trustees' votes for Caslen's presidency, documents show. McMaster's interference in the 2019 presidential search drew protests, a vote of no confidence from Faculty Senate and a formal inquiry from USC's accreditation body that found "undue influence" from politicians in the 2019 presidential search, The State reported previously. Since the 2019 presidential search, USC has sought to regain the trust of its accrediting body and faculty by creating policies "designed to address and eliminate potential external influence on board decisions," according to an archived news release from USC. Though USC has changed its policy, Westbrook was frequently in touch with McMaster's chief of staff during the last presidential search two years ago. According to the texts, Westbrook expressed a willingness to involve more politicians than just the governor. Since then, USC has changed its board policies to minimize the potential for external influences, such as politicians, from influencing major board of trustees decisions.
 
U. of Missouri Engagement Scholars tasked with taking research to the public
From balloon animal medicine to helping couples maintain their relationships to animal evolution, six University of Missouri faculty members over the next year will take their research to the public. The six in the inaugural group of MU Engagement Scholars were named Monday. "Engagement could be in the form of public talks, social media and in-person or virtual activities," said Susan Renoe, assistant vice chancellor for research, extension and engagement in a news release. "Events might incorporate science, art, music and other innovative ways to describe their research." The six professors will develop public engagement plans and will have assistance from The Connector, a university unit that helps researchers engage with the public. Each will receive a stipend and seed money to support professional development and engagement activities. The Engagement Scholars are Nicole Campione-Barr, associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences; Sarah Diem, professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis; Tim Evans, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology; Sarah Jacquet, assistant professor in the Department of Geological Sciences; Kale Monk, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science; and Enid Schatz, professor and chair in the Department of Public Health.
 
U. of Memphis poised to increase tuition by 1.75%, implement 2% raises for faculty and staff
The University of Memphis plans to raise tuition next year, as well as give pay raises to faculty and staff, President M. David Rudd wrote to the campus in an email Monday. U of M is proposing a 1.75% tuition increase, Rudd said, the fourth tuition bump in the last eight years. There were no tuition raises in the other four years. The university also plans to give faculty and staff a 2% salary increase along with an additional $600 increase. The raises will bring all staff to a $15 minimum wage. Both the wage and tuition proposals will be heard and voted upon by U of M's Board of Trustees, which meets for its next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting on June 2. "We believe (this recommendation) represents a balanced approach to a broad range of competing and critical demands," Rudd wrote, "while also containing student costs within the successful model employed over the past seven years, one that has resulted in growth along with improved retention and graduation rates." The tuition increase will also make up for funding from online class fees that the university has been phasing out. Online course fees were historically high and prevented U of M for attracting and retaining students, Rudd explained.
 
Florida State University picks Harvard provost to be next president
The Florida State University Board of Trustees on Monday selected Harvard University Vice Provost for Research Richard McCullough to succeed retiring FSU President John Thrasher. McCullough topped two other finalists who hold high-ranking posts at the University of North Carolina and Tulane University. As Florida State strives to climb into the top 10 public universities in the nation, McCullough told trustees that a focus on students is paramount to reaching the goal. "It's all about the students and student success," McCullough said Monday. "You focus on getting them good jobs, focus on making sure that your graduation rates are great." If the university recruits high-quality faculty members, and supports them when they get to campus, McCullough said "the rankings take care of themselves." Robert Blouin, executive vice chancellor and provost of the University of North Carolina, and Giovanni Piedimonte, vice president for research at Tulane University, were the other finalists. Trustees said making the selection wasn't easy, lauding all three candidates as highly qualified.
 
Kansas State University President Richard Myers announces retirement
Kansas State University President Richard Myers plans to retire at the end of this calendar year. The announcement was released Monday morning. He has served as the university's 14th president since 2016. "Mary Jo and I truly loved our time at K-State and working with students, faculty and staff," Myers said. "Being president of my alma mater was one of the most fulfilling jobs I've ever had. It was an honor to help move K-State forward on many fronts. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with the many talented and dedicated people who comprise the K-State family." The native Kansan from Merriam retired as a four-star general in the Air Force. From 2001-2005, he served as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was the principal military adviser to the U.S. president, secretary of defense, and the National Security Council. In 2006 Kansas State University named the military science building -- home of the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs -- Gen. Richard B. Myers Hall, in honor of his service and dedication.
 
A bold plan for U. of California admissions: Reduce out-of-state students
As the University of California faces huge demand for seats --- and public outcry over massive rejections by top campuses in a record application year --- state lawmakers are considering a plan to slash the share of out-of-state and international students to make room for more local residents. The state Senate has unveiled a proposal to reduce the proportion of nonresident incoming freshmen to 10% from the current systemwide average of 19% over the next decade beginning in 2022 and compensate UC for the lost income from higher out-of-state tuition. This would ultimately allow nearly 4,600 more California students to secure freshmen seats each year, with the biggest gains expected at UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego. The share of nonresidents at those campuses surpasses the systemwide average, amounting to a quarter of incoming freshmen. UC, however is pushing back, saying the plan would limit its financial flexibility to raise needed revenue and weaken the benefits of a geographically broad student body. "It's not about ending out-of-state students --- they really add to the mix and the educational experience," said Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), whose Senate budget subcommittee on education discussed the plan this month. "We just have to make sure there's enough spaces for in-state students." The question of who should get a coveted seat in the nation's premier public research university system has raged for years, as legislators are perennially pummeled by constituent complaints about UC access.
 
Older adults are heading to college in pursuit of new opportunities
Video: The age wave of Americans 50 and older has been sweeping across college campuses for both personal and professional reasons. After a lifetime of work, these older adults are now catching-up on missed educational opportunities. As America's baby boomers age, their influence continues to reshape the economy, the labor force, infrastructure and institutions. Some have called the demographic shift a "silver tsunami." And that shift is apparent in higher education as a new wave of older students return to college campuses in pursuit of new opportunities. Special Correspondent Mike Cerre has our report. This segment is part of our ongoing series: Chasing the Dream, Poverty, Justice and Economic Opportunity in America.
 
'Everybody's Got Your Back': Life at an HBCU During a Turbulent Year
Jade Bell is relieved that she'll be able to graduate in person this year. "Just having that experience. And that chance to walk across the stage," said Bell, a senior at North Carolina A&T State University. "I'm ready for it." This year's spring and summer commencements aren't going to be exactly what seniors like Bell had envisioned when they started college. At most campuses, the pandemic has reduced the size of the crowd and the activities. Big gatherings with friends and family members can't yet happen safely. But after a traumatic, draining year for Bell and other students at the nation's historically Black colleges and universities, having a celebration -- and a taste of normalcy -- at graduation is even more important than usual. Covid-19 has disproportionately harmed Black communities. And one year ago, in the midst of the first Covid-related shutdown, George Floyd was murdered. Just before that came the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Since then, Black students have had to grapple with constant, hard-to-process societal conversations about police brutality and racial injustice. This spring, during the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who was convicted of murdering Floyd, they had to relive the graphic details of his death over and over. During such a harrowing year, HBCUs have provided a haven. The colleges offer students a sense of familiarity, racial relief, and faculty members who resemble them.
 
New initiative to re-enroll thousands of HBCU students
At Southern University at New Orleans, a public historically Black institution, faculty members are calling former students who left the university without completing their studies and encouraging them to come back and earn their degrees. The central message of the calls is "Hey, you have an opportunity to return, we would love to have you here, SUNO is an institution of choice, you can thrive in this environment," said Adriel Hilton, the university's vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management. The calls, which involve prepared scripts and talking points, are a part of the university's "recruit back" program, an effort to reach students who earned some college credit but never graduated and students who were enrolled last fall or this spring but haven't registered yet for the fall 2021 semester. University administrators hope the personal touch will motivate students to come back and complete their degrees. Southern University is not the only HBCU doing such outreach. The United Negro College Fund, an organization representing 37 private historically Black colleges and universities, recently launched a new initiative to bring 4,000 students back to HBCUs across the country to earn their degrees, aided by one-on-one coaching. The move mirrors other efforts by historically Black institutions to reclaim students who left, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected Black Americans at disproportionate rates in terms of infections and deaths, and led to job losses and other negative financial outcomes for low-income students and their families.
 
A University Suspended Diversity Courses Because of an Incident That Almost Certainly Didn't Happen
A university's high-profile decision to suspend dozens of sections of a diversity and ethics course two months ago rested on a troubling allegation: that a student had been made to feel "humiliated and degraded" in class "for their beliefs and values." An outside law firm investigated the incident, at Boise State University, and a report on its findings was released on Monday. The law firm said that it couldn't substantiate that such an incident had even taken place. When asked in an interview whether the episode sends the message that a secondhand report with no evidence can stop her university from teaching 55 classes to nearly 1,300 students -- a drastic measure even if it was temporary -- President Marlene Tromp pointed to the egregiousness of the claims. She noted that the provost and the Faculty Senate president had supported her decision. The law firm also wrote that suspending the courses temporarily was "appropriate and warranted," given the nature of the allegations. When she heard about the claims, Tromp, a former English professor, said she had been reminded of moblike behavior in a book she's often taught: The Handmaid's Tale. She described a scene in which a group of women chant at one character, telling her it's her fault that she was raped and bringing her to tears. Tromp decided the university should "hit the pause button" and figure out what had happened.
 
A Year Later, Institutions Reflect on Systemic Changes Following the Murder of George Floyd
Following the death of George Floyd last May, administrators at colleges and universities scrambled to issue statements condemning the murder and vowing that they would use the incident as a moment to address systemic racism on their own campuses. Some institutions decided to establish social justice centers, endow scholarships for minority students and to set aside funds to aggressively court underrepresented faculty. Others like San Diego State University required that the study of race relations be required for future police officers, prison guards and other criminal justice students looking to earn a degree. "If you look at any aspect of the criminal justice system, you're going to see racial disparities," Dr. Roddrick Colvin, a professor at SDSU said at the time. "Now, it's time to do something about it. It's time to advocate and argue for and develop policies that are really going to address this head-on." These kind of changes -- which some say were long overdue -- are encouraging to some, but there is a growing recognition that as time passes, some of the longstanding promises made by institutional leaders will likely fade away. That certainly was the case in 2014 when a wave of protests erupted on college campuses following the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. But the murder of Floyd led to the confrontation of race and racism within the higher education sector in a way that hadn't been experienced before.


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State baseball's Tanner Allen named SEC player of the year
Mississippi State senior right fielder Tanner Allen was named the Southeastern Conference player of the year Monday afternoon, the league office announced. Allen leads the conference in batting average at .387 and is near the top in on-base percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.618), hits (79) and runs (54). He was also named first-team all-SEC. Brent Rooker in 2017 was the most recent Mississippi State player to be named SEC player of the year. He has helped lead the Bulldogs to a 40-13 regular-season record and the No. 3 seed in the SEC tournament, which begins Tuesday. The Bulldogs' first game will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday against either No. 6 Florida or No. 11 Kentucky. The conference's top honor wasn't the only accolade Allen received Monday. Less than two hours prior, the outfielder won the Boo Ferriss Trophy, given out by C Spire and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame to honor the top college baseball player in the state. Allen won the fan vote, which is factored into the award, with 48.8 percent of the votes cast. He and Sims combined to earn 65 percent of the fan vote. Allen is the second straight Mississippi State player to win the Ferriss Trophy after Jake Mangum did so in 2019.
 
Mississippi State's Tanner Allen named SEC Player of the Year
A slew of Mississippi State and Ole Miss baseball players earned end-of-the-year baseball awards on Monday afternoon. Mississippi State and Ole Miss each had six players named to the All-SEC teams while MSU outfielder Tanner Allen was named the SEC Player of the Year. Allen, a senior outfielder, led the SEC with a .411 batting average, 51 hits, 34 RBIs, and 87 total bases in conference play. He finished SEC play with 16 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games. He had 19 extra base hits and only 13 strikeouts in 124 SEC at-bats. He was the only SEC player to record over a .400 batting average and 50 hits in conference play and also played an errorless right field. "What I like about TA is that he bet on himself a little bit," head coach Chris Lemonis said. "He said I'm going to come back and I'm going to prove to y'all that I'm one of the best players in the country. That's what he did and he put himself in a great spot nationally and in the draft. He's led our ballclub every single day." Also on Monday, Allen was also awarded C-Spire's Ferriss Trophy which is presented to the top collegiate baseball player in Mississippi.
 
3 things to know about Mississippi State baseball's Tanner Allen, the SEC Player of the Year
Tanner Allen isn't just Mississippi State baseball's best player. He's the best player in the SEC. Allen was voted the SEC's Player of the Year for 2021. Now it's time for the senior right fielder to try to lead the No. 6 Bulldogs to some postseason victories. Here are three other things to know about Allen as MSU goes for another run to the College World Series. Monday was a special day for Allen. He was named SEC POY, but a few hours before that he was named the best college baseball player in the state of Mississippi and awarded the Ferriss Trophy. Allen is hitting .387 with 53 RBIs, both of which are team highs among regular starters. He became the fourth MSU Bulldog to win the award in the last five seasons. Allen wears a wristband in honor of the son of a diehard Mississippi State fan, Brandy Stokes, who died in a car accident. Stokes' son, Jeb Stuart, always dreamed of playing baseball for Mississippi State. He died in high school, so he never got that chance. He wore No. 5 – the same number Allen wears. The two have become friends during Allen's Mississippi State career.
 
Mississippi State's Will Bednar named SEC Newcomer of the Week
Mississippi State starting pitcher Will Bednar has been named the SEC's Newcomer of the Week, the conference announced on Monday. Bednar, a second-year freshman, is being awarded for his eight shutout innings he pitched against Alabama this past weekend. This is the seventh time a MSU player has been awarded one of the SEC's weekly award, setting a new single-season program record. The Newcomer of the Week award is a new award that was added in 2021 and awards the top performer that was a freshman during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Bednar tossed a career-high 112 pitches in eight shutout innings of work as Mississippi State beat Alabama, 7-0. He struck out 11 Crimson Tide batters and allowed only three as he picked up his sixth SEC win of the season. He allowed a baserunner in only four innings and pitched four perfect innings during the stretch. He allowed two baserunners in the eighth inning, but got stronger as the night went on and struck out the side around a walk and single to finish his night with 11 strikeouts.
 
3 stats to know about Mississippi State baseball pitcher Landon Sims
Landon Sims is one of the most prolific pitchers in the country, period. The Mississippi State sophomore reliever has been dynamite out of the bullpen for coach Chris Lemonis this season. Some of his statistics are mind-boggling. Here are the ones you need to know as Mississippi State will lean heavily on him during the Bulldogs' upcoming postseason run. Sims set the tone for his stellar season in his very first appearance. He struck out 10 Texas batters in four innings. Then he struck out 10 Tulane hitters in his second outing of the season. Through the regular season, Sims has struck out 73 in 34 innings. That amounts to a strikeouts per nine innings average of 17.8, which would rank No. 1 in the NCAA if Sims had thrown enough innings to qualify. Sims records strikeouts on nearly two of every three outs in any given inning. He rarely walks batters, too. He has only issued 12 free passes this season, which equates to 3.2 per nine innings. He gets plenty of strikeouts. He doesn't walk many. And he doesn't give up many runs, either. Sims has an ERA of 0.49, which ranks No. 1 among Mississippi State pitchers who have thrown at least one inning.
 
Mississippi State softball made the NCAA tournament again. Next up: hosting a regional at Nusz Park
Samantha Ricketts remembers well her playing days in Stillwater, Oklahoma. When she starred for the University of Oklahoma from 2006 to 2009, Ricketts made multiple trips to face the Sooners' in-state rival on the road. OU wasn't yet the nine-time defending Big 12 Conference champion, but the Sooners were a cut above in those "Bedlam" rivalry matchups. The atmosphere at Cowgirl Stadium couldn't quite match the experience of taking in a game at Marita Hynes Field in Norman. But when Ricketts led Mississippi State into the weekend's Stillwater Regional against Oklahoma State, the No. 5 national seed, a lot of things had changed. Fans filled the bleachers behind home plate, occupied the wooden stands in left field and dotted the berms in right. After the Cowgirls beat the Bulldogs 10-2 on Sunday to win the regional, Oklahoma State players started from the left-field foul pole and jogged along the outfield fence, high-fiving the joyous supporters who stretched their arms onto the field. "The difference between back when I played and what it is now is night and day," Ricketts said. The special atmosphere -- and the dominant team -- she saw in Stillwater is what the second-year head coach hopes to bring to Starkville. Mississippi State has yet to host an NCAA regional since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1997. Ricketts wants to change that. "That's definitely the goal," she said. "That's what we're setting out to do every single year."
 
State, Ole Miss split C Spire Awards
Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Mississippi State and Ole Miss split the C Spire Outstanding Player Awards announced Monday in a virtual awards program co-sponsored by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and C Spire. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic changed so much about how college sports were played in Mississippi this past school year, it totally changed the way the C Spire awards were presented. Instead of well-attended awards banquets at the end of each season, all the awards were presented at once in a virtual program hosted by CBS television pro football analyst Charles Davis. The winners: Boo Ferriss Trophy: Mississippi State's Tanner Allen, one of the nation's leading hitters, won over Ole Miss pitching ace Doug Nikhazy, the other finalist. Allen has hit .411 in Southeastern Conference play and .387 overall and ranks in the SEC top 10 in average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, runs batted in and hits. Allen is a finalist for the Dick Howser award as national player of the year. Other Ferriss semifinalists included Mississippi State closer Landon Sims, Ole Miss pitcher Gunnar Hoglund and Ole Miss outfielder Kevin Graham.



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