| Tuesday, August 3, 2021 |
| National Championship trophy visits Rotarians | |
 | Monday's Starkville Rotary Club meeting saw a trio of guest speakers and a very special piece of hardware. Leah Beasley, Bo Hemphill, and Eric George of the Mississippi State University Athletic Department brought the 2021 College World Series National Championship trophy on Monday as they discussed the financial impact on MSU Athletics. As the Deputy Athletic Director for External Affairs, Beasley oversees MSU's five external pods of broadcast operations, communications, creative and digital strategy, fan experience/outbound sales, and marketing/branding. Well before the final out was recorded in the championship game, Beasley and her team had already been working diligently on the national championship branding in case things turned out the way we all wanted to, and it paid off. "We had so many meetings leading up to Omaha where we discussed what we were doing if this happens, and when we got to Omaha, we had several team members with us and an army back at home who were executing things back on the home front, especially the celebration," said Beasley. "We had different looks of things; we had decals, we had logos. We were in the press box where Vandy's external affairs team was walking right beside us, and we were hiding underneath the table half the time while we were trying to get things approved. We wanted to beat them out, but not have them see what we were doing." |
| Allen Hall network upgrade scheduled for Aug. 3-5 | |
 | Information Technology Services has scheduled the Allen Hall network upgrade Aug. 3-5. Careful consideration has been taken on scheduling the building upgrade to minimize the impact on academic classes and administrative work. Due to the complexity of Allen Hall's network infrastructure, ITS is going to break up the building's upgrade into three separate days. The floors are grouped together such that when upgrading a set of floors (such as floors 3 and 4 on Aug. 5), it will not impact network connectivity for the rest of Allen Hall. Please be aware of the following on the day your floor is scheduled to be upgraded during normal business hours (Aug. 5 and 6 upgrades): Be prepared for your floor to be without network connectivity (wired and wireless) for the entire business day. Phones will be unavailable during the upgrade. Instructors should be prepared to deliver course material from another location if network access is required. ITS-supported lecterns will not be functional during the day of the scheduled upgrade. |
| Mississippi weekend virus cases increase sixfold in 3 weeks | |
 | Mississippi's department of health reported Monday that the state saw almost 5,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend as the virus surges statewide. That's an increase of more than six times the number of new cases -- 796 -- reported three weeks ago on July 12. "Delta surge accelerating quickly -- please be safe and protect your family," State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs tweeted. The state of around 3 million people has seen almost 350,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. The increase in new cases, predominately the highly contagious delta variant, comes as schools across the state prepare to return to the classroom for the start of classes. Around a week after the board of trustees for the Oxford School District decided to make masks optional for vaccinated and unvaccinated students and staff, Oxford School District superintendent Bradley Roberson announced in a letter sent out to families Saturday that masks will now be required in school. Districts like Gulfport School District and Jackson Public School District are requiring masks. The issue is more contentious in other districts, however. A Lowndes County School District board meeting last week was attended by protestors holding signs that read, "Mask Choice," "Masks Optional" or "Our Bodies, Our Choice." |
| From fertility to microchips, top doctor debunks these viral COVID vaccine myths in Mississippi | |
 | Health officials unanimously agree that vaccines are the surest way to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Mississippi, hesitations loom over a population with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation. Misinformation about the safety, effectiveness and approval of the vaccine, among other rumors, have circulated on social media around the state, preventing shots and ultimately "killing people," according to State Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. During a recent weekly Facebook Live with the Mississippi State Medical Association, viewers asked questions about the COVID vaccine. The Mississippi State Department of Health has not identified a single death caused by the vaccine, Dobbs said. "Not one. Now, has one happened that we don't know about? It could be, but every death that we've reported, we've looked into it," he said. Based on the ever-changing nature of human health, "normal, medical things" are bound to happen with a big test group, Dobbs said. The CDC has said there is currently no evidence that the COVID vaccination causes any problems with pregnancy, fertility or the development of the placenta. Dobbs recently shared a tweet with a link to a MarketWatch op-ed stating that COVID, not the vaccine, could actually adversely affect a man's fertility. |
| COVID-19 has killed thousands of Mississippians this year. All but 37 were unvaccinated. | |
 | Of the 2,400 Mississippians who died of COVID-19 between Jan. 1 and July 22 of this year, only 37 were fully vaccinated, according to data obtained from the Mississippi State Department of Health. That means 98.4% of the people who died from COVID-19 during that period were unvaccinated, while 1.6% were vaccinated people who experienced breakthrough infections. All 37 of the breakthrough deaths were from high-risk patients aged 65 or older. MSDH reported 4,991 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths on Monday, further documenting the hold the virus' Delta variant has on the state. As scientists continue to collect data on the newest variant that is spreading rapidly, medical experts continue to reiterate that vaccination remains the best protection against contracting the Delta variant. The nation's leading medical researchers agree that vaccines are nearly as effective against the Delta variant as the original strain, greatly minimizing the chance of infection and nearly eliminating the risks of developing a serious illness. Studies suggest, however, that being fully vaccinated is the only adequate protection against the Delta variant, as a single shot of either of the two-dose mRNA vaccines provides only weak protection against infection. |
| Mississippi auditor: Let Medicaid verify income tax info | |
| Two Mississippi residents with houses worth more than $1 million have been receiving coverage under the Medicaid program that is designed to help low-income residents, according to a report released Monday by the state auditor's office. Auditor Shad White said those are examples of waste that could be curbed, and money that could be saved, if Mississippi legislators allow the Division of Medicaid to communicate directly with the state Department of Revenue to verify information that people provide when applying for Medicaid coverage. Under current state law, the Division of Medicaid must rely on people to report their own income and to supply documents such as tax returns. The law does not allow the Division to request information from the state Department of Revenue. White said such verification could save the state money by revealing possible false reporting by recipients. White's office on Monday released its annual single audit report of how state agencies have spent federal money. This one was for the budget year that ended June 30, 2020. |
| Auditor says state may be paying out millions in fraudulent Medicaid benefits | |
| As part of its Single Audit Report for the 2020 fiscal year, the Mississippi auditor's office sampled 180 Medicaid beneficiaries and found that nine of them were ineligible due to the high income reported on their state tax returns. On average, those nine reported income levels $10,727 above the threshold for Medicaid enrollment. In addition to the nine individuals flagged in the sample, two people who own multi-million dollar homes and declared high incomes on their tax returns, despite receiving Medicaid benefits, had already been flagged as potential fraud cases to investigate. Under current state law, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid does not have the legal authority to obtain state income tax returns to compare them with the income declared by a person applying for Medicaid benefits. State Auditor Shad White is now calling on Gov. Tate Reeves and the Legislature to grant this authority so that potential fraud can be prevented on the front end. In a statement, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) said it does not agree that the use of state tax returns would help root out fraud, as the tax information used by the auditor's office in this case is from more than a year before the person applied for Medicaid. DOM is required to base eligibility on current income and noted that "financial information that far out of date may not accurately reflect the current circumstances of applicants." |
| Sen. Lindsey Graham tests positive for COVID-19 but says vaccine kept symptoms mild | |
 | Sen. Lindsey Graham announced he would self-quarantine for 10 days Monday after revealing a positive COVID-19 test. "I was just informed by the House physician I have tested positive for COVID-19 even after being vaccinated," the South Carolina Republican said in a statement. "I started having flu-like symptoms Saturday night and went to the doctor this morning. I feel like I have a sinus infection and at present time I have mild symptoms." Graham is the first senator to announce a "breakthrough" case of COVID-19 despite being vaccinated and the first to say he had been sickened by the virus this year. He is the third member of Congress since mid-July to announce a positive test. Graham said he was glad he got vaccinated, saying that without it, "My symptoms would be far worse." Graham was one of 16 Republicans who joined Democrats in a 66-28 vote on Friday to proceed to the legislative vehicle for the bipartisan infrastructure package. It's not clear what his 10-day absence will mean for the future of that bill. Graham was reportedly in attendance over the weekend at an event on West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's houseboat with other senators. |
| Historic debt relief for minority farmers faces legal juggernaut | |
 | A string of legal defeats for a groundbreaking program to forgive the debts of minority farmers is presenting the Biden administration with a stark choice. It can continue the fight and risk further setbacks or give up and disappoint activists and lawmakers who have championed the cause. The estimated $4 billion program is under siege by conservative legal groups -- including one founded by close aides to former President Donald Trump -- who have filed at least 13 lawsuits arguing the debt relief effort unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of race. So far, three different judges have issued preliminary injunctions blocking the program nationwide as litigation proceeds. The Justice Department could appeal, but hasn't yet. DOJ rarely gives up without a fight in such cases, but legal experts say the Biden administration's best move at the moment might be to huddle with congressional allies and come up with a program more likely to pass muster. Otherwise, they say, there's a danger of provoking court rulings that might undermine other programs aimed at remedying past discrimination. Several lawyers said they believe that if the program reached the Supreme Court in its current form, the justices would reject it, perhaps by as much as an 8-1 margin. |
| Walmart's vaccine mandate may be a sign of things to come | |
| The vaccine mandate movement is growing. Federal workers will have to get vaccinated or get weekly COVID-19 tests. Similar mandates are happening in California and New York. There's also a long list of universities, hospitals and, increasingly, private corporations that are making the move, most recently Walmart. But there's a catch: The company is going to require vaccines for corporate employees but not retail workers. Most employers have been doing what they can to encourage workers to get vaccinated. Now, virus variants are helping make their case. "I think delta has really been a game-changer," said Lauren Rivera, a professor of management at Northwestern University. The pressure is building as companies move toward return-to-office target dates, Rivera said. Walmart's target is Labor Day, and its office workers must be vaccinated by early October. As one of the country's largest private employers, Walmart has influence, not just on its more than 1.5 million associates in the United States, but on the service industry at large. "I'm certain there are a lot of other retailers paying attention to what they're doing and vice versa," said Vince DiGirolamo of market research firm Mintel. |
| Tyson Foods to Require Covid-19 Vaccines for All U.S. Workers | |
 | Tyson Foods Inc. said it would require Covid-19 vaccinations for its U.S. workforce of about 120,000, aiming for total vaccination of the meat giant's employees by Nov 1. The Arkansas-based company's target, which includes both processing plant and corporate office workers, is partly subject to discussions with labor unions that represent around one-third of the company's hourly workers, Tyson officials said. The company said it would offer a $200 bonus to its front-line workers as an incentive. Chief Executive Donnie King said the effort is the best way to protect the health of Tyson's workforce as more contagious and deadly variants of Covid-19 drive infections higher across the country. "We did not take this decision lightly," Mr. King wrote in a memo to employees. "We have spent months encouraging our team members to get vaccinated -- today, under half of our team members are." The move by Tyson, the biggest U.S. meat supplier by sales, comes as some of the nation's biggest companies tighten vaccination and mask policies in response to rising Covid-19 infections. Morgan Stanley has required employees to be vaccinated before they return to the bank's offices, and last week Google and Facebook Inc. said they would require all employees at their U.S. campuses to be vaccinated. New Tyson hires must be fully vaccinated before they start work. |
| No COVID-19 vaccine mandate coming for Mississippi public colleges | |
 | As COVID-19 case levels climb in the state, hundreds of faculty members at colleges and universities across Mississippi have signed an open letter asking for vaccinations to be required for students returning this fall. In the letter, addressed to state leaders including State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs, the faculty members noted that 586 public and private colleges across the United States have already made vaccinations a requirement for students and staff. Dobbs said during a news conference on July 20 that the health department has no intention of issuing vaccination mandates for state higher ed institutions. Dobbs said he believes the "era of statewide mask mandates is over" and he doesn't believe a recommendation for mandatory shots will be pursued. Dobbs said during a news conference on July 20 that the health department has no intention of issuing vaccination mandates for state higher ed institutions. Dobbs said he believes the "era of statewide mask mandates is over" and he doesn't believe a recommendation for mandatory shots will be pursued. Dobbs said the department is in talks with IHL to develop updated guidelines for colleges and universities around the state, but did not provide a timeline for when the new rules would be issued. |
| Mother accomplishes 39 year goal with daughter by her side | |
 | Learning has been a family affair the past few years for Lynn Christian and Haley Mattera. They took classes together at Mississippi University for Women and graduated on Friday with their bachelor's degrees in nursing. Christian, 56, of Belden, started pursuing her bachelor's in nursing at the W in 1982. "I did not complete the first semester," she said. "I dropped out of school and soon started a family." After her son was born, Christian became a medical assistant and worked in various doctors' offices. The desire to complete her degree never went away, Christian said. "In 1999, I graduated with an ADN (associate's degree in nursing) from a community college in Corpus Christi," she said. "My daughter was born while I was in nursing school, but I was determined to finish that time. Returning to the W and completing what I started 39 years ago has been a goal of mine for many years. Being able to do that with my daughter has just been a bonus." Mattera, 23, of Mooreville, said she always wanted to work in healthcare, but didn't know what career path to take until high school. The duo took all of their classes together at the W. Both graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and were on the president's list every semester. "We didn't plan to be in the same classes, it just worked out that way," Christian said. "She may say differently, but for the record, I applied and was accepted first." |
| USM to Offer Two New Health Minors | |
| After experiencing a global pandemic, the University of Southern Mississippi School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professional Development is launching two new minors to introduce students to different approaches in the study of health, well-being and medicine. The minors will be available beginning in Fall 2021. "In recent years, medical schools have increasingly come to recognize the value of the humanities and social sciences. But in 2021, having lived through a global pandemic, we all are in a position to appreciate interdisciplinary perspectives about health, illness and medicine," said Dr. Ann Marie Kinnell, director of ISPD. "The new minors leverage USM's cross-disciplinary potential, given the number of faculty members whose creative activity, research,and teaching already takes an interdisciplinary approach to health and medicine," she added. |
| USM's Symphony Orchestra announces schedule for 102nd season | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra announces its 102nd season, opening Sept. 30, 2021, and offering a concert a month throughout the year. This year's season is titled "Uncharted Territory," which is set to focus on the lives of us all coming out of the pandemic. "The thing we are most excited about is of course having audiences back," said USM's Director of Orchestral Activities Michael Miles. "We have spent 18 months live streaming concerts to an empty auditorium. Nothing leaves a bigger or faster hole in your soul than performing a passionate performance and no one is there to enjoy it." Season tickets are on sale now at the Southern Miss Ticket Office or online at southernmisstickets.com. Individual tickets sales begin Sept. 1. |
| 'Extreme emergency' exists in Holmes County schools, commission says | |
| The Holmes County Consolidated School District is one step closer to being taken over by the state. The state education department's accreditation commission voted unanimously on Monday to recommend that a state of emergency, or a situation that threatens the safety, security and educational interests of students, exists in the school district. The matter will now go to the State Board of Education, which will meet Tuesday to determine whether it will recommend the governor declare the need for a takeover. The Mississippi Department of Education and the school district on Monday made presentations and answered questions to the commission. Debra Powell, the superintendent of the district as of mid-May, argued that she is already implementing solutions to many of the issues highlighted in a nearly 400-page audit by the Mississippi Department of Education. The report found the district in violation of 81% of state accreditation standards for schools. But the state education department said the district was, and still is, in violation of all nine accreditation policies, or governing principles for the success of a school district academically, organizationally and financially. |
| U. of Alabama summer graduation: It's 1,400 degrees in Tuscaloosa | |
 | More than 1,400 students officially became graduates of the University of Alabama on Saturday during summer commencement ceremonies at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The summer graduates included students from 17 countries and 48 states, according to UA's commencement website. This class also carried a 3.108 grade point average. During the morning ceremony, students in these colleges walked across the stage: the Capstone College of Nursing, the College of Communication and Information Sciences, the College of Education and the Culverhouse College of Business. The afternoon ceremony was held for students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Community Health Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Human Environmental Sciences and the School of Social Work. |
| Auburn University reinstates mask requirement starting Tuesday | |
| Starting Tuesday, all individuals will be required to wear face coverings inside Auburn University buildings and transportation regardless of their vaccination status, the University announced Monday. The updated policy aligns with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and recommendations from University medical staff, local health officials and the Alabama Department of Public Health. Individuals are allowed to go without their masks in certain instances, including when outdoors, at open-air athletic venues, alone in individual offices, alone or with roommates in residence hall rooms, at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center and when actively eating at indoor dining facilities. Under the policy, faculty are permitted to wear face shields rather than face coverings during lectures as long as social distancing is still maintained to allow lecturers to better project their voices. The policy is the latest in the University's efforts to combat COVID-19. On July 26, the University announced a vaccine incentive program offering vaccinated students the opportunity to win prizes such as a $1,000 scholarship, an A-zone parking pass and an unlimited meal plan. |
| U. of Tennessee will require masks in classrooms, at some indoor events | |
 | The University of Tennessee will require students and staff to wear face masks in some indoor spaces, including classrooms, when the fall semester begins. Following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even those who are fully vaccinated should wear masks indoors in areas with high COVID-19 transmission, including Knox County. Those who are unvaccinated are encouraged to continue wearing masks. "We are excited to have our campus communities together this fall and are planning full campus experiences across the UT System. With the Delta variant spreading in our state and communities, we want to help ensure the safest return possible," UT System President Randy Boyd said. "The best way to take care of each other as we return to campus is to first take care of ourselves by getting the COVID-19 vaccine." Masks will be required in classrooms, laboratories, instructional spaces and at indoor events students are required to attend, according to a news release from UT. Specific plans for each campus in the UT System will be announced soon. Classes at UT Knoxville begin on Aug. 18. The mask policy at UT Knoxville will be reviewed throughout the fall semester, Chancellor Donde Plowman said in an email to students and employees on Monday. |
| Ex-U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville professor pleads innocent in fraud case | |
| A former University of Arkansas, Fayetteville professor pleaded innocent Monday to wire fraud charges linked to his ties to China and the use of university research facilities. Simon Ang appeared in court and told U.S. Magistrate Judge Christy Comstock he understood the charges against him, which include 55 counts of wire fraud. The longtime electrical engineering professor joined UA's faculty in 1988 and led the university's High Density Electronics Center, or HiDEC, at the time of his arrest in May of last year. An FBI affidavit stated that Ang's "close ties" to the Chinese government and Chinese companies would have made him ineligible for federal research grants he pursued. Ang appeared in court Monday after a grand jury's superseding indictment filed in court last week included new charges that he used research labs and equipment owned by UA to perform research and development for a Chinese company. The latest wire fraud counts relate to payments made to a limited liability company company set up by Ang and also UA salary payments made to him, according to the court document. |
| Ranchers return to College Station for Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course | |
 | After having to go virtual a year ago, the 67th annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course began Monday on the Texas A&M campus, attracting 1,600 ranchers from across the country. The three-day continuing education program is put on by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to help new and career ranchers. "It's very fulfilling for us to be able to provide some of that basic management -- how do you take care of the cattle and so on," event coordinator and AgriLife Extension beef specialist Jason Cleere said. "But at the same time, it's also very fulfilling as an educator that you work with real experienced ranchers on utilizing some of the newest and most advanced technology to help them fine-tune their operations." In total, participants will have 22 sessions on topics ranging from managing soils and forage to breeding and genetics. One of the biggest topics this year, he said, is dealing with ranchers' increased costs with lagging cattle prices. "It's tougher to make a profit now, so that's probably one of the biggest buzzes is how do we more efficiently improve our production, but at the same time, don't increase our costs too much," Cleere said. |
| Settlement confirms U. of Louisville received just 1% of what it sought in suit against ex-president | |
| The University of Louisville and its investment foundation on Monday agreed to an $800,000 settlement stemming from a long-running and expensive legal battle with ex-President James Ramsey, closing a turbulent chapter on campus. The settlement amount represents just 1% of what the university sought as it also spent roughly $6 million in taxpayer funds to try to get it. The Courier Journal first reported on the settlement amount in June before it was officially approved. As part of the deal to settle their lawsuit against Ramsey and several other former U of L executives, the money will be funneled into the university's foundation, which oversees the school's investments. The $800,000 will be paid for the defendants through an insurance policy that covered foundation officers and directors, campus officials said. Ramsey resigned under pressure as university president in July 2016 and stepped down as president of the foundation two months later. During his 14-year tenure, he was credited with raising academic standards and boosting the school from a commuter campus to a distinguished research institution. But he came under increasing criticism due to a string of controversies the university could not seem to escape for years, including embezzlement scandals and the NCAA investigation into whether a U of L employee paid women to strip and have sex with basketball players. |
| Fading Beacon: U.S. may never regain its dominance as a destination for international students. Here's why that matters. | |
 | American higher education has long prided itself on being a brilliant beacon, attracting generations of students from around the globe. They come for education and for opportunity. Many, having established ties to America, return home to take roles in academe, business, or government. No country has trained more foreign leaders than the United States. Others stay, becoming a critical part of the American talent infrastructure. They fill our faculty offices, our laboratories, our boardrooms. One in five entrepreneurs who founded start-ups in the United States is an immigrant -- and three-quarters of them first came to America as students. While they were enrolled, they brought diversity and millions in revenue to their campuses. But that beacon, bright for decades, may have begun to dim. The Trump administration, with its America First policies and bellicose rhetoric, sent the message that foreign students were not welcome. Then the Covid-19 pandemic shut the country's borders. Last year's decline in international students -- the U.S. government reported an 18-percent drop in overall student-visa holders and a 72-percent decrease in new enrollments in 2020 -- is without precedent. America's light was already flickering, however. |
| Appeals court backs Indiana University on required vaccines | |
 | A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal of a district court's ruling denying an injunction against an Indiana University rule requiring all students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit used language in rejecting the appeal that strongly backed Indiana University. Writing for the panel, Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote: "People who do not want to be vaccinated may go elsewhere. Many universities require vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, but many others do not. Plaintiffs have ample educational opportunities." He added: "Each university may decide what is necessary to keep other students safe in a congregate setting. Health exams and vaccinations against other diseases ... are common requirements of higher education. Vaccination protects not only the vaccinated persons but also those who come into contact with them, and at a university close contact is inevitable." The appeals court also said the First Amendment does not protect the students from the requirement. "The First Amendment means that a state cannot tell anyone what to read or write, but a state university may demand that students read things they prefer not to read and write things they prefer not to write. A student must read what a professor assigns, even if they student deems the books heretical, and must write exams or essays as required. A student who is told to analyze the role of nihilism in Dostoevsky's The Possessed but who submits an essay about Iago's motivations in Othello will flunk." |
| Higher-Ed Groups Assail Limits on Public-Health Authority as More Campuses Mandate Masks | |
| Higher-education organizations urged state-government officials on Monday to allow colleges and universities more authority to protect their campuses from a Covid-19 surge. "An increasing number of states have restricted the ability of colleges and other organizations to deploy an evidence-based combination of strategies to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks on campus and in surrounding communities," read the statement, co-signed by over two dozen groups including the American Council on Education and the American College Health Association. "These restrictions undermine the ability of all organizations, including colleges and universities, to operate safely and fully at a time of tremendous unpredictability." Statewide bans on vaccination requirements, restricted use of masking, and limitations on Covid-19 surveillance testing could put campuses at risk as crowds of students return for the fall semester and the more-transmissible Delta variant accounts for a majority of Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, more colleges are reinstating mask mandates indoors. The Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy has suspended the first phase of its return-to-campus plan, telling faculty members they no longer need to come into the office in person unless their duties require it, according to a letter sent to the faculty from Judith Kelley, the school's dean. |
| Statement condemns state measures barring vaccine, mask mandates | |
| A new statement organized by the American College Health Association and signed by more than two dozen higher education organizations decries state-level restrictions barring colleges from requiring vaccination against COVID-19 or other public health measures such as mask wearing or surveillance testing. The statement describes such restrictions as "dangerous" and calls on government authorities "to empower colleges and universities to use every available public health tool to protect campuses and neighboring communities from a COVID-19 surge this fall." The statement, released Monday, notes that many of the state-level restrictions "directly contradict" guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "State actions that prevent the use of established and effective public health tools at the same time as COVID-19 cases increase is a recipe for disaster," the statement says. The statement comes as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads, COVID-19 cases increase nationally and colleges increasingly introduce or broaden vaccination requirements and reimpose mask mandates. But even as more than 600 colleges nationwide have mandated COVID-19 vaccination for students or employees, colleges in a number of Republican-controlled states find themselves hamstrung by laws or executive orders restricting their ability to require vaccines or other public health measures. |
| Who's Had Covid-19? A National Survey of Students Reveals Disparities | |
| Nearly 7 percent of college students who participated in a national survey said they had been "sick with Covid" during or since spring 2020. Self-reported infection rates were higher among racial and ethnic minorities than among white students. And those who self-reported contracting the virus were more likely than others to have experienced food insecurity, anxiety, and depression. Those findings appear in a new research brief from the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University. The study, apparently the first to examine how being infected with Covid-19 affected college students, was based on a fall 2020 survey of more than 100,000 students at 202 institutions in 42 states. The data fill a gap in higher education's understanding of Covid-19's impact. Most colleges don't know who among their students have been infected, the report says, "or how infections affect students' health and well-being." Subgroups of students who, in general, are likely to struggle in college reported higher rates of infection than some of their peers: working students, students with children, and those receiving federal Pell Grants. |
| Latino college enrollment was on an upswing. But Covid has taken a toll. | |
 | College enrollment is down due to the coronavirus pandemic but the Latino student population has been hit particularly hard. Spring 2021 undergraduate enrollment is down 5.9 percent from last year, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. Latino enrollment, which had been rising before the pandemic, showed some of the biggest swings: A decrease of 1.9 percent in spring 2021 compared to an increase of 2.1 percent in spring 2020. Community colleges, which include large Latino student populations, saw a 13.7 percent decrease in enrollment in spring 2021, compared to an increase of 1.7 percent in spring 2020. Students dropped out for are a variety of reasons: Family members became sick or lost their jobs and the student had to help support the family. Or, they just couldn't afford it anymore. And, instead of falling further behind, they decided to drop out. The pandemic also worsened some of the problems already faced by Latino college students including language barriers, challenges due to immigration status, or lack of knowledge of the application due to them being first-generation students. For many Latino college students, financing their education was a barrier to them even prior to Covid, and the pandemic exacerbated this challenge. |
| Law School Loses Luster as Debts Mount and Salaries Stagnate | |
| Law school was once considered a surefire ticket to a comfortable life. Years of tuition increases have made it a fast way to get buried in debt. Recent graduates of the University of Miami School of Law who used federal loans borrowed a median of $163,000. Two years later, half were earning $59,000 or less. That's the biggest gap between debt and earnings among the top 100 law schools as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, a Wall Street Journal analysis of federal data found. Graduates from a host of other well-regarded law schools routinely leave with six-figure student loans, then fail to find high-paying jobs as lawyers, according to the Journal's analysis of the latest federal data on earnings, for students who graduated in 2015 and 2016. When Miami students asked for financial assistance, some graduates told the Journal, school officials often offered this solution: Take more loans. "I had no work experience, life experience, anything like that before I signed on to this quarter-million-dollar loan," said Dylan Boigris, a 2016 Miami Law graduate, who began his career making about $45,000 as a public defender. "I thought I would come out making much more than I did." A law professor at the university, Anthony Alfieri, said law schools "foster this kind of cruel optimism" in students, letting them think six-figure salaries are attainable, when in reality, those high-paying jobs are largely reserved for students at only the top-ranked law schools. |
SPORTS
| Dak Prescott Among Best-Selling NFL Players | |
| Dak Prescott will forever be one of the most beloved figures to ever come through Starkville. The former Mississippi State and current Dallas Cowboys quarterback's popularity continues to soar nationwide as well, as evidenced by the recently-released NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List. Prescott ranks third among all NFL players in officially licensed products sold from March 1 through May 31 of this year. Only Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Patrick Mahomes II sat ahead of Prescott. The rankings were compiled looking at NFL player products sold from online and traditional retail outlets as reported by over 75 NFLPA licensees. Licensed products sold and tracked included items such as jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, bobbleheads, figurines, wall decals, photos, pennants and much, much more. Prescott's position in the rankings were heavily influenced by his high standing in multiple categories. He sits near the top of the rankings in sales of jerseys, Fathead wall decals and cutouts, as well as figurines and squishy toys from Party Animal. |
| The 'new' SEC will suit Mississippi State, Ole Miss just fine | |
 | Parrish Alford writes for the Daily Journal: Men in suits don't often move fast. When SEC presidents gather there are a lot of suits in the room or maybe these days on the Zoom call. News broke on July 21 that Texas and Oklahoma had reached out to the SEC about possible membership. Those schools, founding members of the Big 12 Conference, responded to a Houston Chronicle report with statements about rumors. They did not claim the report was false. It took only nine days after that Wednesday for Texas and Oklahoma to be announced as SEC members. The wheels on this were turning long before July 21. The SEC presidents, whose votes would shape the future of the conference, had already established opinions and likely knew how they would vote. Still, the Texas-OU transition played out in public like the second act of Operation Warp Speed. Here in the neighborhood, we wonder how the expanded SEC suits Mississippi State and Ole Miss. ... In the grand scheme of things not much changes for MSU and Ole Miss. They're still climbers, still proud schools with strong programs across the board capable of big things in football when they handle their own business and the chips fall their way. |
| Putting Nick Saban's new $84.8 million contract into context | |
 | Needing just seconds to read the outline and a unanimous voice vote to stamp it official, Nick Saban has another new contract with the University of Alabama. This one runs through the 2028 season, tacking three years onto the last refresh in 2018. A lot has changed in those three years and money only continues to grow for a coach coming off his seventh national title. Back in 2017, Saban's contract update was worth $65.2 million over the eight years it spanned. Then 14 months later, another new deal was worth $73.8 million over eight years. That number is up to $84.8 million over the eight years covered on this new deal. Of that total, $4 million comes in five separate season-completion bonuses of $800,000 apiece following the 2021-2025 seasons. The other $80.8 million is mostly the talent fee that increases by $400,000 yearly while the base salary remains $275,000. This is the sixth time Saban's contract has been amended since signing his original contract in 2007. The deal, worth an average of $4 million a year and $32 million total, led to calls for congressional hearings into the out-of-control salaries of college athletics coaches. The entire business of college sports has changed since Saban left the NFL for Tuscaloosa and Alabama's financial success is often connected to the historic run of Saban's football teams. |
| Gators football's strong home 2021 schedule helps boost ticket sales | |
| While Florida head coach Dan Mullen wasn't able to "pack The Swamp" in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he won't have to wait long this fall to a see a stadium filled with orange-and-blue clad fans. The Gators host juggernaut Alabama on Sept. 18 in a rematch of last year's SEC Championship Game in which the Tide won 52-46. And if that game alone isn't enough to get fans excited, the Gators also will host rivals Tennessee and Florida State this season. The strong home schedule and a return to full-capacity crowds has resulted in a strong demand for tickets, according to Florida Senior Associate Athletics Director Steve McClain. McClain said UF has already sold more season tickets for this season than for the entire 2019 season, and that more than 90% of season ticket accounts from 2019 have been renewed. That compares favorably to the average renewal rate of 87.2% over the last six years, including a rate of 82% in 2018. While fan interest is high, COVID-19 still looms large over the upcoming football season as the more transmissible delta variant spreads throughout the state. At this point no changes have been made in regards to pre-COVID game day protocols and activities, McClain said. |
| Skip Bertman tests positive for COVID; family encourages vaccinations amid spike in cases | |
 | Former LSU baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman and his wife, Sandy, tested positive for COVID-19, one of their daughters confirmed Monday afternoon. They are experiencing mild symptoms and expect to make a full recovery. The couple, both 83, received vaccinations earlier this year. The family said the shots protected them from more severe cases, and they encouraged everyone who hasn't gotten a vaccine to do so. "The reason why my parents can walk away from this is because they are vaccinated," said Bertman's daughter, Lori. "I don't know if my dad wasn't vaccinated he could've survived COVID." Eligible for the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Bertman and his wife received their shots in January. Bertman encouraged others to get theirs, saying at the time in a recorded video, "It's easy. It's safe. I can't imagine anyone not getting the shot." Though the Bertmans remained careful, coronavirus cases have rapidly increased in Louisiana, with 1,984 patients hospitalized across the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Health's update at noon Monday. Another 8,705 new confirmed cases were reported over the weekend. Of the state's total estimated population, 37% of people are fully vaccinated. |
| Kentucky football: Wildcats aim to use team goals to enhance NIL deals | |
| Among Kentucky football players with the potential to profit most off the NCAA new name, image and likeness policy, NFL draft first-round prospect Darian Kinnard would likely be high on the list. But Kinnard has no plans to actively pursue endorsement opportunities this fall. "It's my last year," Kinnard said. "If this came out maybe two years ago, it could have been a good avenue I'd gotten into. With this last year coming up, we all look back at the end of the season and say, 'Man, it flew.' I'm just taking this opportunity to really focus on what I need to do, and NIL can wait until I'm done with college." Kinnard did not completely close the door to NIL opportunities but confirmed he would "probably not" pursue any deals when asked to clarify his intentions. That does not figure to be the case for most of Kentucky's star players. A handful of Wildcats, including quarterback Will Levis, have signed up for Cameo, a website where fans can pay for personalized video messages from celebrities and athletes. Wide receiver Josh Ali and cornerback Cedrick Dort signed endorsement deals with water company KeenH20. Wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson has already signed with player management company the Virtus Brand. As the season gets closer, endorsement opportunities for standout players seem likely to increase. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops knows he cannot ignore the issue. |
| U. of Texas president defends decision to join SEC as lawmakers criticize timing and impact on other schools | |
| University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell on Monday publicly defended the school's decision to leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference along with the University of Oklahoma in 2025 and denied Texas lawmakers' claims that the school violated Big 12 bylaws in doing so. "This future move is the right thing for our student athletes, our programs and our University in the face of rapid change and increased uncertainty," Hartzell said. Hartzell's comments came during the first hearing of a special Senate committee created to study the conference shakeup's impact as it became apparent the flagship university was maneuvering to leave the Big 12 Conference. The move could drastically affect the remaining Texas schools that are part of the Big 12 -- Texas Christian University, Baylor and Texas Tech. Since news broke this summer that UT was going to join the SEC, lawmakers have worried about the impact on other Texas universities. But they have had few tools to block the move. On Monday, lawmakers criticized the president of the flagship school's decision as being a calculated choice meant to avoid intervention from legislators during this year's regular legislative session. |
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