| Thursday, August 5, 2021 |
| Mississippi State University to require masks when fall semester starts | |
 | Mississippi State University announced Wednesday that it will require face masks be worn for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on its campuses for the beginning of the fall 2021 semester. That includes in nonpersonal vehicles and public transit. The only exceptions will be in private offices, MSU said in a statement announcing the protocol change. "Our plans, as noted in prior announcements, were for a return to an open and traditional university environment," school officials said in the release. "That type of environment remains our goal and guides our policymaking process -- but is not yet fully possible in our current rapidly evolving public health situation." MSU hopes to be able to move to a mask-optional policy after the first few weeks of the semester, which begins Aug. 18, if cases on campus and in the community decrease and vaccination rates improve substantially. "MSU will regularly reevaluate the need to continue the mask requirement," the university said. "We believe this significant preventative measure will enable us to safeguard activities like tailgating, student events, and other normal parts of university life." |
| Mississippi State issues indoor mask mandate as fall semester approaches | |
 | With students returning to campus ahead of the fall semester, Mississippi State University has announced an update to its COVID-19 polices. This includes universal masking indoors for students, faculty, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. The new policy, which follows recommendations from the Mississippi State Department of Health, comes as the Delta variant has caused a sustained surge of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Mississippi and across the country. The temporary policy will require masks for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on all Mississippi State campuses. That includes non-personal vehicles and public transit. The only exceptions will be in private offices. "After the first few weeks of the Fall 2021 semester, it is our hope that MSU may be able to move to mask-optional policies if the number of cases on campus and in the community decreases, and vaccination rates improve substantially. MSU will regularly reevaluate the need to continue the mask requirement. We believe this significant preventative measure will enable us to safeguard activities like tailgating, student events, and other normal parts of university life," the announcement continues on to say. |
| Mississippi State temporarily requiring face masks for employees, students | |
 | Leaders with Mississippi State University announced they will temporarily require masks for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on campus at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester. They made the decision based on guidance from the Miss. Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning and the Miss. State Department of Health (MSDH). After the first few weeks of the semester, MSU leaders hope they may be able to move to mask-optional policies if the number of cases on campus and in the community decreases, and vaccination rates go up. Officials said they will regularly reevaluate the need to continue the mask requirement. "We believe this significant preventative measure will enable us to safeguard activities like tailgating, student events, and other normal parts of university life," the university said in a statement. If you would like to schedule a vaccination appointment, visit https://covidvaccine.msstate.edu or call 662-325-7535. |
| Mississippi State to require masks inside all campus buildings to start school year | |
| Mississippi State University will require masks indoors on campus to begin the 2021 fall semester. "With the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, MSU will temporarily require masks for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on our campuses," a statement posted to the school's website reads. This includes public transit vehicles. The only exception will be within private offices. School officials attribute a rise in cases from the Delta variant as the reason for the requirement. Wednesday, more new COVID-19 cases were reported in a single day than at any time since January. The move comes at the suggestion of the Mississippi State Department of Health, who "directs that masks be worn universally indoors for all students, faculty, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Due to the prevalence of the highly transmissible Delta Variant, masks must be worn in all indoor facilities to mitigate the risk of infection at this time." School officials say they hope to lift the mask requirement if the number of cases on campus and in the community decreases, and vaccination rates improve "substantially." The school's officials also encourage everyone get vaccinated. |
| Mississippi State to require masks indoors | |
 | Mississippi State University will temporarily require masks for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on its campuses with the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester. That includes non-personal vehicles and public transit. The only exceptions will be in private offices. The university said Wednesday it had planned for an open and traditional environment, which remains the goal, but "is not yet fully possible in our current rapidly evolving public health situation". MSU said the recent surge in national, regional and state COVID cases, particularly the Delta Variant, is concerning and requires that MSU closely monitor these evolving conditions and respond based on guidance from the Miss. Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning and the Miss. State Department of Health. After the first few weeks of the Fall 2021 semester, MSU said it hopes that it may be able to move to mask-optional policies if the number of cases on campus and in the community decreases, and vaccination rates improve substantially. MSU will regularly reevaluate the need to continue the mask requirement. |
| MSU will require masks to start fall semester | |
 | Mississippi State University will require masks in response to the resurgence of COVID-19, particularly the delta variant. The university made the announcement on Wednesday. "With the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, MSU will temporarily require masks for all indoor activities and in all indoor locations on our campuses. That includes non-personal vehicles and public transit. The only exceptions will be in private offices." |
| More than 3,100 new COVID-19 cases reported in Mississippi Thursday | |
 | Coronavirus cases in Mississippi, fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, continue to climb, with Thursday's daily total of 3,164 new cases the highest the state's seen since Jan. 8 when the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 3,542 cases. Within the week from July 30 to Aug. 5, 14,193 COVID-19 cases were recorded, up 4,194 from the previous week. On Tuesday, the state saw the highest one-day coronavirus-related deaths, at 34, since early March when the department reported 44 deaths. There were 16 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Thursday. The 16 deaths occurred between July 29 and Wednesday, as identified from death certificate reports. Since the virus hit the state in March 2020, a total of 356,055 cases and 7,613 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported. Residents between the ages of 25 and 39 represent the largest portion of the infected population in the state, with 79,341 cases reported Tuesday, the latest figure available. Among patients under 18, children between the ages of 11 and 17 have the highest infection rate, with 27,944 cases identified. The 65 and older age group has the highest total number of deaths with 5,734 reported. |
| Mississippi sees increase in COVID cases in those under 50 | |
 | Health care systems across Mississippi are seeing a surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in people under 50, a shift from earlier in the pandemic when the virus was predominately affecting older adults. A hospital official said there were only six available ICU beds in the entire state. "Most of the people that are unvaccinated in Mississippi are under 50, so that's the population that we're seeing," said Dr. Alan Jones, Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. "It's attacking the vulnerable and the vulnerable are the unvaccinated." In response to the surge, Mississippi State University will be requiring masks indoors for the fall 2021 semester, the school announced in a news release Wednesday. Officials at Mississippi's only level-one trauma center and teaching hospital said Wednesday that 90% of the new cases and hospitalizations they are seeing are among unvaccinated people. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,821 new cases of coronavirus in a single day Wednesday, numbers not seen in the state since the last surge of the virus over the winter. Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. LouAnn Woodward said during the last major surge, the vaccine was not yet available. Woodward said it's exhausting for medical officials to know there's a tool available now that can be used to help fight the virus and people are refusing it. At the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the surge in virus cases has been complicated by an ongoing staffing shortage. |
| 'At a breaking point' in Mississippi: Full ICUs, shortage of health care staff amid delta surge | |
 | The raging delta variant of the coronavirus, coupled with a deficit of Mississippi health care workers, has overwhelmed the state's health systems, but University of Mississippi Medical Center top officials warn the peak is yet to come. On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,821 new COVID-19 infections, the highest one-day case count the state's seen since Jan. 15. As of Wednesday, UMMC had 94 COVID-19 patients. "It's almost impossible to put into words the frustration," said LouAnn Woodward, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. "Here we go again." Before the delta variant spiked case counts to numbers unseen since January's highs, Woodward said the center was already full. It was catching up on treating people who'd put off care early on in the pandemic. Like many health systems in Mississippi, UMMC is experiencing a nursing shortage that's complicated its ability to staff to capacity. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs and COVID-19 clinical response leader, said Wednesday that a 15-bed unit was shut down and 14 ICU beds are not in use due to the inability to staff them. For the health care workers who have remained at UMMC, Woodward said staff are burned out and fatigued. And coronavirus outbreaks among staff, who she said have mostly contracted the virus from outside the hospital, have added to the already-low staffing count. "We've gone through this four to five times," Jones said. "We're at a breaking point." |
| Where is Tate Reeves? Governor stays mostly silent as COVID skyrockets in Mississippi | |
 | As the highly contagious delta variant pushed new cases to a record number Wednesday and hospitals were overwhelmed, Gov. Tate Reeves has failed to resume regular news briefings or re-institute a mask mandate. Instead, the governor's most publicized statements this summer have been that he regrets closing businesses during the pandemic and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was "foolish" to recommend masks for vaccinated individuals in areas with high transmission rates. Reeves leveled the criticism at the CDC during a recent speech at the Neshoba County Fair. The Sun Herald emailed Reeves a list of questions Wednesday morning about potential COVID news briefings, COVID hospitalizations, his current assessment of COVID in Mississippi and related issues. Instead of answering the questions, he responded through his press secretary with a statement. In Tippah County's Blue Mountain on Tuesday, Reeves celebrated the expansion of a trucking company that will add 50 jobs, according to WCBI-TV. He also told the TV station that he has no intention of ordering another lockdown in Mississippi. On his Facebook page, Reeves posted Tuesday about Big M's expansion, as he has regularly featured job announcements lately. But some people commenting on his post wanted to talk about COVID instead. "Tate," one woman wrote, "if you don't do something about the virus in Mississippi there's not going to be enough people to work in your Big m company. And don't say you trust people to do the right thing because if they were doing the right thing there wouldn't have been nearly 5,000 new cases over the 3-day weekend." |
| This healthy 28-year-old didn't get a COVID vaccine. She ended up in the ICU. | |
| Claire Pride isn't a political person. So as COVID-19 policies and recommendations became more and more politicized the past few months, the 28-year-old Madison resident didn't feel the need to get the vaccine. She wasn't necessarily opposed to getting the shot, but it wasn't something she felt led to do. When the vaccine was first made available, she wanted older, more at-risk people to get vaccinated first. Later, she believed that younger, healthy people like her were safe from the worst effects. "There wasn't any one reason, but I just wasn't sure about it," Pride said. "I didn't do a ton of research. I thought since I didn't get the virus the first round, I work out three or four times a week, I don't have any other health concerns, I'll just see what happens and probably be fine." Her perspective changed dramatically as she laid in the Intensive Care Unit at Baptist hospital in Jackson for five days last week with COVID pneumonia. "It's insane how fast it happened," Pride told Mississippi Today on Wednesday. "They say it feels like getting hit by a bus, but I swear it was worse than that. I couldn't get up out of bed to walk three feet across the room. I couldn't breathe at all. I told the nurses several times that I was about to die." "I want everyone to see what it can do to a healthy 28-year-old," Pride continued. "You need to know where I ended up because I chose not to get the vaccine." |
| 'I should have gotten the vaccine': Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs admits mistake after contracting COVID-19 | |
| Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs has done public service announcements on television and in his hometown newspaper urging his constituents to get the COVID-19 vaccination. Unfortunately, Flaggs said, he did not heed his own advice. Now Flaggs, who said he is doing well recovering from the coronavirus, is redoubling his efforts to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. "Absolutely, I am still encouraging people to get vaccinated," Flaggs said Wednesday. "I was putting everybody else before myself. But it was indefensible for me not to get vaccinated. All I can do now is encourage everyone to take the vaccine." Flaggs confirmed earlier this week he had tested positive for COVID-19. He said he first got sick while attending the Mississippi Municipal League's annual conference from July 26-28 in Biloxi. The event hosts mayors and thousands of other elected officials from around the state. Flaggs said he took safeguards to try to ensure he did not infect anyone else. The third term mayor and former state House member said he had a runny nose when he left for the convention, but it did not dawn on him it might be the early stages of the coronavirus. "I did not pay that much attention to it," he said of the runny nose. But soon after getting to the conference, he said he began to get body aches and feel bad. |
| New COVID variants Epsilon, Lambda may be resistant to vaccines, early lab studies show | |
| The Epsilon and Lambda variants of COVID-19 are "variants of interest," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and early studies show they have developed a resistance to vaccines. Japanese researchers found the Lambda variant, which was initially discovered in Peru and is now spreading throughout South America, is highly transmissible and more resistant to vaccines than the initial COVID-19 strain. The researchers warned in a paper posted July 28 that has yet to be peer reviewed that Lambda's label as a "variant of interest" instead of a "variant of concern" might downplay the growing threat of the strain. Meanwhile, the Epsilon variant that was initially discovered in California in 2020 is spreading in Pakistan and is proving to be resistant to vaccines, according to researchers. Health authorities issued an alert after they discovered five cases of the Epsilon variant in Lahore, Pakistan. Medical experts there believe the vaccine-resistant strain is putting vaccinated people as well as unvaccinated people at risk, adding that the strain is just as transmissible as the Delta variant. Despite these early studies, previous studies have shown vaccines, including those available in the United States, work against "variants of concern," such as the Delta variant. The vaccines also prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death in most breakthrough cases where a fully vaccinated person tests positive for the coronavirus. |
| Home decor store opens in Starkville | |
 | Cumbaa Design Co. is expanding in Starkville. Owner Mary Clair Cumbaa said Starkville simply needed a home decor and gift shop, thus prompting her to open The Olive Tree at 517 University Drive. The Olive Tree opened in mid-July and you can stop by 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. "I work with clients in the Starkville area through my design business," Cumbaa said. "I sensed a need for home decor and gift items in the Starkville area and I decided to expand my business into a retail avenue." The Olive Tree boasts candles, furniture, home accessories, rugs, pillows, women's clothing and more. Be sure to stop by Starkville's newest shop for your latest home upgrades. Also in Starkville, we have a new vinyl shop for all you side-hustling crafters. A Plus Vinyl, 706 Hwy. 12, opened in early July. It is the company's fifth location in Mississippi with stores open in Ridgeland, Hattiesburg, Flowood and Clinton. The store offers heat transfer and adhesive vinyl, as well as T-shirts, license plates, koozies and more. A popular Starkville-based restaurant, Where the Food At, is expanding and has opened its second location. The seafood and soul restaurant officially opened in West Point at 5801 US-45 Alt. in the Mossy Oak Plaza. Owner Shantita Suber announced the restaurant's expansion on Facebook. The Starkville location will be closed for about a week for renovations and repairs, she said. Luckily, those loyal patrons can visit the West Point location for the same menu 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Aldermen abandoned plan for scooter ordinance | |
| A much-anticipated ordinance to regulate electric scooter riding in the city failed to move forward Tuesday after no alderman would sponsor it. Instead, following a second public hearing on the ordinance, city officials decided to allow regular traffic laws already on the books to guide regulation and enforcement of e-scooter use in the city limits. "Essentially, we did a little more research, and there also seems to be a lot less angst about scooters," Mayor Lynn Spruill told The Dispatch after the meeting, noting she is seeing far fewer complaints about the devices. "People have settled in to the scooters being here and they're watching for them. And riders seem more educated on how to use them and how not to use them." Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver voiced his disagreement Tuesday with not making e-scooters a specifically regulated device and again raised concerns helmets would not be required. However, he did not move to approve an ordinance draft after the hearing. Hamp Beatty, who represents Ward 5, likewise opted not to move forward with the ordinance but warned fellow aldermen that decision could have negative consequences. He said just this week he had seen two men riding one scooter down the sidewalk on Lafayette Street. "We're about to see a lot more of that when 23,000 (Mississippi State University) students roll back into town," Beatty said. "I guess if the police are prepared to get out and enforce this ... we're going to have them on the sidewalks." |
| Senate Infrastructure Final Vote Expected as Soon as This Weekend | |
 | The Senate moved through a series of amendments to the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure package on Wednesday, with lawmakers anticipating a vote on final passage of the bill this weekend or early next week. Since negotiators finished the 2,702-page bill last weekend, lawmakers have considered amendments offered by a mix of Republicans and Democrats to fine-tune elements of the bill. Republicans have pushed for an open-ended amendment process, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has called for the chamber to move quickly. Democrats are seeking to approve a budget outline for a $3.5 trillion climate and antipoverty package before the chamber departs for its August recess. "The longer it takes to finish this bill, the longer we'll be here," Mr. Schumer said. Once lawmakers finish with amendment votes, there might still be several days of procedural limbo before they can vote on the final package. Many Republicans are planning on attending the funeral of the late Sen. Mike Enzi (R., Wyo.) on Friday, likely pushing votes into the weekend. Lawmakers expect the bill eventually to pass with broad bipartisan support. Seventeen Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), joined Democrats to help the legislation clear a procedural hurdle last week. |
| Does your college student need additional insurance? Mississippi Insurance Department offers tips | |
 | The Mississippi Insurance Department says all college students should consider some type of insurance coverage while they are at school. Depending on their situation, a student may need auto, renters, life and health insurance policies. For example, MID says students living off-campus should consider getting renters insurance. Individuals with one or more roommate should also know that each leaseholder needs their own individual renter's policy. If your student is leaving their vehicle at home, you may qualify for a discount on their auto insurance if your child is not taking a car and will be 100 miles or more away from home. Students' belongings are covered under their parents' homeowners insurance policies if they live in on-campus housing, but off-campus housing may not be covered. Renters insurance will protect students' possessions from theft, fire, vandalism, tornadoes and other types of damage. Insurance is for unexpected events and that's why a variety of insurances for college students is essential during this time. MID advises parents to check with their insurance company before their kids start college to see if any of your policies will cover their child at school for free. |
| U. of Mississippi to temporarily require masks in indoor spaces | |
| Students, faculty and staff are now required to wear masks indoors while on the University of Mississippi campus, regardless of vaccination status. Chancellor Glenn Boyce made the announcement through an email sent to the university's campus community on Wednesday. According to the email, wearing masks is a temporary requirement. "This new temporary protocol is an evidence-based mitigation strategy which will assist us in delivering in-person learning and maintaining a full on-campus experience with the least amount of disruption," Boyce stated in his email. "We're optimistic that this temporary mask utilization indoors will help ensure a successful start to the school year. ...We'll evaluate this protocol daily based on how spread of the virus evolves on campus and in our community." Mississippi State University and Delta State University also made similar mask requirement announcements on Wednesday. "In fact, to have the full in-person experience, this strategy is being embraced by all eight public universities in Mississippi, as well as other SEC universities," Boyce said. Boyce's email did not mention when the temporary mask requirement might be ended. The 2021 fall semester at Ole Miss begins on Aug. 23. |
| Ole Miss announces mask mandate indoors on campus | |
| The University of Mississippi will require that face masks be worn in indoor public spaces on campus, regardless of vaccination status, Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce announced in a statement released Wednesday evening. The mandate includes public office spaces, classrooms, conference rooms and other academic spaces like laboratories and libraries. Masks must be worn in public parts of residence halls, dining facilities, the Student Union, Campus Rec and retail spaces. Masks will also be required for extracurricular activities held in indoor on-campus spaces. They will not be required outdoors. "This new, temporary protocol is an evidence-based mitigation strategy which will assist us in delivering in-person learning and maintaining a full on-campus experience with the least amount of disruption," Boyce said in a statement. The chancellor said he's optimistic it will ensure a successful start to the school year. He urged students to "do their part to keep themselves and our community safe" by getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement from Ole Miss comes just hours after Mississippi State University announced a similar mask mandate for its campus. |
| USM to require masks for all students on campus | |
 | Students at University of Southern Mississippi will be returning to classes this fall wearing masks. The university announced that decision late Wednesday, saying it would go into effect on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, at all of its campuses. Southern Miss is currently at a level blue, meaning that health advisories and select safety protocols are being implemented. The decision comes as the number of COVID cases in Mississippi continues to rise. According to USM's COVID Resource page, face coverings must be worn universally indoors for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, unless an individual is in an isolated space. This requirement will continue to be reevaluated as public health guidance evolves throughout the surge associated with the Delta Variant. In addition to requiring masks, USM is urging all students and staff to get vaccinated and offering the shots on campus for those in need of one. Face coverings are also strongly recommended in any other setting in which people are in close contact. Events should be scheduled in large spaces or outdoors when possible. These updated protocols will continue to be reevaluated, pending future public health guidance, said USM. |
| USM 'Blessings in a Backpack' collecting donations for international students | |
 | Going to college is a huge transition. So three University of Southern Mississippi organizations are hoping to ease the transition for international students as they travel across the globe as well. "Blessings in a Backpack" is a brand new program at USM. It gives international students who signed up a backpack full of school supplies when they arrive. The USM Association of Office Professionals, USM's Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society and the USM Staff Council have partnered together for the project and purchased the backpacks. "In the past year, we've been trying to really focus on our populations that need assistance, especially during the pandemic," says Jennifer Lewis, president of the Sigma Alpha Lamda Honor Society and the community service chairperson of the USM Association of Office Professionals. "And one of those that we've identified are international students." Lewis says she considers America the land of opportunities and education, so she encourages people to donate so international students can thrive at a USM. |
| LSU to require unvaccinated students to take monthly COVID tests; vaccine not required | |
 | LSU won't require its students to get the coronavirus vaccination to attend this fall, but those who don't will have to be tested monthly, the newly installed president announced Wednesday. None of Louisiana's other public higher education colleges, universities and vocational schools are requiring the shots either, despite a federal appellate court decision that found mandating vaccinations doesn't interfere with a student's Constitutional rights. More than 600 colleges nationwide, public and private, have mandated their students get vaccinated, and seven private colleges in Louisiana are doing the same. LSU's new president, William F. Tate IV, announced his decision on the controversial topic in a statement to students and staff Wednesday. "We require all students to submit proof of either a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated students must test on a monthly basis throughout the semester," he wrote. "For the fall semester, we extended the mask mandate currently in place, which means masks or face coverings continue to be required indoors at all times, except when individuals are alone in their offices. This is consistent with the governor's recent order. In addition, we require masks outdoors within 50 feet of entrances to buildings." The lack of mandated vaccinations in the directive is sure to anger many LSU faculty members, who have agitated for weeks that the roughly 30,000 students, only about 29% of whom have been inoculated, show proof of vaccination before returning to the Baton Rouge campus for classes, which begin Aug. 23. |
| University System of Georgia won't mandate masks or COVID-19 vaccinations | |
 | The University System of Georgia is stopping short of requiring students returning to classes during the next couple of weeks to wear masks or get vaccinated against COVID-19. With confirmed cases of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise in Georgia, the university system issued guidelines this week urging but not mandating masking and vaccinations. "The University System of Georgia recognizes COVID-19 vaccines offer safe, effective protection and urges all students, faculty, staff and visitors to get vaccinated either on campus or with a local provider," the guidelines stated. "Additionally, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask or face covering while inside campus facilities. The system continues to work closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health to prioritize the health and safety of our campus communities." The University System of Georgia policy is in keeping with Gov. Brian Kemp's position on virus mandates. Like other Republican governors, Kemp has resisted calls to require Georgians to mask up or get vaccinated throughout the course of the pandemic. Kemp criticized Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Wednesday for ordering the wearing of masks inside buildings. |
| U. of Arkansas Associated Student Government asks for changes to state mask mandate ban | |
| Arkansas' legislature will meet Wednesday to discuss an amendment to the state's mask mandate ban. The University of Arkansas' Associated Student Government publicly asked for the ability to enact a campus mask mandate. Coleman Warren, the UA Student Body President, said Act 1002, which bans mask mandates in Arkansas, puts the campus community in danger if left unchanged. With rising case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths associated with the COVID-19 Delta variant, Warren said he's concerned. "Repeal this act, because we think it should be up to the discretion of the university to make this decision," Warren said. Warren said he fears the Delta variant could force classes to go virtual if nothing's done, something he hopes to avoid. "I think that the university knows how to pivot to that," Warren said. "They're doing whatever they can to avoid it, but I think it's possible." In a statement, UA spokesperson John Thomas said the university supports reviewing the law. |
| As They Head Back to Campus, These Students Are Trying to Reform Greek Life From Within | |
 | On May 3, just before University of Vermont students would sit for final exams, pack their dorm rooms, and return home, thousands marched on campus to demand that the college reform how it deals with sexual-assault cases. The protest stemmed from a social-media movement begun in April in which students shared stories of sexual assault at the university. The same day as the protest, the university administration agreed to a list of 16 demands issued by a student-advisory group days earlier "in response to the university's continued and systemic mishandling of sexual misconduct." As students return to campus in the fall, some are hoping the Greek system that greets them can make consent, safety, and inclusion higher priorities. This movement is distinct from another that has gained traction over the past year: Abolish Greek Life. That campaign, which seeks to eradicate fraternities and sororities, has gained some support from within the social organizations themselves, said Gentry McCreary, a consultant who works with fraternities and sororities on risk management, and who has written about the issue for The Chronicle. But, he said, only the "most altruistic students" have left their chapters, and very few chapters actually closed. |
| Colleges expand mental health offerings ahead of fall semester | |
 | Many college and university leaders are preparing for the return of students to campuses this fall by making a renewed push to provide increased mental health services to help those still processing the events of the past year navigate the transition back to in-person learning. The administrators also want to help students manage stressors related to remaining uncertainties about COVID-19 and the path of the pandemic. A number of studies have shown young adults struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and substance abuse during the pandemic. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in March found that mental health problems rose for Americans from August 2020 to February 2021, with some of the largest increases among those ages 18 to 29. About 57 percent of that age group reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression within the last seven days, up from 49 percent at the beginning of the survey period. John Dunkle, senior clinical director for higher education at the JED Foundation, which focuses on young adult mental health, has seen "numerous examples" of colleges investing in mental health resources ahead of the fall. He noted that the combination of pandemic-related financial strains on students and concerns about their physical and mental health, and the continuing tensions on and off campuses nationally over racial injustices highlighted by the killing of George Floyd last summer have created a "Gordian knot" of mental health challenges for students. Paired with the unpredictability of the pandemic and widespread grief over the hundreds of thousands of lives lost, Dunkle said, college leaders have their work cut out for them. |
| Vaccination Alone Isn't Enough to Keep the Virus Under Control This Fall, One Small College Warns | |
| College leaders across the country have said for months that widespread uptake of the Covid vaccines is the best bet for a near-normal fall 2021 term. But one institution is warning that while vaccinations are critical, they won't be enough by themselves to prevent the more-transmissible Delta variant from running loose. A mathematical model built by Ursinus College, a residential campus of 1,500 students outside of Philadelphia, shows that even though administrators expect more than 90 percent of students to get vaccinated -- under a mandate that allows for exemptions -- that's not enough to prevent an outbreak too big for the college to handle. "The main takeaway that I want people on small campuses to be aware of is that a high level of vaccination is essential, but a high level of absolute vaccination alone is probably not enough to guarantee that you're not going to have significant infections on campus," said Mark B. Schneider, vice president for academic affairs and the physicist who built the model. The problem is that college is a more contagious environment than most. Students live, play, and learn closely together. Schneider guessed that the coronavirus's reproduction rate -- the average number of people an infected person infects -- is twice as high on a typical residential college campus as it is among the general public. And the Delta variant's reproduction rate is already higher than the same number for previous versions of the coronavirus. |
| Target to pay 100% of college tuition and textbooks in bid to attract workers | |
| Target said Wednesday it will offer new perks to woo workers: a debt-free way to get a college degree and payments toward graduate programs. Starting this fall, the big-box retailer said it will cover the cost of tuition, fees and textbooks for part- and full-time workers who pursue a qualifying undergraduate degree at more than 40 institutions. It will also fund advanced degrees, paying up to $10,000 each year for master's programs at those schools. The national retailer is the latest company to dangle perks to attract job candidates in a competitive labor market. With the move, Target joins other retailers and restaurant chains -- including Chipotle and Starbucks -- that have programs that help employees pay for college. Walmart recently announced it would cover the full cost of college tuition and books for its employees, after previously requiring them to pay $1 a day. Target said it plans to invest $200 million in the education program over the next four years. It developed the program with Guild Education, a company that manages corporate education assistance programs. Participating schools include the University of Arizona, Oregon State University, University of Denver and Morehouse College. |
SPORTS
| Three things to watch for as Bulldogs begin preseason | |
| The start of football season is less than a month away. Mississippi State players reported to fall camp Thursday and will begin practice Friday with a little more than four weeks to prepare for the 2021 campaign, which begins at 3 p.m. Sept. 4 against Louisiana Tech. After a 4-7 season in 2020, a young Bulldogs team hopes to put things together in coach Mike Leach's second year. To find success in a strong nonconference schedule and the eight-game Southeastern Conference grind, Mississippi State must find consistent production at quarterback, continue to improve under defensive coordinator Zach Arnett and thrive at wide receiver with sophomore Jaden Walley in the lead. Here's more on the three keys to the Bulldogs' success in 2021: Quarterbacks. Defense. Wide receivers. |
| 9 Mississippi State football newcomers who may play Day 1 for Mike Leach | |
| It's never bad news when the new players are ready to play. Mississippi State football's 2021 roster is loaded with players who were thrust into starting roles as freshmen a year ago. Quarterback Will Rogers, running back Jo'quavious Marks and wide receiver Jaden Walley led the Bulldogs in passing, rushing and receiving as freshmen in 2020 and return as leaders for 2021. With that youthful experience, Mississippi State doesn't have too many holes in need of plugging. Still, the Bulldogs have a host of freshmen and transfers who might be called upon to play early. Below is an alphabetical list of nine newcomers whom coach Mike Leach may have to factor into his rotation early this fall: QB Jack Abraham, DE Deonte Anderson, WR Jamire Calvin, DE Randy Charlton, DB Jalen Green, WR Teddy Knox, LB John Lewis, WR Makai Polk and QB Sawyer Robertson. |
| Bulldogs roundup: Valeria Mendizabal wins match-play opener at U.S. Amateur | |
| Mississippi State's Valeria Mendizabal is through to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Women's Amateur after winning her first match 2-and-1 over Kentucky's Laney Frye on Wednesday at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. Two birdies at the turn gave the Guatemalan control of the match. Frye opened with a birdie on the first tee to take a one-hole lead, but Mendizabal tied the match on Hole 5. She then quickly took a lead on the sixth tee when Frye bogeyed the hole and would never trail again. "This is really fun to see Val having success this week at the U.S. Amateur," Bulldogs golf coach Charlie Ewing said. "She's playing with so much freedom, and I'm not sure anybody is enjoying themselves on the golf course more than she is right now. It's a great testament to how important mindset is to performance." Mendizabal extended her lead with birdies on Holes 9 and 10, building a 3-up advantage to start the back nine. The pair split Holes 12 and 13 before Frye began mounting a comeback. Frye birdied Hole 14, and Mendizabal carded a bogey on Hole 15 to see her lead trimmed to 1-up. The Bulldog senior won the 16th tee, and the pair tied on the 17th to give Mendizabal the 2-and-1 victory. Mendizabal will match up with Michigan State's Valentina Rossi in the Round of 32 at 6:10 a.m. Thursday. |
| SEC Extends Contract of Commissioner Greg Sankey to 2026 | |
| Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in his post through at least 2026, the Conference announced on Thursday. Sankey's contract extension, approved by the Conference's Presidents and Chancellors, continues a role he began on June 1, 2015, when he became the eighth Commissioner of the SEC. "College athletics is in the midst of a transformational period, and the SEC is fortunate to have a highly impactful leader to guide us forward at this critical time in our history," said Jere Morehead, President of the University of Georgia and current President of the SEC. "He has effectively introduced change and advancement for the conference while respecting the institutional traditions that make the SEC unique. His leadership and ability to foster collaboration through the COVID-19 pandemic helped establish a framework for all of college sports, and those leadership skills will be critical as we move forward with change in the years ahead." Now in his seventh year as Commissioner of the SEC, Sankey has successfully promoted a collaborative culture in the Conference in the midst of the highly competitive environment that is college sports. Sankey, 57, was appointed Commissioner by the Presidents and Chancellors of the SEC on March 12, 2015. |
| NCAA won't require COVID testing, quarantine for vaccinated athletes, coaches | |
 | The NCAA on Wednesday announced new guidelines related to vaccination against COVID-19, with fall sports practices beginning around the country this week amid a surge in cases of the virus' Delta variant. Vaccinated athletes, coaches and other "Tier 1" individuals (including full-time support staff and student assistants) won't be required to be tested for COVID-19, provided they are not showing symptoms of the virus. In addition, vaccinated athletes won't be susceptible to quarantine after coming into contact with those who test positive for the virus. Unvaccinated athletes and coaches, however, will be tested once or three times per week for the virus (depending on the type of test used), according to NCAA recommendations. Unvaccinated individuals should also wear masks in public settings at all times, while vaccinated individuals should do so indoors. "Current vaccination rates remain inadequate to provide community-level immunity," NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline said. "It is essential that member schools work in concert with federal, state and local public health officials to develop COVID-19 prevention and management strategies that make sense for them." It's important to note that the guidelines released Wednesday are merely recommendations. Many schools or conferences may impose stricter COVID protocols than those proposed by the NCAA. |
| Kansas senator calls to investigate ESPN for its role in Big 12, SEC realignment | |
| It remains unclear what, if any, role ESPN has played in the latest round of conference realignment at the highest level of college sports, but one politician thinks the public deserves a definitive answer. U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, has drafted a letter to U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland asking for the Department of Justice to launch a formal investigation into ESPN. Marshall drafted the letter on Wednesday, a few days after traditional Big 12 powers Oklahoma and Texas announced plans to join the SEC and left the Big 12's remaining eight members unsure about their collective future. "I write today to ask that the DOJ investigate ESPN's role in the potential destruction of the Big 12 Conference," Marshall wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Wichita Eagle, "and if any anti-competitive or illegal behavior occurred relating to manipulating the conference change or ESPN's contractual television rights." ESPN's role in conference realignment has become a hot-button topic over the past two weeks. Not long after news broke that Oklahoma and Texas were prepared to switch leagues, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a "cease-and-desist" letter to ESPN and accused the TV network of conspiring with at least one other conference to break up the Big 12. |
| AAC commissioner Mike Aresco denies plotting with ESPN to raid Big 12 | |
 | AAC commissioner Mike Aresco went on the offensive Wednesday during the conference's media day by denying any discussions with ESPN to poach teams from the Big 12. In a CBS Sports report, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby accused ESPN of actively engaging the AAC to pursue "3-5" teams to join the conference after the SEC voted to admit Texas and Oklahoma as members in 2025. CBS Sports later reported the Big 12 believed the AAC is looking to take all eight remaining teams. Aresco said that while the AAC has consulted with its television and business partners for its own issues, he called it a "completely unfounded and grossly irresponsible accusation" that the conference would collude with ESPN to discuss realignment issues. "Our conference has never strategically aligned or plotted, if you will, with ESPN to influence conference structures," Aresco said. "We wouldn't do that, ESPN has never done that and would not do it." When asked later if he's reached out to any Big 12 teams, Aresco said that he had not but declined to say if any teams reached out to him. He reaffirmed that the AAC is not looking at realignment or attempting to take teams. Conference realignment has dominated preseason chatter as practices begin this week. Aresco said the AAC remains stable and in a strong position regardless of what other conferences do. He also praised the College Football Playoff board recommended the playoff expand to 12 teams. |
| Washington State's Kirk Schulz: 'Predatory' SEC has unified other leagues; Pac-12 expansion depends on 'institutional fit', revenue potential | |
| One of the Pac-12's most influential presidents on Tuesday took a measured approach to expanding the conference, noting that "institutional fit" and "closing the revenue gap" would be key to evaluating potential new members. "If we add teams just to try to keep up with somebody else but those teams don't grow our revenue base, do we really need to add them?'' said Washington State's Kirk Schulz, one of three presidents on the Pac-12 CEO Group's agenda-driving executive committee. But Schulz, who also represents the Pac-12 on the College Football Playoff's powerful Board of Managers, was anything but reserved in his assessment of the SEC's decision to add Texas and Oklahoma. "What the SEC has done is unify the other conferences in a way that nothing else could have, in terms of working together," Schulz told the Hotline. "A lot of people now are very concerned about the predatory nature of the SEC. More presidents are talking. There's a lot of back and forth." The SEC declined to comment on Schulz's remark. Since news broke last month of Texas and Oklahoma jumping to the SEC, Schulz has spoken to numerous university presidents --- both inside and outside the Pac-12 -- about potential responses in various regions and leagues. "I sensed that in the aftermath of the announcement, there was some panic,'' he said. "But I don't think that's the case any longer." |
| 'I'm not ready to step back:' UGA men's tennis coach Manuel Diaz gets contract extension | |
| Manuel Diaz is preparing for another school year at Georgia in what will be his 40th season as a men's tennis coach, 34 as the head coach after six as an assistant. He's planning on coaching well beyond that. Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks and Diaz said the school and Diaz agreed to a two-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2025 season. Diaz also got a salary increase of $50,000 to bring his pay to $325,000 annually, according to information obtained in an open records request. "It's just a commitment that we want to continue to keep this program moving towards the top," said Diaz, 68, the SEC's all-time winningest coach with 726 career victories and four NCAA championships. "That's been our goal all along. We have continued to improve from about three years ago when we had a little lull. It was great to finish in the top 10 but the work is not done." Diaz hopes the extension will help combat some negative recruiting that he said frustrated him. "I was having to answer when are you going to retire?" Diaz said. "I wanted to make sure after consulting with Josh, we both thought it would be a firm statement that we have no intentions right now of stepping back or stepping down. I think that's very important as a program to make sure we made that statement. I'm not ready to step back and take it easy." |
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