| Tuesday, August 10, 2021 |
| MSU Extension Service: Getting vaccinated prevents more COVID-19 mutations | |
 | The Delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading three times as easily as previous strains in Mississippi and unvaccinated patients making up most of the state's cases. Now, getting vaccinated is more critical than ever to slow the spread. According to studies from the Mississippi State University Extension Service, 39% of Mississippians had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while only a third were fully vaccinated as of August 5. MSU Extension health specialist David Buys said most of those who have tested positive despite being vaccinated have either been asymptomatic or exhibited less severe symptoms than unvaccinated patients. "Of people in hospitals with COVID-19, 89% are unvaccinated. We're seeing that folks hesitant to get the vaccine who talk with a physician, family member, or friend can resolve their concerns and get the vaccine," he said. "People are observing that friends and family members have gotten the vaccine are not having any strange reactions or threat to their health. More people are gaining confidence in the vaccine's safety and seeing the odds of suffering side effects from COVID are far greater than that of the shot." |
| MSU Housing Department Hopes Protocols Will Keep COVID Cases Down | |
 | Over the weekend, students have been moving into residence halls on Mississippi State's campus. As COVID cases rise, so does the population of students back on college campuses. Dei Allard is the Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life at MSU. She said her department is trying to keep case numbers down starting with move-in. "We use to have everything in one intensive day for move-in, but this year we're at 4 days. And so we had one for our New Marooners and our Famous Maroon Band folks as well as 3-day process for our other students," Allard said. Once residents move in, COVID protocols will be enforced by other students and housing staff. Sydney Hanson and Abby Pry are incoming freshmen at MSU. They said the housing staff is trying to make sure people follow the rules. "I feel very safe. The dorms and the R.A. are doing everything they can to make sure that everybody keeps their masks on and keeping COVID safety protocols going," Hanson said. With the university and the housing department enforcing guidelines, students hope that the more students follow the rules, the sooner the school will get back to normal. "I think if everyone wears their mask, everyone gets vaccinated, a new year will be a new start," Pry added. |
| Mississippi State launches online natural resources degree programs | |
| On Monday, leaders with Mississippi State University announced two departments in the College of Forest Resources are adding new online master's degrees, making online degree options now available in all three departments. Students can now earn master's degrees in sustainable bioproducts or wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture conservation education. These new offerings are in addition to the current forestry master's in the MSU Center for Distance Education which has been graduating students for more than a decade. Through its online forestry master's degree, leaders said the college has trained dozens of students in forest management, natural resource policy and law and forest economics over the years. |
| Great News for Buddy the Dog: Out of the Darkness, Into the Light | |
 | You probably remember the story of Buddy, the dog who was set on fire earlier this year in Tate County and miraculously survived. He has been in the care of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and his recovery has been phenomenal. On Saturday, the Tunica Humane Society shared an update on Buddy and it was such welcome news following the horrific ordeal he suffered. We're still pulling for Buddy, his recovery, and so happy to see his spirit has not wavered: "It has been a very big day for Buddy and his extraordinary caregivers at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. For the first time, Buddy's bandages were changed without him being heavily sedated. His eyes were actually open and he was very aware. This photo captures that very moment for all of Buddy's Prayer Warriors and for all our supporters that donated so generously to his care. ... Buddy still needs some work on his eyelids, so that they blink properly and will better protect his eyes. And he is still healing in many ways. He will continue to stay at Mississippi State under Dr. Swanson's care until we are comfortable bringing him back to the Tunica Humane Society. But today was a huge turning point for this precious yellow lab." |
| Buddy's facial bandages removed | |
 | Buddy can now see the light of day. On Saturday, the Tunica Humane Society shared the good news on its Facebook page. Veterinarians at Mississippi State University removed his facial bandages. He spent more than three months in total darkness as his face healed. He's been in the care of MSU after a child intentionally set fire to him in April. Because of the child's age, the child does not face criminal charges. |
| MDOC commissioner focusing on moral rehabilitation | |
 | On Monday, Starkville Rotary Club got a special presentation from Burl Cain, the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Cain took office in June 2020 and has since had his hands full trying to rehabilitate the state's prison system. Cain was the warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, or Angola, for 21 years. Cain is known for his Christian approach to corrections and he believes in preparing inmates for life after imprisonment and giving them a sense of purpose while in prison. Since starting his role at MDOC, Cain has targeted three different areas within prisons in the state: gangs, moral rehabilitation, and re-entry. "Our job is to correct devious behavior. It is to change them and make them productive citizens so they don't hurt you again," Cain said. "There were a lot of inmates sitting in their cells not being productive, and that's where the gangs came in. In fixing this prison system, we've got to get rid of the gangs. We started out with about 6,000 gang people, and now we are down to about 1,500. The way we did that is we cut the head off the snake." |
| MDOC head: Moral rehab will eliminate crime | |
 | Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain said the change agent for inmates incarcerated in the state's prisons is a Baptist seminary. Toward that end, MDOC has created a seminary program for inmates interested in becoming preachers and spreading the gospel to other prisoners more than 10 years ago. When Cain spoke on Mississippi's prison system at Starkville Rotary Club's weekly meeting Monday, he said the department has created functional churches for inmates to act in particular positions within a church -- preachers, congregation members, choir members and more. "It's real simple -- moral rehabilitation," Cain said. "We say moral rehabilitation because it finds no enemies. ... Don't say something else though. You'll mud it up. We don't say faith-based. That's not cool, but everybody wants to have moral rehabilitation." While MDOC is a governmental agency, and under federal law prisons cannot enforce any kind of religion onto its inmates, Cain said the department has found a way to separate church and state. He said he has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union regarding this issue and the proper ways the prison can carry out these churches and seminaries without impending on individual rights. The department does use food incentives to encourage inmates to attend church services. Cain said MDOC does not care what religion inmates believe in, just as long as they are "good." |
| Positive work culture helps Starkville-based Camgian stay on the cutting edge of creating defense, financial and industrial software | |
| Since 2006, Starkville has been home to Camgian Microsystems, an intelligent systems company that prides itself on being on the cutting edge. "We work as hard on innovating the culture in Camgian as we work on innovating new technology," says founder and CEO Dr. Gary Butler. Camgian has created radar systems used by the Department of Defense and shared data and trends with companies like Bloomberg Financial. "Creating the future of defense tech fintech which is financial technology, and industrial technology through cognitive computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning," head of marketing Alden Thornhill said, summing up the company's goals and accomplishments. Camgian has close to 80 engineers spread out across their Starkville and Tuscaloosa offices. Their commitment to creating the future starts at home. "We've tried to take a new and fresh look at how we build the culture and the management techniques along with that at Camgian," Dr. Butler says. "Focus on driving a high-performance culture." The secret to that high performance? Prioritizing employee well-being. |
| Lane to offer vaccinated employees share of $100,000 | |
 | As an incentive to get vaccinated against COVID-19, employees of furniture manufacturer Lane will have their names entered in a series of drawings for a share of $100,000. The drawings at Lane operations in California, North Carolina and Mississippi will be held Aug. 20, and more than 300 winners will be awarded with amounts of $250, $500 and $1,000. One winner will receive a grand prize of $5,000. Lane offered another round of COVID-19 vaccinations in California last week and will offer a round of COVID-19 vaccinations at its facilities in Mississippi this Friday. However, all vaccinated employees are eligible to participate with proof of previous vaccinations or proof of at least one COVID shot before the deadline on Aug. 18. Lane also plans to celebrate its vaccination day giveaway with a series of ice cream socials at facilities accompanying the notification of winners on Aug. 20. Lane Home Furnishings is a privately held division of Mississippi-based United Furniture Industries Inc., which employs thousands of workers at plants, offices and distribution centers in Mississippi, North Carolina, and California in the U.S. and in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. |
| Mississippi hospitals in crunch as COVID cases proliferate | |
 | Mississippi's top public health official said Monday that as COVID-19 cases continue to surge with the highly contagious delta variant, no intensive care beds were available in 35 of the state's top-level hospitals. Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state health officer, also said more than 200 people were waiting in hospital emergency rooms to be admitted, and the problem will grow worse in coming days. The wait times affect not only people with COVID-19 but also those with other health conditions. The state Health Department said Monday that more than 6,900 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Mississippi from Friday through Sunday. "Keep in mind -- this will translate into around 500 new hospitalizations in coming days," Dobbs wrote on Twitter. He said the intensive care units were full in Level 1, 2 and 3 hospitals in the state's acute care systems. Those include the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson; North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo; Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg; Memorial Hospital in Gulfport and Singing River Health System in Pascagoula. Lee Bond, chief executive officer of Singing River Health System, said in a statement Thursday that Mississippi is experiencing a "hellacious wave" of COVID-19 cases that are stretching hospitals' resources and causing extreme stress for health care workers. "Our situation is indescribable, as we bear witness to both the best and worst in people," Bond wrote. |
| Mississippi officials sound off about no capacity in ICUs statewide | |
 | There are no intensive care unit beds left in Mississippi due to climbing hospitalizations due to the coronavirus, state health officials said on various social media platforms Monday. In a tweet, State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said emergency rooms are bursting at the seams, with more than 200 people around the state waiting for a hospital bed. "Keep in mind -- this will translate into around 500 new hospitalizations in coming days, and we have ZERO ICU beds at Level 1-3 hospitals, and...(more than) 200 patients waiting in ERs for a room," Dobbs tweeted. Not only may help for patients with coronavirus infections be delayed, people suffering from emergent medical conditions like strokes and heart attacks are at risk of not getting the level of care they need. The maxed-out capacity comes as the Mississippi State Department of Health reported nearly 6,912 new COVID-19 cases spanning Friday through Sunday. On average, that's about 2,300 new cases reported each day. While Gov. Tate Reeves has said he has no intention of mandating mask-wearing, a coronavirus prevention tool he repealed in March, he backed vaccination on Monday. "It was recently said nationally that the Delta variant was becoming a "pandemic of the unvaccinated," Reeves wrote in a Monday tweet. "The most recent data from Mississippi suggest the same." Last week, University of Mississippi Medical Center physicians warned the hospital was at "a breaking point." |
| Covid hospitalizations surge in US south as unvaccinated urged to get shots | |
| Covid-19 hospitalizations continued to surge among America's deep south states on Monday as health officials urge unvaccinated residents to receive the shot and intensive care units near capacity in multiple locations, prompting fears of a surge close to the numbers of last winter. Louisiana now leads the nation in new Covid cases as the Delta variant rips through a region with some of the lowest vaccination rates in the US. In neighbouring Mississippi, where only 35% of residents are fully vaccinated, Covid hospitalizations are also soaring. The state's top health official warned last Thursday that the Delta variant was "sweeping across Mississippi like a tsunami". "If we look at our trajectory, we see that it's continuing to increase without any real demonstration of leveling off or decreasing," said state health officer Dr Thomas Dobbs during a media briefing, adding that 90% of new infections were delta variant cases. On Friday, the Mississippi State Medical Association urged all school districts in the state to issue mask mandates, as the state's Republican governor Tate Reeves has so far declined to issue a new statewide order. A number of public institutions, including the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University, have already reintroduced mask mandates. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves breaks silence and -- sort of -- agrees with President Biden as COVID's 4th wave rages in Mississippi | |
 | Gov. Tate Reeves broke his silence on the state's skyrocketing COVID-19 cases in a Monday morning tweet. "It was recently said nationally that the Delta variant was becoming a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated.' The most recent data from Mississippi suggest the same," Reeves said. The governor's message was accompanied by an earlier tweet from State Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs highlighting how 97% of positive cases in Mississippi from July 9 through Aug. 5 were from unvaccinated individuals. Eighty-nine percent of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, along with 82% of deaths. Reeves has stayed mostly mum on his social media about coronavirus during the past few weeks of the pandemic's fourth wave in Mississippi and has deviated significantly with most federal recommendations -- he called recent Centers for Disease Control guidance calling for Americans to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status "foolish." Without citing President Joe Biden in his assessment of the "pandemic of the unvaccinated," Reeves acknowledged the trend, which over the weekend left 6,912 Mississippians COVID positive and 28 more people dead from the virus. Reeves, however, highlighted personal choice in his tweet and did not overtly instruct Mississippi residents to get vaccinated. "Talk to your doctor. Assess the risk. Do the right thing for you. Do the right thing for your family," he said in the tweet. |
| AP-NORC poll: Americans have high trust in doctors, nurses | |
| Most Americans have high trust in doctors, nurses and pharmacists, a new poll finds. Researchers say that trust could become important in the push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, as long as unvaccinated people have care providers they know and are open to hearing new information about the vaccines. At least 7 in 10 Americans trust doctors, nurses and pharmacists to do what's right for them and their families either most or all of the time, according to the poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll shows high levels of trust among both Democrats and Republicans; men and women; and white, Black and Hispanic Americans. When people get treatment or a service from a doctor or a nurse, they start building trust and then tend to return to those providers when they need more help or have questions about a health issue, said Michelle Strollo, a senior vice president in NORC's Health Research Group. "Public health officials should really look to doctors, nurses and pharmacists to be the megaphone to deliver the message of the importance of getting vaccinated," she said. |
| 'We're in trouble': Rural America can't escape Delta | |
 | Steven was finally getting his Covid-19 shot because Mama told him to. And nobody crosses Mama. Standing between the fried bread and slushie stands at the Uinta County fairgrounds in southwestern Wyoming, the 42-year-old in the Trump 2020 hat said "Mama" -- his wife -- forced him to get vaccinated because of the Delta variant. "The missus is worried about me going out on a trucking trip," said Steven, who declined to give his last name. "I don't need it. I have red hair and blue eyes and the blood type that says I probably won't get it. But number one rule? Mama's always right." Since the coronavirus emerged in the U.S. in early 2020, Steven has believed he is safe from infection -- and not just because of falsehoods spread on social media about protective hair colors or blood types. He's assumed that he and his family members, many of whom have little reason to go beyond the county border, are safe because of where they live. But Delta has turned that idea on its head. Senior Biden health officials have for weeks worried internally about the low vaccine uptake in rural, conservative counties across the country. Federal experts have predicted those communities would experience large increases in Covid-19 cases where access to sufficient health care is limited. To address the issue, the White House last month announced it would send $100 million to rural communities to help local health officials convince people to get vaccinated. With Delta spreading rapidly nationwide, fears about hard-hit rural areas are becoming realities in many states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama -- and now Wyoming. |
| Pentagon to Mandate Covid-19 Vaccine for U.S. Service Members | |
 | Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Monday said he would make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for U.S service members by mid-September, an effort by the Biden administration to combat the highly contagious Delta variant sweeping across the country. In a letter to the U.S military, the Defense Secretary said he would seek a presidential waiver of a requirement that vaccines mandated by the Pentagon have the full approval of the Food and Drug Administration, unless the agency grants that approval first. President Biden, in a separate statement, expressed his "strong support for the move." "Getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is a key force protection and readiness issue," Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote at the bottom of the memo announcing the new rules. The Pentagon push represents the latest effort by the Biden administration to employ more assertive measures to encourage vaccination, at least among those employed by the government. Mr. Biden last month said federal employees and on-site contractors must get vaccinated against Covid-19 or wear a mask on the job and submit to regular testing, and he called on state and local governments to make $100 payments to newly vaccinated Americans. |
| Current, former Coast officials owe Mississippi thousands of dollars in unpaid fines, auditor says | |
| State Auditor Shad White on Monday released a long list of city and county officials who still owe fines as part of their sentencing for embezzlement and other crimes. The press release said state law requires the auditor's office to publish the report every year. The Audit Exceptions Report for Fiscal Year 2021, which ended June 30, identified nearly 400% more stolen and misspent taxpayer money last year than it did the prior year, the report said. An audit "exception" is a violation of the law or an accounting error that results in the misspending of public funds. Not all exceptions listed in the report are criminal violations. Jackson County Chancery Clerk Randy Carney claimed an unallowable expenses of $5,019.13 on his annual financial report, and the amount was paid in full and settled to the appropriate fund. Former Executive Director William "Bill" Walker was fined $362,689.14 for embezzlement. A formal demand in the amount of $362,689.14 was issued Nov. 7, 2013. On March 10, 2014, Walker pleaded guilty. On June 16, 2014, Walker was sentenced to 5 years in prison, 3 years supervised release, a fine of $125,000, and $572,689 in restitution, $210,000.00 of which is joint and several with Scott Walker. Restitution payments were to begin 30 days after release from custody. For Fiscal Year 2021, payments in the amount of $39,000.00 have been received, leaving a balance of $306,632.28. |
| Senate to vote on infrastructure bill Tuesday morning | |
 | The Senate is poised to pass bipartisan legislation that would devote $550 billion in new spending to improve the nation's roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., took the floor Monday night to announce senators had reached an agreement to hold a final passage vote at 11 a.m. Tuesday. "Well, it's taken quite a while, there have been a lot of bumps in the road," Schumer said. "It has taken quite a long time and there have been detours and everything else, but this will do a whole lot of good for America and the Senate can be proud it has passed this." The legislation appears likely to pass with a healthy margin given Sunday night's 68-29 vote to end debate on the measure. That vote had put the bill on a path to final passage vote shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday but senators agreed to instead hold the vote at the more humane time later in the morning. Its passage will clear the way for the second piece of the Democrats' two-track strategy: a $3.5 trillion budget resolution that embodies the meat of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda and is expected to garner only Democratic support. |
| USM students get school supplies through 'Blessings in a Backpack' program | |
| While steering through the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from the University of Southern Mississippi noticed that one particular demographic on campus -- the international students -- seem to struggle the most financially as a a result of the virus. Given that, three organizations -- the USM Association of Office Professionals, Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society and the USM Staff Council -- have partnered to begin the "Blessings in a Backpack" program. Through that initiative, university and community members are encouraged to drop off donations of school supplies at select sites; backpacks will then be stuffed with the supplies and delivered to the international students. "We saw they were the most adversely affected, in terms of food insecurity, as well as not having any spending cash," said Jennifer Lewis, who serves on the three aforementioned organizations. "They can only work on campus, and all the countries that they come from are basically countries that depend a lot on tourism. "As a result of that, their parents are seeing economic slowdowns, and haven't been able to assist them as much as they usually would." Although this is the first time for “Blessings in a Backpack,” similar endeavors have been held in the past, including “Homebake for the Holidays” for Thanksgiving and Christmas and a study kit drive in the spring. “Those were excellent,” Lewis said. |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College announces temporary mask mandate for start of classes | |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College announced on Monday a temporary mask mandate for classrooms, dining halls and indoor spaces except for private offices. The mask mandate comes as the state is in the middle of a fourth wave of coronavirus cases, this one fueled by the delta variant. "Obviously, we hoped the situation regarding the pandemic would not dictate this mandate, but we remain optimistic we'll be in a position to relax these guidelines in the very near future," said NEMCC President Dr. Ricky Ford. Northeast now joins Itawamba Community College and East Central Community College with mask mandates to start the fall semester. Face coverings at NEMCC will not be required for individual residence hall rooms, public outdoor settings, enclosed office spaces with a single person present or in dining facilities while eating. |
| U. of Alabama doubles cash reward for vaccinated students | |
 | The University of Alabama has doubled the reward offered to students enrolled for the fall semester who get a COVID-19 vaccine. According to a message posted on UA's social media accounts Monday, students can receive $40 in Bama Cash when they provide proof they have been vaccinated before Aug. 28. Last week, when UA announced a temporary return to an indoor mask mandate on campus, students were offered $20 in Bama Cash for getting vaccinated. "As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the vaccine is the best way to protect our campus community and yourself – especially from serious illness and hospitalization," the message states. "Thank you for rolling up your sleeve." The Monday message, headlined "Get Vaxxed, Get More Cash," announced the increase in the reward amount to $40 in Bama Cash as an effort to "Protect Our Herd." Bama Cash is an online account that allows students to spend pre-loaded funds at participating on- and off-campus businesses. Students who previously submitted proof of vaccination before the reward was increased will automatically receive the extra $20, according to UA. |
| Auburn students able to add mobile Tiger Card to phones, smart watches | |
| Auburn University announced on Monday that its Tiger Cards -- the student IDs used to purchase meals, unlock residence halls and gain access into athletic events -- will now have a mobile option. As of Monday, students are able to add their Tiger Card to their iPhones, Apple Watches or Android devices and will even have the option to only use the mobile card rather than picking up the new physical Tiger Card. iPhones need to be an iPhone SE, 6s, 6s Plus or later running the latest version of iOS. With the mobile ID, students will be able to do most things they can with a plastic card, including paying for meals and gaining access to residence halls. The mobile option is expected to be more secure than a physical card. Kevin Watson, director of Student Affairs Technology, said the user's card information is encrypted similarly to how a mobile banking card would work, which means information can't be extracted from the phone. The mobile option is also more secure than a physical card as students are generally less likely to lose their phone than their student ID, Watson said. And if you do lose your phone, you can disable your mobile ID remotely. Even if your phone dies, it will still be able to perform all of its Tiger Card functions for five hours, although that time may be shorter for older phones, he said. "We're pretty comfortable with the security level, and that was actually a pretty big facet for us to move to this," Watson said. |
| LSU COVID plans: Students will need to prove one of three things before arriving on campus | |
 | LSU announced more details on its plan for starting classes in the midst of a massive surge in COVID cases in a letter sent to students Monday. Before arriving on campus, students will need to show proof of one of three things: A negative COVID test no more than 5 days before arrival. A COVID vaccine. A positive test result no more than 90 days prior to your arrival on campus. To show proof they met one of those criteria, students must upload documents to an online portal. They will receive a confirmation email, which students should be prepared to show upon arriving on campus as proof they followed the rules, the letter said. Those who have already completed the vaccine reporting survey still need to go through this process because the two systems ask for different information, the university said. Students living on campus need to complete the process before move-in day and should be ready to show staff their confirmation email. Students who test positive for COVID during the process should report the test in the Daily Symptom Checker and self-isolate. Free testing and vaccinations are available on campus, the university said. |
| Provost Charles Robinson picked for U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville's interim chancellor post | |
| Charles Robinson, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville's top academic and student affairs administrator, has been named interim chancellor effective Aug. 16. A national search will begin later this year to find the next top campus leader, but Robinson is taking on the role for the upcoming fall semester and possibly longer. University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt announced Robinson's appointment Monday and said that both internal and external candidates will be considered to replace former chancellor Joe Steinmetz, who resigned in June. Robinson, 55, will be the first Black chancellor in UA history after last year becoming the the university's first Black provost, the top academic officer for the campus. A historian, Robinson joined the university as a faculty member in 1999 and has held various leadership roles on campus. As interim chancellor, Robinson is set to earn an annual salary of $480,000 "for the duration of time you serve in this role," according to a letter to from Bobbitt dated Aug. 6. In the letter, Bobbitt tells Robinson that "your acceptance of this interim appointment does not compromise your ability to apply and compete for the permanent position." Bobbitt also states that Robinson is being asked to serve as interim chancellor until the position is filled on a more permanent basis. "I anticipate that the earliest this will occur will be January 2022," Bobbitt states in the letter. |
| Students, faculty want Georgia public colleges to require masks and COVID vaccines | |
| With classes starting at some of its schools this week, many students and faculty of Georgia's public university system are urging administrators and the state's Board of Regents to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations, the wearing of masks or both measures to prevent the spread of the disease on campuses. The United Campus Workers of Georgia, Local 3265, is planning a rally before Tuesday's Regents meeting. The union and the Regents Advisory Council for Biological Sciences have both started petitions in the last week urging enhanced COVID-19 safety protocols. "As centers of research and learning, Georgia colleges and universities bear a responsibility to take the lead in educating and protecting the public -- beginning with our own campuses. Instead, the opposite has been happening," the campus workers wrote in its petition. More than 1,500 students and faculty members signed the council's petition as of Monday afternoon. The University System is recommending, but not requiring, students, faculty and employees get vaccinated and for those who haven't done so to wear a face covering. College students and young people, generally, have been among the groups with the lowest vaccination rates, according to federal data. This worries many public health experts since about half of new cases in Georgia are among 18- to 39-year-olds and more young people are being hospitalized for COVID-19. |
| APLU & University of Georgia Announce Third Cohort of Aspire Alliance's Leadership Development Program for STEM Faculty from Underrepresented Backgrounds | |
| Addressing the national need to broaden diversity and increase inclusion in STEM fields and higher education leadership, the Aspire Alliance's Institutional Change Initiative (IChange) today announced the third cohort of fellows in its IAspire Leadership Academy. The academy is part of the Aspire Alliance's Institutional Change Initiative, which the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the University of Georgia lead, and aims to support STEM faculty from underrepresented backgrounds ascend to leadership roles at colleges and universities. "We're excited that so many institutions were able to support the participation of emerging STEM leaders from underrepresented groups in the third cohort of the IAspire Leadership Academy," said Howard Gobstein, Director of the Aspire Alliance and Executive Vice President at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. "More than ever, we see the need for institutions to cultivate and support diversity in faculty and university leadership, and this year's class of fellows will be well positioned to advance these goals." The academy is one pillar of diversity and inclusion work underway through the Aspire Alliance (formally known as the National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Faculty). The National Science Foundation-backed alliance is working across post-secondary institutions to develop more inclusive institutional cultures to create a more inclusive and diverse STEM professoriate. |
| U. of South Carolina opening country's first Anne Frank Center: 'Reaches deep inside of every individual' | |
 | The University of South Carolina is opening the world's fourth Anne Frank Center, giving visitors a chance to experience the remarkable life of a Jewish teenage girl whose story is among the most iconic of the Holocaust. Frank's ruminations on life, death, friendship and family -- written while she and her family hid for more than two years from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic annex during World War II -- became the internationally acclaimed "The Diary of a Young Girl." The book has become a staple of school reading lists and has been published in 70 languages, ingraining her story for millions. The new 1,060-square-foot USC center, the first North American outpost of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, includes photos, videos and artifacts. One room reflects on her experience of living in hiding, including a reproduction of the desk where she wrote her diary. "In any school system in the world, as far as I know, she's really the only child that you get to know in her own voice, in depth," said Doyle Stevick, a USC education professor who is the museum's director. "Because we get to know her and her experiences so vividly, we can relate to her for that reason. That ability to relate provides us that human connection to establish our universal humanity." |
| Colleges and Universities Clear Students' Outstanding Balances | |
 | Colleges and universities are increasingly using federal COVID-19 relief funds to pay off unpaid balances owed to them by students. After a year of financial strain and rampant job loss due to the pandemic, the payoffs are a welcome relief for many students and their families. They are also a point of pride for the colleges which have been publicizing their generosity in celebratory press releases about relieving student debt and bold pronouncements during commencement ceremonies and other public events. While the clearing of student balances has been widely applauded, some higher ed policy experts have been quick to point out that the payoffs don't address the bulk of student debt and also help the institutions clear arrears and balance their books. Some also question how much students benefit from limited, one-time loan forgiveness while longer term external debt loads from federal loans -- students owe a total of $1.7 trillion in federal loans, according to Federal Reserve data -- and personal loans persist. The American Rescue Plan, the third round of coronavirus stimulus funding passed in March, is the first of the federal relief packages which permitted colleges and universities to use some of the funds to cancel students' outstanding balances. The U.S. Department of Education instructed institutions that they could categorize the debts as lost revenue and reimburse themselves using the federal funds. More substantial debt relief may be in the offing on the federal level. The Biden administration is negotiating with Congressional lawmakers to forgive student loan debt held by certain borrowers but lawmakers are divided on who has the power to cancel federal student loan debt and how much, if any, should be forgiven. |
| Pause in federal student loan payments is a 'game changer' | |
| There's some good news for people with federal student loans: The Biden administration has extended the pause on payments and interest for another few months. Borrowers had been looking at resuming payments -- and interest accruing -- in the fall. But now they have until February, at which point they will have received almost two years of emergency relief. That's been significant for many borrowers. Pausing student loan payments has been a game-changer for 23-year-old Krista Pechacek, who lives in Seattle. Before the pandemic, she was paying about $400 a month toward her loans. "It was a huge burden. I couldn't put any money in savings. I couldn't move out of my parents' house because I couldn't afford rent anywhere," Pechacek said. In the year and a half since her loans were automatically put on pause, Pechacek has been able to move out. Plus, she's paid down medical debt. It's so much more financially stable without those payments," she said. More than 40 million people have federal student loans. Most of them haven't had to pay a cent since the pandemic began. And their loans haven't been accruing any interest either, which is a big deal, said Betsy Mayotte at the nonprofit Institute of Student Loan Advisors. A lot of borrowers are paying 6% to 8% interest or more. |
| After a year of cuts, state funding looks positive for fiscal 2022 | |
| For the first time in years, Sophia Laderman, senior policy analyst for the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), is feeling hopeful about the state funding outlook for higher education in fiscal year 2022, thanks to the rebounding national economy. "I tend to not be optimistic about state funding for higher education," she said. "But it sounds like a lot of states are actually expecting increases." After the pandemic ripped through state budgets and smothered their revenue streams, some lawmakers opted to cut higher education funding during fiscal year 2021, when uncertainty about the pandemic's economic impact peaked. Last fiscal year, 13 states reduced higher education appropriations by a net total of $417.5 million, according to a report from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO). As the pandemic raged on, experts feared that the higher education sector would once again see declines in state support for fiscal year 2022, which began in July. Every state except for Vermont is required by law to balance their budgets, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Higher education is often one of the first budget items to see cuts during periods of economic decline. About 60 percent of the officers reported plans to increase funding for public, two-year colleges in fiscal 2022. Kansas reported a 21 percent funding increase for two-year colleges, Tennessee reported a 10 percent increase, and Louisiana reported a 9 percent bump. "I was very excited about Louisiana because they have pretty poor funding," Laderman said. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs feeling acclimated as fall camp begins | |
| Jaden Walley felt out of shape in the summer swelter when the Mississippi State football team began training camp last August after a lengthy layoff caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve months later, he's in the same situation -- without the same feeling. Moving padless across the practice fields outside the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, the sophomore wide receiver and his teammates seem as energized as they can be under the scorching sun. "I know last year around this time I was almost dying, and this year I feel a lot better," Walley said. It's the prevailing mood in Starkville after a valuable spring season on which the Bulldogs missed out in 2020 thanks to the nascent pandemic. Fall camp got underway Friday, and with less than four weeks to go until the 2021 season begins, Mississippi State no longer feels behind. "It's great to be back out here for sure," head coach Mike Leach said Friday. The Bulldogs' first practice came with the typical "sloppiness" and "rustiness" of a first day but still delivered plenty of good signs for a Mississippi State team that went 4-7 last season. In practices Friday and Saturday, quarterbacks Will Rogers and Chance Lovertich looked solid, Walley and a pair of transfers will lead the way at wideout, and the offensive line has bulked up considerably to bolster a scoring unit that struggled for much of last season. |
| NOTEBOOK: WR Makai Polk emerges, QB competition narrows for Mississippi State | |
| The 90-degree temperatures are here to stay for the foreseeable future of fall camp, leading Mississippi State coach Mike Leach to catch some flaws that exist with his team heading into its second season with him at the helm. Despite flashes from both sides of the ball -- improved play from projected-backup quarterback Chance Lovertich along with a knack for creating turnovers by the defense -- Leach felt the team's performance Monday was a step back from what he saw Sunday. "We've gotta be consistent," Leach said following the team's Monday practice, its fourth. "We're a streaky team right now. We are able to put together plays on either side of the ball in succession, but we don't have the consistency we need to get. The other thing is, we've gotta push through the weather and the work." Leach credited the inconsistency to a lack of focus which he believes could stem from the elements. California transfer Makai Polk's performance in the team's first practice Aug. 7 caught eyes, but it has become a regularity as fall camp approaches full pads Wednesday. Polk on Monday continued to show a connection with the QBs which began in the spring, and as that potential keeps flashing, Leach will keep pushing him. "He's improved since the spring -- good at playing the ball in the air," Leach said. "(Polk) needs to push through -- needs to be the same guy at the end of the work as he is at the beginning." |
| Mississippi State Soccer Hosts UAB In Exhibition Tuesday | |
| The Mississippi State soccer program will host UAB for a preseason exhibition match on Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2020-21 campaign that saw them post a 6-4-3 record while winning their final four matches. State has shut out its opponent in each of its last three contests. MSU returns a veteran roster for head coach James Armstrong's third season with 11 seniors on the team. After losing just five letterwinners from last year's team, Armstrong added 11 freshmen and transfer Gwen Mummert from Louisiana. State lost just one player that played more than 150 minutes last season with the departure of senior captain Kristen Malebranche. "We are excited to play someone else other than ourselves, particularly a talented team like UAB," Armstrong said. "The game will allow us a chance to evaluate some of the concepts we have been working on in training and look at different combinations of players." Admission is free for all home MSU soccer matches. Gates will open one hour before kickoff. |
| Dallas Cowboys on 'Hard Knocks': From rookies to Jerry Jones, five key characters to keep your eye on | |
 | As Mike McCarthy tells it, he just about drove off the road when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called to alert McCarthy his team would be featured on this season's "Hard Knocks." Dozens of NFL Films cameras granted inside access to the Cowboys? An even brighter spotlight than "America's Team" already commands, all while McCarthy looks to remedy a shoddy 6-10 debut campaign in Dallas? McCarthy wouldn't have voted for the arrangement. "I am just going to be honest: I almost wrecked my truck when Jerry called," McCarthy said when the Cowboys arrived at training camp. "But once I got back on the road, I am all in." Cowboys fans, granted an inside look into players' and coaches' conversations and personalities, are all in, too. The first episode of "Hard Knocks: The Dallas Cowboys" debuts Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. Five weekly episodes are scheduled in total. ... the first 15 seasons of "Hard Knocks" embraced the underdog and fringe roster players. But the NFL Films/HBO partnership would be wise to consider compelling veterans on the Cowboys roster, and none is more compelling than Dak Prescott. The quarterback started 73 straight Cowboys games before his season-ending ankle injury last October. He's mounting a comeback and getting paid a handsome $40 million to lead the team this season. How much will Prescott's wit and snark shine through in mic-ed up elements? How about his friendship with fellow draft classmate Ezekiel Elliott, as each enter their sixth year - and each celebrated a birthday during training camp? Already, NFL Films has released a clip of Prescott jabbing second-year quarterback Ben DiNucci about his swag meter. Expect more zingers from Prescott as the season unfolds. |
| Eli Drinkwitz 'excited about the choice' of Desiree Reed-Francois as new Mizzou AD | |
 | As news trickled in about Desiree Reed-Francois becoming the new athletic director at Missouri, thoughts about the impact she could have on the school weren't far behind. One of the biggest responsibilities of the job is to generate revenue, with Tiger football the primary avenue to do so in Columbia. So how does Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz feel about working for an athletic director who didn't actually hire him? "Excited about the choice that our president and curators brought in," Drinkwitz said Monday about Reed-Francois. "Look forward to getting to work with her and continue our goals of raising the profile of Mizzou athletics, working with her as a team, but also our goal of competing for championships here in the SEC." Drinkwitz has never worked with Reed-Francois before, unlike Tiger head men's basketball coach Cuonzo Martin. Martin and Reed-Francois were colleagues at Tennessee for three years. Reed-Francois becomes the first Hispanic woman to lead a Power Five Conference athletic program. "Very excited about what she's going to bring to the table," Drinkwitz said. "I think anytime you have fresh perspective and fresh eyes and ideas, it's an opportunity for all of us to grow and learn. She's got great experience, has been in the SEC before, done nice work with Virginia Tech and at UNLV. I look forward to partnering with her and continuing to push this program and this athletics department forward." Reed-Francois' contract is set to be approved Tuesday morning, with an introductory press conference expected in the coming days. |
| LSU's Mike the Tiger gets second COVID vaccine; barricades will come down | |
| LSU's beloved live mascot, Mike the Tiger VII, is now fully immunized against COVID-19, the university announced Monday. Last year at the height of the pandemic, several lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 -- the same virus that humans experience as COVID-19. Scientists and veterinarians eventually discovered that humans can transmit the virus to animals, which is the suspected cause of the Bronx Zoo outbreak. Big cats, such as lions, tigers, cheetahs and leopards, are among the most susceptible to the virus. Following this discovery, LSU implemented metal barricades around Mike's enclosure to maintain 10 feet of space between the habitat and visitors. Now that Mike is vaccinated, the barriers will be taken down the week of Aug. 17. Zoetis, a global animal pharmaceutical company, received approval by the United States Department of Agriculture to disperse the vaccine after the experimental trials at the San Diego Zoo were successful. This announcement comes on the heels of a heated vaccine mandate debate at the university. Numerous professors have voiced their concerns over returning to the classroom with students, faculty and staff who are not vaccinated. The university says they will not implement a mandate until the vaccine is taken off Emergency Use Authorization and fully approved by the FDA. |
| How many former SEC quarterbacks are on NFL rosters? | |
 | When the NFL kicks off its regular season in one month, eight players who threw passes in the SEC could be under center to take the first snaps of 2021 for their teams. The Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow (LSU), Dallas Cowboys with Dak Prescott (Mississippi State), Los Angeles Rams with Matthew Stafford (Georgia) and Miami Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) have their starter in place, barring injury or illness. The New England Patriots will have a former SEC standout at QB, too, with incumbent Cam Newton (Auburn) and first-round rookie Mac Jones (Alabama) available. In Philadelphia, Jalen Hurts (Alabama) started the final four games for the Eagles in 2020, but he needs to hold on to the starting spot with veteran Joe Flacco now on the roster. In Denver, Drew Lock (Missouri) started in 2020 for the Broncos, who brought in Teddy Bridgewater in the offseason to compete for the No. 1 job. In Indianapolis, the Colts could need someone to take the reins because of Carson Wentz's foot injury. Projections have Wentz sidelined for five to 12 weeks, and he'd have to hurry back to make the regular-season opener. If that doesn't happen, the next player up for Indianapolis could be Jason Eason (Georgia). Last season, five former SEC quarterbacks started at least half of the games for their NFL teams -- Burrow, Lock, Newton, Stafford and Tagovailoa. That was up from three in 2019, when the regular starters were Jacoby Brissett (Florida), Prescott and Stafford. |
| 'Not using the tools we have to beat this': Dobbs discusses 2021 football season during COVID-19 | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Imagine you are a football coach. You have a quarterback, both accurate and resourceful. He gets the job done. He's a winner. You have a wide receiver who runs a 4.3 40-yard dash and can catch everything thrown anywhere near him. But, despite defeat after defeat, you steadfastly refuse to play either. Your team keeps losing. The scores are lopsided. You are in last place in your conference. Every week, the statistics are frightful. You are in 49th place in a 50-team division, but you stubbornly stay the course, keep your best weapons on the bench, and keep on losing. Yes, you are right, that scenario sounds inconceivable. What coach in his right mind would refuse to use all the weapons available to win? Dr. Thomas Dobbs, this state's chief health officer, must feel sometimes like he's watching that football team play. ... In a one-on-one interview last week, I asked Dobbs about all this. Where is all this headed? "It's really up to us," Dobbs answered. "We have the tools to beat this, but we just are not using them. In some ways, we are worse off than we were this time last year." Listen to him: We have the tools. We just aren't using them. Nearly two-thirds of our people have not been vaccinated. My guess is that a lower percentage are wearing masks in public. |
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