| Monday, September 13, 2021 |
| What happens when your foot falls asleep? | |
 | Zachary Gillen, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University, writes for The Conversation's "Curious Kids" series: Imagine you've just sat down to watch your favorite TV show. You decide to snuggle in with your legs crisscrossed because you find it more comfortable that way. When the episode ends, you try to stand up and suddenly your right foot isn't working. At first you just can't move it, then it feels like it has pins and needles all over it. For a minute or two it feels uncomfortable and weird, but soon enough you are able to stand up and walk around normally. What just happened? I'm an exercise physiologist -- a scientist who studies what happens to our bodies when we move and exercise. The goal of much of my research has been to understand how the brain talks to and controls the different parts of our bodies. When your foot falls asleep, there is something wrong with the communication between your brain and the muscles in that area. Every time you decide to move your body, whether it's standing up, walking around or playing sports, your brain sends signals to your muscles to make sure they move correctly. When the brain is unable to talk with a muscle or groups of muscles, some weird things can happen -- including that part of your body getting that weird falling-asleep sensation. |
| MSU Receives Grant for Wildfire Research | |
| Mississippi State University recently received a $1.7 million grant to better equip emergency planners and other stakeholders to reduce the vulnerability of disadvantaged communities to the impacts of wildfires and related cascading hazards such as mudslides, landslides and flooding. The three-year funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Cyber-Physical Systems program, which is a joint program with the National Science Foundation's Smart and Connected Communities program. MSU's Farshid Vahedifard, CEE Advisory Board Endowed Professor in the university's Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the lead principal investigator. Other MSU researchers include Alireza Ermagun, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, as a co-principal investigator, and Diego Thompson, an assistant professor of sociology, as senior personnel. Other co-principal investigators and senior personnel include Amir AghaKouchak, Tirtha Banerjee and Roxy Silver from the University of California Irvine; Ben Leshchinsky from Oregon State University; Timothy D. Stark from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Katya Schloesser from the University of Colorado Boulder. |
| SAAC to open Ralph Null exhibit Sept. 14; reception set for Sept. 16 | |
 | Starkville Area Arts Council and Mississippi State are hosting exhibits this month. SAAC recently announced its next Art in Public Places (AiPP) Exhibit, which features works by Starkville native, Ralph Null. The exhibit will be on display in-person and online on the SAAC website from Tuesday to Nov. 1, in the lobby of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership in downtown Starkville. Null is a mostly self-taught painter who enjoys expressions of nature both realistic and impressionistic. He taught at Mississippi State University and retired as a professor emeritus in 1992. He specialized in retail floriculture and floral design. An emeritus professor at Mississippi State University who taught for 36 years in the Department of Art, Brent Funderburk is featured in an exhibit that spans 40 years of his studio life. Here and There -- Brent Funderburk -- Paintings and Drawings 1981-2021 is on display in the Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery in the university's Welcome Center through Friday. "More than half of the artwork is from the past three years," said Funderburk, who combines watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings, along with drawings, pastels and mixed media works, to show explorations of media and themes, beginning with his family's arrival in Mississippi from his native North Carolina in the early 1980s. "Since jumping away from teaching, I've been in a 'one-person class,' traveling to New Mexico and the west, to the Appalachian Mountains, and, mostly, into the backyard, studio and woods where I live in Mississippi." Funderburk taught painting, drawing, research, and thesis at Mississippi State University, and served as department head in art for seven years. |
| Tropical Storm Nicholas may dump up to 5 inches of rain on Gulf Coast | |
 | Excessive rain and a slight risk of flooding are expected along parts of coastal Mississippi as Tropical Storm Nicholas takes aim at the northern Gulf Coast this week. The system is forecast to reach near hurricane strength as it approaches the south Texas coast Monday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely Tuesday through Wednesday as the storm treks to the northeast, dumping 5 to 10 inches of rain across coastal Texas and southwest Louisiana, forecasts show. On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, between 3 and 5 inches are possible. "There is a marginal to slight risk for heavy rainfall Tuesday across portions of SE Louisiana and Southern MS," according to the National Weather Service in New Orleans. "There is a moderate risk for excessive rainfall across most of the area Wednesday with a slight risk for coastal MS." This comes as the storm-weary Gulf Coast works to recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm last month and led to deadly storm surge and significant flooding across the region. "Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour" are a top concern as Nicholas makes is way across coastal Louisiana and Mississippi. |
| Governor Tate Reeves calls vaccine mandate an "attack on working-class Americans | |
| As Republican governors mull a legal challenge to the recent vaccine mandate issued by President Joe Biden, Governor Tate Reeves joined Fox Business this morning and called the forthcoming rule "an attack on working-class Americans." Announced last week, the president is enlisting the assistance of the Department of Labor to draft and issue an "Emergency Temporary Standard" that will require private businesses employing 100+ individuals to mandate vaccinations. The rule would require any remaining unvaccinated employees to show a negative test on at least a weekly basis. Speaking with Fox's Stuart Varney, Governor Reeves reiterated his belief that the idea behind the rule is unconstitutional. "This is one person trying to place an edict on all Americans without it going through the legislative branch, without it going through the legislative democracy that America was founded upon," he said. The rule is estimated to impact around 80 million Americans. "I'm concerned about making individual Americans choose between getting a shot in their arm and providing for their families," Governor Reeves said. He also expressed his belief that the mandate will further exacerbate the labor shortage across the country. |
| Analysis: Mississippi examines help for departing inmates | |
 | A Mississippi law that took effect July 1 expands parole eligibility, and lawmakers are looking at programs that could help people make the transition from prison back into the free world. House and Senate committees met Wednesday at the state Capitol to gather ideas from several people, including prison and parole officials in Alabama, a leader of a nonprofit group that helps former inmates and an executive of a software company that coordinates services for people leaving prison. One common theme in the presentations was that people who have been incarcerated fare better in the next phase of their lives if they they receive guidance in practical matters such as getting a driver's license, finding a place to live and finding a job. "We need to make sure that we try to equip individuals with as much as we possibly can when they come back into society so they don't go back into the place they came from," Senate Corrections Committee Chairman Juan Barnett, a Democrat from Heidelberg, told The Associated Press on Friday. "It's one of those things that we really, really need to tackle." |
| Rep. Bennie Thompson wants all of Hinds County placed in his 2nd District | |
| U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Bolton, Mississippi's longest serving member of Congress, has told state legislators that he would prefer that all of Hinds County be placed in his district. State legislators will attempt to redraw the state's four congressional districts early in the 2022 session to match population shifts found by the recently completed U.S. Census. Both the U.S. Constitution and state law mandate that all of a state's congressional districts have close to the same population. Thompson's 2nd District, which includes much of the Mississippi Delta and a large portion of Hinds, the state's most populous county, is the only one of the state's four congressional districts to have lost population since 2010. According to information compiled by Chism Strategies, a Mississippi-based polling and political consulting firm, Thompson's district is 65,829 short of the ideal district size of 740,319 people. Thompson, the state's sole African American member of Congress, recently spoke to legislators who were holding public hearings to garner input before beginning their task of redrawing the U.S. House and state legislative districts. He told them he would prefer all of Hinds County be placed in his district. |
| Justice Amy Coney Barrett argues US Supreme Court isn't 'a bunch of partisan hacks' | |
| In the wake of a controversial decision on abortion rights, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told a crowd of more than 100 here that she doesn't believe the highest court in the land is politically driven. "My goal today is to convince you that this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks," she told the guests at a Sunday celebration of the 30th anniversary of the opening of the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville. Barrett, who was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2020, spent much of her talk at the Seelbach Hilton Hotel arguing the court is defined by "judicial philosophies" rather than personal political views. "Judicial philosophies are not the same as political parties," she said, noting that she identifies as an "originalist" and citing fellow Justice Stephen Breyer as an example of the other main school of thought, "pragmatism." Barrett cited a number of cases in which the nine justices on the court did not rule along "party lines" -- meaning each justice appointed by a Republican voting together and each justice appointed by a Democrat doing the same. "The media, along with hot takes on Twitter, report the results and decisions. ... That makes the decision seem results-oriented. It leaves the reader to judge whether the court was right or wrong, based on whether she liked the results of the decision," Barrett said. "And here's the thing: Sometimes, I don't like the results of my decisions. But it's not my job to decide cases based on the outcome I want." |
| Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Feels Partisan Push to Retire | |
 | Justice Stephen Breyer said he understands why liberals are panicking about the makeup of the Supreme Court---and the reasons many activists and lawmakers who admire his jurisprudence want him to resign. "It isn't really true that I was born on Pluto and don't know what's going on in the world. I think I do," Justice Breyer, 83 years old, said in an interview at his rambling home near Harvard Law School, where he was educated and later taught administrative law. "I don't want to die there on the court, so I probably will retire at some point," he said, between spoonfuls of soup at the kitchen table. "There are a lot of different considerations, including health and also including the institutional role of the court and so forth. I'll take those and other things into account." Justice Breyer joined the court in 1994, a year after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the two Clinton appointees long anchored a durable liberal minority of four justices. But Justice Ginsburg's death last September at age 87 gave Republicans a chance to confirm Justice Amy Coney Barrett, creating a 6-3 conservative majority shortly before voters handed Democrats the appointment power. Now, with their control of the Senate hanging by a single vote over Republicans expected to oppose any Supreme Court nomination from President Biden, Democrats fear the opportunity to confirm a successor in Justice Breyer's mold could be brief. To Justice Breyer, more political intervention into the judiciary is the wrong direction for the long-term health of the U.S. legal system---even if it leaves liberals little to do but write fuming dissents for the immediate future. |
| Former President George W. Bush: U.S. 'changed forever' after 9/11 attacks | |
 | Former President George W. Bush called for unity and offered remembrance at the Flight 93 Memorial on Saturday, marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks. Bush noted that the lives of Americans were "changed forever" in a speech given in the Shanksville, Pennsylvania, field where 37 passengers and 7 crew members died after the United Airlines flight was hijacked. "In the solidarity of grief and grace, the actions of an enemy revealed the spirit of a people. And we were proud of our wounded nation," he said. Bush was joined on stage by former first lady Laura Bush, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The 43rd president condemned the actions of the terrorists two decades ago, and warned of the threat of domestic terrorism in the U.S. today. "We have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home, but their disdain for pluralism in their regard for human life," he said. "It is our continuing duty to confront them." The former president recognized growing divisions in the country's current politics and encouraged the same unity that coalesced following the assault on the country 20 years ago. "So much of our politics has become a naked appeal to anger, fear and resentment," Bush said. "On America's day of trial and grief, I saw millions of people instinctively grab their neighbor's hand and rally to the cause of one another." |
| The W Galleries display Ian Childer's ceramics | |
| Ian Childers, ceramics professor at Mississippi University for Women, unveils the fruits of his recent sabbatical in California in the exhibition titled "Ian Childers: Recent Ceramics" at the Mississippi University for Women Galleries. The exhibition runs until Oct. 1. In May 2020, Childers began his sabbatical residency at Clay by the Bay studios in San Francisco. When the entire state of California was in lockdown and San Francisco COVID-19 case numbers skyrocketed, he moved to Sonoma County, forcing him to retool his entire residency experience. The initial idea of the move was to help Clay by the Bay establish an artist residency and retreat at a 30-acre ranch not far from the city of Occidental in the hills of northern California. Studio employees assisted Childers with clearing land for fire abatement and with hosting weekend ceramic workshops. The exodus to the ranch was not entirely idyllic, however. The group contended with numerous fire alerts and power outages due to the wild fires raging in the state. They were often close to forced evacuation orders and a few times did voluntarily evacuate to the coast. Eventually, San Francisco officials lifted some pandemic restrictions and most of the studio employees returned to the city, leaving Childers and a small number of individuals to the ranch. |
| U. of Alabama raises $940 million for scholarships, campus upgrades | |
 | The University of Alabama says it has raised $940 million in an ongoing capital campaign designed to increase student scholarships, boost faculty research, improve campus facilities and continue the momentum of success in athletics. The Rising Tide Capital Campaign, which UA says is focused on elevating the university's prominence as a leader in higher education, has an ultimate goal of raising at least $1.5 billion in private donations over 10 years. UA says the campaign, which began in 2015, represents the largest fundraising goal to date for any university in the state "This campaign will amplify the university's impact on teaching, research and service for generations," UA President Stuart R. Bell said in a Friday news release. The campaign will add 1,000 new endowed scholarships and 75 new faculty endowments, which UA says will increase access, achievement and diversity. Funds generated by the campaign will affect more 500,000 square feet of space across campus through new and upgraded facilities. One components of campaign, the Crimson Standard, aims to raise $600 million specifically for athletic facility enhancements, program support and scholarships. Some of those funds have already been used for $107 million in improvements at Bryant-Denny Stadium, which was built in 1929. A group of 21 volunteers comprised of UA alumni and friends is leading the Rising Tide fundraising efforts. Kathy and Mike Mouron and Karen and Jim Brooks are serving as the campaign's chairs. |
| Here are Alabama's best colleges, U.S. News says | |
 | U.S. News & World Report is out with the list of 2022 Best Colleges, ranking more than 1,400 of the nation's colleges and universities. This is the 37th year the list has been published. College enrollment nationally took a hit last year, and Alabama's public four-year colleges did, too. Auburn University took the highest spot in Alabama, tying for 99th place among national universities. Nationwide, Princeton University topped that list again, followed by a three-way tie between Columbia University, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Samford University tied for 136th, and both the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham tied with others for 148th place. That ranking includes both public and private colleges. Factors considered in the rankings include academic quality and student outcomes including graduation rates and retention rates. Among schools that receive public funding, Auburn University again took the highest ranking in Alabama in that category, at No. 42. The University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham tied for No. 67. Among public regional universities in the south, the University of Montevallo ranked as the 12th best public school, with the University of North Alabama coming in at No. 13. Troy University also ranked in the top 20, coming in at no. 18. |
| Auburn trustees approve plaque to contextualize name of Wallace Hall | |
| The Auburn University Board of Trustees unanimously approved the installation of a plaque outside Wallace Hall during its Friday morning meeting. The plaque is designed to contextualize the name of the building, named after former Alabama governor and self-described segregationist George Corley Wallace. The text of the plaque, included in the board's materials, describes the "complexity of Wallace's legacy," including Wallace's racist history and later apologies for his segregationist words and deeds. There is currently no timeline set for the installation of the plaque. Wallace is known for delivering the phrase "segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever." Wallace Hall was built in 1984 and has been the subject of controversy on Auburn's campus for years. As of publication, 11,984 people have signed a petition on Change.org to change the name of the building. The proposal to place the plaque at Wallace Hall, located at 210 S. Donahue Dr., was the recommendation of the Trustee Task Force, formed in summer 2020. The Trustee Task Force was also responsible for recommending the renaming of the Harold D. Melton Student Center. |
| As an Army general and now Auburn's vice president, Ron Burgess has always bled orange and blue | |
 | A large frame hangs on the wall on the first floor of Samford Hall depicting 3-dimensional pictures of the wreckage of the Pentagon that happened the same day two planes crashed into the World Trade Center 20 years ago. A 68-year-old man keeps it to the right of his desk and looks at it often. He thinks of that day when the United States' seeming invulnerability was threatened for the first time in decades. The man, Ret. Lt. Gen. Ron Burgess, worked for decades in military intelligence and became a three-star general before retiring from the U.S. Army in 2012. Years later, he took on a position as the chief operating officer of Auburn University and in 2019 added executive vice president to his job title, but that picture on his wall will always remind him of the anger he felt when his nation was attacked on 9/11 as well as the disappointment he felt in himself for not being able to prevent it. Before he was one of the highest ranking officers in the U.S. Army or one of the highest ranking administrators on Auburn's campus, Burgess grew up in Jacksonville, N.C., then moved to Opelika and graduated from Opelika High School. Burgess said he didn't really plan on joining the military until a guidance counselor stopped him in the hallway at Opelika High one day. "He said, 'Ron, you really ought to think about putting your name in the hat for one of the ROTC scholarships,'" Burgess said. "I thought about how it would help my parents out, and I said, 'Why not?'" Looking for a way to pay for his higher education, he ended up applying to both an Army and an Air Force scholarship, and upon earning both, he took the Army's offer after the Air Force informed him that his eyesight wasn't good enough to become a pilot. From there, he enrolled at Auburn University and graduated in 1974 with a degree in political science before joining the U.S. Armed Forces. |
| LSU may kick out more than 1,000 students for failing to comply with pandemic protocol | |
 | Over 1,000 students, or just about 4% of LSU's student body, risk getting kicked out for failing to follow pandemic protocol. LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard said students who didn't submit proof of vaccination, a negative test from the last five days or a positive test from the last 90 days by Friday would get unenrolled. As of 5 p.m. Friday, Ballard said he didn't yet have the exact number. But it was roughly 1,200 the evening before. He said students who have to be unenrolled will get a prorated tuition refund. The school sent students a text message earlier in the week to remind them that the deadline to submit the required paperwork was fast approaching. "If you do not comply," the message read, "you will be unenrolled from the university." As of Friday, according to LSU's COVID dashboard, the school said about 70 percent of its 30,000-plus students had voluntarily reported that they had been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Also as of Friday, the same dashboard reported that 58 students and employees with active COVID infections. |
| U. of Florida cracks top five in latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report | |
 | The University of Florida broke into the nation's top five public universities on Monday, tying for fifth in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings with the University of California-Santa Barbara. Just four years ago, UF became the first university in the state to make the top 10 list with the 2018 U.S. News & World Report rankings. A spot among the top five was a target set by the state Board of Governors and supported by significant spending to hire preeminent faculty members. In a special announcement Monday morning at UF, student Roshawn Reid announced the historic achievement to a room full of university executives and government officials. "For students, I can tell you this means a lot," Reid, a first-generation student from Sunrise pursuing a bachelor's and master's degree in information systems and operations management. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was among the prominent speakers and audience members celebrating alongside. "Congratulations on really a historic day. Number five in the country is quite impressive. And I know you guys are not done yet," he said. "To see the increase and constantly doing better, I think it's something that all Floridians, regardless what your allegiance is, should feel proud about." |
| Early U. of Kentucky numbers show a record enrollment for the second year | |
 | Early numbers from the University of Kentucky show a record enrollment for the second year in a row. Nearly 31,800 students are enrolled at UK this fall compared to last year's enrollment of 31,110. UK's final enrollment numbers for the fall semester will be known in October. Preliminary numbers were presented at Friday's board of trustees meeting. "From access and affordability, to supporting students with the resources they need, to outstanding faculty providing a world-class educational experience, we put students first in everything that we do," UK President Eli Capilouto said on Friday. "These numbers unequivocally demonstrate that commitment to students at every level of what we do." UK saw enrollment increases in several categories. The number of minority students at UK grew this year, from 4,796 to 5,084. The number of graduate and professional students has increased by almost 10%. "UK is seen as a first-choice institution, as an institution where we place students first," said Kirsten Turner, vice president for student success. The overall enrollment growth is supported by UK's retention rates, which have grown significantly in recent years. The first-to-second year retention rate is 86% for the fall 2020 cohort. The six-year graduation rate is a record 67.8% for the fall 2015 cohort, a full percentage point higher than the previous year's cohort. |
| U. of South Carolina, Clemson dropping in US News college rankings | |
 | The University of South Carolina and Clemson University have dropped in recent U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings. The latest rankings, released Sept. 13, has Clemson ranked 75th in the nation, down from 66th three years ago. USC, the state's largest university, placed 117th, four years after ranking 103rd. U.S. News has changed some metrics in recent in the rankings that could affect where schools land. One of them involves the number of students receiving needs-based grants. Bolstering the pool of tuition grant money is a key aim of an upcoming fundraising campaign, Clemson Provost Bob Jones said in an interview. "We are working on measures to open up access and affordability in the rural school districts for bright students there," he said. The ranking at the state's second-largest college also was dinged by other schools having slightly smaller average class sizes, Jones said. A USC spokesman did not respond immediately to questions about the school's rankings. U.S. News' rankings have been dismissed by some academics as arbitrary, but they have become one of the key guides that students and parents use in choosing a school. USC touted in a news release having the nation's top public college first-year student experience for the third straight year and the top-ranked international business program for the 23rd consecutive year. |
| College students reported record-high marijuana use and record-low drinking in 2020, study says | |
 | The coronavirus pandemic that's killed more than 658,000 people in the United States and infected 41 million, upended economies and moved classes to bedrooms may have added another change for college students: less booze and more weed. A newly released study found that nearly half of the country's college-age students said they consumed marijuana last year, leading researchers to wonder whether the pandemic may have spurred the record in cannabis consumption. One says the trend underpins the changing practices during -- and struggles to adapt to -- the global health crisis. "The pandemic seems to have actually made marijuana into an alternative to escape the monotony of isolation," said Nora Volkow, director of the federal government's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). "It's made life become more boring, more stressful. So if drugs let you experience that completely different mental state, I wonder whether that would be a factor that leads people to use them." The "Monitoring the Future" study, funded by NIDA, has been tracking drug use among college students and noncollege adults ages 19-22 since 1980. Researchers conducted the 2020 edition of the survey online, querying about 1,550 young adults between March 20, 2020, and Nov. 30, 2020 -- after the coronavirus pandemic had hit the United States. According to the report, 44 percent of college students reported using marijuana in 2020, an increase from 38 percent in 2015. There was also an uptick in "daily or near daily" marijuana usage, which rose from 5 percent to 8 percent in five years. |
| Colleges Still Obsess Over National Rankings. For Proof, Look at Their Strategic Plans. | |
 | Florida International University appears as a top-50 university on three lists. By 2025, it wants be on 10. On the University of Houston's strategic-plan website, it lists a prominent "milestone": that Houston "will rank among the top 75 and then among the top 50 public universities in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report ranking." Washington State University calls its goal to be one of the nation's top public research universities the "Drive to 25." Over the last two decades, the U.S. News "Best Colleges" rankings have sustained intense criticism for rewarding wealthier institutions, for weighting "inputs" over "outputs," and for being poor indicators of colleges' quality. Yet public colleges are still using the rankings and those they inspired to measure their own success. The magazine's annual ranking of national universities was released Monday. To mark the occasion, The Chronicle searched the current strategic plans of the country's 100-largest public four-year universities for mentions of the all-important list and others like it. About a quarter of the plans explicitly affirm the importance of rising in national rankings. Many of these documents check U.S. News by name. This prevalence -- while unlikely to surprise those who work in higher ed -- is a striking testament to public higher education's continued pursuit of an accolade that many have said is antithetical to the mission of state-funded education. |
| 'U.S. News' tweaks its methodology | |
 | U.S. News & World Report is today releasing its rankings of colleges and universities -- largely unchanged at the top. And the magazine is also releasing very modest changes in the methodology that favor colleges where most students submitted standardized test scores -- even though the magazine said in June 2020: "U.S. News believes now is the right time to end the use of standardized tests in admissions decisions as a requirement for inclusion in the rankings." Others that rank colleges have also faced a challenge of doing rankings amid a pandemic. Forbes changed its methodology such that a state university was the winner, for the first time ever. And The Princeton Review abandoned (temporarily) rankings based on surveys of students. U.S. News is the giant of college rankings in the United States, despite widespread criticism of its methodology, with critics saying it favors wealth and criticizing its reliance on a survey of college administrators in its methodology. And U.S. News has also been criticized for its use of standardized test scores in its formula. The reaction to U.S. News making only minor changes in its formula from critics of the use of test scores was anger. Angel B. Perez, chief executive officer of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, noted that NACAC has asked U.S. News four times (over two decades) to remove test scores from its methodology, "given that the scores are input variables, and as such do not contribute to an understanding of how effective the institution is at educating its students." |
| Survey shows Americans are divided over value of a degree | |
| Is a college education worth the investment? Despite empirical evidence that shows it is, the American public has its doubts. Six in 10 American adults say that a college degree is worth the time and money, according to a survey released today from the Association of American Colleges and Universities and Bipartisan Policy Center. The survey, which queried 2,200 American adults between March 3 and 5 of this year, found that Americans' opinions on the value of a college degree vary greatly by political affiliation, age and income level. Wealthy and college-educated Americans are more likely to say a college degree is "definitely" or "probably" worth it, the survey showed. About three quarters of such adults endorse the value of a college degree. By comparison, only half of adults without a college degree or who earn less than $50,000 per year say the same. Republicans and Democrats showed a similar split in opinion. Seven in 10 Democrats say that a college degree is "definitely" or "probably" worth it, compared with only 53 percent of Republicans and 52 percent of independents. Despite mixed public opinion on the topic, a college degree will almost certainly translate into higher earnings, said Ashley Finley, vice president of research and senior advisor to the president for the Association of American Colleges and Universities. "Any way you slice it, the probability that you will make a return on your investment is there," she said. Higher education has an image problem, not an evidence problem, Finley said. |
| Impact of President Biden's vaccine mandate on colleges still unclear | |
| President Biden announced new actions the administration is taking to get unvaccinated individuals to take the COVID-19 shot, and while Thursday's announcement is bound to impact colleges and universities, the extent to which is still unclear. Biden announced the Department of Labor is developing new emergency regulations that will require all private sector businesses with more than 100 employees to require their workforce to get vaccinated. Employers will have to provide paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. If an employee still chooses to remain unvaccinated, they must produce a negative COVID-19 test at least once a week. Businesses will be subject to a $14,000 fine per violation. "The new requirements being set out by the Biden administration will impact colleges and universities the same way they will other large employers and, in the case of many institutions, federal contractors," said Peter McDonough, vice president and general counsel of the American Council on Education. That's because Biden also signed an executive order requiring all employees of businesses who contract with the federal government to be vaccinated -- and they won't be able to submit a weekly negative test in lieu of a vaccination. This directive will include many colleges and universities, such as those who manage a federal research lab. A spokesperson for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities said they and their member institutions are awaiting additional guidance from the administration on federal contractors to learn more, which should be provided later this month, according to the executive order. |
| Time for lawmakers, governor to fish or cut bait on medical marijuana | |
| Geoff Pender writes for Mississippi Today: The storyline of the summer has been that House and Senate negotiators are close, closer -- even very, very close -- to having a deal on a medical marijuana program, for which Gov. Tate Reeves could call the Legislature into special session to pass. But as summer slips toward fall, those mostly closed-door negotiations continue with scant details on the particulars or hang-ups, and... still no deal nor special session. As the clock ticks, prospects for a special session before the January regular legislative session become less likely. And passage of a medical marijuana program during a busy regular session is far more politically arduous, perhaps even doubtful. Even current negotiations become endangered as time drags on -- more chefs get in the kitchen, deals on particulars fall apart, the center cannot hold. It would appear it's time for lawmakers and Gov. Tate Reeves to fish or cut bait, as the saying goes, on a medical marijuana program to replace the one passed by voters but shot down by the state Supreme Court. ... Special sessions can provide hyper focus on a single issue, and they often allow the clunky-by-design Legislature to hunker down and pass things they otherwise couldn't amid the usual political flotsam and jetsam of a regular session. A special session -- especially one during or near football season, deer season and the holidays -- puts pressure on lawmakers to get things done so they can return home. |
| Safety precautions embraced by all after 9/11, unlike during COVID-19 | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: Before the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, Mississippians wanting to visit their state Capitol could come and go as they pleased through multiple entrances, facing no security checks or metal detectors. It was not unusual for people to enter an unlocked Capitol after hours and roam about, never seeing a law enforcement officer. As the World Trade Center buildings smoldered that September, former House Speaker Billy McCoy of Prentiss County, then the House Ways and Means chair, spoke to a reporter about the tragedy. McCoy, often a shade tree philosopher from the foothills of Appalachia in northeast Mississippi, mourned the loss of lives -- nearly 3,000 -- but also lamented how the act would "forever change our way of life." McCoy, who first visited the Capitol as a young boy in the 1940s when his father served in the Mississippi House, predicted no longer would access to "the people's building" be unimpeded. As a result of 9/11, McCoy said people would face security checks going into the Capitol and at other public buildings and at many private buildings and endeavors. McCoy, who died in 2019, was right, of course, and perhaps in hindsight it did not take great foresight, which he often had, to predict that future. |
SPORTS
| Lideatrick Griffin's kick return leads Mississippi State over NC State | |
| Last week, Lideatrick Griffin's 70-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter sparked a 20-point comeback for Mississippi State in an eventual win over Louisiana Tech. On Saturday against North Carolina State, Griffin made his presence felt a whole lot faster. The sophomore took the opening kickoff back for a 100-yard touchdown, and Mississippi State's defense cracked down from there en route to a 24-10 win over NC State at Davis Wade Stadium. "He can take it home any second," running back Dillon Johnson said of Griffin. "Any time he touches the ball, he's a home run hitter." After Griffin's kick return gave them a 7-0 lead 13 seconds into the contest, the Bulldogs (2-0) held the Wolfpack (1-1) to 4.5 yards per play --- with most of the damage coming in garbage time. Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett's unit held running backs Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person to 50 yards on 16 carries, while quarterback Devin Leary went 30 of 49 passing for 303 yards. NC State scored its only touchdown with 1:06 remaining on a 4-yard pass from Leary to Thayer Thomas. Mississippi State will go on the road for the first time in 2021 to play Memphis Saturday. |
| Take me to church: Mississippi State's Dillon Johnson credits midweek visit for turnaround | |
| This is a story of two plays, one week apart. Both take place in the middle of the second quarter. Both involve Mississippi State sophomore running back Dillon Johnson. In the first, Johnson commits a mistake that ends a promising Bulldogs drive. In the second, he keeps an MSU possession alive. So what changed in the seven days since Johnson walked off the field on Sept. 4, embroiled in a "dark moment" even victory couldn't brighten? He went to church. The sophomore credits a Wednesday visit to Pinelake Church in Starkville for restoring his confidence after a rough game he couldn't easily shake off. "I really had to just talk to God, and he really helped me out," Johnson said. After a substandard performance in Mississippi State's 35-34 comeback win over Louisiana Tech, Johnson needed something. The Bulldogs were set up on first down at the Tech 40-yard line when Johnson caught a short pass out of the backfield from quarterback Will Rogers. But on the left sideline, Johnson fumbled the ball, and Tech's Baylen Buchanan snagged it before going out of bounds. After that, Jo'quavious Marks received every carry at running back. Rogers looked for Johnson early in the third quarter but was ruled down for a sack before tossing an incompletion, and Johnson caught back-to-back passes of 8 and 5 yards in the fourth quarter. Still, the sophomore knew he'd had a rough game, saying his confidence had been taken. |
| LSU football to open conference play at 11 a.m. against Mississippi State | |
| LSU will play its first Southeastern Conference game this season at 11 a.m. CT next weekend against Mississippi State. The league announced the Sept. 25 kickoff times Monday morning. The game will air on ESPN. The last time LSU played Mississippi State, the Tigers lost 44-34 in their first game since winning the national championship as they struggled to defend coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense. Mississippi State finished the 2020 season 4-7, while LSU was 5-5. This year, Mississippi State has opened the year 2-0 after beating NC State over the weekend. The Bulldogs play Memphis next. LSU, which is 1-1, will host Central Michigan this weekend in Tiger Stadium in its final game before the SEC opener. |
| Memphis football survives Arkansas State after epic offensive display | |
| Arkansas State tried to fire up its crowd by playing "Whoop That Trick" before the opening kickoff. There's just one problem: That song is used by Memphis to do the same thing. Maybe it didn't directly motivate the Tigers, but they responded with a scoring flourish that reminded of the high-powered offense they regularly displayed from 2017-19. The Tigers led wire-to-wire and held on for a 55-50 road win. With Calvin Austin III and Brandon Thomas leading the way, Memphis (2-0) led with haymakers with five scores of more than 50 yards. But the Tigers also had to stave off a furious rally led by James Blackman. Any doubts of how freshman Seth Henigan would handle his first road game were eased when he threw touchdown passes on his first two drives. He finished with 417 yards passing and five touchdowns in his second start. For nearly three quarters, the Memphis defense did its job, keeping Arkansas State in check with pressure up front. But once the Red Wolves switched to Blackman at quarterback, the Tigers gave up four consecutive scoring drives. It was a terrible finish to an otherwise strong showing. The Tigers played mostly soft coverage and Blackman rallied the Red Wolves. His Hail Mary pass on Arkansas State's final drive was knocked away by Quindell Johnson. But it adds some concern for the Tigers next week hosting Mississippi State (2-0). While the Tigers' offense came alive, their defense, which gave up 681 yards, must be better to extend a 16-game home winning streak. |
| Sept. 20, 2001: When football was played and patriotism broke out | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: We have observed, soberly, the 20-year anniversary of 9/11, which means we are also coming up on the anniversary of the first big sporting event played after 9/11, which was on Sept. 20, 2001, a Thursday night in Starkville. South Carolina vs. Mississippi State. Remember? If you were there, no way you have forgotten. There's a good chance you have forgotten the score. You may have even forgotten that Lou Holtz was the Gamecocks coach. But you can't have forgotten the eerie feeling of approaching and entering Scott Field that evening with all that security not knowing what to expect. You can't have forgotten the amazing display of patriotism that ruled the night, or the South Carolina and Mississippi State players, who marched onto the field and held up a gigantic American flag in pre-game ceremonies. So much I remember, including walking toward the stadium through the tailgating tents and fans and seeing far more red, white and blue than maroon and white. And seeing so many homemade signs like the one that said: "Go to Hell Ole Miss," only with the Ole Miss crossed out and Bin Laden inserted. And seeing firefighters at each gate, holding out boots to collect money for a disaster relief fund for the families of New York City firefighters. |
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