Wednesday, September 15, 2021   
 
New Rula building offers advanced technology for engineering students
The Richard A. Rula Engineering and Science Complex is now open and conducting classes on Mississippi State University's campus. Located next to the Longest Student Health Center, Rula offers state-of-the-art lecture halls, laboratories and study rooms to help prepare chemical, civil and environmental engineering students for the workforce. The $34 million building was primarily constructed for civil and environmental engineering majors, but it also offers multipurpose areas for other students to use. Approximately 40 sections of lectures and labs are being held in the building this semester, and more sections are being planned for the spring semester. Faculty members said they are excited about the educational advancements the new building offers. Sandra Ortega-Achury, a research associate who teaches in Rula, said the building was full of possibilities. "We do a lot of lab demonstrations that simulate actual things that happen," Ortega-Achury said. "We recreate the techniques that are actually used so the students can get hands-on experience." MSU faculty are not the only people excited about the new building. Holly Harrison, a freshman chemical engineering major from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, said she enjoys having her chemistry lab in Rula. "The lab is very easily navigable," Harrison said. "If you're looking for something, like a beaker, it's right there. You don't have to hunt through drawers and cabinets; it's all very open."
 
Campus organizations highlight the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, and to celebrate, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center at Mississippi State University is hosting multiple events to highlight Hispanic and Latino culture. Kei Mamiya, assistant director of HCDC, said the main annual event for Hispanic Heritage Month is Salsa in the Streets. The Latino Student Association, Ballroom Dance Club and HCDC will host the fun, unique activity to showcase Latino and Hispanic cultures. Salsa in the Streets will allow participants to learn dances from Latin American countries and enjoy food from local restaurants. To provide a more enriching experience for MSU students, Mamiya said he wanted the HCDC to collaborate with various campus organizations to create a successful month of events. In addition to hosting Salsa in the Streets, Mamiya encourages students to follow the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center on social media and look at the activities calendar on Cowbell Connect to learn about other opportunities to experience new cultures. Alongside HCDC, the International Student Advisory Board is sponsoring several events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Clayton Lott, a junior electrical engineering student, said he appreciates the welcoming atmosphere MSU provides by hosting multi-cultural events. "Mississippi State helps welcome Hispanic people by being a culturally diverse place open to those of all backgrounds," Lott said. "Since America is such a melting pot of culture, it is very important to shine a light … so we can appreciate what we have and where we came from."
 
State's mostly good corn crop nears harvest's end
Mississippi's corn crop faced challenges ranging from a midseason flood to an early-September hurricane, but yields and quality look positive on the nearly complete harvest. On Sept. 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the crop was 75% harvested. Its most recent evaluation indicated 84% was in either good or excellent condition. Mississippi had about 640,000 acres of corn in 2021. Erick Larson, grain crops specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the state's high corn acreage -- while not reaching the high of 850,000 acres set in 2007 -- was boosted by strong prices and favorable planting conditions. "We had less rainfall than normal during March and April, which promoted corn planting and allowed growers to plant their full intentions, or even exceed those," Larson said. "That is a rare occurrence, as rainfall normally prevents farmers from planting as much corn acreage as intended." Corn will net good prices when it makes it to market. Will Maples, Extension agricultural economist, said there has been great improvement in the corn market since 2020. "The December futures contract peaked above $6 in early May and again in early June, and December futures have consistently traded above $5 since early April," Maples said. "The largest driver in corn prices has been strong export demand."
 
Oktibbeha County will have no tax increase for 2022
Oktibbeha County will officially have no tax increases for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The board of supervisors unanimously approved the proposed budget at its budget hearing Tuesday. Millage rates will decrease slightly from 124.67 to 124.61 next fiscal year, which begins on October 1. The value of a mill has grown due to growth in the county, District 5 Supervisor and Board President Joe Williams said. The value of one mill this year is $422,822, compared to last year's $418,389. "There will be an increase in the value of a mill, so we don't have to change the value of the mill itself," Williams said. "We just look forward to having this increase and not having to raise the millage rate." The overall projected property tax revenue for the 2021-2022 fiscal year is $52,070,019 with $43,405,097 proposed expenditures. The county has been in continuous talks with Madison-based company Government Consultants over the past few months on how to fund capital improvements. Based on their recommendations, County Administrator Delois Farmers shifted 1 mill to finance larger projects. She removed half of a mill from both the general county fund and the countywide bridge fund and placed it into the 2017 road fund, bringing that fund to 4 mills. "That is where that 1 mil has been put for capital projects," Farmer said. "... That is where we are able to use those funds to build county roads or buildings or whatever it may be."
 
Brookville Garden owner sues Starkville and Spruill
The city of Starkville and Brookville Garden Apartments remain in legal negotiations after a judge last week issued a temporary restraining order barring the city from demolishing certain buildings which have been deemed a "menace." According to paperwork filed in federal court on Aug. 30, Brookville Schoolhouse Road Estates, LLC filed suit against the city and Mayor Lynn Spruill, claiming it had not been properly notified of building demolitions at Brookville Garden Apartments in Starkville and was not given adequate time to repair the buildings. The board of aldermen unanimously voted on May 18 to demolish buildings 4, 5 and 8 at Brookville Garden deeming them a "menace" to the public health, safety and welfare of the community. Code Enforcement Officer Sarah Perez and Building Official Stein McMullen told aldermen they thoroughly examined these buildings and found conditions unsuitable for public health and safety such as water damage, broken windows, weak floors, roof damage, mold and mildew. All parties involved met in a United States district court in Oxford Thursday to discuss the pending litigation. District Judge Sharion Aycock issued a restraining order against the city from Brookville Garden, effective until Oct. 1; however, in paperwork filed Tuesday, Spruill said she, the city and Brookville Schoolhouse Road Estates are in negotiations for a forbearance agreement on the potential to find a solution to hold off on demolition until they can sell the property.
 
Biden's team tightens grip on state use of Covid antibody treatments
The Biden administration is imposing new limits on states' ability to access to Covid-19 antibody treatments amid rising demand from GOP governors who have relied on the drug as a primary weapon against the virus. Federal health officials plan to allocate specific amounts to each state under the new approach, in an effort to more evenly distribute the 150,000 doses that the government makes available each week. The approach is likely to cut into shipments to GOP-led states in the Southeast that have made the pricey antibody drug a central part of their pandemic strategy, while simultaneously spurning mask mandates and other restrictions. That threatens to heighten tensions between the Biden administration and governors like Florida's Ron DeSantis, who have emerged as vocal opponents of the federal Covid-19 response. President Joe Biden has sharply criticized DeSantis and others for resisting efforts to encourage mask wearing and ramp up vaccinations. Still, until recently, the administration had shipped the antibody treatments to states on an as-needed basis --- with top health officials in early August going as far as encouraging those battling the Delta surge to seek even more supply. But demand from a handful of southern states has exploded since then, state and federal officials said, raising concerns they were consuming a disproportionate amount of the national supply. Seven states -- Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama -- accounted for 70 percent of all orders in early September.
 
Biden to Meet With Top Executives on Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate
President Biden is expected to meet Wednesday with executives from companies including Walt Disney Co. , Microsoft Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. to advance his Covid-19 vaccination requirements for the private sector. The White House meeting comes after a plan Mr. Biden announced last week designed to bring the pandemic under control, which includes vaccine requirements affecting roughly 100 million workers. Attendees are expected to discuss how they are expanding requirements at their companies and institutions and how mandates have driven up vaccinations among employees, a White House official said. "In order for us to get back to any kind of a normal business and life experience, people have to get vaccinated," said Columbia Sportswear Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tim Boyle, who is attending the meeting. The White House official said other participants include Microsoft President Brad Smith, Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer and Greg Adams, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente. Also expected to attend are Louisiana State University President William Tate; Madeline Bell, the president and CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Business Roundtable President and CEO Josh Bolten ; and Molly Moon Neitzel, the founder and CEO of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream. Mr. Biden’s plans have drawn opposition from many Republican governors, who have threatened to sue the administration. On Tuesday, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed a lawsuit against the requirements for businesses with more than 100 employees, arguing they are unconstitutional.
 
Senate committee to study Mississippi's low public school teacher pay
The Senate Education Committee will hear from experts about Mississippi's teacher pay structure, which by most measures trails all Southern states and the rest of the nation. While most Mississippi politicians have touted their commitment to a pay raise for public school teachers, Wednesday's hearing will be the first comprehensive legislative study of the issue in several years. "I am just trying to glean, learn as much information as possible about teacher pay and the benefits that go with the salary teachers receive," said Senate Education Committee Chair Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville. DeBar added, "We are looking at what we can do to retain teachers and entice education students to go into teaching." Those scheduled to appear at the Senate Education Committee meeting Wednesday at the Capitol include a representative of the Southern Regional Education Board, who presumably will discuss how the pay for Mississippi teachers lags behind the regional average, and state economist Corey Miller. Also scheduled are representatives from the Public Employees Retirement System and from the state health insurance program, both of whom will talk about the benefits package that teachers receive. No Mississippi teacher is on the agenda to speak before the committee this week. Teachers were asked to provide written comments ahead of time.
 
Reeves releases task force report on Mississippi teacher shortage and economic future
In the 50-page report released by Reeves from the Mississippi Governor's Human Capital Task Force it details how leaders in Mississippi should collaborate to reform and improve teacher pay as well as expanding the opportunities to the profession, and provide support for new and experienced teachers. Currently the state reports teacher shortages at all grade levels for the 2021-22 school year. Those subjects specifically lacking qualified teachers include mathematics, science, special education and world languages. Up to 45% of teachers in the South leave the field before completing their fifth year in the classroom according to the report. They cite many reasons for the departure that include poor working conditions, lack of support, overwhelming stress, and inadequate pay and benefits. "Teachers play a critical role in the long-term success of our state and country, and my administration will be unwavering in its commitment to ensuring they have what's needed to teach the next generation of leaders," said Governor Tate Reeves. "First things first, teachers deserve a raise and I'll do everything in my power to ensure it happens quickly." The task force includes teachers, local school superintendents, education professors and deans, a university president, state Board of Education members, State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright and other Mississippi Department of Education representatives, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Foundation and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
 
State economist refutes politicians' claim that Mississippi cannot afford Medicaid expansion
The most common refrain of prominent Mississippi elected officials who have long rejected the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act -- that the state cannot afford the costs of the program -- was refuted this week by the state's leading economic expert. State Economist Corey Miller, a researcher employed by the state's public university system, released a comprehensive report this week showing that expanding Medicaid would effectively pay for itself and the state would incur no new expenditures. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would cover 90% of the health care costs related to expansion, while Mississippi would have to cover 10%. The economists found that the 10% state match would be more than covered by health care-related savings to the state and new tax revenue generated. Two of Mississippi's most prominent elected officials -- Gov. Tate Reeves and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn -- oppose Medicaid expansion, repeating that the state cannot afford the costs. But this week's research directly refutes their claim for Mississippi, one of just 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid. "Based on our estimates of the costs and savings associated with Medicaid expansion, Mississippi could enter Medicaid expansion in 2022 and incur little to no additional expenditures for at least the first decade of expansion," Miller and senior economist Sondra Collins wrote in the report. What's at stake, the researchers found, is providing health care coverage to between 228,000 and 233,000 Mississippians who are not currently insured.
 
Federal lawsuit filed by Coast leaders regarding damages due to Bonnet Carré opening dismissed
A portion of the lawsuit filed by Coast cities, counties and organizations in response to the 2019 opening of the Bonnet Carré spillway was dismissed in federal court this week. Judge Louis Guirola Jr. ruled on Monday that the court had no authority to compel a new study from the Mississippi River Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding damages from the spillway opening. Harrison and Hancock counties, the cities of Biloxi, D'Iberville, Waveland, Diamondhead, and Pass Christian, and the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association and Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, Inc. filed the lawsuit in late 2019 after the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway caused the devastating algal bloom in the Mississippi Sound. South Mississippi businesses and tourism overall were negatively affected by the 2019 opening of the spillway and the resulting algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico due to the freshwater intrusion, even leading to a fisheries disaster declaration by the U.S. Department of Commerce petitioned by Gov. Phil Bryant. The economic damage to coastal fishing communities, local governments, and tourism-related businesses is still not fully known, but the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has estimated the financial impacts to fisheries alone as over $160 million. Earlier this year, the Commission on Marine Resources met to finalize requests to the federal government for $21 million in Bonnet Carré disaster relief. The money will go toward improving conditions for oyster harvesting, exploring Bonnet Carré mitigation procedures as well as money directly into the pockets of fishermen and businesses affected by the spillway opening.
 
Pope: No place for politics in Biden Communion flap
Pope Francis said Wednesday that Catholic bishops must minister to politicians who back abortion with "compassion and tenderness," not condemnation, and warned that they shouldn't let politics enter into questions about receiving Communion. Francis was asked en route home from Slovakia about the debate in the U.S. church about whether President Joe Biden and other politicians should be denied Communion because of their stances on abortion. U.S. bishops have agreed to draft a "teaching document" that many of them hope will rebuke Catholic politicians, including Biden, for receiving Communion despite their support for abortion rights. Francis declined to give a "yes" or "no" answer, saying he didn't know the U.S. case well enough. He repeated that abortion was "homicide," and that Catholic priests cannot give the Eucharist to someone who is not in communion with the church. He cited the case of a Jew, or someone who isn't baptized or who has fallen away from the church. Most importantly, he said, was that priests and bishops must respond pastorally and not politically to any problem that comes before them. He said they must use "the style of God" to accompany the faithful with "closeness, compassion and tenderness." "And what should pastors do? Be pastors, and not go condemning, condemning," Francis said.
 
ASB Senate passes resolution on UM COVID-19 policies
The Associated Student Body Senate voted Tuesday evening to pass a resolution recognizing the University of Mississippi faculty senate's "Resolution on the University of Mississippi's COVID-19 vaccination policy." The faculty senate's resolution, passed by the body on Sept. 7, calls on the University of Mississippi administration to implement a campus wide vaccination mandate. In passing this resolution, the ASB Senate recognizes and supports the faculty senate's resolution. The resolution reads, "Therefore, be it enacted that the ASB Senate support the faculty senate's resolutions and call for a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for all students, faculty, and staff, with exemptions allowed by law and policy." The ASB Senate resolution, SR 21-10, now moves to Dean of Students Brent Marsh, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Charlotte Fant Pegues and Chancellor Glenn Boyce for their individual consideration. The senate body was split on the matter, and the vote was close. The body passed the resolution 26 to 18, narrowly meeting the two-thirds majority required to pass it. Senator Cole Wood voted no on the resolution, citing the lack of support from his constituents. "I have spoken to my constituents about this issue as much as I can and every single person I've asked has said no, adamantly," Wood said. "They do not want the vaccine mandate, they do not want any further steps -- they don't want any further steps period."
 
Auburn students protest sexual assault, University response
Auburn students held a protest at Toomer's Corner Tuesday night raising awareness of sexual assault and protesting Auburn University's response to the three sexual assault reports that have been made in the past week. From Sept. 8-14, Auburn Campus Safety and Security sent three emails regarding instances of sexual misconduct that have been reported on Auburn's campus, including two reported rapes on campus. The latest report, sent out Sept. 14, detailed a rape that was reported to have occurred at a fraternity house on Friday, Sept. 10. In the email, Campus Safety did not name the fraternity where the assault occurred, which left some Auburn students feeling frustrated and unprepared against future assaults. Tuesday afternoon, discussion broke out in an unofficial Auburn safety GroupMe, and a gathering was organized to protest Auburn's response and handling of the three sexual assaults that have been reported in the past seven days. Jordan Musantry, junior in marketing, was the first to suggest holding a protest at Toomer's Corner, but others quickly began expressing interest in support of a peaceful protest in downtown Auburn. The protest began at 7:30 p.m., and participants were requested to wear red and make signs to show support for the victims of sexual assault.
 
Kentucky college grads earn more than students who don't go to college
College graduates in Kentucky make more money than students who did attend or graduate from college, a report from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education shows. The report tracked over 43,600 Kentucky students from the time they graduated high school in 2011 to 2019. By 2019, students who earned a bachelor's degree or associate degree were making more annually than those students who did not have a postsecondary degree, even after factoring in the cost of attending college and fewer years of full-time employment. "The evidence is clear, and it's compelling," said CPE President Aaron Thompson. "Higher education pays for those who earn college credentials in Kentucky, despite a growing narrative that tells us that it's not worth the time and money." High school graduates in the cohort made the least, with a median salary of $29,478 in 2019. Students who earned a certificate or diploma earned $37,369, students with an associate degree earned $38,268, and students who graduated in four years with a bachelor's degree earned $41,915. The differences in earnings grew more pronounced over time, according to the report. Nearly 44% of graduates with a bachelor's degree rank in the highest income percentiles of Kentucky earners, falling in the 75th percentile or above.
 
UCWGA protest against USG COVID-19 policies draws support, counterprotesters
A United Campus Workers of Georgia protest against COVID-19 protocols drew a crowd of about 50 demonstrators and 30 counterprotesters to Tate Plaza Monday. The University of Georgia's chapter of UCWGA is one of 26 across the state university system hosting weeklong protests jointly with the American Association of University Professors. UCWGA is demanding that the University System of Georgia implement a mask mandate inside campus facilities, as well as a vaccine mandate with regular testing for those with medical or religious vaccine exemptions. A group of about 30 counterprotesters clashed with the UCWGA group when they arrived in the plaza to oppose more COVID-19 protocols. The anti-mask and vaccine mandate rally was hosted by the Athens Anti-Mandate group. The counterprotestors carried signs, some of them stating "my body, my choice." "We are not against masks and vaccines, we are just against the force of a mandate." said Clarissa Beck, a junior risk management and insurance major. "I haven't gotten vaccinated due to religious reasons. I am Catholic and the vaccine mandate goes against what I believe ... We should have the freedom to choose."
 
Donation establishes resource center for U. of Missouri student entrepreneurs
By funding the Robert and Shelly Griggs Family Innovators Nexus in the University of Missouri Student Center, Robert Griggs said he hopes to support entrepreneurial students as he was supported there. The $450,000 donation to the innovation center brings the family's total donations to $1.16 million. Graduating from MU in 1977, Griggs two years later started Trinity Products, a manufacturer of large-scale, spiral-welded pipes. Annual sales for the 200-employee, St. Charles-based company are $250 million. The pipes are used in large construction projects, including bridges, he said. "It's just a great honor for us to be able to help," Griggs said. "We don't give because we want to receive. We give because it feels good." He's been giving to the athletic department for around 35 years and to the business school for 20-plus years, he said after a formal presentation ceremony. "This has always been a passion for me," Griggs said. "Mizzou changed my life." He loves to return to see students and hear their ideas, he said. He was a judge when MU student Libby Martin made her business pitch for a collar for pregnant cows that transmits data to a mobile phone app. "You know someone's an entrepreneur when you hear an idea and you say to yourself, 'Why didn't I think of that?'" he said. That was what he said when Martin pitched her idea, now the company Calving Technologies.
 
Student leader criticizes Rhodes College after racist incident was 'so loud' but response was 'a whisper'
Rhodes College is investigating after students reported racist and anti-Semitic incidents on campus a few weeks into the fall semester. In one instance, a banana was taped to the door of a dorm room of two Black students, one student organization has said. The organization, Men of Distinction, called for more swift and public response by the college. Interim President Carroll D. Stevens wrote to campus last Friday: "Whatever the intentions when actions or words make members of our community feel unsafe or unwelcome, they do not align with our values as a college community." "It is incumbent on every member of our community," he continued, "to learn not only how to avoid inflicting these harms but also to intervene actively when we witness them within our community." The president's letter did not specify particular incidents on campus, but said the incidents made Black and Jewish students in particular feel unsafe. Kofi Whitehead, student president of Men of Distinction, immediately called leaders of the organization together. He knew the students targeted by the incident that occurred on Labor Day, but acknowledges it could have been "any of us."
 
Largest colleges push student vaccines with mandates, prizes
At most of the largest U.S. public universities, students are under no obligation to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Some schools do require vaccines, but with leniency for those who opt out. Still others have expelled students who do not comply. As a new semester begins amid a resurgence of the coronavirus, administrators and faculty nationwide see high vaccination rates as key to bringing some normalcy back to campus. Where mandates face political opposition, schools are relying on incentives and outreach to get more students vaccinated. An analysis by The Associated Press shows 26 of the nation's 50 largest public university campuses are not requiring vaccination, representing roughly 55% of students enrolled at those schools. The AP looked at the largest campuses by 2019-2020 enrollment that offer on-campus housing and award bachelor's degrees. Universities with vaccine mandates are concentrated in the Northeast and California. Almost all of those without mandates are in states that have restricted the ability to implement COVID-19 vaccine requirements, including Florida, Texas and Arizona.
 
Days After Biden's Vaccination Order, Most Colleges Are Still in the Dark
Five days after President Biden announced sweeping Covid-19 vaccination and testing requirements for large employers and federal contractors, colleges and legal experts are still trying to figure out how the new policies will affect higher education. But experts say Biden's mandates could give many higher-ed leaders the tools -- and, perhaps, the political cover -- to do something that they already wanted to do. Biden has directed the Department of Labor to publish an emergency rule affecting private-sector employers with 100 or more employees, which must require those workers to be vaccinated or to be tested weekly for the virus. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known as OSHA, could dole out fines of nearly $14,000 per violation. The American Council on Education, higher ed's main lobbying group, has been briefed by the White House on Biden's plans, said Terry Hartle, senior vice president for government relations and public affairs. Many of the specifics remain in flux, Hartle said: "This is an unprecedented requirement." About 700 colleges already require their employees to be vaccinated, according to a Chronicle database. Biden also announced that all federal contractors would have to mandate vaccines, with no ability to opt for regular testing instead. Lots of public and private institutions are federal contractors. But it's not clear whether all of those colleges' faculty and staff members will be required to get vaccinated.
 
Forceful vaccine messages backfire with holdouts -- how can it be done better?
With the FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the continued surge of the delta variant, governments across the world have renewed their push to increase the number of vaccinated individuals by persuading the holdouts. On Sept. 9, 2021, President Joe Biden announced sweeping vaccine mandates, expressing frustration at the vaccine holdouts: "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us." As a communication scientist who has studied the effects of media and health campaigns for the past 30 years, I worry that a fevered pitch in vaccine messaging may make the holdouts even more resistant. The direct, blunt messages to go get vaccinated that worked on three-quarters of Americans may not work for the remaining one-quarter. If anything, they might backfire. Research has shown that some health communication techniques work more effectively than others depending on the audience. It's a lesson that not only policymakers can apply but also members of the media, industry and even parents and relatives. ... A communication strategy that is sensitive to psychological reactance could empower the holdouts to willingly get vaccinated instead of grudgingly comply with a mandate.
 
Search for minority graduate students may not be easy
Enrollment rates in graduate and professional education programs were healthy during the last year -- even amid the pandemic. Graduate enrollments showed small gains for both semesters of the last academic year, when undergraduate enrollment dipped. But a new report released today from EAB, a consulting group for schools and colleges, warns that colleges should not count on continued increases in graduate enrollment. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics projects that colleges will lose 1 percent of graduate enrollment each year from now until 2029. In particular, the EAB study focuses on minority graduate and professional school students. The report -- based on a survey of 2,234 adults who are current or potential graduate students -- found that minority students are more likely than white students to say that the pandemic changed their plans, moving them away from graduate school. "More than half of Asian students surveyed said the pandemic impacted their education plans. African, African American, and Black students were also unequally impacted by the pandemic, with 45 percent of students in this group indicating COVID-19 affected their plans to pursue graduate education," the report said. Over all, 52.4 percent of Asian potential students said the pandemic affected their potential to go to graduate school, compared to 44.5 percent of Black people and 30.6 percent of Latinx people. Among white people, only 25.3 percent said the pandemic has affected their graduate school plans. (The vast majority of graduate and professional students are pursuing master's degrees and not Ph.D.s.)
 
3 Things New Federal Data Reveal About How Colleges Fared During the Pandemic
Newly released data by the National Center for Education Statistics provides a highly anticipated look at how the coronavirus upended colleges' enrollment, staffing, and finances during the past academic year. The data underscore what has trickled out about institutions over the last 18 months: indicators of plummeting enrollment with warning signs for equity, fears of colleges' faltering finances, and signs of their shrinking academic work forces. The new federal data are also notable because they reveal how these trends affected specific colleges. The new data, some of which is for the 2020 fiscal year and some for fall 2020 -- the first full semester after the pandemic began -- is preliminary and was released "as an exception," because of the "high level of interest" in how the coronavirus affected higher education, according to a news release from the Institute of Education Sciences, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education. As colleges begin another academic year under the specter of the pandemic, here are three takeaways from the data: Revenue from room and board and other auxiliary services took a hit at public colleges. First-time freshmen didn't enroll in their typical numbers, with two-year colleges faring the worst. Part-time instructors bore some of the steepest cuts in the academic work force.
 
New federal data confirm enrollment declines
Preliminary data released by the federal government today reaffirmed that colleges and universities lost hundreds of thousands of students last year as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on fall 2020 enrollments, particularly at community colleges. The new data, which also break down enrollment by state, shed light on some of the other ramifications of the pandemic, including changes in student retention rates, number of employees and institutional revenue. College and university enrollment nationwide fell by 651,774 student -- a decline of more than 3 percent -- from fall 2019 to fall 2020, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Higher education institutions also had 151,627 fewer employees in fall 2020 compared to the previous fall, employing 3,867,250 full-time and part-time employees, down from 4,018,877 in fall 2019. Some institutions experienced enrollment increases, however. Enrollment at public four-year institutions increased by 61,624 students, a less than 1 percent boost. The overall student body for all higher ed institutions in 2020 was 48.9 percent white, 12 percent Black, 18.7 percent Latinx, 0.6 percent Native American and 6.7 percent Asian. But for-profit institutions enrolled high percentages of Black and Latinx students -- 24.7 percent and 18 percent respectively.
 
'Deaths of Despair' Worsen Among Americans Lacking College Degrees
In the U.S., a four-year degree is increasingly a "talisman" against deaths related to suicide and economic hardship, according to a new research paper that offers a stark verdict on the current economy. While the suicide rate almost doubled among White non-Hispanics without a bachelor's degree in the 1992-2019 period to about 31 per 100,000 people, there was almost no increase among those with a degree, economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton wrote in their September paper. Covid-19 likely exacerbated deaths of despair from opioid overdoses -- already increasing pre-pandemic -- as people grew more isolated and more fentanyl showed up in other drugs. The broader issue, though, is that the U.S. economy and society "are no longer providing the basis for a good life" for the less-educated. "Even if the opioid epidemic is brought under control," the researchers wrote, "the underlying despair is likely to remain. The prospects for less-educated Americans remain bleak unless there are fundamental changes in the way that the American economy operates." The two economic scholars -- a married couple -- last year had a New York Times bestseller in their book entitled "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism."
 
Robinhood Is Going on a College Tour to Recruit New Customers
Robinhood Markets Inc., the go-to trading app for young investors, wants its user base to get even younger. The digital brokerage is kicking off a nationwide marketing campaign Wednesday that is designed to turn more college students into Robinhood customers. Robinhood will give students who sign up for brokerage accounts using their school email address $15 to trade, and enter them into a $20,000 giveaway. Robinhood executives will tour campuses of community colleges and historically black colleges and universities this fall. Millions of users downloaded the Robinhood app earlier this year to buy and sell shares in GameStop Corp. and other hot stocks. Many were novice investors. Robinhood reported earlier this year that its median user was 31 years old and that more than half of its customers hadn't previously had a brokerage account. Robinhood already has more than 3.8 million student customers. Lately, though, trading activity has started to slow across the industry. Aparna Chennapragada, Robinhood's product chief, said that the marketing push is a continuation of Robinhood's long-term mission to make investing accessible to people who hadn't historically participated in the markets. The campaign, she said, is about "meeting the next generation where they are" and communicating that by starting young, college students can enjoy the benefits of compound returns over decades. Courting students is tricky for Robinhood. Critics say the app has turned trading into a game-like experience that encourages unsophisticated investors to take risks they don't understand.
 
Reckoning eludes final surviving member of the Carl Parker family in Quitman County
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: Randall Scott Parker is finally, mercifully at peace and a family circle violently broken 31 years ago is once again unbroken. A month ago, I wrote about the sad story of the Carl "Bubba" Parker family in Quitman County and of Scott Parker -- the lone surviving son who maintained the lonely vigil of waiting for what he believed was justice for his murdered family. Mutual friends in the Delta notified me last week that Scott Parker, 56, died Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, at Greenwood Leflore Hospital in Greenwood -- a victim of COVID-19. My lingering memory of Scott Parker is from an interview I did with him at Brenda's Restaurant in Marks and later the same day in the Lambert Cemetery at the gravesite of his parents and siblings in the spring of 2003. He was an affable, friendly man carrying around an incredible burden of loss and pain. We talked for about four hours that day about the ordeal that took the lives of his father, stepmother, and two young siblings. We talked about the impact the crime had on Scott's life and that of his brother, Dean Parker. Dean has since died of cancer. The story I wrote from our interview was focused on the concept of indigent defense -- the provision of competent legal counsel for those defendants who cannot afford it. Scott Parker was an unlikely supporter of that concept based on his family's hard experiences in waiting to travel the labyrinth of state and federal appeals by the two individuals convicted and sentenced to death for murdering his family in one of the more heinous crimes in Mississippi history.


SPORTS
 
Starkville Fire Department honors 9/11 victims with Davis Wade Stadium stair climb
Starkville's firefighters, as they've done the past 18 years, took on the Davis Wade Stadium stairs prior to Mississippi State's game against N.C. State last Saturday. Their goal: to climb 110 flights of stairs, or 2,071 steps, to commemorate New York's first responders on 9/11 anniversaries. Participants stock up with the full gear and make the tread up and down the outside of the stadium's concourse in the mid-September Starkville heat. They don't do it for personal gain. They do it so those who risked their lives or families of victims can see their sacrifices aren't forgotten. "Our true calling, to me as a fireman, is to sacrifice," Starkville Fire Department Lt. Brian Arnett said. "It's putting others above my own needs at times. It's a solemn reminder of what that's like -- the fact that people did that in such a huge way." Arnett didn't get a firefighter job he applied for prior to 9/11, but the attacks only motivated him more to strive toward this job. He finally became a firefighter when he was 32 years old. "If you want the world to be a better place, then it's up to you to make it a better place," Arnett said. "How you do that is when you sacrifice your own comfort for the good of other people."
 
Humphrey Coliseum project, DWS end zone ideas reflect more ambitious MSU mindset
Should Mississippi State add another non-conference win, next weekend's visit from Louisiana State ought have Davis Wade Stadium close to complete capacity. A check today of HailState.com does show tickets remain available either side of Scott Field. The north end zone sections are taken, as are of course all premium seats, suites, and club levels. So, too, the field-level booths behind the south end zone, too. The placement and for that matter appearance does not hurt their popularity with residents. The look and locale do have most other observers wondering when will Mississippi State turn serious attention to the venue's south end. In fact, the University and athletic department already are thinking in this direction. As published prior to 2021 kickoff, president Dr. Mark Keenum reports ongoing discussions of ideas and even meetings with architects. As quoted then, "We've...looked at different ideas. It's still I would say in the very early planning phase. This is more of an idea phase. What it would look like, what's our priority for this?" As in, more premium seating, adding general seating, updating the appearance, or all the above and more.
 
One drive showed how Mississippi State football's Austin Williams, Jaden Walley complement each other
When Mississippi State football's depth chart was first released, immediate attention turned toward the "or" between slot receivers Austin Williams and Jaden Walley. Walley was coming off an impressive freshman season, pulling down a team-high 718 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 52 catches -- and he posted four straight games with at least 100 receiving yards toward the end of the campaign. Williams brings experience, though, and had 372 yards and three scores last year for the Bulldogs. "I think it's pretty close," coach Mike Leach said last week when asked about the competition between Walley and Williams. "I think Austin measures out quite well. Jaden's explosive, but Austin's more consistent. I think they're pretty even." But a six-play sequence in Saturday's 24-10 victory against NC State showed there doesn't necessarily need to be a competition between Walley and Williams. They can play at the same time. And although they did so for just a small sample size in the second game of the season, the results hinted at the value of having both receivers line up beside one another for Mississippi State (2-0) on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN2) at Memphis (2-0).
 
For Memphis' Rodrigues Clark, Jalil Clemons, facing Mississippi State is personal
When Rodrigues Clark and Jalil Clemons signed with Memphis in December 2018, they did so eyeing a date nearly three years away. Sept. 18, 2021 against Mississippi State. The former Starkville (Mississippi) High School teammates didn't grow up fans of their hometown college. Clark actually didn't have a favorite college team while Clemons liked LSU because a cousin played basketball there. But on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN2), when the Tigers (2-0) host the Bulldogs (2-0), things will be personal at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. "This game was a reason to come to Memphis," Clemons said. "I didn't get an offer from MSU (and) neither did him," added Clark. "So we came to Memphis together to turn it up. Then we'll play Mississippi State and that's going to be the game they really just feel it." Both juniors will try to affect things on either side of the ball. Clark, who started eight games last season at running back, is the Tigers' second-leading rusher with 146 yards behind Brandon Thomas. Clemons, a defensive lineman, played 22 games over two seasons but hopes to make his season debut Saturday. Clark and Clemons grew up attending games at Davis Wade Stadium but they never dreamed of wearing maroon and white in college. When they became three-star recruits in high school, neither saw much interest from the Bulldogs. There's also bragging rights at stake. Clark and Clemons have a pair of former high school teammates at Mississippi State in offensive lineman Kameron Jones and wide receiver Rufus Harvey.
 
Rewatchable: Mississippi State's 2011 rout of Memphis
The opening to the 2011 Mississippi State football season provided continued momentum toward the type of program Dan Mullen was hoping to create in Starkville. MSU was ranked No. 20 to start the year after a 9-4 season featuring a Gator Bowl win in 2010. Quarterback Chris Relf was back for his senior season, Vick Ballard was in the backfield, receivers Chris Smith and Arceto Clark were back and freshman Jameon Lewis provided an X-factor on offense and in the return game. It led up to an exciting year with a trip to Memphis to start, and Mississippi State shined. The Bulldogs pounced on the road, throwing for 336 yards and rushing for 309 more. MSU broke a then-program record by combining for 645 yards on offense en route to a 59-14 win, and big plays were the reason why. It started with a 44-yard pass touchdown to a wide open Chad Bumphis less than four minutes into the game. Relf gave a glimpse into how MSU was feeling heading into that game with the hands-and-shoulders dance he did on his way to celebrate with Bumphis.
 
Mike Leach's NFL comments should resonate with those who do their jobs all the time
Parrish Alford writes for the Daily Journal: Mississippi State linebacker Jett Johnson had the game of his life last Saturday, and it did not go unrecognized by his coach. As Mike Leach continued to harp on the need for greater consistency from his Bulldogs after their 24-10 win over North Carolina State he used Johnson as a road map on how to get there. Johnson, the former Tupelo High School standout, had nine tackles, more than in his two previous MSU seasons combined. He was a big part of an MSU defense that smothered the Wolfpack. MSU cut down on the big plays allowed in its season opener against Louisiana Tech and did not allow the Wolfpack across the goalline until 66 seconds remained in the game. ... "Jett Johnson does a great job of being the same guy every single day every single play. There's a reliability on that, a consistency to that," Leach said. "Guys like that ... the NFL's full of them. The NFL's full of Jett Johnsons, guys that aren't the biggest, aren't the fastest but are great football players. It starts with being the same guy every play, something you can rely on, something you can game plan around, something you can expect every time."
 
Tulane football unveils SEC helmet sticker ahead of Ole Miss game
Is Tulane trolling Ole Miss? The Green Wave's football Twitter account posted a photo Tuesday evening of a helmet spotlighting a helmet sticker that says "SEC CHAMPS 34 39 49." The tweet was punctuated with the hashtag #RollWave. The sticker references Tulane's three Southeastern Conference championships in 1934, 1939 and 1949. Tulane (1-1) was a member of the SEC from 1922-65 before going independent from 1966-95. The program was a part of Conference USA from 1996-2014 before joining the American Athletic Conference. Tulane athletic director Troy Dannen responded to the tweet and said, "Show me more." Could this be a nod to SEC expansion? Interestingly enough, former SEC Commissioner Harvey Schiller said Tulane was at the forefront of expansion from 10 to 12 schools in 1989. "How did the whole expansion start? Actually, the conference had been contacted by some former members, like Tulane," Schiller said. "And a couple of other schools contacted me and said, 'Have you thought about bringing us into the conference?' I started talking to the presidents about the chances of enlarging the conference for a variety of reasons, including territories, TV and so forth." Expansion didn't happen until Roy Kramer took over as commissioner, when the SEC added Arkansas and South Carolina to its roster of 10 member schools.
 
COVID-19 vaccine expert not as concerned about full stadiums as people not getting shots
If you're someone who looks at full NFL stadiums and worries they are potentially superspreading events, you are far from alone. If you see people in close quarters watching baseball inside a full stadium and believe COVID-19 gives that a huge thumbs up, well, one of the best immunologists in the world says don't panic. "If you have a stadium full of people and many of them are vaccinated, they will be protected, and others will be protected, from serious illness," said Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, one of the creators of the Moderna vaccine, in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. "There are some concerns," she said. "People who study what we do worry about things like people screaming at the top of their lungs in stadiums. But overall I'm not as concerned about stadiums as I am about things like young people who fail to take vaccination seriously." That's the encouraging part. What she says next is eye-opening. Corbett believes that COVID-19 will become a permanent part of life. Instead, she said, of the virus killing 600,000 people, it may kill 50,000 a year, and become more like the flu. "Would you close a stadium for the flu?" she asked. "The virus is here to stay," she said. "We are beyond the phase of elimination of the virus." Corbett is the Shutzer Assistant Professor at Harvard's Radcliffe Institute. She's also the assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Corbett's entrance in the sports world comes at a time where large swaths of it embraces vaccines and the science.



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