| Wednesday, July 26, 2023 |
| MSU sets new state record for fundraising success | |
 | An individual $100 million donation helped Mississippi State University raise nearly $260 million in fiscal year 2023, surpassing all previous single-year fundraising records among the state's public institutions of higher education. The university marked its 10th straight year of receiving $100 million or more in gifts and achieved $259.9 million in the last fiscal year. "This unprecedented level of support for Mississippi State University is an extraordinary investment in the people and communities we serve. We are proud to have earned the faith and trust of our friends and alumni who recognize how we are taking care of what matters and who also know we will be good stewards of their gifts," MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. Keenum said the unprecedented support for Mississippi State University is an investment in the people and communities the university serves. "These gifts will positively impact our state for generations to come as more Mississippians gain access to scholarships, campus resources and hands-on education, research and service opportunities, enabling more students to pursue and earn their degrees, compete for future jobs, and serve their communities," Keenum said "I am so grateful to the Mississippi State family for supporting our university and our work." |
| Teachers face simulated gunfire, without warning, during drill | |
 | Teachers at Sudduth Elementary arrived Thursday knowing some type of safety training was in store. As they went about the duties of preparing for the upcoming school year, sounds of gunfire on the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District campus broke their normal routine. A teacher's assistant, who was with a group of employees headed to the gymnasium for a safety meeting when she heard the shots, said she believed they were "100% real." "We started running to the safest spots that we could," said the teacher's assistant, who spoke with The Dispatch anonymously due to concerns of retaliation. "I was very frightened. We were very caught off guard. No one knew what was happening. We just knew that we needed to stick together and find the safest possible place for each and every one of us." The shots were real, but the bullets were blanks, fired from a school resource officer's handgun, District Police Liaison Sammy Shumaker told The Dispatch. It was a type of active shooter drill the teachers didn't know was coming. SPD Chief Mark Ballard confirmed none of his officers were present at SOCSD's campus active shooter training this year and wouldn't comment on specific methods used. However, he said simulated gunfire is used to train Starkville Police Department officers. "You cannot adequately train unless you're doing what you can to simulate the environment you're going to be placing your people in," Ballard said. |
| Terminal expansion project at Golden Triangle Regional Airport slated to start by fall | |
| The Golden Triangle Regional Airport will soon begin its terminal expansion project after securing the final 2.5% of funding it needed to complete it. Executive Director Matt Dowell told The Dispatch the construction project will begin in a few months. The airport recently received a $432,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to assist with the $12 million project. GTRA previously received an $11.3 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration in July 2022 to build out the terminal, which covered 95% of the project. The airport is also putting up 2.5% from its passenger revenue. "It's a great feeling to get all the funding pieces together for the project," Dowell said. "The state funding is very important to airports like ours where they can help us with our funding so we don't have the burden of trying to come up with such a large amount on an impactful project." The project will include a second-floor area built on top of the concrete roof lining extending out from the existing terminal, a rearrangement of the waiting area, installation of two escalators and an elevator. It will also include a jet bridge, which is an enclosed ramp-like tunnel that many airports use to move passengers from the terminal of the airplane. GTRA now uses an outdoor ramp. |
| For a profitable barge line on the Mississippi, it is 'still too expensive to grow' | |
 | Every year, around 175 million tons of freight travel by barge on the Mississippi River. It's usually a reliable way to get things from north to south or vice versa in the United States. However, just as people across the country are dealing with an unpredictable climate, so are our rivers. Austin Golding is the CEO of the family business Golding Barge Line in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He joined Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal to talk about how the river is faring this season and how business is going. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation. |
| How the heated governor's race debate came together quickly at the 1995 Neshoba County Fair | |
| Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and his Democratic opponent Brandon Presley still have time to agree to debate during this week's Neshoba County Fair political speakings on Wednesday and Thursday. There's precedent for such a quick turnaround. In 1995, incumbent Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice and Democratic opponent Dick Molpus engaged in their historic debate at the Fair's Founders Square Pavilion. No, there has not been serious talk of Presley and Reeves debating at this year's fair. It will not happen. But it was only days before the 1995 political speakings when the memorable debate between Molpus and Fordice was agreed to and completed. "We had by some estimate 10,000 people" watching the debate at the Fair, Molpus recently said during an interview on Mississippi Today's The Other Side podcast. "It was spirited because Kirk Fordice and I did not agree on anything ... It made for a really lively debate." "Everybody was on their feet," said Molpus, a Neshoba County native who grew up going to the annual political speakings. "People were catcalling from all around. It was Neshoba County theater at its very best if you like that kind of stuff, which I do. It was kind of bloodsport as politics go. We both had our say and felt good about it." The next chapter in the Neshoba County political speakings is set for later this week. While no debate is scheduled this year, Presley and Reeves will speak Thursday back to back. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and state Sen. Chris McDaniel, who is challenging Hosemann in the Republican primary, will speak back to back on Wednesday. |
| 2023 Neshoba County Fair prepares for political speeches | |
 | The political speeches at the Neshoba County Fair will start on Wednesday, July 26. Mississippians at the fair will hear from 25 elected officials and candidates. Lt. governor candidates, including incumbent Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, State Senator Chris McDaniel, and Tiffany Longino, will speak on Wednesday. Attendees will also hear from the attorney general candidates, including incumbent Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R-Miss.) and Greta Kemp Martin (D-Miss.), on Wednesday. Gubernatorial candidates, incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) and Brandon Presley (D-Miss.), will take the stage on Thursday. Secretary of State candidates, incumbent Secretary of State Michael Watson (R-Miss.) and Shuwaski Young (D-Miss.), will also speak on Thursday. |
| Northern PSC candidates speak in Union County as Brown starts RV tour, Newman claims race tied | |
 | In the final weeks before a primary election that will select north Mississippi's next utility regulator, both Republican candidates are highlighting contrasts with each other. Launching a six-day RV tour of all 33 counties in the district, Rep. Chris Brown Brown, a Republican state legislator, is highlighting his hardline conservative legislative record on issues like abortion and guns and pledged to serve as a "firewall" protecting ratepayers from national energy policy which he says could threaten local rates and reliability. His opponent for the open seat, Tanner Newman, an official in Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan's administration, touted his municipal development and constituent services experience and criticized what he called Brown's focus on "federal issues that have nothing to do with the office." Newman also said the RV tour is a "stunt" and claimed that his campaign's internal polling shows the race is tied, but he declined to provide the polls. At an event hosted by the Union County Republican Women's Club, common themes did emerge: Both campaigns promise low rates, reliable utilities, expanding rural broadband, and stopping robocalls. However, the candidates are emphasizing very different aspects of their backgrounds and visions for the office. |
| State Senate candidate admittedly voted outside her home precinct. Some say she broke the law. | |
| A Republican candidate for the state Legislature might have publicly admitted to skirting the state's election laws by voting in a city where she didn't actually live, according to her opponent and an election attorney. Lauren Smith, a candidate in the GOP primary for Senate District 6 in Lee County, testified before the Mississippi Republican Party Executive Committee in a Feb. 16 hearing that she has lived in the northern Mississippi town of Saltillo since at least 2018. However, she voted at a Tupelo business address for part of that time. "I want to point out that I might have used the address to vote outside of my district, but it was merely a place of convenience," Smith said. "It was where we had a sawmill, we had our place of business." Her comments surfaced after the district's incumbent senator, Chad McMahan, attempted to kick her off the primary ballot. In a petition he filed earlier this year, McMahan claimed Smith did not meet the statutory requirements to live within the district at least two years before this year's November general election. As part of his evidence, McMahan and his attorney pointed out that Smith used the Tupelo address, located in a different Senate district, to vote in the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 congressional primary election. Still, Smith, at the hearing, insisted she lived in Saltillo during that time. "When I look at the evidence of my opponent and see she's been voting out of district due to convenience for several years, I'm convinced that she's committed voter fraud during multiple election cycles," McMahan told Mississippi Today. |
| Officials juggle several US goals as they award CHIPS money | |
 | Armed with $52 billion, a team of experts drawn from the worlds of finance, science and technology, national security, economic policy, trade and the environment have assembled at the Commerce Department to attempt to reverse a decades-long decline in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. The experts at the CHIPS program office are charged with enticing the world's largest chipmakers to the U.S. to fashion cutting-edge semiconductors used in weapons and supercomputers, as well as in more ordinary devices like thermostats. The goal is to break the dependence that many American manufacturers of missiles, spy satellites, telecom gear and medical devices have on suppliers primarily based in Taiwan and South Korea. In the event of a war or a blockade by China, the worry is that U.S. companies may not get the needed chips. Congress appropriated funding for the effort last year, setting aside about $39 billion for grants and subsidies for chip makers and their suppliers, plus another $11 billion to set up research centers on chip design. To handle the task, the Commerce Department last year launched the new CHIPS office, which also would provide loan guarantees for as much as $75 billion. Morgan Dwyer, the chief strategy officer at the CHIPS office and a former Pentagon official with degrees from Yale, Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sees the complexity of the challenge in the ubiquity of semiconductors in modern life. "The unique nature of the CHIPS program and semiconductors themselves is that they are inherently dual use, and some chips are not only used for military systems, but they also power our economy," Dwyer said in an interview. "We really have to focus on sort of the two core objectives of how we're going to judge our success in 10 years, and that is, did we strengthen national security? And did we also get a good deal for the American taxpayer?" |
| Judge blocks Biden administration's new rules for asylum-seekers at the border | |
 | A federal judge has blocked the Biden administration's new rules for asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in Oakland, Calif., found the rules unlawful because they impose conditions on asylum-seekers that Congress did not intend. Tigar stayed his own ruling for 14 days, giving the Biden administration a chance to appeal before it takes effect. The asylum rules, which took effect in May, make it harder for migrants to get asylum if they cross the border illegally after passing through Mexico or another country without seeking protection there first. Tigar wrote that "noncitizens who enter between ports of entry, using a manner of entry that Congress expressly intended should not affect access to asylum." The judge's decision was not unexpected. At a hearing last week, Tigar joked that he heard somewhere that "2023 was going to be a big year for sequels." Tigar blocked a similar policy during the Trump administration, and immigrant advocates had urged him to do the same in this case. At the hearing last week, a lawyer for the Justice Department argued that the Biden administration's policy is different from the Trump-era version, in part because it's paired with new legal pathways for migrants seeking protection. The Justice Department immediately said it would appeal the ruling. |
| DeSantis cuts a third of his presidential campaign staff as he mounts urgent reset | |
 | Republican presidential contender Ron DeSantis is cutting far more campaign staff than previously thought as he works to reset his stumbling campaign amid unexpected financial trouble. DeSantis, long considered former President Donald Trump's chief rival in the GOP's 2024 primary contest, has cut a third of his campaign staff -- or 38 people, according to campaign aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal campaign strategy. The dramatic staffing cuts include the "less than 10" employees that the DeSantis team revealed letting go earlier in the month just as federal filings showed that his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate, even before launching a substantial paid advertising campaign. Revelations about the staffing cuts came on the same day DeSantis was involved in a multi-car accident on a Tennessee highway in the midst of a fundraising tour. The Florida governor was not hurt, according to his campaign and law enforcement. A female staff member was treated for a minor injury. The latest revelations mark a new low for a presidential candidate who entered the Republican primary this spring with sky-high expectations as Republican primary voters signaled a willingness to move on from Trump. Yet two months later, the 44-year-old DeSantis stands a distant second in most polls as GOP operatives and donors alike question his readiness for the national stage. |
| Anti-vaxxer in chief? DeSantis elevates vaccine skepticism to marquee campaign issue | |
 | Sarah Galloway supports former President Donald Trump, but questions his approach to COVID-19 vaccines. "I didn't take it, I don't want my family to take it," Galloway, who is married with three children, said of the COVID shot. Galloway wants Trump to emulate Gov. Ron DeSantis, who initially promoted the vaccines before voicing increasing skepticism toward what he calls "the jab." "DeSantis, he originally said everybody should go get vaccinated ... then he did a full circle switch and I'm like 'Sweet, I'm glad he's understanding this. Why isn't Trump understanding this?" Galloway said recently after attending a GOP meeting where she lives in Southwest Florida. Galloway's vaccine views are common in the GOP. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending vaccination against COVID-19 for everyone six months and older, and insisting that the benefits outweigh any risks, just 40% of Republicans believe that and a third aren't vaccinated, according to a recent Pew survey. That deep COVID vaccine skepticism is permeating the presidential primary. It has become a leading topic of discussion for some candidates, making 2024 a watershed moment for the anti-vaccine movement. Increasingly prominent in that movement is DeSantis, who may be the most influential public official in the country who has so thoroughly embraced anti-vaccine views. He is highlighting the issue on the campaign trail, questioning the safety of the COVID shot at recent events in Iowa and New Hampshire. The embrace of the anti-vaccine movement by major political figures such as DeSantis, and the movement's growth, could have profound health impacts going forward if skepticism toward all vaccines increases. "That can have huge problematic downstream consequences against the protection of society against various vaccine-preventable diseases," said Timothy Callaghan, a professor of health policy and politics at Boston University who studies vaccine hesitancy. |
| Trump's 'Elite Strike Force Team' Falls on Hard Times | |
 | The scene was instantly infamous. There was Rudy Giuliani -- once "America's Mayor," now a man ridiculed for his servility to Donald Trump -- backed by a small array of American flags at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was flanked by Sidney Powell, a lawyer who shopped around "wackadoodle" theories of election fraud, and Jenna Ellis, a previously obscure attorney from Colorado who dubiously called herself a constitutional lawyer. It was mid-November 2020, and the three of them -- styling themselves as an "elite strike force team" that would secure Trump's reelection through the courts after the effort resoundingly failed at the ballot box -- offered assembled reporters a litany of conspiracy theories, false claims of election fraud, and general nonsense. Eventually, makeup began to drip down Giuliani's sweat-drenched face, prompting widespread mockery throughout the country. It only got worse from there. Powell's preposterous assertions were too much even for the frequently fact-indifferent Trump campaign. Trump's lawyers would proceed to lose miserably in court. And their unfounded claims of a stolen election contributed to an unprecedented siege of the U.S. Capitol. Trump is now on the verge of an indictment for his conduct related to Jan. 6 and his effort to overturn the 2020 election. But would there be any serious repercussions for the attorneys who served as his foot soldiers? Slowly, if not surely, there have been modest signs of a reckoning within the legal profession. |
| Hunter Biden says he still plans to plead guilty after a disagreement about gun charge | |
 | Hunter Biden, the troubled second son of the president, said he intends to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes at the federal courthouse in Delaware on Wednesday morning. The proceedings, however, were paused after about an hour when prosecutors and Biden lawyers hit a disagreement about how a gun-related charge will be handled. The hearing then resumed, during which Hunter Biden said he still intends to plead guilty. The plea agreement was reached by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed by President Donald Trump and allowed to remain by President Joe Biden to oversee the case. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika asked if there were more serious charges that could still be brought at the prosecutors and Hunter Biden's lawyer both said there were not. It is the first time the Justice Department, which falls under the executive branch, has brought charges against the child of a sitting president. The affair has consumed the U.S. political world, particularly Republicans. They have argued Biden has received preferential treatment because of his father, saying he should have been charged for some of his other business dealings. Trump, members of his family and his political allies have weighed in regularly with numerous allegations about his actions. While the deal brought an end to a sweeping five-year investigation that involved federal prosecutors, FBI agents and IRS officials, it is unlikely to hinder the deluge of political commentary. |
| War in Ukraine spurs revolution in drone warfare using AI | |
 | In an open test field in rural Ukraine, a drone equipped with a bomb lost connection with its human operator after coming under attack by electronic jamming equipment -- but instead of crashing to the ground, the drone accelerated toward its target and destroyed it. The drone avoided the fate of thousands of other uncrewed aircraft in this war by relying on new artificial intelligence software that accounts for the electronic interference now commonly deployed by Russia, stabilizing the drone and keeping it locked on a preselected target. AI capabilities help the drone complete its mission even if its target moves, representing a significant upgrade from existing drones that track specific coordinates. Such AI technology, under development by a growing number of Ukrainian drone companies, is one of several innovative leaps underway in Kyiv's domestic drone market that are accelerating and democratizing the lethality of unmanned warfare -- especially crucial for Ukraine's outgunned military, which is fighting a larger and better-equipped Russian enemy. The improvements in speed, flight range, payload capacity and other capabilities are having an immediate impact on the battlefield, enabling Ukraine to destroy Russian vehicles, blow up surveillance posts and even wreck parts of Russian President Vladimir Putin's prized Crimean Bridge in an operation last week involving explosive-laden naval drones. |
| Israel's Tech Companies Are Fighting Netanyahu -- or Leaving the Startup Nation | |
 | Wix and Wiz are quintessential Israeli success stories. Founded in 2010, website builder Wix is one of the country's best-known tech companies, and among the sector's most highly valued on New York's Nasdaq stock exchange. Wiz, a much-hyped cybersecurity company launched a decade later, reached a $10 billion valuation in two years, almost half the time it took the likes of Uber and Snapchat. But the companies' paths are forking. Wix is doubling down on Israel; Wiz is cutting ties. For the past seven months, Israel has been locked in a political crisis. In January, Benjamin Netanyahu -- in his sixth term as prime minister and backed by a coalition that includes far-right parties -- introduced a bill designed to weaken the powers of the country's supreme court. Supporters of the plan say it's needed to prevent the court from intervening in politics. Critics say weakening the reform will erode democracy and hand unchecked power to the government. Despite huge protests, Israel's lawmakers backed the first part of the judicial overhaul this week. This conflict has been felt sharply in the "Startup Nation" -- a name conferred by Israel's influential tech sector. Many tech workers have been involved in protests against the judicial reform bill, and executives have openly expressed fears about the effect it could have on economic and social stability. Before the vote, around 200 tech companies pledged to join the protests. Yesterday, the day after the vote, a group called the Hi-Tech Protest movement paid for ads to black out the front pages of at least four different newspapers, declaring a "black day for democracy." While Israel waits for whatever happens next, protestors have pledged to fight on -- with many tech workers among them. |
| East Central Community College implements new Out-of-School Youth Program | |
 | East Central Community College implemented an Out-of-School Youth Program this year for those ages 16 to 24. The program is for those who are not attending school and looking to get into the workforce. "This program was implemented because we received grant funding through Southern Mississippi planning and development district to be able to provide youth in the surrounding area the opportunity to not only obtain employment but be able to maintain long-term successful employment in the workplace," said ECCC Youth Program Coordinator, Shavonn Pruitt. Youth will take part in a 4-week development course followed by a paid internship with partnering local businesses in the surrounding areas. "We've had some experiences in the past with East Central and they've all been good experiences, but we really needed somebody for the Summer and during this period of time. Something good for young people to know is one gets a thorough application, put your facts out there but then be glad you're having that opportunity to at least be considered," said Community Development Partnership President, David Vowell. Vowell said that's exactly how Searra Wilson presented herself. Wilson is currently serving her time in the program as the Communications Director with the Community Development Partnership in Philadelphia. She said after losing both of her parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, entering the program became a step in the right direction for her life. |
| Douglas Freeze: New regional leader in workforce training, economic development | |
| Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) named Douglas Freeze as its new Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development in January of this year. Freeze came to MDCC from Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, where he served as Director of Workforce Solutions and Community Services. A veteran of the Mississippi community college system, Freeze has served in several capacities over the past 12 years and has worked in higher education for almost 20 years.Freeze's office and base of operation is at the Capps Center in Indianola where he focuses most of his attention. "I am beyond excited to join the MDCC family," said Freeze, upon his arrival. "The outflowing of support by everyone during this transition period has been amazing, and I am fortunate to have an excellent Workforce Education team at the Capps Center. All of the key pieces are in place so we can help our communities to dream big, plan well, and be anything -- it's truly an ideal job. The Capps Center is a regional, and state, leader in workforce development programs, says Freeze. "As the workforce arm of MDCC, we support the economic development of the seven county area in the school's district," says Freeze. "Our focus now is primarily on short-term, pre-employment training. And, honestly, it's thrilling to see all of the activity that is going on here at the Center. One night our security guard even joked to me that our parking lot wasn't big enough!" |
| New school year, new laws. See what will be different this year after legislative actions | |
| With a return to school just around the corner, Mississippi students and parents may soon come face to face with the latest state laws impacting education. Those include funding increases, crack downs on potentially explicit digital materials and a program that seeks to put more firearms in the hands of trained school faculty and others. Some education proposals did not reach the finish line. Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presided over the Senate, had proposed a rewriting of the state's public education funding formula, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, that would also see the program fully funded for the first time in more than 15 years. A compromise between Senate and House leadership led to a roughly $100 million allocation made to the state's public schools separate from the debated-over MAEP formula, which the Legislature again underfunded. Hosemann also championed an expanded grant program for schools that wanted to move to a modified calendar. That did not pass either. Yet, the number of schools operating under such a calendar, with shorter but more common days off, has more than doubled between last school year and the upcoming one, according to previous Clarion Ledger reporting. |
| LSU Vet Med surgeons repair broken wing on ostrich from the Hattiesburg Zoo | |
| Twig, a female ostrich from the Hattiesburg Zoo, sustained an injury and came to the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine for surgery to repair her wing. On the morning of June 8, Hattiesburg Zoo animal care team members noted that Twig was presenting a wing droop on her left side. The team, under the direction of zoo veterinarian Julia MacGregor, immobilized Twig for a full exam including bloodwork and an X-ray, which showed a broken proximal humorous in the left wing with no other injuries noted. "It was a clean break with minimal displacement or movement of the bone fragments, and the bone did not break through the skin, which made Twig a good candidate for repair," MacGregor said. The decision was made to work with the School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching Hospital to repair Twig's broken bone. The choice to take her there was twofold: First, the school has a dedicated zoological medicine service that treats exotic animals, including ostriches, and the zoological medicine service is led by faculty who are experts in their field. "Also under consideration was the task of transporting a 250-pound ostrich to a medical appointment, which is far different than putting your pet dog or cat in your car and taking them to your local veterinarian," said Kristen Moore, Hattiesburg Zoo's animal curator. "Due to the heat and obvious transportation challenges, we wanted to expedite the trip for Twig and keep her safe and comfortable prior to, during and after her treatment." |
| Tuition, fees at colleges set to climb in state | |
| As students return to college campuses around the state next month, they'll be paying more in tuition and fees. But most increases are in the low single digits. Tuition and mandatory fees at Arkansas Tech University will increase an average of 3% at the main Russellville campus -- from $9,681.90 last year to $9,972.30 this year -- and 1.5% at the Ozark campus (from $134 to $136 per semester credit hour). Resident and nonresident graduate/doctoral students will have one rate -- $314.50 per semester credit hour -- an increase of $10 for Arkansas residents from last year, but a decrease from $609 for nonresidents. The University of Central Arkansas is raising tuition and mandatory fees by 3.48% for undergraduate and graduate students. The university's board of trustees approved the increases during a meeting May 25. The cost of tuition and mandatory fees for an undergraduate student for the 2023-24 school year will rise to $10,118, from $9,778 in the 2022-23 academic year, according to UCA. For graduate students, who typically take 12 credit hours per semester, the cost of tuition and mandatory fees will rise to $9,464, from $9,146. Mandatory fee increases include fees for facilities, technology and athletics, according to UCA. Henderson State in Arkadelphia will keep tuition and mandatory fees at $9,450 for the next school year, while the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville -- which has by far the largest enrollment in the state -- is keeping tuition the same for in-state students, although mandatory fees are increasing 4.6%. |
| Patients sue Vanderbilt University Medical Center after trans health records turned over to AG's office in insurance probe | |
 | Two patients have sued the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, alleging the hospital's decision to turn over detailed patient records at the behest of the Tennessee Attorney General's Office has caused them significant distress in a "climate of hostility" toward transgender people in the state. The plaintiffs, who filed under pseudonyms, allege Vanderbilt was negligent and failed to honor its patient contract by turning over a swath of patient records without mounting a legal challenge against Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office. VUMC maintains it was legally required to produce the records to Skrmetti's office, after it deployed a legal tool called a civil investigative demand against the medical center, The Tennessean first reported last month. The AG's office said it is investigating potential medical billing fraud related to VUMC's transgender care, alleging a doctor publicly described manipulating billing to evade "coverage limits." Skrmetti's office called it a "run-of-the-mill" fraud investigation that is focused on providers, not patients, and said private patient health information would remain closely guarded. The lawsuit states the plaintiffs face "significant threats of harassment, harm, and bodily injury from being transgender or perceived as transgender." In a lengthy statement, VUMC said it did not take releasing patient records lightly but said it was "legally compelled" to do so by the state. The sweeping demands from the AG's office alarmed Tennessee LGBTQ advocates over privacy concerns as VUMC has become a lightning rod in an increasingly contentious Tennessee political battle over transgender rights. |
| A&M Faculty Senate calls meeting with Chancellor Sharp after faculty investigation report | |
 | Texas A&M's Faculty Senate Executive Committee has called for A&M Chancellor John Sharp to meet with the full Faculty Senate to discuss political influence in faculty matters after a Texas Tribune article Tuesday outlined the events of an A&M professor who was suspended and accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in a lecture this spring. Speaker Tracy Hammond sent a letter to Sharp and A&M acting president Mark Welsh on Tuesday that asked for the two A&M leaders to meet with the Faculty Senate at their next scheduled meeting on Aug. 12 or at a special meeting called earlier at their request, according to the letter shared with The Eagle. Hammond told Faculty Senate members in an email that Welsh agreed Monday to come to the executive committee's Aug. 7 meeting and the regular meeting on Aug. 14. Hammond noted Welsh reached out to her by phone on Monday. "We recently wrote to you to express our concerns about the appearance of political influence in actions regarding the hiring, tenure, and promotion of faculty," Hammond wrote in the letter to Sharp and Welsh. "Now we find another case in which there is no longer the appearance, but actual evidence, of interference by outside political forces to erode the academic freedom of Texas A&M faculty to dialog with students on socially relevant topics in their area of expertise. "This is not only having a chilling effect on our faculty but is further damaging the national reputation of our university. And it will make it even more difficult to recruit and retain the best and brightest talent." |
| Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in lecture | |
| Joy Alonzo, a respected opioid expert, was in a panic. The Texas A&M University professor had just returned home from giving a routine lecture on the opioid crisis at the University of Texas Medical Branch when she learned a student had accused her of disparaging Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during the talk. In the few hours it took to drive from Galveston, the complaint had made its way to her supervisors, and Alonzo's job was suddenly at risk. "I am in a ton of trouble. Please call me!" she wrote to Chandler Self, the UTMB professor who invited her to speak. Alonzo was right to be afraid. Not only were her supervisors involved, but so was Chancellor John Sharp, a former state comptroller who now holds the highest-ranking position in the Texas A&M University System, which includes 11 public universities and 153,000 students. And Sharp was communicating directly with the lieutenant governor's office about the incident, promising swift action. Less than two hours after the lecture ended, Patrick's chief of staff had sent Sharp a link to Alonzo's professional bio. Shortly after, Sharp sent a text directly to the lieutenant governor: "Joy Alonzo has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation re firing her. shud [sic] be finished by end of week." The text message was signed "jsharp." For free speech advocates, health experts and students, Texas A&M's investigation of Alonzo was a shocking demonstration of how quickly university leaders allow politicians to interfere in classroom discussions on topics in which they are not experts -- and another example of increasing political involvement from state leaders in how Texas universities are managed. |
| Texas A&M Professor Suspended for Allegedly Criticizing Lieutenant Governor | |
 | On Friday morning, Texas A&M University announced its president had retired, citing the ongoing controversy over A&M mishandling the hiring of a Black professor. The already bad public relations worsened as the day went on. The head of the university's Department of Communication and Journalism alleged that, despite now-former president Kathy Banks's statements otherwise, Banks had "injected herself into the process atypically and early on." The Texas Tribune had broken the story on the botched hiring of Kathleen McElroy, a veteran New York Times editor, and national outlets had echoed the allegations that off-campus, conservative backlash to where McElroy had worked and her past diversity, equity and inclusion efforts factored into the fracas. John Sharp, the A&M system chancellor, told the Faculty Senate, which launched an investigation, that he agreed with its concerns about outside influence. He reassured the Senate that "Outside influence is never welcome, nor invited." Laylan Copelin, spokesman for the system, said that the system's "Office of General Counsel is investigating ... We are determined to get to the bottom of what happened and why, learn from the mistakes and do better in the future." But, on Tuesday, The Texas Tribune published another story on conservative political influence affecting a second professor---this time a white woman who was already employed as a professor and whom A&M suspended for something she reportedly said during a lecture on how to stop opioid deaths. A Texas A&M spokeswoman confirmed the Tribune's new reporting Tuesday. This new story directly implicates Sharp, including a text between him and Dan Patrick, the Republican lieutenant governor of Texas who recently pushed failed legislation to end tenure and successful legislation to end DEI programs. And the new story includes the University of Texas Medical Branch, where Professor Joy Alonzo spoke, joining in on criticizing the professor's speech. |
| U. of Missouri researchers use DNA test to selectively breed commercial Angus cattle | |
 | University of Missouri researchers have used a low-cost DNA testing kit to selectively breed commercial Angus cattle for high-quality meat, according to a recently published study. MU researcher Jared Decker, who oversaw the research process, said in a news release that "genomic prediction tools allow farmers to go from not knowing the pedigree or any of the animal's performance data to taking a DNA sample and receiving a very accurate prediction as to the heifer's genetic merit." While genomic prediction has previously been successful with seedstock cattle -- animals with documented pedigrees -- this is "the first time it's shown to work in a sample of commercial cattle," the university said in a news release. This development could give Missourians a "competitive market advantage" in beef production, the release said. Researchers used a commercially-available Zoetis GeneMax Advantage for their study. The tests cost $28 each. "Basically, what we were doing is taking the 23andMe of beef cattle and seeing if it worked," Decker said in an interview, referring to a popular DNA testing service for humans. |
| Do You Take This Campus to Be Your Wedding Venue? | |
 | Andrew Kragie likes to say he met his wife through, got engaged on top of, and got married inside the Duke University Chapel. Kragie, who graduated in 2015, was introduced to his now-wife, Hannah Brown, through a Methodist student group. They grew closer on a chapel-sponsored service trip and started dating. Years later, during a church service at the chapel, he excused himself to dash up the bell tower's 239-step staircase (ascending can cause "nausea, dizziness, fear of heights, and or claustrophobia," warns a Duke web page) to toss rose petals on the roof, where he soon proposed to an unsuspecting Brown. Afterward, "she pretty much had to carry me down," Kragie said. "I had run out of energy." Then, to secure a coveted slot for a chapel wedding, Kragie took part in a tradition more closely associated with Duke basketball: tenting. Kragie asked a friend to camp out about a week before sign ups opened for his and Brown's desired month: June 2018. Kragie soon took over and lived out of a tent for three days, scoping for free food on campus and ducking into the Divinity School to use the bathroom. ("While we do not encourage camping out on Chapel grounds to sign up for a wedding date in the Chapel, it seems to have become a part of the 'Duke experience,'" reads Duke guidance from several years ago.) Kragie described the lengths he went to as "a thousand percent worth it." Kragie and Brown are two of the countless people who get married on college campuses each year. For many couples, the role their alma mater played in their own development or in their romance is a big draw -- every corner of campus, as Kragie puts it, is "imbued with meaning and memories and nostalgia." |
| American Council on Education to join UCLA in managing Freshman Survey | |
| Fifty years ago, one of higher education's foremost researchers, the late Alexander (Sandy) Astin, left his professional home at the American Council on Education for the University of California, Los Angeles -- taking his prized creation, the Freshman Survey, with him. The longitudinal survey, an annual look at the experiences, attitudes and behaviors of incoming college students, has for decades been a crucial source of information and insight to help college administrators and instructors track changes in the students they serve. Now, the survey is coming home, in a way. ACE, which last year reached an agreement with the Carnegie Foundation to take over its major classification of colleges and universities, announced today that it will join UCLA's National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing in managing the Higher Education Research Institute, which produces the Freshman Survey and other key pieces of higher ed research. ACE and the UCLA center will, in partnership, immediately begin managing HERI's suite of surveys (which include several studies of students, a survey of faculty members and a climate survey of staff members), and by 2025 they will develop a new structure to ensure the institute's viability going forward, Hironao Okahana, assistant vice president for research at ACE, said in an interview. |
| Black Land-Grant Universities Are Being Starved While White Ones Flourish, Report Finds | |
| Congress has a chance in the coming months to close a loophole that has allowed states to deprive Black land-grant universities of $200 million in matching funds over the past decade even as they've generously supported predominantly white land grants, a new report from the Century Foundation says. The federal Farm Bill, a package of legislation that provides federal dollars to all land-grant colleges, comes up for reauthorization every five years, and the current version is set to expire Sept. 30. The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, has offered a series of recommendations to reduce disparities that it says have forced Black land-grant universities to operate since their inception "on shoestring budgets." Many experts expect these institutions and other historically Black colleges to play a growing role in educating minority students in a post-affirmative action world, especially at a time when college diversity efforts are under attack in many states. Students who either feel unwelcome at predominantly white colleges or worry they won't get in to highly selective institutions following the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of race-conscious admissions decisions may take a closer look at HBCUs, including the 19 that are federally designated land-grant institutions. In a statement to The Chronicle, a USDA spokesperson said the department's ongoing support for 1890 institutions includes a recently announced investment of $262.5 million to train and educate the next generation of diverse food and agriculture professionals. |
| How Colleges Plan to Factor In Race Without Asking About Race | |
 | Colleges are rethinking what information they ask from applicants -- and even which words they use to extract those details -- as they react to last month's Supreme Court ruling that dramatically limited how they can consider race when selecting students. Schools are also making changes to where they scout for potential students, how application files get reviewed, and longstanding policies governing which groups of candidates get preferential treatment. School officials say they remain committed to enrolling a diverse class of students, even if the tools they can use have changed. They have to move quickly; most applications go live on Aug. 1. The Supreme Court forced a tectonic shift in college admissions when it said schools could no longer take race into account when assessing applicants or give preference to applicants based on race. But Chief Justice John Roberts said in the majority opinion that colleges can still consider applicants' discussions of how race affected their lives, "so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university." The Wall Street Journal asked more than 50 selective colleges and universities what changes they are making to their applications, fall recruiting calendars or other elements of their admissions process -- including the use of binding early-decision programs and the practice of giving extra credit to athletes or children of alums. About 35 said they were still reviewing the ruling and weren't ready to discuss firm plans. A few said they were advised by legal counsel not to speak publicly about potential changes. |
| US law firms capitalize on affirmative action ruling as ripples spread | |
| Large law firms were among American businesses that urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action. But many of those law firms could benefit from the legal uncertainty created when the court reached the opposite decision last month. The demise of affirmative action, which created new obstacles for law firms seeking to increase their own diversity, is expected to be a boon to major firms with higher education, anti-discrimination and employment practices. Attorneys told Reuters they have already seen rising demand for advice on how to comply and guard against future legal challenges. "Firms that have an expertise in anti-discrimination law are going to see an uptick in demand so that companies and colleges and universities can be guided through this change," said Debo Adegbile, who chairs the anti-discrimination practice at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Harvard University's law firm in the affirmative action case. Attorneys said activity will likely ramp up further in the coming months as universities and companies reevaluate their diversity policies and prepare for an anticipated wave of new lawsuits and investigations spurred by the ruling. U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, sent letters to 51 large law firms this month warning of their "duty to inform clients of the risks they incur by making employment decisions based on race." Republican state attorneys general have recently threatened major American companies with legal action over workforce diversity policies. |
| Education secretary slams SCOTUS affirmative action decision as 'new low point' for higher education. | |
| Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Wednesday pitched several ideas to lessen the blow of the Supreme Court's decision to gut affirmative action while also taking his jabs at elite colleges and the high court. "This majority has repeatedly shown a willingness to throw precedent out the window," Cardona said at the Education Department's headquarters during its National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. "Now, we're faced with a decision that threatens to take us backwards." The secretary added that colleges "have lost the most effective tool they ever had for building diverse campus communities" and the decision "feels like a new low point" for higher education. In response to the high court's decision to end race-conscious admissions, Cardona announced the start of a $45 million postsecondary student success competition to boost strategies that help underrepresented students graduate from college. He also pitched reimagining how colleges recruit students and connect with K-12, expanding need-based aid, increasing applications from underrepresented communities, expanding career and technical education and dual enrollment programs and resolving credit transfer issues. Cardona also called on college leaders to make their presence known on K-12 campuses, build a culture of belonging on campus and increase their enrollment number of Pell-eligible students. The secretary, during his Wednesday speech, also admonished elite colleges. |
| Harvard's legacy admissions practices subject of new federal probe | |
 | The Biden administration has opened an investigation into Harvard's use of legacy admissions policies granting preference to relatives of alumni, the federal Education Department confirmed Tuesday. The investigation, by the department's Office for Civil Rights, follows a complaint filed by several nonprofit groups who asked for a look into Harvard's use of the practice earlier this month. "Each year, Harvard College grants special preference in its admissions process to hundreds of mostly white students -- not because of anything they have accomplished, but rather solely because of who their relatives are," says the complaint, which was filed just days after the Supreme Court banned the use of affirmative action in college admissions in June. Harvard University's practice of granting preferences to family members of large donors effectively gives white applicants a leg up, the complaint says, and, "as a direct result, excludes non-white applicants," a violation of federal civil rights law. Harvard confirmed it was notified of the investigation. The Education Department declined to comment on the inquiry beyond confirming it had opened an investigation. The nonprofit groups that filed the complaint earlier this month welcomed the development. "When you have policies like this one, where they're already automatically being held out of the equation because how this really serves predominantly white students ... this is really sending the wrong message," said Zaida Ismatul Oliva, executive director of the Chica Project. |
| Neshoba County Fair leaders maintain their rules in the heat of fiery political oratory | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: In three formal debates and innumerable individual speeches over the ensuing 134-year history of Mississippi's most storied political speaking venue since 1889, the Neshoba County Fair Association has maintained order and enforced its rules. The three debates include a 1928 U.S. Senate race debate between Democratic contenders incumbent U.S. Sen, Hubert D. Stephens of New Albany and challenger U.S. Rep. T. Wilson Webber of Laurel, a 1995 debate between Republican incumbent Gov. Kirk Fordice of Vicksburg and Democratic Secretary of State Dick Molpus of Philadelphia, and a 2002 debate between congressional contenders Republican Chip Pickering and Democrat Ronnie Shows. Mississippi's political pendulum has swung wide over the course of those three debates -- from monolithic Democratic Party rule in 1928 to growing partisan realignment in the 1990s to a near monolithic Republican Party rule of Mississippi over the last 20 years. But one thing has remained true -- the Fair runs its speaking program based on its established time limits and rules. Candidates get 10-minute time allotments. The Fair's leaders have been challenged twice in the federal courts over their legal rights to establish limits and maintain order and prevailed in both instances. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State men's basketball to tip off Portugal foreign tour Thursday | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball program will head on a 10-day foreign tour to Portugal from July 27-August 5, announced Tuesday. Per NCAA rules regarding a foreign tour, the Bulldogs are in the midst of holding 10 team practices during the June and July summer periods prior to departure. Mississippi State will travel overseas and is scheduled to play three games during its time in Portugal. The Bulldogs also will have the opportunity to visit various historic sites in the cities of Lisbon and Porto. "I've been fortunate enough to go on a number of foreign tours, and there's so much growth that comes not only from the basketball aspect but also through the cultural experience," head coach Chris Jans said. "Getting to visit another country and opening our eyes to other parts of the world will be a good experience for all of us. Hopefully, it will improve the camaraderie of our team and bring us closer together. Additionally, the extra practices that you're granted per NCAA rules are invaluable to our program." The Bulldogs are slated to meet the Lisbon All Stars on Saturday, July 29 followed by the Portugal All Stars on Sunday, July 30. Both games are scheduled to tipoff at 4:30 p.m. local time/10:30 a.m. CT from the CF Belenenses Gymnasium located in Lisbon. Following its two games in Portugal's capital city, State will take on the Basketball Association of Porto on Wednesday, August 2nd. Tip time is slated for 7 p.m. local time/1 p.m. CT from the Pavilaho Municipal de Pedroucos located in Porto. |
| 3 questions for Mississippi State basketball as Chris Jans takes Bulldogs to Portugal | |
| Mississippi State basketball embarks on its farthest road trip of the season this week. The Bulldogs, led by coach Chris Jans, are headed to Portugal on Thursday for three exhibition games before returning on Aug. 5. The trip, which also includes some cultural and sightseeing time, will offer an earlier-than-usual glimpse at a team coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance. MSU was eliminated by Pittsburgh in the First Four -- marking the Bulldogs' first March Madness appearance since 2019. The Bulldogs will first play a pair of games in Lisbon. MSU will face the Lisbon All Stars on July 29 before facing the Portugal All Stars on July 30. Both games will be played at the CF Belenenses Gymnasium and start at 10:30 a.m. CT. Mississippi State returns the core of its roster, including its starting five. Combined with seven promising newcomers -- highlighted by All-Sun Belt Conference guard Andrew Taylor from Marshall -- the trip provides a chance to see how summer practices have helped the group mesh. Here are three questions Mississippi State could answer in its time abroad. |
| Mississippi State football: How Bulldogs exceed SEC preseason polls | |
| Mississippi State football took the stage at SEC Media Days on July 18 – three days before the preseason media poll was scheduled to be released. However, the Bulldogs knew what was coming. MSU, behind first-year coach Zach Arnett, was picked to finished last in the SEC West. For the players representing Mississippi State in Nashville -- seniors Will Rogers and Jo'quavious Marks along with sixth-year defensive lineman Jaden Crumedy -- it's nothing new. It's the ninth time in the last 12 years the Bulldogs have been picked to finish at the bottom of college football's most difficult division. "We do use that as motivation," Crumedy said. However, Mississippi State has more than exceeded expectations determined in July for the past decade. Mississippi State has won 48 conference games since 2010. Ole Miss and Arkansas have won 40 and 35, respectively, in that span. Numbers such as those are why Arnett fired back when it was suggested MSU is a "smaller program" compared to other teams in the West. "I don't know where you're getting that line from," Arnett said. |
| Getting to know the Mississippi State running back room ahead of the 2023 season | |
| The countdown to this year's college football season has begun in earnest with just 38 days until Mississippi State football kicks off its season on Sept. 2 against Southeastern Louisiana at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Zach Arnett, will open fall camp on Aug. 3 with the team's first practice taking place on Aug 4. Until then, we'll be taking a look at each position group on MSU's roster, noting who could be the potential starters, backups and impact players to look out for on the gridiron. MSU's running back room is one of the most compelling on its 2023 roster due to added depth from the transfer portal and junior college ranks. The Bulldogs have an establish starter in Jo'Quavious "Woody" Marks, and a surplus of backups behind him who could make instant impacts on the field during their opportunities. Here is what to know about MSU's 2023 running backs. |
| Mississippi student athletes help make soccer history at Women's World Cup | |
 | Sunday morning in Brisbane, Australia, the Haiti Soccer team dropped a close game against England, the reigning European champions, 1-0. Despite the loss, Ruthny Mathurin and her teammates are making history -- they are the first Haitian team to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup since the tournament's inception. Mathurin, a Haitian native, will play for Mississippi State in the upcoming 2023 season under the direction of Head Soccer Coach James Armstrong. Armstrong has not yet coached Mathurin, as she only recently transferred from Louisiana. However, Mathurin's skill as a competitor caught Armstrong's eye even before her transfer. "We played against her twice when she was at her previous school. ... She was a really good player." He said. "Like somebody that we would love to coach if the opportunity ever arose, and then as luck would have it, she went in the transfer portal." While her talent is what he noticed first, Armstrong also has high praise for Mathurin's character. "She's such a great competitor, you know, she loves to win, she hates to lose, she fights for everything," he said. "I think she's a very hardworking player." |
| How did USM athletics overcome years of financial hardship, even with a small budget? | |
 | Southern Miss can put year one in its new Sun Belt Conference home in the rear view mirror. The Golden Eagles made a splash on paper by debuting at No. 4 in the Vic Bubas Cup standings, the award that goes to the top performing athletic department in the SBC, and improved its financial standing in the process. Football took a significant leap in its rebuild by playing and winning a bowl game in coach Will Hall's second season. Men's basketball completed one of the biggest turnarounds in college hoops history and won the SBC regular season championship and baseball became one of two schools in the country to host a Super Regional for the second year in a row. The impact on the fan base was noticeable. M.M. Roberts Stadium saw an average of 25,131 fans for each home game, the most since 2016. In January, the basketball team defeated Louisiana in front of the first sellout crowd at Reed Green Coliseum since 2008. Baseball followed up by finishing top 10 in the entire country in average attendance. The windfall of support driven by success could not have come at a more opportune time for a department that has battled multiple waves of financial hardship in recent years. Strategic investments from the University coupled with the ticket sales and fundraising success "has allowed us to really get a more solid footing," according to athletic director Jeremy McClain. |
| ACC commissioner Jim Phillips says league benefitting from recent 'difficult' conversations | |
| The Atlantic Coast Conference has spent the past year facing questions about its financial picture, enough to raise uncertainty about the long-term future of the league itself. Still, commissioner Jim Phillips figures recent blunt conversations among schools about what's ahead have helped. Earlier this year, Florida State athletic director Michael Alford went public in talking about revenue concerns when it comes to falling behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences. By May, the league held spring meetings with questions about whether schools might be looking for an exit to another league. Speaking Tuesday to open the league's "ACC Kickoff" preseason media days, Phillips said the league benefitted from increased trust rooted in the "honesty and candor" from those meetings. He also said league schools are now having scheduled weekly meetings in what has been a more frequent dialogue. "It helps to have a moment like (spring meetings) that forces you to have maybe some more difficult conversations that you maybe haven't had in the past," Phillips said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We haven't maybe avoided some of those conversations. "But when you go through what we've gone through, it was time to fully disclose where folks felt they were, how they felt about the conference, what's worrying them, what they think we can do to address some of those concerns. And to me, it was very healthy overall." |
| Northwestern AD Derrick Gragg, under scrutiny for hazing scandal, offers questionable advice about women -- 'man's greatest distraction' -- in book | |
| Northwestern University Athletic Director Derrick Gragg, whose leadership has been under scrutiny in the wake of the school's recent hazing scandal, published a book in 2015 offering advice to male college athletes that includes several questionable passages concerning interaction with and the treatment of women. Gragg's book, "40 Days of Direction: Life Lessons from the Talented Ten," is billed as a blueprint "not only for young men who seek to become college athletes, but for all young men who aspire to become successful," according to the cover. While most of the writing covers guidance like prioritizing academics and avoiding trouble, two chapters that focus on relationships with women stand out as markedly different in tone and language. In his book, Gragg -- who oversees both women's and men's sports in his role as Northwestern's athletic director -- calls women "man's greatest distraction," criticizes the portrayal of women in music videos as "booty-shaking sex-kittens," and provides his take on serious crimes like rape and sexual assault. Gragg said in an email to the Tribune that he wrote the book as a reflection of his own experiences as a young Black man "fulfilling my dream" of playing Division I football. "The audience I was speaking to was primarily young men in similar circumstances who are looking for role models as they pursue their own dreams both as college athletes and in life," he said. "One of the most important lessons that I sought to convey to my young, male readers is that all women should be treated with respect at all times. This is a belief I have sought to champion in both my personal life and throughout my entire career -- including in my most recent position overseeing inclusion across the entire NCAA." Gragg --- the first Black athletic director at the university --- has been in the spotlight recently as he leads during a particularly turbulent period in the athletic department's history. |
| Texas QB Arch Manning's first NIL deal also benefits nonprofit | |
| Texas quarterback Arch Manning and trading card company Panini America announced an exclusive name, image and likeness deal Tuesday. This partnership is the quarterback's first NIL agreement and is a multiyear deal that will see Panini create trading cards and will include exclusive autographs from Manning. The first release will be a one-of-one Prizm black autographed card that will be auctioned this week on Panini's website. All proceeds from the sale will go to St. David's HealthCare and St. David's Foundation in Austin, Texas. hrough the agreement, Manning will be included in NIL trading card products from Panini, and will also collaborate to develop his own cards. He only recently joined the team after signing with the Longhorns in December 2022 and isn't expected to start this season. Manning's name and profile, however, have caused fanfare and interest in his future college career and has now led to this agreement. Manning joins his teammate, quarterback Quinn Ewers, in signing an exclusive deal with the card company that will give Panini the rights to produce their trading cards. |
| The Collective Association begins conversations on revenue-sharing model | |
| When seven NIL entities announced plans earlier this month for The Collective Association, the hope was to share intel amongst themselves and lobby the NCAA for NIL reform. While the NCAA and Congress continue to push out NIL bills left and right ahead of the August recess, TCA knew they wanted to put forth a revenue-sharing model. While not fully concrete, the plan has started to catch some attention. The TCA presented the pitch to the NCAA and SEC in separate meetings last week. Explained to On3 by Spyre Sports Group's Hunter Baddour and Classic City CEO Matt Hibbs, the plan reflects the interests of all seven NIL collectives. Along with Tennessee and Georgia, entities from Ole Miss, Florida State, USC, Michigan and Penn State are founding members of the association. As Hibbs put it, no numbers are locked down for TCA's model. The thought is a portion of TV revenue should be distributed by conferences to an "official" institution collective in equal shares. For example, an SEC collective could receive $5 to $10 million annually. This could theoretically relieve pressure for boosters to constantly produce more funds, as has been the case in the last 24 months. From there the collective distributes the money to athletes, the TCA leaders said. The third-party option would ensure athletes are not viewed as employees of schools, something TCA has made clear athletes do not want to participate in. "I think that we're at a place now with NIL where there's a lot of people talking about it and not a ton of like actionable solutions," Hibbs told On3 in a phone call on Tuesday. |
| Manchin, Tuberville introduce college sports bill to standardize NIL rules, regulate collectives | |
| Sens. Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduced a college sports bill Tuesday that would require athletes to disclose how much they money make from name, image and likeness deals, regulate collectives and put restrictions on when players can transfer. The bipartisan action is the second to come out of the Senate in the last week. Democrats Cory Booker (N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), along with Republican Jerry Moran (Kan.) put forth a draft bill of potential legislation to standardize NIL rules and provide long-term health care for college athletes. Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Tuberville (R-Ala.) have been gathering feedback from college sports stakeholders for months. NCAA President Charlie Baker called the legislation "a major step in the right direction." "There is clearly growing bipartisan interest in taking legislative action to create a stable, sustainable, and equitable foundation for future generations of student-athletes and we are committed to working with all stakeholders to get this done," Baker said. |
| Tommy Tuberville, Joe Manchin introduce legislation to address NIL in college athletics | |
 | Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., on Tuesday announced that they have introduced a bill pertaining to college sports, including athletes' activities in making money from their name, image and likeness (NIL). The bill comes days after another bipartisan effort at a college sports bill was launched by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; and Cory Booker, D-N.J., who unveiled a discussion draft of a bill. Tuberville, a former college football head coach, and Manchin have been working on their proposal for over year -- and, according to their announcement, their measure would establish a national standard for NIL activities, preempting varying state laws around the enterprise and including the implementation of a uniform standard contract for NIL deals. It also would attempt to address what has become a massive shift in athlete movement among schools by requiring, with some exceptions, athletes to complete three years of athletic eligibility before they could transfer without having to sit out of competition for a year. The bill also would require collectives that have been assisting athletes at many schools in arranging NIL deals to be affiliated with a school. In addition, according to the announcement, the bill would give the NCAA, conferences and schools legal protection. This a feature of such a bill that the association has long been seeking. According to the announcement, the bill would ensure that "schools, conferences and associations are not liable for their efforts to comply" with the measure. |
| Sens. Manchin, Tuberville introduce NIL bill with transfer restrictions, registry of deals | |
| U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced on Tuesday a long-awaited bipartisan bill regarding name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and other college sports issues. Called the "Protecting Athletes, Schools and Sports Act," the legislation includes the creation of a national public registry to record and track NIL deals, enhanced healthcare coverage for both current and former college athletes and strict rules regarding athletes' usage of the transfer portal. The bill would preempt state NIL laws and require a uniform NIL contract for all parties entering into a contract. It would also allow the NCAA to prohibit certain types of deals, such as those with gambling companies or alcohol brands. The NCAA would be in charge of enforcing and investigating such rules, but it would have the support of the Federal Trade Commission, which would handle the registration of agents and collectives as well as the national public NIL deal registry. Collectives and boosters would be required to be formally affiliated with specific schools. The act would guarantee health insurance for sports-related injuries for uninsured student athletes for eight years following graduation from a four-year institution. Athletes would only be able to transfer and play right away after completing their first three years of academic eligibility. Exceptions to this would include a death in the player's family or a head coach or position coach leaving the school. |
| The NCAA's Interest in Gambling Is Growing. Its Penalties for Athletes Who Gamble Are Shrinking. | |
| Virginia Tech linebacker Alan Tisdale says he never meant to violate the NCAA's policies on gambling. He used a smartphone app to bet around $400 on the NBA Finals last year, partaking in an activity that has become ubiquitous on college campuses. Tisdale quickly learned that the rules for athletes were severe and unyielding. Even though he self-reported his transgression, he received an initial suspension of nine games. The penalty was reduced to six games on appeal, but Tisdale still missed half of a football season simply for placing a legal wager on a professional sport he didn't play. "You don't look at the NCAA rulebook 24/7," Tisdale said. "The majority of the time you assume you know right from wrong. It's legalized -- but not for athletes." As Tisdale now prepares for his final year with the Hokies, it appears the NCAA has realized that perhaps his punishment didn't fit the crime. Sports betting is permitted in most of the country and especially popular among students, who now can---and frequently do, data shows---place wagers in their dorm rooms within seconds. So more than five years after the Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to legalize sports gambling, the NCAA is adapting to a changing world. The result is a more nuanced approach to gambling that in some circumstances even allows college athletes to bet on sports without being suspended at all. All of this comes as the NCAA itself has signaled that it, too, wants to participate in the legal gambling boom. |
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