| Friday, June 13, 2025 |
| MSU's first Black graduate John Barnes makes summer visit to campus | |
 | Mississippi State University welcomed its first Black graduate back to campus this week, almost 60 years after becoming a university alumnus. John L. "Johnny" Barnes of New York City, a 1968 economics graduate, was greeted by MSU President Mark E. Keenum and toured areas of the university including the Division of Access, Opportunity and Success, The Mill, Division of Athletics and the YMCA, a student focal point during that time. Barnes and Richard C. Holmes, MSU's first Black student to enroll, were honored by the MSU Alumni Association in early 2024 with the naming of the annual Black Alumni Weekend brunch in their honor. The Dr. Richard Holmes and John Barnes Brunch preceded an afternoon discussion "Ring Your Bell and Tell Your Tale: Stories from MSU's First Black Graduates," featuring firsthand panelists' experiences as university students following integration in 1965. Barnes continued his studies at the State University of New York and later at Columbia University after being awarded a fellowship from one of his first employers, General Motors. He also has held positions with such companies as PepsiCo, United Media and American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. The Harlem YMCA honored him in 1978 and 1982 with the Black Achievers Award. |
| Gov. Reeves announces more than $9 million in grants will fund AI Talent Accelerator Program | |
 | Mississippi leaders are aiming to put the state's workforce on the leading edge of artificial intelligence development. On Thursday, Governor Tate Reeves announced the launch of the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program (MAI-TAP), an initiative centered around the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related technical capacities at the state's higher education institutions. $9.1 million in grants will be made through the program to seven schools. Officials said at the press conference that the grants are a strategic investment that will directly benefit Mississippi’s future workforce capability and economic competitiveness. MAI-TAP received more than 20 grant applications for the initial round of funding, while the seven selected will also pursue private funding to go along with state resources. Recipients of the MAI-TAP grants include: Mississippi State University: $2.2 million to establish an endowment and seek private match for AI/machine learning workforce and research initiatives. This includes two new faculty lines and the development of a graduate certificate in Data Center Construction Management -- one of the first of its kind nationally. |
| Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program unveiled by Governor Reeves | |
| Governor Tate Reeves (R) announced an initiative Thursday geared towards the development of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and technical capacities in Mississippi's colleges and universities to support the expansion of Amazon Web Services (AWS). The initiative, known as the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program, or MAI-TAP, establishes a training infrastructure that benefits the broader technology and information sectors. It is a collaboration between AccelerateMS, the Mississippi Development Authority, and AWS. The initiative will be led by the newly established AI Workforce Readiness Council. The council will be headed by Kollin Napier of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network. AccelerateMS Executive Director Dr. Courtney Taylor said the state's higher education institutions will incorporate AI training in all classes, including liberal arts courses. According to the governor's office, the following schools received funding: Mississippi State University: $2.2 million to establish an endowment and seek private match for AI/machine learning workforce and research initiatives. This includes two new faculty lines and the development of a graduate certificate in Data Center Construction Management -- one of the first of its kind nationally. |
| Mississippi governor announces plan to boost development of AI in state | |
 | Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) announced the launch of the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program (MAI-TAP). Reeves said the initiative fosters the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related technical capacities across the state's institutions of higher learning to support the expansion of Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Mississippi. The initiative also creates training infrastructure that benefits the broader technology and information infrastructure sectors. The initiative is a partnership between AccelerateMS, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and AWS. The governor also announced $9.1 million in grants through MAI-TAP to institutions of higher learning. Grant recipients include: Mississippi State University: $2.2 million to establish an endowment and seek private match for AI/machine learning workforce and research initiatives. This includes two new faculty lines and the development of a graduate certificate in Data Center Construction Management -- one of the first of its kind nationally. |
| Nearly $10 million going to Mississippi universities for AI development | |
 | In cooperation with Amazon, Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Thursday, June 12, what is being called the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program. The new initiative works with 11 universities, colleges and community colleges throughout the state to help with the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning and related technical capacities to support the expansion of Amazon Web Services.The program creates $9.1 million in grants, approved by the Mississippi Legislature, for colleges and universities in Mississippi. "This will help fuel high demand jobs and fuel this tech-driven economy," Reeves said. "This will help develop real-world AI projects with public and private partners to solve challenges and position Mississippi as a leader in innovation." Roger Wehner, AWS director of Economic Development, said this initiative shows how Mississippi is taking advantage of ever-increasing opportunities to take the lead in the technology future of the state. "This doesn't happen by chance or accident," he said. "This happens through deliberate policy, economic development and economic choices that have been made by many leaders here in Mississippi." |
| Scouts to honor Senator Hyde-Smith with Champion for Scouting award | |
| The Natchez Trace Council of the Boy Scouts of America will honor U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven as winner of the Champion for Scouting award from the council at a reception and dinner at The Mill at Mississippi State University on July 2, 2025, at 6 p.m. The reception will provide an opportunity for sponsors to meet and greet the Senator before the dinner and program. The event is a fundraiser for the Natchez Trace Council of the Scouting program in northeast Mississippi, serving Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Clay, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Prentiss, Pontotoc, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston and Yalobusha counties. Former leaders recognized by the Natchez Trace Council include U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, author and producer Sam Haskell, former BancorpSouth president Aubrey Patterson, acclaimed author John Grisham, MSU President Mark Keenum, Ole Miss football great Archie Manning, former governors William Winter and Haley Barbour, former U.S. Senators Trent Lott and the late Thad Cochran, former council presidents Felix Black, Henry Brevard, Rob Leake, Bud McCarty, Jack Reed Sr. and J.C. Whitehead, and MSU broadcaster Jack Cristil. |
| MSU entomologists study expansion of Asian needle ant in Mississippi | |
| Mississippi State University researchers are tracking the spread of the Asian needle ant, a non-native species expanding across the Southeastern U.S., including parts of Mississippi. Native to Asia, the needle ant was recorded in the U.S. in the 1930s but has expanded significantly since the 2000s. "We first documented them in Mississippi in 2013, and they're continuing to move," said JoVonn Hill, director of the Mississippi Entomological Museum and assistant professor in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, or MAFES. "They're now abundant across the East Coast, with isolated populations into Louisiana and Arkansas." The sleek, shiny black ants are about the size of a fire ant and nest in shaded areas under logs, mulch or leaf litter. Though capable of stinging, they are not aggressive. Field observations show that Asian needle ants can quickly dominate shaded, damp habitats, displacing native ants and other insects. |
| Corn season sends curveballs to Mississippi farms | |
| What's so bad about a little extra rainfall? The trickle of an early-season rain triggers a cascade of cropping decisions in the pursuit of top-level corn. In 2025, field conditions, rainfall and commodity prices joined forces to ensure there were no easy answers for farmers hoping for a simple, solid season. "They coined it the year of the curveball," said Cleveland, Miss., farmer Adron Belk. "That's absolutely right. We've gotten nothing but curveballs this season -- no fastballs, changeups or heaters. Everything that happens is out of the ordinary." Warm early season temperatures and light rain set farms in Mississippi up for early to on-time planting, but heavy rainfall and high winds quickly dashed hopes of a simple season. "I've never seen a corn crop that had such great planting conditions followed by such terrible growing conditions," Belk said. For Belk, who pursues top-end yield and dedicates his yearly acreage to a nearly even corn-soybean split, making a decision on an additional nitrogen application is a daunting task. "Adron's in a tough spot because he needs to finish off his last application and he's got fertilizer bought that he'd like to utilize, but the applicators he was going to use, he can't get through the field with because the corn is too tall," said Mississippi State University Extension grains specialist Erick Larson. |
| Girls learn tools of the trade at FORGE construction camp | |
 | Across the country, women make up only 11.5% of payroll employees in the construction industry. But at FORGE Girls Construction Camp this week, every camper hammering nails, pouring concrete, and hanging drywall was a girl. The camp, aimed at girls ages 11 to 15, introduces them to not only careers in construction but also to teach practical life skills, like using a tape measure and operating a power drill. "We just want them to know that they're powerful. They're fierce. They're strong. They can do anything they want to do," FORGE Executive Director Melinda Lowe told The Dispatch. "... Some may go into the field, some may not, but that's OK. We're just teaching them that they have opportunities just like anyone else." Only in its second year, Lowe said the camp has already doubled in size, with 24 girls participating from counties across the state. "Women in construction, it's a very underrepresented group, and so we want these young girls to understand that they have options and that this might be something that interests them," she said. "We just want them to try the different aspects of the industry to maybe find something that they really like and maybe they want to take some classes in a career (technology) center to get to know more about it." |
| More people considering moving to Mississippi | |
| Of the 50 states in the U.S., Mississippi was recently ranked 10th among states people are considering relocating to based on web searched reviewed and reported on by U.S. News & World Report. South Carolina and Tennessee ranked first and second, respectively, while New Jersey and California were the least searched state. Data shows people are searching for new home states mostly in the South, Southeast and Western parts of the nation. Among the reasons noted for considering a move to these areas included the mild climate, low cost of living, and rich history, especially where Mississippi is concerned. Recreation was also noted as a driving factor. Jeannie Zieren, Director of Communication and Marketing for Mississippi Main Street Association, said the reasons people are considering a move to the Magnolia State includes those and several other factors. "I live in Oxford, and I know that there are people moving here from California and even other countries just for quality of life and cost of living," Zieren explained. People who are leaving states like California for Mississippi report they made the move because of the prevalence of natural disasters, the higher cost of living, and higher crime rates in the Golden State, she added. Areas of Mississippi that are popular moving destinations include the Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg, Tupelo and Desoto County. The coastal areas are popular for the beaches, food and other recreational activities, while cities like Hattiesburg, Starkville and Oxford offer the benefits of being college towns. |
| Reeves 'optimistic' he can work with Jackson's new mayor | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves is hopeful the election of a new mayor in Jackson will improve the capital city's relationship with the state. In June, Sen. John Horhn was elected Jackson's next mayor. He easily won the general election weeks after he defeated incumbent Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba in the Democratic primary runoff weeks earlier. "I've known John Horhn for a long time. I've had a few jobs in government, one of them was lieutenant governor, and Sen. Horhn served eight years, several of which he was a committee chairman. So, I am optimistic that the mayor-elect and I will work closely together," Reeves said. "I'm optimistic that we're going to have a very good working relationship." Reeves was asked about the election at a press conference on Thursday. He blamed the city's current economic woes, in part, on Jackson's current leadership. "The entirety of Mississippi is booming right now. We're seeing huge economic growth and economic opportunities all throughout our state, and the city of Jackson has obviously, for the last eight years, struggled, and that needs to change," he said. "By the way, I'm not the only one who thinks that. The current incumbent mayor got 17 percent of the vote in his primary election. Members of his own party, 83 percent of them, voted to go in a different direction." |
| Two Mississippi congressional leaders offer differing reactions to the GOP's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' | |
 | The bill has been largely denounced by Congressional Democrats because they say the legislation would threaten access to Affordable Care Act health plans and potentially Medicaid, due to proposed work requirements. According to their assessment, close to 118,000 Mississippians could lose health coverage. Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson represents Mississippi's second district. "Let's take the second district," he said. "If this legislation was passed, there'd be about 35,000 people that would lose their health care coverage. That's quite a few people. But there's 10,000 people that would lose Medicaid coverage." Thompson says he's equally concerned with the bill's suggested work requirements for many SNAP recipients. "There are some 55,000 households in my district alone that are on SNAP," he said."If you look at it based on that demographic alone, that's about 15 percent of the population of my entire congressional district." Mississippi's Republican third district Congressman Michael Guest offers a different perspective. In a statement, he says the bill is essential for saving Mississippians thousands of dollars each year. Guest says the bill would also help the country's security: helping to secure the border, and making a substantial investment in the country's armed forces. |
| The Senate GOP's hard-liners are suddenly sounding softer on the megabill | |
 | The Senate's conservative hard-liners vowed to wage holy war against the "big, beautiful bill." Now they appear to be coming to Jesus. The recent rhetorical downshift from some of the loudest GOP critics of the pending megabill underscores the political reality for conservatives: As much as they want to rail publicly about the legislation and the need to address any number of pressing national emergencies in it, very few are willing to buck President Donald Trump on his biggest priority. None of them are ready to cave just yet. But the White House and their GOP colleagues increasingly believe that three senators in particular -- Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida -- are now on track to support the bill. Johnson, in particular, has softened his once-fierce criticism of the legislation in recent days. "We all want to see President Trump succeed," he said in a brief interview this week. "Everybody is trying to help. That's why, if I seem to have been striking a more hopeful tone, it's because I am more hopeful." Just a couple of weeks ago, Johnson was demanding near-unworkable levels of spending cuts and warning that the bill would drive the nation off a fiscal cliff. Then the Trump administration and members of Republican leadership went to work. |
| Sen. Alex Padilla forcibly removed from Noem press conference | |
 | Federal agents forcibly removed Sen. Alex Padilla from a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday in Los Angeles, taking him to the ground and handcuffing him, according to the California Democrat's office and videos posted online. The incident prompted Democratic lawmakers to call for an investigation, including Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, who on the floor said the videos "sickened my stomach." One video from the press conference, where Noem was speaking about efforts to "liberate" Los Angeles from at-times violent protests in the past week, shows unnamed officials pushing Padilla out of the room while he is attempting to speak. Padilla can be heard identifying himself as a U.S. senator, saying that he had questions for Noem and telling the officials to take their hands off him. Noem continued to speak as Padilla was forced out of the room. A second video shows Padilla being forced to the ground and handcuffed. A figure off screen says that no recording is allowed in the area. A statement from Padilla's office said that he was in California as part of his congressional oversight duties and was in the building to receive a briefing from Gen. Gregory Guillot of the U.S. Northern Command, who has been commanding the Marine deployment in L.A. The statement said that Padilla then went to Noem's press conference. |
| Court sides with Trump over control of National Guard in California | |
 | As cities across the country braced for hundreds of protests planned for the weekend, California leaders and President Donald Trump remain in an intense showdown on Friday after an appeals court allowed the president to maintain his deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday temporarily blocked a federal judge's order that required Trump to return control of California's National Guard to the state. The court's decision followed U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer's ruling that the president's deployment of the Guard was unlawful. The appeals court's decision does not mean it will ultimately side with Trump, but it leaves control of the Guard in Trump's hands for the time being. The move comes as 700 members of the Marine Corps are expected to arrive in the city on Friday, adding to a growing military presence on the streets. Breyer's earlier ruling was a short victory for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who filed a lawsuit over the president's move to deploy members of the Guard without Newsom's authorization. Breyer wrote in his ruling that the presence of the National Guard was adding to the tensions with protesters. The judge's order was to take effect at noon on Friday. In a post to social media early on Friday, Trump thanked the appeals court and said his decision to send the National Guard to the city "saved L.A." |
| Anti-Trump protest slated for Saturday in Starkville | |
| Opponents of President Donald Trump's administration are planning to speak out this Saturday with protests in cities all across the country, including Starkville. More than 1,800 "No Kings" protests are set to take place to counter a military parade in Washington D.C. celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary, which coincides with Trump's birthday and Flag Day. The parade will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers, which is estimated to cost between $25 million to $45 million, according to reports from the Associated Press. Michele Crescenzo, who lives in Starkville, is organizing the "No Kings" protest in the city. "The current administration in Washington is overreaching in every conceivable way," Crescenzo said. "They're ignoring laws. They're ignoring the Constitution. They're ignoring habeas corpus. And they're cutting federal programs that we the taxpayers funded ourselves." Crescenzo said the protest will be a gathering featuring speakers, along with an open mic for others to express their thoughts. So far, Crescenzo said, she has gotten responses from 50 potential attendees, though she anticipates actual attendance will be higher. Crescenzo said she does not expect any form of violence at the protest in Starkville, and she said the group will do "anything to avoid any kind of violence." |
| Young men swung for Trump in 2024. Democrats are working on a plan to win them back | |
 | When Maryland Gov. Wes Moore laid out his legislative agenda during his State of the State address in February, he made a point to single out a particular group. "We need to better understand and address what's happening with our men and boys," he said, pointing to nationwide decreases in young men entering the workforce or earning a college degree. It is also a group that on a national level has been turning away from Democrats. President Trump narrowly won men ages 18 to 29 last fall, a 12-point shift from four years earlier when Biden won the group by 11 percentage points. Moore says the change didn't happen overnight, explaining that for many young men, their feelings likely predated the election. "When you watch, oftentimes, a party losing people in an election year, that's not the head, that's the tail," he told NPR. "The reason you lose in an election year is because you lost them long before." Now, Democrats are hoping that young men aren't lost to the GOP forever. For several emerging leaders in the party -- and potential contenders in the 2028 presidential race -- that has meant making these voters a bigger priority, both in their policy proposals and in messaging that is increasingly tailored to them. Moore says it's an effort that stands in sharp contrast to what President Trump has done. While he acknowledges that the president has been successful at appealing to young men, he calls Trump's strategy off base. |
| Trump Warns Iran of 'Even More Brutal' Attacks Without Nuclear Deal | |
 | Israel launched more attacks against Iran, hours after wide-ranging strikes on the country's nuclear program and military leadership. The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed and dozens of targets were hit in an operation that pushes the region into a new conflict with uncertain consequences. President Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Friday that he was read in on Israel's plans to attack Iran: "Heads-up? It wasn't a heads-up. It was, we know what's going on." Earlier, he urged Iran's leadership to make a deal "before there is nothing left," saying that Israel had access to lethal military equipment manufactured by the U.S. and that "they know how to use it." Two hundred jet fighters wrapped up the first wave of the attack, Israel said. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel "should expect severe punishment" for the strikes. Israel said it had started shooting down drones launched in a retaliation by Iran. IRGC commander Hossein Salami and two other generals were killed, punching a deep hole in Tehran's military leadership. Oil prices climbed after the attack was launched and stock futures tied to all three major U.S. indexes fell. |
| Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letter to host honor banquet for artists | |
 | Artists from different genres will be awarded in Columbus this week. The Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters honors artists from around Mississippi every year who have had an impact on the community. The Institute will host its banquet for the honorees on Saturday night at Mississippi University for Women. Musicians, writers, and other artists will be awarded at the event. The Columbus Arts Council is hosting a gallery opening for some of the award-winning pieces. "Here in this exhibit, you can see examples of the prize winners from photography to oil painting. You can see examples of past winners such as Birney Imes and Mr. Tom Baraqui," said Dr. Bridgette Smith Pischel of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. "It's an honor to be hosting the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters this year, the 47th year. Our main focus is to be able to show all the artists, no matter what it looks like, no matter what it is," said Columbus Arts Director Quan Walker. |
| Friendship flourishes at Mississippi Governor's School | |
| How do you make a boat out of pool noodles, cardboard, other scraps and some duct tape in 90 minutes? That was one of the challenges awaiting 16-year-old Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science student Vincent Young and his nearly 70 other classmates one day at the Mississippi Governor's School program this year. "They actually fooled us," Young said Thursday. "They tried to make it seem like it was a little seminar about fluids and how boats work. And, they were like, 'Nope, we're doing a boat challenge.'" And even though none of his teammates wanted to be the engineer for the design, Young and his team still found a way to win. "We made a raft and we actually ended up winning," Young said. "... It all worked out in the end." MGS takes place two weeks in June every year at Mississippi University for Women and looks to grow and develop academically gifted high schoolers from across the state. This year's theme -- "connections" -- informed the approach in this year's program, MGS Director Amber Cook said. |
| Endowed chair in obstetrics and gynecology at UMMC honors the Martins | |
| A $1 million endowed chair honoring the late Dr. James N. Martin Jr. and his wife, Dr. Gloria Howard Martin seeks to attract an exceptional physician, researcher or faculty member to address maternal-fetal health in Mississippi. "Jim strongly believed in the power of an endowed chair to attract talented clinicians and researchers to Mississippi," said Dr. Gloria Martin. "He thought that if they could see the quality of the work here and experience the warmth of a Mississippi welcome, they would be happy to be at home here, as we were." The Northside couple founded the endowment in 2020, and it quickly grew thanks to contributions from friends, former colleagues and residents, and current UMMC faculty. The result is The James Nello Martin Jr. MD and Gloria Howard Martin, PHD Chair in Maternal-Fetal Medicine -- a lasting tribute to the field and the community he served. For Gloria, the establishment of the endowed chair means that "in some small way, we are able to contribute to the advancement of health care in Mississippi, and perhaps, through the continued research, to make a lasting impact on the health of women everywhere." |
| Louisiana Senate confirms Landry LSU Board appointee accused of harassment | |
| One of Gov. Jeff Landry's appointees to the LSU Board of Supervisors received Louisiana Senate confirmation Thursday, despite being the subject of multiple complaints alleging she harassed and threatened university employees. Esperanza Moran, who openly rallied for the dismissal of former LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor David Guzick, is the subject of an anonymous whistleblower complaint, at least one Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint and a separate complaint filed with the governor. Moran is accused of trying to have multiple LSU Health Shreveport administrators fired. Esperanza Moran lives in Shreveport and is married to wealthy businessman Scott Moran. The couple own several businesses, including Moran Oil Co., and give generously to Republican political campaigns, including Landry's. Sen. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, who represents the district where LSU Health Shreveport is, said that while questions were raised about Esperanza Moran, Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, who represents her district, was steadfast in his support of her. |
| Santa Ono Wanted a Presidency. He Became a Pariah. | |
 | When did it all go so horribly wrong? Was it when Santa J. Ono, a respected immunologist and the former president of the University of Michigan, appeared for a public job interview and seemed to feign ignorance on the efficacy of vaccine mandates? Or when he struggled to answer whether any doctors at Michigan had ever surgically removed the genitals or breasts of minors in gender-affirming procedures? Or was it weeks before that, when he decided he wanted to become president of the University of Florida, and instead dove headlong into a political buzzsaw? Whatever the moment was, it became abundantly clear sometime on June 3 that Ono wasn't going to be the 14th president of Florida's flagship university. The State University System's Board of Governors spent that afternoon pummeling him with questions during a three-hour meeting that more closely resembled a partisan Senate confirmation hearing than the fawning ratification ceremonies that are customary for soon-to-be anointed presidents. By the time the board held a roll call vote, rejecting Ono 10-6, the majority seemed to have had it, not just with Ono, but with everything he represented. In another era, Ono's ordeal might have been seen as little more than an embarrassing miscalculation by a campus-level board that backed the wrong horse. But across higher education, what happened in Florida this month now stands as a signal event that speaks directly to its times. |
| Leadership changes at U. of Kentucky colleges as multiple deans leave their positions | |
 | Four deans at the University of Kentucky have left their positions since the beginning of May, according to information from the university. The deans of the Lewis Honors College, Graduate School, College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy have left their positions, or announced they will be leaving their position, since May and acting deans have been named. Of the 19 colleges at UK, six currently have an interim dean, with the College of Education's new dean starting in July, according to the university's website. It's not uncommon for multiple deans to leave in a school year, said UK spokesperson Jay Blanton, and the roles can be "somewhat cyclical." "There are years when there is little turnover. There are years when deans change -- they take promotions or other jobs, or they return to the faculty or take a sabbatical," Blanton said in an email. "It's not uncommon to have years where there is no turnover. It's also not uncommon to have years where there are multiple acting deans as part of transitions within colleges and units." |
| UK Athletics projects $31 million deficit, will borrow $141 million from university to invest in future | |
| The University of Kentucky's athletics department expects to operate at a net loss of nearly $31 million over the next two fiscal years -- a sobering figure that underscores the cost of entering college sports' new era of athlete revenue sharing, even for a financially-stable program in one of the nation's top conferences. On Thursday, UK's Board of Trustees Athletics Committee approved a plan to lend the athletics department $141 million, including $110 million in capital investment loans for major facility projects and an additional $31 million in operating funds to offset expected deficits in fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The moves come as UK Athletics prepares to shift its entire operating model to a new nonprofit holding company, Champions Blue, LLC, created earlier this year in anticipation of legal and legislative changes that will soon require schools to directly compensate athletes. The Kentucky athletic department, a long model of financial self-sufficiency, likely would not have dreamed of an operating deficit even several years ago. But today, the cost of doing business has hit home even at a department in the lucrative Southeastern Conference. "We are proposing a new strategic governance structure and operating model, unlike any in the country," said UK President Eli Capilouto. "The goal is to incentivize innovation. The idea is to remain a premier program by pushing us to examine creative ways to grow and generate the revenues necessary to support our success." |
| OU Board of Regents approves tuition increase, dean salaries, athletics revenue | |
| The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved tuition and fee rates, dean salaries and a policy regarding trespass warnings at its Thursday meeting. OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. told OU Daily that the 3% tuition increase would help the university's pursuit of excellence and affordability. He said the increased tuition allows higher financial aid for students. "What best lifts the individual and lifts the state and the entire region is to have two things, both excellence and affordability," Harroz said. "When you look at the increase, the 3% increase in tuition, you really can't look at that without saying, then have you put in place at least enough offsetting dollars to lower that cost for the average student that needs the help." OU athletic director Joe Castiglione told OU Daily that OU Athletics Department's recent decision to lay off 5% of its full-time staff was a difficult decision to make. "It's more of a reflection of how we're restructuring, streamlining and developing an organization that is strong, nimble and focused on how to be successful in the new college athletics landscape," Castiglione said. Castiglione said many of the funds reserved through recent layoffs and other cuts are being reallocated to support strategic initiatives. |
| Texas higher education advocates point to session wins, losses | |
| Advocates and experts across the political spectrum spent the Texas legislative session pushing for and against bills to transform higher education, and told the American-Statesman that despite manycompromises, lawmakers succeeded in setting the foundation for substantial reform. Universities are now charged with enacting transformative change by Sept. 1 to comply with new restrictions on faculty governance. But they also benefited from bills to sharpen prior legislation on community college financing and dual credit opportunities, and the return of $400 million in support funds lawmakers had flirted with withholding. Grace Atkins, policy advisor for the Texas 2036 nonprofit said some of the most influential decisions made this session were the "quiet" ones, such as Conroe Republican Sen. Brandon Creighton's Senate Bill 1786, a cleanupbill for last session's House Bill 8 that created performance tier funding for community colleges and free dual credit opportunities for high school students on free or reduced lunch. Kate Bierly, a higher education policy analyst with Next Generation Texas at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank in Austin, also pushed for transparency this session, primarily in research and its vulnerability to ill-intentioned foreign adversaries. HB 127 by Chairman Terry Wilson, R-Georgetown, and SB 1273 by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, forms a council of research security officers "to promote secure academic research at tier one research institutions while mitigating the risk of foreign espionage and interference" and advises on policy and best practices. |
| How Steve Jobs Wrote the Greatest Commencement Speech Ever | |
 | In early June 2005, Steve Jobs emailed his friend Michael Hawley a draft of a speech he had agreed to deliver to Stanford University's graduating class in a few days. "It's embarrassing," he wrote. "I'm just not good at this sort of speech. I never do it. I'll send you something, but please don't puke." The notes that he sent contained the bones of what would become one of the most famous commencement addresses of all time. It has been viewed over 120 million times and is quoted to this day. Probably every person who agrees to give a commencement speech winds up rewatching it, getting inspired, and then sinking into despondency. To mark the 20th anniversary of the event, the Steve Jobs Archive, an organization founded by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, is unveiling an online exhibit with a remastered video, interviews with some peripheral witnesses, and ephemera such as his enrollment letter from Reed College and a bingo card for graduates with words from his speech. Jobs dreaded giving this speech. And there were certain subjects that, in 2005, you best never broach: the trauma of his adoption, his firing from Apple in 1985, and the details of his cancer. So it's all the more astonishing that he set out to tell precisely these stories in front of 23,000 people on a scorching hot Sunday in Stanford's football stadium. "This was really speaking about things very close to his heart," says Leslie Berlin, executive director of the archive. "For him to take the speech in that direction, particularly since he was so private, was incredibly meaningful." |
SPORTS
| Track & Field: Peyton Bair Takes Home The 2025 NCAA Decathlon Title | |
| Mississippi State decathlete Peyton Bair took home the 2025 NCAA Decathlon title, with an 8,323-point effort. Bair's performance took the collegiate lead, is the 14th highest in NCAA history, and the 10th highest in NCAA Championship history. His score also improved on his program record, which he set at last year's championships. He is also the first American man to win the event in a decade, and the seventh man in history to double as heptathlon and decathlon champion in the same year. His second day of competition began in the 110m hurdles, where he put up a solid effort of 12.47. He threw a season's best of 41.59m in the discus and jumped 4.61m in the pole vault. Bair threw a personal best of 57.87m in the javelin to add 706 points to his total. Never relenting the lead throughout the two days, he entered the final event 426 points ahead of the competition. A personal best performance of 4:35.69 in the 1500m secured him the win in the event, improving on his runner-up finish from the 2024 championships. |
| Mississippi State's Bair wins men's national decathlon | |
| Mississippi State University junior Peyton Bair won his first national title in outdoor decathlon on Thursday, finishing with a collegiate-leading personal-best total of 8,323 points. University of California, Santa Barbara senior Brad Thomas finished second with 7,888 points, followed by Kansas State University junior Emil Uhlin in third with 7,859 points. Bair placed first in Wednesday's first event, the 100-meter race. His winning time of 10.25 (+0.5) seconds put him in the lead with 1,035 points. Bair then maintained that lead across the next nine events, also winning the 400-meter race with a time of 46.00 seconds. "It feels awesome. It's something I've been working towards for a long time," Bair said after his win. "Seeing my family, my wife, my coaches and friends here, I'll just never forget it." In addition to his two event wins, Bair also placed fourth in the long jump and javelin, fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, seventh in the shot put and high jump, eighth in the discus, and 10th in the 1500-meter race. Bair's only finish outside the top ten came in the pole vault, where he finished 11th. The win marks Blair's second national title of the year, as he also won the heptathlon at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships in March. |
| Mississippi State's Peyton Bair wins the 2025 National Championship in the Decathlon | |
| Mississippi State's Peyton Bair is now a National Champion after his impressive performances in the Decathlon over the last two days at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Bair got off to a great start on Wednesday, taking first place in the 100-meter dash, finishing with a 10.25-second time and earning him 1,035 points. He would hold onto that lead after a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a 23′10 ¾" jump to push his point total to 1,916. Next was the shot put, where Bair registered a 46'8″ throw, which was enough to hold onto a slim lead with 2,658 points. Bair then moved on to the high jump and registered a 6′7″ jump, pushing his point total to 3,471. The last event on Wednesday was the 400-meter dash, and Bair would finish with the best time in the field at 46.00 seconds. He ended the day with 4,479 points, keeping him in first place with a 287-point lead. Bair would just add to that lead on day 2 after taking 5th place in the 110-meter hurdles with a 14.27-second time. That finish would push his point total to 5,419. Then came the discus, where Bair made a 136′5″ throw to earn him an 8th place finish, but he would still hold onto a comfortable lead. Bair then moved onto the pole vault, which was his lowest finish of the week in 11th place after a 15′1½" jump. Still, Bair had a 309-point lead heading into the last two events of the Decathlon. Next was the javelin, and Bair would bounce back big time with a 189′10″ throw to earn him a second-place finish in the event, pushing his point total to 7,615. It would all come down to the last event. |
| Bulldogs Set New Academic Standard With Historic Spring Semester | |
| Mississippi State student-athletes delivered another milestone in the classroom this spring, setting a school-record 3.37 departmental GPA for the Spring 2025 semester. It marks the second straight term the Bulldogs have set a new academic high and the 16th consecutive semester with a GPA above 3.0. "This is a proud moment for our entire department," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "Our student-athletes continue to set the standard in the classroom. Achieving a school-record GPA for the second straight semester reflects their work ethic, the dedication of our academic staff and the support of our coaches and campus partners. Our student-athletes understand the level of expectations that we have here at Mississippi State, and that starts with the pursuit of excellence in everything we do." A total of 282 student-athletes earned Bulldog Honor Roll recognition with a 3.0 GPA or better. Among them were 105 President's Scholars (3.80+ GPA), 55 Dean's Scholars (3.50-3.79 GPA), and 74 "Top Dawgs" who achieved a perfect 4.0. Eleven of Mississippi State's 13 sport programs posted team GPAs above 3.0, with men's tennis and volleyball leading the way at 3.70. Several programs reached new academic heights. In addition to those honors, 62 student-athletes graduated this spring with 51 earning bachelor's degrees and 11 completing master's programs. |
| Mississippi State to host 2025 high school football state championships | |
| Mississippi State University will host the Mississippi High School Activities Association football state championships at Davis Wade Stadium in December, bringing the title games back to Starkville for the first time since 2016. The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Gridiron Classic will take place at MSU's stadium from December 4-6. "We're honored to serve as the host for the 2025 MHSAA Football State Championships at Davis Wade Stadium and to bring teams, families and fans from across Mississippi to The Best Small Town in the South," MSU Athletic Director Zac Selmon said. "These championships showcase the tradition, talent and passion that define high school football in our state, while giving student-athletes the chance to compete on one of the premier campuses in the country. We're excited to create a first-class experience these student-athletes will always remember." "We are thrilled the Mississippi High School Activities Association is hosting the state football championships in Starkville, Mississippi's College Town," added Paige Hunt, the director of tourism at the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. |
| Democrats criticize latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports as setback for athletes | |
 | The latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports generated predictable partisan outrage on Thursday, with Democrats saying Republican-led draft legislation would claw back freedoms won by athletes through years of litigation against the NCAA. Three House committees are considering legislation that would create a national standard for name, image and likeness payments to athletes and protect the NCAA against future lawsuits. Last week, a federal judge approved a $2.8 billion settlement that will lead to schools paying athletes directly, and NCAA President Charlie Baker said now that his organization is implementing those major changes, Congress needs to step in and stabilize college sports. Baker said he supports the draft legislation that was the subject of Thursday's hearing by a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, but there was little indication that any bill advanced by the House would generate enough Democratic support to surpass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. "I'm deeply disappointed for the second year in a row, Republicans on this committee are advancing a partisan college sports bill that protects the power brokers of college athletics at the expense of the athletes themselves," said Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass. |
| House v. NCAA May Be Settled, but Congress Is Not | |
| In the first Congressional hearing since the House v. NCAA settlement was approved, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce convened to debate a Republican-led proposal aimed at granting broad but ill-defined "liability protections" to the NCAA, conferences and schools in an effort to bring greater stability to college athletics. The hearing, titled "Winning Off the Field," centered on draft legislation introduced this week by committee chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.). The legislation is called the SCORE Act, short for "Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements." "The timing could not be more appropriate for legislative action, in my opinion," said Bilirakis, chairman of the subcommittee on commerce, manufacturing and trade. "This is not just another proposal. It's a targeted solution designed to bring predictability, fairness and long-term balance to a system that has rapidly evolved without structure." He continued: "We are here to put forward a framework that strengthens college sports -- ensuring athletes can succeed on the field without losing sight of their future off of it." While the House settlement may represent a turning point in the political debate over college sports, Thursday's hearing suggested it has done little to foster bipartisan consensus in Congress, where Republicans currently hold a narrow eight-seat majority in the House. |
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