| Friday, August 15, 2025 |
| MSU entrepreneurship major to fuel student innovation | |
 | Entrepreneurship has always had a home at Mississippi State University, but now, it has a major. This month, the College of Business introduced a new major in entrepreneurship, housed in the Department of Management and Information Systems. Department Head Laura Marler said the program is tailor-made for students interested in launching their own businesses, helping out with family businesses or creating new pathways in existing corporations. "We don't view entrepreneurship as a one-size-fits-all," Marler said. "Entrepreneurship comes in all sorts of different forms, and we wanted to have a major that had enough flexibility for students to delve into areas that they would like to learn more about." The 120-hour program repackages existing business coursework while introducing two new classes: Creativity and Innovation, and a capstone course called Business Venture Creation. College of Business Dean Scott Grawe said the curriculum is rooted in the basics of working in business. "If you're going to be in business ... you have to understand finance. ... You have to understand how capital markets work, how loan markets work and so forth," Grawe said. "A lot of what we teach is basic core components that are really important to entrepreneurs, and then we can tailor some additional courses on top of that." Students in the major are encouraged to connect with MSU's Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, better known as the E-Center, a 4,000 square-foot space in McCool Hall that supports and funds student ventures. |
| MSU Ag report: Row crop producers in Mississippi facing a very tough road ahead | |
 | A new report from Mississippi State University says row crop producers faced an uphill struggle coming into 2025. Now, given extreme weather events coupled with financial stress in the farm sector, the current economic situation is the worst it's been in many years. "More specifically to Mississippi producers, all the major row crop commodities grown in Mississippi showed very tight budgets coming into the growing season," the MSU 2025 Mississippi Row Crop Situation report stated. "As the season has progressed those budgets have tightened further due to falling commodity prices brought on by somewhat adequate supplies and the potential of tariffs decreasing export markets." Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) shared the MSU report on Thursday, noting that the outlook for Mississippi's farm sector was discussed in prior Senate hearings. He said "the prospects for devastating losses in our Agriculture sector have now materialized." "Our farmers and agricultural businesses need our support now more than ever, and we will have meetings aimed at providing solutions and planning for the future," Hosemann said. As stated in the MSU report, the overall farm economy statewide and nationally was somewhat tempered by the livestock sector which was and still is experiencing record high prices. |
| 2025 soybean crop in all growth stages across Mississippi | |
| Mississippi's soybean crop is all over the place in terms of development, but nearly all of it looks good. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates Mississippi will have 2.05 million acres of soybeans. As of July 27, USDA estimated 59% of the crop was in good or excellent condition. Another 27% was rated fair, with just 4% in poor condition. But those numbers do not describe what is actually happening in the field. Justin Calhoun, soybean specialist with Mississippi State University Extension, said the only blanket statement that can be made about the state's 2025 soybean crop is that it is in the field. "I don't mean that to be facetious; it's just the only broad truth we can use," Calhoun said. "In the past week, I have seen soybeans being planted, and I have seen the first soybeans of the year being harvested. Most of the crop across the state is in mid- to late-reproductive growth stages." Despite frequent, heavy rain, Calhoun said that most of the Delta counties got their soybeans planted before the end of May. Most of the Hill region was planted in June, as those acres were finally dry enough to plant. |
| Mississippi State adds 2,000 trees to campus landscape | |
 | Mississippi State's landscape team has planted more than 2,000 trees over the past five years, strengthening the university's canopy and advancing its current strategic effort to optimize the university's outdoor environment. From majestic native hardwoods to decorative flowering species, the varied tree plantings are creating and enhancing shaded spaces for students, faculty and visitors on the campus recognized for 12 consecutive years as a Tree Campus Higher Education institution. "With every tree we plant, we're thinking 20, 30, even 50 years into the future," said Saunders Ramsey, executive director of Campus Services. "It's about creating a landscape now that future generations of Bulldogs can also enjoy -- places to walk, study, gather and connect with nature." This summer, as Mississippi has experienced a severe heat wave, the benefits of trees are especially noticeable. Trees reduce rising ground temperatures and cool shaded areas by as much as 10 degrees, but the value doesn't stop there. "Trees do so much more than provide shade," said Jim Bo Hearnsberger, associate director of Campus Landscape. "They clean the air we breathe, help manage stormwater, create habitats for wildlife, and reduce energy use by cooling buildings and sidewalks. It's a lasting return on investment for the entire campus community." |
| Starkville Habitat for Humanity holds groundbreaking ceremony | |
 | A Starkville family will be beginning a new chapter in their lives in a new home. The Starkville Habitat for Humanity broke ground today on its 17th Maroon Edition House. Each year, Mississippi State University partners with Habitat to help build a house for a new homeowner. Students, faculty, and staff volunteer on the build. Home ownership will be another in a series of milestones for this year's family. "This is a big step for her, and it's a big step for us. And, my brother and I are getting ready to graduate. It's a positive way to end our high school career and go into our adult phase. It sets the example for us on how to raise a family," said the new Habitat partner's son, Robert Kelly. |
| MSU's cowbell is up for best college tradition | |
 | Mississippi State University's cowbell is up for the title of Best College Tradition by USA Today. Fans can click on this link to vote. The deadline is Sunday, August 17. "The sound of clanging cowbells has become an unmistakable display of school spirit at Mississippi State University, with the tradition dating back roughly a century. According to local legend, it stems from the arrival of a lost cow onto the football field in the middle of a game -- and while cowbell-ringing was banned in 1974, it made its triumphant return in 2010, ensuring that this time-honored practice can live on well into the future." |
| Take precautions for safe summer activities | |
 | When intense summer heat sets in, adults who like to work and play outdoors should take precautions to keep safe. Starkville pickleball player Liz Stringer did that this summer when temperatures approached triple digits and heat indexes rose even higher. "I drink a lot of water with added electrolytes throughout the day," Stringer said. "I sweat a lot, so I need to replenish and keep hydrated. I drink at least three 32-ounce bottles each day." She plays pickleball with a group of adults most mornings. One concession the group made to the heat was to begin play 30 minutes earlier each day. She said she used to run, and that plus her continued high level of physical activity has kept her body acclimated to the heat. Mary Nelson Robertson, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the danger of getting too hot in the summer is very real. "Heat-related illness is not just uncomfortable; it can be life threatening, and it does not take record-breaking temperatures for it to happen," Robertson said. She said athletes of all ages should listen to their body and adjust accordingly. |
| Starkville Woman Charged with Murder After Allegedly Stabbing Boyfriend | |
| A Starkville woman is behind bars after police say she fatally stabbed her boyfriend early Thursday morning. Just before 1 a.m. on August 14, 2025, Starkville Police officers were called to a residence on Gladney Street for a reported stabbing. When officers arrived, they found 27-year-old Tykell Harvey of Starkville suffering from stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say the suspect, 28-year-old Amiya Brown, was in a dating relationship with Harvey. Following the investigation, Brown was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. She is being held at the Oktibbeha County Jail. Police are urging the community to take domestic violence seriously, citing statistics that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men in the U.S. have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner. They encourage anyone in danger -- or who suspects someone else may be in danger -- to seek help immediately. The investigation remains ongoing. |
| $90M aluminum processing facility breaking ground in October | |
| A $90 million aluminum process facility is planning a mid-October groundbreaking near Aluminum Dynamics, Golden Triangle LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins told The Dispatch. Kloeckner Metals, a steel service company and metal distributor, will be the first tenant on the 1,200-acre campus designed to house ADI customers. Higgins said there are more to come. "They have several that are looking at the campus, but Kloeckner is right now front and center," Higgins said Thursday. "We issued them a will-serve letter for utilities ... this week, and they're working with our office on the groundbreaking event." ADI, a $2.5 billion development, began operating earlier this year on an industrial megasite near Golden Triangle Regional Airport. Kloeckner's 200,000 square-foot facility will process up to 250,000 tons of aluminum annually, shaping the material from ADI into a product, according to a company press release issued in November. "Think of Kloeckner like (you think of the) steel mill (Steel Dynamics), where MS Steel Processing and New Process Steel take the rolls of steel and slice it into either bands or sheets," Higgins said. "Kloeckner does the same thing; it's just aluminum." Higgins said the "highly mechanized" facility will create about 20 jobs. "Not a whole lot of jobs because it's so automated, but they're very well paid jobs," he said |
| Possumtown Book Fest set for Saturday | |
| The Possumtown Book Fest is returning for its second year with workshops, vendors and panels taking place Saturday. The festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Columbus Arts Council's Rosenzweig Arts Center and is free and open to the public. The event is being organized by Friendly City Books and the Friendly City Books Community Connection, a special project of the CREATE Foundation. The festival will feature over 22 local vendors for the local author showcase. The authors will be selling and signing their books from 9 to 11:45 a.m. The event will also host a panel of 12 authors at 10 a.m. in the Rosenzweig's Omnova Theater, which will feature keynote speaker Wright Thompson. The journalist and author will speak about his best-selling book "The Barn: The Secret History of Murder in Mississippi," which focuses on the historical significance and attempted coverup of the lynching of Emmitt Till. Two workshops will also take place Saturday including a general poetry writing workshop hosted by Mississippi University for Women's English professor Kendall Dunkelberg from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and a family friendly prose writing workshop hosted by memoirist Catherine Simone Gray from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. |
| Nobody's Buying Homes, Nobody's Switching Jobs -- and America's Mobility Is Stalling | |
 | Americans are stuck in place. People are moving to new homes and new cities at around the lowest rate on record. Companies have fewer roles for entry-level workers trying to launch their lives. Workers who do have jobs are hanging on to them. Economists worry the phenomenon is putting some of the country's trademark dynamism at risk. For generations, Americans have chased opportunity by moving from city to city, state to state. U.S. companies were often quicker to hire -- and to fire -- than employers in other parts of the world. But that defining mobility has stalled, leaving many people in homes that are too small, in jobs they don't love or in their parents' basements looking for work. Others are slapped with "golden handcuffs." Those who bought homes when mortgage rates were low or have stable white-collar jobs are clinging to them rather than taking big leaps. This immobility has economic consequences for everyone. The frozen housing market means growing families can't upgrade, empty-nesters can't downsize and first-time buyers are all but locked out. When people can't move for a job offer, or to a city with better job opportunities, they often earn less. When companies can't hire people who currently live in, say, a different state, corporate productivity and profits can suffer. Young graduates who don't land good jobs soon after college often never really recover from those years of diminished earnings, widening the gap between the economy's winners and losers. Economic and geographic mobility often go hand in hand. |
| Supreme Court allows Mississippi to require age verification on social media like Facebook and X | |
 | The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern. The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube. NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while a lawsuit plays out. There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that there's a good chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that the law is unconstitutional, but hadn't shown it must be blocked while the lawsuit unfolds. NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacy rights and unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the justices that age verification could help protect young people from "sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion and more," activities that Fitch noted are not protected by the First Amendment. Communications director MaryAsa Lee said the state is grateful for the decision, and expects the case to proceed "in a way that permits thoughtful consideration of these important issues." |
| SCOTUS denies NetChoice's move to halt Mississippi's Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court has denied NetChoice's emergency application to temporarily halt Mississippi's law known as the "Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act." The law, which was unanimously passed by the Legislature in 2024 and signed by Governor Tate Reeves, requires social media platforms to make reasonable efforts to prevent or mitigate children's exposure to potentially harmful content while using the platforms. One way of doing that is by age verification. NetChoice, a trade association, challenged the Mississippi law, claiming that the legislation violates citizens' constitutionally protected rights, endangers their online privacy and security, and thwarts their rights to make decisions for their family as they deem appropriate. In the denial, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, "I concur in the Court's denial of NetChoice's application for interim relief because NetChoice has not sufficiently demonstrated that the balance of harms and equities favors it at this time." However, Kavanaugh added that under the Court's current case law, the Mississippi law is likely unconstitutional. "To be clear, NetChoice has, in my view, demonstrated that it is likely to succeed on the merits namely, that enforcement of the Mississippi law would likely violate its members' First Amendment rights under this Court's precedents," Kavanaugh wrote. As previously reported, the new law was authored by State Rep. Jill Ford (R) in response to the tragic death of 16-year-old Walker Montgomery of Starkville after someone he met online asked for money. When Montgomery said no, the online predator threatened to release a sexually explicit video of him. After continued pressure by the predator, Montgomery took his own life in 2022. |
| Speaker White gives glimpse into House's work on school choice reforms | |
| The Mississippi House of Representatives will begin hammering out an education bill to be considered next session, with meetings starting later this month. House Speaker Jason White (R) stated on Thursday that all voices will be heard. During a speech at a Mississippi Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity forum, White said rumors and bad information are swirling around the conversation about educational freedom legislation. "The House doesn't have a bill yet; it's a long way from completion," he said, noting that when school choice or education freedom bills emerge from committees, they will be enacted over a 3- to 5-year period. White appointed a Select Committee on Educational Freedom earlier this summer. State and national experts will discuss ideas and best practices for possible inclusion in the upcoming education bills. White said some topics to be explored include the impact of school choice on local schools and high school athletic programs. "Everyone will have a seat at the table, even those who oppose reform," the speaker told a group of about 70 attendees. |
| Hyde-Smith opens new office in Southaven | |
 | U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) Thursday announced the opening of her new Senate office in DeSoto County to serve constituents in northwest Mississippi. The office is located at 4716 Pepper Chase Drive, Southaven. The office will be open by appointment only. "I hope this office gives more people in northwest Mississippi an opportunity to interact with me and my staff more easily, particularly in terms of the constituent services offered by my office. I'm thrilled to have a spot in DeSoto County," said Hyde-Smith, who will host a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony later this month. Hyde-Smith also has offices in Jackson, Oxford, Gulfport, and Brookhaven. |
| Draft of White House Report Suggests Kennedy Won't Push Strict Pesticide Regulations | |
 | A highly anticipated White House report on the health of American children would stop short of proposing direct restrictions on ultraprocessed foods and pesticides that the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has called major threats, according to a draft of the document that was reviewed by The New York Times. The report, if adopted, would be good news for the food and agriculture industries, which feared far more restrictive proposals than the ones outlined in the draft. Through his "Make America Healthy Again" movement, Mr. Kennedy has sought to overhaul the nation's diet by pushing those industries to make major changes. Questions about a possible push for new pesticide regulations were raised in May when the White House released an initial report, from a presidential commission chaired by Mr. Kennedy, that raised strong concerns about possible links between pesticides and childhood diseases. It also linked the dominance of ultraprocessed foods in children's diets to a range of chronic diseases. Those findings touched off tensions between Mr. Kennedy's movement and Republican lawmakers who have traditionally drawn support from powerful agriculture, food and drug lobbyists. After the first report was published in May, agriculture groups, including the American Soybean Association and the National Corn Growers Association, urged the Trump administration to listen to farmers as the commission prepared its follow-up report outlining a strategy. |
| Alaskans greet Putin with Ukrainian flags, protest 'war criminal hanging out here' | |
| Several hundred people gathered for a pro-Ukraine rally in Anchorage, Alaska, where U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are set to meet Friday. The high-stakes summit -- the first in-person meeting between an American president and Putin since the latter launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, is meant to lay the ground for a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to the summit, scheduled to kick off around 11 a.m. local time at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Protesters started to gather early on Friday morning ahead of Putin's arrival in Anchorage, chanting pro-Kyiv slogans and demanded that Russia return the 20,000 Ukrainian children it has kidnapped from the war zone. The protesters also took umbrage at Trump inviting Putin to a meeting on American soil in Alaska, which used to be Russian territory until it was sold to the United States in 1867. Trump said he planned to organize a trilateral meeting with the Ukrainian president and Putin soon after the Alaska meeting. The U.S. president said there were "three ideas" for locations -- and "by far the easiest" would be staying in Alaska. Ukraine and its European allies have expressed some cautious optimism about the summit, after Trump hardened his criticism of Putin over his role in prolonging the war and floated the idea of U.S. security guarantees to facilitate a ceasefire, something he had previously rejected. |
| D.C. attorney general sues Trump administration over 'hostile takeover' of police | |
 | D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has sued President Donald Trump over his executive actions asserting control over the D.C. police department and attempting to install an emergency police commissioner, one of the most extraordinary exertions of federal power in the city's half-century of home rule. The lawsuit came hours after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered sweeping changes to law enforcement policies in the city and said a Trump administration official should assume all duties and responsibilities of the police chief, drawing immediate legal pushback from Schwalb and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). Schwalb is asking a federal judge to find that Trump and Bondi's actions are unconstitutional and exceed limits on power in the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act. Schwalb asked the judge to block Bondi's order and keep control of police with the mayor and police chief. He is seeking an emergency temporary restraining order Friday and an immediate hearing. A hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. The lawsuit sets up a major power clash in entirely untested territory as the District clings to its limited self-governance. It is the starkest illustration in three decades of the vast power that the federal government retains over the nation's capital. |
| It's all relative: Business leaders meet to support family business symposium | |
| Wrapping up its eight-city tour across the state, the Ole Miss Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship made a last stop in Tupelo on Thursday to encourage family-owned businesses to attend the fourth annual It's All Relative Family Business Symposium. Dubbed Social in the 'Sip, Thursday's event was held at the CDF offices in Downtown Tupelo. The larger event, to be held Sept. 16-17 at the Sheraton Flowood Refuge Hotel and Conference Center, is a part of the CIE Legacy Leadership Program, the It's All Relative Family Business Symposium is "dedicated to empowering family-owned businesses by providing a platform for leaders, family members and employees to connect, learn and grow." Rich Gentry, CIE co-director and professor of management at Ole Miss, said the symposium was started after conversations at the center. Speakers include James and Thomas Duff, co-owners of Southern Tire Mart and the state's only billionaires, and Jonathan Jones of Jones Capital, a family-owned private capital provider focused on transportation and logistics, industrial, and business services markets. "We're expecting 150-200 attendees," said Angelica Owens, CIE director of external relations. |
| Jackson State students call on administration to address 'an unfair housing crisis' | |
| More than 380 students on financial aid at Jackson State University have signed a petition calling on Denise Jones-Gregory, the interim president, and the university's housing and residence life office to "address an unfair housing crisis" as they scramble to find lodging just days before classes begin. Arianna Thomas, who identified herself on the change.org site as a Jackson native and honors elementary education scholar, created the petition Wednesday. She could not be reach for comment. Students who applied for dorms and financial aid in the spring were removed from their housing assignments without warning, according to the change.org petition. Some were told they were rejected because of unpaid balances or their aid wasn't applied correctly or delayed. As a result, students said they are now left without housing, placed on waiting lists or reassigned to more expensive campus lodging and meal plans costing $3,000 or more. Students said no clear answers have been provided by university officials to address the matter, according to the petition. When reached for comment via email by Mississippi Today, university officials said they were aware of the petition and working to address the issue. Alcorn State University, the state’s oldest land grant university and an HBCU, is also experiencing a housing crunch as dozens of students will be spending their first semester rooming at Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel of Natchez, which is owned by Magnolia Bluffs Casino, according to the IHL board’s meeting minutes from a July 18 special session. |
| Campus life sees huge growth at William Carey University | |
 | On Thursday, about 250 freshmen and transfer students moved into the dorms at William Carey University, making it the largest move-in day of the year. "We have several move-in days, but today's our biggest move-in day where we welcome our new students, our first-time freshmen, and our transfer students," WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett said. But Thursday's newcomers will be just a portion of the students who will call the campus home this year, Burnett said. "This year, we'll have well over 900," Burnett said. "We won't know for sure until next week when everyone gets here." That's a major jump from the 600 students living on campus when Burnett became president in 2022. The university's push for more on-campus living is about more than just filling dorm rooms. "College and campus life are so important because it helps our students to feel connected here on campus, and it's always exciting when we have such a lively campus atmosphere," said Katrina Pittman, WCU Student Success Center director. Students said living on campus helps them make friends, stay engaged, and feel a sense of belonging. |
| Students at new Coast medical academy get free tuition and pay while training | |
 | Students were in class Thursday, training for jobs in the medical field, while the ribbon was cut at Singing River Healthcare Academy. The first medical apprenticeship program in the state occupies a shiny new building at 3401 Bienville Blvd. in Ocean Springs. The modern architecture suggests the type of high-tech equipment and training inside. "Programs here are tuition-free and offer paid hands-on training," said Jackson County Supervisor Barry Cumbest. Students come out of the program debt-free, receiving a computer to use during the program and all the materials they need for their classes. "We pay for everything," said instructor Carmen Potts, RN. Students will train at Singing River Health System hospitals and clinics and have jobs once they graduate and pass their certification exams. The new facilities will allow 250 students to train at a time, said Blaise Kin, director of workforce innovation at Accelerate Mississippi. Some of the classes are already booked through 2026, he said. Before the ribbon cutting, the John Reed Classroom was named after the long-time state representative and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee for his dedication to the project. The academy and medical training is much-needed, Reed said. Community colleges offer nursing programs throughout the state, "and we still can't meet the demand," he said. |
| Texas A&M to open new testing center for students with disabilities | |
 | The Texas A&M Department of Disability Resources will hold a grand opening for its new West Campus Testing Center at 3 p.m. Aug. 19. The university announced the opening in a press release Thursday. The new testing center will be located in the West Campus Library and will provide accommodated testing for students with disabilities. Disability Resources, a department in the Division of Student Affairs, has another testing center in the Student Services Building. This second location will help with growth. In the fall of 2021, the Department of Disability Resources gave out 8,994 exams to students who needed accommodation. In the spring of 2025, that number had grown to 15,460. "We are extremely grateful for the commitment and support from the Texas A&M administration in recognizing this need and responding to it," Director of Disability Resources Dr. Kristie Orr said in a statement. Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III, Provost Alan Sams and new Vice President of Student Affairs Bill Kibler will give remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony. |
| Thousands of students expected to arrive starting Saturday | |
 | Mizzou Move In begins Saturday, and traffic will increase considerably near campus as new and returning students move into residence halls. The bulk of move-ins will take place Wednesday and Thursday along with events designed to welcome students to the fall semester, which begins Aug. 25. Avoiding high-traffic areas can help individuals navigate campus more easily over the next week, university officials said in an email. Three main days are set for residence hall move-ins: Saturday: 2,000 students and their families expected to arrive on campus. Wednesday: 2,700 students and their families arrive. Thursday: 1,400 students and their families are expected. Barricades and one-way streets will be in force from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. those three days. The Tiger Line Shuttle routes also will be changed slightly. Users are urged to check the live shuttle feed for up-to-date route information. |
| UCLA's legal win over Trump could prompt different strategy in similar cases | |
 | The faculty of the University of California scored a victory for the Los Angeles branch campus against the White House, the first win for a university individually targeted by the federal government. A judge ordered the Trump administration to restore a portion of the more than $550 million the president paused after the federal government found the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was in violation of federal civil rights law over alleged antisemitism on campus. But the situation is unique, as other universities do not have faculty challenging the federal government's crackdown on funding. Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations and national engagement at the American Council of Education, said in UCLA's case, researchers sued "to protect their own research projects." "I wonder a little bit if you won't see more research faculty and staff across the country looking at this and saying ... 'My grants were suspended. What relief is available to me?' and pursue the same action," he said. Experts say the cost and time it takes to litigate the issues is one of the reasons universities and faculty are not lining up for a legal fight. |
| White House Uses Back Door to Axe Approved Funds for Exchange Programs | |
 | The Trump administration has used an arcane administrative process to pull funding from two dozen academic- and cultural-exchange programs run by the U.S. Department of State, effectively killing them. The cuts, made by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), were to already-appropriated congressional funds for the current fiscal year. While the list of terminated programs does not include high-profile State Department exchanges, such as the flagship Fulbright Program, the action has raised concerns that the administration could use the same approach to cancel other global-education programs. The cuts are an "existential threat" to the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Exchange "as a whole," said Mark Overmann, executive director at the Alliance for International Exchange. "If OMB is allowed to cut these congressionally appropriated FY25 awards, it will give them license to do it again and again, opening the door to effectively eliminate international-exchange programs." The cancellation of current funding is likely to result in furloughs, layoffs, and even the closure of some international-exchange groups. Those planning to participate in the programs will not be able to go overseas. |
| Critics say Trump's push for fairness in college admissions is leaving out legacy preferences | |
| As President Donald Trump attempts to reshape college admissions, he's promising a new era of fairness, with an emphasis on merit and test scores and a blind eye toward diversity. Yet the Republican president's critics -- and some allies -- are questioning his silence on admissions policies that give applicants a boost because of their wealth or family ties. While he has pressed colleges to eliminate any possible consideration of a student's race, he has made no mention of legacy admissions, an edge given to the children of alumni, or similar preferences for the relatives of donors. Trump often rails against systems he describes as "rigged," but he has overlooked a glaring instance in higher education, said Richard Kahlenberg, a researcher at the Progressive Policy Institute think tank who has written about admissions. "It's hard to think of a more flagrant way in which the system is rigged than legacy preferences," Kahlenberg said. "Rarely is a system of hereditary privilege so openly practiced without any sense of shame." In recent weeks, Trump has taken several actions to scrub any vestiges of race from admissions decisions, suggesting that some schools are ignoring a 2023 Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action. His administration negotiated settlements with Brown and Columbia universities that included provisions to share admissions data. Last week, Trump issued a call for colleges nationwide to submit data to prove they do not consider race in admissions. |
| Judge Halts White House Effort to Defund Schools With D.E.I. Programs | |
| A federal judge dealt a sweeping setback on Thursday to President Trump's education agenda, declaring that the administration cannot move forward with its plans to cut off federal funding from schools and colleges with diversity and equity programs. The case related to a memo the administration had sent to states in April, asking them to certify that their schools did not practice "illegal D.E.I.," which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. The administration threatened to cut off billions in federal dollars from education institutions that did not comply. In a strongly worded ruling, Judge Stephanie Gallagher of the Federal District Court in Maryland wrote that the administration had not followed proper administrative procedure, and said its plan was unconstitutional, in part because it risked constraining educators' free speech rights in the classroom. "The regulation of speech cannot be done casually," Judge Gallagher wrote. The administration, she said, had "initiated a sea change in how the Department of Education regulates educational practices and classroom conduct, causing millions of educators to reasonably fear that their lawful, and even beneficial, speech might cause them or their schools to be punished." The legal back and forth is not likely to end any time soon. Mr. Trump has centered the battle against D.E.I. in schools, and the administration could appeal Judge Gallagher's ruling. |
| Scientists: mRNA Vaccine Research Cuts Undermine U.S. Innovation | |
 | Academic researchers are worried that the government's plans to stop investing in the development of messenger RNA vaccines, a technology university scientists first used to help develop the COVID-19 vaccines, will undermine the United States' standing as a global leader in biomedical research and development. As promising as mRNA technology may be for treating a range of maladies, including numerous types of cancer and autoimmune diseases, its role in developing the COVID vaccine has thrust it into a political crossfire, fueled by the Trump administration's smoldering criticisms of the Biden administration's handling of the pandemic. Last week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., director of the Department of Health and Human Services, who frequently cites misinformation about vaccines and other public health issues, announced that the department is winding down mRNA vaccine research under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and canceling $500 million worth of contracts and grants with numerous biotech companies and Emory University in Atlanta. According to a report from STAT News, the 181-page document Kennedy cited as his evidence that mRNA vaccines aren't safe or effective references disputed studies written by other skeptics of COVID mitigation protocols, including stay-at-home orders and vaccines. |
| With U.S. funding for science at risk, a longtime advocate sees 'light at the end of the tunnel' | |
| For most of Mary Woolley's career, science and politics have existed harmoniously. On only a few occasions have they become misaligned, said Woolley, who has served as president and CEO of the research advocacy group Research!America since 1990. Those occasions include a movement to slash the budget of the National Institutes of Health in the mid-1990s, a wave of skepticism of science during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Trump administration's current slashing of research funding. "In this particular Congress and this administration, there has been vilification of some parts of science," Woolley said. "Science meets politics has really been elevated around issues that have nothing to do with making people healthier and more secure -- but have more to do with, 'If I'm for it, then you're going to be against it. If I'm a Republican and for something, then you're a Democrat and you're going to be against it, no matter what it is' and vice versa. That kind of political battling is not good for anyone." "Science is there to advance the public's goals," she added. Science advocates say the Trump administration's proposed cuts for next year would be catastrophic, but there are some early signs that Congress might rebuff them. Woolley, who recently announced that she will step down from her role in early 2026, spoke with STAT about her time at Research!America, the current state of federal research funding, and her views on how science and politics can benefit one another. |
| Recipe for Science Superpower? 'Pay Your Taxes With Pride' | |
| Denmark's world-leading success in commercializing research should not be written off as a one-off confined to the country's booming weight loss drug industry, a Nobel-winning scientist has argued. Since Novo Nordisk's diabetes treatment Ozempic was sold as weight-loss drug Wegovy, the Danish biotech company has quickly grown into one of the world's biggest companies and Denmark's largest single corporate taxpayer, contributing almost $4 billion in corporate taxes in the year ending March 2025 -- about half of the country's total corporate take. A further $3.8 billion in income taxes -- which can reach up to 56 percent for higher earners -- was also collected from Novo Nordisk staff in 2024. That success has led to major interest in how Denmark's model of combined strong fundamental and applied research paid off so spectacularly and whether it can be replicated, although some pundits have wondered whether the serendipitous discovery of Ozempic -- whose roots lie in research on snake venom -- represents a one-shot for its industrial science sector. Speaking to Times Higher Education, however, the Nobel laureate Morten Meldal, who is professor of chemistry at the University of Copenhagen, said Novo Nordisk's story should not be seen as an outlier in Danish research but one of many prosperous science-based companies based in the country of just six million people. "Novo Nordisk is the result of Denmark's system -- its success is directly attributable to how our society operates: We have high taxes, but those taxes result in huge tax-exempt industrial foundations funding science and creating opportunities for both academic and industrial success. That is why Novo Nordisk happened in Denmark," said Meldal, who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2022. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs To Honor 2000 'Snow Bowl' Team With White Out, White Interlocking 'MSU' Helmet Against Tennessee | |
| Mississippi State football will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic "Snow Bowl" when it hosts Tennessee on Sept. 27 at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs will wear their all-white 2025 core uniform paired with a white helmet featuring the interlocking "MSU" logo and maroon facemask. The look pays tribute to the 2000 team that claimed a 43-41 overtime victory over Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl -- a game forever remembered for the rare snowstorm in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Dec. 31, 2000. Coach Jackie Sherrill and members of that team will be invited back to Starkville and recognized during the game. The matchup with Tennessee will also serve as a "White Out," and fans are encouraged to wear white. Tickets for the Tennessee game are available at HailState.com/Tickets. Mississippi State opens the 2025 season on the road at Southern Miss on Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. CT. The Bulldogs' home opener is set for Sept. 6 against No. 11 Arizona State in the annual "First Saturday in StarkVegas" game. Tickets start at less than $25 when you click here. Special First Saturday 4 Packs -- which include four tickets and a parking pass to the Arizona State matchup –- are also available starting at $49. |
| Mississippi State football to wear all-black uniforms for Arizona State game Sept. 6 | |
 | Adidas unveiled a new Mississippi State football uniform Aug. 15. The all-black uniforms were created in collaboration with the university and inspired by the school's legacy, traditions and culture. The alternate uniforms are scheduled to be worn Sept. 6 when MSU hosts Arizona State. The blacked out uniforms are accented with white and the university's signature maroon. The back of the inside collar reads "Hail State," and underneath it is a state outline of Mississippi. The front neckline features the word "State" in the school's signature script. On Aug. 14, the Bulldogs announced they will wear all-white uniforms on Sept. 27 against Tennessee in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the "Snow Bowl." That uniform combination also features a white helmet with the interlocking "MSU" logo and a maroon facemask. |
| Position Preview: Looking at Mississippi State's tight ends room for the 2025 season | |
| The Dispatch is continuing its position previews with a look at the tight end room. There is some veteran experience returning, notably with senior Seydou Traore. He leads a group with a few new faces who offer similar physicality on the line and in the receiving game. |
| Soccer: Thunderstorms Cancel Mississippi State's Season Opener | |
| No. 20/22 Mississippi State soccer's season opener against UT Martin was washed out on Thursday night. Lightning struck just under an hour prior to kickoff, and heavy showers moved into the area at match time. After waiting out the rain for nearly two hours, the two head coaches mutually agreed that the field would be unplayable and canceled the contest. The match will not be made up due to schedule conflicts later in the season. Mississippi State's next scheduled match in Thursday, Aug. 21 against Jacksonville State. Kickoff in Starkville is again set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. |
| Sources: College Basketball Point Shaving Federal Investigation Nearing Indictments | |
| Federal investigators from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have advanced their probe of point shaving and game fixing in college basketball, multiple sources tell Sports Illustrated, conducting interviews with players suspected of manipulating their performances for the benefit of gamblers who wagered on their games. The investigation covers multiple regions and teams, sources say, with a current focus on "Southern schools." The probe is believed to be heading toward the indictment stage. "There are going to be charges," a source with knowledge of the investigation says. "It's going to be national in scope. It's going to involve multiple players and programs." The EDPA investigation dovetails with the Eastern District of New York's inquiry centering on the gambling ring that was involved with former NBA player Jontay Porter, sources say. The EDNY office also is investigating unusual gambling activity on current NBA player Malik Beasley's performances during the 2023–24 season, according to the player's attorney, Steve Haney. "An investigation is not a charge," Haney told SI in June. "He has not been charged." The NCAA also is performing its own investigations of a number of programs, with infractions cases or eligibility inquiries involving players at New Orleans, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State and Temple. It's not clear whether the players from those institutions are under criminal investigation, or whether the NCAA will charge them or their schools with violations. |
| Michigan sign-stealing punishment: NCAA fines Wolverines, show-cause for Connor Stalions | |
 | Nearly two full years after news broke of an investigation into alleged in-person scouting and sign-stealing from the Michigan football program, the Wolverines have been handed their punishment. The NCAA has fined Michigan $50,000, plus 10% of the football program's budget, handed Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore a two-year show cause order and suspended him the first game of the 2026 season, and put Michigan on four years probation, the NCAA announced on Aug. 15. Michigan has already self-imposed a two-game suspension on Moore for the 2025 season. The fine for the Wolverines also includes a sum equivalent to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing from the 2025 and 2026 seasons, as well as 10% of the cost of scholarships awarded in the football program during the 2025-26 academic year. According to a report from ESPN, the total from all of those fines is expected to exceed $20 million. The NCAA also handed former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, a 10-year show cause, which will take effect Aug. 7, 2028, when the four-year show cause he was given from a separate NCAA investigation concludes. |
| MMR built refineries and power plants. Now this LSU-loving construction firm is riding the AI boom. | |
 | On the outskirts of Boise, Idaho, semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology is building a $15 billion complex to produce the chips that smartphones and computers use to store data, one of several mega-projects spurred by government subsidies for the critical technology. It's the largest private investment in Idaho's history, and Micron turned turned to Baton Rouge-based MMR Group, the private construction services firm headquartered at an unassuming campus on Airline Highway, to oversee the complex task of installing the facility's electrical wiring. It's not the type of project MMR, which cut its teeth in the oil and gas sector, is typically known for outside of the construction industry. But in recent years, the 10,000-person company has quickly expanded from its core business building refineries, petrochemical plants and other nodes of the energy industry into the multibillion-dollar infrastructure boom that's underway in the tech sector. Founded in 1991 by James "Pepper" Rutland, a former LSU linebacker and team captain, MMR is one of the largest privately owned electrical and instrumentation contractors in the U.S., with more than two dozen offices across North America. There's a deep vein of purple and gold that runs through the firm. MMR recruits heavily from LSU and many of its top executives are alumni Rutland was a member LSU's first class to graduate from its construction management program. In December, Rutland gave a seven-figure donation to LSU's NIL collective to help recruit and retain football prospects. MMR also donated $7.5 million to LSU's new stand-alone construction management building. "We're not interested in being part of private equity. Seen that. Know how it ends. We don't like it," he said. "We are kind of a big family operation. With that comes flexibility. Nobody has to call New York to find out if we can buy tickets to an LSU football game." |
| Nike co-founder Phil Knight and wife pledge record $2B to Oregon cancer center, university says | |
| Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny Knight have pledged to donate $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cancer Institute, the school announced Thursday, describing it as the largest single gift to a U.S. university. "This gift is an unprecedented investment in the millions of lives burdened with cancer, especially patients and families here in Oregon," OHSU President Shereef Elnahal said in a statement. The donation will help ensure patients have access to various resources, including psychological, genetic and financial counseling, symptom management, nutritional support and survivorship care, the university statement said. "We couldn't be more excited about the transformational potential of this work for humanity," the Knights said in the statement. The university described it as the "largest single donation ever made to a U.S. university, college or academic health center." It surpasses the $1.8 billion given by Michael Bloomberg to Johns Hopkins in 2018, described by that university at the time as the largest single contribution to a U.S. university. The magnitude of the donation will allow the Knight Cancer Institute to become a self-governed entity with its own board of directors within OHSU, the university said. |
| Ohio State Football's Radical Offseason Workout: Reading a Book | |
| Not long after Ryan Day led the Ohio State football team to the national championship, he began agonizing over how to refocus his players for a new season. Some coaches bring in inspirational figures like a Navy SEAL to address the team. Others consult sports psychologists for motivational tricks. But Day decided to engage his student-athletes the old-fashioned way. He had his players read a book. The volume he selected was "Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall In Love With the Process of Becoming Great." It isn't exactly "Anna Karenina." At a modest 118 pages, it's the kind of self-improvement manual that an enterprising salesman could finish on a flight from Dallas to Cincinnati. But its messages, told through parables delivered by a Japanese master to a young American pupil, are clear. Excellence is a slog that requires consistent, tiring work. Setbacks are part of the process. Humbly committing to improvement is its own reward. "Everybody focuses on that final result and what it looked like and all those things," Day said recently. "We needed to get back to the beginning of the process -- and focusing on the process and not necessarily focusing on the result." |
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