| Thursday, November 20, 2025 |
| MSU kicks off holiday season with Hail State Holidays lighting ceremony | |
 | Mississippi State welcomed the start of the holiday season Tuesday night with its annual Hail State Holidays lighting ceremony in front of the Colvard Student Union, drawing students, families and community members for music, speeches and fun campus traditions. The evening opened with two hymns performed by Black Voices, MSU's African American choral ensemble. Their performance set a reflective tone and brought the crowd together before the night's speakers stepped forward. MSU President Mark Keenum spoke first, highlighting the sense of unity the ceremony brings to campus each year. "This is one of the memories we get to share as a Mississippi State Family," Keenum said. He also encouraged students to enjoy the season while remaining focused as finals approach. Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt followed, emphasizing the importance of community and shared celebration. "One of the things I love the most about our Mississippi State community is that we get to share those experiences with each other," Hyatt said. |
| Donation deadline quickly approaching for Egg Bowl Food Fight | |
| The deadline is quickly approaching for Mississippi State University students and fans to donate non-perishable items, block meals and monetary contributions to Bully's Pantry as part of a competition against the University of Mississippi Associated Student Body to fight food insecurity. The president of the student government at the losing school will be required to wear the opposing team's jersey to the Egg Bowl next Friday at Davis Wade Stadium. Until Friday at 5 p.m., physical item donations can be dropped off at the MSU Student Association office on the third floor of the Colvard Student Union or in the YMCA Building on campus. Student Association President Cameron Cummings said that they are also trying to promote block meal and monetary donations. The winner of the Egg Bowl Food Fight will be announced early next week in time for the football matchup between the two schools. |
| MSU launches innovative agricultural drone video series | |
| Though the technology is still in its early days, unmanned aircraft systems with spray capabilities offer promising solutions to some of today's greatest agricultural production challenges. A video series created by Mississippi State's Agricultural Autonomy Institute and supported by the university's Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station helps farmers navigate this technology, from spray drone basics to detailed troubleshooting. MSU's Madison Dixon, AAI associate director of research, has seen growing interest from stakeholders in Mississippi and across the country. "We're getting multiple calls a week, sometimes a day, from people wanting to understand the technology and the regulations, which are still a moving target," he said. "We felt the best approach that would assist the most people was this comprehensive video series. Our goal was to address the most frequently asked questions and to help people use the technology safely and successfully." |
| Pecan harvest decent despite weather, disease | |
| While most Mississippi pecan producers are reporting fair to good crops, dry summer weather and disease reduced harvest at some orchards. "It appears to be somewhat of a mixed bag," said Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, referring to the state's pecan crop. "Some growers are happy with their harvest, and some are not," he said. "From what I've seen, that somewhat depends on the varieties being grown and the ability to effectively manage disease." A dry August and widespread pecan scab will likely impact fruit quantity and quality in some parts of the state, Stafne said. Mississippi expects to harvest around 1.5 million pounds of pecans in 2025, although this is likely a low estimate because many smaller producers do not report their harvests, James Callahan, president of the Mississippi Pecan Growers Association, said. "So far, prices are relatively lower than previous years," said Elizabeth Canales Medina, an Extension agricultural economist. "However, it is important to note that prices are highest in November and December, so the average price for 2025 is likely to be higher by the end of the year." |
| NIFA Invests $6.8M to Support Novel Foods and Innovative Manufacturing Projects | |
| USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has invested $6.8 million in 16 grants as part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's Novel Foods and Innovative Manufacturing grant program (A1364). This program aims to develop science and technology to improve and preserve the quality, safety and nutrition of foods for enhanced food and nutrition security. This includes advancements in areas like food production, processing, packaging and distribution, all aimed at enhancing efficiency, sustainability and consumer experience. Research projects also advance food manufacturing competitiveness to ensure a more resilient and healthy food supply. 2025 awardees are George Washington University, Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences, Mississippi State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University, Oregon State University (2 awards), Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Tufts College, University of California Davis, University of Idaho, University of Illinois, University of Massachusetts, Vireo Advisors, LLC and Yeshiva University. |
| Mary Means Business: Anthony's owner to operate West Point microbrewery | |
 | A 10-barrel microbrewery in North Little Rock, Arkansas, is spreading its wings and migrating southeast. Named after one of North America's main bird migratory routes, Flyway Brewing opened in North Little Rock in 2015 and now has locations in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, with a West Point location already in the works. Ray Hamilton, owner of Anthony's Market, will serve as operating partner along with several investors and the Flyway owners. The goal is to open by fall in the historic Justice Company Building at 26355 W. Main St., just across from Anthony's. ... Meanwhile in Starkville, O'Sake Steakhouse has officially opened at 211 Hwy. 12. The new spot brings a range of Asian cuisine to town with poke, ramen, hibachi and more. Hours run 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-9 p.m. on Sundays. There's also progress on a long-awaited project on my side of town. The Waffle House near the Neighborhood Walmart Market has finally broken ground. More than a year after announcing plans for a new location near the Hilton Garden Inn at 975 Hwy. 12 E., construction is underway. |
| Tupelo buys land to build Target access road | |
 | City of Tupelo officials have reached an agreement with Target that will see the construction of a public road to the retailer's highly anticipated storefront in the Barnes Crossing area. The Tupelo City Council this week voted unanimously to approve a $2 million land purchase with the Target Corp. to give the city access to build the needed infrastructure for the 148,721-square-foot storefront, which will boast 565 parking spaces and multiple out parcels. "It feels good to see the fruits of our labor. This was and is a team effort, a lot of time, energy and financial resources," Tupelo Development Services Director Tanner Newman said. "It could not and would not have happened without the visionary leadership of Mayor (Todd) Jordan." Tuesday night's action falls in line with the agreement the city solidified with the company about a year ago, following approved tax incentives from both the city and county, as well as rough plans delivered by the company to the city last September. The purchase completes the city's last needed right-of-way as construction on the new access road begins. |
| Amazon announces new $3 billion data center project for Mississippi | |
 | Interstate 20 across Mississippi may come to be known as the Data Center Corridor. That is after Amazon has announced its second data center campus in Mississippi, this one the company says will be "at least a $3 billion investment" in Warren County, making it one of the top five largest economic development projects in the history of the state. In the last two years, Mississippi has seen major data center construction announcements in Madison, Meridian and just three months ago in Brandon. All of the announcements have come from cities and counties right on or just off of I-20. Even a potential data center site being examined by ExxonMobil near Satartia would just be a short drive from I-20. Amazon Web Services Economic Development Director Roger Wehner told the Clarion Ledger that while Warren County has been selected for a new data center campus, the company is still making a decision between two locations within Warren County. "I think we will make a decision quickly," Wehner said. "We will do all of our due diligence and make the best decision possible. But they are very close to Vicksburg." |
| Economy added 119,000 jobs and unemployment ticked up in September, delayed report shows | |
 | After a more than monthlong delay due to what became the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Nov. 20 released its September jobs report. The report found U.S. employers added 119,000 jobs in September, surpassing expectations. The unemployment rate rose slightly from 4.3% to 4.4%. Job gains for July and August were revised down by 33,000, portraying an even weaker labor market than believed in late summer. How these insights will affect the Federal Reserve's December rate decision remains unclear amid a lack of more recent government data, stubborn inflation, and a divided Federal Open Market Committee. The report, originally due out Oct. 3, reflects what was happening before the shutdown began. The labor market may have changed since the data was collected. The BLS confirmed Nov. 19 it will not release a full standalone U.S. jobs report for October, saying it will instead release October payroll data alongside a full November report. The agency added the November jobs report, originally due out Dec. 5, will be released Dec. 16 -- six days after the Federal Open Market Committee concludes its final two-day meeting of the year. |
| Home Sales in October Rose to Highest Level Since February | |
 | Home sales rose to an eight-month high in October, signaling how even a small decline in mortgage rates will attract some buyers back to the market. Sales of existing homes rose 1.2% from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.1 million, the highest level since February, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That beat the rise of 1% that economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had forecast. The October sales figure reflects home-shopping activity in August and September, when mortgage rates dropped to an 11-month low and made purchases more affordable for many buyers. Rates have ticked a bit higher in recent weeks but remained below 6.3%, according to Freddie Mac. The beleaguered housing market is gaining some momentum heading into the end of the year, with home sales rising for a second straight month. Prices are falling in some southern and western markets where inventory has risen. Buyers in many markets have been able to negotiate price cuts and other concessions. "Potential buyers have a level of comfort that they didn't have," said Brad Case, chief residential economist at CoStar's Homes.com. "We're getting to a more balanced market." |
| High costs and competition threaten Mississippi's independent pharmacies | |
 | Mississippi's rural counties, which make up the vast majority of the state, face a host of challenges when it comes to health care. While that often means a lack of resources -- like emergency care -- it also means that many of these areas are served by local, independent pharmacies instead of big retailers like Walgreens or CVS. Joe Mohamed runs one of those pharmacies: G&P in Belzoni. It's one of two local pharmacies in town, and it's a lot closer than a Walgreens, CVS or Walmart. All of those are about a half-hour drive away. And, the service wouldn't be the same, Mohamed says. "[I] got a patient's medicine, filled it and took it to them at 11:00 at night. My local big box stores, I hadn't seen them do that," he said, smiling, next to a shelf of medication in G&P. But, he and many other pharmacists say that operating costs and issues with getting needed supplies are threatening their businesses and the communities they serve. "I would love to come in and not have to worry about my business staying afloat," Mohamed said. "That takes away from my patients, and I think my patients should be more important than my business any day." |
| China has started buying U.S. soybeans again. Will it be enough for farmers? | |
| Soybeans have become a flashpoint in President Donald Trump's trade war with China. But China's moratorium on purchasing U.S. soybeans appears to be over. Chinese buyers put in a big order this week, bringing the total volume for 2025 up to almost 1 million tons. That's a small step toward the 12 million tons Trump says China has committed to buying before the end of the year. For context, that would amount to less than half of what it imported last year. 1 million tons of U.S. soybeans is a fraction of what China would normally have purchased by November. But it's more than zero tons, which is what we were looking at before President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping started talking. "It's also psychologically good for the market because the markets look at this and go, 'Oh, this is the first of more to come,'" said Stephen Nicholson, global sector strategist for grains and oilseeds at Rabobank. He said there's reason to be skeptical: Xi hasn't actually confirmed that commitment to ramp up orders by the end of the year. Plus, the supply chain won't reboot overnight. |
| Senate Agriculture plans Thursday vote on CFTC nominee | |
 | The Senate Agriculture Committee indicated Wednesday that Michael Selig, the new nominee to be the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, would advance quickly as the panel eyes granting the CFTC authority over the cryptocurrency market. The panel scheduled a vote on Selig for Thursday. He would replace CFTC acting Chairman Caroline Pham. Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., turned his attention at the top of Selig's confirmation hearing on Wednesday to legislation aimed at regulating spot digital commodity trading for assets like bitcoin, ethereum and litecoin. "The CFTC -- and only the CFTC -- should regulate the trading of digital commodities. This is because only the CFTC understands the unique characteristics of commodities and commodity-based contracts," Boozman said. Boozman along with Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management and Trade Subcommittee ranking member Cory Booker, D-N.J., released a discussion draft on Nov. 10 that would grant the CFTC new authority to regulate the spot digital commodity market. "While the CFTC has the right regulatory approach, expertise and skill set to handle this new responsibility, it is up to Congress to grant the agency this new authority to regulate spot digital commodity trading," Boozman said. "Failure by Congress to do so will leave U.S. consumers vulnerable to bad actors and will keep the U.S. behind the rest of the world." |
| Cheney's funeral expected to draw Bush and GOP's old guard, not Trump | |
 | The throng of mourners assembling at former vice president Dick Cheney's funeral in Washington on Thursday morning is set to be led by former president George W. Bush and a cast of Republicans who held power in the nation's capital nearly a generation ago. Bush will pay tribute to the 46th vice president at the 11 a.m. service at Washington National Cathedral, an august setting where state funerals have been held for presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Neither President Donald Trump or Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend the invitation-only service, their absence punctuating the divide between the president's MAGA movement and the traditional conservatism embodied by the Bush-era Republican Party. A bipartisan mix of Washington veterans filled the cathedral before the service began, a crowd that included former vice presidents Mike Pence and Al Gore. Karl Rove, who served as Bush's senior adviser and campaign strategist, also was among the mourners, along with former House speaker John A. Boehner. Cheney's two terms as the younger Bush's understudy was the culmination of a career in Washington that began in 1969, when, at the age of 28, he joined the Nixon administration. |
| Trump Weighs Executive Order Targeting State AI Laws | |
| President Trump is restarting attacks on states trying to regulate artificial intelligence, calling for Congress to pre-empt such laws while weighing an executive order that would target states with what he thinks are restrictive regulations. Trump called for a federal AI framework in a Truth Social post Tuesday, reiterating a message he has emphasized throughout the year and arguing that overregulation by states could undermine AI and the boost he says it is giving the economy. The White House is also considering an executive order that would call for a task force established by the attorney general to challenge AI laws deemed to be onerous, and federal funding to be withheld from those states through a federal internet access program, according to a draft of the executive order viewed by The Wall Street Journal and people familiar with the discussions. Until officially announced by the White House, discussion about potential executive orders is speculation, an administration official said Wednesday. The potential executive order comes as administration officials try to impose a moratorium on state AI laws or policy pre-empting state rules that is part of the federal defense spending bill working its way through Congress. A similar effort earlier in the year failed after former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and some senators including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) opposed it saying it undermined workers and the safety of children online. |
| Trump-Marjorie Taylor Greene breakup shakes MAGA: 'Mom and Dad are separated' | |
| Half an hour into the Walker County GOP meeting, Chairwoman Jackie Harling turned to "the elephant in the room" -- the explosive breakup of President Donald Trump and their congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene. As Harling put it: "Mom and Dad are separated." No one directly criticized the president in the 45-minute discussion that followed. But the message was clear: Not even Trump could turn these Make America Great Again supporters against one of their movement's biggest stars in Congress. Audience members murmured in agreement as the Republican chair for the congressional district, who has worked for Greene, defended her and cast her as even more focused on the "America First" agenda than Trump. "We got Donald Trump trying to take care of the world," said the chair, Jim Tully, pacing in front of the lectern. "Got Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to take care of the country." Greene's split with Trump, which unfolded over issues including foreign workers and the effort to release government files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is testing the president's command of the "America First" movement he mobilized. |
| 'My poll numbers just went down': Trump defends skilled immigration, breaking with MAGA base | |
 | President Donald Trump has a message for his MAGA base on immigration. And he knows they don't want to hear it. The president on Wednesday again offered a defense of visas for high-skilled workers, arguing that Americans don't have the knowhow to fill certain jobs. He pointed to the multi-billion dollar expansion of chip production in Arizona, saying the company -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company -- will bring in thousands of workers, and that he will "welcome those people." "I love my conservative friends. I love MAGA," Trump said during remarks at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum at The Kennedy Center. "But this is MAGA, and those people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great." The remarks represent Trump's most pointed defense of his immigration positions to date, and show the president is aware he has work to do to bring along the hawks in his party. Nearly one year since his return to the White House, Trump's insistence that legal immigration is not only tolerable but an economic necessity continues to roil hardliners on the right, who are at odds with the business and tech interests that Trump has long aligned himself with. "The people who are against us are really, really smart," Trump said. "They're unbelievable patriots, but they just don't understand -- our people have to be taught." |
| Americans like democracy, but don't believe it or US institutions are working well, poll finds | |
 | About half of U.S. adults believe democracy is functioning "very" or "moderately" poorly in the United States, while only around one-quarter think it's doing "very" or "moderately" well, according to a new poll, marking a sharp decline from several decades ago when majorities thought democracy was generally working the way it should. The Kettering Foundation-Gallup survey found that about two-thirds of Americans "strongly agree" or "agree" that democracy is the best form of government. Very few disagree, with about one-third saying they don't have an opinion. But alongside the widespread disappointment in how democracy is working, few believe the country's leaders are committed to democratic governance or think government decisions reflect the will of the people. Few U.S. adults doubt their fellow Americans' commitment to strong democracy, according to the poll, but they're less certain about their political leadership. More than 4 in 10 Americans do not believe their leaders are committed to having a strong democracy, while about 3 in 10 say they're not sure. |
| 'Gratitude' Is Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's One Word Of Advice To The University Of Mississippi | |
 | United States Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson encouraged University of Mississippi students, faculty and alumni with a message of gratitude and perseverance on Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts as part of her national book tour for her memoir, "Lovely One." More than 350 members of the university community gathered at the invitation-only event to hear Jackson read an excerpt from her memoir and listen to a discussion moderated by U.S. District Court Chief Judge of the Northern District of Mississippi Debra M. Brown. Jackson also answered questions submitted by attendees. Offering career advice to students, Jackson largely focused on how relatable role models -- who are either personally known or admired from a distance -- are key to career success. The two-time Harvard University graduate shared insights into her journey to the Supreme Court on Sunday evening, emphasizing the importance of education and role models to success. This was not Jackson's first visit to UM. She competed in a 1987 speech and debate tournament at the university as a senior at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, and she has fond memories of winning her event, original oratory. |
| Ole Miss study finds appeal of extreme recreation about mastering risk | |
| Climbing mountains or going adventuring in hostile terrain can be dangerous, even life-threatening. But a University of Mississippi marketing professor found the old adage that "with great risk comes great reward" holds clues to why thrill-seeking is so satisfying. Christopher Newman, a professor in the Department of Marketing, Analytics and Professional Sales, recently completed a study into why consumers are drawn to demanding and hazardous activities. He collaborated with Steven W. Kopp, of the University of Arkansas, and Justine Rapp Farrell and Kenneth Bates, of the University of San Diego, on the study. Their research, published in Psychology & Marketing, examined the psychological complexities of adventure tourism, revealing how participants pursue values, ideals and identity transformation in the face of their own mortality. The idea was sparked when Newman completed a guided climb to the summit of Mount Rainier in Washington. "We talked about his adventures and wondered about the 'marketing' of these kinds of adventures," Kopp said. |
| 'Lighting the Way' event returns to USM in 2025 | |
 | A Golden Eagle-style holiday tradition will continue in 2025. The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) Hattiesburg campus will host the annual "Lighting the Way for the Holidays" event on December 3, 2025. The celebration is open to members of the university and local communities. Festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a tree-lighting ceremony in front of the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building, followed by a holiday carnival at 6:30 p.m. on the green space between the Lucas Administration Building and Bennett Auditorium. "Lighting the Way has become one of the most cherished traditions at Southern Miss," said Daniel Rigel, assistant dean of students. "It's a time when students, faculty, staff, and local families from all walks of life come together to reflect on the completion of another semester, share in the spirit of the season, and celebrate what truly makes life at our university special -- each other." |
| Alcorn State marching band ready for 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | |
| Millions will soon line the streets of New York City, and tens of millions will turn their televisions on to tune in to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, featuring high-flying balloons, creative floats, and a myriad of entertainment performances. Among those who will be on display during the festivities will be a university band from a small Mississippi town. Alcorn State University announced in August 2024 that its marching band will be heading to the Big Apple to perform in the annual parade. The band, known as the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, is one of 11 marching bands slated to bring good vibes to the live and TV crowd. Each year, the Macy's Parade Band Committee looks for bands with stage presence, along with musical and marching abilities, to captivate millions of live spectators and viewers nationwide. Alcorn State's Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite was selected from more than 100 applicants to march in the 99th edition of the annual holiday spectacle. The application process leading to selection, according band director Dr. Everson Martin, was lengthy. But Martin was confident that if given the chance to boast about university and all it offers, he would be able to sell the committee on Alcorn State -- and that's precisely what he did. |
| William Carey, Ole Miss sign new accelerated law school pathway agreement | |
 | Students at William Carey University (WCU) who also want to get a law degree from the University of Mississippi can now do that in a much quicker way, thanks to a new partnership between WCU and Ole Miss that started on Wednesday. A formal agreement was signed in Hattiesburg between WCU and Ole Miss, establishing an accelerated law school pathway. It gives students a chance to earn a bachelor's degree from William Carey University and a law degree from the University of Mississippi in six years. "The pathway we're establishing with Ole Miss Law allows students to come here and, after the completion of 75 percent of their undergraduate degree, qualify and enroll in Ole Miss Law," said Noal Cochran, provost and vice president for academic affairs at William Carey University. "Their first year of law school, the 1L year, will then transfer back to us and complete the requirements for the bachelor's degree, shaving one year off of what should be a seven-year timeline, down to six." |
| U. of Florida breaks ground on new Hamilton School in Gainesville | |
 | Gov. Ron DeSantis joined University of Florida officials Nov. 19 to break ground on the Hamilton School's new facility at the former home of the university's historic Infirmary Building. The school aims to teach students about classical and Western ideas and civilization and serve as a blueprint for civics education across the country. "Civic education is key to what the Hamilton School is all about ... we are teaching our students to be responsible American citizens and leaders, to cherish and protect the freedom we enjoy in this great nation and to understand the foundation of our democracy," UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini said. "The Hamilton School for Classical and Civics Education is a powerful example of how our state, our university and our faculty are working together to lead the nation." The Hamilton School, formerly the Hamilton Center, was established in 2022 with $3 million in funding from the state Legislature. The school's focus on Western and American ideas aligns with arguments DeSantis has made that civics and history taught in public schools and universities unduly emphasizes racial inequity in the U.S. |
| A State Legislature Wants a University's Middle East Studies Syllabi. Faculty Don't Know Why. | |
 | Middle East studies at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is facing scrutiny from the Arkansas legislature -- a development that's left faculty members worried another conservative state is angling to influence curriculum. A legislative office has asked the university to turn over syllabi for nine courses, each on either the Middle East, Palestine, or Islam, as well as information about scholarships that are connected to the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies, according to emails that were shared with The Chronicle. The requests have rattled some Middle East studies professors, who are concerned that the state's interest could indicate plans to interfere in their work and threaten their colleagues and students. In a statement, John Thomas, a university spokesperson, said: "The University aims to be transparent about its programs and complies with lawful information requests. If members have questions about particular programs, we seek to address those questions." The documents were requested by the Bureau of Legislative Research, Thomas confirmed. |
| East Tennessee could play 'big role' in Trump's $100B Genesis AI initiative | |
 | A plan to build new supercomputers in Oak Ridge could be the start of what one federal official hopes is a scientific transformation equal to the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Program. President Donald Trump's administration is queuing up what could be a more-than $100 billion project involving artificial intelligence that would deepen ties between the government and the private sector, according to a senior official in the United States Department of Energy. While speaking at a Nov. 19 energy conference in Knoxville, Carl Coe, chief of staff to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, said Trump will issue an executive order for the project Nov. 24. "Probably three weeks ago now, we did an announcement with AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) and a partnership with Oak Ridge that is just barely scratching the surface of what all this is," Coe told his East Tennessee audience, which included staffers for some of the world's largest nuclear companies. "But it was the genesis of the idea for this AI for science initiative." |
| To Meld A.I. With Supercomputers, National Labs Are Picking Up the Pace | |
 | For years, Rick Stevens, a computer scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, pushed the notion of transforming scientific computing with artificial intelligence. But even as Mr. Stevens worked toward that goal, government labs like Argonne -- created in 1946 and sponsored by the Department of Energy -- often took five years or more to develop powerful supercomputers that can be used for A.I. research. Mr. Stevens watched as companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI made faster gains by installing large A.I. systems in a matter of months. Last month, Mr. Stevens welcomed a major change. The Energy Department began cutting deals with tech giants to hasten how quickly national labs can land bigger machines. The A.I. boom is shaking up national laboratories that have led some of the most cutting-edge scientific research, increasingly pushing them to emulate the behavior of the tech giants. That's because A.I. has added new urgency to the world of high-performance computing, promising to stunningly speed up tasks like developing drugs, new batteries and power plants. Many of the labs now want dedicated A.I. hardware more quickly. “If we move at the old speed of government, we’re going to get left behind,” the energy secretary, Chris Wright, said at a briefing last month on the Oak Ridge announcements. “We’re going to have dozens of partnerships with companies to build facilities at commercial speed.” |
| Preparing to study abroad requires knowing what might go wrong during and after the trip | |
| After spending two college semesters in northern Thailand, Sarah Jongsma found herself back home in the rural Nevada town where she grew up, surrounded by everything familiar yet feeling strangely out of place. "It caught me off guard," she said. "I didn't know what was going on." Only later, after a summer studying in India and while preparing to go to France for another semester abroad, did Jongsma understand what she had been feeling: reverse culture shock. The 22-year-old's experience shows that studying abroad can be challenging in unexpected ways. Experts say that's why students need to study up on not only safety precautions and cultural differences, but also the emotional shifts that may come with leaving home -- and returning to it. Planning for low points and potential disappointments, experts say, can help students focus on making the most of a trip that is exciting, challenging and life-changing. |
| Why Hackers Are Targeting the Ivy League | |
 | A series of recent data breaches are highlighting why wealthy, high-profile higher education institutions are particularly vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Last week, hackers cracked a database managed by Princeton University's advancement office containing information about alumni, donors, some faculty, students and parents. Two weeks earlier, hackers stole similar records from the University of Pennsylvania. Those attacks followed others earlier this year at Columbia University -- which exposed the data of 870,000 people, including students and applicants -- and New York University, which compromised the personal data of some three million people who have applied to the university since 1989. While wealthy, selective universities are far from the only institution types that fall victim to cyberattacks, experts say their reputations, resources and research profiles make them especially attractive targets. To protect themselves, institutions should invest in IT staff and systems and educate students and staff about potential threats. |
| Education Department moves to outsource its programs as advocates cry foul | |
 | The Education Department is advancing its plans to eliminate itself, attempting a workaround to move certain mandatory programs to other federal agencies in a move resulting in considerable confusion and pushback. The department said it is moving six programs to four other federal agencies in a push to "return education to the states" and streamline bureaucracy. It is creating interagency agreements to sidestep requirements to get approval from Congress to move the initiatives. Opponents are weighing their legal options but say lawsuits could prove difficult. "Whether there will be a lawsuit always depends on someone being able to establish legal standing, and that might be tricky, because they're not actually planning to stop doing anything," said Kevin Carey, vice president of education and work at New America. Shifting the department's legally mandated functions to other agencies has long been one of the Trump administration's floated ideas for how it can eliminate the Education Department without help from Congress. |
| McMahon Defends Dismantling ED to Department Staff | |
| To Education Secretary Linda McMahon, outsourcing education-related grant programs to other federal departments is just a "proof of concept" for her larger goal---closing the 45-year-old agency. "Let's move programs out on a temporary basis. Let's see how the work is done. What is the result? What is the outcome?" she said in an all-staff meeting at the department Tuesday, shortly after publicly announcing six interagency agreements. "And if it has worked and we have proven that this is the best way to do it, then we'll ask Congress to codify this and make it a permanent move." (The meeting was closed to the public. All quotes are pulled from a recording obtained by Inside Higher Ed.) In 20 minutes, the secretary explained her plan and the framework through which she hopes her employees and the nation will view it. "We are not talking about shutting down the Department of Education. We are talking about returning education to states where it belongs," she said. "That is the right messaging." |
| Despite Trump chaos, NSF avoided feared dip in research financing | |
| Early this year, President Donald Trump's administration began an unprecedented slowdown of federal spending on science, terminating some grants and contracts for ideological reasons and holding up others for review. The bottleneck grew so severe that some science watchers worried the National Science Foundation (NSF), one of the nation's largest funders of basic research, would see a major spending dip in the fiscal year that ended on 30 September, even though Congress had maintained its budget at 2024 levels. That fear was not realized, an analysis by Science suggests. It finds that NSF committed approximately $8.17 billion to grants, fellowships, and other funding mechanisms in the 2025 fiscal year, about the same as in 2024. (Researchers do not always spend all the money promised by NSF in the same year the agency commits it.) "I was really happy to see that NSF spent as much as it did and was able to spend all its [2025] money," says Miriam Quintal, a lobbyist at Lewis-Burke Associates and co-chair of the Coalition for National Science Funding. "The agency worked really hard to do that, and it was an intensive effort over the summer." But NSF did change how it distributed funds. It awarded fewer new research project grants, for example, but made them larger. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State Leads SEC With All-Time High Graduation Success Rate Of 96 | |
| Mississippi State Athletics posted the highest Graduation Success Rate in department history, earning a score of 96 in the NCAA's latest release of Division I GSR data on Wednesday. The mark ties MSU with Alabama for the highest score in the SEC this year and ranks seventh among all Power 4 programs. The report includes Graduation Success Rate and Federal Graduation Rate results for the 2015-16 to 2018-19 freshman cohorts across all Division I institutions. Mississippi State's all-time high score of 96 improved the department's previous record by three points. A total of eight programs recorded perfect scores of 100, and 11 teams scored 90 or better. The football program achieved a 92, which is the highest score in program history and the third-highest mark among SEC football teams. Men's golf, men's tennis, women's golf, softball, soccer, women's tennis, women's cross country and track and field, and volleyball all posted perfect scores of 100, with several extending long streaks of academic excellence. Women's golf remained perfect for the 21st straight year of the NCAA's GSR metric. Softball secured its 14th consecutive 100, women's tennis extended its streak to 12 straight years, and women's cross country and track and field reached a 100 for the fourth year in a row. Volleyball continued its strong performance with its fourth consecutive 100. Men's track and field added a score of 94, tying for the third-best mark in the SEC and setting a new program record. |
| Men's Basketball: Five Things To Know: State vs. Kansas State | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball faces the second of three Big 12 opponents during its non-conference slate when the Bulldogs meet Kansas State to open the Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic on Thursday evening at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Last time out, the Bulldogs (2-1, 0-0 SEC) returned to the win column with a 75-68 victory over Southeastern Louisiana at Humphrey Coliseum. Kansas State (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) has five players averaging in double figures in a high-octane offensive attack that has posted 93.5 points per game and connected on 54.7 percent of its shot attempts over its first four games. PJ Haggerty, a Memphis transfer, leads the way with 26.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. The Wildcats have won three of the four meetings on the hardwood between the two schools. However, the Bulldogs dialed up a 67-61 triumph over K-State at the 2019 Never Forget Tribute Classic in Newark, New Jersey. Tyson Carter (14 points, 4 assists), Abdul Ado (13 points, 9 rebounds) and Robert Woodard II (12 points, 10 rebounds) led the way for the Maroon and White. |
| 'Work in Progress' Bulldogs face second Big 12 test in K State | |
| Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans didn't hide his frustration on the Hailstate radio broadcast after a 96-80 loss to Iowa State last week. After climbing the steps of the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, he spoke at length about the lessons that needed to be learned from the humbling loss. "The only thing we can do right now is get better from this," he said. "We've got to learn these lessons and apply them as coaches, and the players have to be receptive. ... Everybody learns when they lose. I'd rather win and learn, and that's not an option for us right now. We have to have growth from this game and what just happened to us." The team got back to Starkville and back to work, beating Southeastern Louisiana 75-68 to improve to 2-1 on the year. Jans liked what he saw from his group for stretches of the game on Saturday, but he saw parts, especially the final stretch, that "spoiled" the good things they had done. "I did see a lot in response," Jans said. "Unfortunately, we practice harder and better than we did in parts of our last game, which is certainly not what you want. I don't think anybody wants that; players don't want that, fans don't want that, coaches don't want that. ... Opponents want that." Today, the Bulldogs face Kansas State, a team that has averaged more than 90 points per game through its first four contests. The Wildcats are 4-0 but have had to sneak past their last two opponents in high-scoring, one-possession games. It's another opportunity to face a team closer to the caliber that awaits the Bulldogs in the SEC, and the kind of early test the team needs to continue figuring out who they are. |
| Women's Basketball: State Travels To Lubbock To Take On Texas Tech | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball will depart Humphrey Coliseum for the first time this season to take on Texas Tech inside United Supermarkets Arena on Thursday. Tipoff for the contest is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Mississippi State is 45-7 in non-conference action under head coach Sam Purcell. The Bulldogs have won their last eight non-conference games, with two of those coming on the road. Mississippi State took down Jackson State in their last contest, 82-55. Texas Tech moved to 5-0 after they took down Arkansas at home, 80-68. The Red Raiders have won every game they have played by double-figures and are winning their games by an average of 28.2 points. Tech averages 6.8 blocks per game, which is the third-best mark in the BIG 12 and ranks inside the top 15 nationally. Three Red Raiders average over 15 points per game: Snudda Collins (16.6), Jalynn Bristow (16.4) and Bailey Maupin (16.2). |
| Purcell, Bulldogs look to continue positive start at Texas Tech | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball is off to another winning start in the 2025-26 season. Head coach Sam Purcell's group started 4-0 for the third straight season, wrapping up a dominant win over Jackson State last week at the end of a four-game home stretch. Tonight, the Bulldogs (4-0) have their first Power Four matchup at Texas Tech, in what is also the first true road game of the season. A strong opening win against a gritty Davidson team was followed by three big wins over Georgia State, Valley State and Jackson State, but now a test against a Big 12 power awaits out west. "I have a ton of respect for Texas Tech. They just beat Arkansas, but the most impressive part about them is how they get after it," Purcell said. "They are long and lanky, they have a ton of portal kids who are veterans and can flat-out play. I'm excited for a game against a program that values women's basketball like we do here at Mississippi State." The Red Raiders (5-0) are fresh off wins over SMU and Arkansas in their last two outings, beating the Razorbacks in Lubbock last weekend with five players reaching double digits in points, led by guard Bailey Maupin's 19 points. |
| Bulldogs get first real test with road showdown at Texas Tech | |
| Breaking in a team full of new faces is nothing new to Sam Purcell, but this year might be his biggest challenge to date. Mississippi State is returning just two regular contributors from last year's roster in Destiney McPhaul and Chandler Prater and the team is full of new transfers and players that were just playing high school basketball this time last year. Despite that, the Bulldogs are learning through winning as they're off to a 4-0 start with three-straight wins of 26 points or more. "We're on an airplane, currently in the air, and we're building it as we're in the air," Purcell said. "You've got to take off. There's some things that we've got to be better in like there's time where I've got to be better in execution and sets, but we can't overload them right now because we've got to get our base. Sometimes, it's about just being fundamentally sound and it's effort and attitude. If you can do those two areas really well, you have a chance to win games night in and night out." |
| Emotions simmer during MSU's bye week | |
| Frustration looms inside the walls of the Leo Seal complex, but so does belief. Mississippi State has ample time to deal with both of those emotions and more during its second bye week. "I've got confidence in our group to be able to go play the way we need to play to go win," coach Jeff Lebby said during his press conference on Wednesday. "And our guys inside our walls believe that." The most recent cause of frustration came on Saturday in State's 49-27 loss to No. 22 Missouri. The Bulldogs trailed by just four early in the third quarter, but a 72-yard rushing touchdown by Ahmad Hardy and a pick-six put the Bulldogs in a deficit that was too much to overcome. "That's where we have to take control of the game," Lebby said. "And our guys, again, are really eager, as they've gotten in the building and are ready to go to work, to be able to go finish the way we want to." MSU faces Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28. |
| Lebby stands by Shapen heading into Egg Bowl week | |
| "When you have two quarterbacks, you have none." This quote is often attributed to Hall of Fame John Madden but has become a regular saying whenever a team is in limbo between leaders under center. Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby has managed to avoid a full-on quarterback controversy in recent weeks, handling boos and criticism toward starter Blake Shapen amid the rise of true freshman Kamario Taylor, whose emergency appearances against Arkansas and Georgia yielded five touchdowns. Last week, concern over quarterback health presented the possibility that Taylor may get his first start on the road at Missouri, but Shapen's availability was made clearer on the availability report leading into the game. Not only did Shapen start the game, he was taking hits early as part of a designed-run offensive approach. Shapen led the team in carries, running 14 times with three sacks also counting against him on the statsheet. He scored two touchdowns on red zone carries but found little success outside of those plays. He gained just 16 net yards on the ground despite the heavy workload, averaging 0.9 yards per carry. He also had one of his worst games as a passer, throwing two pick-sixes and posting a sub-100 passer rating for the first time this season. |
| Will Mississippi State's Brenen Thompson, Isaac Smith play in Egg Bowl after injuries? | |
| Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby did not have injury updates for top wide receiver Brenen Thompson and starting safety Isaac Smith in his Nov. 19 news conference. The Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6 SEC) are on an off week before hosting No. 6 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1) in the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28 (11 a.m., ABC). There won't be an official injury report until the week of the game. Mississippi State will qualify for a bowl game with a win over Ole Miss. MSU practiced on Nov. 19 and will again on Nov. 20 before taking the weekend off. Lebby didn't say whether Thompson and Smith practiced. Thompson exited in the first half of MSU's 49-27 loss at Missouri on Nov. 15 with an unspecified injury. He was the SEC's leader in receiving yards entering the game and is now 5 yards behind Tennessee's Chris Brazzell with 868 yards entering Week 13. The Oklahoma transfer had two catches for 60 yards and one rush for 5 yards against Missouri. Smith missed the Missouri game, but did travel with the team and had a boot on his right foot on the sideline. The junior is fourth on the team with 51 tackles in nine games. |
| Ole Miss, MSU Run Game Ball for Parkinson's Foundation, Food Drive | |
| Cadets from ROTC programs at the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University have partnered to raise awareness and funds for the Parkinson's Foundation ahead of the annual Egg Bowl. The schools said Wednesday that the run will take place Saturday, November 22 at 9 a.m. on the front steps of the Lyceum and ending at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts on University Avenue in Oxford. Community members are invited to support the event by running or cheering from the sidelines. Following the run in the morning, the schools said Ole Miss cadets will drive to Calhoun City, where they will meet the Bulldogs, exchange the Egg Bowl game ball and drop off their canned food donation. Alongside raising awareness for Parkinson's disease, the cadets are conducting a canned food drive for Calhoun City, the meeting point for the annual event. |
| Lane Kiffin dodges questions about Ole Miss future, says he expects to coach in Egg Bowl | |
| Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin avoided directly answering questions about his future during Wednesday's weekly SEC coaches teleconference and questioned the notion that he might not coach next week's game against rival Mississippi State. The Athletic reported this week that Ole Miss officials want Kiffin, who industry sources say is being pursued by Florida and LSU, to make a decision on his future before that Egg Bowl game on Nov. 28, so the Rebels can both plan their postseason leadership and work on hiring Kiffin's potential replacement. The Athletic also confirmed that Kiffin's family has taken trips to Baton Rouge and Gainesville. Kiffin denied to Pat McAfee on Tuesday that he's been given an ultimatum. Asked Wednesday if he expects to coach against Mississippi State, Kiffin bristled at the idea he wouldn't. "Do you know something I don't know?" he said. "Why would I not expect to coach next week? I expected to coach against Florida, too. I don't even understand the question how I would not expect to coach next week. Why would I be at work? ... We're game-planning, we just practiced. I don't even understand how that would happen. I must be missing something." |
| What Jeff Lebby said about Lane Kiffin coaching rumors before MSU vs Ole Miss in Egg Bowl | |
| Rumors are swirling around whether Lane Kiffin will stay as Ole Miss football coach or leave for Florida or LSU. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are also preparing for the Egg Bowl. Both teams are currently on an open week before playing each other at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 28 (11 a.m., ABC) in the regular-season finale. Some have wondered if the rumors are a distraction for the No. 6 Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC), who would host a first-round College Football Playoff game if the season ended now. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said he hasn't been paying much attention to the rumors. "I have spent no time thinking about that or if it will be (a distraction) as they handle things inside their walls," Lebby said Nov. 19. "I'm fighting like heck to make sure we're in a great spot. That's where 100% of my focus and energy is." The Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6) have goals of their own, too, besides the obvious component of winning the game. They are one win from clinching bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022. |
| College Sports Commission moves to bolster NIL enforcement power | |
| The College Sports Commission -- the new enforcement agency of college sports -- has asked all schools under its purview to agree to waive their right to challenge future punishments in court as part of an agreement that would give the agency significant power to investigate and punish rule breakers in the era of NIL deals and direct athlete payments. The CSC, which launched in July, sent a 10-page membership agreement to all power conference schools Wednesday afternoon and asked them to sign it in the next two weeks. The terms of the agreement are designed to close loopholes that have made it difficult for the NCAA and CSC to enforce rules established by the recent House settlement that dictate how college athletes can be paid. The agreement will not go into effect unless every school signs. "The starting place in all this is the settlement, but the participant agreement really puts a lot of meat on the bones of that in terms of enforcement," CSC chief executive Bryan Seeley told ESPN on Wednesday. |
| College Sports Commission issues long-awaited 'Participation Agreement' to power conference schools | |
| The College Sports Commission delivered to power conference universities on Wednesday its long-awaited landmark document requiring schools to waive their right to file lawsuits against the industry's new enforcement entity. In a copy obtained by Yahoo Sports, the 11-page University Participant Agreement outlines new "membership rules" for those in the power leagues and others wishing to sign, including a groundbreaking policy prohibiting all signees from filing legal challenges or supporting and encouraging the filing of lawsuits against the College Sports Commission over its enforcement decisions. The agreement is intended to bind together the 68 power conference schools in the Big 12, SEC, ACC and Big Ten under new policies and penalties related to the athlete revenue-sharing concept implemented this year through the NCAA's settlement of three antitrust cases, often referred to as House. All 68 schools must sign the document to activate it as enforceable. Schools are expected to be given two weeks to agree. The agreement, which runs parallel with the House settlement's 10-year existence, is expected to grant the CSC the ability to begin direct enforcement efforts of these new rules by using a list of agreed-upon penalties that are not yet finalized. |
| Secretive Big Ten Deal Riles Trustees | |
| Trustees at member institutions across the Big Ten are pushing back on a proposed $2.4 billion private equity deal that some argue has been too rushed, lacking transparency and proper vetting. Now, with trustee criticism mounting, the conference appears to be prolonging talks amid a push to finalize a plan to establish a for-profit arm of the Big Ten, which would control its media and sponsorship rights and sell a 10 percent stake of that entity to the investor. The deal would give members an immediate cash infusion, with a minimum $100 million disbursement across the league, while more prominent athletic programs would receive an even higher revenue share. That money is needed, even at wealthy institutions, as universities adjust to a changing world of college athletics, which includes direct payments for players that began earlier this year. The proposal would also maintain the current 18 universities as Big Ten members through 2046. Dissent among the Big Ten ranks seems to have prompted the potential investor -- the University of California pension fund, or UC Investments -- to slow down the deal. |
| NCAA study finds over one-third of DI men's basketball student-athletes harassed by bettors | |
| Last week, the NCAA released findings of a new study that revealed 36% of Division I men's basketball student-athletes reported experiencing social media abuse related to sports betting within the last year, while 29% reported having interacted with a student on campus who had placed a bet on their team. Among football student-athletes in the Football Bowl Subdivision, 16% reported receiving negative or threatening messages, while 26% reported interacting with a student who had bet on their team. Overall, 7% of Division I men's sports athletes reported receiving negative or threatening messages from fans who bet on their game, and 9% had experienced a student telling them that they won or lost a bet they placed on them. Rates were much lower among women's sports athletes (1% for both items). As the study's sports-betting questions asked about interactions within the past year, the results were restricted to sophomores and above. "That happens all the time. I got one from a previous game before. They do it all the time," former Butler men's basketball student-athlete Pierre Brooks II said after an EPIC Global Solutions session last fall. "Like, if people don't meet their over or under, they always DM me. It's actually pretty common." The NCAA launched a campaign in 2023 urging state regulators and gambling companies to remove prop bets on college sports from their offerings. |
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