| Thursday, February 26, 2026 |
| Mississippi State welcomes British Consul General to campus | |
 | British Consul General to the Southeast U.S. Rachel Galloway visited Mississippi State Wednesday for a discussion with university President Mark E. Keenum on leadership and shared U.K.-American cultural and education connections, including the highly coveted Marshall Scholarship. Their meeting followed a day of tours and talks across campus for the Consulate who viewed MSU's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory and the Advanced Composites Institute, ending the day in talks with several of the state's aerospace and defense company leaders. Galloway also took part in a Shackouls Honors College Lunch and Learn where she reminded students and faculty of her country's Marshall Scholarship opportunity. The prestigious program pays for up to 50 select American graduate students to study at a U.K. university each year. MSU 2024 biological sciences graduate Madison Brode of Memphis, Tennessee, was the university's first Marshall recipient in 2023. The honors college annually provides pathways for students to excel in global study, leadership and service, and the university's Office of Prestigious External Scholarships supports MSU students applying for nationally and internationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. |
| Mississippi State adds new online industrial technology master's degree | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) will add a new fully online graduate program designed to prepare students for leadership roles in industry and technical education. Starting this fall, MSU will offer a Master of Applied Science in Industrial Technology through the College of Education's Department of Technology, Leadership and Design. The program is aimed at equipping students with advanced technical knowledge and management skills needed in today's workforce. "With the workforce trending toward higher degree requirements for management positions, we saw a need for our students and alumni who consistently asked about a master's degree," said Lara Threet, instructor and program coordinator. "We are excited to meet this need and equip our students with cutting-edge manufacturing, data analytics and project management skills to serve America's modern-age industries." The master's program includes three concentrations: industrial management, community college leadership for technical programs and instructional design for technical programs. |
| Horticulture Summer Camp applications open | |
| Mississippi State University is hosting its Horticulture Summer Camp from June 7-10, 2026, aimed at helping students explore the art and science of plants. Started in the 1960s, the summer camp is sponsored by the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc., the Mississippi Nursery & Landscape Association, the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and the Department of Landscape Architecture at Mississippi State University. This three-day experience is designed for students aged 15 to 17 and includes a variety of activities such as tours, hands-on projects, floral design, plant identification, and much more. Participants will stay in dorms on the Mississippi State University campus, creating an opportunity to foster interest in horticulture and landscape programming. "The camp is really designed to stimulate an interest in horticulture and landscape architecture," Dr. Richard L. Harkess, said. "It's designed to hopefully give students ideas on what they might want to do for a living." For more information or to sign up, interested individuals can speak with their high school counselor, agricultural teacher, local garden club, or the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. |
| Bird Banding Research in the Mississippi Delta Sheds Light on Habitat Needs | |
| A recent graduate of Mississippi State University is continuing hands-on wildlife research in the Mississippi Delta, studying ducks and other birds to better understand migration patterns, habitat use and population health. Avery Holt, who graduated from Mississippi State in December, said her experience with bird banding as a student sparked a passion she has carried into her professional work. Now working in the Delta, Holt is involved in research conducted through Mississippi State University Extension's Gamebird Program, focusing primarily on ducks. "We are doing it all over the Delta," Holt said. "We had some sites that went as far down as the Yazoo and the Delta National Forest area." In addition to traditional banding, Mississippi State researchers are deploying elastic "backpack-style" GPS transmitters on select ducks to gather more detailed information. This season, the project includes approximately 100 transmitters on mallards, 30 on gadwall and 30 on northern pintail. "There's something in the transmitter called an accelerometer," Holt said. "It can tell if the bird is moving, resting, feeding or even participating in breeding behavior. That gives us space and time data on what the bird is doing." |
| Poultry researchers share findings at 2026 IPPE | |
| During the 2026 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), four researchers presented their findings from recently completed research projects funded by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and its foundation as part of the TECHTalks sessions offered during the expo. All presentations have been made available on USPOULTRY's YouTube channel. Martha Pulido Landinez, Ph.D., associate clinical professor of avian medicine in the Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at Mississippi State University, presented her research findings from the study titled "Control of Enterococcus cecorum Through Identifying Its Dynamics of Adaptation to the Chickens and Its Environment." This study examined how harmful strains of Enterococcus cecorum (E. cecorum) emerge, spread and survive in poultry and poultry environments. The research found that Enterococcus faecalis mainly affects embryos and very young chicks, while E. cecorum causes serious disease in older broilers, including bone, joint and bloodstream infections. Disease-causing strains were linked to a specific genetic marker and were able to survive for long periods in poultry facilities, especially in reused litter and dirty conditions, highlighting the importance of improved sanitation and management. |
| The Montgomery Institute awarded $20,000 grant to Launch ABC PreK Arts-Integrated Pilot in Meridian | |
 | The Montgomery Institute has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Phil Hardin Foundation to launch the ABC PreK Pilot Year initiative, an arts-integrated early learning program designed to strengthen kindergarten readiness for children in Meridian. The ABC PreK pilot will serve an estimated 115–140 PreK students across Meridian Public Schools PreK classrooms at The Little Wildcat Academy, directed with Dr. Antonio Altman, MPSD Arts Director, and three local daycare-based PreK programs. The initiative places music, visual art, theatre and movement at the center of early learning to strengthen literacy, social-emotional development, engagement and confidence. "This investment from the Phil Hardin Foundation allows us to bring high-quality arts integration directly into early childhood classrooms," said Arts Integration Specialist and Cultural Arts/Arts Education Director for The Montgomery Institute Richelle Putnam. "We know the arts are enrichment, but they are also essential to how young children learn. Through ABC PreK, we are strengthening early literacy, supporting social-emotional development, and building the confidence children need to enter kindergarten ready to succeed." |
| Lawmakers no longer exploring college performance-based funding, financial literacy this session | |
| Two bills that were being considered by the Mississippi Legislature concerning the way universities and community colleges operate are not expected to move any further in the 2026 session. A bill proposing that all Mississippi universities and colleges provide financial literacy to their students, SB 2344, and a separate bill that would have created a performance-based funding model, SB 2523, are no longer working their way through the Legislature. The announcement on the two bills came Wednesday during a meeting of the House Universities and Colleges Committee. House committee Chairman State Rep. Donnie Scoggin (R) said the financial literacy measure is apparently not necessary. "In talking with the IHL and the community colleges, most of them are already teaching this," Scoggin explained. "The ones that are not teaching it will be encouraged to do something with that." Earlier in the session, SB 2523 was introduced as a way to create a performance-based state funding model for the Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning, which oversees the state's eight public universities. Rep. Scoggin said the decision to cease work on the bill was made because the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems is in the process of developing a new budgeting model for IHL. "That's not going to be ready until May or June and at that point then we can look at that and see what's going to happen," Scoggin told the committee. "I don't want to take up a bill that's going to interfere with them coming up with a funding formula." The plan is to revisit the matter during the summer after NCHEMS completes its work and review the funding formula IHL decides to enact. |
| Bill addressing Mississippi workforce shortage through community colleges advances | |
| Legislation aimed at using Mississippi's community colleges to address a growing workforce shortage continues to move through the state capitol. Senate Bill 2522, which establishes the Upskill Mississippi Grant Program, received near-unanimous bipartisan support in its originating chamber, where it passed on a 49-3 vote. The legislation was drafted by the committee's chair, Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd, R-Oxford, and would allow Mississippians to learn a new trade or build upon existing labor expertise through a free, "workforce-aligned" program at a local community college. The bill was double-referred in the House, meaning it will have to clear two committees before going to a floor vote. It passed in the House Universities and Colleges committee and awaits a vote in the Accountability and Transparency committee. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that Mississippi had 71,000 job openings last November, and the state's job openings rate was 1.3% higher than the national average. To fill these gaps, the bill seeks to expand career and technical education and to align what is taught in community colleges with the training in "high-value" career pathways, particularly in rural regions of Mississippi. "The thing that we have to focus on now, with the community colleges and at the K-12 level, is to be able to expand those programs to meet the [workforce] demand," Rep. Donnie Bell, R-Fulton, said in favor of the measure and other proposals to build the workforce. |
| State lawmakers consider bill to help college students offset cost of learning skilled trades | |
 | State lawmakers are considering legislation to address Mississippi's ongoing workforce shortage. If passed, Senate Bill 2522 would establish the Upskill Mississippi Grant Program. "For individuals, specifically adults over the age of 24, who are interested in going to school to pursue programs that are in what we call priority occupational areas," Courtney Taylor, executive director of Accelerate Mississippi, said. The grant money would be available to students enrolled at community colleges. Accelerate Mississippi will decide which degrees and certifications qualify. "We would focus more on your shorter-term programs for areas like maybe machining or electricians because we're short of those," Taylor said. Jones College offers several workforce and technical programs. As of 2023, health care, commercial truck driving and heating, ventilation and air conditioning are among its top programs. "Mississippi's economy is growing pretty rapidly, very well, so there are going to be opportunities," Jones College President Jesse Smith said. "It's a very unique time for the state." |
| House sends Mobile Sports Wagering Act to Senate | |
| The "Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act" passed 100 to 11 in the House Wednesday morning, sending it on to the Senate for consideration. Mobile sports betting would be taxed at 22%, up from 18.5%. The increase would put Mississippi in line with the national average. The measure also reduces the state gaming tax from 8% to 6%, "approximately a $48 million tax cut to the casinos," said State Rep. Casey Eure (R), the House Gaming Committee chairman. The local tax collected at 4% will stay the same. "Mobile [sports betting] at 22% is projected to bring in $100 million per year," Eure told the House, adding that the tax cut to the brick-and-mortar casinos allows them to "reinvest in their properties, give employees pay raises, do things they need to do to keep them up and going to stay competitive in our market." The casinos, however, are not required to reinvest the savings; that is optional according to the chairman. Eure said HB 4074 sends $50 million per year to the Public Employees Retirement System, or PERS, over the next 10 years. "That's free money that's not coming out of our budget now that we'll get off of mobile sports betting," Eure said. |
| Mississippi House approves tax exemption for NIL earnings | |
| Money made from name, image and likeness (NIL) deals would not be taxed, if a bill passed by the Mississippi House becomes law. State Rep. Trey Lamar (R-District 8) said the bill only benefits college athletes. He voiced concerns about young people who are making a lot of money off of the NIL deals. Lamar said some are not getting proper guidance on the taxes involved with such income. "I'm worried in the next, been going on a couple of years now, and so, the chickens may be coming home to roost soon about some of these kids getting in civil and even criminal tax liabilities because of what's going on in NIL world," he said. The bill passed the Mississippi House in a 76-32 vote. The bill will advance to the Mississippi Senate for consideration. |
| Mississippi lawmakers are looking to regulate AI after the technology is misused | |
| In Mississippi, a former teacher was accused last year of using artificial intelligence to create hyperrealistic videos depicting some of his students performing sexual acts. As artificial intelligence proliferates, such cases are driving states to enact laws regulating and protecting people from its use. Mississippi currently has two laws dealing with AI, and three more are being proposed. One current law criminalizes creating political deepfakes meant to damage a candidate. The other classifies AI-generated images of children performing sexual acts as child exploitation. Those being proposed include Senate Bill 2050, authored by Sen. Bradford Blackmon, a Democrat from Canton. This measure would mandate political advertisements disclose if AI was used. Another is House Bill 1723, authored by Rep. Jill Ford, a Republican from Madison. It would create a state definition of AI. But, SB2046 would likely impact everyday Mississippians the most. Known as the Mississippians' Right to Name, Likeness and Voice Act, the bill, also authored by Blackmon, would give Mississippians the right to their image, name and voice and would create civil liabilities for unauthorized use. The bill passed the Senate on Feb. 11 and has been referred to the House Judiciary A Committee. "Senate Bill 2046 reflects a broader national movement toward regulating AI-enabled impersonation, particularly realistic voice cloning and digital replicas," said Oliver Roberts, who teaches a Mississippi College School of Law course on AI. He is also an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis and co-director of its Law AI Collaborative. |
| Medical marijuana expanded but access limited by Mississippi Senate committee | |
 | In less than 24 hours, the Senate public health committee took one big step to expand Mississippi's medical marijuana eligibility and another big step to limit access to the treatment. The committee, a Republican-dominated coalition of 19 senators, heard expert testimony on Tuesday, Feb. 24, about the "Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act," proposed by Rep. Lee Yancey, R-Brandon. The bill would allow doctors to petition for their patient to try medical cannabis treatment, even if they don't have one of the qualifying illnesses. Current Mississippi statutes specify around 20 conditions that qualify for medical marijuana, including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson's disease. The law has done a good job so far, Edney said, but a provision like the "Right to Try" would open treatment up to people who would greatly benefit from it but can't access it now. If the bill, which has already passed the House and heads to the floor of the Senate in the coming days, were to become law, primary care providers could ask State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney for permission to include their patient in a medical cannabis treatment program. The petition would include a rundown of the patient's medical history, an explanation of how medical cannabis might benefit them and an outline of the proposed treatment plan. Doctors would also have to explain why conventional treatment plans haven't worked or wouldn't apply to the patient. |
| Plan selected for major Pearl River widening project | |
| A long-anticipated Pearl River flood control project has finally been given the green light by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On Thursday, dozens of local leaders gathered along the Pearl River to announce that the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Adam Telle, had signed off on a locally backed flood control project. "The decision finally brings real flood control to Jackson and gives our region hope for a brighter future," said Jeff Rent, president and CEO of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership. "Decades of work from elected officials, business and civic leaders, our federal delegation, and our state's leadership have brought us to this moment." The project, previously known as Alternative D1, would create a roughly 1,200-acre lake along the Pearl between Hinds and Rankin Counties, and open up the river for economic development and recreational use. The plan is backed by the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District, the local levee board, and the Pearl River Revitalization Coalition, a group of business and community leaders who came together in 2024 to back the proposal. |
| UN food chief Cindy McCain to step down over health concerns | |
| Cindy McCain will step down as executive director of the U.N. World Food Program later this year, citing ongoing health concerns after suffering a mild stroke in October. McCain informed staff and the agency's executive board today that she plans to leave her post in three months to focus on her recovery, according to a WFP statement. The 71-year-old returned to the Rome-based agency in early January but said the demands of the job were "outpacing" her recovery. "With a heavy heart, I am announcing my intention to step down," McCain said, calling the decision "one of the most difficult" she has ever made. Carl Skau, No. 2 at WFP, will temporarily helm the agency while a successor is named. McCain's final day has yet to be determined. Since last year, WFP has been battered by a deep financial crunch. Cuts from major Western donors -- including its largest backer, the U.S. -- have forced the agency to slash rations even as acute food insecurity affects more than 340 million people worldwide |
| Republican challenger blasts Cindy Hyde-Smith over campaign spending | |
| A GOP challenger to U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has launched a website accusing the incumbent Republican of using campaign money for personal vacations and alleging that lobbyist contributions have compromised her loyalty to her home state. Sarah Adlakha, who is challenging Hyde-Smith in the Republican primary, recently launched SpendingCindy.com. The website, branded as "The Cindy Files," lists what Adlakha describes as several luxury trips paid for by Hyde-Smith's campaign account. The website lists expenditures at hotels in several locations, including nearly a dozen Las Vegas trips. Among the hotels named are The Venetian and MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The site characterizes these trips as "vacations" rather than campaign-related travel. In an accompanying op-ed titled "When Your Senator Works for Lobbyists, Not Mississippi," Adlakha also alleges Hyde-Smith's family has accompanied her on many of these trips. "This isn't campaign travel," Adlakha wrote. "This is a U.S. Senator using a campaign account -- filled with lobbyist cash -- like a personal vacation fund." Jake Monssen, Hyde-Smith's campaign manager, did not directly address Adlakha's allegations, but he said in a statement to Mississippi Today that the senator is a lifelong Mississippian who "raises funds to support her campaign from donors across the country." |
| Lawmakers Ask Tech Companies What User Data They Provided to D.H.S. | |
 | Lawmakers on Wednesday demanded that tech companies reveal how much data about their users had been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security, according to letters sent by the House Committee on Homeland Security to the firms. The letters cited reporting by The New York Times that found tech companies had been flooded with requests from the Department of Homeland Security for the names, email addresses and other identifying data behind social media accounts that track or criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Google, Reddit, Discord and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, were among the companies that received what are known as administrative subpoenas from the agency, The Times found. "Considering the sensitive information social media companies maintain about their users, it is imperative that social media companies protect their users' privacy and free speech rights and do not share user information," the letters said. They were signed by three Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee: Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Luis Correa of California and Shri Thanedar of Michigan. The letters, copies of which were viewed by The Times, were sent to Apple, Amazon, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Reddit, Snap, TikTok and X. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. |
| Push for a 'talking filibuster' stalls in Senate GOP conference | |
 | A handful of House Republicans have flooded social media and brought a MAGA influencer to Capitol Hill in a pressure campaign for Senate Majority Leader John Thune to move forward on passing their voter ID bill with a simple majority. President Donald Trump even pressed Thune specifically to get the bill passed during the State of the Union address. "I'm asking you to approve the SAVE America Act," he said during his Tuesday night address. "The cheating is rampant in our elections. ... We have to stop it, John. We have to stop it." Without the 60 votes needed to pass the measure in the Senate, one option the bill's advocates believe they can use to move forward would be to force Democrats to engage in a so-called talking filibuster -- essentially, forcing Democrats to occupy the floor and talk nonstop, until one side or the other backs down. Their bet is that Democrats would eventually give in. The plan is a nonstarter for most GOP senators, who have warned of a monthslong suck of precious floor time and rippling implications from changing the fabric of the chamber's procedure. "The talking filibuster issue is one on which there is not a ... unified Republican Conference, and there would have to be," Thune, R-S.D., said Wednesday. "It is still an open question, one that we are having conversations about, but clearly not a unified position." Known as the SAVE America Act, the bill, which passed the House earlier this month, would require Americans to prove their citizenship when registering to vote and present photo identification when casting a ballot. |
| Republicans think they laid an immigration trap ahead of the midterms | |
 | Republicans inside the White House and around the country spent Wednesday amplifying a clip that they hope will become a campaign salvo in this year's midterm elections. The moment, about an hour into President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech on Tuesday, was conceived by Trump and his top advisers as a trap for Democratic lawmakers, asking them to stand if they agree that "the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens." The effort to highlight the contrast between Republicans' robust clapping and Democrats' decision to stay in their seats began immediately on social media and carried into Wednesday, as House Republicans' campaign arm held meetings to discuss how they could use the moment in ads. "Remember this when you head to the polls in 2026, 2028, and beyond," the Trump War Room declared. The moment showed how Republicans still see immigration as a potent political issue, even as polling shows them losing their longtime edge on the topic -- and as strategists from both parties say the midterms will hinge on the economy. Democrats are looking to go on the offensive on immigration, blasting Trump's policies as cruel and excessive. |
| The Math Behind Trump's Eye-Catching Economic Ideas | |
 | In a record-length State of the Union address, President Trump threw out a string of eye-catching economic ideas. Among them: new retirement accounts for Americans without access to 401(k)s; replacing income taxes with tariff revenue; balancing the federal budget by eliminating fraud; and lowering the cost of housing for buyers while preserving high home values for happy homeowners. His proposals and promises come as American voters are increasingly frustrated with the economy. About 56% of Americans disapprove of his handling of it, compared with about 40% who approve, according to an average of polls collected by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Fresh off the sting of the Supreme Court decision invalidating his emergency tariffs, Trump reiterated his belief in tariffs as a powerful economic tool, saying that tariffs could eventually "substantially replace" federal income tax. "This is not within the realm of possibility," said Kimberly Clausing, a tax-policy professor at University of California, Los Angeles, and a former Treasury official in the Biden administration. Tariffs were one of the primary sources of federal-government revenue before the introduction of income taxes in 1913. Today, individual income taxes make up about half of federal revenue, dwarfing tariff payments. |
| Tariff Ruling Undermines $100,000 Trump H-1B Fee, Chamber Says | |
| The US Supreme Court's decision overturning President Donald Trump's global tariffs bolsters lawsuits seeking to strike down a $100,000 fee on H-1B workers from outside the US, challengers including the US Chamber of Commerce say. The justices' 6-3 opinion found that the Constitution's framers gave taxing powers to Congress, not the executive. That means when adopting revenue-raising measures, the president must cite explicit statutory authority -- even in foreign affairs contexts -- wrote Adam G. Unikowsky, a partner at Jenner & Block LLP, which represents the Chamber. "Like the challenged tariffs, the $100,000 fee plainly is an exercise of Congress's taxing power," he said in letter to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The appeals court is weighing a DC federal judge's decision denying an injunction on the fee, which the White House imposed via proclamation in September. The fee was the biggest escalation in a series of moves restricting employment-based immigration programs, upending employer hiring plans and prompting multiple lawsuits. The Chamber has argued the fee clashes with the statutory framework of the H-1B program and contradicts congressional intent that fees for immigration programs be used only to offset costs. |
| 'Get back to integrity': Oklahoma's Kevin Stitt on Republicans after Trump | |
 | Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt leads a state that gave President Trump 66% of the vote in 2024. He is also charting his own course and has publicly differed with the president on multiple occasions this year. Most elected Republicans have avoided direct criticism of the president. Republicans in Congress have voted for his priorities, even when some disagreed with them. Stitt has made his disagreements clear, though he has avoided personal attacks and isn't a member of the never-Trump movement. For his part, Trump has described Stitt on social media as a "wiseguy," among other things. Stitt discussed his vision for the Republican Party's post-Trump future and more during an NPR video interview on the sidelines of the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C. "We have to get back to integrity," Stitt said. He described an action by the administration as "un-American." He differed with Trump on elections and embraced the diversity of the United States. He is himself a member of the Cherokee Nation. The discussion of his heritage underlines one more theme where Stitt differs with many on the political right. He spoke of Oklahoma's diversity as a strength and said he wanted to attract all kinds of voters to old Republican principles. |
| Elon Musk's makeshift AI power plant generates sound and fury in Mississippi | |
 | Eddie Gossett awoke one morning last summer to what sounded like an airport runway suddenly opening on his rural Mississippi road. The jet engine roar has been almost nonstop ever since, much to the frustration and insomnia of Gossett and his neighbors. It isn't a plane -- or anything supernatural -- though. It's Elon Musk. Just down the road from Gossett's house, 18 methane gas turbines had arrived on trailers on behalf of the richest person in the world. Without warning, the temporary turbines began running day and night, locals say, to power Musk's AI ambitions. "I intended to die right here," said Gossett, 76, who wonders how long he will have to put up with the noise and the air pollution. "Hell, I couldn't give my house away with all this noise." Musk's xAI bought the long-dormant power plant in Southaven last year and plans to spend more than $20 billion in the area, some of it on a new data center in the city. It was the largest private investment in state history, according to Mississippi's governor. Tech giants like Microsoft, OpenAI and Google are making billions in AI investments across the country to build up the computing and electric power the technology demands. That requires vast land and resources and, for communities like Southaven, a tradeoff between the promise of new jobs and tax revenue vs. environmental and energy costs. There is also another X factor: The technology may reshape industries and unlock scientific discoveries, but it also poses a potential threat to the future of work in many industries. That's what makes neighbors' complaints about the Southaven plant a bit different from opposition to other residential or commercial projects. The power plant doesn't just sound irritating, nearby homeowners say. It sounds scary. |
| Trump announced a major deal on data centers. It's still unclear what's in it. | |
 | The Trump administration is ramping up the sales pitch for its plan to shield Americans from data centers' energy costs. Still unclear: what exactly the administration is selling. A day after President Donald Trump touted his proposal in the State of the Union, and a week before tech companies are expected to flock to the White House for a signing ceremony, even some Republicans pushing to prevent the AI boom from driving up electricity costs said they were still asking the administration for details. Companies including Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Meta and OpenAI were also silent on the specifics. The unanswered questions included whether the administration has even finished negotiating with the tech industry on a deal requiring the data companies to shoulder their own energy costs. Nor was it clear whether that agreement, which Trump repeatedly described as a "pledge," would be binding or have any force of law. Data centers' electricity costs have emerged as a potential problem for Republicans in this year's midterms, especially after the issue roiled recent elections in Virginia, Georgia and New Jersey. Energy analysts have also cautioned POLITICO that a plan like the one Trump has described would do little to limit the myriad ways that the rapid growth of AI hubs is raising electricity prices -- including by tightening the competition for fuel, natural gas turbines, electrical equipment and access to the power grid. |
| AI skills are in demand, but don't always command a pay premium, report shows | |
 | Artificial intelligence skills are increasingly in demand from employers, but companies are not always inclined to pay a premium for workers who possess them. In short, AI proficiency alone isn't enough for workers and job seekers to command a pay bump or bonus, according to new data from Payscale, a provider of compensation insights. More than 60% of companies that Payscale surveyed have updated their job listings to show they're looking for workers with an AI edge, according to the company's 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report. While a majority of employers say workers should know how to maximize performance and productivity through AI, most of them -- 55% -- are not offering premiums, bonuses or equity for workers with strong AI skills. Only 14% of employers offer higher base pay for AI-savvy workers, while 10% offer bonuses and 9% offer other types of long-term incentives, according to the report. AI appears to be transforming the labor market, as its tools prove capable of performing tasks typically associated with entry-level work. But it's still unclear how much that shift is translating into widespread job losses. According to Payscale data, a majority of employers -- 59% -- say they are not replacing human workers with AI tools. Meanwhile, 30% of employers say they are deploying AI to do the jobs of workers, or plan to do so in the future. |
| Parents are underestimating their teens' use of AI chatbots: Survey | |
 | There's a wide gap between parents' estimates of their teenagers' AI chatbot activities and actual usage, according to new polling data. A majority of teens in the U.S. -- 64 percent -- indicated they use AI chatbots in a Pew Research Center survey. About 3 in 10 said they use these services daily. Parents of these polled teenagers underestimated such usage in the survey, with only 51 percent of parents saying that their child uses AI chatbots. Over a quarter said they were "unsure," 18 percent said their teen did not use these chatbots and 4 percent said they had not heard about AI chatbots. Additionally, only 4 out of 10 parents said they have talked with their child about using these services. This data release comes amid rising safety concerns with AI chatbots, as teenagers turn to the technology for counseling. Concerning reports about bots encouraging dangerous behavior to teenagers with suicidal ideations have driven AI companies to place safeguards on these services. However, child-safety advocates say there is still more work to be done. A majority of teens said that they use these chatbots to search for information and to assist with homework assignments. A small portion of respondents, 12 percent, said that they rely on AI for emotional support or advice. Only 16 percent of teens said they engage in "casual conversation" with these chatbots. |
| Mississippi Aerospace and Defense Symposium set for September in Flowood | |
| The Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi, in partnership with the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, has announced plans for the 2026 Mississippi Aerospace and Defense Symposium. The three-day event is scheduled for Sept. 2-4 at the Sheraton hotel and conference center in Flowood. Jackson State University will serve as the featured academic co-host. Organizers said in a news release that the symposium will build on the momentum of previous gatherings, including a 2024 edition in Oxford and the 2025 edition in Biloxi. With Jackson State serving as the featured academic co-host, the event will also highlight the university's research efforts in aerospace and propulsion systems, autonomous platforms, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and federal mission support. "Mississippi has a highly collaborative network of aerospace and defense industry leaders, and Jackson State University is proud to contribute to the network and demonstrate our academic and research capabilities, innovative thinking, and successful Air Force Reserve officer training," Jackson State Vice President of Research and Economic Development Dr. Almesha Campbell added. |
| JSU's Sonic Boom proudly joins 'MICHAEL CELEBRATES: Legacy, Artistry, Culture' | |
| Today, in celebration of Black History Month and in anticipation of the worldwide theatrical release of "MICHAEL," Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South steps into the national spotlight once again with a powerful performance of Michael Jackson's classic hit "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough," blending JSU's rich heritage with the pop icon's unmistakable groove. "Michael Jackson's global impact on music and culture is undeniable," said Jackson State University Interim President Denise Jones Gregory, Ph.D. "Featuring the Sonic Boom of the South in this national campaign reflects the level of excellence, discipline and tradition that define Jackson State University and HBCUs nationwide. We are proud to see our students represent that legacy on a national stage." The Sonic Boom, celebrated as the summa cum laude of bands, is no stranger to the limelight. However, being a part of this initiative has a special meaning for senior Desi Jenkins, a music education major and lead drum major of the "Jackson 5", fondly known as the J5. The initiative reflects the shared, enduring relationship between the HBCU community and Michael's life and music. |
| USM researcher honored with State Civilian Service Medal | |
| Dr. Henry Jones, director of research and scientific entrepreneurship at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), received the Mississippi Meritorious Civilian Service Medal for his contributions to Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center and the Mississippi National Guard (MSNG). The medal recognizes Jones' efforts to strengthen partnerships among Southern Miss, Camp Shelby, state leaders and community organizations in support of military initiatives and national defense. Col. Willian L. Henry, Command Sgt. Maj. Carl Dean, Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker and Chad Newell, president of the Area Development Partnership, presented the award during a recent ceremony at Camp Shelby. Jones said the recognition reflects the strength of collaboration between the university and its military partners. Jones, a South Mississippi native, has supported multiple initiatives tied to Mississippi's defense mission, helping improve communication and align shared goals among the university, military installations and state partners. |
| William Carey, Mississippi College School of Law launches accelerated 3+3 Program | |
| Students at William Carey University who plan to become attorneys will soon have a faster path to law school. The university has signed a new partnership with Mississippi College School of Law to create an accelerated 3+3 Program. The agreement allows qualified students to earn both their bachelor's degree and law degree in six years instead of the traditional seven. Under the program, students would complete three years at William Carey before transitioning to the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson. Credits earned during their first year of law school would count toward finishing their undergraduate degree. "This allows our students at William Carey to still attend William Carey for the first three years," William Carey President Dr. Ben Burnett said. "And if they're on the right track, then they can be admitted to law school at Mississippi College (MC) and actually finish their undergraduate degree with us in their first year of law school." Leaders say the partnership also reflects the shared mission between the two Baptist institutions. "We are sister institutions within the Mississippi Baptist Convention, and it just makes sense for us," Mississippi College President Dr. Blake Thompson said. "We both have a set of values that are very similar, and I think we're both training students to go out and change the world." |
| U. of Florida trustees approve up to $3 million salary for next president | |
 | The University of Florida's Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Feb. 23 to pay its next president an annual salary of up to $3 million. UF's Presidential Search Advisory Committee worked with consulting firm Mercer to come up with the multimillion-dollar compensation range to attract and retain "top-tier" candidates, according to BOT's meeting agenda. As interim president, Donald Landry receives a $2 million base salary and a $500,000 bonus if he meets performance goals. If Landry, who is a candidate for the permanent president role, is not selected as UF's permanent president, his contract also stipulates that he receive severance pay in the amount of $2 million through Aug. 31, 2027. Landry's predecessor, Ben Sasse, who resigned in July 2024, had a five-year contract with a salary totaling $10 million over that time including performance bonuses and a $1 million retainer. Kent Fuchs, UF president from 2015 to 2023 and interim president from Aug. 2024 to July 2025, earned a $1.1 million base salary. This is UF's third presidential search in four years. |
| UF pauses admissions for out-of-state transfer students | |
| The University of Florida is pausing admissions for "nonresident" transfers, meaning out-of-state and international students, according to a message sent to deans and assistant deans Monday morning. In two emails, Provost Joe Glover and Vice President of Enrollment Management Mary Parker wrote the change aims to "better balance UF's resident and nonresident populations." The Alligator acquired the messages through UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán. The action does not affect transfer students already admitted to UF. Freshmen applicants and those admitted through UF Online also remain unaffected. The first message, sent just after 11 a.m., stated the change would be implemented immediately "until further notice." But in a follow-up message sent five hours later, the administrators clarified the university's overall out-of-state enrollment strategy remains unchanged. "The brief pause is simply intended to give us a short period, approximately a week, to review our current transfer numbers and ensure we are appropriately aligned with our enrollment targets," the message said. The pause comes alongside a push against nonresident enrollment in Florida public universities this legislative session. The Florida House is considering a bill that, if passed, would require at minimum 95% of students enrolled at each of Florida's four "preeminent" universities to be Florida residents. |
| Lawmakers restore full $325 million for needs-based college aid program, with a boost from Kemp | |
| Georgia's first comprehensive needs-based college scholarship came closer to becoming reality Wednesday after the state House and Senate approved a budget plan that would fully fund the endeavor. Gov. Brian Kemp proposed the DREAMS scholarship in his State of the State Address last month with a proposed price tag of $325 million. But last week, the House and Senate cut $25 million and $200 million, respectively, from that fund, leaving only $100 million for the proposed scholarship program. Lawmakers restored the proposed funding after Kemp increased the revenue estimate Wednesday for the current budget year by $1.4 billion dollars, which includes $145 million in state lottery funds for the DREAMS scholarship program. Georgia Lottery funds are exclusively earmarked for education, mostly for the merit-based HOPE Scholarship and Georgia Pre-K. "This one-time allocation of reserves will not impact HOPE and pre-K in any way, and we will be revising the statutory lottery reserve to further protect those reserves," said House Appropriations Committee Chair Matt Hatchett, a Dublin Republican. |
| UT's brand-new motorsport team to race in 2026 Collegiate Racing Series | |
| Most scoffed when Jacob Mink said he was forming a college race team at the University of Tennessee. Just a few months later, Rocky Top Racing will compete in the new Collegiate Racing Series and make history. CRS began only a year ago in early 2025 and has already amassed a large following and eager participants. With the 2026 season on the horizon, Rocky Top Racing is ready to triumph both on the track and as a team. "Our mission is to train students on all the aspects you need to have of running a motorsports team," Mink said. "That comes down to learning about engineering, finance, marketing, PR, vehicle dynamics and the mechanics of it." Mink and his teammates are taking the challenge head-on, currently focused on fundraising and building the team's visibility. The CRS is a spec series, meaning teams will not be allowed to modify their cars beyond basic setup adjustments. This emphasizes driver skill during racing and helps keep costs low for the teams. Motorsport interest has seen a huge spike since 2024, particularly due to F1. Yet Mink said his biggest challenge has been convincing people that CRS is the real deal, and it's happening right now. "It's just the idea of college racing, it's so foreign and new that it took a lot of convincing to be like, OK, here's how we're gonna do it," Mink said. |
| Oklahoma lawmakers advance anti-DEI higher education bill impacting university accreditation | |
| House lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance legislation that would limit who can accredit Oklahoma's colleges and universities based on their past diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. House Bill 3132 would require Oklahoma's colleges and universities to avoid using accrediting agencies that have employed DEI policies as part of the accreditation process in the last five years unless otherwise impossible. Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, who authored the bill, said accrediting agencies are the "gatekeepers" of colleges and universities and determine accreditation status which affects federal funding, student aid eligibility and institutional stability. "This bill ensures Oklahoma institutions will seek to find accrediting agencies that focus on academic quality and institutional performance, not enforcing diversity, equity and inclusion mandates," he said. If no accrediting agencies meet the anti-DEI requirements of the bill, higher education officials must report this to the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem as well as conduct an annual review for a qualified accreditor. Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, who voted against the bill, said many accrediting agencies are shifting their policies away from DEI practices. |
| Iowa state universities pursue program closures after November review | |
| Each of Iowa's public universities is working to close and consolidate academic programs after a review identified degrees with low enrollment. Provosts from the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University presented to the Iowa Board of Regents during its Wednesday meeting in Iowa City on efforts they've initiated to review and change their low-enrollment programs where necessary. Some programs already slated for closure are set to come to the board for approval as soon as its next meeting in April. "There were nine recommendations, if you'll recall, in that report that we gave in November," Board Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon said. "There is progress happening on almost all of those right now, in different ways, some of that through a collaboration with the board office, some of that is on their campuses specifically." While ISU most likely won't propose programs for closure or consolidation in April, Provost Jason Keith said university faculty have already identified multiple programs in need of change. The Ames university compiled a report for departments to fill out about the undergraduate and graduate programs listed in the November board report, with a due date of Feb. 27. As many as 10 programs have already been recommended by faculty for closure before reports are due, Keith said, and the identified degrees are starting to go through the university's internal process before they come to the board. |
| Agentic AI Can Complete Whole Courses for Students. Now What? | |
 | Three-plus years after the debut of ChatGPT sparked new academic integrity fears, artificial intelligence–enabled tools can do far more than write a student's research paper. These days, autonomous AI agents can complete entire online courses---and it's raising questions about the future of teaching and learning. Earlier this week, Advait Paliwal -- a 23-year-old tech entrepreneur who dropped out of the computer science master's program at Brown University in 2024 -- launched Einstein, an agentic AI tool specifically designed to connect with the popular learning management system Canvas. "Einstein is an AI with a computer," the product website explained when it first went live a few days ago. "He logs into Canvas every day, watches lectures, reads essays, writes papers, participates in discussions, and submits your homework -- automatically." Einstein can help with any subject, including math, physics, computer science, history, literature and economics, and even keeps working when students are asleep. While such promise may be alluring to some overwhelmed or unmotivated students, Einstein's release this week is intensifying discussion among faculty about policy, pedagogy and the purpose of higher education in the age of agentic AI. |
| Epstein Used His Fortune to Infiltrate America's Most Prestigious Universities | |
| Jeffrey Epstein never earned a college degree -- let alone one from a fancy Ivy League university. Yet some of Epstein's deepest ties were with America's most distinguished academics, cultivated over years through financial support, shared interests and hospitality at his glittering properties. Those relationships are now imploding careers at elite universities as millions of Epstein-related documents released by the Justice Department show how the late sex offender stretched his tentacles deep into academia. Just this week, Richard Axel, a Nobel laureate Columbia professor, and Lawrence Summers, the decorated economist and former Harvard president, stepped down from positions at their institutions because of their Epstein ties. Unlike the Wall Street titans and private-equity investors Epstein courted, professors and researchers couldn't grant him access to vast fortunes. But they helped to burnish the myth of intellectual genius that was also essential to his rise. Epstein, himself, played up the part by frequently donning a Harvard sweatshirt, spending time on campuses and haunting TED conferences devoted to discussions of futuristic sciences and technology. Academics were useful props as Epstein embarked on a campaign to rehabilitate his image as a science-oriented philanthropist after his 2008 criminal conviction. Some remained steadfast defenders. |
| NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations | |
| The National Science Foundation's chief management officer says the agency, a major federal research funder, is seeking approval to hire more employees after the Trump administration's cuts last year left it without enough staffing. Micah Cheatham also told the National Science Board, which approves NSF policies, at Wednesday's board meeting that the agency is trying to "consolidate" solicitations for grant awards to half, or less, of the usual amount of these funding opportunities -- raising concerns that fewer researchers will receive funding. Cheatham said this move would reduce workload, but also help applicants. "The fewer solicitations you have, the less time grant applicants have to figure out which of our pigeonholes they fit into," he said. Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska, a board member and the University of Wisconsin at Madison's vice chancellor for research, expressed concern that fewer solicitations will lessen junior faculty's ability to receive awards that jump-start their careers. She also said the agency's practice of frontloading the funding of previously multiyear grants further reduces how many researchers receive grants in a year. To this, Brian Stone -- who is essentially the NSF's acting director while that position remains vacant -- replied that solicitations will be "broader." |
| ED's DEI Guidance Is Dead, but Trump's Crackdown Isn't | |
| In the year since Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared all race-based programming illegal and sent universities across the country scrambling, the sweeping Dear Colleague letter that catalyzed the chaos has effectively been killed. As multiple courts blocked the controversial policy from taking effect and the Education Department dropped its challenge to the ruling, advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion have celebrated the document's demise. And many of the plaintiffs in those cases have declared Trump's retreat a "major victory," urging college leaders to confidently rekindle race-based programs that had been snuffed out as an act of precaution. But recent statements and actions from the Trump administration suggest the effort to end all diversity, equity and inclusion programs is far from over. And other legal experts with more separation from the court cases warn that ED and other federal agencies still have a variety of other tools to use in the DEI crackdown. |
SPORTS
| 'Wouldn't want it any other way': O'Connor enjoying lineup decisions as Bulldogs stay hot | |
 | There might have been a few, "Here we go again," thoughts at Dudy Noble Field early in the game against Austin Peay on Tuesday, but they didn't linger for too long. No. 4 Mississippi State delivered a swift 16-3 run-rule win, avoiding any repeat of the 2024 matchup in which the Bulldogs blew a 10-5 lead against the Governors. "Well, somebody had told me that, um, a couple of years ago, they had come here to Starkville and won games on a Tuesday and Wednesday in the middle of the week," MSU head coach Brian O'Connor said. "That doesn't surprise me. I mean, that ball club won 45 games last year in college baseball. That's really hard to do. There aren't many teams that do that." Eleven different Bulldog players recorded a hit, with 16 total as a team, as they put up at least two runs in five straight innings. The Governors took an early 1-0 lead after a leadoff walk, but didn't manage any more until the seventh inning when they were already down by 15. Fans and pundits alike were expecting big things from the Bulldog batting order, and the results so far are encouraging. It makes for a tough job in terms of selecting the order, and eventually honing in on a select group of 11-12 guys to play regularly, but it's a job the head coach is happy to do at the moment. "I wouldn't want it any other way," O'Connor said when asked about selection decisions. "I get to make these decisions and I get excited every morning to get up to make it, like, 'OK, who's in that lineup? What are the best matchups for us on that given day to give us the best chance?'" |
| Softball: Faircloth Twirls Gem As No. 12 Bulldogs Defeat Georgia Tech | |
| Alyssa Faircloth led No. 12 Mississippi State to a 8-3 victory at Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, striking out 11 batters in 5.1 innings before giving way to Peja Goold who picked up her second save of the season. Faircloth surrendered a game-tying homer in the bottom of the second but settled in from there. She struck out eight of nine hitters her second time through the Yellow Jacket (12-7) order before giving up a leadoff homer in the sixth. "I think all her pitches were working, and when she's really able to mix and throw different speeds, use all her pitches, attack different quadrants of the zone, she's a tough matchup," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "You know, I love her presence. I love her confidence out there and how she just continued to go right at them with certain pitches." The Bulldogs (15-1) launched four homers. Des Rivera started the second inning with a blast to open the scoring, and Nadia Barbary broke the tie in the top of the third with one of her own. In a 4-2 ballgame in the seventh, Kiarra Sells hit a solo shot, and Morgan Bernardini launched a three-run blast to extend the lead. Mississippi State will make its first ever trip to Clemson, South Carolina, and McWhorter Stadium for the Tiger Invitational beginning on Friday. The round robin tournament will see MSU play Wofford, Georgia Southern and No. 25 Clemson once each before being seeded for the final game on Sunday. |
| Men's Tennis: No. 5 Mississippi State Sweeps South Alabama 7-0 | |
| No. 5 Mississippi State delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday afternoon, sweeping South Alabama 7-0 at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. The Bulldogs controlled the match from the outset, claiming the doubles point and carrying that energy into singles play en route to their four home victory. With the win, Mississippi State moved to 10-2 overall, while South Alabama fell to 2-5 on the season. Mississippi State secured the doubles point with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. The No. 47 duo of Mario Martinez Serrano and Michal Novansky earned a 6-3 victory over Juan Accossatto and Jules Caby, while Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes and Bryan Hernandez Cortes followed with a 6-2 decision on court three. The fourth-ranked tandem of Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez led 5-3 on court one when play was halted. No. 5 Mississippi State travels to No. 18 Auburn at 12:00 p.m. CT on March 1st |
| Women's Basketball: Bulldogs Return To Texas To Take On Aggies | |
| The Mississippi State Bulldogs will make their second straight trip to Texas, as they travel to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. Tipoff for the contest is set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network+. The Bulldog offense is one of the most evenly distributed offenses in the nation, as seven Bulldogs average eight or more points, making them one of four teams in the nation to have seven or more players do such. Madison Francis and Favour Nwaedozi have led State in scoring in eight games, the most of any Bulldog. The duo leads the team in scoring, as Francis averages 13.2 points per game while Nwaedozi averages 12.3. Francis has made an impact in her freshman season and has built up a resume for All-Conference and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Texas A&M have won their last three games and four of their last five games, including two ranked victories. Ny'Ceara Pryor is the only player in the country ranked in the top 10 of SPG (3.6) and APG (7.1). She is No. 5 in SPG and No. 6 in APG nationally. Her SPG number leads the SEC. Pryor also leads the Aggies with 15.9 points per game. The Bulldogs are 7-3 in the last 10 matchups against the Aggies and are 4-2 under Sam Purcell. |
| SEC, Big Ten study: Pooling TV rights 'dangerously unworkable' and not as profitable as suggested | |
 | A study commissioned by the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten concluded that allowing conferences to pool their media rights -- a key proposal among some looking to solve money problems in college sports -- would generate less revenue than if the leagues continue the decades-old practice of selling their own games. The idea of pooling media rights has been touted by some lawmakers and sports leaders as the best way to supercharge revenue and ensure college sports remains solvent in a new, more-expensive era brought on by name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to college players. The study, a copy of which was shared Thursday with The Associated Press, estimated that at the rate leagues like the SEC, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 are increasing the value of their media rights, they would outperform one much-cited projection that said schools could add $7 billion in worth over the next decade or so by pooling the rights. "The ... proposal not only fails to produce more revenue than the current conference structure but also introduces a dangerously unworkable model and new risks to the college sports landscape," the paper said. |
| Sources: NCAA football committee considering 7-figure fines, head coach suspensions for transfer violations | |
| Changes to the college football calendar -- and transfer policy -- may be on the way. During meetings this week here, the NCAA Football Oversight Committee coalesced around several concepts related to the calendar and transfers, including a proposal to impose stiff penalties on schools that accept transfers outside of the portal window. Those penalties include a multi-million-dollar fine, multi-game suspensions for head coaches and the loss of roster spots. Multiple sources with knowledge of the concepts spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity. The committee relayed some of those proposed penalties later on Wednesday, including prohibiting the head coach from all football (recruiting and on-field coaching) and administrative duties through six games; a fine of 20% of a school's football budget; and requiring a school to reduce the number of roster spots by five for the next season. Sources told Yahoo Sports that the committee also took steps toward potential changes to the calendar, including (1) keeping the transfer portal window in January, (2) giving coaches flexibility to move some spring practices to the summer and (3) allowing schools to open the season in Week Zero starting in 2027. |
| Committee proposes penalties for attempts to circumvent football's transfer process | |
| The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on Wednesday recommended that the Division I Cabinet adopt emergency legislation to address schools adding transfer student-athletes to their football roster if the student-athletes did not provide notification of their wish to transfer during football's January window. Committee members proposed significant penalties for schools that are found to have violated this rule. If approved at the Division I Cabinet meeting in April, the legislation would become effective immediately. "We felt this was appropriate to place an emphasis on this rule with where we are in Division I football," said Mark Alnutt, chair of the oversight committee and director of athletics at Buffalo. "We have a window for student-athletes to notify their school when they would like to enter the Transfer Portal. If there is movement without going through the process as it is legislated, the committee felt there needed to be significant penalties." Josh Brooks, who heads the committee's calendar subgroup and is the director of athletics at Georgia, added: "Attempts to circumvent the transfer window process is an issue for the sport. We want to let everyone know that this is not going to be allowed, and the committee wants to protect the transfer window that has been established." |
| Cincinnati Sues Ex-QB Sorsby as NIL Nudges Toward Employment | |
| The University of Cincinnati on Wednesday sued quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who started for the Bearcats in 2024 and 2025 and recently transferred to Texas Tech, for breach of a multimillion-dollar, two-season NIL contract he signed with the school in the summer of 2025. This case is the latest example of a university enforcing contractual rights in a way that suggests NIL and revenue-sharing deals with football players at power conference schools functionally resemble labor and employment contracts. Cincinnati v. Sorsby follows brief litigation in January in which Duke University sued quarterback Darian Mensah for breach of an NIL contract after he entered the transfer portal. The lawsuit was filed in an Ohio federal district court and assigned to U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. As detailed in a complaint, authored by attorneys David DeVillers and Christopher J. Bayh of Barnes & Thornburg, Cincinnati contends its case is a clear example of contractual breach. Cincinnati's demand reflects a college sports environment in which athletes generate millions of dollars for their schools and -- through NIL and the House settlement -- can be paid millions by those schools as well. This dynamic increasingly resembles a labor market in which football players at power conference schools sell their elite athletic services to buyers, that is, the schools. |
| Do U. of South Carolina, Clemson use state funds for revenue-sharing NIL payments to athletes? | |
 | As the University of South Carolina and Clemson are now paying some of their athletes, lawmakers want clarity on where the money comes from for NIL revenue-sharing agreements before granting the schools more secrecy. Athletic directors promised senators Wednesday no state money or tuition dollars have been, or will be, used to pay student athletes. But as universities' financial support for their athletics has grown in the past year, NIL revenue-sharing has put additional financial pressures on department budgets, the athletic directors told lawmakers. Some senators were satisfied with the firewall athletic directors said existed between state funds and tuition and revenue-sharing payments. Others believed the strain Name, Image and Likeness puts on budgets is leading to more tuition money going toward athletic departments and, indirectly, revenue-sharing payments. "It is a reshuffling of money, in a way," said Sen. Michael Johnson, R-York. "You are losing X amount of revenue that is going out here to NIL, you have less money here, so you have to have the institution give you more in order to operate." "And that is a direct result of NIL," Johnson continued. "Can we agree on that?" "I think it is one of the biggest factors, for sure," University of South Carolina Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati responded. |
| Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? | |
| On a damp February night in 2021, I was parked in a gravel lot waiting for my daughter's soccer practice to wrap up. Through the windshield, I could see another player, Ella Goldsmith, head bowed, back against a fence, as worried coaches hovered around her. Ella lived near us in our Seattle neighborhood. She and my daughter had become fast friends years earlier when they met at tryouts for their soccer club. On the field, Ella was fierce and determined, so I knew something had to be seriously wrong. She would have practiced with both arms in slings. It turned out that while chasing a ball, Ella had changed direction and "just stepped funny," she would tell me later. She heard a pop, her knee buckled and she crumpled in a heap. Her joint felt "creepy" and "gross," she says, as if the lower leg had detached from her body. Like the professional athletes Megan Rapinoe, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Lindsey Vonn, Ella had torn her anterior cruciate ligament. Ella, though, was only 12. A.C.L. injuries are among the most devastating in sports. Unlike broken arms or pulled hamstrings, they almost always require surgery and grueling rehab; players are frequently sidelined for a year, sometimes longer. Significant side effects can appear years later and follow athletes for life. The most remarkable part of Ella's story is how routine this type of injury has become. |
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