| Monday, August 11, 2014 |
| Starkville Gets 4,000 New College Students on MSU Move-In Day | |
 | More than 4,000 new students are making Mississippi State University their home for the next four years. Incoming Mississippi State University freshman, Taryn Mann, is excited to start her college journey. On Saturday, more than 500 volunteers were scattered throughout campus to help freshmen like Taryn feel right at home. "It's a wonderful easy process where families can literally drive right up to their resident's hall, unload all their boxes and clothes and we have an army of people here to help move them right into their resident hall," says Dr. Mark Keenum, MSU president. |
| Movin' You To MSU brings in 4,000 new students | |
 | After a quiet summer on the Mississippi State University campus, Saturday proved to be the opposite. Parents and students waited for the doors to open in dorms across the school for move in day. "31 years ago I was moving in," said MSU alumni Terrie Gammon. "Now she's moving in and the dorms have changed a lot, she living in luxury more than I ever was." Tracie Gammon brought her daughter Carrie all the way from Tampa, Florida. She said she wanted her daughter to go to a Mississippi school like she did, but a specific one. "No Ole Miss, no no no that's the big rivalry," added Gammon. More than 4,000 students moved in on Saturday. |
| MSU Students get In Depth Look at Life as a Bulldog | |
| The newest members of the Mississippi State family get a crash course in what its like to be a Bulldog last week. Led by students, the three-night retreat offered information on history and traditions at MSU. From tours of the campus to info on leadership opportunities, the New Maroon camp was open to transfer students and freshmen. Students can begin moving into their dorms tomorrow morning. This is the first year for the New Maroon retreat. |
| Mississippi State's Keenum selected as foundation official | |
 | Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum has been elected vice chairman of the 15-member board of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research. Keenum was appointed to the board last month. FFAR will operate as a nonprofit corporation seeking and accepting private donations in order to fund research activities that focus on problems of national and international significance. Congress also provided $200 million for the foundation which must be matched by nonfederal funds as the foundation identifies and approves projects. |
| MSU President Keenum elected as vice chairman | |
 | Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum was elected by his fellow directors as vice chairman of the 15-member board of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research at the group's inaugural meeting on Aug. 7. Keenum was appointed to a three-year term on the FFAR board of directors last month by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack. Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Daniel R. "Dan" Glickman was selected FFAR's chairman. t the group's inaugural meeting, Keenum said the FFAR board adopted bylaws and voted to accept $200 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to help establish the foundation. |
| Spirit of Oktibbeha: Gallo helps shape state landscape | |
 | Cory Gallo is working to change Starkville's landscape and, in the process, earning national recognition for the community. Gallo is an assistant professor of landscape architecture at Mississippi State University who's worked on several projects locally and across the state. One of his most easily-recognizable works is the renovated landscape outside of the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum at the corner of Russell and Friendship streets. (Subscriber-only content.) |
| Campbell's latest work to show in Facing South at Mississippi State gallery | |
| Mississippi State University Associate Professor of sculpture Critz Campbell of West Point presents a body of new work in Facing South, an exhibit opening Friday, Aug. 15 at the Cullis Wade Depot/MSU Welcome Center gallery on the university campus. A public reception will be held on Aug. 28 in the gallery from 5-7 p.m. In Facing South, Campbell employs low-relief marquetry techniques to create large, dynamic works that explore ideas of southern gothic landscape, literature and life experience. The Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 6. |
| MSU Extension Agents Earn National Honors | |
| The National Association of County Agricultural Agents recognized six Mississippi State University Extension Service experts for their skill in connecting with clients. MSU personnel won top honors in four of the 14 categories in the association's Communications Awards Program. "MSU Extension Service agents and specialists are always trying to get information to our clients in new and innovative ways," said Gary Jackson, director of the MSU Extension Service. "From YouTube videos and online learning experiences to traditional feature stories and newsletters, we want to meet the needs of Mississippians by providing reliable, research-based information they can trust." |
| Wild hog study set for Mississippi State University | |
 | There are many threats to the future of agriculture in Mississippi. One threat that most can agree on is wild hogs. Mississippi State University wants to determine the economic impact of wild hog damage to agriculture in Mississippi. This research study has the support of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Farm Bureau, Farm Service Agency, Delta Wildlife and many others. The information from this study will benefit farmers, foresters, and other agricultural producers by shedding light on the true extent of the damage. |
| MSU study could aid dairy farmers in managing calves | |
 | Findings of a recent study at Mississippi State University holds potential good news for the state's struggling dairy industry. In a study on the effects of housing types, Mississippi State scientists found that dairy calves develop better when raised in pairs. Stephanie Ward, a dairy management and nutrition scientist in the MSU-based Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said this research should provide insight for dairy farmers who practice grass-based dairying. |
| Source of soybean root rot stumps scientists | |
 | LSU AgCenter plant pathologist Trey Price said soybean growers in Louisiana have been finding a fungal disease called black root rot in their crops. "This disease started showing up here about five years ago, and we called it a mystery disease," Price said. The disease makes leaves turn yellow, orange-brown or mottled even though their veins remain green, said Tom Allen, an extension plant pathologist at Mississippi State University. Many people around the country have tried unsuccessfully to grow the fungus from infected roots, Allen wrote on the Mississippi Crop Situation blog Aug. 1. |
| Event to celebrate 100 years of Extension Service | |
 | The past and present will be the focus of Lee County Extension Service's Centennial Celebration. The event will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Lee County Agri-Center in Verona. It's in honor of the 100th anniversary of the federal Smith-Level Act, which created the Extension Service. "We want to make it a carnival experience," said Sherry Smith, Lee County Extension agent and county coordinator. Like the county fairs of old, 4-Hers will display the work they've done throughout the year. It'll include traditional crafts like needlework, jewelry-making and painting, as well as a robotics demonstration. |
| Mississippi State freshmen sent off in style | |
 | The Mississippi State University Alumni Association's West Tennessee chapter, in conjunction with the Alumni Association and the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, hosted the West Tennessee Send-off Party on Monday at the home of Hoyt and Kathy Hayes. The free event brought together Mississippi State alumni and friends with current, incoming and prospective students and their parents, according to a news release. Twenty incoming freshmen attended, in addition to more than 50 guests, including parents, alumni and other Mississippi State supporters. |
| Minor adjustment expected for Mill parking garage plan | |
| Slight changes to the Mill project's parking garage are expected after workers found a debris pile at the construction site, but developers say their portions of the significant retail development are moving forward with few issues. Starkville aldermen held a special-call meeting last month to adjust the project's scope since the debris' removal was an unexpected expense. To compensate the cost of removal and dirt, three screen meshes that would shield the parking decks from sunlight and provide some privacy could come off the drawing board. Mill at MSU developer Mark Castleberry described the debris as a brick cistern that appeared to provide fire protection for the old cotton mill located on Russell Street, but its specific usage is still up for speculation. |
| Taxis to transport students home from bars | |
| The Mississippi State University Student Association-funded Night Route, a transportation system that moves students from campus to various Starkville bars and restaurants, will transition to a taxi-based system that takes riders home from some venues, MSUSA President Brett Harris confirmed during his group's budget presentation to aldermen Tuesday. The new service will be restricted to students who live within a geographic area that incorporates major bar and restaurant locations as well as student residential areas, Harris said, but the SA president did not reveal those specifics this week. |
| Statistics paint grim picture of poverty in Golden Triangle | |
| Earlier this summer, the U.S. Census Bureau released a study documenting what parts of the country are considered "poverty areas" -- regions with a 20 percent poverty rate or higher. The Golden Triangle has 27 census tracts, 20 of which are poverty areas. Pete Walley, the director of the economic development planning bureau for Mississippi Public Universities, said there are two kinds of poverty. One is true economic poverty -- a lack of resources. The other is what Walley calls a "poverty of spirit" -- a lack of hope. The former can lead to the latter, and vice-versa. Personal choices often lead to both, experts say. "If people would be as simple as to finish high school, get a job and wait to have a child until they marry, it would make all the difference," Walley said. Unfortunately, statistics show that people do not. |
| First Yokohama Tire phase on schedule for fall 2015 | |
| Construction is on schedule for the new Yokohama Tire Company plant in West Point to begin operations in roughly 14 months. State legislators cleared the way for the tire manufacturing facility last year when they passed a $130 million economic incentive package to bring the Tokyo-based company to the 1,100-acre Prairie Belt Powersite. What is slated to open in October 2015, is the first of a four-phase project. The other three phases are scheduled to be complete by 2023. For each phase, 500 jobs are expected to be available. Yokohama is expected to invest $300 million in each phase. |
| Report: Clarion-Ledger Parent Co. Gannett Slashing News Staffs | |
| Jim Romenesko is reporting on his blog about a Gannett plan that would involve staff cuts and require current newsroom employees to reapply for new jobs. Gannett owns The Clarion-Ledger, USA Today and a number of other titles across the country, and is "beta testing" the strategy in five of its markets: Ashville, N.C.; Greenville, S.C., Asbury Park, N.J.; Pensacola, Fla. and Nashville. These news organizations are characterizing the shakeup, which will mean fewer newsroom managers and production staff as a redeployment of resources, all with the goal of strengthening local journalism. News of the initiative emerges on the heels of the McLean, Va.-based Gannett's announcement that it would split its businesses into two divisions, for broadcasting and publishing. |
| Nunnelee issues statement on surgery, stroke recovery | |
| U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee, a Republican from Tupelo, in a statement released Sunday night, confirmed that in an addition to surgery to remove a tumor on June 9, he suffered a stroke during the surgery. He said his recovery and rehabilitation have been challenging but he is making progress and has been strengthened by the scriptural admonition to "give thanks in all circumstances." |
| Congressional lawmakers step up use of social media | |
| Sen. Roger Wicker has started using Instagram to post photos from around the state as part of what he calls Mississippi Mondays. Fourth District Rep. Steve Palazzo recently hosted two telephone town halls to talk about efforts to improve health care services for veterans. Second District Rep. Bennie Thompson recently tweeted that the country should help young immigrants fleeing violence in Central America. Mississippi lawmakers and other members of Congress are turning more to social media to deliver messages to constituents -- and voters. Most use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Some have also turned to telephone town halls, e-letters and Instagram. Lawmakers step up such efforts during election years, observers say. |
| Late state Rep. Green was storyteller, workers' champion | |
| The late David Green filled two roles in the Mississippi House of Representatives. One was to cool off the combatants when the legislative wars became too heated. The other was to fight for pay raises for 20,000-plus state employees, especially those back home. Green was good at both. Green died July 25 at his home from a longtime heart ailment. He was 62. Green was known for folksy turns of phrase and eloquent, heartfelt pleas for programs to help his constituents. In announcing his retirement in 2005, Green said he'd been frustrated in his efforts to land economic-development projects for his mostly rural southwest Mississippi district. |
| Stimulus vote differentiated Cochran, Childers | |
| Various pro-public education entities rallied to support U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in June in a bruising Republican runoff against state Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ellisviille, a Tea Party favorite. Numerous groups expressed concern that McDaniel had questioned federal education funding for the state and local school districts. Late in the campaign, McDaniel backed away from those comments. During the primary, Cochran expressed support for normal annual federal education appropriations to the state and local school districts. But during the midst of what is known as the Great Recession that began in 2008, Cochran opposed legislation that played a key role in funding local school districts, universities and colleges during the dramatic drop in state revenue caused by the economic downturn. |
| Hurdles, questions in McDaniel's election challenge | |
| If Chris McDaniel continues his challenge of the June 24 Republican primary runoff he lost to incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, early on a judge most likely will have to rule on whether it is too late to contest the results. Phil Abernethy, an attorney with the Jackson law firm of Butler Snow, which the Cochran campaign has retained on the election challenge, said recently there is case law that would indicate McDaniel had 20 days after the certification of the election to file an appeal. He said the judge would be asked to rule on that issue. The runoff election was June 24. Results were certified by July 7. The 20-day deadline is based on an old court ruling. But the McDaniel campaign has indicated it believes the challenge would be governed by a state law that sets the deadline at 10 days after it filed a challenge with the state Republican Party. |
| McDaniel spokesman named in subpoena leaked by Johnson | |
| Charles C. Johnson, the political blogger and self-proclaimed journalist from California who has become a lightning rod in the aftermath of Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate, claims he has been subpoenaed to appear before a Lauderdale County grand jury. Johnson tweeted a photo of what appears to be a summons dated Aug. 6. The subpoena commands Johnson to appear before the Lauderdale County grand jury on Sept. 22, 2014, in conjunction with an investigation into a possible felony. Johnson posted the photo of the letter Sunday. The post was later removed. He said on Twitter that he removed the photo on advice from counsel. |
| Republicans and race: why Mississippi drama matters | |
 | The long drama known as the Mississippi Republican primary of 2014 is winding down. Tea partyer Chris McDaniel's effort to undo the victory of veteran US Sen. Thad Cochran in a June runoff is headed to state court -- at best, a long shot for the young state senator. Last week, at its summer meeting in Chicago, the Republican National Committee didn't want to touch this thing with a 10-foot pole. Ed Martin, chairman of the Missouri GOP, stood alone in his effort to get the RNC to censure Mississippi committeeman Henry Barbour for alleged "race-baiting" in the campaign, and the motion died. Senator Cochran is poised to win a seventh term in November. But emotions still run high among conservative activists over how the senator got to this point, and over the role of race in Republican politics. In short, the Mississippi GOP primary of 2014 has turned into a proxy for the national party's larger battles over tone and substance. |
| Widespread Commercial Drone Flights 'Years Away' | |
 | Widespread use of commercial drones is likely to take significantly longer than many proponents of the budding industry anticipate, according to U.S. and Canadian aviation regulators. That blunt message was delivered by high-ranking aviation safety officials from the U.S., Canada and the United Nations last week to an industry conference in Washington. At a time when champions of unmanned aircraft are escalating efforts to obtain federal approvals---with some U.S. lawmakers also demanding swift regulatory action -- the latest comments highlight the extent of the hurdles that remain. Last week's session underscored the reluctance of regulators across North America and other regions to quickly give the green light to extensive drone flights, based on safety concerns. |
| MUW announces fall Culinary Arts Institute luncheons | |
| The Mississippi University for Women Culinary Arts Institute in Columbus announces it will host fall luncheons on Wednesday, Sept. 17 and Thursday, Oct. 23. Both events begin at noon in Shattuck Hall on the university campus. The September luncheon will be designed around an Italian theme. October's event will focus on French cuisine. Cost is $21 per person and is non-refundable. |
| Confederate Protesters Oppose Ole Miss' Approach to Past | |
 | Thirty-five people turned up at the Kroger parking lot on Saturday morning for a march on downtown Oxford, via the historic Square and on to the University of Mississippi campus. While the group itself was small, its large Confederate flags and signage attracted attention with some passing cars honking and one woman leaning out of her SUV to shout: "You make us look worse." The vast majority, however, tried to ignore the elephant in the room. The march was prompted, among other things, by the university's treatment of its Confederate past. |
| Ole Miss or the University of Mississippi: What's in a name? | |
| Terry Warren is the owner of Rebel Rags. It's all things Ole Miss at his store. Even Colonel Reb hangs around. He says any type of change would prove difficult. "This is Ole Miss since I was a boy and I think it will always be that way until the day I'm gone. All I can tell you is we are the Ole Miss Rebels," said Warren. That's a nickname University Chancellor Dan Jones wants to keep but in perspective. Recently, the chancellor released an action plan based on recommendations made by consultants and from members of the Sensitivity and Respect Committee. |
| Tracking sharks: USM researchers chart Gulf's most infamous predators | |
 | A shark-monitoring program spearheaded by a research team at the University of Southern Mississippi aims to help maintain the population of an ocean predator essential to the Gulf Coast ecosystem. This catch, tag and release program conducted by the Southern Miss Gulf Coast Research Laboratory has been in place for more than a decade, taking day-long expeditions into the Gulf Coast waters to catch and record information on each shark. From March to October, the team works in both the Mississippi Sound and just south of the Mississippi barrier islands to monitor species distribution and abundance. |
| Scott replacing Rosenblatt as dean of MC Law | |
| Professor Wendy Scott is the new dean of Mississippi College School of Law, effective August 11, 2014. A graduate of Harvard University and New York University School of Law, Scott will make history as the first African-American to serve as dean at the Mississippi College School of Law. Scott becomes the eighth law dean at MC Law, which became part of the Christian university in 1975. Mary Libby Payne broke ground as the first woman to lead the law school, with Scott now the second woman to hold that distinction. Scott will succeed Dean Jim Rosenblatt, who helped build the regional and national reputation of the law school in Jackson over the past 11 years. Rosenblatt will become a full-time professor at the private law school. |
| First African American dean at MC School of Law | |
| A new era began today at Mississippi College School of Law with Wendy Scott beginning as dean. Scott is the first African American to head the Mississippi College School of Law. Scott is a graduate of Harvard University and New York University School of Law. Scott is the eight law dean at MC Law, which became part of the Christian university in 1975. Scott succeeds Jim Rosenblatt, who had been dead for the last 11 years. Rosenblatt stepped down as dean, but will remain as a full-time professor at the private law school. |
| Hannah Gay addresses graduates at William Carey University | |
 | Friends, family and distinguished guests gathered at William Carey University in Hattiesburg for one of four weekend graduation ceremonies Saturday morning, where a notable doctor was awarded an honorary degree. Dr. Hannah Gay, widely known for the treatment of a new-born infected with HIV, which appeared to have prompted remission of the disease in the child, received her honorary hood and delivered the keynote address during the ceremony. |
| Pearl River Community College students learn from Civitan Camp campers | |
 | Students in Pearl River Community College's occupational therapy assistant program left the classroom to spend three days in the July heat at Abbie Rogers Civitan Camp. The camp held the week of July 21 at Camp Iti Kana served 100 adults with cognitive disabilities ranging in age from 22 to 65. Approximately 115 volunteers -- 75 staff and 40 high school-age counselors -- made the week a vacation for the campers. For the PRCC OTA students, three days at camp gives the students a different perspective than they get through clinical or classroom work, program director Tim Pulver said. |
| Auburn scientists design leading compound against Ebola | |
 | A research team at Auburn University recently designed a compound that could be the first step in fighting the current Ebola crisis. Dr. Stewart Schneller, chemistry and biochemistry professor at Auburn, lead the research group that designed a compound that could be a drug candidate to slow or even stop the Ebola virus. Schneller said the compound works by combating the ability of the Ebola virus to shut off the body's immune response to the virus. "For some time my research has been interested in developing drugs to treat viral diseases," Schneller said. "This story picks up about 10 years ago when we began to focus on viruses that have a way to shut down the immune response." |
| U. of Arkansas' Michael Kidd Named Poultry Industry Leader of the Year | |
 | Michael Kidd, director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science and head of the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, has been named the Poultry Industry Leader of the Year by The Poultry Federation, based in Little Rock. Kidd joined UA's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences in 2010. He has served as president of the Poultry Science Association and was department head at the Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University. Kidd received his bachelor's degree in poultry science from the University of Arkansas in 1990. |
| Vet into motion: UGA veterinary teaching hospital set for March opening | |
 | A University of Georgia construction project nearing completion out on College Station Road doesn't look so much like a building but the beginnings of a small town rising up out of the ground. Workers are on schedule to finish the new Veterinary Medical Learning Center and hand it over to UGA in January, said Turner Construction project manager Jeff Brown. A small army of about 250 report to work on the complex every day, down a bit from the peak, when 300 were at work there, Brown said. Start-up for the new building is scheduled for March, about two years after the building project began, said Sheila Allen, dean of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. |
| LSU building the hype as students join the STRIPES | |
 | On a recent Tuesday morning, hundreds of incoming LSU freshmen packed into Shaver Auditorium. Nearly all were wearing purple and gold. They chanted and clapped. They had quickly formed -- and were not afraid to express -- alliances and rivalries, based on teams named after LSU people and places. It's not what you imagine a teenager's summer morning would look like. "I've loved it," Madison Horst, an incoming freshman from Madisonville, said of LSU's STRIPES orientation session. More than 920 students are participating this summer in STRIPES, a secondary orientation offered by LSU for incoming freshmen to learn about LSU traditions and build up hype for the fall semester. |
| U. of Florida grads bask in the glow of that final step | |
 | In the midst of people swarming in the O'Connell Center on Saturday, Ann Combs flashed a smile at her daughter Sarah and brought her in for a one last hug before she became a University of Florida graduate. "Aren't you excited?" Combs exclaimed over the din of the crowd. "I'm so excited for you." Sarah is one of the hundreds of students who took their final steps as a Florida Gator on Saturday morning: walking to the stage and across the platform to receive the degree, and recognition, they've worked hard for. |
| UF research confirms Florida panthers are killing calves | |
| Since Florida's frontier days when cattlemen drove their herds through the state's vast fields and forests, ranchers and native panthers have been natural enemies. A University of Florida researcher hired by federal wildlife officials has found that panthers are killing calves in an area where the predatory felines are thriving. Her study is the first to quantify the kills and losses. The research marks the first step toward the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considering a program that would pay ranchers for preserving acres of panther habitat, instead of undertaking the impossible task of verifying every kill. |
| New firm hired to handle Texas A&M's investments | |
 | The Texas A&M University System has a new investment adviser -- Atlanta-based LCG Associates. To help manage its $3.77 billion in investments, the system has hired LCG for the next five years. The investment consulting firm, founded in 1973, will evaluate investment managers, prepare performance reports and conduct other services as needed, according to the system. After receiving 19 requests for proposals, system officials chose LCG because it was "the best fit." The system is expected to pay LCG about $425,000 annually for the first two years. |
| U. of Missouri System plans second year of 'Show Me Value Tour' | |
 | The first year of University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe's "Show Me Value Tour" cost just more than $18,000, mostly for chartered flights to fly Wolfe and staff around the state to promote higher education, and staff members are scheduling visits for the second year of the tour. As part of his tour, this past school year Wolfe and staff members traveled to 13 middle schools across the state touting the importance of higher education to eighth-graders. John Fougere, chief communications officer for the UM System, said the first year was a success and staff members are working on at least three trips for the fall semester. The plan is to expand the tour over time and even to start sending chancellors from the four campuses to deliver the same messages to even more students. |
| UM System completes overhaul of job titles | |
| The University of Missouri System has completed its study and overhaul of job titles, leading to salary increases for some employees and a sharp drop in the number of titles at its campuses. All campuses had implemented the new, condensed titles as of April. The system lumped together like positions under a more generic title, though many staff members can and have continued to use their old titles in some capacities. The University of Missouri's Columbia campus cut its number of titles by more than half between consolidation and elimination of those titles that had been inactive, usually because they were created for a person who is no longer at the university. The change gave administrators their first comprehensive look at salary titles since 1972, said Karen Touzeau, associate vice chancellor for human resources at MU. |
| U. of Missouri art exhibition shows East-West exchange | |
 | At every turn, an art exhibit at the University of Missouri Craft Studio captures the exchange of ideas between Eastern and Western art. In some cases, a single piece has elements of both; in others, the dialogue is between the artworks. "East-West Dialogues: Paintings by Chinese Visiting Scholars & Their Hosting Art Professors," on view through Friday, is the culmination of a semesters-long visit by four Chinese art scholars and the exchange and interaction between the Chinese artists and MU art professors, said Lampo Leong, an MU art professor. The visit is part of a larger Exchange Visitor Program for international visiting scholars at MU and other schools, according to information from the International Center on campus. |
| Medical Marijuana Research Hits Wall of U.S. Law | |
 | Nearly four years ago, Dr. Sue Sisley, a psychiatrist at the University of Arizona, sought federal approval to study marijuana's effectiveness in treating military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. She had no idea how difficult it would be. To obtain the drug legally, researchers like Dr. Sisley must apply to the Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse --- which, citing a 1961 treaty obligation, administers the only legal source of the drug for federally sanctioned research, at the University of Mississippi. |
| Who Needs an A, Anyway? A Lot of Folks on Campus Do | |
 | Back in 2004, Princeton University took a stand against grade inflation with a policy recommending that academic departments' classes award grades in the A range no more than 35 percent of the time. The policy was intended to standardize grading across departments and give students a better sense of the distinction between "their ordinarily good work and their very best work." Now we've gotten a glimpse of how it all worked. A faculty committee assembled to review the policy has issued a widely discussed report describing the ways the anti-inflation plan has played out -- and recommending some big changes. |
| Research documents shift in relationship between college education and religious affiliation | |
 | College is often portrayed as a place where students lose the faiths in which they were raised. Book such as God and Man at Yale have argued that professors challenge the beliefs of students of faith. For those born in much of the 20th century, it was true that college graduates of all ages were significantly less likely than others to report any religious affiliation. But research just published in the journal Social Forces finds that, starting for those born in the 1970s, there was a reversal in this historic trend. For that cohort, a college degree increases the chances that someone will report a religious affiliation. "College education is no longer a faith-killer," said Philip Schwadel, author of the paper and associate professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. |
| EDITORIAL: MAEP lawsuit threat is counterproductive | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal editorializes: "Former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove deserves a lot of credit for his staunch support of public education through the years. ...That said, Musgrove's current approach to the problem of underfunded schools in Mississippi is misguided. As a primary MAEP architect, his frustration with the Legislature's refusal to follow the legal funding formula in all but two years since the program's inception is understandable. We share that frustration. But a lawsuit against the state to restore up to $1.5 billion that schools have been shortchanged, which Musgrove and other attorneys are now proposing, is the wrong course." |
| LLOYD GRAY (OPINION): New GOP story, old theme | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Lloyd Gray writes: "The obvious divisions in the Mississippi Republican Party, which are likely to intensify as Chris McDaniel presses his election challenge in court, are more severe than any in recent memory. But while the current circumstances are unique, it's certainly not the first fissure in the modern state GOP. To a degree, what we're seeing today has roots decades ago when the Republican Party emerged as a potent political force in the state." |
| PAUL HAMPTON (OPINION): It's past time for McDaniel to face facts, not Facebook | |
| The Sun Herald's Paul Hampton writes: "Facebook can be a wonderful place. You can catch up with high school and college friends you haven't seen in decades. ...I'm just not sure it's the go-to place for evidence of massive voter fraud in the recent GOP Senate runoff. When it comes to politics, Facebook rarely brings out the best of political discourse. And it never met a half-truth that didn't bear repeating. And yet Chris McDaniel has chosen Facebook to prove that Democrats illegally voted in the GOP primary. ...Facebook is a great place to socialize, to goof off. But I wouldn't take some of its claims to the bank, much less to court." |
| SAM R. HALL: Barbours won as tea party whiffed in Senate races | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall writes: "When U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran decided to run for re-election last year, I said his face-off with Chris McDaniel for the Republican nomination would be as much about national politics as Mississippi politics. In essence, it was Haley Barbour versus Club for Growth, et. al. Haley won. The former Mississippi governor has been a leading fundraiser, operative and cheerleader for the traditional wing of the Republican Party, taking aim at the tea party insurgency wing that has been a major disruption to GOP leaders in Washington who have essentially been hamstrung in legislative efforts ranging from budgetary issues to immigration." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State, league excited about launch of SEC Network | |
| Mississippi State safety Kivon Coman has no problem blocking out all distractions when he's on the practice field. But Coman admits a recent visit from the new SEC Network was hard to ignore. "It's very exciting, having those guys at practice," said Coman, a sophomore from Sheffield, Alabama. "I have my own goals at practice, so I can block everything out, but this new network is going to be great. To know my family and friends will be able to watch as many games as they will, to know they'll be able to watch practice, it's pretty special." The SEC Network, which will launch Thursday, sent a camera crew and correspondents to MSU's campus Thursday and Friday to compile stock footage, to film player interviews, and to film Bulldog profiles that will air this season. |
| MSU quarterback coach Brian Johnson sees college football's changing culture | |
| Before Mississippi State's players knew Brian Johnson as their quarterback coach, they knew him as the guy from Utah on the cover of EA Sports' NCAA Football. Before the video games, he was a Sugar Bowl champion at a school from a non-power conference. At 27-years-old, Johnson has already managed to experience more than most people in the business ever can. The NCAA was nearly turned upside down last week. The five power conference were granted anonymity and former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon won his case against the NCAA that players should be paid when their likeness is used, whether that includes video games, jersey sales or other uses. Few athletes know the spectrum of the new age of college football better than Johnson. |
| Dak not buying into the hype | |
| Dak Prescott has already become a local celebrity around Mississippi State. But his performance on the field in 2013 has generated enough offseason buzz that Prescott's popularity has extended far beyond campus. The rising junior is considered one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and even a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman Trophy. "Everyone is going to have expectations, good or bad," Prescott said. "In this facility, we have our own expectations. That's all we're worried about is reaching and making sure everybody is reaching their individual expectations." |
| No safety concerns: Mississippi State confident in safeties group | |
| One of the biggest departures from last year's team was Nickoe Whitley. The safety finished fourth in tackles. He led the defense with five interceptions and left Mississippi State second in school history in interceptions. He was really good. ...And somehow MSU may have more depth at safety this year without him. "Nickoe is a good player, but we've got some ballers back there this year," safety Kendrick Market said. "All of us know what to do. All of us are smart. And all of us have great technique." The Bulldogs list five players for two starting spots at safety in its preseason depth chart. |
| Ocean Springs' Morrow looks for breakout season with Mississippi State | |
| Ocean Springs wide receiver Joe Morrow was unsure of what role he would fulfill last season for Mississippi State. As it turned out, Morrow played in all 13 games last season while earning 12 starts. He hauled in 18 catches for 211 yards and scored his first career touchdown against Texas A&M. Having gained confidence and experience, he said he expects to be given more opportunities on the field in 2014. "Coming out of last year, you know what to expect. I got into a few games and got into the rhythm," he said. "Now that I can go out there and play, it's a big chance for me to make big plays." |
| Mississippi State's Bell focuses on punting | |
| Devon Bell was recruited to handle punting and kickoff duties for Mississippi State. But Bell's focus the last two seasons has been kicking field goals. Now he's back to handling his primary responsibilities as the Bulldogs punter. "It's a lot less stressful for me," Bell said. "I'm really enjoying it because it was really what I was brought in to do. It's a big burden lifted off my shoulders and I think I'll be pretty good this year." |
| Going deep: Mississippi State plans to attack with former hoops star Wilson | |
| De'Runnya Wilson is a wide receiver that quarterbacks dream about. That's how Dak Prescott describes him, at least. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Wilson possesses rare size. As a former basketball player, he can high-point the ball naturally. "I just envision every time I throw him the ball that he's going up for a rebound or an alley-oop," Prescott said. "He's going to make that play and come down with it." As a freshman, Wilson hauled in 26 receptions for 351 yards. Only one of those receptions gained more than 30 yards and the pass came from Tyler Russell. Of Prescott's 156 completions last year, only 10 went for more than 30 yards. This year Mississippi State hopes to change that by attacking teams vertically with Wilson. |
| USM coach Todd Monken 'focused on the team we can become and Mississippi State' | |
 | Three weeks to the day from when his team will open the season against Mississippi State, second-year Southern Miss head football coach Todd Monken met with the media. "First of all, I appreciate everyone coming. This is always fun," Monken told the gathering at the annual Golden Eagles' Media Day event in Hattiesburg. "We are excited. People ask about in the past; we are not worried about that. We are moving forward and focused on the team we can become and Mississippi State," he said. Monken said that his staff has been concentrating on Mississippi State for quite awhile. Southern Miss travels to Davis-Wade Stadium on Aug. 30 to face the home-standing Bulldogs. |
| Derek Horne named athletics director at Alcorn State | |
| Derek Horne, who played basketball for the University of Mississippi and later served as athletics director at Florida A&M, has been named athletics director at Alcorn State University. Horne's new position was announced by Alcorn on Friday. Horne, a native of Quitman, Georgia, was a four-year letterman on the Mississippi basketball team from 1983 to 1986. He later worked for 15 years in his alma mater's athletics administration department before heading to Florida A&M. Horne will report to Alcorn State later this month and will oversee its 17 athletic programs. |
| Paul Finebaum reveals behind-the-scenes progress of SEC Network | |
| With the launch of the SEC Network only days away, Paul Finebaum has been a busy man. On Monday and Tuesday, the ESPN radio host traveled to different parts of Alabama to promote his new book, "My Conference Can Beat Your Conference: Why the SEC Still Rules College Football." However, Finebaum had to fly back to Charlotte, North Carolina Wednesday to continue work on his televised radio show and "SEC Nation," a traveling sports show that will broadcast from different college campuses every Saturday from 9-11 a.m. The network will launch at 5 p.m. Thursday. "I think people will love it," Finebaum said. "There will be so many aspects of it, whether it is four hours of us every afternoon or the two-hour recap show every night or the documentaries." |
| Kentucky native behind UK multimedia deal aims to deliver what fans want, create 'digital network' on campus | |
 | Tom Stultz is president of San Diego-based JMI Sports. Before joining JMI in 2012, Stultz was senior vice-president and managing director of IMG College's multimedia rights business. The Greenup, Ky., native has more than 40 years of professional executive experience negotiating and securing more than a billion dollars in multimedia and sponsorship-rights agreements with major universities -- agreements like the 15-year deal announced in late June between JMI and University of Kentucky, valued at $210 million. |
| Federal judge: NCAA violates antitrust law | |
| Some National Collegiate Athletic Association rules violate federal antitrust law, a federal judge ruled Friday. Judge Claudia Wilken issued an injunction blocking those rules, which bar the sharing of revenue with athletes, including football and basketball players at the focus of the suit. The ruling is a major blow for the NCAA, which has argued that any deviation from its interpretations of amateurism could be destructive to intercollegiate athletics. While the judge said that the NCAA presented some valid evidence of problems that could be raised by dropping all rules, Wilken said that there were legal ways the NCAA could limit payments -- and avoid the problems the association claimed could arise from a pure free market. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted on Thursday to restructure how the division is governed, granting a greater level of autonomy to the five wealthiest conferences. |
| 99-Page Ruling in O'Bannon Case Is Missing Something: Clarity | |
| The federal judge who on Friday declared that the N.C.A.A.'s longstanding amateurism rules were a violation of antitrust laws left no uncertainty in her ruling about her views of the organization's arguments. She bluntly dismissed them. The judge, Claudia Wilken, left the college sports world with anything but clarity, however, with one seemingly critical portion of her 99-page ruling: a suggestion that universities might pay athletes via a trust fund that the athletes would gain access to once their college playing careers were complete, and that the N.C.A.A. could put a cap on how much the institutions could offer each player. |
| NCAA president: We will appeal | |
 | NCAA President Mark Emmert said on Sunday the association will appeal last week's decision by a federal judge that student athletes can share in profits from broadcast and other media contracts. Appearing on ABC's "This Week," he told ABC's Martha Raddatz there's much in the judge's ruling that's useful, but the association disagrees that antitrust laws are being violated. Asked whether the decision could turn college sports into professional sports, Emmert said it "potentially could." Raddatz also brought up increasing competition between NCAA schools and conferences for resources. "There is already an arms race," Emmert said. "The arms race today is around facilities and support staff. It's not being focused around the student athletes and what they need." |
| How the O'Bannon Ruling Could Change College Sports | |
| The victory for players in the federal antitrust case involving Ed O'Bannon could mark the end of an era for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Assuming the decision stands, it would offer big-time college football and basketball players a chance to be paid for the commercial use of their images -- upending the association's long insistence on amateur ideals. The NCAA, which is expected to appeal the decision, has enjoyed a history of success at the appellate level. But legal experts say the limits the judge put on player pay in her ruling give it a decent chance of surviving an appeal. The ruling does not prescribe payments for female athletes or men in lower-profile sports, but college leaders say that the decision raises questions about how they might be treated. |
| Southern Miss AD McGillis praises compromise in autonomy vote | |
| When the NCAA Division I board of directors granted schools in the top five conferences the ability to write many of their own rules on Thursday, Bill McGillis acknowledged the measure but stopped short of getting too high or too low. In fact, the athletic director at Conference USA member Southern Miss -- one of Mississippi's institutions outside what McGillis calls the "high resource five" -- lauded compromises both sides have made over the past year. "There's a greater good here, and that is that we're all staying under the same tent," he told the Hattiesburg American. |
| Insuring college athletes an evolving industry | |
| Keith Lerner's cell phone is rattling and humming as he sits in the office he refers to as "the museum." Framed jerseys hang from the walls and signed helmets and footballs dominate the credenzas. It's a busy time for Lerner and his son, David, the former Florida punter who joined Lerner's Total Planning Sports Services after his kicking days were over. It's especially busy because the way college football players are being insured has changed drastically over the last two years. "It's a new phenomenon," Lerner said. "I've been doing this 26 years and the last 12-to-24 months there have been monumental changes in regard to this." |
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