| Wednesday, September 10, 2014 |
| Public memorial for Cristil Thursday at Mississippi State | |
 | Mississippi State University will host a public memorial 6 p.m. Thursday at Humphrey Coliseum for longtime "Voice of the Bulldogs" Jack Cristil, who died Sunday. Cristil, the play-by-play voice for MSU football and basketball known for ending victories with, "Wrap it in maroon and white," died in Tupelo from an extended illness after suffering from cancer and kidney disease. "Jack's deep love of this university was always evident in his words and in his deeds. He was a tireless ambassador for Mississippi State and he brought great honor and distinction to our university as one of the most revered radio announcers in American history," MSU President Mark Keenum said. |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): His tired body played out, but Jack Cristil's voice never failed him | |
 | Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "'Fridays With Jack' was what Jack Cristil's daughters Kay and Rebecca wryly called my many kitchen table interviews with their father in the process of writing his 2011 biography on the model of Mitch Albom's 'Tuesdays With Morrie.' ...My interviews with Jack Cristil produced something else -- a deep and abiding friendship. I was with him again at that little kitchen table at his house on Marquette Street in Tupelo a week before he died -- ravaged by kidney disease and the more recent development of lung cancer. ...At the end, Jack's tired old body betrayed him, but that rich baritone voice we loved never did." |
| RICK CLEVELAND (OPINION): Cristil was voice of Mississippi sports | |
 | Syndicated sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "Sixty years or so ago, somebody snapped a photograph of two Mississippi icons. The moment is preserved for the ages: Jack Cristil interviewing Elvis Presley. When I saw it, I couldn't wait to ask Cristil about it. As always, he was candid. 'Worst interview I ever had,' Cristil said in that clipped baritone of his. 'I don't think Presley much wanted to be there, and I know I didn't. It was terrible, just terrible.' Perfect, I thought. All you ever got from Cristil was the truth. He didn't embellish. He gave you the facts whether you wanted them or not. He was clear, concise. And he was, for sixty years, Mississippi State." |
| OUR VIEW: Jack Cristil signs off | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "Jim Ellis has delivered the play-by-play descriptions of Mississippi State football since 2012 and has been part of the MSU broadcast team for more than 30years, but not even Ellis would dare call himself the 'Voice of the Bulldogs.' That title will always remain the exclusive domain of Jack Cristil, whose amazing 58-year run as the MSU football play-by-play announcer ended in 2011. That voice is silent now. Cristil, 88, died Sunday in his adopted hometown of Tupelo. ... In good times and bad, Cristil devoted himself to being a clear, uncompromising, reliable voice. Generations of Bulldog fans loved him for it. They love him still." |
| Mississippi State to name facilities after two former presidents | |
 | Mississippi State University plans to name two facilities after former presidents. The university will name its high performance computing center after Malcolm Portera, its president from 1998 to 2001. Portera was an advocate for what became MSU's High Performance Computing Collaboratory. MSU will name the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building for Charles Lee, president from 2003 to 2006, and interim president for a year before that. The building was constructed while Lee was president. |
| Mississippi State makes 50 Affordable Colleges in the South list | |
 | Mississippi State University is ranked among the 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the South. The school ranks 16th among the public schools on the latest list put out by the Great Value College website. GVC says MSU is committed to providing each student with a customized, personal experience. The report says the school strives to provide the academic, leadership, and social opportunities that build success and help prepare students for their future and works hard to keep students on track. |
| Foundation's grant to MSU to fund free health/fitness program | |
 | With a second-year grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, Mississippi State University is providing a free comprehensive health and fitness program for the entire campus community and beyond. The $250,000 award from the Jackson-based foundation is enabling the university's kinesiology department to establish the Health Fitness and Wellness campaign, an extension of the existing "MSU on the Move" program. Professor Ben R. Abadie, the principal investigator, said all MSU faculty, staff and students, as well as local residents, are invited to participate. |
| Grant Helps Fund Health Programs at Mississippi State | |
 | With a second year grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, Mississippi State University is providing a free comprehensive health and fitness program for the entire campus community and beyond. The program also will measure and monitor participants' progress as part of a pre- and post-program assessment. The $250,000 award from the Jackson-based foundation is enabling the university's kinesiology department to establish the Health Fitness and Wellness campaign, an extension of the existing "MSU on the Move" program. |
| Mississippi State health program expands with BCBS grant | |
| Mississippi State University is extending its health and wellness efforts thanks to a second-year grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. The $250,000 award will go toward creating a free comprehensive health and fitness program complete with progress assessments and helping the kinesiology department develop the Health Fitness and Wellness campaign. Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the programs. The programs will put an emphasis on fitness, nutrition, stress management, behavioral change strategies and smoking cessation and will also include exercise classes such as aerobics, yoga, spinning and strength training. |
| MSU Students Reflect on Changing Role of Journalism, New Dangers in the Field | |
| Journalists are known for writing headlines, not making them. The recent beheading of two American journalists is showing the world how dangerous ISIS can be and how deadly the job can be for journalists. Mississippi State University student Pranaaz Jadhav experienced first hand while interning with CNN in India the dangers of covering international news. "The first day of work there were protests in Mumbai because the government of India at that time had hiked excise duty so city dwellers and all the people were protesting." Jadhav was punched by some of the protesters, but he says it's worth the risk. |
| Garraway succeeds Godwin as MSU's television center director | |
| David Garraway of the Mississippi State University Television Center is the unit's director after serving three years as video program manager. Garraway succeeds longtime director Mike Godwin, who is moving to the new post of operations and engineering manager, a position he sought because of his years of broadcasting experience and technical expertise. Two other appointments are part of the TV Center's reorganization. They include Steve Carver moving from part-time associate producer to interim senior producer; and Hal Teasler moving from graphic designer for public affairs to videographic coordinator for the TV Center. |
| New Extension agent focusing on community development work in Lincoln County | |
 | The newest member of the Lincoln County Extension Service team will be putting her skills to work helping boost community development in the area. "Brookhaven is a charming town. I look forward to meeting and working with this great community of people," said Ashley Tucker of Jackson, the new local Extension agent for community resource development. She joins a team of professionals working to provide effective programming priorities and deliver methods for the Lincoln County Extension educational effort in agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer education, 4-H youth development and enterprise and community resource development. |
| Fire department uses Evans Hall for fire training prior to demolition | |
 | Evans Hall's life as a dormitory may be over, but the Starkville Fire Department is still getting some use out of the old Mississippi State University building before its demolition Starkville Fire Department Training Officer Charles Yarbrough said the department is using the building to run training scenarios. (Subscriber-only content.) |
| Ex-Mississippi State baseball player-turned-priest still delivers | |
 | Burke Masters achieved college baseball glory in 1990, when he stepped up to the plate for Mississippi State University against Florida State during the season's regional tournament. The Bulldogs were down 9-8 in the eighth inning. "I was not a home run hitter," Burke said. "But you hear about athletes being in the zone, where everything is just right. I was in the zone." He was already five for five at the plate, and on his sixth at-bat, he crushed a grand slam to put MSU ahead and send them to the College World Series. These days Masters wears a different uniform and more often answers to "Father." Now a Catholic priest and director of vocations in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, where he grew up, Masters has spent part of the week in Tupelo. |
| Tailgate nation is out in force, and the feasting has begun | |
| Around these parts, folks love a tailgate. No matter your team allegiance, the recipe for success is the same: good food and good company make for good times. Divide up the tasks, bring plenty of ice and, for goodness sake, don't forget the meat. "You just don't go to a tailgate without chicken strips," laughed Martha Nelson. She and her family have been tailgating faithfully at Mississippi State games for almost 30 years. Chicken strips may be a given on the menu Martha and the tailgate group prepare for each game, but it certainly doesn't stop there. With two grown children who are MSU grads and now grandchildren at State, the Nelsons and friends headquarter there for football weekends and special events. |
| City insurance policy survives challenge | |
| Starkville's new plus-one insurance policy survived a board challenge Tuesday, but not before residents hammered aldermen for perceived transparency issues and the proposed change's potential impact to same-sex partners. After almost an hour behind closed doors, Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver attempted to rescind the specific provision -- one of two new insurance tiers the board unanimously approved last week -- but his motion died at the table without a second. |
| Twelve in region named National Merit Semifinalists | |
| Twelve Northeast Mississippi students were named National Merit Semifinalists today. The prestigious honor was announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. It recognizes fewer than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. Semifinalists from Northeast Mississippi include Cecilia Heard, Carys Snyder and Melinda Xu of Starkville High School. The semifinalists will compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring. |
| Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray competes for the crown | |
 | Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray is nearing zero hour, along with the other contestants in the Miss America Pageant. Over the last two weeks, she has kept Mississippi up to date on what she's wearing, who she's with, and what events they're attending via her Instagram feed. Preliminaries began Tuesday night and the competition continues through Sunday night, when a new Miss America will be crowned. The broadcast will air on ABC at 7 p.m. Murray was a Quality of Life Award finalist for her platform, 13 Going On 30, which teaches young girls to embrace their age and not grow up so fast. |
| Airbus awarded another helicopter contract | |
| Airbus Helicopters has landed another contract. The latest in a series of contracts the company, which has a large-scale production facility in the Golden Triangle, has been awarded is for up to 15 AS350 AStar helicopters. Company officials announced Monday that the California Highway Patrol has entered into a contract for three years with two one-year options. The West Coast law agency's initial order is for three of the commercial aircraft with deliveries beginning in December. The company recently launched its second full helicopter assembly line for the AStar. The original full line has produced UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the U.S. military since the plant began operations in 2006. |
| Cross-country meth bust in Mississippi | |
| he heads-up work of a Leake County deputy led to a two year investigation and culminated in three indictments in what authorities are calling a "significant" cross-country methamphetamine bust. Leake County Sheriff Greg Waggoner said a deputy made a routine stop of a motorist who had drugs on him. During the course of that investigation, that suspect "was willing to try to help himself." As a result, narcotics investigator Clay McCombs was brought in on the case. Eventually, more than 100 agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the US Attorney's office, and several other agencies were involved in what authorities named "Operation Yeti Ice." |
| Thompson: Fill gap in Army National Guard budget | |
| The top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee says he will support a request to fill a gap in the Army National Guard budget. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi says Tuesday that he's urging other members of Congress to support the National Guard Bureau's request to reallocate some money. Mississippi Army National Guard spokesman Tim Powell says Mississippi, like many other states, has postponed training because the federal bureau is $101 million over budget due to higher-than-normal spending. |
| Regulators start inquiry into electric co-op cash | |
| Regulators will review the books of Mississippi's 25 electric power associations to try to determine whether they are holding money that should instead flow back to customers. The Mississippi Public Service Commission voted 3-0 Tuesday for its own legal staff and the freestanding Public Utilities Staff to conduct a joint review, with an eye toward issuing a report in October. The move came after Northern District Commissioner Brandon Presley, a Democrat, questioned whether the electric cooperatives were doing enough to send money back, either through rate reductions or through rebates. By Presley's count, only seven or eight cooperatives gave back funds. |
| Childers talks health care, minimum wage | |
| If he unseats Thad Cochran in the U.S. Senate, Travis Childers said he would focus on three objectives: Expanding health care, raising the minimum wage and ensuring equal pay for equal work. Childers, a Democrat, said those are the key tenets of his platform that set him apart from the Republican incumbent. The former First District congressman told The Dispatch Tuesday that, though he and his Republican counterpart are viewed as moderates in their respective parties, he differs with Cochran in that he will work raise the current $7.25-an-hour floor on what employers must pay their workers. "I understand that I'm swimming upstream, but I've been the underdog before," he said. |
| Oral arguments set on McDaniel appeal | |
| The Mississippi Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Oct. 2 on whether Chris McDaniel should be allowed to continue his legal challenge of his loss to incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in the June 24 Republican primary runoff. Justice Leslie D. King issued an order Tuesday afternoon stating the court would consider the McDaniel appeal in an "expedited" fashion and announced the entire nine-member court would hear oral arguments at 10 a.m. on Oct. 2. McDaniel filed notice with the state's highest court on Friday that he was appealing Special Judge Hollis McGehee's dismissal last week of his challenge on grounds it was filed too late. |
| High court will hear McDaniel arguments Oct. 2 | |
| The Mississippi Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for Oct. 2 in Chris McDaniel's appeal of the dismissal of his election lawsuit. McDaniel's spokesman Noel Fritsch​ said Tuesday: "Activist judges have been a problem in Mississippi since the 1950s, as we saw with the Kellum decision, which, contrary to statute, imposed the 20 day deadline onto congressional and statewide elections. Were the state Supreme Court to uphold the recent ruling to dismiss based on Kellum, they would affirm such judicial activism which is abhorrent to so many conservative Mississippians." |
| Mississippi high court sets McDaniel appeal schedule | |
| The Mississippi Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Oct. 2 as a candidate tries to revive a lawsuit that challenged his Republican primary loss to six-term Sen. Thad Cochran. The high court released on Tuesday a schedule for the appeal by state Sen. Chris McDaniel. Justices said they will handle the case quickly, as McDaniel requested. Justices gave McDaniel's attorneys until Friday to file legal arguments in his appeal. They gave Cochran's attorneys a Sept. 24 deadline to file arguments. The McDaniel camp must file a response to Cochran's arguments by Sept. 26. |
| Republicans of Jones County: 'We are not a Tea Party group' | |
 | A newly formed group of concerned Republican voters known as Republicans of Jones County have issued a statement after a Mississippi conservative blog stated they requested/demanded four state elected officials and the state's GOP chairman to appear before them to explain themselves. The group sent out a press release Monday clarifying a few things noted by the blog. In the release, the group clarifies that they are not a 'thinly veiled ruse of Chris McDaniel supporters' like the blog stated. WDAM-TV reached out to the group but no one wanted to speak publicly on camera. |
| Apple's Tim Cook Makes Boldest Bets Yet With New iPhone, Apple Watch | |
 | Apple Inc. AAPL wasn't the first company to make a smartphone or a tablet computer. But its iPhone and iPad redefined those products, helping to make Apple the most valuable company in the world. Now, Apple is betting that it again can succeed where others have struggled, by changing the way consumers pay for purchases, how they think about a computing device on their wrists and how much they're willing to pay for a phone. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Tuesday introduced a new payments system for mobile devices, a series of sleekly designed smartwatches and a pair of larger iPhones. The blitz of new offerings---incorporating hardware, software and services---aims to resolve questions about Apple's ability to innovate under Mr. Cook, and highlights its willingness to tackle the thorniest problems facing technology companies, and their users. |
| Ten of 15 Mississippi colleges/universities earn rankings on U.S. News lists | |
| Ten of the 15 four-year universities and colleges in Mississippi earned rankings on one of U.S. News & World Report's national and regional lists of the best colleges in the country. Three Mississippi schools earned national recognition in the report: Millsaps College, which ranked No. 89 on the list of top National Liberal Arts Colleges, as well as the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University, which ranked No. 149 and No. 156, respectively, on the list of top National Universities. In-state schools not earning a place on any of the U.S. News lists were the University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College and Tougaloo College. |
| Ole Miss makes ranking of most beautiful campuses in U.S. | |
| Best College Reviews, a ranking service for American colleges and universities, has released a list of the 100 most beautiful college campuses in America, and the University of Mississippi made the cut. Amy Bell, the article's author, said, "Studying for a university degree can be made considerably more pleasant in captivating surroundings, and a beautiful backdrop may even help spur students on to bigger and better things. We created this list to show those considering their college options the wealth of attractive campuses across the U.S., with a view to ultimately inspiring those future students' choices." |
| Mississippi Polymer Institute lends assistance to seven manufacturers | |
| The Mississippi Polymer Institute provided technical assistance to seven Mississippi-based manufacturing companies yielding over $4 million in direct financial impact and resulting in the creation of 36 new jobs in Mississippi, according to data compiled by InnovateMEP Mississippi. The Mississippi Polymer Institute serves as the industrial outreach service for the University of Southern Mississippi. Its mission is to utilize its capabilities, along with those of the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, to support the growth of high tech businesses across Mississippi. |
| USM students sign Creed Week pledge to respect others on campus | |
| Hundreds of Southern Miss students are making a public promise to respect fellow students. This week, they've been signing a pledge to honor the The Creed at Southern Miss, which is a decades-old declaration endorsing respect for others and civil behavior. It was re-affirmed during a centennial celebration at USM four years ago. It's all part of "Creed Week," a aeries of activities hosted by the Student Government Assn. which focuses on safety and civility across campus. |
| William Carey University eyes state's second pharmacy school | |
 | William Carey University has big goals for the future, but the faith-based school will need the public's help to see things through. School President Tommy King, accompanied by Tradition campus Administrative Dean Gerald Bracey and Chief Advancement Officer Monica Marlowe, told the Sun Herald on Tuesday they need to raise $4 million in order to get started on the proposed Professional School of Pharmacy, which would be housed on the Tradition campus. The trio championed the pharmacy school as a much-needed addition to Mississippi and the Gulf Coast. Marlowe said they have run into several hurdles to securing financial commitments, which is where the public comes in. |
| William Carey University at Tradition reaches record enrollment | |
 | The student population continues to climb at William Carey University at Tradition. The campus' fall enrollment is 981. That's the highest number of students since the Gulf Coast campus was established more than 40 years ago. There are several reasons behind the record enrollment. After Hurricane Katrina wiped-out its beach front campus in Gulfport, William Carey University moved to the property on Highway 67 in Harrison County. "It has proven to be a very wise choice," said William Carey University President Dr. Tommy King. Since opening in 2009, the enrollment at the campus has continued to rise. Now, it has reached its highest level. |
| Campus museum spotlights life, works of William Carey | |
| William Carey's childhood dictionary. An 1813 engraving depicting "Carey and his Brahmin Pundit." A palanquin handmade in Calcutta in 1820. A 1993 stamp and its first-day cover commemorating Carey's contributions to India. These artifacts and manuscripts are among thousands collected and housed in the Center for Study of the Life and Work of William Carey in Donnell Hall at William Carey University. "With the collection, we're trying to show the breadth and depth of Carey's life work. He was a missionary but that work was not a narrow endeavor," said Myron Noonkester, co-director of the center. |
| New Cross Hall Dedicated at East Central Community College | |
 | A local community college Tuesday celebrated the opening of a newly renovated science building. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the new $3.7-million Frank M. Cross Hall at East Central Community College in Decatur. The new building accommodates science classes and a chemistry lab. Officials say it's exciting to finally see the work complete. "Long time coming. Been in process about two years," said ECCC president, Dr. Billy Stewart. |
| Beal promoted to associate VP at Meridian Community College | |
 | Billy Beal, beginning his 38th year on Meridian Community College's administrative staff, has been promoted to the position of Associate Vice President for Learning Resources, according to MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott. Beal's promotion was ratified by the MCC Board of Trustees during its monthly meeting in August. Beal served as the dean of the College's Learning Resources from 1992 until his associate vice president appointment. A native of Meridian, Beal holds an A.B. from Loyola University of Chicago and an M.S. in library science from Simmons College in Boston. After his academic studies at Simmons, he returned to Meridian where he became circulation librarian at MCC. |
| Meridian Community College named among nation's top 10 community colleges | |
| Meridian Community College has been named among the nation's top 10 community colleges, according to findings released by SmartAsset.com last week. MCC was ranked No. 7 in the nation. The survey caught MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott by surprise, as he was notified of the poll by local media, but said, "It was without question an uplifting way to finish the week." "I honestly don't know much about the survey," Elliott said. "I believe it is based on such criteria as an institution's graduation rate in contrast to its cost of attendance. In other words, bang for the buck." Elliott attributed MCC's standing to its "long tradition of teaching excellence." |
| U. of Alabama tied for 38th on list of top public universities | |
 | The University of Alabama is tied for 38th on U.S. News and World Report's latest ranking of the country's top public universities. UA ranks ahead of Auburn University, which was tied for 48th on the list with the University at Buffalo-State University of New York. Joining UA in the tie for 38th place are the University of Colorado at Boulder, Stony Brook University-State University of New York, the Colorado School of Mines and Binghamton University-State University of New York. |
| Employers scout for talent at two-day LSU job fair | |
 | Some 180 regional and national employers came shopping for job and intern prospects Tuesday at LSU. The science, technology, engineering and math component of the two-day job fair took up most of the day. It preceded the business and liberal arts exposition, which opens 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Companies were stationed on the PMAC's concourse and arena levels and students from the entire LSU System were allowed to attend alongside LSU Baton Rouge students. Trey Truitt, associate director of employment services for the LSU Olinde Career Center, said roughly 30 more companies are attending this year compared to last year. "It's a good sign of (an improving) economy, particularly for engineering students," Truitt said. |
| LSU Police: There's an app for that | |
| LSU unveiled a new smartphone app Tuesday that officials hope will decrease the response time to emergencies on campus. The app is capable of connecting the user to emergency services on campus and giving the dispatcher a GPS location of the caller and other information first responders might need during emergencies. The app, which has been available since the summer, is called LSU SHIELD and is free for both iOS and Android phones, LSU Police spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde said. "We encourage not only students, faculty and staff, but we want visitors to download it, too," Lalonde said. |
| LSU rises, Tulane and Louisiana Tech fall in rankings | |
| LSU climbed a few notches in U.S. News and World Report's latest ranking of the top schools in the country, while Tulane University and Louisiana Tech slid slightly on the annual sizing-up of university and colleges. LSU President and Chancellor F. King Alexander said the U.S. News ranking doesn't factor tuition rates, levels of student indebtedness and career outcomes. "This is troubling since we know that being transparent about the things that really matter to families when it comes to choosing a university is what allows potential students to make the best decision possible," Alexander said. |
| U. of Florida improves in U.S. News rankings of universities | |
 | The University of Florida is a rung closer to being among the top universities in the country, based on the U.S. News & World Report's Best National Colleges rankings for 2015 released Tuesday. UF ranked 14th among public universities, holding its position from last year and tying with Pennsylvania State University and the University of Washington, and outranking powerhouses like the University of Texas at Austin and The Ohio State University. Among all national universities, UF ranked 48th -- up one spot from last year when it made it into the top 50 nationally for the first time. "We held our ground and remain in good company with some of the nation's best public universities," UF President Bernie Machen said. |
| U. of Florida plans to maintain greater police presence following attacks | |
| A consortium of campus groups gathered Monday night to help University of Florida students get around campus on foot, and University Police command hopes to continue its increased presence for the long run. Led by the UF Interfraternity Council, student groups stepped up to make sure no Gator walked alone on Monday night, helping 101 students total, officials said. UPD Chief Linda Stump said she has no plans to dial down efforts to keep students safe in the wake of four recent attacks on young people on or near campus. "We're not going to slow down for a while," Stump said on Tuesday afternoon. UF was thrust into high alert on Monday with four women having been attacked around campus over nine days. |
| U. of Arkansas Transportation Center Gets $1.4M Grant from U.S. DoT | |
 | The University of Arkansas' Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center has received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. "We are proud of our work here at MarTEC, and we are grateful for the support we've been given to help the nation achieve its strategic goal of economic competitiveness through efficient, resilient and sustainable transportation systems on U.S. navigable waterways," Heather Nachtmann, professor of industrial engineering and the center's director said. The center is a league of researchers at four institutions, including Jackson State, LSU and the University of New Orleans. Arkansas is the grantee institution. |
| Georgia regents request $2 billion from taxpayers | |
 | Taxpayers will be paying an additional $46 million for public colleges and universities, or 2.4 percent more, if the Georgia Legislature approves a request the Board of Regents unanimously authorized on Tuesday. The total appropriation would come to $2 billion and represent one-quarter of the annual budget for Georgia's 31 schools. Tuition, fees and research grants makes up the rest. System Chancellor Hank Huckaby, who served several governors as state budget director, said the system must use its funds efficiently. "This budget request supports our students," he said. The most expensive single structure is $49 million for the second phase of the business classroom building at the University of Georgia. |
| U. of Kentucky receives $1.26M in grants from American Heart Association | |
 | The American Heart Association has awarded $1.26 million in grants to the University of Kentucky for cardiovascular research. The funding is for helping develop new treatments to reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke, the nation's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. The heart association has a goal of reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent by the year 2020. The funding to UK is divided into nine grants to researchers in the UK Saha Cardiovascular Research Center and in the college of medicine. |
| U. of Missouri Title IX office investigates report of sexual assault | |
 | The University of Missouri's Title IX office reported a sexual assault to the MU Police Department on Tuesday, but the victim has chosen not to talk to the police, according to a news release. MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said Title IX officials investigated the sexual assault report, identified the victim and worked with her to gather information about the incident. The victim reported to the Title IX investigator that sometime between 12 and 1 a.m. Friday she was sexually assaulted by an unknown man near the benches between Jesse Hall and Hill Hall on the MU campus, according to a news release from Weimer. |
| Ferguson forum at U. of Missouri addresses racism, privilege | |
 | Although Michael Brown died more than 100 miles from where she spoke, Storm Ervin's voice cracked as she read her prepared statement one month after his death. "They tried to demonize him after he died," said Ervin, president of the University of Missouri's NAACP chapter. "They tried to demonize us for speaking up about it. Our First Amendment rights were met with SWAT trucks, canines, assault rifles, wooden pellets, rubber bullets, tear gas and multiple arrests." About 200 people gathered at MU on Tuesday evening to discuss race, police profiling and privilege in light of Brown's death on Aug. 9. A panel sponsored by MizzouDiversity included law professors, clergy and other community members. |
| When Scientists Give Up | |
 | Ian Glomski thought he was going to make a difference in the fight to protect people from deadly anthrax germs. He had done everything right -- attended one top university, landed an assistant professorship at another. But Glomski ran head-on into an unpleasant reality: These days, the scramble for money to conduct research has become stultifying. So, he's giving up on science. And he's not alone. Federal funding for biomedical research has declined by more than 20 percent in the past decade. There are far more scientists competing for grants than there is money to support them. That crunch is forcing some people out of science altogether, either because they can't get research funding at all or, in Glomski's case, because the rat race has simply become too unpleasant. |
| Apple Watch: Coming to a Classroom Near You? | |
 | Wearable technology has entered the mainstream. The Apple Watch, announced on Tuesday, ushers in the possibility that, one day soon, campuses across the country will contend with students who are literally attached to their gadgets. "These wearable technologies will become like appendages," said B.J. Fogg, a consulting professor at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Persuasive Tech Lab. "To remove those capabilities will be like tying one hand behind your back." While the prospect of the new device may thrill technophiles, it may also make professors and administrators uneasy. After all, a classroom of students with miniature computers strapped to their wrists could seem like an instructor's nightmare. |
| To maximize grad rates, colleges should focus on middle-range students, research shows | |
 | Colleges and universities trying to improve retention and graduation rates may be directing academic support services to the wrong students, emerging research suggests. Researchers at the Education Advisory Board, a Washington-based company, think predictive analytics can inform the student-success strategies institutions employ. The company is collecting student data from roughly 110 four-year colleges and universities as part of its Student Success Collaborative. So far, about 60 institutions have provided 10 years' worth of transcripts as well as demographic details such as students' home towns, said Ed Venit, the lead researcher on the company's student-success project. The participating institutions are public and private, of varying sizes and selectivity rates. |
| Colleges reject charge that freshman reading lists have political bias | |
 | Freshmen at colleges around the country for years have been assigned to read the same books as a way to bond at orientation and to encourage intellectual interactions rather than just social ones. But this year, some of the reading selections are coming under attack. Colleges deny any political intent. They say they seek high-quality books that provoke debate and that they are encouraging it as an academic experience amid all the other events and parties during those first few days on campus. Because many schools invite authors to campus, classics by long-dead writers don't fit the bill and there are other opportunities to study them, colleges say. |
| ROBERT PEARIGEN (OPINION): Millsaps model for game day and beyond | |
| Robert Pearigen, president of Millsaps College in Jackson, writes in The Clarion-Ledger: "Millsaps College kicked off the 2014 football season Saturday against Mary Hardin-Baylor, the No. 2 ranked Division III program in the nation. While the end result wasn't what we hoped for, we're proud of our student-athletes who put a tremendous amount of effort and training into the game. As many you know, however, game day activities are not limited to what happens on the field. With that in mind, Millsaps enhanced its game day festivities, including a new children's area with face-painting and bounce house inflatables, the Jackson Academy drumline, and added food concessions by Logan Farms, a local caterer. The change that attracted the most attention concerned our addition of the Lucky Town beer garden." |
| BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): Tort caps under threat in Mississippi | |
 | Consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "Ten years ago, Mississippi passed comprehensive tort reform to address a civil litigation abuse crisis threatening jobs and health care. On May 14, former Gov. Haley Barbour, the Mississippi Economic Council and the Mississippi Medical Association held a symposium reviewing the results of those reforms and discussing future steps. Tort reform was a signature campaign platform of Barbour's first campaign for governor and one of the top achievements of his first year in office. To the question of where do we go from here, it seems the next step is back in court. On Sept. 24, the Mississippi Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case which seeks to have a portion of those reforms -- the $1 million cap on noneconomic damages -- ruled unconstitutional." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State draws first sellout in South Alabama history | |
| Mississippi State fans take pride in their attendance at various stadiums. A new record will be set Saturday when MSU plays South Alabama. The Bulldogs and Jaguars will play in front of a sellout crowd at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. It's the first sellout in program history at USA. Mississippi State has already set two stadium records this calendar year. MSU reopened Davis Wade Stadium with a school-record 61,889 fans in attendance on Aug. 30. The school also set the record for most fans at an on-campus baseball game in April with 15,586 fans at Dudy Noble Field. |
| Mississippi State looking ahead to South Alabama | |
| With his team's Southeastern Conference opener looming at LSU next week, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen said he will lean on his team's veteran leadership in its first road game of the season at 3 p.m. Saturday (ESPNEWS) at South Alabama. Meanwhile, in Mobile, Alabama, the Jaguars are preparing to play host to a Southeastern Conference opponent for the first time and are looking at the matchup as one of the biggest in school history. "This weekend's game is probably the biggest game a lot of us have ever played in, so there is a lot of excitement in the locker room," South Alabama tight end Braedon Bowman said. "It's a big game and a big opportunity." |
| Mississippi State spreading the ball around | |
| Through two games, Mississippi State's quarterbacks have targeted 14 players. Twelve have caught passes and six have scored touchdowns. "You're not trying to force it to a specific receiver. We don't do that," MSU coach Dan Mullen said. "We've been rolling players through, and whenever it calls for someone to get the ball, they go get the ball." The play suggests the Bulldogs boast a deeper receiving core than last year. |
| Mississippi State passing game off to dominating start | |
| There's nothing surprising about the fast start that Mississippi State's offense is enjoying through two games. Quarterback Dak Prescott leads the SEC with eight touchdown passes, tailback Josh Robinson has rushed for 211 yards and the Bulldogs rank near the top of the Southeastern Conference in yards, efficiency and points scored. The surprising part is the dominance of MSU's passing game. Following back-to-back wins over Southern Miss and UAB, the MSU offense has scored 48 points per game and has had little trouble moving the ball. |
| Cowbells not allowed Saturday at South Alabama | |
| The Sun Belt Conference bans the use of any noisemaker during a football game. South Alabama will honor that rule Saturday when Mississippi State travels to Mobile, Alabama, which means no cowbells a schools spokesperson said. According to the Sun Belt football manual, game management officials will remove any noisemaker immediately. So fans that don't want to have there cowbell confiscated should leave it at home. Mississippi State and South Alabama kick off at 3 p.m. in Mobile on Saturday. |
| Mississippi State not worried about end of sellout streak | |
| One week after setting a new school attendance record in its season opener against in-state rival Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State watched its five-year sellout streak come to an end in Saturday's 47-34 win over UAB. The crowd, announced at 57,304, was the fifth-largest in school history, but it snapped a sellout streak that ranged 31 games, dating back to head coach Dan Mullen's first season in 2009. When asked if the ending of the streak was cause for concern, MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin was adamant that it was not. "Absolutely not," said Stricklin. "It was the fifth largest crowd in MSU history. Our fan support is at record highs, and thanks to expansion, we have room to allow it to grow." |
| Mississippi State to honor Jack Cristil with helmet sticker | |
| Mississippi State will honor the late Jack Cristil with memorial stickers on their helmets Saturday against South Alabama. The maroon and white sticker has a microphone with Cristil's name below it. The MSU logo appears beneath Cristil's name. Cristil died last Sunday in Tupelo at the age of 88. On Thursday at 6 p.m., Mississippi State will host a public memorial service honoring the "Voice of the Bulldogs" in the Humphrey Coliseum. |
| Former colleagues, Mullen remember Mississippi State's Cristil | |
| The Mississippi State family on Monday remembered the life of Jack Cristil. Cristil, who died Sunday at the age of 88, spent 58 years in the broadcast booth calling MSU football and basketball games. He worked more than 1,500 games in his career. Color analyst Jim Ellis and sideline reporter John Correro joined him for more than half of those games. "He was, by far, the greatest ambassador this university has ever had," said Correro, who worked with Cristil in the booth for 12 years before moving to the sideline in 1991. "He was phenomenal. To watch him in the radio booth, broadcasting, he was the ultimate professional. He always gave a great description of what was going on. He was the best at letting the listener know what was happening." |
| Former MSU coach Jackie Sherrill roasted | |
| Jackie Sherrill looked to his left, then to his right. The former Mississippi State coach was surrounded by a handful of his former players and co-workers. All sported grins. All were eager to take a jab at him. "These guys got nothing," he said. "After coaching for as long as I have, you develop a little bit of a thick skin." He would need it Tuesday night. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame held a roast of Sherrill, the winningest coach in MSU history who took the Bulldogs to six bowl games. |
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