| Thursday, November 20, 2014 |
| College Board gives Keenum contract extension, raise | |
 | Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum has received a raise and a four-year contract extension. Minutes released by the College Board show members voted unanimously in closed session in October to raise Keenum's salary from $429,000 to $454,700 a year, starting Nov. 1 when the contract extension took effect. The state is paying half of the new salary, while the MSU Foundation is paying the other half. It's the first pay increase since Keenum became president of MSU in 2009. |
| Six out of eight universities could have higher tuitions in 2015 | |
| Tuition and fees will rise at six of Mississippi's public universities in fall 2015 if the College Board approves. Across the eight schools, Mississippi residents will see average tuition for two semesters (fall and spring) go up by an average of 3.2 percent to $6,718 in fall 2014. Rates for certain professional programs will go up by different amounts. |
| Mississippi State and Ole Miss Come Together for Unified Egg Bowl | |
 | Rivals Mississippi State and Ole Miss came together for some friendly competition to raise awareness and money during the first Unified Egg Bowl at MSU on Wednesday. Both schools teamed up with Special Olympics Mississippi to raise money and awareness. "This is an opportunity we can come together and we can be unified behind Special Olympics and doing something really worthwhile and using all the energy and all the excitement that the Egg Bowl generates to help a lot of Mississippians" says MSU Athletic Director Scott Stricklin. |
| Stats show big numbers for interest in Mississippi State | |
 | When Mississippi State University's football team wins, the points on their scoreboard, the fans in Davis Wade Stadium and the votes they receive for the College Football Playoff aren't the only numbers that go up. MSU officials now report that the team's 9-1 record this season has driven up applications for admission and housing as well as visitors to MSU websites and social media accounts. (Subscriber-only content.) |
| Mississippi State Students Take Part in 3-Minute Thesis Competition | |
 | Months, sometimes years of research, writing and editing. This is the life of masters and doctoral students, with the end product being the thesis or dissertation. Now, imagine having to boil all of that research down to a three-minute presentation. That was the challenge this afternoon at Mississippi State University. About 50 students took part in the 3 Minute Thesis competition. The goal was to explain all of that research in a concise way that can be understood by someone outside of their field. "Why is the research important that they are conducting? And what did they discover or achieve through the research?" MSU Graduate School Dean Lori Bruce said. "Some of these students have worked on their research for years, so it's a huge challenge to distill that down to just three minutes -- or less -- for a general audience." |
| MSU Students Look For New Housing Options | |
| Mississippi State President Mark E. Keenum reassured students about university housing measures being taken Wednesday when he met with Hurst Hall residents affected by water damage caused this morning by a failure of a newly installed component of the fire suppression system. Keenum discussed a variety of options for displaced students and encouraged the women to stay at the La Quinta Inn and Suites as they consider their short-term and long-term housing choices. The damage was limited to 36 rooms in Hurst Hall and could displace as many as 72 female students in the Zacharias Village residence hall for the rest of the fall 2014 semester. Officials said repairs will be complete prior to the spring 2015 semester. |
| Hunting deer? There's an app for that | |
 | Deer hunters can take wildlife biologists' expertise with them to the woods this season by downloading free apps from Mississippi State University. Three smartphone apps were developed by experts with the MSU Deer Lab, a collaborative effort of the MSU Extension Service and MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center. The newest app, MSUES Deer Hunt, is designed to help hunters and hunting clubs manage deer observation data and harvest data. "Data are critical for deer management programs," said Steve Demarais, professor and researcher at the MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center. "Club administrators can register members, mark stand locations, record deer observations while hunting and track harvest data." |
| How criminal forfeiture will work in Epps' case | |
 | Former Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps can continue to live in his approximately $350,000 home in Flowood until there is a resolution of the federal case against him, but he lost access immediately to two Mercedes vehicles and nearly $1 million deposited in financial accounts. Federal forfeiture laws are different for real property, which includes homes, and personal property, which includes such things as vehicles and money. "While any of these assets might be subject to forfeiture if the court so determines, that will not officially happen until after trial or a plea agreement," said University of Mississippi School of Law Professor Ronald Rychlak. |
| Preparing pupils: Kindergarten readiness sets stage for future learning | |
 | Before students start kindergarten, they should be able to recognize the letters in their names, count to 10 and engage in a conversation. But more than 40 percent of Mississippi kindergartners begin school unprepared, according to a 2013 survey of their teachers. Mississippi KIDS COUNT released last fall the results of the first statewide survey of Mississippi's public school kindergarten teachers. Respondents estimated that 41 percent of their students were not "kindergarten ready" and identified that as the top challenge they face. Increased access to high-quality pre-K would go a long way toward improving that, they said. |
| Initiative push to fund schools | |
 | Amid growing frustrations about how public education in Mississippi is paid for, a push is being made to put a ballot initiative together aimed to put the state Legislature's "feet to the fire" and cover the cost of schools. Called Initiative 42, or Better Schools=Better Jobs, supporters are now waiting on approval from the Secretary of State's office to have it put up for a vote next year. Claiborne Barksdale, CEO of the Oxford-based Barksdale Reading Institute and one of the people supporting Initiative 42, spoke to the Olive Branch Rotary Club about it Tuesday. |
| New growth sector: healthcare; Bryant discusses economic development opportunities | |
 | The future and importance of healthcare in Madison County was the crux of Gov. Phil Bryant's speech at the 2014 Vision Celebration Tuesday, with St. Dominic Health Services Inc. and Dr. David Powe also being honored for their work. The annual event is hosted by the Madison County Economic Development Authority and Madison County Business League. Bryant spoke on economic development in the state and said healthcare was the future economic driver. He particularly praised the county on the recent Bio-Medical Business Collaboratory in Canton and the impact it will have in the future. State Sen. Will Longwitz said the governor has made huge progress in "building a competitive business climate that attracts major employers." |
| Hosemann presents check for $9.5 million in tidelands funds to DMR | |
 | Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann presented a check for $9.5 million Wednesday to the Department of Marine Resources to fund projects designed to increase public access to waterways and fund marine conservation management. Hosemann made the presentation to DMR Executive Director Jamie Miller at Hosemann's Gulfport office Wednesday afternoon. The Tidelands Trust Fund Program, as administered by the Secretary of State's office and the DMR, began in 1994, and its mission is to establish state policy balancing the interests of upland private property owners and the general public over the use of public trust tidelands and submerged land of the State of Mississippi. |
| Mississippi race, arrest rates examined | |
| Across the nation, numbers are showing that more black people are arrested than any other race, even outnumbering by percentage the black population in most areas. FBI census data shows that Mississippi is no different. Mississippi College Law Professor Matt Steffey described it as a problem "that is much easier to describe than explain." "The fact that there is an underclass of persons of color is one factor, because chronic poverty and joblessness is a fact that can correlate to crime, and crimes relate to arrests," he said. "There's also no doubt based on discussions with those involved and anecdotal evidence that there are bias in the system. Driving while black isn't a matter of fiction, it's a matter of fact, there's academic research that upholds it." |
| Obama's immigration order poses political challenges for both parties | |
 | The political consequences of President Obama's new immigration plan will probably depend on whether Americans focus on the merits of the policy or on the president's audacious means of achieving it. Democrats say that Obama's action, which would protect millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, is necessary to keep the faith of Latinos, the nation's fastest-growing minority and a crucial voting bloc for their party in recent elections. For Republicans, the move represents confirmation that the president is constantly overreaching, with contempt for the concerns of those who disagree with him. At the same time, GOP leaders worry that an overreaction on their own side -- shutting down the government over the immigration issue, for instance -- could backfire. |
| Ex-Cantor aides hang shingle on K Street | |
 | A trio of former Republican leadership aides is heading to K Street, seeking to capitalize on the GOP's recent gains in Congress with a new lobbying venture. Steve Stombres and Kyle Nevins, who served as top lieutenants to former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), are teaming up with John O'Neill, an ex-aide to former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), to form Harbinger Strategies. The new firm is custom-tailored for a Republican-controlled Congress, coming equipped with an all-star mix of GOP leadership talent and "battle-tested" advocacy abilities. Still, the number of single-party lobby shops has dwindled on K Street, with firms both large and small opting to go the bipartisan route. Even the fiercely Republican BGR Government Affairs, founded by former Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, now has a few Democrats on board. |
| NSA director: China can damage U.S. power grid | |
| China and "one or two" other countries are capable of mounting cyberattacks to shut down the electric grid in parts of the United States. That's according to Admiral Michael Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command. The possibility of such cyberattacks by U.S. adversaries has been widely known, but never confirmed publicly by the nation's top cyber official. Outside experts say the U.S. Cyber Command also has that capability, which in theory should amount to mutual deterrence. |
| Tricycles to be available for UM departmental use on campus | |
 | The University of Mississippi is proud to announce its incorporation of tricycles as an alternative to the golf carts used by various departments. The tricycles will not only aid in mobility around campus but also aid in health and wellness. Being a non-motor bike, the tricycles will provide an outlet for exercise. The wellness aspect of the tricycles, or trikes, is what creates significance in their incorporation. Wendy Carmean of human resources expressed the basis of the program and how it is beneficial to the Ole Miss community. "Our hope is the bikes and trikes will offer an alternative to the golf cart for quick and timely travel for cross-campus errands," Carmean said. |
| Delta State students, faculty hold 'funeral' for axed programs | |
| There was a funeral Wednesday at Delta State, complete with a hearse, urns, ashes and eulogies. Nobody died. About 80 students and faculty gathered to mourn the demise of five undergraduate degree programs eliminated because of budget cuts. Athletic training, theater and communication studies, modern foreign languages, journalism and real estate/insurance will vanish as the university seeks to cut $1 million in expenses. Students who have completed upper-level courses in the majors can finish their degree. The lack of communication and transparency from DSU president Bill LaForge and his administration has frustrated students and faculty connected to the programs being eliminated, said Bill Hays, a professor of English. |
| Students get their say on Delta State budget cuts | |
 | The discussion of budget cuts among Delta State University students continued after the faculty and staff forums last week, prompting Student Government Association President Mikel Sykes to lead a student forum. During the student led forum Sykes showed statistics and evaluations of expenses and programs from the Mississippi Institutions of Learning to further explain why the budget cuts were made. Elisabetta Zengaro, editor of The Delta Statement student newspaper, asked for an explanation of how the decision to cut certain programs came about. "We did this for three reasons and the first is to make our financial house come in order. We've been out of sync and I inherited this when I got here. We have a cash flow problem ...for strict business reasons it makes sense to do this. IHL absolutely required that we do this," said President Bill LaForge. |
| Auburn University seeks input from stakeholders for self-study related to economic development | |
 | As part of a self-study, Auburn University stakeholders are being asked to provide input concerning the university's engagement in the region's economic development initiatives. Under the auspices of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, or APLU, and Auburn's Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, a survey is being sent to some 3,500 public and private sector business and community leaders asking for their perception of the university's economic engagement. "Auburn is committed to economic engagement," said Vice President for Research and Economic Development John Mason. "As the State of Alabama's land-grant university, Auburn has many different affiliated groups and programs supporting economic development through a variety of activities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce development and community development. This survey is a major part of our self-review with outside stakeholders to gain a consolidated picture of how they perceive that involvement." |
| Drone strikes man near Bryant-Denny Stadium; police searching for its owner | |
 | A drone descending from flight struck a man walking through a parking lot near Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday, and Tuscaloosa police are trying to track down the machine's operator. Tuscaloosa police said they recovered a "white Phantom drone" around 2:30 p.m. Saturday in a parking lot on 12th Avenue near Bryant Drive, and are interested in talking with the operator . Sgt. Brent Blankley said Wednesday the pedestrian was not injured. |
| UGA boosts budget for its sustainability office | |
 | The University of Georgia will boost funding for its Office of Sustainability by $80,000 a year, UGA President Jere Morehead announced Tuesday. The money will come out of cost savings generated by Office of Sustainability initiatives that have come out of the five-year-old office, which works to reduce the university's environmental footprint. A small review committee earlier this year concluded that the office had been successful in its mission, making the campus more sustainable and saving UGA money in the process. |
| UGA group asking for paid parental leave at university | |
| The University of Georgia's University Council unanimously voted yes Wednesday on a proposal to give eight weeks of paid leave to UGA workers, male or female, after the birth or adoption of a child. The policy would also allow faculty members an additional year to gain tenure. The council, a mostly elected advisory body of faculty, staff and students, also voted to eliminate a limit on the number of courses students can withdraw from during their college careers. The new withdrawal policy will likely become policy for the university; UGA presidents historically respect faculty decisions on academic policies. But the fate of the parental leave policy is less sure. |
| A.L. Chilton Foundation to Support U. of Arkansas Faculty with $500K Gift | |
| A new faculty fellowship is being created at the University of Arkansas' College of Education and Health Professions thanks to a $500,000 gift from the Dallas-based A.L. Chilton Foundation. The foundation is establishing the fellowship in special education to benefit the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. |
| U. of Kentucky frat boy makes an impression on reality show 'Party Down South' | |
 | In the trailers for the CMT reality show Party Down South 2, a sequel to the network's highest-rated show, Lexington's own Hunter Robinson makes an impression. In just 65 seconds of video, the burly Harrodsburg native offers a prayerful ode to both drinking alcohol and America, screams "we're driiinkinnn'," while pulling three people on a mattress through a house, and sweet-talks a beer keg, saying, "You saved me from the dark times." The show debuts Nov. 20. How did the University of Kentucky frat boy achieve what he hopes could be 15-plus minutes of fame? This, like many of Robinson's stories, begins with a few beers. |
| Texas A&M astronomer to study star fuel with National Science Foundation grant | |
 | Kim-Vy Tran has her sights on distant galaxies. As one of three Texas A&M astronomers awarded National Science Foundation grants this year, the associate professor in the physics and astronomy department wants answers about how galaxies are formed and why some have stopped making stars while others, like the Milky Way, continue to do so. "What you need to make new stars is fuel, so what I'm exploring is not looking at the stars but looking at their fuel," Tran said. |
| U. of Missouri gets $1 million gift to bolster community journalism | |
 | University of Missouri administrators announced a $1 million gift Wednesday afternoon that will foster teaching and research around small-town journalism. The gift comes from Walter B. Potter Jr., a Falls Church, Va., resident and MU journalism school alumnus. The $1 million will be used to support teaching and research on small-town journalism, including rural areas and urban neighborhoods. MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin introduced Potter, a third-generation newspaperman, saying he had ink in his veins. |
| Lone gunman killed after shooting at Florida State University library leaves three wounded | |
 | A gunman shattered the calm of a crowded Florida State University library early Thursday morning, wounding three people, one critically, before he was shot and killed by campus police, authorities said. The gunman, who has not been identified, walked inside the entrance to FSU's Strozier Library about 12:30 a.m. and opened fire, Tallahassee Police Department spokesman David Northway told reporters at the scene. The three victims were all students. Hospital officials say one of the students is in critical condition, the other is fair. A third student was "grazed" by a bullet and treated at the scene, Northway said. Their names have not been released. About 400 students were studying in the five-story library when the shooting occurred and word traveled quickly as soon as the gunman was spotted, FSU Police Chief David Perry said. |
| NSSE 2014 finds size, selectivity make little difference in student engagement | |
 | Findings released Thursday from the National Survey of Student Engagement suggest that the average student experience can vary widely from one college to another, even when the institutions are similar in size and selectivity. More than 355,000 first-year and senior students from 622 four-year U.S. colleges and universities participated in the survey, which is now in its 16th year. The results, according to a report detailing the survey's findings, suggest that a college's enrollment size and level of selectivity "bears little relationship" to student engagement and experiences with faculty. |
| BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): Dems created Wicker fire | |
| Consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spent more than $6 million in 2008 attempting to defeat Republican U.S. Senator Roger Wicker in his special election match against former Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove. Wicker beat Musgrove by ten points. Now, Wicker will lead the efforts of Republicans against the DSCC in 2016 as the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). ...As NRSC Chair, Wicker serves in the sixth position of Senate Republican leadership. The most recent Mississippi Senator to serve in leadership was Trent Lott who served as Republican Whip in 2007, and prior to that as Minority Leader and Majority Leader. ...The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's work against Wicker in 2008 lit a campaign fire that still burns and contributed to the development of the man who will now lead the charge against them." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Bryant's budget proposal reflects election-year sensibilities | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Gov. Phil Bryant presented an executive budget recommendation that addresses some of the thorny issues that he will confront along with the Republican legislative majority, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn. Let's see, there's a tax cut plan for low-to-moderate income Mississippians. There's a pledge to reduce the tax burden on small businesses and corporations. And there's a strong nod to public education." |
SPORTS
| Mullen's unheralded first class at Mississippi State finds success | |
| Very few of Mississippi State's 20 seniors arrived as heralded recruits, and the 2010 class was rated only 38th nationally by Rivals.com. It was the first class signed entirely by Dan Mullen and his staff, and although it lacked star power on paper, it is hard to argue with the end result on the field. Five years later, those seniors will leave as one of the most successful classes in school history. Through hard work and sacrifice, that group rose above its recruiting ranking and has helped the program attain new heights. "As soon as we came in we gelled as brothers," said senior tight end Brandon Hill. |
| Smith enjoys banner season for Mississippi State defense | |
 | To hear Mississippi State defensive end Ryan Brown tell it, 2014 could go down as the Year of Preston Smith. "I was talking to my mom earlier and we were talking about this," said Brown, a junior defensive lineman from New Orleans. "Every good player has a year where he can do no wrong. I think this is Preston's year, where he stands out over everybody." Brown would get no argument from anyone involved with MSU's football team. Smith, a 6-foot-6, 267-pound terror at defensive end has done a little bit of everything this season for the 9-1 Bulldogs. After entering his final campaign in Starkville with 6.5 career sacks, Smith has erupted to lead MSU with eight quarterback stops this season, and he also has a team-best 12.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a pair of blocked field goals. |
| Mississippi State kicker Sobiesk develops into reliable threat | |
| Mississippi State's kicker is one of the 10 best in the country. It's a fact that appeared impossible last year, but Evan Sobiesk is tied for seventh nationally in field goal percentage. "We work really hard just like everybody else," Sobiesk said. "I think it's paid off for us." The Bulldogs endured one of the worst kicking games in the country last year. Their 47-percent conversion rate was fourth-worst among FBS schools. "He's got a much different demeanor on gameday, a lot different confidence when he hits on the field," MSU coach Dan Mullen said. "I think it's really shown in his performance and how he's been able to kick for us this year." |
| Mullen unsure about Game Control but happy Mississippi State good at it | |
| Game Control isn't mentioned on the the College Football Playoff's web site that lists the criteria of how teams will be judged. The usual suspects appear: win-loss record, strength of schedule and conference championships. But Game Control is absent, however it was present in the selection committee's most recent meeting. The selection committee used the stat as one of the deciding factors. In a way, it can be defined how ESPN wants it to be. Just like it can be used anyway the committee chooses. Its chairman Jeff Long gave this response when asked how the committee judged Mississippi State's 25-20 loss to Alabama, "You can say Alabama controlled and won that game but it ended up a five-point game, You never felt Mississippi State was out of that game. While Alabama controlled it, Mississippi State was in striking distance." |
| Youthful Bulldogs looking for defense during fast start on court | |
| Vic Schaefer knew the Mississippi State women's basketball team was going to have an adjustment period this season with five freshmen and a sophomore seeing her first action. But when you're a coach who has earned a reputation for his defensive acumen and having teams that get up the lane and pride themselves on stopping opponents, it is extremely difficult for Schaefer to watch the Bulldogs give up 83 points. As long as MSU scores one point more than the other team, though, Schaefer might be able to adjust. |
| West Virginia women also enjoying fast start | |
| Recruiting is all about finding the right fit. It doesn't matter if you're from New Haven, Connecticut, or Morgantown, West Virginia. If you have skill in your sport of choice, a coach will find you. In the case of Bria Holmes, coaches from Morgantown didn't "find" her in New Haven. Instead, Holmes was a McDonald's All-American who was one of 17 players in state history to score more than 2,000 points for her career. Now a junior at West Virginia, Holmes is the leader for the nation's No. 17 team that will take on Mississippi State at 7 tonight (SEC Network +) in the semifinals of the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament at Humphrey Coliseum. The winner of tonight's game will play the winner of the Albany-Western Kentucky game at 2 p.m. Sunday (CBS Sports Network) at a site to be determined. |
| Alabama student working for ESPNU tweets Jameis Winston joke about FSU shooting | |
| A University of Alabama student who serves as a campus reporter for ESPNU was heavily criticized on Twitter Thursday morning after posting a Jameis Winston-related joke about the shooting at Florida State University. Marisa Martin, a sports broadcasting student at the university, tweeted a joke about the Heisman Trophy winner after news initially broke of shots fired on the Florida State campus. |
| Officials: U. of Tennessee knew of rape report before apartment searched | |
 | Top University of Tennessee administration officials were notified of the Knoxville Police Department's rape investigation into football players A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams within hours of the accuser's overnight call to E-911 -- well before investigators executed a search warrant Sunday night at Johnson's off-campus South Knoxville apartment, where the assault allegedly occurred. The alerts, including calls to UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and athletics director Dave Hart, followed a formal protocol reserved for "significant incidents" involving students and student athletes, UT spokeswoman Margie Nichols said. Nichols said the chain of notifications began with UT Police Chief Troy Lane, who was briefed by Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch that a rape investigation had been launched. |
| U. of Tennessee student leaders decry 'victim blaming' amid rape allegations | |
 | University of Tennessee student leaders on Wednesday criticized what they called an atmosphere of "victim-blaming" on the Knoxville campus two days after allegations emerged that a popular football player and his teammate had raped and sexually assaulted two 19-year-old women. Vols star linebacker A.J. Johnson, a senior, and sophomore defensive back Michael Williams have been named as suspects in the rape of a UT student, according to police. Williams was also named as the suspect in a second sexual assault on another 19-year-old woman, visiting from out of town, according to Knoxville police. Since the allegations emerged, UT students have taken to Twitter and social media site Yik Yak with messages in defense of Johnson and skeptical of the victims' accounts. |
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