| Wednesday, December 3, 2014 |
| Mississippi State renames Newberry Building to honor Robert Deen Jr. | |
 | Mississippi State University is honoring Robert B. Deen Jr. of Meridian, president and chairman of The Riley Foundation, by naming the Newberry Building on the MSU-Meridian Riley Campus for the philanthropist. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved the renaming of the building as the Robert B. Deen Jr. Building earlier this year. In the same vote, the board also approved the renaming of the MSU-Meridian downtown campus as the Riley Campus of MSU-Meridian and the renaming of the Kress Building as the I. Alfred Rosenbaum Building. "We are delighted these facilities that will be so important in the further growth and development of Mississippi State in Meridian will henceforth be known by the names of leaders who have made such great contributions to the university and the community," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. |
| Mississippi State Renames Newberry Building for Deen | |
 | Mississippi State University is honoring Meridian's Robert B. Deen, Jr., by naming the school's Newberry Building for him. Deen, a longtime Meridian attorney, is president and chairman of The Riley Foundation. MSU president, Dr. Mark Keenum, says Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning board approved the renaming of the downtown building earlier this year. Keenum issued a statement praising Deen for his great contributions to MSU and the community. |
| Entergy Mississippi Leader to Speak Next Week at Mississippi State Commencement | |
 | Fall semester graduates at Mississippi State will hear from university alumnus and utility company executive Haley R. Fisackerly before receiving their degrees at the Dec. 13 commencement. A Columbus native and 1987 management graduate, Fisackerly is president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi Inc. Before joining Entergy, he worked for several years on the staff of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. In addition to managing the Washington office, he assisted the senator with Mississippi economic development projects, as well as legislative matters related to energy policy, the environment and interior appropriations. |
| Jack White to perform at Mississippi State Jan. 27 | |
 | One of the most prominent contemporary rock musicians, Jack White, will perform at Mississippi State's Humphrey Coliseum January 27, 2015, according to the university's student entertainment board. White released Lazeretto, the follow-up to 2012's Grammy-nominated Blunderbuss, in July to positive reviews. White became one of the most prolific name in rock after his band The White Stripes took the mid-2000s by storm with the introduction of garage revival to the masses. |
| Owner, a Mississippi State alum, says giving gifts is pure Bliss | |
| Cathy Joyner believes gift giving should be joyful. That's the premise guiding Bliss, the gift and home goods shop Joyner recently opened in Banner Hall at 4465 I-55 North in Jackson. It's located on the first floor of the building, just outside the entrance to Broadstreet Baking Co. & Cafe. "I enjoy helping people," she said. "You get pleasure out of giving a gift you're excited about." Joyner said her work and life experiences have prepared her to own her own shop. She attended the University of Mississippi and graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing. |
| Chef's corner: Trace Grill's menu made from scratch by Mississippi State alum | |
| Kevin Thompson opened The Trace Grill in May 1999 in a log cabin that was part of the Log Village Shopping Center on U.S. 51 in Ridgeland. The shopping center was torn down and the restaurant moved in May 2011 to its current location, where the walls are decorated with large wildlife photos taken in Mississippi by Joe Mac Hudspeth Jr. In high school and college, Thompson worked in the restaurant industry. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1981. Sixty percent of The Trace Grill's business is from blue plates and 30 percent from hamburgers, he said. |
| Wreck at State Superette gas station causes fire | |
 | A speeding car crashed into a gas station around midnight on Wednesday, causing it to catch fire. County Fire Services Coordinator Kirk Rosenhan says the East Oktibbeha Fire and Rescue team was called to the State Superette gas station, just south of Mississippi State University, where a car crashed into a pump island and caught fire. The two people in the car fled the scene. The Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Department is now investigating. |
| MDEQ actions at center of trio of federal suits against Mississippi Silicon | |
 | Mississippi Silicon's $200 million Burnsville plant on the Tombigbee Waterway is on track to open in slightly more than a year as the first new U.S. silicon factory in nearly 40 years. But whether that occurs will hinge on Mississippi Silicon beating back claims the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality strayed from its procedural rules in what opponents say were attempts to squelch objections to a clean air permit for the plant. The legal challenges seek to halt work on the Northeast Mississippi silicon factory that is expected to employ 200 people at start up in early 2015. |
| Bryant: Superintendent not in charge of education | |
 | Mississippi should change its academic goals even if the public schools superintendent wants to stick with the Common Core standards that have been put in place over the past several years, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant said Tuesday. "What the superintendent needs to understand is that she's not in charge of public education in Mississippi. The public is," Bryant said. "And if the public in the state of Mississippi does not appreciate nor desire a Common Core curriculum, then we're going to do away with it. Or, we're going to at least try to amend it." |
| DeLano calls Mississippi Gov. Bryant's tax-cut plan 'political hogwash' | |
 | A Coast lawmaker Wednesday called Gov. Phil Bryant's plan to cut income tax for some Mississippians "political hogwash," and said he'd rather see an overhaul of the entire tax system. "I may make a political blunder here by saying this but it's just how I feel about what's going on in Jackson right now," said Rep. Scott DeLano, R-Biloxi, when asked at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Legislative Update about the possibility of repairing aging roads and infrastructure. "All this talk about tax breaks and tax cuts and all this stuff is just political hogwash, in my opinion." The problem, DeLano said, is Mississippi is a poor state that needs a wholesale review of the tax codes in an attempt to make the system better. |
| Bell, Turner appointed to workforce panel | |
 | Two Northeast Mississippi House members have been appointed to a board that works to improve the state's workforce. House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, announced he has appointed Reps. Donnie Bell, R-Fulton, and Jerry Turner, R-Baldwyn, to the state Workforce Investment Board. "Workforce development is one of the most important issues we face in Mississippi," Gunn said. The board consists of various state agency heads and other community leaders and works with state agencies and community colleges to enhance the state’s workforce. |
| Court upholds dismissal of black farmers' lawsuit | |
| A federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of a black farmers group's defamation lawsuit against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. District Court of Appeals in New Orleans said Monday that sovereign immunity protects comments by Hood in his official capacity. In October 2013, Hood warned in a news release about a possible scam involving a fee charged to help black farmers file claims for a national settlement when the deadline had expired. Thomas Burrell and the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association sued in December 2013, arguing Hood had interfered and had continued to interfere with the group's right to associate with its members. |
| Governor's visit to tout Diabetes Telehealth Network | |
 | Gov. Phil Bryant and FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will visit the North Sunflower Medical Center campus Wednesday to tout the North Mississippi Medical Center's Diabetes Telehealth Network. The network is a public/private venture to enroll approximately 200 diabetic patients in the area. Patients will use technology to connect them to a multi-disciplinary team for medical care. This technology will enable patients to receive better care. North Sunflower Medical Center has partnered with Care Innovations, GE Healthcare, C Spire, University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Governor's Office to offer the Diabetes Telehealth Network to patients. |
| Pascagoula pairs with Gautier to lobby Legislature for redeveloper rebate program | |
 | Pascagoula city leaders tonight voted to join forces with Gautier and hire a lobbying firm to push for legislation aimed at reducing blight in the area. Councilmen hired the Mississippi Legislative and Consulting Group at a cost of $14,000. Gautier leaders approved the action at a meeting last month, also committing to $14,000. The legislation would create a pilot program in the two cities to establish incentives for redevelopers, allowing communities to rebate redevelopers a portion of the increase in the local government's new sales tax generated from the project. It would also create a trust fund where the city could stash the rest of the increase in sales tax, and that fund could be used to give incentives to other commercial projects or housing redevelopments. |
| Chucky Mullins sign stolen at Ole Miss | |
| A sign honoring the dedication of Chucky Mullins Drive on the Ole Miss campus was stolen sometime Saturday night after the Egg Bowl. Mullins, who played football at Ole Miss, died in 1991 after complications from an injury suffered during a Rebel football game in 1989. "The sign that was stolen was just a temporary placeholder until a cast iron one could be ordered and installed," University of Mississippi communications director Danny Blanton said. "At this point, we don't know if it was stolen in a celebratory manner by an Ole Miss fan or by a visiting fan." |
| Post-Egg Bowl: Grove's trees fine, Mullins plaque stolen | |
| Despite threats, the Grove appeared to weather the weekend's Egg Bowl festivities without incident. Last week, the University of Mississippi received an anonymous email threatening to harm trees around campus, including the celebrated Grove. "None of the trees were harmed over the weekend," said Danny Blanton, university director of public relations. Ole Miss did lose one of two temporary Chucky Mullins memorial plaques over the weekend. "We feel like it was someone who was looking to get a souvenir," Blanton said. "It happens frequently with our banners and road signs." |
| USM Foundation launches online scholarship application for students | |
 | Just in time for the holiday break, a period when students typically apply for scholarships, the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation has launched an online program that provides incoming and current students an easier way to discover and apply for donor-funded scholarships. Last year, the USM Foundation awarded nearly $3.5 million in direct scholarship support benefiting more than 1,500 students. Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, the Foundation manages more than 800 scholarships. We consider it one of our greatest responsibilities to make sure their gifts are invested wisely and have maximum impact on our students," said Shannon Fleming, executive director of the USM Foundation. |
| U. of Alabama receives rest of $1.5 million match for business school | |
 | The University of Alabama's business college has received the remaining $500,000 of a pledge by the family of the college's namesake to match a $1.5 million gift earlier this fall. The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration and Hugh Culverhouse Jr., the son of the alumnus for which the business college is named, announced the match had been completed Monday. Earlier this fall, Culverhouse and his wife, Eliza, pledged to match a $1.5 million gift to the college by alumni Gary Fayard and his wife, Nancy Fayard. The Fayards' gift will be used to create the Fayard Endowed Chair in Accounting. |
| Auburn University hotel to unveil largest-ever gingerbread village Thursday | |
 | Below a chandelier decked in ornaments and globes, a 10-building village made of gingerbread bricks, butter cream mortar and peppermint sidewalks waits to usher in the Christmas season. The Hotel at Auburn University's Auburn Gingerbread Village will be officially unveiled Thursday. Now an Auburn tradition, this year's village boasts The Hotel at Auburn University, Samford Hall, Langdon Hall, Hargis Hall, Cater Hall, Cary Center at Auburn University, the President's House, the historic Auburn train depot, Auburn University Chapel and Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. "This year we went all out," said the hotel's Executive Chef Fernando Cruz. |
| U. of Kentucky provost to take top job at Adelphi University in New York | |
 | University of Kentucky Provost Christine Riordan is leaving to become president of Adelphi University in New York. Her new job was announced simultaneously Tuesday afternoon by Adelphi and UK President Eli Capilouto. Capilouto said Riordan would leave the provost's position Dec. 31 to become executive adviser for special projects at UK. She will become president at Adelphi, an 8,000-student university on Long Island, on July 1. As an executive adviser at UK, Riordan will continue to make her annual salary of $420,000. Riordan arrived at UK 18 months ago. |
| Tennessee's Haslam to participate in White House college summit | |
 | Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will participate in President Obama's second College Opportunity Day of Action Thursday in Washington, along with the President, Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and education and business leaders. The governor's office said the conference will bring together colleges and universities, business leaders, nonprofits and others who are committed to supporting more college opportunities for students across the country. Haslam is expected to detail his Tennessee Promise initiative, which will provide two years of free community college for high school graduates starting next fall with the high school class of 2015. |
| Hundreds march for Ferguson at U. of Georgia | |
 | Nearly 300 people gathered at the University of Georgia Arch just before dusk Tuesday, peacefully marching and chanting "Hands up! Don't shoot!" and "Black lives matter" as they moved down Broad and Lumpkin streets to the Tate Student Center Plaza. The group was adding their voices to a national chorus of support for protesters in Ferguson, Mo, where a police officer fatally shot black teenager Michael Brown in August. Protests have erupted nationwide since last week, when a Missouri grand jury declined to indict police offer Darren Wilson on criminal charges after shooting the unarmed Brown. Members of UGA's NAACP student chapter briskly led the march, but the marchers were a cross-section of Athens -- UGA faculty and students, people outside the university, children, adults, whites and other races as well as African Americans. |
| Landrieu continues to question Cassidy's work for LSU | |
 | U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, a part-time Baton Rouge physician who is the Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate runoff election Saturday, claimed he worked 3.5 hours for the LSU health services system on the same day in 2013 that official House video and voting records show him taking his seat at a committee hearing in Washington just before 11 a.m. EDT and participating in roll calls in Congress that afternoon and late into the night. Cassidy's Democratic opponent, incumbent Mary Landrieu, cited the apparent discrepancy Tuesday to back up her accusations that Cassidy may have committed payroll fraud. "Sen. Landrieu is attacking LSU more than she is me in her eleventh-hour attempt to salvage her political career," Cassidy said in a prepared statement. |
| Texas A&M professor part of team developing potentially life-saving coagulant, 'hydrogel' | |
 | A team of researchers that includes Texas A&M, MIT and Harvard professors has developed a new injectable substance with soldiers in mind that could prevent bleeding deaths and revolutionize the way emergency responders save lives away from the battlefield. Akhilesh Gaharwar, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Texas A&M along with professors from Cambridge created a biodegradable gelatin, "hydrogel," a substance bolstered by microscopic silicate discs that speed up the coagulation of a bleeding wound and drastically decreases the amount of time it takes for blood to clot, which improves the odds for a patient's survival in the critical hour of treatment after an injury. The team published its findings in the ACS Nano scientific journal and has been supported by the U.S. Army Research Office. |
| Texas A&M police department receives accreditation from national authority | |
| Texas A&M police have joined eight other university police departments in Texas with accreditation from a national authority that sets standards for law enforcement. "It means we have voluntarily become part of this accreditation process and are committed to following best practices and being very transparent for our community," Chief Mike Ragan said of the department's achievement announced during the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies' fall conference in Albuquerque on Nov. 22. The credentialing process for A&M police began almost five years ago with Chief Elmer Schneider but the effort was renewed last year when Ragan was appointed chief. |
| U. of Missouri students walk out of class to highlight problems in race relations | |
 | The University of Missouri students organizing events and demonstrations focused on the death of Michael Brown and the events that followed in Ferguson say they're tired. They're tired, they said at a Tuesday demonstration, of being the only black students willing to lead. As the movement appears to pick up momentum, the student leaders of the MU 4 Mike Brown effort are hoping for more involvement. Naomi Daugherty was one of several speakers Tuesday afternoon to encourage other students to be part of MU 4 Mike Brown, as well as other black student organizations. Students, staff members, faculty and a few administrators gathered in the MU Student Center on Tuesday after walking out of their classes at 11:45 a.m. |
| An uneven surge in international students on campus | |
 | The number of U.S. college students from overseas has skyrocketed in recent years, with more than 886,000 studying on American campuses this past academic year - an all-time high and more than double the number of foreign students 20 years ago. At a time when many states have squeezed funding for higher education, international students are highly sought after because they pay higher tuition than U.S. students. Amid the uneven growth, state policymakers and school administrators have gotten involved. In some cases, states now oversee international recruitment efforts. Some states are trying to tie state funding to efforts to boost in-state enrollment. In others, officials have questioned whether schools -- especially large, public universities -- are focusing on international students at the expense of in-state students. |
| White House's college ratings system controversial even before completion | |
 | The Obama administration is developing a national rating system for colleges and universities to provide more transparency and give students and taxpayers a better sense of where to spend their education funds. But even before it is released, it has triggered an avalanche of protests and nitpicking from many of those institutions as well as much lobbying in Washington and the opposition of Republicans in Congress. After 15 months of discussion, many details remain either closely held or undecided, and federal officials say that only a general conceptual framework is expected to be released by Dec. 21. |
| House Panel Plans to Scrutinize U.S. Universities' Ties With China | |
 | Until now, the impact of China on American universities has largely been a subject of discussion for college campuses, not the halls of Congress. No longer. A U.S. House subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday about whether American colleges' Chinese connections could compromise academic freedom in this country. Scholars from both the United States and China will testify. "The Chinese educational market is a lucrative one, but we have to ask if there are any hidden costs for American schools and colleges seeking access to that market," said Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. |
| Magazine's Account of Gang Rape on Virginia Campus Comes Under Scrutiny | |
 | An article in Rolling Stone magazine about an alleged gang rape on the campus of the University of Virginia has come under scrutiny for its reporting methods, even as the university and the local police investigate the events the article described. The article began with one woman's description of a violent rape in 2012 by seven members of a Virginia fraternity, complete with vivid and harrowing details. But some have also raised questions about the article. Its writer, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, has faced criticism because she has acknowledged in interviews that she did not contact or interview the men accused of the rape. News organizations, seeking to be fair, usually seek comment from those suspected of criminal conduct. |
| Could you pass a citizenship test? States may make it graduation requirement | |
 | If you want to graduate from high school in North Dakota, you better start buffing up on your American history and government. Lawmakers in North Dakota unveiled legislation Monday that would require high school students to get 60 questions right on a 100-question civics test before they graduate. North Dakota is the latest state mulling a requirement that students pass a citizenship test before they're handed a diploma. At least seven other states are considering similar measures. It's part of a broad effort to increase youth civic engagement, at a time when many worry that students know more about Taylor Swift than Zachary Taylor. But some are skeptical that a citizenship test is the best way to get students excited about US government and politics. |
| Online education run amok? Private companies want to scoop up your child's data | |
 | Massive open online courses, first envisioned as a way to democratize higher education, have made their way into high schools, but Washington is powerless to stop the flood of personal data about teenage students from flowing to private companies, thanks to loopholes in federal privacy laws. Universities and private companies this fall unveiled a slew of free, open-access online courses to high school students, marketing them as a way for kids to supplement their Advanced Placement coursework or earn a certificate of completion for a college-level class. But when middle and high school students participate in classes with names like "Mars: The Next Frontier" or "The Road to Selective College Admissions," they may be unwittingly transmitting into private hands a torrent of data about their academic strengths and weaknesses, their learning styles and thought processes -- even the way they approach challenges. |
| BRIAN PERRY (OPINION): Incumbency trumps fundraising in circuit, chancery court races | |
| Consultant and columnist Brian Perry writes: "Incumbency trumped fundraising as an advantage for victory in Mississippi circuit court and chancery court races in 2014. Every incumbent chancery court judge seeking reelection won. Of the 49 chancellors in the state, 40 were unopposed and six incumbents beat back challengers (half of whom were outraised in campaign contributions by their opponents). The 93.9 percent return rate (there were three open seats) is an increase above the 89.8 percent rate four years ago in which 43 incumbents were unopposed, two were challenged and one lost (but there were more open seats). Circuit court judge incumbents saw a 93.5 percent return rate with 40 of 49 judges returning as unopposed incumbents; six incumbents challenged (two outraised by their opponents) but only one incumbent defeated. Four years ago the circuit judge return rate was 83.0 percent (two incumbents lost in 2010)." |
| BOBBY HARRISON (OPINION): Reeves apparently lacks trust in his own appointees | |
| The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "When asked why the state Board of Education should not be the entity deciding academic standards for local school districts, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said input was needed from parents, teachers and education administrators. Perhaps the first-term Republican lieutenant governor failed to see the irony in what he said, but in reality he described the makeup of the existing nine-member state Board of Education to a tee." |
| SAM R. HALL (OPINION): Reeves' Common Core backpedal purely political | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall writes: "In case anyone is still confused, let me clear something up about Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' announcement Monday that he is now opposed to Common Core. It was pure politics poorly disguised as a policy decision. Reeves started off his speech to the Stennis Institute's Capitol press corps luncheon saying that when he agreed to speak he told the organizers that he was going to talk about policy and not politics. Reeves was a man of his word for the first 80 percent of his speech. And while he might argue that his Common Core announcement was about good policy, most any political observer can see it's purely about politics." |
| ROSS REILY (OPINION): Educating our youth shouldn't be about scoring political points | |
| The Mississippi Business Journal's Ross Reily writes: "Helping one of my daughters recently with a book report, I am reminded about what public education should be all about -- a proper education for all. The trailblazing Clara Barton, who my daughter has been reading about, had no political motives when she petitioned local leaders in Bordentown, New Jersey about establishing a free public school there in 1852. ...Fast forward to the Mississippi State University Stennis Institute/Capitol press corps luncheon Monday in Jackson. There, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said he intends to form a task force tasked to develop Mississippi's own academic standards in lieu of Common Core's standards. What's wrong with Common Core?" |
SPORTS
| No surprise here: Mississippi State's Prescott claims the Conerly Trophy | |
| Few finalists were disappointed. Because few -- if any -- were surprised. Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott on Tuesday night was named the winner of the Conerly Trophy, which is given annually by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame to the best college football player in the state. "Dak deserves it. Everyone knew he was going to win," Ole Miss cornerback Senquez Golson said. "He has just had an unbelievable year." He certainly has. The Conerly Trophy, which is sponsored by C Spire, has now gone to Mississippi State players in back-to-back years. Former Bulldogs offensive guard Gabe Jackson, now playing with the Oakland Raiders, won in 2012. "I feel like a Mississippian now," Prescott said. |
| Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott wins Conerly Trophy | |
| Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott was so good this season there was little doubt he'd be the winner of the Conerly Trophy, which is given to the state's top college football player. Sure enough, his name was called on Tuesday night. It's one of many awards the junior might win before his time in college is done. But Prescott admitted the Conerly Trophy, which is sponsored by C Spire Wireless, holds some special meaning for him. "I feel like I'm a Mississippian now, I guess, being here for four years," Prescott said. "Just the hospitality, the great people and me buying into Mississippi State University." |
| College Football Playoff rankings suggest Egg Bowl win wouldn't have mattered | |
| This year's Egg Bowl, which many considered the biggest in the rivalry's history, wouldn't have mattered to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. Mississippi State ranked 10th after holding the No. 4 position for two weeks. Who took over MSU's spot was more revealing. Florida State dropped one spot to No. 4. TCU jumped into the playoff with a No. 3 ranking. Alabama and Oregon remained No. 1 and 2 respectively. This suggests Mississippi State would have dropped out of the playoff even if it beat Ole Miss last Saturday. |
| Top Two Unchanged in College Football Playoff Rankings, but Underdogs Can Still Have a Say | |
| After the College Football Playoff selection committee released its penultimate rankings Tuesday night, it became clear that there are, at most, a dozen teams that could conceivably qualify for the inaugural four-team playoff. Two are clear front-runners. Four are almost interchangeable, though, by necessity, two are in and two are out. And six are a motley crew of hangers-on, almost-rans and potential spoilers. In the latest rankings, Alabama retained its No. 1 spot after holding off Auburn, 55-44, in the highest-scoring game in Iron Bowl history. Texas Christian, which routed Texas, 48-10, moved from No. 5 to No. 3, replacing Mississippi State in the top four. The Bulldogs dropped to No. 10. |
| Vivians keeps Bulldogs perfect on court | |
| No. 23 Mississippi State improved to 7-0 with a 109-58 victory over North Dakota State Tuesday night. The Bulldogs shot 51.9 percent from the field including 11-of-22 from behind the arc. Freshman Victoria Vivians matched a career-high with 26 points and knocked down six 3-pointers. Breanna Richardson added a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench. LaKaris Salter scored 16 points, Morgan William contributed 12 points and Sherise Williams chipped in 11. MSU had 12 players in the scoring column with the bench contributing 66 points. |
| U. of Tennessee working on new Butch Jones contract | |
 | Tennessee coach Butch Jones may or may not be a candidate for the newly vacant head coaching job at Michigan, but athletic director Dave Hart apparently doesn't want to take any chances losing him. On the same day that Michigan announced its firing of coach Brady Hoke, Hart told Volquest.com, the Tennessee website on the Rivals.com network, that he is working on a new contract with Jones that will include a raise. |
| U. of Alabama at Birmingham sacks its football team citing costs | |
 | The University of Alabama at Birmingham will eliminate its struggling Division I football program to save $50 million by the end of the decade. Instead of subsidizing poorly attended games played by a team that has struggled to win, university officials would prefer to invest in educating UAB's 19,000 students and tending to its hospital system, which is is one of the largest in the country and sees a million patients a year. The decision also may fuel serious concerns about the escalating cost to colleges of increasingly competitive football programs. Jane Wellman, a national expert on college costs, said she applauded the decision and the message it sends about an institution's values. |
| After killing football program, UAB will need to add men's sport to stay Division I | |
 | In what is viewed as a long-term cost-cutting measure, UAB announced Tuesday that it will kill its football, bowling and rifle teams at the end of the 2014-15 academic year. A campus-wide review conducted by CarrSports Consulting determined UAB would need to invest an additional $49 million to keep its football program competitive going forward. UAB decided that wasn't feasible. But if the school wants to remain at the Division I level, it will need to tack on additional expenses. UAB needs to add at least one additional men's sport for the 2015-16 academic year, according to NCAA Division I by-laws. |
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