Mississippi Today

In rare occurrence, IHL did not unanimously vote for new Delta State president

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2023

In rare occurrence, IHL did not unanimously vote for new Delta State president

by Molly Minta, Mississippi Today
April 20, 2023

The new president of Delta State University was appointed with a split vote by the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, a rare occurrence from the governing board that typically projects an organized, unified front.

Daniel Ennis, the longtime South Carolina educator who will take the reins at Delta State in June, was even shot down by Teresa Hubbard, the board’s only DSU alumnus and the trustee who led the presidential search committee. The vote was 7-4 with one trustee absent, according to board meeting minutes.

But Hubbard and other trustees who opposed Ennis did not want to elaborate on why at IHL’s regular board meeting on Thursday.

“No, I’m not gonna do that,” said Trustee Chip Morgan, a retired executive vice president of Delta Council, when asked to comment. “It’s a personnel matter. I’m very supportive of making certain that he is very successful.”

Trustee Gregg Rader declined a request for comment, and Trustee Jeanne Luckey could not be reached because she attended the board meeting virtually.

Hubbard, who introduced Ennis to campus earlier this month with a complimentary speech, said he has her “complete support.” But she wouldn’t speak to what, if anything, led her to become publicly supportive of Ennis since her no-vote during executive session in late March.

“We were fortunate in having a tremendous number of qualified candidates,” Hubbard told Mississippi Today. “I felt that way from the beginning. I just think we had a large pool of very qualified candidates, and it was a very difficult decision because there were so many strong candidates for the position.”

Ennis was one of 59 applicants, six semi-finalists and two finalists, according to an IHL spokesperson. The board undertook a national search to fill the role at Delta State, a regional college in the Mississippi Delta, with the support of Academic Search, an executive headhunting firm.

He will make $320,000, a slight bump over the $300,000-salary that the current interim president, E.E. “Butch” Caston, is making. Hubbard and Morgan did not attend a special-called meeting, held four days after they did not vote to approve Ennis, that was held to discuss his future salary and moving expenses, according to board meeting minutes.

As to whether the other finalist was a Delta State alumnus, Hubbard said “that’s one of the things we don’t discuss.”

At the IHL meeting, Caston thanked the trustees for appointing Ennis and said that Delta State is looking forward to him.

“The excitement on campus and in the community is out the top,” Caston said, “I can speak to the board: Job well done.”

The community at Delta State was split on if the next president should be a graduate. Ennis’ hiring is also unusual for IHL because he is not an alumnus. In recent years, IHL has made it an increasing priority to hire graduates of its universities. Ennis is the first non-alumnus the board has selected for president since 2017.

Ennis will be the sole president who was not unanimously appointed by trustees, according to board meeting minutes.

Last fall, trustees unanimously voted to suspend the search for president at the University of Southern Mississippi and elevate Joe Paul, then the interim president, to a permanent post. Trustees also unanimously appointed Thomas Hudson, the recently resigned president of Jackson State University. Even University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce, whose selection sparked protests on campus, was unanimously appointed.

In a text, Ennis did not say if he had any insight to share into the trustees’ unusual split vote but wrote that “IHL has been tremendously supportive since I was named DSU’s next president.”

“I’m coming from South Carolina,” he texted. “Around here you can’t get twelve people to agree on whether the evening meal is called ‘dinner’ or ‘supper.’”

“Perhaps the headline for your article should be ‘So musical a discord’ — a line from my favorite play,” he added. “Shakespeare himself knew that unanimity wasn’t terribly interesting.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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UMMC holds free cancer screenings

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19 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

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20 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

21 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.