HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Graduating high school seniors: does the University of Southern Mississippi have a deal for you! The 14,500-student school has cut annual out-of-state tuition and fees from $16,529 this year to $9,964 next fall, even as it increases the cost for Mississippi residents by 4 percent, to $7,963. The idea is to … Continue reading
Author Archives: cymonermassey
After Trump rift at Liberty University, students find unity
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — As Liberty University grew from a tiny Baptist college into a touchstone institution for evangelicals, it also became a hub of conservative politics, a revolving door of politicians and their surrogates courting young voters. But this year, the campus was in the spotlight for another reason: a rift caused by Donald … Continue reading
Men to live on campus at Mary Baldwin for 1st time
STAUNTON, Va. (AP) — Men will get to live on campus at Mary Baldwin University for the first time beginning next year. Local news media outlets report that the school in Staunton is creating a new unit called University College that will include three residential programs for women and men. The three-year degree programs will … Continue reading
GAO: About $108 billion in student loan debt to be forgiven
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is expected to forgive at least $108 billion in student loan debt as part of popular plans that tie repayment to borrowers’ earnings, congressional investigators said Wednesday. The Government Accountability Office reviewed income-driven repayment plans the government offers to students struggling to pay back federal student loans. The report, … Continue reading
District temporarily pulls classic novels after complaint
ACCOMAC, Va. (AP) — A Virginia school district is considering whether two classic books are inappropriate for students after a parent filed a formal complaint. Local news media outlets report that an Accomack County Public Schools parent filed a complaint against the use of “the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” because … Continue reading
Family pushes for cyberbullying laws after teen’s suicide
TEXAS CITY, Texas (AP) — Family members of a Houston-area high school student who killed herself are rallying for tighter laws against cyberbullying. Brandy Vela’s family says cyberbullying pushed the 18-year-old over the edge, leading her to shoot herself in the chest Tuesday afternoon at the family’s Texas City home as family members watched. Her … Continue reading
University executive director under fire for Bigfoot hunt
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — The head of the University of New Mexico’s Gallup campus is under fire for spending money on Bigfoot-related pursuits. UNM Gallup’s Executive Director Dr. Christopher Dyer organized a two-day, on-campus Bigfoot conference in February followed by a Bigfoot expedition, costing taxpayers more than $7,000, KRQE-TV reported (http://bit.ly/2e2e9g7 ). “It was the … Continue reading
Feds investigating Sandusky fine Penn State a record $2.4M
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Federal officials looking into how Penn State handled child sexual-abuse complaints against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky hit the university with a record $2.4 million fine Thursday, saying it violated campus crime reporting requirements, failed to warn people about potential threats and fostered a belief among athletes that rules didn’t … Continue reading
Sorority, frat events banned at Washington State University
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Officials on Monday banned all Washington State University sorority and fraternity events, from formals to football tailgates, for the rest of the semester. The Pullman school’s Interfraternity Council made the move along with the Panhellenic Council, an umbrella organization for some sororities. The councils made the announcement in a letter to … Continue reading
Protest threat prompts Chicago high school to cancel classes
CHICAGO (AP) — A Catholic high school on Chicago’s South Side canceled Friday classes amid concern about a demonstration, which was later postponed, to protest the fatal police shooting of a black man and a series of racially charged text messages from students. Eva Lewis, who helped organize the Black Lives Matter demonstration planned by … Continue reading
Parent group in Spain calls for weekend homework boycott
MADRID (AP) — Some Spanish parents are having their children boycott weekend homework in November, saying they get too much. The CEAPA federation of 12,000 parental associations says the “No to Homework” campaign aims to encourage more family time between parents and children. It also argues that the homework system is outdated and doesn’t improve … Continue reading
College student has Kit-Kat stolen, company sends 6,500 more
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Hershey has come to the rescue of a college student who had his Kit Kat bar brazenly stolen. Kansas State University student Hunter Jobbins tells The Wichita Eagle he left his car unlocked with a Kit Kat in the cup holder last month before running into his dorm building. When he … Continue reading
School stops residential program after teen’s death
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officials with a private school for children with special needs in Philadelphia say they’re ceasing operations at the school’s residential treatment program after a 17-year-old student died earlier this month in an altercation with staff. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services said Monday they’ve ordered Wordsworth Academy’s residential treatment … Continue reading
Officials investigate claim of noose around student’s neck
WIGGINS, Miss. (AP) — A south Mississippi high school student has been disciplined following allegations that one or more white students put a noose around the neck of a black football player, a lawyer for the school district said Tuesday. Administrators determined that Stone High School’s conduct code was violated in the Oct. 13 incident, … Continue reading
Roanoke College dedicating new athletic and academic complex
SALEM, Va. (AP) — Roanoke College is dedicating its new athletic and academic complex. The Morris M. Cregger Center will be dedicated during a ceremony Thursday. The college says that the ceremony will be held in the center’s arena and include remarks from Roanoke College’s president, Mike Maxey, as well as the director of athletics. … Continue reading
Prof gives free pass to student who ditched class for Series
CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio college student who ditched class to head to the opening game of the World Series in Cleveland has won a reprieve from his professor by being honest. Ohio University professor Damian Nance says Charlie Turner checked into his Tuesday class by swiping a card, but wasn’t there when Nance took … Continue reading
Fraternity parties back at UC Berkeley with new guidelines
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fraternity and sorority parties will be back this weekend at the University of California, Berkeley after a one-week suspension, but with new guidelines aimed at keeping the often booze-filled bashes free of sexual violence. Berkeley’s Greek system imposed a voluntary ban on parties a week ago, a move it called unprecedented, … Continue reading
Jury hands ex-Penn St. assistant over $7M in defamation case
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — A jury awarded a former Penn State assistant football coach $7.3 million in damages Thursday, finding the university defamed him after it became public that his testimony helped prosecutors charge Jerry Sandusky with child molestation. Jurors deliberated for about four hours in Mike McQueary’s defamation and misrepresentation suit. Judge Thomas Gavin … Continue reading
School’s new antenna pings weather satellites for public use
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Hampton Roads region now has one of the most advanced weather monitoring systems in the country. Hampton University says it has installed a “direct broadcast antenna” that connects with weather satellites owned by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The school says the antenna will rival most weather … Continue reading
Supreme Court says it will hear special education case
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it’ll decide the minimum that public schools must do to help learning-disabled students. The court agreed Thursday to resolve differences among federal appeals court over the standards schools must meet under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The justices will hear an appeal from parents of an … Continue reading
Senator: Education Dept. mishandling Corinthian student debt
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department is pursuing debt collection — rather than debt relief — for nearly 80,000 former students of Corinthian Colleges, despite federal and state findings that the now-defunct for-profit chain defrauded students, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in a blistering critique of the administration’s actions. The Massachusetts Democrat reported the findings of … Continue reading
3 given jail time after Ferrum College fraternity death
ROCKY MOUNT, Va. (AP) — Three men charged with hazing in the alcohol-related death of a Ferrum College student have been given jail time, while three other defendants had their charges dismissed. News outlets report that the six men were charged following the April death of Michael Anthony Walker. All were members of the college’s … Continue reading
Ghana says it wants to remove Gandhi statue from campus
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana has expressed its intention to remove a statue of Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi from a university in the capital, citing a controversy over what critics call his “racist identity.” Professors at the University of Ghana launched a petition last month calling for the removal of the statue, which was … Continue reading
Transgender students sue Pennsylvania district restroom rule
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Three transgender seniors at a Pennsylvania high school, including the oldest sibling of teen singing star Jackie Evancho, have sued their school district for making them use restrooms corresponding to their biological sex. The Pine-Richland School District in suburban Pittsburgh wasn’t commenting on the federal lawsuit filed Thursday in response to a … Continue reading
On time graduation rate rises to 91 percent in Virginia
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia officials say roughly 91 percent of high school students in the state who started ninth grade in 2012 earned their diploma in four years. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says 91.3 percent of the roughly 95,000 students in the class of 2016 received a diploma. That’s up from 90.5 percent of students … Continue reading