Latest news with #BelmontUniversity
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Christian university rebranding DEI to evade Trump order, enroll illegals, Tennessee rep says
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is demanding an investigation into Belmont University after leaked recordings of a university faculty member admitting the school has maintained its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives but "just change[d] on how we talk about it" despite federal directives to end the programs deemed by many to be discriminatory. In undercover recordings, the same official can be heard admitting the school also enrolls illegal immigrants and hides that information from external entities, which Ogles suggested could violate state law against knowingly harboring illegal aliens for profit. "Belmont University claims to be a Christian institution grounded in Biblical principles, but its administration is injecting anti-gospel DEI ideology into its curriculum," Ogles told Fox News Digital. "President Trump has rightly demanded that colleges and universities dismantle the DEI cartel or lose federal funding. Belmont officials, however, have been caught on camera bragging about their 'clever' scheme to rebrand DEI and continue pushing the same radical agenda under a new name." Belmont is just one of the latest schools to come under fire for allegedly trying to skirt federal funding repercussions by re-branding DEI programs and policies. An investigation in April by conservative parental rights group Defending Education found that despite the president's executive directives, there are still 383 "currently active" DEI offices and programs with 243 universities maintaining institution-wide DEI offices or programming. In addition to tracking those DEI offices and programs that are still active, the group's investigation also highlighted dozens of universities that have taken steps to rebrand or reorganize their DEI efforts as opposed to shutting them down like others have done. Ogles pointed to Belmont's Office of Hope, Unity and Belonging (HUB), which engulfed the university's DEI efforts in 2022, as an example of how the school has rebranded its DEI efforts. "The HUB is hope, unity and belonging. That's DEI. Let's be real," Jozef Lukey, Belmont's assistant director of student success and flourishing, said in an undercover recording cited by Ogles. "We always try to just adapt to what's happening around us. But that doesn't mean, like, what we're focusing on completely stops. We just changed the terminology and the language that we keep moving forward. "We're always going to keep doing what we're doing. The work never stops. We just change on how we talk about it." After Ogles' public complaints, his office said, faculty and students have reached out to attest to the school's ongoing DEI initiatives. One professor allegedly shared a mandatory form for faculty members requesting to revise or propose a new course, which requires a "Diversity Impact Statement" outlining how the course supports "historically underrepresented populations." Another source, according to Ogles' office, shared screenshots of an email chain showing Belmont intends to keep its faculty DEI committee for the next academic year. Belmont has insisted attempts to portray the school as having a "shadow operation" are wholly inaccurate. "We are deeply saddened that these videos portray Belmont as having a 'shadow operation,' as nothing could be further from the truth. It's also disappointing that Rep. Ogles and others perceive such an approach as being representative of Belmont University's character and values," the university told local outlet Fox 17. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the school maintained it is "in compliance with federal laws." "We are aware of comments from government officials and maintain that the university is in compliance with federal laws," a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "We look forward to working together with the Tennessee delegation to address any concerns about legal compliance." In an email allegedly sent to the Belmont University community, university President L. Gregory Jones doubled down on the school's compliance with federal laws and argued HUB was established to "inspire the campus community to fully live in light of Christ's resurrection," adding it is not a DEI office even though the university's website described it like that when it was established in 2022. The email included references to counseling services for people who may be feeling uncomfortable as a result of the allegations the school is facing. The school did not respond to allegations from Ogles and others that the school is admitting and harboring illegal immigrants for profit. "We definitely have to navigate very carefully and just cautiously just because we just don't ever know, especially with like the ICE raids that are happening in the city that impacts our campus," Lukey was caught saying in the undercover recording. "We do have undocumented students here. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We don't communicate to anybody externally who's undocumented, who isn't. And, so, like, yes, we know who it is. Faculty don't really know. How could they? Unless it's indicated in the system somewhere." According to Ogles, such a move could potentially violate Tennesee's Senate Bill 392, which was passed recently and criminalizes 501(c)(3) institutions, known colloquially as nonprofits, for harboring illegal aliens for profit.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
Major update in case of slain college student Jillian Ludwig as parents slam 'brutal' waiting period
Nearly two years after the fatal shooting Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig a Tennessee judge ruled that the 'intellectually disabled' man accused the slaying is fit to stand trial. After nearly a month of deliberation, Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier made the monumental decision on Tuesday. Judge Dozier rejected arguments from 30-year-old Shaquille Taylor's defense team that he was not mentally competent to understand the charges against him. 'It's been brutal, just waiting and waiting, every day hoping and praying,' Jessica Ludwig, Jillian's mother, said following the ruling. 'It's such a relief to know that this is finally moving forward.' The decision comes after the tragic death of the 18-year-old Belmont University student who was killed by a stray bullet on a walk in the Edgehill neighborhood of Nashville on November 7, 2023. Taylor admitted to firing shots before handing the gun off to another person and was later arrested after police say he fired shots at a car, with one bullet striking Jillian in the head. The college student, a New Jersey native who was studying Music Business, was found about an hour after the shooting and was immediately rushed to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Taylor, who has been accused of committing other violent crimes in the past, has since been charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering in relation to Jillian's death. Despite his prior history of mental health evaluations, which had led to previous rulings of incompetency, Dozier determined that Taylor was now sufficiently able to understand the legal proceedings and participate in his defense. 'Defendant might not be of much assistance to counsel in a tax fraud case against him, but the Court is reasonably assured that Defendant is sufficiently competent to stand trial for the present cases,' Dozier wrote in his ruling, The Tennessean reported. The decision follows a multi-day competency hearing from June, where psychologists debated Taylor's ability to stand trial. Although he has a documented intellectual disability and low IQ scores - once as low as 56 - the Tennessee judge emphasized that IQ alone was not the deciding factor in his ruling. Instead, he considered Taylor's practical understanding of the legal process. The ruling has been met with mixed emotions from Jillian's family. 'I was shaking,' Jessica Ludwig said. 'I broke down in tears. It was a surge of emotions that went through me. That's the decision we've been praying for and hoping for.' The devastated mother added that she and her husband, Matt, have been anxiously awaiting the decision for more than a month and the delay, she says, has been excruciating. The Ludwig family had hoped for this ruling during the June hearing, which they believed should have been a clear decision. 'There was a lot of failures that led up to this,' Jillian's father, Matt, told Fox17 Nashville. While the ruling brings a sense of relief, the road to justice is far from over. 'I believe we are one step closer to justice, and we just thank everybody standing with us,' Jessica said through tears. 'We're thankful to the prosecutors who helped to prove that and to the judge who understood it and saw exactly what we saw, a competent man who should be held accountable,' Jessica said. The case however has highlighted a serious gap in The Volunteer State's legal system. Months before Jillian's death, Taylor had been accused of other violent crimes but was released after multiple psychological evaluations found him incompetent, WSMV reported. But, in July 2024, 'Jillian's Law,' sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, was passed and now requires felony defendants found incompetent to stand trial be committed for treatment. The Tuesday ruling also underscores how the mental competency of criminal defendants is assessed and handled. During Taylor's case, Dozier took particular issue with the remote evaluation conducted by Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wood, a psychologist who assessed Taylor via videoconference, raising concerns about technology's ability to capture the nuances of psychological assessments in complex legal cases. 'While there is a time and place for such technologies, the nuances of psychological assessments for adjudicative purposes may strain the connection between an administrator and their subject,' Dozier wrote in his ruling. Now that Taylor has been declared competent, the trial can move forward, with the prosecution pushing for justice for Jillian. For the Ludwig family, however, the ruling represents just one chapter in an ongoing battle. 'Nothing's going to bring her back, but in a way, this ruling might help set a precedent for other rulings to help make changes to a broken system,' Jessica said.
Business Insider
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The NCAA settlement is a big win for football players. For other athletes, the picture is murkier.
DI track and field athlete Sabrina Oostburg isn't celebrating the recent NCAA settlement, which allows colleges to pay athletes directly. The Belmont University student said she was standing next to a volleyball player and two football players when the news came out. One of the football players reacted positively and then turned to the volleyball player to get her take. "It's good for you because you're going to get paid, but some of your female athlete friends might get cut," Oostburg recalled the volleyball player saying. The recent settlement, which ended multiple antitrust cases against the NCAA, sets up a system in which football players will likely get the lion's share of the money. The settlement's back-pay portion, for example, allocates 75% to football, guided by how much revenue the sport brings in. Colleges that opt into the settlement can pay up to $20.5 million to their athletes for the year starting July 1 (with increases in subsequent years). "It's going to be focused on football, basketball," Craig Weiner, a partner and litigator at Blank Rome, told Business Insider. While schools are free to distribute the money to different teams as they wish, there is a clear incentive for them to want to remain competitive in football to generate revenue. That could mean some athletic programs — if we take that 75% figure as guidance — will need to cover $15 million in new expenses to pay football players. Where is the money going to come from? Oostburg said she's worried about cuts to her team and others that don't make money for the college. She fears they could lose roster spots, places where they practice and train, or even snacks. "I think you're going to see cuts potentially in the non-revenue sports," Weiner said. "As far as support, athletic facilities, athletic support. Money that is that is earmarked to help the non-revenue producing sports, because they're going to focus on the money makers." The settlement ruling could create Title IX issues The skew toward football and men's basketball in the $2.8 billion back-pay part of the settlement has already attracted a legal challenge. Dan Ain, an attorney at Reavis, Page, Jump, noted that current and former DI female athletes had filed an appeal. They argued that 90% of the back pay going to former football and men's basketball players was a violation of Title IX, which requires schools to give male and female athletes equitable opportunities. Ain also pointed out that Judge Claudia Wilken, who oversaw the case, said that athletes could sue if they felt there was any infringement on Title IX due to the nature of the revenue share model. "This is new territory for schools," Ain said. "Schools, for the first time, will be deciding how to allocate tens of millions of dollars in revenue share to individual athletes. The expectation right now is that the distribution is going to be grossly unequal between men and women, and that will open schools up to Title IX litigation." Athletes have to run their deals through a clearinghouse Oostburg said she also had concerns about a new clearinghouse that will oversee deals athletes strike on their own with brands, called NIL deals (short for "name, image, and likeness"). Athletes with deals of over $600 will have to report them to the clearinghouse, operated by Deloitte, which will determine the athlete's value. If the deal is higher than their assessed value, it can't go through. Athletes who don't report deals or violate them by taking something of a different value could have their eligibility taken away. For athletes like Oostburg in "non-revenue" sports, NIL deals — often driven in part by their social media footprint — are the biggest money-making opportunity. "That does concern me," Oostburg said. "If I get a deal over $600 and they decide, no, that doesn't make sense for someone like a track athlete like me to get a $1,000 deal."
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Todd Chrisley reveals son Grayson's unusual request on the day of his prison release
Todd and Julie Chrisley are back home after staying two years apart from their family. Their son Grayson, now 19, had just one request when they walked through the door in Tennessee. After two years in prison, Todd and Julie Chrisley are back home, and their son Grayson found comfort by sleeping in their room on the day of their return. REUTERS/Seth Herald(REUTERS) Grayson asked his parents to let him sleep in their room. 'He came in and said, 'Can I sleep with you tonight?' I said, 'You can,'' Todd recalled during a recent interview on My View With Lara Trump. Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, were both released from federal prison in May after being granted presidential pardons. They had spent time in separate facilities in Florida and Kentucky. Grayson, who was still a teenager when his parents went to prison, was scared to believe they were really home. 'The first night he said, 'I'm scared to go to sleep because I feel like I'm just going to wake up in the morning and they're not going to be here,'' Savannah Chrisley said during the interview. Savannah, 27, had custody of both Grayson and their younger sister Chloe, 12, while their parents were incarcerated. 'Grayson's always said, 'I have two moms,' because we're nine years apart,' she added. Savannah and Grayson leaned on each other Savannah said Grayson believed she saved him; however, in reality, 'he saved me.' The past two years brought them even closer. 'Going through this together has been such a whirlwind,' she added, and her brother echoed the sentiment. Now that his parents are back, he says what matters most is just being together. 'You take those times for granted when they are home. Then one day, it's just gone,' he said. This year's Father's Day held special meaning for the Chrisley family. Grayson shared a heartfelt post on Instagram for Todd, marking their first celebration together in nearly three years. 'Happy Father's Day to the man I look up to,' Grayson wrote on June 15. 'I really don't know how you do it… I pray every day that one day I can be at least half the man you are,' he added. Todd and Julie's return has brought relief and healing to the whole family. And for Grayson, it means one thing: he finally feels like things are whole again. ALSO READ: Who are Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley? Convicted TV stars Trump plans to pardon FAQs Who are the Chrisleys and why are they famous? The Chrisleys are a reality TV family best known for their show Chrisley Knows Best, which followed the life of Todd Chrisley, a wealthy real estate developer, and his family. Are the Chrisleys still wealthy? Their exact financial situation is not public, but they have faced major legal fees and financial troubles following fraud convictions. Do any of the Chrisleys have a college degree? Yes, some of the Chrisley children have attended college, including Savannah, who studied at Lipscomb University and later Belmont University in Nashville.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'It's just so crazy.' Hoover High grad Karissa Ella thrilled to perform at Country Fest
Karissa Ella recalls being in awe of Dierks Bentley at The Country Fest in Stark County as a teenager. "I remember standing there watching him sing and having such a good time with my friends," the 2014 Hoover High School graduate said. "I love country music, and I was like, 'Man, it would be so cool to be up on that stage. I want to do that.' And I think ... right then and there, I planted the seed of wanting to play Country Fest, but I also think I planted a seed of wanting to be a singer and wanted to be like him." Roughly a decade later, the country music artist will live out that dream June 13 at Country Fest at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in Lawrence Township. Ella will kick off the festival's second full day at 4 p.m. "It's crazy that I am getting to play it for the first time," she said in a recent phone interview. "And it's just proof to me in manifestation and in belief in yourself ... (and) it's all just a really big full circle moment. "They've really welcomed me with open arms and have shown me their support," Ella said. "And I'm just so grateful for it, and I just cannot wait to get up on that Country Fest stage. I'm still in disbelief, I'm still in awe that I get to play it, and I just hope I can do our hometown proud.' Aaron Green, co-founder of Country Fest, said he's considered booking Ella for a few years. "We wanted to give her a shot," he said. "She's an awesome person. If we can do anything to help bolster her career, that's what we're here for, and that's what we want to do. "I know she's always wanted to play it. We finally did it, and I think it's going to be great for us, and I think it's going to be great for her." 'Magic sauce' of Country Fest 'Godfather of Country Fest.' Dierks Bentley returns to annual event in Stark County The Stark County native is now coming full circle at Country Fest, where Bentley is returning as a headliner the same day Ella performs. Her musical journey began when she moved to Nashville following high school to attend Belmont University. Chasing stardom wasn't her motivation for going to "Music City," however. College was the priority. Along the way, she became a singer-songwriter who couldn't resist the pull of the stage. It continued the path she set out on in Stark County, where she performed in musicals and choral groups at Hoover High. She also danced competitively. Back then, she was known as Karissa Haasz. "I always knew I had a love for music, and I would use music as a crutch if I was having a bad day, or if I was happy, music was always there for me," she said. "And I just thought, 'Wow, what a powerful and healing thing music is. We're so lucky to have it, and it would be really cool to write my own or to be that for someone else.'" Performing music live can be traced to Harmon's Pub in Canton, a popular hangout and eatery on Tuscarawas Street W. "It's really special to me because they are really the first people who allowed me to get my feet wet in music and perform, and we just did acoustic stuff," Ella said. "But I'm so grateful for them because they kept letting me come back, and it was really for me to keep getting experience, and it worked. "That place has become a very special place for me because I found my love of music and of being an artist through there." Musical interests evolved until she was playing Nashville gigs and performing at The Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown. "The Dusty Armadillo is a rite of passage," she said. Mentors also have helped guide Ella on her ascent. That started with lessons from Alison Nutt in North Canton, her first vocal instructor. Nutt also introduced her to Belmont University, a private Christian school where she graduated in 2018 with a degree in music business. "She is just an incredible person," Ella said. "She's so loving and supportive, and at a time in my life when I was in middle school and high school, she was just so formative of me and so supportive of me and really pushed me into musical theater and auditioning. "I think if it wasn't for her, I would have never had the courage to try out for the musicals or try out for the select choirs or anything like that, and all of those experiences helped me grow as an artist but also as a person. "She has been a huge influence in my personal life but also in my musical life because she taught me to sing in every which way," Ella added. "And it first introduced me to music, and what a great person to introduce me to music. She was so encouraging and heartfelt. We still keep up to this day. She's just one of the best." Nutt fondly recalled those singing lessons. "She definitely had talent and a lot of natural ability, and a work ethic like you would not believe," she said. "But she was always striving. Even as a sixth grader, she wanted to know how to do this better or how to do that better." Nutt said Ella is a spectacular singer in any genre or setting, capable of belting out a Broadway show tune on note. "If she walked into a listening room (in Nashville) and sang something like ('Somewhere Over the Rainbow'), she would blow the doors off of there," Nutt said. "If you listen to any of her recordings, she just has a lot of power behind that little body of hers." Ella also credits the boundless support of her parents and family in both music and life. "They are my biggest support system," she said. "The No. 1 thing in my life is my family. "My mom (Lori Haasz) first started taking guitar lessons, and how I first started writing was that she would start writing songs on the guitar, and she would have me sing them, so that's how I got into picking up guitar and writing songs," the daughter recalled. "And I would write songs with my mom ... and we still write to this day, and it's the best because I can really, truly be myself around here, and she's a great writer, too." Ella said Stark County will always be her favorite place. "And honestly, now that I've been to a couple of different places, I always compare where I was raised to those places, and it still wins," she said of North Canton and the Canton area overall, her voice perking up. "Maybe I'm biased, but I feel when I come home, it's just a warm hug. It's the best feeling ever. "... It has made me who I am, and I think because when I move away, I can take a step back and look out and understand what an incredible place it is because I don't take it for granted anymore," Ella said. That affection spilled over into her most recent song, "Hall of Fame," a tribute to where she grew up. Ella said she intended the song to be relatable and accessible to all country music fans, while also paying homage to her roots. She even incorporates the highway exit that takes travelers from Interstate 77 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another mention is Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, where some family members worked. "It's a story about my family and how they made this place so special for me," said Ella, who co-wrote the song with Cassidy Best and Sam Blasko, both Nashville-based artists. And "it started off with the people who kind of made this town what it is today, and how it's changed so much, but in reality, it really hasn't changed that much because the people here are still some of the best people I've met. They're so kind and gracious and selfless." Working-class themed lyrics sprinkle in references to sports and industry. "This little calloused town. Grew up blue collar proud. Shirt off your back, salt of the earth. Ain't afraid of a little work. Between the football games. Underneath the oil stains. A hard town to break, I know a place that should be in the hall of fame. "Most people drive on through. Oh, if only they all knew. Right off exit 107A. They're stronger than the steel they made." "I'm so excited about this release because it's one of my favorite songs," Ella said. "I love my hometown, and I just want to brag about it all the time. I love Ohio, I love this great state, and I think the best people come from it. Of course, I'm biased, but I love writing about it and having a song for the people who live there to know how special they are, and to be reminded of it." The song will also be on her new EP, "Growing Wings," scheduled for release July 11. Seven tracks will be featured, including "Last Call Cowboy," "Heartbreaker" and "Mamas Do." She also has gigs and concerts scheduled throughout the summer, including a show in Massillon at 8 p.m. July 11 as part of the summer concert series at the Massillon Knights Foundation property, 988 Cherry Road NW. Other performances are in Nashville, Youngstown and at Country Concert 25 in Fort Loramie, a multi-day event featuring Brad Paisley, Brantley Gilbert, Jon Pardi and Blake Shelton. "I'm not chasing this dream anymore," Ella said. "I'm actually living the dream. My dream is to write and record and put out music and tour, and that's exactly what I'm doing." Achieving any level of success in the music business is tough, Ella admitted. "This business, you're not in it for the money, you're in it for the passion, and it comes with a lot of hard work, and you really have to put your blinders on as an artist because we're all on different paths and we're all on different journeys," she said. Asked about her long-term career goals, Ella humbly said she simply wants to create music, perform and impact people with her music. "I don't know where I'll end up," she said. "I hope one day I end up singing at the Grand Ole Opry. I hope one day I'll be on the Blossom Music Center stage and get to cross that one off. ... I hope in a few years that I'm on a tour and I'm touring all across America. I would love if my music would take me overseas as well. "I just want to meet new fans," Ella said. "I want to make music that resonates with people, that helps people heal, whether that's cry, laugh or drink to or make memories to. That's what I want to do. I want to be part of that and help make those experiences and help make those memories for everyone." Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@ Follow on TikTok @edward balint. What: The Country Fest Where: Clay's Resort Jellystone Park, 12951 Patterson Road in Lawrence Township. What: Country musical festival, featuring headliners Warren Zeiders, Bailey Zimmerman, Dierks Bentley and Hardy, as well as Stark County native Karissa Ella. When: June 11-14. Ella, a 2014 Hoover High School grad, performs at 4 p.m. June 13. Tickets: Single day admission costs $84.99 Wednesday, and $129.99 daily Thursday through Saturday. Two-day commuter tickets cost $217.88; three-day commuter, $238.87; and four-day, $259.87. Commuter passes include admission to Clay's Resort Adventure Waterpark. To purchase tickets and for information about camping, go to More details: This article originally appeared on The Repository: Country Fest 2025 a showcase for Hoover grad Karissa Ella
