After Mississippi’s first confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) was reported by the Department of Health on Wednesday, the State Institutions of Higher Learning has announced that all eight of the state’s public universities will shift to online courses following an extended Spring Break.
In a news release, the IHL stated that Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University, the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi will extend Spring Break an additional week, which they say will allow faculty members time to prepare to offer classes remotely when the semester resumes.
Classes will resume on Monday, March 23, and will be taught online and via other alternative instructional methods. Students are encouraged to remain at home and will participate in their classes remotely. Students enrolled in professional and graduate programs will be notified of any exceptions to meet clinical and other requirements.
“The situation remains fluid and university plans are subject to change in response to new information and recommendations received,” said Rankins. “We continue to work with the Mississippi Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness and Response Planning Steering Committee and the Mississippi State Department of Health as we develop our plans for the coming weeks and months. Our goal is to mitigate the risks posed by the coronavirus while maintaining the quality and integrity of our instructional programs.”
The IHL recommends that faculty, staff, students and their families should monitor their university’s website, official social media accounts and their email daily for updated information.
