Last week, Mississippi State became the first university in the state to announce its truncated spring semester calendar which included canceling spring break. Now, both Ole Miss and Southern Miss have announced similar plans in an effort to limit student travel and reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 on campus.
Each university’s new schedule can be viewed below.
Mississippi State:
“Classes begin Jan. 6 and end April 19, and spring break has been eliminated due to the pandemic. This will allow the semester to end a week earlier than originally planned. However, in response to an MSU Student Association resolution requesting the Monday after Easter as a day to spend time with family, no classes will be held on April 5. In addition, MSU will be closed to observe state holidays Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Friday before Easter, April 2. MSU-Meridian commencement will be held on April 29 and the Starkville campus ceremony on April 30.”
Other important calendar dates include:
- Feb. 25, Semester midpoint
- April 19, Final day to apply for April 2021 graduation
- April 22-28, Final exams
For more from Mississippi State, click here.
Ole Miss:
- Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (UM closed) will remain on the calendar for Jan. 18, 2021.
- Classes will begin as originally scheduled on Jan. 19, 2021.
- Spring break will be canceled to complete the semester as quickly as possible while mitigating risks associated with travel.
- Good Friday holiday (UM closed) will remain on the calendar for April 2, 2021.
- Classes will end April 23, 2021, which is one week earlier than previously scheduled.
- Final exams will be completed by April 30, 2021.
- Faculty will remain on contract until May 15, 2021.
“In addition, classroom capacity and engagement requirements for the fall will continue into the spring semester. Course formats for spring 2021 will be determined and made known before registration so students can take this into consideration.”
For more from Ole Miss, click here.
Southern Miss:
“Spring classes will still begin on Wednesday, January 20, and regular instruction will conclude Thursday, April 22. Exams will be conducted during an extended period from Friday, April 23 through Friday, April 30. The modified schedule eliminates the traditional Mardi Gras and Spring Break student holidays, but adds two new student holidays on Friday, February 19, and Friday, March 19. A University-wide holiday will be observed on Friday, April 2.”
For more from USM, click here.
