Mississippi State announces plans for on-campus fall classes

Mississippi State says it is fully committed to getting students back in person.

It has seemed logical for weeks now that if there is to be college sports played this fall, universities would have to first have its students back on campus. In the case of Mississippi State, it appears the plans are now in place for that to happen.

MSU released a school statement on Wednesday outlining its plan to get students back in person in Starkville. Here is the full university release:

STARKVILLE, Miss.— Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum said the university is fully committed to welcoming students back to campus this fall and that plans to resume in-person classroom and laboratory instruction in the Fall 2020 semester are “on schedule and taking solid form” as the university continues development of specific new operating guidelines.

Keenum on April 28 announced MSU’s “institutional intention” for MSU to resume more traditional operations in the fall. Under Keenum’s direction, the university has convened a COVID-19 task force that is focused on fostering a safe environment for the return of MSU students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus within the confines of official federal and state government guidance and that of the leadership of recognized public health agencies.

The MSU task force will produce guidelines to assist MSU across all campuses in transitioning back to more traditional campus activities. These will include:

—Revising the academic calendar to minimize disruption.

—Focusing on spread reduction techniques including social and physical distancing, increased cleaning and disinfectant protocols across facilities, and the availability and use of face coverings.

—Re-populating MSU through a robust screening strategy bolstered by testing where needed and contact tracing. Containment and isolation procedures if positive COVID-19 cases become present on campus.

—Exploring the appropriate mixture of hybrid, online, and face-to-face instruction, classroom and other facilities usage, and innovative class scheduling.

—Considering innovative and alternative best practices in campus life, business functions, athletics, Extension and other public outreach, and campus life.

With MSU Provost David Shaw’s leadership position on the state task force in developing strategies for the reopening of all of the state’s public universities, Keenum said MSU will benefit from the expertise of other veteran higher education administrators on the IHL task force and share that information with MSU’s COVID-19 task force. Joining Shaw on the IHL task force is MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt.

Keenum said MSU’s COVID-19 task force would develop a strategy to reopen that included guidance and input from the IHL task force, direct input from MSU stakeholders, and the shared governance model that already exists on the MSU campus with faculty, staff and students.

Obviously plans to hold in-person classes in the fall don't necessarily mean those plans will come to fruition. However it now appears things are headed in the right direction for things to get back to some sense of normalcy on the campus of Mississippi State.

(You can join the Cowbell Corner community by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page (on desktop) or the bell icon (on mobile). Simply sign up, be a part of every discussion or start your own. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SIBulldogs and @JoelTColeman.)