Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.—ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ (all campuses) is urging students, faculty and staff to remain weather aware throughout Wednesday [March 30]. The National Weather Service and local meteorologists are predicting the potential for strong winds and heavy rain.
ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ’s Starkville and Meridian campuses will transition to remote learning and telework beginning at 3 p.m. Afternoon and evening classes will continue online.
State Climatologist Michael Brown, a longtime professor in the ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ Department of Geosciences, said that current meteorological models indicate that a weather system with potential for strong gusty winds and heavy rains will move across most of central and northern areas of the state with 5:30-8 p.m. being the critical time period for possible adverse weather conditions.
All scheduled events at the university after 3 p.m. will be postponed and rescheduled.
ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ Dining Services will continue operating normal hours for Subway, Moe’s and the P.O.D.s in Dogwood and Hathorn halls. Perry Cafeteria will serve dinner from 5-7 p.m. All other dining locations will close at 3 p.m. ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ Libraries will close at 3 p.m. The Sanderson Center, Colvard Student Union and Longest Student Health Center will close at 3:30 p.m. SMART routes will continue campus and community transportation until 4 p.m.
All students, faculty and staff should monitor weather conditions and exercise caution and good judgment when traveling. Motorists should not drive through unknown patches of standing water and should approach any standing water with caution.
The university encourages all students and employees to review instructions for coping with severe weather at , which also includes emergency guidelines, as well as preparedness tips, information about Maroon Alerts, and more. Those on campus should follow the building or Residence Hall safety instructions specific to their location. Faculty, staff and students are urged to use caution to ensure personal safety.
ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ encourages all students, faculty and staff to monitor the media for changing weather information, as well as and and official university social media for updates.
The university expects to return to normal operations on Thursday morning [March 31].
Media inquiries should be directed to Sid Salter, ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ Chief Communications Officer, at 601-507-8004 or ss51@msstate.edu.
ÌÒÌ«ÀÉÓ³Ïñ is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at .