STARKVILLE, Miss.—Citing an abundance of caution, Mississippi State University announced that the start of Spring 2021 semester classes will be slightly postponed from Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, to Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, as MSU continues to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on public health and safety.

“As we’ve repeatedly said, our primary responsibility is to safeguard our students, faculty, and staff during this health crisis,” said MSU Executive Vice President and Provost David R. Shaw. “At this juncture, as COVID-19 is now a growing threat in Mississippi, this course of action is prudent and provides us the best opportunity to make the transitions necessary to most effectively balance our educational responsibilities as well. We know that with New Year’s Eve celebrations there is the possibility of additional exposures and infections; this delay will allow time for infections to run their course prior to students’ return to campus.”

This action is in keeping with guidance received from the Mississippi Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, Jan. 11, but MSU will continue to monitor this situation in the coming days. Students, faculty, staff and their families should monitor the msstate.edu website, MSU social media accounts and their email for updated information.

In the spring semester 2021, MSU will revert to the attendance policy outlined in AOP 12.09. However, recognizing the potential for more absences due to illness, if a student is experiencing COVID symptoms or is in quarantine, requiring at least two consecutive absences, the student must provide documentation from either the Dean of Students or the Longest Student Health Center.