Extension postpones events, continues operations
The Mississippi State University Extension Service has postponed all of its in-person events, trainings and meetings across the state through May 10 amid public health concerns surrounding COVID-19.
All Extension offices and units will remain open, and basic operations will continue as normal until further notice. This includes the Bost Extension Center on the main campus in Starkville, the four regional Research and Extension Centers and each of Extension’s 82 county offices (unless otherwise noted). Online educational programming will also proceed as scheduled.
“We need to continue our basic operations in order to disseminate health-related information to the general public using our technologies, support our local communities and their leaders and support other federal and state agencies,” said Extension director Gary Jackson. “I made the decision to postpone events and gatherings because a health crisis of this extent makes it necessary for us to help protect the health and safety of the public and our employees.”
In keeping with its public service mission, Extension will offer its technological resources to serve MSU students needing internet access to continue their coursework for the semester. This applies during normal business hours at all locations.
A team of Extension health and emergency management specialists is fielding general questions about COVID-19 at ics@ext.msstate.edu.
Educational resources to help the public remain informed on the coronavirus are available at http://extension.msstate.edu/coronavirus.
The Mississippi State Department of Health is now operating a hotline for answers to questions about COVID-19 by phone. The Mississippi Coronavirus Hotline is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays at 877-978-6453.
Nathan Gregory | MSU Extension Service
