University Operations Guidance [Starkville Campus]

Normal Operations

  • Employees
    • All university employees are working at their assigned work locations.
  • Facilities
    • All university facilities are operational, and buildings are open based on normal operating hours for the specific building.
  • Students
    • All students are attending classes based upon the mode of instruction for their courses. All campus activities proceed as scheduled.

Remote Operations
(temporary status)

  • Employees
    • Employees who can work remotely will do so.
    • Designated employees who are instructed by their supervisors will be required to work in person on campus. Those designated employees who are non-exempt will receive additional compensation for in-person work at a rate of two times regular pay.
    • Employees whose job duties cannot be performed remotely and are not designated employees will be on administrative leave and compensated at their regular rate of pay.
    • Employees are expected to respond to phone calls in a timely fashion. Employees are also expected to respond to emails in a timely fashion. Should an employee not have access to their email remotely, the employee should notify the supervisor of this to see if alternate resources should be provided. Meetings should be transitioned to online or telephonic platforms. Courses should transition to online platforms.
    • A University shift to remote operational status is most often the result of forecasted particularly severe/tornadic t-storms or winter weather conditions where travel on roadways on & off campus and/or between campus buildings is deemed potentially hazardous during a limited time-period. Employees remaining on campus in such cases should:
      • Remain situationally aware and be prepared to receive further University disseminated guidance;
      • Know what actions to take for one’s own safety, depending on the nature of the ongoing situation that has warranted the University’s shift into a Remote Operations condition.
      • Notify someone external to the building you are in (for example a friend, family member, or coworker) if that building is closed/locked, in the event an emergency impacts the building you are in.
  • Facilities
    • Dining operations will continue. MSU Dining will determine which facilities will remain operational.
    • Some buildings will be closed and locked. Those buildings will be presumed to be empty.
    • Residence halls will remain accessible to residents & housing staff only.
  • Students
    • Students are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend class remotely unless otherwise instructed by their faculty member. Should a student not be able to attend classes remotely due to power outages, a lack of necessary resources to do so, etc., the student should notify their instructors as soon as possible to see if alternative solutions are available.
    • Students may be instructed to remain in their residence halls, seek an Severe Weather Refuge Area, or to return to their home off-campus depending on the nature of the ongoing situation that has warranted the University’s shift into a Remote Operations condition.
    • Students should remain situationally aware and be prepared to receive further University disseminated guidance or instructions from their residence hall staff.
    • All on campus activities are postponed or moved to virtual platforms. Some athletic events may proceed based on the best available information at that given time.

University Closure
(temporary status)

  • Employees
    • All employees are instructed to leave campus. Because these buildings are closed/locked, the buildings will be presumed to be empty.
    • Employees remaining on campus in such cases should:
      • Remain situationally aware and be prepared to receive further University disseminated guidance;
      • Know what actions to take for your own safety.
      • Notify someone external to the building you occupy that you are there.
    • Selected members of the Crisis Action Team will remain on campus if circumstances warrant the Team’s activation.
    • Designated employees who are instructed by their supervisors will be required to work in person on campus. Those designated employees who are non-exempt will receive additional compensation for in-person work at a rate of 2.5 times regular rate of pay.
    • All other employees will be on administrative leave and compensated at their regular rate of pay.
  • Facilities
    • Limited dining operations will continue. MSU Dining will determine which facilities will remain operational during a closure.
    • Residence halls will remain accessible to residents & housing staff only.
    • All other campus buildings are closed.
  • Students
    • Students may be instructed to remain in their residence halls, seek an Severe Weather Refuge Areas, or return to their home off-campus depending on the nature of the ongoing situation that has warranted a campus closure.
    • Students should remain situationally aware and be prepared to receive further University disseminated guidance or instructions from their residence hall staff.
    • All campus activities are canceled.

On Campus Emergency

There are natural, technological, or human-caused hazards that could potentially impact the University regardless of operational status. Guidelines that serve as public information and suggested actions to take in potential emergencies can be found at: https://www.emergency.msstate.edu/guidelines