Due to the sudden spread of the Coronavirus, universities and colleges across the US were forced to transfer their courses online in hopes of flattening the curve. After two months of social distancing, IHL Commissioner, Dr. Alfred Rankins has created the Safe Start Task Force for the university system.
The task force will craft a system-level plan for starting and completing the fall 2020 semester in the safest and most effective way, so that students and universities can achieve the best possible outcomes.
Dr. Carlos Wilson, interim director and assistant professor for the School of Lifelong Learning and Robin Pack, executive director of Human Resources have been named to the task force on behalf of Jackson State.
“I am looking forward to working with the representatives from our eight public universities to find the most efficient strategies for a safe return to normal operations,” says Wilson. “All of us have worked diligently this semester to continue to provide quality instruction to our students along with services to our other stakeholders.”
“As a proponent of the on-campus experience, I anticipate collaborating with the other members of this task force to assist in developing guidelines to safely welcome new and returning students back to Jackson State,” says Pack. “We are also hopeful that normal operations will be restored for our faculty and staff.”
“I applaud Commissioner Rankins for establishing the Safe Start Task Force in an effort to develop and discover best practices. As we take on this extremely important task, we should be led by the overarching goal of safeguarding the health of our administrators, staff, faculty, clients, and most of all our students,” says Wilson.
Members of the Safe Start Task Force include:
Alcorn State University
Dr. Keith McGee, Interim Vice President & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ms. Dorothy Davis, Director of Health and Disability Services
Delta State University
Dr. Charles McAdams, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Michelle Roberts, Vice President of Executive Affairs and Chief of Staff
Jackson State University
Ms. Robin Pack, Executive Director for Human Resources
Dr. Carlos Wilson, Interim Director for the School of Lifelong Learning
Mississippi State University
Dr. David Shaw, Provost and Executive Vice President
Dr. Regina Hyatt, Vice President for Student Affairs
Mississippi University for Women
Dr. Tammie McCoy, Professor & Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences
Mr. Jason Trufant, Director of Athletics and Recreation
Mississippi Valley State University
Dr. La Shon Brooks, Chief of Staff and Legislative Liaison
Ms. Joyce Dixon, Vice President for Business and Finance
The University of Mississippi
Mr. Larry Sparks, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Dr. Charlotte Pegues, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
The University of Southern Mississippi
Mr. Chad Driskell, Vice President for External Affairs
Dr. Amy Chasteen, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs