Holmes Community College President Dr. Jim Haffey announced today that the college will continue remote instruction until at least April 20 as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to be monitored.
“We are very anxious to resume a normal work schedule as soon as possible and will do so with a lot of energy as soon as it is safe to do so,” Dr. Haffey said. “Most college functions that were scheduled to occur before May 1 have been cancelled, but events (such as graduation) scheduled to occur after that time will continue to be evaluated.
“Our goal during this time continues to be to serve our customers and to do what is necessary to move our state forward,” Dr. Haffey said. “We have strong contingency plans and emergency funds in place for situations like this, and we want to make sure we continue moving forward.”
The college moved 788 academic and career technical classes to an online format on March 18, making Holmes one of the first schools in the state to resume classes after Spring Break. Instructors, staff and administration will continue to provide instructional support to the 5,210 students as everyone navigates the uncertainties and inconveniences resulting from this global pandemic.
As one way to assist students, Holmes has identified several areas at each location where they can park and work on their assignments in their vehicle if they have limited access to wifi at their homes. This service is available from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Additionally, Mississippi library systems are offering free wifi from the parking lots; visit https://cutt.ly/xtv1duh for a full list. The libraries participating is also being updated daily as more begin offering this service.
As administration continues to evaluate the best course of action for the college, students, faculty and staff will be notified of any changes to the schedule. Holmes will also provide updates as they are available on the college’s social media sites and on the Holmes website at https://www.holmescc.edu/administration/marketing/covid-19.aspx.
