Jackson Free Press

This story has been updated to show that JSU has pushed back its move-in day and closed campus Jan. 8-9, per a press release from the university.

Millsaps College posted to its website yesterday, Jan. 4, that it is delaying the start of on-campus activities for the spring semester, including all athletic practices, by one week due to several days of below-freezing temperatures in Jackson.

The recent temperatures have frozen water pipes, and caused breaks in lines and loss of water pressure throughout the city. The city also issued a precautionary boil-water advisory for the entire area on Thursday. The frozen pipes have made toilets, showers and dining services on the campus unusable, Millsaps' website states.

The college's academic term will start on Monday, Jan. 8, and faculty will begin distributing course material to students via email. On-site attendance in classes will not officially begin until Tuesday, Jan. 16, for all undergraduate and graduate students.

Residence halls will open for the spring semester at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14, and the university will observe Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 15. The remainder of the academic calendar for the spring semester will not change. For more information, contact the Office of Student Life at 601-974-1200 or visit millsaps.edu.

Meanwhile, Jackson State University will be postponing move-in day for students to Saturday, Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. due to the recent freezing temperatures and related issues. Classes are now set to begin on Tuesday, Jan. 16. JSU will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, Jan.8-9, due to continuing water pressure issues. The campus will resume normal operations on Wednesday, Jan.10.

JSU will still have abbreviated operating hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5, for the sake of continuing services for new and returning students in the 2018 spring semester. For more information, visit jsums.edu or the university's Facebook page.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center also posted to its Facebook page on Jan. 4 that the cold weather was affecting its operations at the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center.

The post stated that the Thad Cochran Center is experiencing a dramatic decrease in water pressure due to pipes freezing. This has prevented the building's heating units from working properly, meaning that continued operation of UMMC's clinics there will not be possible.

Some of UMMC's clinics are still able to see patients at this time by using water tankers, but the post said that might not be possible going forward, and UMMC is considering plans to relocate or reschedule patients whose appointments may be affected. UMMC will contact affected patients via text or phone throughout the week.

The post also stated that UMMC's main campus remains operational due to having its own well and water tower independent of the city's water system, and that no other UMMC clinics are experiencing any disruption in operations.