Mississippi State Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw, chair of the university’s search committee for its next vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine (DAFVM), announced today [March 27] that the search is being postponed, but the committee remains in place.

Veteran MSU agriculture administrator Reuben Moore has been serving as interim vice president of DAFVM since March 2019.

Additionally, the university is postponing the search process for its next vice president of research and economic development. Shaw most recently served in this role before being named provost and executive vice president last summer. Julie Jordan, previously associate vice president for international programs and executive director of MSU’s International Institute, has since been serving in the role of interim vice president of research and economic development.

Shaw said in an email to DAFVM vice president search committee members, “The COVID-19 situation has had a dramatic impact on all aspects of our personal lives, and the functions of Mississippi State University. Dr. Keenum and I met yesterday, and we have decided to postpone the search process until we are past the current crisis.”

For more on MSU’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, visit https://www.msstate.edu/coronavirus or follow on social media @msstate.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.