Updated Electronic Message Board Lights Up on Oct. 6

The University of Southern Mississippi's electronic message board at the corner of Hwy. 49 and Hardy St. has been upgraded as part of an initiative to accommodate fiber switching necessary to connect The Garden and main Southern Miss telecommunication infrastructure. The updated board is set to begin operation on Wednesday, Oct. 6.

Over the past year, iTech and the Office of University Communications have collaborated to find solutions to meet both infrastructure and communications needs to best serve the university. Recently, the original system stopped functioning altogether. Because the sign provides a valuable means of communication between the university and community, allowing it to remain idle was not an option.

The project was funded through iTech's Auxiliary Telecommunication and Network budget, and rough calculations indicate the updated sign is likely to be 70 percent more energy efficient. The updated equipment will also help provide a more immediate, effective means of communicating with campus and the surrounding community.

Messages displayed on the new marquee will continue to include official university announcements and events open to the public. In addition, the electronic message board will be equipped to allow for more immediate and timely updates that could include campus emergency alerts and traffic information.

All messages will continue to be edited, managed and approved by the Office of University Communications. Procedures for submitting messages are being finalized and will be communicated to the campus community in the coming weeks.