WHAT:  The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) will tour various sites along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

WHEN: Thursday, November 16, 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Gulf Coast tour will include the following locations:

8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.                 Presentation on Hurricane Katrina at the Biloxi Sun Herald offices, 205 Debuys Rd, Gulfport, MS

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.               Bus tour of Highway 90 to Pass Christian

10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.              Tour of Gulf Park Campus (Advanced Education Center, library, and front buildings), 730 East Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, MS

11:30 a.m. – noon                      Lunch in rotunda of Advanced Education Center, 730 East Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, MS

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.               Tour of Old Garden Park Hospital (Gulf Coast Student Service Center), 45^th Avenue and 15^th Street, Gulfport, MS

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.                 Bus drive-by of destroyed J.L. Scott Marine Education Center at Point Cadet, Biloxi, MS

2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.                 Presentation and tour of Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Cedar Point, located off Gollott Road, Ocean Springs, MS

WHY: The IHL Board seeks to better understand the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and view the progress made by the University of Southern Mississippi in the affected areas.

BACKGROUND: Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees, IHL governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

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