As of Monday, hoverboards are now banned from all Mississippi State University campus buildings. 
   According to the Executive Council of MSU, this decision was made in the interest of student safety.  Hoverboards are seen as a potential fire risk because they have been known to catch flame unexpectedly.  The lithium ion batteries inside these devices have caught fire and reportedly destroyed bedrooms and entire homes in some cases.  
 There has been no discovered way to avoid these potential fires.  The ban on them is applicable now, but hoverboards are still allowed around campus just as bicycles and skateboards are used for transportation outside of buildings.  
    Section 9 of Section E of Traffic and Parking Rules and Regulations now reads, “Use of bicycles, skateboards, in-line skates, hover boards, or other wheeled modes of transportation inside of campus buildings or on campus structures… is not permitted.” 
    At the start of this semester, all residence halls prohibited hoverboards just as candles, halogen lights and LED lights are banned.  Because of the ban in residence halls, the question was brought to the executive council on whether or not the machines should be allowed in any buildings on campus. 
     Regina Hyatt, vice president of Student Affairs, said this ban, unlike the ban in the residence halls, was not made out of fear of possible fire concerns, but because of other safety concerns.  
    “In this case this decision was reached, not necessarily just a fire safety concern, but because we also do not allow students to ride their bikes or skateboards or rollerblades, inside campus buildings for other kinds of safety considerations,” Hyatt said.
    Universities across the nation have also banned hoverboards, including the University of Kentucky, the University of Alabama, and Louisiana State University.      
Sid Salter, the MSU Chief Communications Officer, said this decision was reached after much consideration for the safety of the students across campus.  
    Hyatt said Student Affairs realized after the explosions became a national phenomenon, they would have to address the subject.
  “Because of the fire hazard, the idea of having them in university housing and other buildings where there would be the potential for these types of fires to begin with hoverboards that were left unattended, the risk was decided to be too great.  It exposed people who did not have hoverboards to an undue amount of danger that they do not deserve.”
     If a student breaks the restriction, the student would be immediately asked to remove the hoverboard.  If the student does not comply with the instructions, they will be referred to the student code of conduct process which could result with them being expelled, dismissed, or suspended.   
JoJo Dodd,  president of the Student Association, said he is favorable of the banning of hoverboards within campus buildings.
   “With as busy as foot traffic can get during the day, it makes sense not to allow these within buildings,” Dodd said. “Students are still allowed to use them on campus in the same way you could use a bike or skateboard. Even so, I’ll probably stick to walking.”