• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The University of Mississippi

Office of the Chancellor

  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Glenn
    • UM Senior Leadership
    • Staff
    • Former Chancellors
    • Vision, Mission, and Core Values
    • UM Creed
  • Ole Miss News
  • Connect
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email
    • Contact Us
  • UM Campuses
    • UM Home
    • UMMC – Jackson
    • UM – Desoto
    • UM – Tupelo
    • UM – Booneville
    • UM – Grenada

Articles and Interviews

Larry Sparks Begins Tenure as Ole Miss’ Interim Chancellor

February 2, 2019 Articles and Interviews

It has been a busy three months for the University of Mississippi. On Nov. 9 Jeffrey Vitter announced his resignation as chancellor, ending his tenure that lasted a little over three years. The resignation took effect last month and on Jan. 4 Larry Sparks, Ole Miss’ Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, took over as the interim chancellor.

The first month on the job for Sparks has been about keeping the ship going in the right direction and getting acclimated to his new role on campus.

“I would say it’s been exciting,” Sparks said of the transition. “It’s been interesting. I am doing my best to be as proactive as possible in terms of meeting individuals, both internal and external, in answering questions in term of expectations because it is an interim period. We don’t want the institution to stand idle, if you will, during the period.”

In echoing that message, Sparks sent a letter out to Ole Miss faculty, staff and students on Jan. 22 as the spring semester was beginning. The letter reinforced his goal of wanting to ‘facilitate a smooth transition period’ until a new chancellor is appointed.

Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning’s Board of Trustees will be in charge of finding a permanent chancellor for Ole Miss, but a specific timeline has not been given in regards to the hiring process. With uncertainty on how long Sparks will be serving in the interim, he is preparing himself for this to be a long-term situation.

“I’ve talked internally to our leadership team and to others who have asked, I said internally let’s plan on one year,” Sparks said of his tenure. “If it is a shorter or longer period than that then we’ll deal with that when it occurs.”

Sparks is focusing on the here and now and Ole Miss’ present issues at hand. Sitting at the top of that list is finding a way to get more students on campus. Enrollment numbers have dropped the past two years across the university’s regional campuses and the medical center in Jackson. In the fall of 2017 there were 23,870 students enrolled at the university. That number dropped to 23,528 in the fall of 2018, a 2.2 percent decrease. 2017’s decrease of 1.9 percent was the most in over two decades at Ole Miss.

One of Sparks’ main goals it boost in-state enrollment numbers. 58.3 percent of students enrolled at Ole Miss this school year (2018-19) are Mississippi residents. The rest are from all 50 states and there are 90 countries represented among the enrollment numbers.

“One of the main focuses we have is for the upcoming fall semester and going forward is putting more of our resources on Mississippi and Mississippi students and the recruitment of Mississippi students,” Sparks said. “I think that is of the utmost importance to the university. As the university that serves the flagship mission as a public institution for the state of Mississippi we need to be focused on Mississippi first. Not that we haven’t in the past, but I think renewed and more focused on Mississippi.”

Sparks also reiterated their intentions to continue to recruit outside of Mississippi and internationally. He is also ‘OK’ with the current enrollment ratio being near 60/40 in terms of in-state students to out of state students.

While sitting in the chancellor’s chair for potentially a full calendar year comes with keeping the relationship with the athletic side of the university healthy. Sparks has already met with leadership members in the athletic department. With athletics coming out from under the years-long cloud of an NCAA investigation and a new chancellor set to be in place, there is a feel of a clean slate for both the academic and athletic aspects of the university.

“One of the first points in my letter was that we’ll work together as team, as one community and that’s my intention going forward,” Sparks said. “That includes athletics. I would say we have a great working relationship and we speak frequently.”

BY JAKE THOMPSON

Source: The Oxford Eagle https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/02/02/larry-sparks-begins-tenure-as-ole-miss-interim-chancellor/

IHL: Board of Trustees appoints UM Vice Chancellor to serve as Interim Chancellor

November 15, 2018 Articles and Interviews

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning named University of Mississippi Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Larry D. Sparks as Interim Chancellor, effective January 4, 2019. He will remain in the position until a permanent chancellor is named.

Steering Ole Miss to Greater Economic and Academic Gains

November 3, 2018 Articles and Interviews

Alot has happened in the almost three years since Dr. Jeffrey Vitter took the helm as Chancellor of the University of Mississippi. Ole Miss is the Flagship University of the state, considered the best-known college in the state with the largest enrollment, just over 23,258. With an annual budget of $2.5 billion, it is also an economic powerhouse.Read More

Ole Miss chancellor shares vision for university’s future

April 28, 2018 Articles and Interviews

“Flagship Forward.”

It’s the simple, yet profound strategic plan for The University of Mississippi, and one UM’s top official is immensely proud of.

Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter was among the Ole Miss royalty at the Crossroads Arena on Thursday as the BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip made its seventh stop in Corinth.

“This is a amazing turnout and definitely the biggest crowd we have had so far,” Vitter told the more than 400 Rebel faithful in attendance. “It is great to see so many passionate Ole Miss Rebels here, and it’s even greater to be able to share with everyone the momentum we have right now across our entire flagship university.”

Read More

MPB News: Mississippi Edition: Friday, July 7, 2017

July 12, 2017 Articles and Interviews

“Hear from state commissioners on the Kemper energy facility settlement process. Then, Ole Miss is trying to provide more context for its historical landmarks, monuments, and named buildings. And Miss Mississippi is on her quest for the Miss America crown. Plus, Mark Coblentz goes from MasterChef Junior to MPBs Fit to Eat.” MPB

To listen to the full interview click this link: http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/mississippiedition/mississippi-edition-friday-july-7th/

Mississippi Edition: Friday, July 7th
(The Chancellor interview begins at 4 minutes and 45 seconds.)

Ole Miss chancellor touts progress amid budget concerns

February 9, 2017 Articles and Interviews

University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter told Columbus Rotarians on Tuesday that nothing is more vital to the state’s future than higher education.

Vitter, who has served as chancellor for a little longer than a year, said the university is improving on several fronts, from growing enrollment to record-high ACT scores and grade-point averages for incoming students.

However, Vitter said the University of Mississippi — and all universities in the state — must grapple with the reality of tightening state budgets.

Read More

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Chancellor’s Communications

  • Letters from the Chancellor
  • Top News
  • Statements
  • Pathways to Equity
  • Legacy of Leadership Booklet
  • In Memoriam
  • Accreditation
  • Senior Leadership
  • Former Chancellors
  • Standing Committees
  • Flagship Forward
  • Contact Us
© The University of Mississippi. The University of Mississippi retains and reserves all rights to these materials. Attribution is requested for any fair use of the material.

Footer

  • UM Home
  • Inauguration
  • Senior Leadership
  • Vision, Mission, and Core Values
  • UM Creed
  • UMMC – Jackson
  • UM – Desoto
  • UM – Tupelo
  • UM – Booneville
  • UM – Grenada
  • Administration and Finance
  • Office of the Provost
  • University Communications
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Research
  • Student Affairs
  • Office of Global Engagement
  • Athletics
  • Admissions
  • Alumni
Ole Miss logo
Enroll at the University of Mississippi and discover your future!
Copyright © University Communications 2016. All Rights Reserved.
EEO Statement Give Us Your Feedback Accessibility Ethics Line UM Creed