The University of Mississippi

Office of the Chancellor

Letters from the Chancellor

University Budget Update

Letters from the Chancellor

Dear faculty and staff,

We are writing to share an update with you on the university budget.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink almost every aspect of our campus operations, including finances. The financial impact of the pandemic has already been significant for us as we provided millions in refunds from the spring semester, invested in new ways to deliver courses remotely, incurred added costs to implement new protocols for the Fall 2020 semester and more. While many of our pandemic-related expenses may be eligible for reimbursement through CARES Act funding, many are not eligible for reimbursement.Read More

Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020 – Alumni

Letters from the Chancellor

Dear alumni,

I hope this letter finds you healthy and well. I’m writing to share information about our “Campus Ready” plan that outlines changes to campus operations for the Fall 2020 semester. While our campus operations and academic protocols might not affect you directly, we recognize that there is great interest in how the university is navigating these very challenging times. In that spirit, we wanted to provide the summary below as well as share links to the plan and other relevant information.

While it is as comprehensive of a plan as possible to date, it remains a work-in-progress and will continue to be updated as additional campus protocols are finalized, the pandemic unfolds and updated public health recommendations become available. We remain focused on preserving the on-campus experience, but COVID-19 has forced us to rethink everything we do.

We recognize there are questions that we are not able to answer yet, including the impact on events in the fall like football and other sports, tailgating, Homecoming as well as other campus and social events. Throughout the pandemic, we have learned that each day brings new data and information that influences decision making at every level. As information and decisions are refined and finalized, we will continue to share those with our university community. Stay well, and we hope to see you soon.

Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Overview of Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while returning to in-person operations, the university is implementing new protocols and expectations for everyone on campus, a modified academic calendar, new forms of course delivery, mandatory training for employees and students, daily symptom checks and COVID-19 testing and tracing.

The university’s guiding principles continue to be preventing the spread of the virus and safeguarding the community; resuming on-campus learning while prioritizing safety and well-being; fulfilling the university’s core mission of education, research and service; and enabling students to maintain academic progress toward their degrees. 

The parameters and protocols include maintaining six feet of physical distancing and practicing proper hand hygiene. Face masks or cloth face coverings will be required at most times by faculty, staff, students and visitors, including at all times while indoors and in the presence of anyone else, and while outdoors where maintaining the required six feet of physical spacing is not feasible. 

The Fall 2020 semester will begin as scheduled on Aug. 24 with the last day of classes on Nov. 17. Final exams will be held Nov. 18-24. This was done in an effort to mitigate the potential spread of the virus, account for other health threats during the winter and acknowledge the likelihood of increased travel during fall holidays.

Classroom capacities will be reduced to comply with CDC and national public health recommendations. This will necessitate some courses to be taught in-person or through a blend of in-person and online instruction, while others will be offered remotely or fully online. The “Campus Ready” plan also includes specific guidance about events, student housing, dining services, fraternity and sorority life, the Student Union, campus transportation and more.

The “Campus Ready” plan was developed in alignment with government orders and public health recommendations from the Safe Return order of Gov. Tate Reeves’s reopening plan, the City of Oxford’s Serving Oxford Safely recovery plan, the IHL Safe Start Task Force, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), and the American College Health Association (ACHA).

Quick Links

Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020 – Parents and Families

Letters from the Chancellor

Dear parents and families,

We hope all of our Ole Miss families have had a good summer so far and that this letter finds you healthy and well. On campus, we have had a busy summer with planning and preparations for the countdown to Fall 2020. I’m writing to share information about a message we sent to faculty, staff and students on June 30 to share the “Campus Ready” plan that outlines changes to campus operations for the Fall 2020 semester.
 
As parents and families, we know you have a great interest in the university’s planning and preparedness during these challenging times. Foremost, we want you to know that every aspect of the “Campus Ready” plan is focused on preventing the spread of the virus to safeguard our community. We have done this in alignment with government orders and public health recommendations from the Safe Return order of Gov. Tate Reeves’s reopening plan, the City of Oxford’s Serving Oxford Safely recovery plan, the IHL Safe Start Task Force, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), and the American College Health Association (ACHA).
 
The “Campus Ready” plan will be updated as additional campus protocols are finalized, the pandemic unfolds and new information and updated public health recommendations are made available. In the plan, you will find extensive information on student responsibilities ranging from the expectation to wear a face mask or cloth face covering to how courses will be delivered. Below you will find links to topics most relevant to your student.
One area in particular I’d like to highlight is how social distancing guidelines will impact the classroom experience. In order to comply with public health recommendations of maintaining six or more feet from others, we have to reduce the capacity of classrooms and other learning spaces. This means that courses will be offered in four different delivery modes — you can read detailed descriptions of these delivery modes here.
 
Regardless of the delivery method this fall, I want to emphasize that students will continue to learn from outstanding faculty and will participate in amazing academic programs. The University of Mississippi is one of the best values in higher education, and our faculty are working hard to ensure that courses this fall are valuable and provide the same student outcomes, whether they are offered in a remote format or a face-to-face format. And all of our programs will continue to meet the accreditation standards and prepare students for their next educational experience or a career in their chosen field.
 
As we work hard to maintain a healthy campus environment this fall, we are very appreciative of your support in understanding what is expected of our students as outlined in the “Campus Ready” plan and in emphasizing the importance of compliance. If we cannot achieve full compliance with the protocols across our entire community and the university experiences prolific spread of the virus, we will have no choice but to scale back on-campus operations and take more strict measures to prevent further spread. If all members of our community do their part to prevent the virus from spreading, our level of activity on campus can be greater.
 
We know it is a lot to take in, but we are here to answer your questions, and we will be here to support your student through all of it this fall.

Message from Chancellor Boyce about the Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020

Letters from the Chancellor, Welcome

Dear faculty, staff and students,

This message marks the release of the university’s “Campus Ready” plan that outlines how we will operate for the Fall 2020 semester. The plan is the product of extensive and exhaustive planning efforts designed to resume daily operations and return to instruction on campus safely. As a result, this message is lengthy and backed by additional supporting documentation in an effort to share with you what is known now and identify what remains to be determined.

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Message from Chancellor Boyce about monument

Letters from the Chancellor, Welcome

Dear university community,

We appreciate the vote today by the State Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees to approve the University’s proposal to relocate the monument on our campus. The presence of the monument in the heart of our campus has been a subject of debate off and on for a long time. Now is the time for change as we strive to make a better present and future for everyone on our campus.

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