Letters from the Chancellor

Dear faculty and staff,

We’re so grateful for you — on National Employee Appreciation Day and every day! At the University of Mississippi, we’re proud of your life-changing work that serves our students, our communities and our future. Because of each of you, we keep doing what we do best — offering the education, experiences and opportunities for people to pursue their passions and reach their potential so they can build legacies of fulfilling lives and successful careers.

Even amid the unprecedented challenges of the past two years, your dedication and incredible care have been on full display. Most notably, you have remained united in meeting our mission and serving our students. Your meaningful work elevates our entire university, and it is truly a privilege to witness the drive, talent and passion you bring to your roles year-round. Your extraordinary and significant efforts, contributions and service are noticed — please know how much you are appreciated!

Sincerely,
Senior Leadership Group

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Noel E. Wilkin
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Keith Carter
Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics

Josh Gladden
Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs

Steven Holley
Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance

Shawnboda Mead
Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Community Engagement

Charlotte Parks
Vice Chancellor for Development

Charlotte Fant Pegues
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Eduardo Prieto
Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management

Kirk Purdom
CEO, Ole Miss Alumni Association

Perry Sansing
Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Governmental Affairs

Wendell Weakley
President/CEO, UM Foundation

David Whitcomb
Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

Jim Zook
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

With the spring semester approaching, I want to share an update on our university’s ongoing response to the pandemic to help you understand what to expect on campus. We find ourselves facing another period of uncertainty, but I am confident that we will once again persevere and keep our students on track towards earning their degrees while continuing to move the university forward.
 
The Omicron variant is now the dominant strain of the virus. While health officials indicate Omicron cases are generally mild (especially for those who are vaccinated), the transmissibility of Omicron is significantly higher than the Delta variant. We anticipate that classes and services delivered on our campus will face disruptions.

• The spring semester will remain in-person and commence on our campus as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 18.
• The mask requirement for public indoor spaces remains in effect, and it is essential that all of us comply. As we begin the spring semester, we must be more vigilant because wearing a mask is a simple and important layer of protection to limit spread of the virus. Visit this page for more information on current protocols, and please follow CDC guidelines for how to wear a mask so that masks can be as effective as possible.
• We encourage you to hold any and all meetings virtually when you are able.
• If you test positive for COVID-19, feel sick or experience symptoms, stay home to avoid contact with others and do not attend school, work, meetings or events. Notify your supervisor or instructor. Refer to the updated CDC isolation and quarantine guidance.

Ultimately, vaccination remains the best and most widely available protection against severe illness. We strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted.

We know there is a lot of COVID fatigue out there, but our best path forward is to get vaccinated, follow the protocols, and limit the spread. We may not want to wear masks, but doing so helps to minimize the impact of the virus. This is a special community, and that has been evident through the ways in which we have persevered for nearly two years in navigating this pandemic.

Be on the lookout for additional communications in the coming days that will provide more detailed guidance and information. Thank you for your patience and your commitment to seeing this through.

Stay healthy,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Dear faculty and staff,

Let me start with a heartfelt “Thank you.” Because of you, we’ve added another successful semester to the legacy of the University of Mississippi! You have filled our semester with incredible dedication and outstanding achievements. I’m inspired by your unwavering commitment to excellence in how we serve our students and build a better world through higher education.

While we continue to navigate headwinds related to the pandemic, our people have persevered to deliver this semester. The resumption of a full on-campus experience reignited the deep sense of community and care that is core to who we are as a university. It has been remarkable to experience the vibrancy of our campus and how we’ve delivered a robust semester of life-changing academics, experiences, and opportunities.

Your selfless efforts and extraordinary contributions help our students find their purpose, and you are the backbone of how we fulfill our vital mission. Thanks to you, it has been an exciting semester marked by increased enrollment, a historically high freshman retention rate, and stronger national rankings. We’ve enjoyed extraordinary experiences in our classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and green spaces.

As we look ahead to the spring, we will build on our successes from the fall semester to inspire continued growth and excellence. It’s essential that we remain focused on how we work as a community to build leaders, empower student success, create opportunity, drive progress and change through research and innovation, and champion our communities. I know you join me in the commitment to offering the best on-campus living, learning, and working environment possible.

Please take time to enjoy the holiday season surrounded by family, friends, and festivities. My hope is for you to enjoy some much-deserved downtime, and take the opportunity to do those things that bring you joy and happiness.

Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Dear students,

We’ve reached the last day of classes of the Fall 2021 semester — job well done! Once again, you have filled our semester with great accomplishments, infectious energy, and a whole lot of fun. Your drive, focus, and resiliency continues to inspire me and pushes me to work harder for you. Now, I’d like to share a few thoughts on what’s next.

Tackle exams head on
Be sure to prioritize how you use your time over the next few days to finish strong with your final exams. Finals Week and the time needed to prepare thoroughly will always be the most challenging part of any semester. Do not ‘wing’ your final exams — challenge yourself to reach new heights of success. Click here to navigate the final exam schedule to confirm the date and time of your exams. For questions, contact your professor or consult your class syllabus for more information. If you find yourself overextended or overwhelmed, our team of dedicated, caring professionals at the University Counseling Center is here to support you.

Take a break and experience the LOU community
As the semester comes to a close and the holiday season ramps up, be sure to take a moment to enjoy Oxford and our beautiful campus with your favorite people. Take time to get some fresh air, check out the lights around the Square, and reflect on the blessings from this year. As always, check The Forum and Visit Oxford to find out what’s happening in the community.

Looking ahead to 2022
First and foremost, get home safely to rest over the holidays and get ready to roll into Spring 2022! As we look ahead, I want to reiterate our commitment to continue enhancing our academic offerings, student support, and campus life activities. I’m eagerly awaiting the energy that you will bring to the Spring semester. Read The Powder Blue, the weekly email student newsletter, to find out about services offered for students, and follow Ole Miss Student Services on Instagram for daily content.

Study hard and best of luck with your upcoming exams. I wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season surrounded by family, friends, and festivities. I look forward to seeing you and all of Rebel nation as we go “bowling” with the football team and when you return in the Spring!

Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on all for which we’re grateful — family, friends, and the multitude of blessings in our lives. We have much to be thankful for at the University of Mississippi, and I’m especially appreciative of our incredible campus community and the tremendous work that has gone into shaping a remarkably successful fall semester. The resiliency of our students, faculty, and staff is inspiring. And the shared dedication to excellence shines through in every aspect of our university, from academics to campus life to how we serve our community and state.

While we take some time away, I encourage you to do two things: take care of others and take care of yourself. The commitment to serving others runs deep in our university DNA — it’s a hallmark of our campus community that inspires me on a daily basis. It is also essential to tend to our individual mental and physical wellbeing. Sometimes it can be the smallest things — for others and ourselves — that can make the greatest impact. For our faculty and staff, I hope you will make time for food and fellowship at the 2021 Holiday Meal on Wednesday, Nov. 24 from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in The Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom.

May your Thanksgiving be joyful, restful, and healthy. Please take time to relax, replenish, and recharge so we can finish the fall semester strongly. With the deepest sense of gratitude, my wife Emily and I wish you and yours a very Happy and Hotty Toddy Thanksgiving!

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

To our alumni and friends,

As our state’s flagship institution, the University of Mississippi strives to set the standard in all that we do. It’s an expectation that permeates every aspect of Ole Miss — from academics to athletics to providing exceptional experiences that propel our students on their paths to building their legacies and leaving their mark on the world. This mindset is expected by our 130,000-plus alumni, nearly 22,000 students, and 12,000-plus employees. In that spirit, I’m thrilled to highlight several recent achievements that reflect our university’s continued momentum. I know these developments will deepen your pride in this extraordinary place.

Enrollment is up!

Overall enrollment is up. Transfer enrollment is up. Graduate and professional student enrollment is up. UMMC enrollment is up. Freshman enrollment is up BIG. With gains among both in-state and out-of-state freshmen, we posted the largest increase in the number of freshmen from one fall to the next in university history with our freshman class totaling 3,584 — an 18% increase over 2020! In a year when higher ed enrollment dropped 3.5% nationally, we’ve bucked the trend with overall enrollment up nearly 1% to 21,856. And we expect this trajectory to continue as undergraduate applications for next year are up 32%.

When students enroll at Ole Miss, they are persisting more than ever. Our historically high freshman retention rate this fall is 88.2% — 15 percentage points higher than the national average. Our incredible faculty and staff deserve a tremendous thanks for their contributions to how our students have persevered and thrived during this time. After nearly two years of change and uncertainty prompted by COVID-19, we’re ecstatic about this measure because it means more of our students are closer to walking across the stage at Commencement. We are grateful to our alumni and friends who support our recruitment efforts and enable us to attract high achieving students across the country. Be sure to read the entire news story for all the details of this great news.

Ole Miss remains the highest-ranked university in Mississippi!

According to U.S. News & World Report, we jumped 10 spots from last year to No. 67 among public universities, which places us among the top 10% of public universities nationally. We are also the state leader and in the top 5% of public universities nationally for Best Value, a critical indicator for our students and their families. We have been cited as a Best for Vets among public universities for our support of military-connected students with U.S. News ranking us #64 nationally and Military Times ranking us #21 nationally. See the news story.

Ole Miss grads are the state’s best at finding and keeping a job!

These developments signify who we are now, and who we are becoming for our students and our future as an institution. As some of our best and most enthusiastic supporters and advocates, you do so much for Ole Miss and we’re grateful for all that you do. Your involvement, input, support, and advocacy makes a more meaningful experience for everyone and elevates our entire university. And, we can’t wait to see you in Oxford this weekend when ESPN’s “College GameDay” comes to town to see our Rebels take on the Aggies!

HOTTY TODDY!

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor