The University of Mississippi

Office of the Chancellor

Letters from the Chancellor

Letter of Appreciation from Chancellor Boyce

Letters from the Chancellor, Welcome

Dear staff,
 
As we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week, I want to share how deeply grateful I am for every member of our outstanding staff. Each and every day, I’m impressed and inspired by the hard work, dedication, and talents that you contribute to our overall efforts of building a better world through higher education. It is truly you, the people of Ole Miss, that make it such an extraordinary place!
 
The tenacity, resolve and generosity of our staff have never been more evident than over the past 15 months of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. Our staff put on full display what it means to go above and beyond in service to our university and did so with enthusiastic energy and boundless positivity. Your selfless efforts are to be commended, and we are forever grateful for your significant contributions.
 
I’d like to congratulate all of our 2021 Outstanding Staff Member Award winners. What tremendous and well-deserved honors — they are the gold standard to which we all aspire!
  • EEO 1, Executive: Blair McElroy, senior international officer and director of study abroad
  • EEO 3, Professional Non-Faculty: Penny Rice, manager of instructional technologies and the faculty technology data center
  • EEO 4, Secretarial/Clerical: Monika Rudd, ID Center coordinator
  • EEO 5, Technical/Paraprofessional: Hope Herren, computer support specialist II
  • EEO 6, Skilled Crafts: Charles “Bo” Thompson, carpenter II
  • EEO 7, Service & Maintenance: Rod Wilson, custodial supervisor
  • Outstanding Staff Member Overall: Shannon Richardson, assistant director of Campus Recreation
  • Dan W. Jones Outstanding Team Service Award: Department of Student Housing (John Yaun, Jeannie Hopper, Don Rogers, Chris Thornton, Tracey Vaughn, Danielle Meyer, Claire Lowe, Emily Styles, Abigail Justice, Deborah Dunn)
 
Let me also congratulate staff members who were recognized this year for their years of service, especially the 60-plus staff members who have an impressive 20 or more years of service! Be sure to check out the complete list and share heartfelt congratulations with your colleagues and friends who are celebrating a milestone! I’d also like to applaud the incredible work and leadership of the University of Mississippi Staff Council.
 
Thanks again to all of our staff for all you do — you are vitally important members of the Ole Miss family. Day in and day out, you play an instrumental role in our success and in upholding our stellar living, learning, and working environment. Your efforts, contributions and service are noticed! Please know how much you are appreciated, and enjoy the rest of the activities including Friday’s Staff Appreciation lunch.
 
Kindly,
 

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

A Memorial Day Message from Chancellor Glenn Boyce

e-Newsletter, Letters from the Chancellor

On Memorial Day, I pause to honor our nation’s heroes, especially the women and men who have gone to war and never returned. These deeply courageous Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and our country. We are grateful and inspired by their bravery, selflessness, and love of country. 

As we mark this significant holiday with our families and loved ones, please take time to reflect on the importance and purpose of this annual day of remembrance. I hope you will take part in the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. Emily and I are thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and understand that what we have is a direct result of their sacrifice.

The spirit of Memorial Day enables us to continue the important work of caring for the members of our Ole Miss Family who served and continue to champion the cause of freedom today. We are indebted to them for their willingness to risk their lives everyday they put on the cloth of this great nation. Because of the bravery of those important individuals who have given their lives for our country, we can welcome today’s service members home. 

Have a safe and memorable Memorial Day and take time to reflect on the blessings we share in calling Ole Miss and the United States home.

Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce

 

Chancellor

Full Return to Working on Campus by June 7, 2021; Guidance for returning to work in on-campus spaces

Letters from the Chancellor

Dear faculty and staff,
 
As we complete another academic year, I want to share my tremendous gratitude for everything our faculty and staff have contributed to navigating the challenges of the past 15 months while continuing to meet our mission and serve our students. I also want to specifically thank all of those in our campus community who played a role in our COVID-19 planning and response efforts. We’re grateful to those who made the necessary adjustments and adaptations to ensure that our mission continued to move forward.
 
We have announced a return to full operations in Fall 2021. The university will operate at full capacity as a traditional, residential campus with the usual campus presence and occupancy within office and workspaces for Fall 2021. We recognize that many in our workforce have been working on campus since July 2020, and doing so safely by following our campus protocols.
 
Given the prolific availability of vaccines, we have reached the point to prepare for full-capacity operations on campus as they were in Fall 2019. If departments are ready to return, they can return to campus at this time. By June 7, 2021, all personnel on contract or employed for the summer are expected to return to working on campus if they have not done so already. Any exception to returning to campus workplaces by June 7, 2021, requires prior approval of the department head.
 
Reasonable accommodation requests may be approved for qualified employees with disabilities, and requests will be managed through Equal Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance. Telework or alternative work arrangements that were in place before the pandemic will be allowed to continue. People who are needed on campus to deliver Orientation programs and support students, services, and activities for summer school need to return as directed by their supervisor.
 
We know there is interest among employees whose positions may lend themselves to working remotely to understand the university’s approach to telework. The Work Strategies Task Force is working with Human Resources to update telework guidelines, and plans to release those later this summer.
 
Parameters and protocols, as directed by the Protocols and Parameters Task Force and approved by the Chancellor, remain in place, including a mask requirement indoors in public spaces and when in the presence of others. Mask use outdoors is optional, but encouraged by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if you are not vaccinated. We will continue to monitor the presence of the virus in our community and follow guidance from the CDC, Mississippi State Department of Health, our health care professionals, and appropriate professional organizations as we make decisions moving forward.
 
From now until June 7, employees will have ample time to get vaccinated and make necessary plans for returning to their on-campus workplace. Additional details about returning, including information about additional protocols, parking decals for those who did not purchase decals this year, and any other guidance regarding work parameters will be communicated by the appropriate departments or units. Human Resources will host drop-in hours and a town hall for supervisors in May, so watch for dates and details on those programs very soon.
 
Those who have not yet been vaccinated can get information about vaccines on the university’s COVID-19 website. Those who are not in Mississippi can learn about vaccine availability and locations on the VaccineFinder website.
 
I am energized about the prospect of returning our full workforce to the campus, and I look forward to bringing our community back together in support of our mission.
 
Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Salary and wage increases for FY2022

Letters from the Chancellor

Dear faculty and staff,
 
Over the last 14 months, I have watched our faculty and staff excel to new heights and perform heroically in the face of adversity brought on by the global pandemic. In the wake of that exceedingly demanding period, I’m pleased to share that the university will provide salary and wage increases for the upcoming fiscal year 2022. We’re honored to make this investment in you, your families and your lives.

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Statement on outcome of the trial in Minneapolis

Letters from the Chancellor

To the university community,

The death of George Floyd served as a new inflection point in our nation’s pursuit of justice and equal treatment under the law. We must recognize and acknowledge how deeply the events of the past year unleashed powerful emotions among countless friends, colleagues, neighbors, our community, and the entire nation. Our hope is that today’s outcome of the trial in Minneapolis offers an important step toward healing and progress.

At the University of Mississippi, we strive to uphold the principles of respect, fairness and civility, personal and professional integrity, honesty and freedom. As we aspire to live these values each day, we embrace the quest to build a better and more just future. As a community, we stand in support of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and all people working to create a more equitable, inclusive and safe world.

We encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to our campus and community. The University Counseling Center will be staffed until 7 p.m. and can be contacted at 662-915-3784. The Stronger Together Dialogue Series, sponsored by the Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement, will host its next installment on “The Quest for Justice in America” on Thursday, April 22 at 6 p.m. Visit this webpage to register for the online event.

Sincerely,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor