Faculty > Vitter > Communications > Letters
Letters from the Chancellor
The following are letters penned by Dr. Vitter as Chancellor of the University of Mississippi:
Letter of Appreciation –November, 13, 2018
It is bittersweet to write this note after announcing on Friday my decision to step down as chancellor and return to the faculty. Serving as your chancellor has been the greatest professional privilege of my life. We have dealt with taxing challenges and big opportunities, and we have built a solid foundation and momentum for the future. At the same time, I have concluded that the time is right for someone new to take the helm.
As I reflect on the past three years, we have many accomplishments to celebrate from our collaboration on the life-changing work of this university. Foremost among those accomplishments are elevating academic excellence; growing our research enterprise, including earning the prestigious Carnegie R-1 highest research activity designation; establishing four exciting Flagship Constellation areas of multidisciplinary research excellence; launching annual Tech Summits that position us as leaders in STEM education; delivering an academically sound, fact-focused process to put the past into greater context at several sites across the campus; promoting healthier communities across Mississippi by advocating successfully for passage of the Healthcare Collaboration Act as well as increasing our engagement and support through our M Partner initiative; creating several new exciting, fast-growing degree programs; launching the new Ole Miss International program that will matriculate international students starting in August; and, leading a successful appeal of the most onerous NCAA recruiting sanctions against our football program.
There are so many experiences and memories from the past three years that Sharon and I will always cherish. No one has ever enjoyed a better first day on a new job as we watched from the sidelines as the Rebels won the Sugar Bowl in my hometown of New Orleans. We have been blessed to enjoy so many amazing performances by our faculty and students in Carnegie Hall, our great Gertrude Ford Center, and other venues across campus. I was fortunate to lead the university when we welcomed superb commencement speakers in Tom Brokaw, Jon Meacham, and Walter Isaacson. And, I will always smile when thinking about my walk one afternoon across a large campo in Venice, Italy while wearing an Ole Miss cap, when all of a sudden came a distant call: “Hotty Toddy!”
More importantly, our successes are the result of the relationships and collective efforts of so many dedicated people who are committed to ensuring the continued success of the university. Sharon and I have made so many great friends here to whom I am forever indebted for their service, counsel, and support. The talented and dedicated leaders and faculty across all of our campuses are remarkably focused on our students, who bring the passion, vitality, and idealism that makes our university so vibrant. Our staff delivers, day in and day out, to keep the university moving forward and serving our students with distinction. In particular, I want to highlight the staff in the Office of the Chancellor, which worked tirelessly to manage an incredible volume of documents, requests, and materials to support me and help me to put my best foot forward. I am constantly inspired by the passion and dedication that fuels our alumni and friends to support and contribute to building the future of the university.
As we look ahead, the university is fortunate to enjoy the experience and wisdom of so many leaders on campus and across our state who will ensure that this institution navigates this transition well. Our fundamentals are strong. I commit to you that I will do everything in my power to ensure a smooth and positive transition. Sharon and I will remain loyal members of Rebel Nation.
For 170 years, the University of Mississippi has served its students, this state, and the nation with distinction. I remain confident and optimistic about the university’s future. I am grateful for the opportunity to play a part in shaping its tremendous legacy.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
NCAA Appeals Committee Overturns Recruiting Sanction, Closes University’s Case –November 1, 2018
The NCAA Appeals Committee released its decision today, bringing the nearly six-year process to an end. The university prevailed in its appeal of the most onerous sanction, the penalty restricting unofficial visits.
Visit www.umncaacase.com for a more detailed letter from university leadership and other related public documents.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter from UM Chancellor on Next Steps for Community –September 21, 2018
Our leadership team has heard a lot of input — both in the last 48 hours and prior to that time — about the environment at Ole Miss and in Oxford as both the university and the town have grown. Our community has long taken pride in providing a welcoming environment for all who come here to study or visit. However, a number of students eloquently stated at last night’s campus listening sessions that our community does not always feel welcoming to them. We heard you.
The university’s leadership team will utilize a two-pronged process to enable our community to address an array of concerns emanating from the unacceptable social media posts published earlier this week by a prominent donor to the university. The near-term prong, which involves consideration of a name change for an academic unit, is governed by existing university process.
In light of calls by some in our community to change the name of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, it is important to explain the university’s long-established process to consider whether to modify the name of an existing academic unit. All of the following steps must be completed in order to make a name change:
- The faculty committee of the academic unit must approve a recommendation to make a name change.
- If that faculty group recommends a change, the matter must be taken up by the Undergraduate and Graduate councils. These councils have faculty from across the entire university and one voting student representative on each council.
- The actions of the councils are then considered by the Council of Academic Administrators, which is chaired by the provost. Its voting members include all deans, the Faculty Senate chair, faculty representatives, the three vice chancellors within Academic Affairs, the ASB president, and the Graduate Student Council president.
- If the Council of Academic Administrators recommends a change, the matter is referred to the Chancellor, who would decide whether to make a request to the IHL Board for consideration and a final vote.
This process is, by design, thoughtful and intentional. It is open to input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and it meets all accreditation requirements for changing organizational units on campus, including a unit’s name. We will follow this approach to consider any name change.
The other, longer-term prong will include expedited acquisition of additional feedback and consideration of new actions and strategies to address concerns around university and community climate. This initiative will be led by Katrina Caldwell, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement, and informed by input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
I want to close by reiterating my thanks to the students who shared many emotional comments and perspectives at last night’s listening sessions. Your willingness to step forward and discuss how this week’s events affected you in a frank and civil manner reflected the best of what we want for our university. It is the constructive way for families to deal with the tough stuff in life, and it’s how our university family will address these issues going forward.
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor
Statement from Chancellor Vitter Regarding the NCAA Case Involving Football –December 1, 2017
Today, the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions issued its report to the University of Mississippi regarding the NCAA investigation of the football program. In the report, the committee disagreed with the institution’s position on most of the contested allegations. In addition to accepting our previously self-imposed sanctions, the committee has imposed a postseason ban for 2018.
While we continue to review the full report, we will vigorously appeal the 2018 postseason ban. The additional postseason ban is excessive and does not take into account the corrective actions that we have made in personnel, structure, policies and processes to address the issues.
Vice Chancellor for Athletics Ross Bjork and I will be available to the media at 1 p.m. CT in the Burns Team Meeting Room in the Manning Center to discuss the Committee’s findings.
For links to public case documents, please visit umncaacase.com.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
A Thanksgiving Message from Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter –November 21, 2017
Greetings:
Each year, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the hustle and bustle of the ensuing holiday season. We especially embrace it as a time to appreciate the many wonderful people in our lives and the multitude of blessings we share. Since we arrived almost two years ago, Sharon and I continue to be tremendously grateful to be part of such a diverse, caring, and dynamic university community. I am inspired on a daily basis by the dedication and outstanding accomplishments across our campuses.
Now is also a time to reflect upon and learn from the many challenges we have faced in our community and around the nation. To find effective solutions that bring together the community, we should seek and be informed by the broad and varied perspectives represented around the table. This approach is a hallmark of education; it enriches the environment and experiences of all our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.
We recognize that we will continue to face challenges and forge our way forward. As we do so, we must reaffirm our resolute commitment to value, celebrate, and support each and every member of the university family. I make it a priority, and I ask each of you to do the same. Everyone in our community has a meaningful role in our mission to inspire, discover, and transform.
As you gather with friends and family over the break, I hope you take time to relax and recharge — we are in the home stretch of another successful fall semester. With the deepest sense of gratitude, Sharon and I wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Fins Up, Rebels! Ole Miss Announces Landshark as Official Mascot –October 6, 2017
We are proud of our students and their leadership and active engagement as important members of our university community. We recognize that their efforts stem from a desire to unify the Ole Miss family.
The results of the Landshark poll confirm the sentiments that Ross and I have heard since arriving on campus — that the Landshark and “Fins Up” have become synonymous with the positive spirit and strength of our athletics program and the “Never Quit” attitude of Rebel Nation.
Upon learning of the ASB poll of students, we sought input from the executive committees of the Ole Miss Alumni Association, the Staff Council, the Faculty Senate, and the Graduate Student Council, as well as from the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Spirit Squad head coaches. In each case, the support for the Landshark mascot was unanimous. In addition, the past presidents of the Ole Miss Alumni Association and the boards of the Alumni Association and M-Club enthusiastically endorsed the action of the Alumni Association executive committee.
Indeed, the growth of the Landshark mystique over the last seven years has been phenomenal with every athletics team embracing it, including such standouts as Marshall Henderson with basketball and Kaitlin Lee with softball, in leading their respective teams to SEC championships.
Today, I’m excited to announce that we will move forward with the Landshark as the official mascot and retire Rebel the Bear. Athletics will be charged with designing, developing, and launching the Landshark mascot, with an anticipated unveiling before the 2018 season.
In closing, I want to state unequivocally that we are — and always will be — the Ole Miss Rebels. And I am asking all Rebels to unite around our new Landshark mascot.
Hotty Toddy and Fins Up!
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Maintaining Safe, Welcoming Environment for All –August 22, 2017
I am so pleased to welcome everyone back to an exciting new academic year. Our campuses come alive with optimism and energy each August when our full student body returns — students truly form the heart of our Ole Miss community.
Our excitement for the new year, however, is tempered by feelings of shock, disgust, and sorrow from the recent tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia. We are all struggling with the horrific events that unfolded when white supremacist groups incited violence, hatred, and even death in a college town with a vibrant and diverse community similar to our own.
The University of Mississippi emphatically condemns and rejects racism and bigotry. There is no place for violence and hate — not in our communities, on our campuses, or in our country. Diversity enriches the educational environment and experiences of all our campus constituents. I urge all members of the university community to embrace the tenets of the UM Creed with a commitment to respect, civility, and integrity, and to be on the forefront in condemning hate, bigotry, and violence.
Our highest priority is maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to our campus. We are always vigilant about protecting our campus from violence and harm. With our superb partners in law enforcement, legal affairs, and government in the City of Oxford, Lafayette County, the State of Mississippi, and the Federal Government, we are actively working together to ensure that our community is safe and that we turn away those with violent or malevolent intent.
The events in Charlottesville have heightened the national dialogue about social injustice and race. At Ole Miss we do not shy away from difficult topics. In fact, our university community has engaged in deliberate discussions for many years about how to confront our past while forging a vibrant future — to make clear that we reject past attitudes that do not reflect who we are today. As an educational institution, our guiding principle was that we have a duty to learn and teach from history, and contextualization was determined to be the most effective approach. We recently completed a 15-month endeavor with the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context to identify and contextualize the physical sites where we needed to offer more history and put the past into context. The effort involved both an academic review and broad community participation.
The fundamental responsibility of a university is to foster learning, innovation, and strong communities. Working together, we will continue to have positive impact. In future letters and blogs, I will write with details about some exciting upcoming events and initiatives:
The second annual Tech Summit August 30, including a keynote by renowned Silicon Valley pioneer Jim Clark. Our second annual Town Hall meeting which will feature the results of our strategic planning efforts over the past year. A major event in November to feature the Flagship Constellation research initiatives. Launching of the M Partner program in January to strengthen Mississippi communities. Please be watching for more information about these programs and initiatives in the coming weeks. And please accept my gratitude for all you do to help us fulfill our role as a flagship university.
As an academic community, the exchange of ideas and open dialogue are core to our culture. We will always engage in frank and open discussions of important issues to our community, so that collectively as a community we can come together and realize our flagship aspirations — to transform lives, communities, and the world.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context Final Report –July 6, 2017
Greetings:
As we complete our celebration of our nation’s birthday, I am writing to update the University of Mississippi community about another important milestone: the conclusion of the work of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context (CACHC).
In this letter, I provide the CACHC final report and the university response to its recommendations. In discussion with the university’s senior leadership team, I have decided to accept all the committee’s recommendations related to its charge, and we will seek community input this month on two related recommendations — involving recognition of the sacrifice of the University Greys and the acknowledgment of both Confederate and African American men who fought in the Civil War. We are not adopting some remaining recommendations that are beyond the scope of the committee’s charge.
I would first like to convey my profound thanks to the members of the committee for their hard work over the past academic year on this challenging, but very important task for our university. As Mississippi’s flagship university, we have long been committed to honest and open dialogue about our history. The work of the CACHC represents that commitment in action — informed by expertise and conducted with respectful candor.
As important as today’s destination is, the journey that brought us here is noteworthy. I committed early on as chancellor to the tenets of 2014 Action Plan — a comprehensive set of recommendations related to campus environment — and I established the CACHC to address Recommendation 5 of the action plan, which urged the university to “offer more history, putting the past into context” and to do so “without attempts to erase history, even some difficult history.” (2014 Action Plan, page 3)
The CACHC embodies this approach of contextualization in its final report, recognizing that while our history is by no means all that we are, it remains an important part of who we are:
“Contextualizing the campus reminds us of the enormity and complexity of our shared past. Done correctly, and therefore carefully, contextualization is an additive process, not a subtractive one. The past merits scrutiny, even as it commands respect. Such an engagement with our collective past seeks to clarify, not to obscure. But while facing the past with humility, contextualization calls for honesty on behalf of all who will in the future develop their own relationships with the University. Contextualization therefore looks backward and forward simultaneously, working toward a just and faithful balance between humility and honesty. Those who undertake such work must be mindful of being stewards, transmitting an imperfect knowledge of the past to the imagined understanding of the future.” (CACHC Final Report, page 4)
Background
I first announced the formation of the CACHC in my March 29, 2016 letter to the community, after which members of the senior leadership team and I met with several groups of students, faculty, staff, and alumni in April and May 2016 to hear their input as to the desired criteria for CACHC membership. During these meetings, it was recommended that membership be focused primarily upon faculty subject matter experts and also include a deep understanding of the UM community and culture, experience in commemorating historical sites, ability to build consensus, and a commitment to the principles of the UM Creed. Across the board, all input we received emphasized how important it was that the process be academically- and fact-focused and not be a political process.
As a result of this clear and consistent input, I sent a letter to the community on June 10, 2016. Along with updating the community about overall progress on the 2014 Action Plan (including final contextualization of the Confederate statue and affirmation that Ole Miss and Rebels will remain endearing nicknames for the university), I also announced membership criteria for the CACHC, launched the nomination process, and listed the committee’s two-phase objectives:
- The initial task of the CACHC will be to recommend which additional physical sites on the Oxford campus (beyond those already completed) should be contextualized, so as to explain the environment in which they were created or named. Potential additional sites include
- monuments;
- buildings (for example, Vardaman Hall, Johnson Commons, and Lamar Hall);
- street names;
- Once the recommendations have been reviewed by the Chancellor’s Office and the list of sites is finalized, the committee will proceed with designing content and format to contextualize the designated sites.
From June 10 through June 30, 2016, we accepted nominations for CACHC membership through an online submission form on the newly established context.OleMiss.edu website. We received nearly 100 nominations. In my July 28, 2016 letter to the university community, I announced the 14 committee members.
I am appreciative that the members of the CACHC embraced my guiding principles of open communication and transparency. From the outset when the CACHC received my charge to the committee on August 16, 2016, the committee members have sought to listen and engage in constructive conversations with all university stakeholders — students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — so that they weighed all relevant information. The CACHC sponsored extensive opportunities for broad community input through online forms for both Phase I and Phase II, a dedicated CACHC email address (context@OleMiss.edu), as well as two Phase II listening sessions in March 2017. This approach was the best of both worlds: a committee of experts on the one hand and input from a wide variety of sources on the other — allowing the committee to create substantiated explanations of how various sites of interest on campus were created or named.
At the conclusion of Phase I and upon review with the university leadership, I accepted the following Phase I recommendations, which were incorporated into my Phase II charge to the committee. Among its Phase I recommendations, the CACHC recommended two actions involving naming or clarification:
- Rename Vardaman Hall through university processes that require IHL approval;
- Clarify that Johnson Commons is named after Paul B. Johnson Sr., to be accomplished by adding “Sr.” to the building name.
The CACHC also recommended contextualization of the following monuments, buildings, or street names:
- Lamar Hall;
- Barnard Observatory;
- Longstreet Hall;
- George Hall;
- Barnard Observatory, Croft Hall, the Lyceum, and Hilgard Cut — plaque to be placed just west of Croft, within site of the first three buildings, noting that these four projects were all constructed with slave labor.
Final Report of the CACHC
I am pleased to share the final report of the CACHC, which includes the content and format of the contextualizations for the sites listed above.
While the approach was focused on contextualization, there was one site (Vardaman Hall) that the committee recommended renaming. Using the guidelines developed by the Committee to Establish Principles on Renaming at Yale University, the CACHC cautiously and sensitively approached the difficult process of deciding whether to rename or only contextualize Vardaman Hall. The committee found that James K. Vardaman was an exceptional case for his time because he was an individual who “actively promoted some morally odious practice, or dedicated much of [his life] to upholding that practice.” (CACHC Final Report, page 11) This recommendation is timely since Vardaman Hall was approved by the IHL in May 2016 for substantial renovation, an event that often results in consideration of renaming. When the fundraising and renovation are complete in a couple of years, we will seek IHL approval for a renaming.
In addition to the physical sites listed in the Phase II charge, the committee’s final report in Section B put forth two additional sites of university history for contextualization:
- Stained-glass windows in Ventress Hall, for which the committee recommended adding a plaque dedicated to the sacrifice of the University Greys;
- Confederate Cemetery and related memorial, for which the committee recommended adding individual gravestones to recognize the sacrifice of each person known to be buried there as well as a marker in an appropriate location to recognize the men from Lafayette County who served in the Civil War in the U.S. Colored Troops.
These two additional sites were not included in the original Phase II charge and therefore were not formally open to public input. To reinforce the importance of community engagement and input, I am seeking public input via an online submission form prior to taking any action related to these items. The public review and comment period will be open starting today for the remainder of the month of July 2017. I encourage you to carefully and thoughtfully consider the proposed recommendations in Section B of the Final Report and provide your feedback. In the past year, the product of the CACHC has been enriched and informed by the hundreds of individuals who provided input in person, through participation in the online web forms, and through individual letters, emails, and calls. I am confident that our decisions with regard to these two items will be similarly enhanced by public input.
Going Forward
I want to share our next steps as the committee has concluded its work and we complete the contextualization projects. First, I look forward to receiving public input via the online submission form for the two additional sites not included in the Phase II charge. Next, I will task the vice chancellor for university relations and the vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement to implement, oversee, and coordinate the actions described above, including funding and installation of plaques and markers as well as developing an appropriate recognition of the installation.
Finally, I appreciate the committee’s thought and energy that went into Section C, consisting of nine additional recommendations relating to the process for implementing contextualization efforts and enhancement of the university’s overall endeavors related to preservation and dissemination of its history. The first recommendation was to disseminate the report, which has been accomplished by this letter. The second recommendation — to have an installation ceremony for the plaques — will be part of the implementation.
The other seven recommendations, while thoughtful, are beyond the charge of the CACHC and are more naturally part of the ongoing inquiry and study conducted at UM by faculty, staff, and students through our academic departments and schools, the Slavery Research Group, the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, the Center for Civil War Research, and the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, among others. Although the university is not adopting the final seven recommendations in Section C, we will ensure that they are made known to relevant units within the university.
As the work of the CACHC has concluded and our formal contextualization process draws to a close, I want to commend our university community for staying engaged and supportive. The passion and love for our extraordinary university were evident at every step. I also reiterate my tremendous respect and appreciation for the diligent work of the members of the CACHC.
Over the past year, our university community has engaged in profoundly important dialogue to more fully understand and articulate our historical truths — so that we can learn from that past and chart a bold course forward for our great flagship university and all those we serve. Being a flagship university is far more than a designation: It is a calling and commitment to transform lives, communities, and the world. Even when our views differ on issues of vital importance to Ole Miss, Mississippi, and the nation, we remain inextricably bound together by our belief in the university’s ability to positively transform lives, just as it has changed many of our own lives for the better. Thank you for your continued support and participation in our flagship mission.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Clarifying Misperceptions about Work of CACHC –March 9, 2017
I am writing today to clarify misperceptions about the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context and its work. I refer everyone to my June 10, 2016 letter, which explains in detail the importance of the work, the progress made, and the committee’s remaining work. Feedback on the letter was very positive. We have since been doing exactly what the letter laid out, and we will continue to do so.
I would first like to provide clarification on what contextualization is and what it is not. When we say that we are contextualizing a building, it means that we will provide historical and well-documented facts about the site that explain the environment in which it was created or named. Contextualization does not mean that a building is being renamed. In our case, the only renaming being sought is for Vardaman Hall.
The work of the CACHC is limited to physical sites that need contextualization. The June 10 letter provides important background on this entire process, as well as related issues. For example, the letter explained the process behind the contextualization of the Confederate statue and gave the revised wording of the plaque, which was installed in October. The letter also made it very clear that we will continue to use the terms “Ole Miss” and “Rebels” as positive and endearing nicknames for the University of Mississippi.
As detailed in the June 10 letter, the committee’s charge is twofold:
- to recommend which Oxford campus physical sites should be contextualized, and
- to design the content and format to contextualize the recommended sites.
In December 2016, the CACHC completed the first part of its two-part charge and forwarded me a recommended list of sites for contextualization. On Feb. 22, 2017, after reviewing with the university leadership team, I gave the committee the finalized list of sites to contextualize:
- Lamar Hall
- Barnard Observatory
- Longstreet Hall
- George Hall
- Barnard Observatory, Croft Hall, the Lyceum, and Hilgard Cut — plaque to be placed just west of Croft, within sight of the three buildings, noting that these four projects were constructed with slave labor
Two other actions will be taken: We will seek to rename Vardaman Hall through university processes, subject to IHL approval. Vardaman Hall was already approved for renovation by the IHL board last spring. And we will make a sign clarification at Paul B. Johnson Commons by adding “Sr.” to clarify that it is named after Paul B. Johnson Sr.
The second and final part of the committee’s work, which consists of recommending wording for the contextualization of items 1-5 listed above, will be completed as a single unit and submitted to me by May 31, 2017.
The CACHC members were chosen from nominations based upon clearly enunciated criteria around essential areas of expertise. We specifically avoided basing representation upon constituency groups.
I also charged the CACHC to ensure wide community input and engagement. Last fall, during the first phase of its work, the committee used an online form to solicit wide community input about suggested sites to contextualize. As the committee turns to the second part of its charge, it is again seeking community input via an online form, this time to collect thoughts and suggestions about contextualization for the items listed above. I encourage you to use the form by March 31 to provide your input.
Additionally, the committee announced two live listening sessions, the first of which occurred March 6 on campus. The second is scheduled for 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 23 at Burns-Belfry Museum. Please consider attending to lend your voice to the conversation.
I would like to close by recognizing the dedicated work of the CACHC as an invaluable contribution to our university community. We must embrace the responsibility of understanding our past so that we can focus upon our important mission as a flagship university: to create a bright and vibrant future for our state, nation, and world. I appreciate your continued support.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Welcome Back Message from Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter –January 23, 2017
Welcome back!
Our Oxford campus, thanks to great care by our superb team of groundskeepers, is lush and alive and worthy of its perennial rating as the nation’s most beautiful. It’s hard to believe how quickly the Grove has become so green. I trust you are well-rested and recharged, ready to embark upon a new semester. I know I certainly am; we have much to accomplish, grand challenges to tackle, and new heights to achieve.
On January 1, Sharon and I celebrated our one-year anniversary as Ole Miss Rebels. As I look back upon 2016, I am inspired by a tremendously productive, rewarding, and exciting year. During my investiture address — if you couldn’t make it, be sure to watch it online — I described how we are standing atop a peak in our history, and from where we now stand, we can see higher peaks. In becoming what we are, we have created greater capacity for what we can be.
I am excited about several new initiatives unveiled at the investiture that will help us achieve this greater capacity. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog with more details about these initiatives and how they will ensure we continue our upward trajectory.
Building upon all we accomplished last semester, we will be hosting an astounding number of events this semester on our campuses, such as the RebelTHON charity fundraiser, opening day of baseball and softball seasons, Residency Match Day, UM Big Event, Oxford Conference for the Book, third annual UM Research Day, Double Decker weekend, selection of our Common Reading text, 20th anniversary of our Sally M. Barksdale Honors College, Staff Appreciation Week, … . And of course, Commencement — it will be here before we know it! I look forward to seeing you over the coming weeks on our campuses, in town, and around the state.
Let me close by recognizing the entire Ole Miss family — students, staff, faculty, and alumni — for your passion, drive, and dedication in realizing our role as a great flagship and Carnegie R-1 university. It is through our collective contributions that The University of Mississippi will reach new heights; the next chapter in the life of this magnificent university sits squarely in all of our hands. It is indeed an exciting time to be an Ole Miss Rebel!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
P.S. I encourage you to reach out to me at chancellor@OleMiss.edu. Please stay connected by following me on Twitter @UMchancellor, and you can subscribe to all my communications at http://chancellor.OleMiss.edu/chancellors-communications/.
A Thanksgiving Message –November 23, 2016
Dear Students and Colleagues:
As we take a brief break from a busy academic year and gather in the coming days with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, we have much to be grateful for here at the University of Mississippi. First and foremost, Sharon and I are grateful to count ourselves as members of the Ole Miss family and the LOU community. We are a family filled with committed students, creative faculty, dedicated staff, and passionate alumni. I appreciate all you do as members of this community to enable our role as a flagship university to advance society through learning, discovery, and engagement.
Now is a time of reflection on our relationships, our achievements, and our challenges. We have achieved new heights, such as our largest freshman class ever, but we have also faced challenges — in our community and in our nation. The hallmark of the University of Mississippi is that we celebrate our successes and confront our challenges together, as a family. Empathy, communication, and genuine caring truly are the very fabric of our community.
Sharon and I wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. May it be a time of relaxation with family and friends as well as a time of reflection for all in our lives for which we are thankful.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
The University of Mississippi Reaffirms Commitment to Foster Conversations and Actions to Address Challenges Facing our Community and Country –November 15, 2016
Greetings,
In the wake of the presidential election, the vast majority of our community has looked to our UM Creed to guide their interactions with others. I applaud that approach. Sadly, there have been some incidents founded in hatred and aimed at evoking fear and intimidation in some members of our community and nationwide. Such acts are unacceptable.
I ask each of you — everyone in our community — to actualize the principles of our UM Creed: respect every individual, embrace fairness and civility, commit to integrity, and encourage others to uphold these values. By adhering to the Creed, we can have the respectful discussions, in person and online, that we must have as a family, a welcoming community, and a country.
In my investiture address last Thursday, I emphasized that higher education has the power to transform lives, communities, and the world. It is more important than ever that we use that transformative power in our own community. I invite all to participate in “A Community Conversation,” scheduled at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Bryant Hall 209. The purpose of the program is for our community to come together, share concerns, and develop strategies to unify rather than divide. I regret that I must be at an IHL board meeting and cannot personally attend. You have my commitment that we will continue to foster the necessary conversations and actions to address the challenges facing us.
While we continue to foster freedom of speech and the exchange of diverse opinions, we condemn all acts of bias and intolerance and all threatening, racist, bigoted, or otherwise hateful and harmful language. Our university and those we serve are part of a diverse community that enriches our environment and the experiences of our campus constituents. We will always support all members of our community.
The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is our top priority. We will swiftly investigate reports of violent or threatening behavior and take immediate and appropriate action. We urge everyone to report incidents to the proper authorities. Any time a community member is fearful or needs immediate support, they should contact the University Police Department at 662-915-7234. To report a bias incident, which includes conduct, speech, or expressions that are threatening, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or hostile and are motivated by a person’s identity or group affiliation, please contact the Bias Incident Response Team. Additionally, there are a number of programs and resources available to the university community.
I want to close by reminding you of the ideals I referenced in my remarks during the Program for Reflection and Unity this past summer. We all should want to live in a place that elevates the voice and contribution of everyone in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We all should want to be part of a place where empathy, communication, and genuine caring are the very fabric of the community.
Our community is a welcoming and respectful one, and we will take all necessary action to assure that it remains so.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Town Hall Generates Conversation, Ideas for a Vibrant Future –October 26, 2016
Greetings,
On August 29, 2016, we held the first-ever university-wide Town Hall, with more than 250 participants present from the University of Mississippi community, as well as many others taking part online. I write today to follow up on that dynamic event.
During the Town Hall, I gave a “State of the University” in which I expressed my conviction that all great institutions, including ours, share one important thing in common: a continuous drive and will to get ever better. The Town Hall — as well as the earlier retreat in June with the leadership of the Oxford and UMMC campuses — represents an important step in how we work together to go from great to greater.
I want to thank everyone who attended, with a special thanks to Ronnie Agnew, a UM journalism alumnus and executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting, for serving as our moderator. The fact that we had to open up an additional section of the ballroom to accommodate the overflow crowd demonstrates how invested we all are in our university’s future. For those of you unable to attend, the meeting was organized around the four pillar themes that emerged from the Flagship Forum:
- academic excellence,
- healthy and vibrant communities,
- athletics excellence, and
- people, places, and resources.
We had large white boards all around the outer edges of the room to gather the hundreds of ideas from participants. During the Idea Mixer part of the Town Hall, I asked everyone to think about how we go from great to greater by identifying our biggest and most important opportunities to advance in all four areas, as well as how to get there. I urged everyone to think big and bold. What should we strive for? What “could be?”
When I encouraged those in attendance to “take the pen and help write our next chapter,” I had no idea that we would be met with such enthusiasm and excitement, resulting in more than 550 ideas. The Town Hall crowd certainly lived up to our ideal as “Rebels with a cause” and truly provided some inspired, innovative, positive, creative, big, and bold ideas.
In order to share all those ideas, today we are launching the new website TownHall.OleMiss.edu. There, you will be able to read more about the four themes and look at all the ideas submitted — yes, all 571 ideas! We also have set it up so we can continue to capture further ideas, via the “Share Your Thoughts” tab. If you did not get a chance to attend the Town Hall and share your ideas, I hope that you will do so using this “Share Your Thoughts” tab.
For each of the four themes, we grouped the ideas together into a set of subthemes or categories. For example, the website includes 161 Academic Excellence ideas, divided into 10 categories. Some of these categories repeated across multiple themes. Take, for example, international and global opportunities: We saw many ideas related to international opportunities emerge across Academic Excellence, Healthy and Vibrant Communities, and People, Places, and Resources. Or how about ideas related to student recruitment, retention, engagement, and experience? We saw numerous ideas related to students posted across all four pillar themes.
I encourage you to spend some time on the website and really delve into the ideas. I’m hoping you will find — as I did — that ours is truly a community of creativity and innovation, one that is motivated and dedicated to excel.
I have charged our senior leadership team, the Strategic Planning Council on the Oxford and branch campuses chaired by Senior Associate Provost Noel Wilkin, and the Executive Cabinet at UMMC led by Vice Chancellor LouAnn Woodward to collaborate during this academic year to create — with wide community involvement — a strategic plan for the University of Mississippi. While the plan should acknowledge and build upon the many aspects of our great comprehensive university where we must continue to do well, the plan must especially focus on the most compelling goals and opportunities that — at this time —can propel us from great to greater.
The University of Mississippi is truly a great flagship university with enormous momentum. As we embark upon this strategic planning journey, we will do so with broad community input and involvement. Please check the website often and take part in future discussions as we move forward together. With your continued ideas and energy, we are poised to go from great to greater.
Hotty Toddy and Fins Up!
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Announcement of CACHC Members –July 28, 2016
Greetings,
On June 10, I wrote to you about the university’s important work related to history and context. That letter described how we are continuing our efforts to contextualize campus sites and buildings through the establishment of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context.
The CACHC will have a two-part charge: The initial goal will be to recommend which Oxford campus sites should be contextualized, so as to explain the environment in which they were created or named. The committee will then be charged with designing content and format to contextualize the designated sites.
Criteria considered for CACHC membership included expertise in relevant subject matters, such as history, sociology, English, law, or race relations; a demonstrated track record of consensus building and collaborative efforts; a deep understanding of the UM community and culture; experience in commemoration and contextualization of historical sites; and a commitment to a process that is inclusive, respectful, civil, candid, and transparent, and that honors the UM Creed.
We don’t intend any single committee member to meet all the desired criteria, but collectively, the committee will possess these qualities and areas of expertise and will ensure that all voices are heard.
Through June 30, we received exceptional community input of nearly 100 nominations. After careful consideration and consultation, I am very pleased to announce the CACHC members:
Don Barrett, J.D.
Partner
Barrett Law Group
Donald R. Cole, Ph.D. (co-chair)
Assistant Provost and Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs
University of Mississippi
Rose Jackson Flenorl (co-chair)
Manager of Global Citizenship
FedEx Corporation
Jeffrey T. Jackson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology
University of Mississippi
Shawnboda D. Mead
Director, Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement
University of Mississippi
Andrew P. Mullins, Ph.D.
Professor of Education and Assistant Director, Mississippi Teacher Corps
University of Mississippi
John R. Neff, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History and Director, Center for Civil War Research
University of Mississippi
Austin Powell
President, Associated Student Body
University of Mississippi
Charles K. Ross, Ph.D.
Professor of History and Director of African-American Studies
University of Mississippi
David G. Sansing, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of History
University of Mississippi
Jennifer A. Stollman, Ph.D.
Academic Director, William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation
University of Mississippi
Anne S. Twitty, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History
University of Mississippi
Jacquline A. Vinson
Project Coordinator, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
University of Mississippi
Jay Watson, Ph.D.
Professor of English
University of Mississippi
For more detailed biographical information on all the members, please visit the committee member section of the CACHC website.
Dr. Cole and Ms. Flenorl have graciously agreed to serve as co-chairs of the committee. I would particularly like to thank Drs. Cole, Mullins, Ross, and Sansing for their dedication and good work already completed on the contextualization of the Confederate statue in the Lyceum Circle, as well as for their willingness to continue serving on the CACHC.
The first meeting of the committee will take place at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, in Room 200 of the Lyceum. The committee will work during the upcoming academic year and employ a variety of methods to ensure transparency and broad community input. I encourage you to visit the CACHC website on a regular basis for updates and opportunities for input. You can also contact us at context@OleMiss.edu.
Thank you to all who participated in the nomination process. I commend the members announced today for their willingness to serve on the CACHC and for their commitment to a respectful process informed by expertise and guided by the UM Creed. The committee will play an invaluable role in moving our great flagship university ever forward and ensuring that we are a welcoming place for all.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
History, Context, Identity –June 10, 2016
Greetings,
As we complete a productive academic year and immerse ourselves in an energetic summer session, we continue to work on important goals related to history, context, and identity.
The University of Mississippi, along with many universities across the country, continues on a journey to acknowledge and address the challenging and complex history around the issues of slavery, injustice, and race. Here on the main campus, we are involved in a profoundly important dialogue to fully understand and articulate our historical truths, while claiming our hard-earned present identity as a national flagship university.
The university has long been committed to honest and open dialogue about its history and how to make our campuses more welcoming and inclusive. In 2014, under the leadership of then-chancellor Dan Jones, guided by recommendations from the 2013 expanded Sensitivity and Respect Committee, the university took another step in that direction. The result is generally referred to as the 2014 action plan.
I realized shortly after becoming chancellor that many people do not realize the tremendous amount of work already done toward these goals, while others see these efforts as potentially threatening to cherished aspects of the university. As a general principle, I think it is important to communicate and keep people engaged and informed, so that we can work most effectively together.
To that end, we have enhanced the website, diversity.OleMiss.edu, which, among other things, gives an ongoing and comprehensive update on the 2014 action plan. We list each of the plan’s six recommendations, along with what has been accomplished and planned. For example, the search we launched this spring for vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement is a key part of Recommendation 1, and the new vice chancellor will help advance Recommendation 2 on developing a portfolio model of diversity and engagement. You can also read about the progress and ongoing work on Recommendations 3 and 4 in dealing with race and advocating the ideals of inclusion and fairness.
I’d particularly like to highlight Recommendation 5, which is about history and context. Beginning last summer, a committee of four experts began working to contextualize the Confederate statue in the Lyceum Circle. The resulting language was inscribed on a plaque installed near the statue in mid-March. I wrote you on March 29 about the committee’s desire to consider further input and reexamine whether the plaque’s language should be changed and, if so, how. After considerable input and study, the committee made its final recommendation, which I have approved, and in the coming months a new plaque will replace the current one and read as follows:
As Confederate veterans were dying in increasing numbers, memorial associations across the South built monuments in their memory. These monuments were often used to promote an ideology known as the “Lost Cause,” which claimed that the Confederacy had been established to defend states’ rights and that slavery was not the principal cause of the Civil War. Residents of Oxford and Lafayette County dedicated this statue, approved by the university, in 1906. Although the monument was created to honor the sacrifice of local Confederate soldiers, it must also remind us that the defeat of the Confederacy actually meant freedom for millions of people. On the evening of September 30, 1962, this statue was a rallying point for opponents of integration.
This historic statue is a reminder of the university’s divisive past. Today, the University of Mississippi draws from that past a continuing commitment to open its hallowed halls to all who seek truth, knowledge, and wisdom.
I commend the committee members for their dedication and good work as we turn to the remaining important work to contextualize campus sites and buildings. As mentioned in my March 29 letter, I am establishing a Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context that will expand the membership from four to roughly a dozen. I invite you to consider the criteria for committee membership and take part in the nomination process; the deadline is June 30.
The committee’s charge will be to recommend which Oxford campus sites should be contextualized, so as to explain the environments in which they were created or named. The committee will also be charged with designing the content and format to contextualize the sites. Three sites already suggested for contextualization are Johnson Commons, Lamar Hall, and Vardaman Hall. The committee will work during the upcoming academic year and employ a variety of methods along the way to ensure transparency and broad community input.
I want to clear up one area of confusion that arose from Recommendation 6, namely, about considering the implications of calling ourselves “Ole Miss.” Many individuals I’ve talked with felt that our efforts to create a welcoming environment at the university would somehow ultimately lead to restricting use of the term Ole Miss Rebels.
I can assure you that we will continue to use the terms Ole Miss and Rebels as endearing nicknames for the university. Data show that the term Ole Miss is broadly viewed as one of connection and affection, with strongly positive national (and international) recognition. It is one of the more known and respected (and frankly, envied) college brands. People searching on the Web for information about our university are seven times more likely to use the term Ole Miss than University of Mississippi, and the term Ole Miss evokes a more positive image than does even University of Mississippi. Similarly, the term Rebels, which originally was a link to the Confederacy, is used today in a completely different and positive way: to indicate someone who bucks the status quo, an entrepreneur, a trendsetter, a leader. Sharon and I are proud to be Ole Miss Rebels. However, as we continue to use the terms Ole Miss and Rebels, we must always use accompanying images and symbols that are consistent with the positive meanings we advocate.
Since becoming chancellor, I have had opportunities to visit with thousands of people who love this institution and invest their time and resources in our mission to transform lives and communities. I am convinced that together — guided by the UM Creed, informed by our expertise, and with respectful candor — we will successfully come to grips with difficult aspects of our university’s history and move boldly as a national leader to craft a vibrant future. Please accept my sincerest thanks for your continued support and involvement as we move our great flagship university forward.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
History, Context, Identity –June 10, 2016
Greetings,
As Commencement approaches at the University of Mississippi, I would like to congratulate our wonderful faculty, staff, and students on another successful and memorable semester. This week of festivities is a superb time to review past accomplishments and, as the very name “commencement” suggests, to look forward to the vibrant beginnings to come.
First and foremost, Sharon and I express our deep gratitude and excitement for being at Ole Miss — starting on our very first day with an exciting Sugar Bowl victory in my hometown and getting even better as we moved throughout the semester. We have felt fully embraced as part of the UM community. We have experienced great joys together, and you helped us get over difficult personal times, such as Sharon’s mom’s passing two weeks ago. Thank you for your support.
To all those graduating with the Class of 2016, I look forward to conferring your degrees — approximately 5,700 of them — at the Oxford convocation on Saturday and the UMMC convocation on May 27. I hope you and your families and friends enjoy this celebratory time. You will appreciate over time, as many of us have, how special this time of your life is. You will remember professors who instilled rigor and knowledge that you will draw upon over the course of your entire life. You will remember special staff members who offered you a hand when you needed one. And you will leave with one of the greatest gifts a college experience can confer: relationships both deep and lifelong.
On a side note, forecasters this morning predicted ideal weather for Saturday morning’s Commencement in the Grove, where, I am told, more than 15,000 chairs will be set up, a sight I am eager to witness.
During the 2016 spring semester, we have celebrated many exciting developments at Ole Miss — too many to list, so let me share but a few: The Carnegie Foundation has elevated the University of Mississippi to the “R1 Doctoral Universities — Highest Research Activity” classification, placing us among the top 2.5% of universities nationwide. Our faculty and students were regularly featured in international news stories for their role in one of the decade’s top scientific discoveries, confirming Einstein’s prediction of gravitational waves! In Jackson, with the help of campaign co-chairs Joe and Kathy Sanderson, our UM Medical Center is well on its way to raising $100 million to expand our renowned Batson Children’s Hospital. Here in Oxford, we were named a top school for military personnel and veterans and ranked in the top 20 for “Overall Best Quality of Life.” Both our Patterson School of Accountancy and our forensic chemistry programs were ranked in the top 10. Our University Museum was ranked 12th best nationally. We dedicated a fantastic new basketball arena, set attendance records in baseball and softball, and have cleared land for our largest-ever academic building project, a new science building along All American Drive. The common thread running through all our successes is the tireless work of talented faculty and staff, the achievement of our students, and the passionate support of our Ole Miss alumni family and friends.
We have just completed the Flagship Forum, my 100-day listening and learning tour we launched in late January. It generated much productive discussion about how to move our great university forward to the next level of excellence. Key to developing our full potential is to capitalize on our synergies and strengths across our campuses and among our college and schools. In early June, we will hold a university-wide retreat for senior leadership to help envision overarching goals, build collaborations, and enhance resources.
Inclusion and engagement are core values of mine, and I pledge to keep you informed and involved as we proceed. Please mark your calendars for the Town Hall meeting on August 29 and come prepared to engage in the conversation. Planning discussions will pick up in the new academic year.
Congratulations again on a superlative spring semester and best wishes for a peaceful and productive summer. Our great university continues to grow and thrive because of your collective efforts. As we go forward together, we will count on your energy and ideas. Working together, our potential is unlimited.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Celebrating an Exceptional Spring Semester –May 10, 2016
Greetings,
As Commencement approaches at the University of Mississippi, I would like to congratulate our wonderful faculty, staff, and students on another successful and memorable semester. This week of festivities is a superb time to review past accomplishments and, as the very name “commencement” suggests, to look forward to the vibrant beginnings to come.
First and foremost, Sharon and I express our deep gratitude and excitement for being at Ole Miss — starting on our very first day with an exciting Sugar Bowl victory in my hometown and getting even better as we moved throughout the semester. We have felt fully embraced as part of the UM community. We have experienced great joys together, and you helped us get over difficult personal times, such as Sharon’s mom’s passing two weeks ago. Thank you for your support.
To all those graduating with the Class of 2016, I look forward to conferring your degrees — approximately 5,700 of them — at the Oxford convocation on Saturday and the UMMC convocation on May 27. I hope you and your families and friends enjoy this celebratory time. You will appreciate over time, as many of us have, how special this time of your life is. You will remember professors who instilled rigor and knowledge that you will draw upon over the course of your entire life. You will remember special staff members who offered you a hand when you needed one. And you will leave with one of the greatest gifts a college experience can confer: relationships both deep and lifelong.
On a side note, forecasters this morning predicted ideal weather for Saturday morning’s Commencement in the Grove, where, I am told, more than 15,000 chairs will be set up, a sight I am eager to witness.
During the 2016 spring semester, we have celebrated many exciting developments at Ole Miss — too many to list, so let me share but a few: The Carnegie Foundation has elevated the University of Mississippi to the “R1 Doctoral Universities — Highest Research Activity” classification, placing us among the top 2.5% of universities nationwide. Our faculty and students were regularly featured in international news stories for their role in one of the decade’s top scientific discoveries, confirming Einstein’s prediction of gravitational waves! In Jackson, with the help of campaign co-chairs Joe and Kathy Sanderson, our UM Medical Center is well on its way to raising $100 million to expand our renowned Batson Children’s Hospital. Here in Oxford, we were named a top school for military personnel and veterans and ranked in the top 20 for “Overall Best Quality of Life.” Both our Patterson School of Accountancy and our forensic chemistry programs were ranked in the top 10. Our University Museum was ranked 12th best nationally. We dedicated a fantastic new basketball arena, set attendance records in baseball and softball, and have cleared land for our largest-ever academic building project, a new science building along All American Drive. The common thread running through all our successes is the tireless work of talented faculty and staff, the achievement of our students, and the passionate support of our Ole Miss alumni family and friends.
We have just completed the Flagship Forum, my 100-day listening and learning tour we launched in late January. It generated much productive discussion about how to move our great university forward to the next level of excellence. Key to developing our full potential is to capitalize on our synergies and strengths across our campuses and among our college and schools. In early June, we will hold a university-wide retreat for senior leadership to help envision overarching goals, build collaborations, and enhance resources.
Inclusion and engagement are core values of mine, and I pledge to keep you informed and involved as we proceed. Please mark your calendars for the Town Hall meeting on August 29 and come prepared to engage in the conversation. Planning discussions will pick up in the new academic year.
Congratulations again on a superlative spring semester and best wishes for a peaceful and productive summer. Our great university continues to grow and thrive because of your collective efforts. As we go forward together, we will count on your energy and ideas. Working together, our potential is unlimited.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Update on My First 100 Days as Your Chancellor –April 11, 2016
Greetings,
As spring bursts forth in vibrant colors all across our campuses, I have just celebrated my 100th day as your chancellor and the 75th as part of the Flagship Forum. I write today to report to you from “mile marker 100.”
In well over 100 Flagship Forum events to date, I have learned much about the University of Mississippi. I thank everyone who has advised me, welcomed me, and helped me better understand our great university. Special thanks go to those serving on the Chancellor Transition Advisory Committee, who have identified for me the highest immediate priorities (starting as the First Fives, but quickly expanded to the Energetic Eight!), helped me understand our history, culture, context, and aspirations, and created ways for me to connect immediately with the entire university community.
Mostly, I’ve learned that coming here was the best decision I ever made (other than marrying Sharon, of course!). Our family has become part of the Ole Miss family — fully and permanently. We’ve learned firsthand that the culture of hospitality for which UM is known is real and true. Sharon and I are so grateful to everyone who has welcomed us and made us feel at home.
Let me share a few other things I have learned in my first 100 days: I’ve learned that terms such as student-centric, academic excellence, accessibility, shared governance, diversity and inclusion, community engagement and service, and patient-centered care aren’t just words here. Rather, they shape our culture and define our essence. I’ve learned that our students can hold their own with anyone … anywhere. Our innovative and dedicated faculty choose to invest their talents here as teachers, researchers, mentors, scholars, and advocates. Our multitalented staff are indelibly engaged in our mission, and their pride is evident in every aspect of our operations. Our alumni are our “not so secret” weapon, and our high-caliber athletics program creates a powerful front door to the university.
I’ve learned that our academic medical center is a jewel for the state of Mississippi and provides the highest quality health care to all our citizens. Our Carnegie “R1: highest research activity” designation puts UM in the top 2.5 percent of universities nationwide. I’ve learned that our regional campuses are vital partners in the success of their communities. And on a lighter note, I have learned that you don’t have to go to New Orleans for great po-boys and crawfish; you can find them right here in Oxford and in right field.
Most importantly, I’ve learned that our UM Creed is a living commitment that shapes all we do. And we are a flagship university in the full sense of the term.
Without doubt, we truly are a great university. And all great institutions share a common resolve to get ever better. That resolve has come through loud and clear from my interactions during the events in the Flagship Forum.
As part of the Flagship Forum, we are posing a number of important questions relevant for moving forward: How do we go from great to greater? To what should we aspire? What distinctive elements about the University of Mississippi define our essence and must never change? Which directions and opportunities will best promote ascension to the next level of excellence?
As a starter for the conversations, we have focused on three broad topics: academic excellence, local and global impact, and investment in our one truly irreplaceable resource — the capacity offered by our people. On April 25, as part of the Flagship Forum, we will convene a universitywide town hall meeting in Oxford, with a live feed to UMMC and our branch campuses, to continue those conversations. Stay tuned for more details.
Going forward, we will complete the Flagship Forum and seize other opportunities to continue the important dialogue about our future. The next step we will undertake as a community is to distill those conversations into concrete plans and actions. I look forward over the coming academic year to engaging the university as a whole — including the Oxford campus, the UM Medical Center, and branch campuses — to craft an overarching vision and goals for the future of UM. That effort will be characterized by wide input, open involvement, and a resolve to move to the next level of excellence. In addition, I am excited to participate in the upcoming Rebel Road Trip next week, which will add the voices of our alumni to our discussion.
Beginning tonight at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, we are honored to host Shakespeare’s First Folio — highlighting the role we play as a flagship university in Mississippi. And thanks to a gift from the Gertrude Ford Foundation, we have acquired a copy of Shakespeare’s Second Folio, allowing Shakespeare’s words, which have so shaped literature and human creativity, to go on permanent display in the J. D. Williams Library.
As Shakespeare penned in one of his timeless works, “we know what we are, but know not what we may be.” — Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5.
I am excited about our shared journey into the university’s future and encourage you to be an active participant as we go forward.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Reaffirming Our University’s Mission and Values –April 5, 2016
Dear members of the UM community,
Some of you have inquired about how recent legislation will affect our campus operations and ethos. I am writing to reaffirm that the mission and values of the University of Mississippi have not changed. Our primary purpose is to be an academic institution that creates, evaluates, shares, and applies knowledge in a free, open, and inclusive environment of intellectual inquiry.
Our main campus in Oxford, our four regional campuses, and our academic health center provide academic, research, and professional programs and health care to tens of thousands of people. The members of the university and those we serve are part of a diverse community of different religions, ages, political perspectives, physical abilities, races, sexual orientations, gender expressions, nationalities, cultures, fields of study, and other characteristics.
Diversity is a hallmark of education and enriches the environment and experiences of all our campus constituents. We will always support all members of our community and uphold the UM Creed, which calls on us to respect the dignity of each person.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Creation of Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context –March 29, 2016
Greetings,
Spring has arrived at the University of Mississippi, and with it the campus has transformed from the winter season into a spectacular array of colors and signs of renewal. I particularly want to thank Jeff McManus and his team in Landscape Services for the incredible work they do to showcase our beautiful campus.
I’m writing today about another vibrant process we are going through: a continuing journey to recognize our university’s history, learn from it, and be a national model for moving forward. Earlier this month I wrote to inform you of the forthcoming installation of a plaque to contextualize the Confederate statue at Lyceum Circle. The creation of the plaque was in response to a key recommendation of the 2014 action plan.
Last summer, Dr. Morris Stocks, as interim chancellor, appointed Drs. Donald Cole, Andrew Mullins, Charles Ross, and David Sansing to draft the language for this plaque, as well as ways to contextualize Paul B. Johnson Commons, Lamar Hall, and Vardaman Hall. For the first project, this esteemed committee of experts worked diligently to balance perspective and history, and in late fall they completed a recommendation for the plaque wording. The plaque arrived and was installed in front of the Confederate statue on March 17.
Since then, the committee and I have received a great deal of input from the community. While the strong majority of comments has been supportive of both the contextualization concept and the specific language of the plaque, we received three important messages: (a) lack of awareness of the committee and its work, (b) insufficient opportunities for community input, and (c) suggestions to change the wording of the plaque.
During a meeting Thursday evening with the four committee members, two faculty members from the Critical Race Studies Group, and representatives from the UM NAACP student chapter, I announced that later this semester I will formally establish the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context. The goal is to provide a process going forward that is transparent, inclusive, and aligned with our Creed. I am pleased to report that Drs. Cole, Mullins, Ross, and Sansing have agreed to serve on this new committee, and we will add additional experts to the committee after seeking input from the university community.
The Advisory Committee will be charged with completing contextualization of the remaining three projects (Johnson Commons, Lamar Hall, and Vardaman Hall), determining if and how other contextualization projects should be undertaken, and assisting in telling more of the story of the university’s history.
The Advisory Committee will develop a range of mechanisms to ensure broad community input. We may also add ad hoc members to the committee on a temporary basis with specific expertise relevant to an individual project.
At the meeting Thursday, the four committee members also expressed their interest to consider all input received to date about the wording on the plaque at the Confederate statue, as well as to invite further suggestions from the UM community to help determine whether and how the plaque should be revised. I have complete respect for the process followed, and in that light, I respect the committee’s request to have more time to rethink their recommended wording. I agree that everyone who wants to provide input should be able to do so.
If you want to provide input, please do so by April 8, after which the committee will look at all responses and determine whether the wording on the plaque should change and, if so, what it should say. On the Campus Briefs section of the university Web page, the committee has posted information about how to provide input. You may also wish to listen to an interview with Dr. Don Cole and me conducted by Mississippi Public Radio.
I close by thanking all who have contributed to the process. We are fortunate to have a university community so dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcoming climate for all. I am committed as your chancellor to doing all I can to make our university a vibrant magnet to attract and retain the very best minds from Mississippi and around the world. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
UM Begins Installing Plaque Offering Context for Confederate Statue –March 11, 2016
Greetings,
I am writing to provide you with information on the university’s continued implementation of strategies to recognize our history in a balanced and contextual manner.
To that end, the university has begun work at the Confederate statue in the Lyceum Circle to contextualize the history surrounding the memorial. A concrete pad has been laid at the site in preparation for placement of a plaque, which is expected to be in place by month’s end.
Language on the plaque will read as follows:
“As Confederate veterans were passing from the scene in increasing numbers, memorial associations built monuments in their memory all across the South. This statue was dedicated by citizens of Oxford and Lafayette County in 1906. On the evening of September 30, 1962, the statue was a rallying point where a rebellious mob gathered to prevent the admission of the University’s first African American student. It was also at this statue that a local minister implored the mob to disperse and allow James Meredith to exercise his rights as an American citizen. On the morning after that long night, Meredith was admitted to the University and graduated in August 1963.
“This historic structure is a reminder of the University’s past and of its current and ongoing commitment to open its hallowed halls to all who seek truth and knowledge and wisdom.”
The placement of this plaque puts the statue into proper context and affirms, as in our UM Creed, our respect for the dignity of each person.
I would like to thank the committee members, Drs. Donald Cole, Andy Mullins, Charles Ross, and David Sansing, who were appointed by Dr. Morris Stocks to draft the language of this plaque. They have done an outstanding job of balancing history and perspective, and we owe them our thanks for their thoughtful work.
Further details appear in a press release that will be issued soon from the university.
As always, I appreciate your support of the university and look forward to our continued conversations.
Have a good spring break week,
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Reinstatement of the Office of University Relations –March 4, 2016
Re: Reinstatement of the Office of University Relations and Appointment of an Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs
Through the Flagship Forum and other stakeholder interactions over the past two months, we are engaging in important conversations about the future of the university — about key aspects we need to sustain as well as where our best opportunities exist to go from great to greater. One of the areas coming into sharp focus is research and scholarship across the full spectrum of discovery, creative achievement, and translational research. Our recent first-ever designation as “R1: Highest Research Activity” in the Carnegie classification puts us into the top 2.5% of U.S. institutions, and it challenges us not only to maintain that designation but also to build upon it.
It is becoming equally clear that our efforts to become more successful in these areas will require a careful integration of ability, opportunity, and relationships. We must ensure that our leadership structure and organizational capacity are aligned with the journey. Thus, today I am making an organizational adjustment to benefit research and to coordinate comprehensive support activities around development and messaging.
I am reinstating the Office of University Relations within the university’s organizational structure and asking Dr. Alice Clark to assume the leadership of this area as interim vice chancellor for university relations, an existing position that is currently unfilled. Our efforts to excel will require additional resources from both public and private sources. Whether we seek federal or state funds or support from foundations and individuals, our success will depend, in part, upon our ability to engage a wide array of partners in a coordinated and strategic way. A robust and multidimensional university relations effort will be essential to our success.
We will not refill the position of chief communications officer being vacated later this year by Mr. Tom Eppes in the Office of University Communications.
To fill Dr. Clark’s former role, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Morris Stocks has named Dr. Josh Gladden to serve as interim vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs, effective immediately, to focus on the full spectrum of research activities. We will conduct a national search for a permanent vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs.
In her new role as interim vice chancellor for university relations, Dr. Clark will report directly to me as chancellor. Her charge will be to “stand up” the Office of University Relations and assure strategic coordination of its important functions of communications, development, federal relations, university events, and economic development. The appointment will take effect immediately with the goal of full transition by May 31 of this year.
University Relations is a well-recognized best practice on university campuses and, in fact, played a crucial role in the success of the University of Mississippi during the time Dr. Gloria Kellum served as vice chancellor for university relations. I believe a more comprehensive and strategic coordination among communications, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement will promote even greater synergies and success.
Dr. Clark brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this area, gleaned from years of working closely with public and private partners to advocate for investment in research and scholarly activity. In addition, she has a proven record with university special initiatives related to economic development and government relations. Finally, her knowledge of the university and its stakeholder base will help assure that we make decisions in a contextual and thoughtful manner that respects our existing strengths while encouraging innovation and growth.
Dr. Josh Gladden is currently serving as associate vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs, director of the National Center for Physical Acoustics, and associate professor of physics and astronomy. He has been principal investigator on a number of major research projects funded by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the private sector. He also is serving in a number of national, elected leadership positions in the Acoustical Society of America, the American Physical Society, and on the Executive Committee of the National Spectrum Consortium, as well as director of the international Physical Acoustics Summer School.
Thank you for our interactions to date. I am highly energized by our goal to enhance achievement across the full spectrum of research and creative achievement. I look forward to the coming components of the Flagship Forum and encourage you to continue the dialogue about our future. Remember, every voice counts.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Welcome to the Flagship Forum Website –February 29, 2016
Greetings!
This day marks the launch of a new website flagship.OleMiss.edu designed to memorialize and elevate the important conversations we are having across the university as part of the Flagship Forum we began at the start of this semester. It is my hope that this site will become a virtual “water cooler” (or in more modern parlance, perhaps a “Starbucks”), around which we can all gather to share information and inspire thoughtful discourse about the important challenges and opportunities before us.
Today marks my 60th day as your chancellor. In that time, Sharon and I have been welcomed around the entire UM community with a warmth that I can only describe as incomparable southern hospitality. We have met with countless groups and individuals throughout the state, and we have repeatedly reaffirmed that our decision to come to Ole Miss has been one of the best decisions of our lives. Thank you for your part in making our move so positive. We thank you for your visible passion for this great university and your dedication to fully embracing its legacy as the flagship institution for the state of Mississippi. We share that passion and commit ourselves to playing a transformative role in the destiny of UM.
The Flagship Forum was launched in late January as part of a 100-day listening and learning tour so that we could get to know one another better, as well as to accelerate a candid and meaningful dialogue about what makes our university excel and how we can move to that next level of excellence. All great institutions share a common drive to advance forward and be ever greater. In the last 30 days, I have met with 65 groups in the Forum setting. Over the next two weeks, I will meet with 22 more. Core questions guiding all of the Forum events have centered on (1) what is distinctive about our university that should never change as we move forward?, (2) what makes our university great?, and (3) how do we go from great to greater?
I would like to briefly distill what I have learned in these valuable meetings so far:
First and foremost we are defined by our Creed, the primary statement of our core values and mutual commitments to one another. I believe in the Creed, both as an individual and as your chancellor. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Inherent in our Creed is commitment to inclusion and diversity. The UM community is strong in its expressed desire to maintain the momentum reflected in Chancellor Jones’s open letter to the UM community in 2014. That momentum is equally important to me, and I am happy to report that we have initiated a search for a vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement to work in partnership throughout the campus community around diversity and inclusion. The person in that role will also serve as our chief diversity officer. We will move forward in that search with a sense of purpose; we will also engage a recognized search firm in the process to be sure we identify and hire the best person. We will continue to demonstrate progress and results on a regular basis with regard to other recommendations of the Extended Sensitivity and Respect Committee.
We are also defined by the constant quest for academic and scholarly excellence, a theme that has resonated throughout the Forum events thus far. Whether defined as creative achievement or competitive research, every part of our academic engine has pushed itself to achieve, a fact most recently reaffirmed by our first-ever designation as an R1 highest research activity institution under the Carnegie classification system. A number of our academic programs now sit squarely in the top 25 in the nation. These designations do not come without responsibility. As an R1 university and the home base of numerous exemplary programs, we must continue to realize the many responsibilities of a flagship institution — to train future leaders, to tackle grand challenges that face society, and to make our world a better place.
Thoughtful comments have been made in each Forum event about the need to balance our push for greater academic stature with our equally important role of community engagement and service to the state of Mississippi. Our academic accomplishments do little to advance us unless we also provide “on the ground” results that make our state and region better places to live. As we expand our view of the future, we must also keep primary our commitment to a personal “student first” mentality — for nothing is more important to the future vitality of our state and society than higher education and the opportunities it provides individuals of all backgrounds to better themselves.
I hope that you will follow the Flagship Forum as we continue to hear more from the university community. I will be updating you on a regular basis on continued Forum activities as well as other events unfolding this semester. My job as your chancellor is to put us in a position to achieve our goals. I desire your input in the coming months to create a compelling shared vision and key goals, so that next academic year we can, as a community, drill down on the goals to determine the strategies, actions, and milestones for moving forward. As phrased by former dean of Harvard Law School and Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan, “… what I’ve learned most is that no one has a monopoly on truth or wisdom. I’ve learned that we make progress by listening to each other….” I pledge to listen.
Please share your thoughts about how we can make this website a useful gathering place and forum for ideas. And, if you are a Twitter follower, please follow me at @UMchancellor.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to UMMC Faculty and Staff –February 24, 2016
Greetings Colleagues,
When I was named the preferred candidate to become University of Mississippi chancellor, one of my first priorities was to visit the Medical Center to meet and get to know our gifted faculty and staff through a listening session at the Jackson campus.
Shortly after I officially accepted the chancellorship in December, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs, hosted me on an extensive tour of the Medical Center, where I received a “crash course” on the exceptional clinical and research facilities at the state’s only academic health sciences campus.
While I walked through the Guyton Research Center, the Conerly Hospital for Critical Care, the Children’s Cancer Clinic, the Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Mississippi MED-COM, and other locations, I was treated to an impressive display of how much this Medical Center means to the state of Mississippi and to the nation.
The University of Mississippi is one university, and the campuses in Oxford and in Jackson are each incredibly important components. We have the synergy and the opportunities to collaborate, grow, and expand, and we have a real competitive advantage if we can improve how faculty at both campuses work together. Faculty members achieve so much when they build upon each other’s connections, strengths, and insights, and it is my goal to facilitate vital links between the two campuses as we go forward.
The robust infrastructure and inspiring team in place at UMMC are a testament to those visionary leaders who understood that solving the state’s health issues would require a long-lasting commitment in resources and intellectual capital. I especially value strategic planning and understand how critical it is for universities to build academic excellence through collaboration and a shared vision with business, the community, alumni, and research leaders.
The burgeoning landscape at UMMC is impressive — from the new School of Medicine and Translational Research buildings rising on the north side of campus to the four thriving hospitals, six schools, and countless research endeavors, not to mention the expanded services in Lexington, Grenada, and throughout Mississippi via a nationally prominent telehealth program.
UMMC is an economic powerhouse, creating medical and scientific innovations on a regular basis. As a strong supporter of entrepreneurship and translational medicine, I want to contribute to a vibrant future for Mississippi. It is my charge to help advance the quality of life for all its citizens by supporting you in advancing the quality of the health care, research, and education we provide.
During this semester, I will be embarking upon a comprehensive listening and learning tour called the “Flagship Forum.” As a core value, I believe deeply in engaging the entire university community so that the best ideas come forward. Through numerous interactions, I will be visiting with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders, public leaders, and friends — in Oxford, Jackson, and throughout Mississippi and beyond.
My overarching goals for the Flagship Forum are simple: I want to get to know you better, and through you, to get to know UMMC better. The priority of the first forums will be in the areas of academics and students. I look forward, with your help, to learning a great deal about UMMC in a short time. I am very interested in your perspectives on what makes us great and what makes us distinctive.
I am also very interested in beginning a dialogue about what would make us even greater. I want to hear your thoughts on what I can do as chancellor to help you advance and enhance the excellence that is so apparent throughout the Medical Center. I will be looking for opportunities to engage with you directly, in weekly visits to UMMC and in other venues, and I encourage you to do the same. And if you are a Twitter user, I hope you will follow me at @UMchancellor.
To kick-start the dialogue, I have identified the following issues after conversations with various stakeholders — including UMMC faculty and staff. I would be interested in your sense of relative priorities and what may be missing:
- Advancing and accelerating academic excellence by 1) continuing to increase the value of a UM education; 2) continuing our “student-first” mentality by inspiring and challenging our most prepared students and by providing an accessible and affordable education to all qualifying Mississippi students; and 3) capitalizing on our newly minted designation as an R1 highest research activity institution under the Carnegie classification system, which reinforces our flagship status and positions us to be an even stronger economic driver for our state and nation.
- Fostering a diverse environment by creating a multicultural and inclusive climate for students, faculty, and staff, with an eye to a global society.
- Serving Mississippi through sustained efforts to make our state a better place to live and be a visible leader in community engagement, innovation, and service.
- Engaging globally to extend our reach to become a great public international research university by tackling grand challenges, building international ties, and educating leaders to prosper in a global society.
- Collaborating and innovating by 1) promoting a spirit of teamwork and entrepreneurship and 2) adopting a clear strategic vision.
The Medical Center is a crucial part of higher education in the state of Mississippi. The leadership team at UMMC is very strong. As chancellor, I will work to advance the university, help bring in the necessary resources, and develop relationships with the state so we, as a university, can be as successful as possible.
I accepted this role as your chancellor with humility and with an urgent sense of purpose. Thank you for your support and thank you for what you do each day to transform lives and serve our community, state, and nation. I look forward to our ongoing conversations.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to UMMC Students –February 24, 2016
Greetings Students!
When I was named the preferred candidate to become University of Mississippi chancellor last fall, one of my first priorities was to visit the Medical Center to meet and get to know our magnificent health sciences students through a listening session at the Jackson campus.
Shortly after I officially accepted the chancellorship in December, I had the further opportunity to tour UMMC and learn everything I could about our exceptional health care enterprise and the wonderful future clinicians who are being trained at the state’s only academic health sciences campus.
Sharon and I are excited to begin our educational journey with you and to help each of you realize your academic, scientific, and health care potential. As we embark on this, our first semester together, I would ask that you take a moment to consider your many opportunities:
- You have an opportunity to spend your young adult years learning in a dynamic, academically charged environment from some of the world’s leading health sciences educators, researchers, and clinicians.
- You have an opportunity to participate in scientific endeavors that could one day unlock the secrets to some of the world’s most difficult health care challenges.
- And you have opportunities to engage with other students from every health discipline in a truly unique campus setting that includes such jewels as the state’s only children’s hospital, the only Level 1 trauma center, the only Level 4 neonatal intensive care nursery, and the only organ transplant program, to name but a few.
I ask that you make the most of your opportunity to learn, to grow, and to become the health care leaders who will benefit our state, our region, and our nation for generations to come.
The Medical Center is blessed with a tremendously talented leadership team, one that I am honored to work with as chancellor. As we move forward, I will rely heavily on their knowledge, wisdom, and expertise.
During the next several months, I will be visiting the UMMC campus, my “home away from home” of sorts, to spend time with you and to assure that we fully understand the valuable perspectives you have to offer. I ask that you maintain an active dialogue with me to help identify ways the Medical Center can lead our state to what Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs, inspiringly describes as “A Healthier Mississippi.”
It’s especially important for me to champion academic excellence and scholarship, at both our Oxford campus and UMMC. The Medical Center is a significant part of higher education in the state of Mississippi, and your role as health care practitioners and scientists of tomorrow is most vital.
Be on the lookout for announcements of events and gatherings where we can learn more from one another and have conversations about how we can continue to make the Medical Center even greater. And if you’re a Twitter user, I hope you will follow me at @UMchancellor.
I’m honored to lead the University of Mississippi, and I’m proud of my association with you. I look forward to getting to know each of you in the days and weeks ahead.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to Faculty and Staff –February 24, 2016
Greetings!
Thank you for your tireless work and dedication that led to UM receiving Carnegie’s highest research designation of Research 1 (R-1) http://news.olemiss.edu/um-recognized-among-countrys-elite-research-universities/. We join schools like Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins in recognition afforded to only 2.5% of institutions of higher learning in the United States.
This historic achievement is the result of the efforts of everyone on all our campuses. Milestones such as this rest most heavily on the commitment and hard work of an outstanding faculty and staff who truly embrace the transformative power of research and education to promote improvements to lives and society.
Thank you for your role in achieving this honor and thank you for your efforts to fulfill our responsibility as a flagship university. It is indeed a great day to be at the University of Mississippi.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to Alumni –February 1, 2016
Having been on the job as chancellor almost a month, I am truly thankful for both your support and for your passion for Ole Miss. It has been a great start to a new semester. Evidence of excellence is everywhere across our historic campus and your support is an important factor in that excellence. With a dominating Sugar Bowl victory on my first day in office, followed six days later by the opening of the fantastic new Pavilion at Ole Miss, Sharon and I quickly got into the Ole Miss spirit.
It is easy to see why the University of Mississippi consistently ranks highly among the best college environments in which to work. The energy and sense of community Sharon and I have felt in this first month exceed that of any other campus where we have lived and served. We are proud to be new residents of the UM and Oxford communities.
We are also among the newest lifetime members of the Ole Miss Alumni Association! We know and appreciate the value of our alumni in all that we do within the university. We recognize that you are our most visible and dedicated ambassadors. With our alumni in all parts of the world, we can say with confidence that the Ole Miss family has a global impact each and every day. I pledge to do all we can to support a robust and active alumni association.
While we live in challenging times, the simple truth remains that nothing is more important to the future success and vitality of society than higher education. It has a transformative effect on people and institutions, which is why Sharon and I have spent our entire adult lives in university settings. One of the lessons you readily learn in a campus setting is that higher education is a team sport. The most successful universities are those with collaborative and interdependent teams of people who are all focused on common goals. I am especially impressed with the strong sense of pride and passion from our alumni and friends.
I want to explain to you why Sharon and I enthusiastically accepted the invitation to join this very special university. The reasons are probably the same as those that attracted many of our faculty and staff and that inspire your investment and support: the rich tradition of academic excellence and the dedication to transformative service — in short, because we can make a real difference here in educating leaders and improving lives. As I learned more, I was also impressed by the strong sense of community pride and focus upon student success. We made this move because we believe we can contribute to the goals around which you are already rallied.
As we begin a new era together, it is appropriate to reflect upon those things that have brought UM to its current state of excellence, one of which is superlative leadership. Former chancellors Robert Khayat and Dan Jones embraced academic excellence as the polestar of their vision and commitment. Their accomplishments are unparalleled in the university’s history. As interim chancellor, Morris Stocks provided outstanding leadership, continuing our forward momentum; I’m delighted that Morris is continuing on as provost and executive vice chancellor. We have a strong tradition of shared governance and a talented group of vice chancellors, provosts, deans, chairs, and directors. I value this rich cadre of leaders and will draw upon their knowledge, experience, and dedication going forward.
During the process of seeking this position, I thought long and hard about how best to lead the university forward. To start the conversation, I identified some interconnected objectives, developed from my reading about the university and conversations with the UM community.
Advancing and accelerating academic excellence by (1) continuing to increase the value of a UM education, (2) continuing our “student-first” mentality by inspiring and challenging our most prepared students and by providing an accessible and affordable education to all qualifying Mississippi students, and (3) becoming a Very High Research University within the Carnegie Classification, which reinforces our flagship status and positions us to be an even stronger economic driver for our state and nation. Fostering a diverse environment by creating a rich multicultural and inclusive climate for students, faculty, and staff, with an eye to our global society. Serving Mississippi through sustained efforts to make our state and region a better place to live and be a visible leader in community engagement, innovation, and service.
Engaging globally to extend our reach and become a great public international research university by tackling grand challenges, building international ties, and educating leaders to prosper in a global society. Collaborating and innovating by (1) promoting a spirit of teamwork and entrepreneurship and (2) adopting a clear strategic vision. As a core value, I believe deeply in directly engaging the entire university community so that the best ideas come forward. During this semester, I am embarking upon a comprehensive listening and learning tour. Through a number of “Flagship Forums,” I will be visiting with you, our alumni, and with our faculty, staff, students, business leaders, public leaders, and friends.
My overarching goals for these forums are simple. I want us to really get to know one another, and through our interactions, I want to get to know UM better. I look forward, with your help, to learning a great deal about Ole Miss in a short time. I am very interested in your perspectives on what makes us great and what makes us distinctive.
I am especially interested in beginning a dialogue with you about what could make us even greater, about what our aspirations should be. I want to hear your thoughts on what I can do as chancellor to help us sustain and advance the excellence that is so apparent throughout our university. No one of us embodies all the truth or wisdom we need to advance UM. But the shared talents and voices of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and external partners can lift us to heights beyond our imagination.
I accept this role as your chancellor with humility and with an urgent sense of purpose. Thank you for your support — and thank you for what you do each day to transform lives and serve our communities. And remember, every voice matters. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to Oxford and Regional Staff –January 29, 2016
Thank you to all our staff for another great start to a new semester! You keep us going 24/7, even when our students are away. Evidence of your good work is everywhere — from the ease and speed of class registration and the consistently high customer service across campus to the condition of our physical plant and the remarkable year-round beauty of our campus. (Isn’t it a wonder how the Grove is green again after the million-plus footprints in the fall?)
While the quality of the UM staff is widely acknowledged, it can never be said enough that this team is an indispensable pillar of the university. Sharon and I have lived our adult lives in a variety of campus environments. We know that the success of any campus starts with the quality of its staff, who on most occasions are the first campus representatives to recruit, engage with and serve students — as well as host alumni and guests. In essence, staff are the “first face” of UM and are crucial for creating a positive first impression.
Sharon and I are excited to be a part of the LOU community. In these first four weeks, we’ve been warmly welcomed with the tremendous Southern hospitality that characterizes Ole Miss. And we look forward to taking advantage of the insights offered through the “Welcome Home” program offered to newcomers!
While we live in challenging times, the simple truth remains that nothing is more important to the future success and vitality of society than higher education. It has a transformative power on people and institutions, which is why Sharon and I have spent our entire adult lives in university settings. One of the lessons you readily learn in a campus setting is that higher education is a team sport. The most successful universities are those with collaborative and interdependent teams of people who are all focused on common goals. I am especially impressed with the strong sense of community pride and student focus by the UM faculty, staff, and administration. In a recent meeting with Staff Council leaders, I had a chance to see firsthand the passion, energy, and vision that fuels UM’s engine every day. The collegiality and team spirit here are stronger than at any other university where we have lived and served.
UM has a strong record in support of its team members, and I assure you that my commitment to staff and faculty is equally as strong. We will work hard to sustain and enhance the commitment to recognize and reward staff and provide educational and career opportunities across the spectrum of the university.
As we begin a new era together, it is appropriate to reflect upon those things that have brought UM to its current state of excellence, one of which is superlative leadership. Former chancellors Robert Khayat and Dan Jones embraced academic excellence as the polestar of their vision and commitment. Their accomplishments are unparalleled in the university’s history. As interim chancellor, Morris Stocks provided outstanding leadership, continuing our forward momentum; I’m delighted that Morris is continuing on as provost and executive vice chancellor. We have a strong tradition of shared governance and a talented group of vice chancellors, provosts, deans, chairs, and directors. In my first three weeks, I’ve seen why you rank confidence in senior leaders highly in the Chronicle of Higher Education survey. I value this rich cadre of leaders and will draw upon their knowledge, experience, and dedication going forward.
During the process of seeking this position, I thought long and hard about how best to lead the university and bring forth the values and objectives to guide our efforts. To start the conversation, I identified some interconnected objectives, developed from my reading about the university and conversations with you:
Advancing and accelerating academic excellence by (1) continuing to increase the value of a UM education, (2) continuing our “student-first” mentality by inspiring and challenging our most prepared students and by providing an accessible and affordable education to all qualifying Mississippi students, and (3) becoming a Very High Research University within the Carnegie Classification, which reinforces our flagship status and positions us to be an even stronger economic driver for our state and nation. Fostering a diverse environment by creating a rich multicultural and inclusive climate for students, faculty, and staff, with an eye to our global society. Serving Mississippi through sustained efforts to make our state and region a better place to live and be a visible leader in community engagement, ideas, and service.
Engaging globally to extend our reach and become a great public international research university by tackling grand challenges, building international ties, and educating leaders to prosper in a global society.
Collaborating and innovating by (1) promoting a spirit of teamwork and entrepreneurship and (2) adopting a clear strategic vision. Throughout this semester, I will be conducting a comprehensive listening and learning tour. As a core value, I believe deeply in directly engaging the entire university community so that the best ideas come forward. Through a number of “Flagship Forums,” I will be visiting with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders, public leaders, and friends. My overarching goals for these forums are simple: I want us to really get to know one another, and through our interactions, I want to get to know UM better. I ask for your help to learn a great deal about UM in a short time. I am very interested in your perspectives on what makes us great and what makes us distinctive.
I am also very interested in beginning a dialogue with you about what could make us even greater, about what our aspirations should be. I want to hear your thoughts on what I can do as chancellor to help you sustain and advance the excellence that is so apparent throughout our university. No one of us embodies all the truth or wisdom we need to advance UM. But the shared talents and voices of every member of the UM team can lift us to heights beyond our imagination.
I accept this role as your chancellor with humility and an urgent sense of purpose. Thank you for your support — and thank you for what you do each day to transform lives and serve our community. And remember, every voice matters. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Letter to Oxford and Regional Faculty –January 28, 2016
I dare say there is likely no person who has achieved a college degree who could not readily identify a professor who played a pivotal role in her or his success. Thus, I am honored to identify myself as your faculty colleague first, then as your chancellor. Having been on the job almost a month, I invite you to visit with me at upcoming Flagship Forums (further explained later in this letter) to give you an overview of my first month, to make a few observations on the state of the university, and to seek your input as we work together to lift this great university to even greater heights.
Sharon and I are proud to be new residents of the University of Mississippi and Oxford communities. It is easy to see why UM consistently ranks highly among the best college environments in which to work. Its warmth, inclusiveness, and genuineness shine through every facet of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The energy and sense of community we have felt in this first month exceed that of any other campus where we have lived and served.
Nothing is more important to the future success and vitality of society than higher education. It has a transformative power on people and their well-being and helps us to find the “better angels of our nature,” as President Lincoln so aptly noted. Like many of you, I have spent my life in the academy and am passionate about its power to transform and elevate.
I want to explain to you why Sharon and I enthusiastically accepted the invitation to join this very special university. The reasons are probably the same as those that attracted many of you: the rich tradition of academic excellence, the dedication to transformative service, and the commitment to accessibility — in short, because we can make a real difference here in educating leaders and improving lives. As I learned more, I was also impressed by the strong sense of community pride and focus upon student success. We made this move because we believe we can contribute to the goals around which you are already rallied.
As we begin a new era together, it is crucial that we reflect upon what has brought UM to its current state of excellence: superlative leadership. Former chancellors Robert Khayat and Dan Jones embraced academic excellence as the polestar of their vision and commitment. Their accomplishments are unparalleled in the university’s history. As interim chancellor, Morris Stocks provided outstanding leadership, continuing our forward momentum; I’m delighted that Morris is continuing on as provost and executive vice chancellor. We have a strong tradition of shared governance and a talented group of vice chancellors, vice provosts, deans, chairs, and directors. In my first three weeks, I’ve seen why you rank confidence in senior leaders highly in the Chronicle of Higher Education survey. I value this rich cadre of leaders, and will draw upon their knowledge, experience, and dedication going forward.
During the process of seeking this position, I thought long and hard about how best to serve the university’s needs and how to bring forward the values and objectives to guide our efforts. To start the conversation, I identified some interconnected objectives, developed from my reading about the university and conversations with you:
Advancing and accelerating academic excellence by (1) continuing to increase the value of a UM education, (2) continuing our “student-first” mentality by inspiring and challenging our most prepared students and by providing an accessible and affordable education to all qualifying Mississippi students, and (3) becoming a Very High Research University within the Carnegie Classification, which reinforces our flagship status and positions us to be an even stronger economic driver for our state and nation. Fostering a diverse environment by creating a rich multicultural and inclusive climate for students, faculty, and staff, with an eye to our global society. Serving Mississippi through sustained efforts to make our state and region a better place to live and be a visible leader in community engagement, ideas, and service.
Engaging globally to extend our reach and become a great public international research university by tackling grand challenges, building international ties, and educating leaders to prosper in a global society. Collaborating and innovating by (1) promoting a spirit of teamwork and entrepreneurship and (2) adopting a clear strategic vision. During this semester, I am embarking upon a comprehensive listening and learning tour. As a core value, I believe deeply in engaging the entire university community so that the best ideas come forward. Through a number of “Flagship Forums,” I will be visiting with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders, public leaders, and friends.
My overarching goals for these forums are simple. I want to get to know you better and, through you, get to know UM better. The priority of the first forums will be in the areas of academics and students. I look forward, with your help, to learning a great deal about UM in a short time. I am very interested in your perspectives on what makes us great and what makes us distinctive.
I am also very interested in beginning a dialogue with you about what could make us even greater. I want to hear your thoughts on what I can do as chancellor to help you sustain and advance the excellence that is so apparent throughout the layers of our university. I will be looking for opportunities to engage with you directly, and I encourage you to do the same.
I accept this role as your chancellor with humility and with an urgent sense of purpose. Thank you for your support and thank you for what you do each day to transform lives and serve our community. Anyone who has ever been in higher education knows that it is a calling, not a job. Thank you for answering that call. I look forward to a conversation with you soon.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
A Welcome Letter to Students –January 25, 2016
WELCOME BACK! As two of the newest residents of Rebel Nation, Sharon and I have been excitedly awaiting the start of the second semester so that we could begin to better get to know the nearly 24,000 students who attend this great flagship university. Today marks my 25th day on the job as your chancellor, and I want to share a few things I have learned.
No. 1: The University of Mississippi is blessed with a tremendously talented leadership team. In fact, the strength of that team was one of the factors that made this position so attractive to me. We are also fortunate to have a superior faculty and staff, all of whom have welcomed Sharon and me into the family and are working closely with us to make our transition seamless. I am honored to have been chosen to lead this team, and I will rely heavily on their knowledge and wisdom as we go forward.
No. 2: We have a fantastic athletic program and a superior group of coaches and athletic leaders. Not many chancellors get to spend their first day on the job winning the Sugar Bowl! And immediately afterward, we dedicated the state-of-the-art basketball Pavilion — with two come-from-behind victories over SEC foes. That first week reminded Sharon and me that there is nothing in America like SEC athletics, and it showed us the passion of the Ole Miss family in a personal way. It is easy to understand, in the words of Frank Everett, why “one never graduates from Ole Miss.”
As wonderful as these first 25 days have been, Sharon and I have waited for THIS day — the start of the spring semester — more than any other, for it is the students who form the heartbeat of any university. You and those who came before you are the heart of our campus community.
Over the next several months, Sharon and I will be listening to and learning from all members of the Ole Miss family. We will be in every campus location and will be spending time with you, our faculty and staff, alumni, friends of the university, and others to ensure that we fully understand the many valuable perspectives they offer. I will also be working closely with the university leadership team to maintain the strong momentum achieved under the leadership of former chancellors Robert Khayat and Dan Jones and interim chancellor Morris Stocks, and to identify ways to lead this flagship university to ever greater heights of excellence and national visibility.
But, today is about you. We can’t wait to get to know you better. Meet us at the Pavilion Wednesday night and Sunday to see our Rebels play. Come up to us when you see us on campus and introduce yourself. And be on the lookout for coming announcements of events and gatherings where we can learn more about one another and begin conversations about how to make our great university even greater. And PLEASE follow me on Twitter at @UMchancellor.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor