Quote of the Day
“(F)ew things are better than Saturdays in Vaught-Hemingway, and we can’t wait to be together this fall. The more we take the necessary safety precautions now, the quicker our lives return to normal. Please stay home and take care of yourself and your families.”
— Keith Carter, Director of Athletics (Source: A Letter to Rebel Nation)
Featured FAQ
Q: I am experiencing problems with the technology required to complete my coursework.
A: The IT Helpdesk is staffed during regular hours (Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) so that they may answer your questions and assist you with any technical problems. Because of the anticipated increase in call volume, consider emailing helpdesk@olemiss.edu rather than calling in order to avoid busy signals.
University News
Spring 2020 Finance Policies
The state’s universities have been asked by our governing body, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), to wait for guidance from state officials before we communicate next steps to our university community about items like housing and meal plans. We recognize that many of our families are eager for more information. The moment we receive guidance, we will communicate immediately with our students and their families.
UM Donates Supplies to Lafayette County Emergency Management
UM Library Buildings to Close
All UM Libraries will be closed until further notice. The online library is open and offers many remote services and electronic resources. Please contact umladmin@go.olemiss.edu with any questions or concerns.
Parks and Recreation Areas
The Shelter-in-Place order issued April 1 by Gov. Tate Reeves orders the closure of “all places of amusement and recreation, whether indoors or outdoors” across the State of Mississippi, while specifically excluding walking trails. As a result, the university is prohibiting all gatherings and other forms of recreation as outlined below as long as the order remains in effect. Please do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus by practicing social distancing. Thank you for taking steps to protect the health of our community.
WALKING TRAILS ARE OPEN: SOUTH CAMPUS TRAILS
You will find most public recreation facilities across campus are closed, but the walking trails are open for your use.
OPEN FOR LIMITED USE:
— The Grove
— The Circle
These areas are OPEN for essential or mission-critical faculty and employees who must access the Grove and the Circle. Pedestrian or foot traffic by the general public is permissible. These area are CLOSED for public or group “amusement or recreation” such as picnics, social gatherings and pick-up games.
CLOSED AREAS:
— Insight Park Intramural Fields
— South Campus Intramural
— Campus Walk Fitness Center
— Campus Walk Basketball
— Golf Course
Procurement
Mission-critical deliveries to departments will be scheduled for Thursdays only (exceptions may be made for extreme circumstances). Central Receiving will remain open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for package pick-ups. For questions and assistance, please email receiving@olemiss.edu or call 662-915-7308 or -7448.
Bursar’s Office
The Bursar’s Office will be open to receive departmental deposits on Thursdays only from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. All deposits should include an email address in case of questions. If you need assistance, please call 662-915-1632 or email bursar@olemiss.edu.
University-Oxford Airport
Effective April 4, the University-Oxford Airport will operate on an all-call basis. For questions, contact 662-234-2036, 662-832-5689 or visit https://airport.olemiss.edu/.
Beware of Increased Phishing Attempts
In general, phishing scams have increased 667% since the onset of the global pandemic. Scams include statements related to refunds, consumer relief package, Help Desk impersonation, internal organization alerts, new cases in your area, donation scams, COVID-19 stimulus-package scams, social security scams, medical scams and more. Here are a few links with information to explain these further:
- https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
- https://www.infosecinstitute.com/blog/top-7-coronavirus-phishing-scams-making-the-rounds/
- https://www.techrepublic.com/article/667-spike-in-email-phishing-attacks-due-to-coronavirus-fears/
Music Watch Party, April 5
Join the Facebook Watch Party with highlights from recent Ole Miss Music performances on April 5 at 3 p.m. at facebook.com/olemissmusic. This Facebook Watch Party is part of the Music Major Advantage Weekend – now completely online – which opens classes, workshops, clinics and chats with students and faculty to prospective students interested in learning more about being a music major at UM. Information about the Music Major Advantage Weekend is available at www.music.olemiss.edu/advantage.
Students
ASB Presidential Town Hall
The Ole Miss Associated Student Body will host a live, virtual Presidential Town Hall on Monday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. CDT on the ASB Facebook page with candidates Anna Hall and Joshua Mannery. DM News Editor Griffin Neal will moderate. To submit a question, click the “Question Submission” button on the ASB election webpage any time before the Town Hall begins. The ASB election will be Tuesday, April 7 from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CDT on students’ MyOleMiss accounts.
Other Things to Know
The University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi State Department of Health will host mobile COVID-19 sample collection sites on the following dates:
- April 4: Carriere, Pearl River County Health Department
- April 6: Ripley, Tippah County Coliseum
The appointment-only testing is free of charge. Mississippians who have been screened as being at high risk of infection can give a specimen sample, via a nose swab, without exiting their vehicle. Anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, who wants to be tested must first undergo a free screening from a UMMC clinician through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app. Those without a smartphone can call 601-496-7200. Appointments for testing will be given only to people who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and determined to need testing. Anyone who is not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call.
For the next three months, LinkedIn will provide free job postings for “essential” businesses globally — companies in healthcare as well as warehousing, supermarkets, freight delivery and non-profits working in support or relief roles. Alongside this, LinkedIn is creating an “urgent jobs” board to give these openings high-priority visibility.
The New York Times compiled more than two dozen pieces of journalism in “Answers to Your Coronavirus Questions,” available to download for free.
On the Lighter Side: One family’s video of their living room performance of a lockdown-themed adaptation of a Les Misérables song has become an online sensation.