Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

University of Mississippi

Wednesday, July 1, 2020 COVID-19 updates

University News

Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020 
On June 30, Chancellor Boyce sent a message to faculty, staff and students sharing the “Campus Ready” plan outlining campus operations and modified academic parameters in preparation for the return to campus for the Fall 2020 semester. All of the materials listed below will be updated regularly as more information becomes available.
 
Parking Permit Registration for 2020–21 
The Go Live! dates for online parking permit registration for the 2020-2021 academic year will begin July 6 and continue through July 23.  Student parking permit classification is determined by residence and hours completed as indicated by the Registrar’s Office. Permit registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. U.S. CDT on your designated Go Live! date.  Please keep in mind that due to COVID-19 measures, all current plans for 2020-2021 vehicle registration are tentative and subject to change.  Visit the Department of Parking and Transportation for details and direct any questions to parking@olemiss.edu or 662-915-7235.
Summer 2020 Parking Policies
The Department of Parking & Transportation will start Summer Parking enforcement policies on July 1. DPT reminds faculty, staff, and students that during the summer months from 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. weekdays:  
  • Parking meter operation returns to normal Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30 a.m. Vehicles parked in a metered space must pay to park by using the Passport Phone App or by paying at the meter head or payment kiosk.
  • Any student parking permit is valid to park in any student-designated area: Residential Garage, East, Central, West and South, Commuter Zones & Campus Walk. 
  • Students are not permitted to park in faculty/staff-designated areas.
  • Park-N-Ride permit holders will be allowed to park in any student-designated area and undesignated areas, but not faculty/staff-designated areas.
  • Vehicles with faculty/staff permits will be allowed to park in areas designated for student residents.
  • Permit holders with reserved spaces are required to park in their reserved spaces with the following exceptions: South Lot, Jackson Avenue Center (Park-N-Ride area), Insight Park, Facilities Management Lot, South Campus Recreation Center, and South Oxford Center.
  • Faculty/staff and students are not permitted to park in visitor-designated areas.
  • Any permit type is valid in the Park-N-Ride sections (white-painted parking lines) at the Jackson Avenue Center, but there will be no bus service to campus. Commercial zones are still restricted to Malco Theater customers only.
  • Park-N-Ride bus services are suspended during the summer months.
All other posted restrictions remain in effect, including Reserved Parking spaces, ADA-regulated spaces, visitor spaces, service vehicle spaces, and posted timed spaces. These changes to zone restriction enforcement policies will be in effect from July 1-Aug. 17 during normal hours of operation from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. All other parking restrictions still apply. Please contact the DPT office at 662-915-7235 or parking@olemiss.edu with questions.  
University COVID-19-related news stories 

 

Faculty/Staff

Staff Appreciation Event Goes Virtual
No in-person Staff Appreciation event? No problem! While we were unable to host our annual Staff Appreciation event in-person due to COVID-19, the Ole Miss Staff Council couldn’t let an opportunity pass to celebrate the outstanding work of our staff. We’re proud to recognize members of our staff who reached new service milestones in 2020, honor our Equal Employment Opportunity category winners, and give away a few door prizes during this virtual celebration. 
Temporary Reassignment Program
UM is implementing a temporary job reassignment option for staff employees. The program is designed to assist the UM community in connecting available UM staff employees affected by the reduction in work with UM schools and departments who may have temporary projects or assignments.
Snappy Hour to Resume by Appointment Only
“Snappy Hour,” when university photographers will capture portraits for faculty and staff members free of charge, will resume Monday, July 6 but by appointment only. Appointments are available from 9-11 a.m. every Monday. To schedule an appointment, email Kevin Bain, Manager of Digital Imaging Services. Please note that University Marketing & Communications staff will follow all appropriate safety protocols, and the new appointment-based system is part of our effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Other Things to Know

Gov. Tate Reeves has issued new executive orders related to COVID-19: 
Oxford Board of Aldermen keep mask requirement in place
FBI warns of potential fraud in antibody testing for COVID-19
UMMC and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) are hosting mobile COVID-19 sample collection sites. The appointment-only testing is free of charge. Mississippians who want to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire found at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at 601-496-7200 on Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Anyone determined to need testing will be given an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient.
  • Weekly, Mon–Sat: Jackson, West Street Farmers Market
  • July 1: Booneville, Prentiss County Agri-Center
  • July 1: Belzoni, UMMC Clinic
  • July 2: Ripley, Tippah County Coliseum
  • July 2: Liberty, Amite County Harrison Building
For other testing locations available statewide, please visit the MSDH website. Those testing locations are not affiliated with UMMC and have their own screening and appointment processes.
Mississippi among states added to quarantine list in New York, New Jersey
USA Today reviews 10 popular cloth face masks
COVID risk level map and COVID suppression guidance for policy makers and the public launched by Harvard Global Health Institute, Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, Rockefeller Foundation, CovidActNow, Covid-Local, CIDRAP and many others.
On the Lighter Side:
Important Links
There are university studies and surveys underway that welcome your participation. Below is information on how you can learn about them and participate.