Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

University of Mississippi

Fall 2021 — What You Need to Know!

Dear students,

With the fall semester upon us, I know many of you are eager for our return to campus and the Ole Miss spirit we feel when we’re together. You may have questions about the upcoming school year and how it will look, and I hope to be able to answer some of them in this letter. Whether this will be your first fully in-person Ole Miss college experience or you’re returning to face-to-face learning, events and gatherings, let’s make this the best year possible. Here’s what we anticipate the beginning of this school year will look like and how we can help keep each other healthy while on campus.

Line drawing of surgical mask, text says Masks

With the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant, we have adopted guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the CDC and will temporarily require masks for everyone in indoor settings on campus, regardless of vaccination status.

As we see more and more young people impacted by this strain of COVID, we expect everyone on campus to follow these protocols to keep everyone as safe as possible. Masks are an effective layer to slow the spread of COVID, and mask-wearing in public indoor areas will be strictly enforced. 

While this is not what we expected the Fall 2021 semester to look like, we hope this temporary policy will allow us to preserve two of our biggest priorities at Ole Miss: keeping our university community safe and helping students stay on track to earn their degrees. If we can limit the spread of COVID-19, we will be able to continue fully with in-person classroom instruction and on-campus operations. More information about the university’s Fall 2021 campus protocols is available here, including answers to frequently asked questions and contact info to address any questions that are not answered on the website.

Line drawing of a needle, text says Vaccines
Thanks to the free, effective and widely available COVID-19 vaccines, classes, events and even the Grove will look different from last year. Vaccines offer us the best path forward! Currently, the University of Mississippi does not require students or employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 but urges everyone who is eligible to protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated. If you haven’t been vaccinated and have concerns about the vaccines, I encourage you to contact a health care professional for more information. 
The university will offer the Pfizer vaccine for free on campus at the vaccination events listed below. Everyone who gets vaccinated at these events will leave with Ole Miss swag while supplies last AND if you’ve already been vaccinated, you can come by one of these events and get your swag by showing proof of vaccination.
On-campus vaccination events
All vaccination events are in the Johnson Commons East Ballroom, near the Rebel Market.
  • Tuesday, August 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Monday, August 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, August 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
These are walk-up vaccination events, so no appointment is necessary. Email c19@olemiss.edu for vaccination event questions.
Vaccines are also available at the Health Center Pharmacy on the Oxford campus, weekdays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Walk-ups are accepted, no appointment is necessary. Also, more opportunities for on-campus vaccine clinics will be announced as they are scheduled. Info about on- and off-campus vaccination can be found on the university’s COVID website. If you cannot be vaccinated because you’re immunocompromised and need additional support, please reach out to the Office of Student Disability Services.
Line drawing of a calendar with a star, text says Events

University departments and registered student organizations (RSOs) may plan in-person events, gatherings and extracurricular activities. All in-person events must be submitted through The ForUM and should comply with the university’s event registration policy. RSOs must attend Fall 2021 RSO Orientation to be able to register events and apply for Student Activity Fee funding from the Associated Student Body. Please see these requirements and recommendations for event planning for Fall 2021.

In addition to the full reopening of campus and campus services, including all on-campus dining services, shuttles and buses, the university continues to improve the student experience. Ole Miss students can now sign up for UMMC 2 You, which offers telehealth services for students who prefer a remote health consultation. Student Housing will also open a new academic resource center specifically for first-year students living in the residence halls.
 
You can stay informed and connected to what’s happening on campus by reading the weekly student newsletter, The Powder Blue, and by following Ole Miss Student Services on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
 
As always, we will continue to follow public health guidance when determining our next steps, as we have done throughout the pandemic. If changes in the spread of the virus require us to further update campus protocols, we will communicate any changes as soon as possible. Please be safe, and be responsible.
 
We can’t wait for you to get here!
Charlotte Fant Pegues, Ph.D.
Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

COVID-19 INFORMATION RESOURCES

UM COVID-19 info line (M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.): (662) 915-3600
UM COVID-19 information email: c19@olemiss.edu
Baptist Memorial Hospital, North Mississippi 24-hour hotline: (866) 941-4785
MSDH COVID-19 hotline: (877) 978-6453

OTHER RESOURCES

Residence hall move-in
Office of Financial Aid
Advising questions
Visit Oxford