We wanted to take this time to reiterate a crucial message to our students: We all have a role to play in stemming the spread. All students — whether they live on- or off-campus – are strongly encouraged to return to their family home and stay there during this period to promote social distancing and minimize the risk of spreading the virus. This is not a time to get together for parties or treat it as an extended vacation. You may not get sick, but failing to practice social distancing may lead you to transmit the virus to someone else who could die from it. Act in the interest of the greater good and stay home.
University News
We wanted to take this time to reiterate a crucial message to our students: We all have a role to play in stemming the spread. All students — whether they live on- or off-campus – are strongly encouraged to return to their family home and stay there during this period to promote social distancing and minimize the risk of spreading the virus. This is not a time to get together for parties or treat it as an extended vacation. You may not get sick, but failing to practice social distancing may lead you to transmit the virus to someone else who could die from it. Act in the interest of the greater good and stay home.
Hotlines Are Open
The university is operating two call centers to answer your questions. Both are open weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- COVID-19 Hotline for questions about university operations: (662) 915-3600
- Health Services Hotline: (662) 915-3700
Food Bank
Starting March 18, the Food Bank is moving to a Grab-N-Go bag system to promote social distancing and limit person-to-person contact. It will be a self-serve operation in the lobby outside the Food Bank on the second floor of Kinard Hall. These items will be available any time while supplies last. Currently, the Food Bank is low on high-demand items, but will have some ready-to-go meals with recipes and pantry staples bags. Food is on order with Kroger with the hope of restocking in the next week.
Rebel Relief Campaign
We have heard from many in our community who want to help. In response, the university has established the Rebel Relief campaign to serve members of the Ole Miss family who need extra assistance during this uncertain time. This campaign supplements existing measures that offer housing and food assistance, academic support and quality health care to every member of the UM community. Visit the Rebel Relief campaign site for additional details.
Help Facilities Management Keep Campus Spaces Clean
In accordance with the direction to minimize the number of people on campus, Facilities Management (FM) is operating with reduced staffing to support mission-critical requirements
only. As a result, FM is employing a couple of strategies for custodial services to help us identify spaces that actually need to be cleaned on a daily basis:
- For classrooms and teaching labs – FM is working under the assumption that these spaces can be cleaned once, then closed and locked until normal operations resume. If there are classrooms or teaching labs that need to remain open, departments must submit a list of those rooms tofm@olemiss.edu to get them cleaned daily.
- For offices – FM is working under the assumption is that many personal offices will be unoccupied on a daily basis as many faculty and staff work remotely. FM will issue “Services Needed” door hangers for faculty/staff to hang on their office doors to indicate a need for services. Faculty/staff who hang this tag on their doors by close of business will have their offices cleaned the following morning by our custodial staff. Otherwise, custodial staff will not enter the office. Door handles will continue to be disinfected daily.
- Restrooms, common areas, and other public spaces will continue to be cleaned/disinfected on a daily basis.
For questions or to identify exceptions, please send an email to fm@olemiss.edu or directly to Dean Hansen, director of facilities management.
Campus Mail
Beginning Tuesday, March 17 and until further notice, normal campus mail deliveries/pick-ups will be suspended and mailroom operating hours will be limited. Departments may drop-off or pick-up mail at Campus Mail Services on Monday-Friday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Campus Mail is located in the JAC Resource Building on West Jackson Avenue next to the Mississippi Federal Credit Union.
Offices in the Lyceum and Martindale Hall, as well as other mission-critical areas, may request a daily mail stop. Delivery will be between 1-2 p.m. daily, and office doors MUST be open during this time. If departments would like to request a mail stop, please email Rachel Bost.
Central Receiving
Beginning Tuesday, March 17 and until further notice, normal delivery service by Central Receiving will be suspended. Departments will be contacted by email and/or phone as packages are received at Central Receiving. Deliveries to departments will be scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays and by appointment only. If a delivery is requested, the office door must be open and an employee must be present to accept delivery. Otherwise, departments are welcome to pick-up their departmental packages from Central Receiving between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. from Monday-Friday. Questions should be emailed to receiving@olemiss.edu or to Rachel Bost.
Students
Keep Learning
Check out the university’s Keep Learning website, an invaluable resource for students with advice and links to help you transition to remote learning.
Student Health Services
Student Health Services will operate on an appointment-only basis for urgent care/sick visits. Walk-in patients will not be accepted at this time. It is very important that students call 662-915-7274 to schedule an appointment before coming to the clinic to protect other patients and clinic staff as recommended by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Visits that are not urgent, such as annual exams or physicals, will be scheduled for a later date or at a time that will limit potential exposure. This approach will allow more capacity for urgent care and help to protect healthy patients as recommended by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Faculty and Staff
University Limits New Expenditures
Until further notice, faculty and staff are expected to limit new expenditures to mission-critical acquisitions and purchases only. During this time, we will focus on mission-critical needs and ask Procurement to ensure mission-critical purchases are processed in a timely manner. Invoices for products and services already rendered to the university should be paid under our standard procedures. It is unclear how long this period of reduced operations will last, or what financial impact it may have on our institution. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Resources for Transition to Teaching Online
The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Faculty Technology Development Center and Division of Outreach have created a website, a dedicated e-mail address and drop-in Zoom hours to support the transition to teaching online. https://www.olemiss.edu/keepteaching keepteaching@olemiss.edu
Additionally, live webinars are available daily, March 16–20: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. https://zoom.us/j/362276795 Meeting ID: 362 276 795 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/259195382 Meeting ID: 259 195 382
Employee Health Services
Employee Health Services will operate on an appointment-only basis for urgent care/sick visits. Walk-in patients will not be accepted at this time. It is very important that employees call 662-915-6550 to schedule an appointment before coming to the clinic to protect other patients and clinic staff as recommended by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Visits that are not urgent, such as annual exams or physicals, will be scheduled for a later date or at a time that will limit potential exposure. This approach will allow more capacity for urgent care and help to protect healthy patients as recommended by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
University Counseling Center’s Employee Assistance-Mental Health Program (EAP-MH) will be available by appointment-only for faculty and staff. Please call 662-915-3784.
Other Things to Know
- UM’s McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement list of community resources https://twitter.com/McLeanUM/status/1239960732118274048
- UMMC abbreviated guide to life in the time of COVID-19 https://www.umc.edu/news/Miscellaneous/2020/MarchCONSULT/CON032020SE.html
- Lafayette County School District resource page http://www.gocommodores.org/news/what_s_new/covid19
- Oxford School District newsletter with details about COVID-19 school closures https://www.smore.com/yatj2-osd-update-covid19-school-closures?ref=email-content#w-9140856556
- Johns Hopkins University & Medicine site of COVID-19 Global Cases interactive map https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6