Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

University of Mississippi

Official University Messages

Update Regarding Revised Deadlines for Federal Vaccine Mandate for Employees

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To all faculty, staff, and student employees,
 
In a message to you last week, I promised that the university would monitor and adapt to changes to the federal government’s COVID vaccination mandate for federal contractors. At that time, based on new federal guidance, I announced that the university would not place employees on leave if they were not fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, and we notified employees that they had until Jan. 3, 2022, to receive at least one shot of the vaccine of their choice. 
 
At the end of last week, the federal government changed its guidance once again that prompted us to make another slight adjustment to our plan. Under guidance released last Thursday, employees are required to receive both shots of a two-dose vaccine, or one shot of a one-dose vaccine, by Jan. 4.  We will continue to work with employees who have shown a good faith effort to become fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.
 
This new guidance for federal contractors should not be confused with the new COVID vaccination mandate for private employers that was also issued last week. While the vaccination mandate for private employers was temporarily halted this weekend by a court order, it does not impact the federal contractor mandate that applies to the university. We will inform you if the federal contractor mandate is halted by a court.  
 
Employees can visit the federal mandate information page of the university’s COVID website to see details about how to upload vaccination cards or how to apply for an accommodation. We have started reviewing submitted requests for religious and medical accommodations.
 
Please remember that we are operating vaccine clinics on campus. Visit the university’s COVID website to see the schedule for upcoming clinics. I appreciate your patience as we continue to adjust our plan based on the evolving federal guidance. 
Sincerely, 
Glenn F. BoyceChancellor

Update on Deadline for COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Employees

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To all faculty, staff, and student employees,
 
This message is an update for you on an important matter to all of our employees regarding COVID vaccination. Before getting into the details, I ask for your patience as we continue to receive and monitor updated guidance from officials in Washington, D.C., and we are now reaching out to share what we have learned with you. 
 
I sent an email on Oct. 25 to all university employees regarding the federal Executive Order that requires COVID-19 vaccinations by December 8, 2021, for all employees working on federal contracts and employees working in federal contractor workplaces.  Based upon the guidance available at that time, the university indicated that employees who had not provided proof that they were fully vaccinated or received a medical or religious accommodation by Dec. 8 would be placed on unpaid leave until they provided proof of vaccination. In addition, the message indicated that employees with pending accommodation requests would be placed on paid leave while the accommodation request was evaluated.
 
On Nov. 1, federal officials issued clarifying guidance that now permits us to allow unvaccinated employees to continue to work after the Dec. 8 deadline “through a limited period of counseling and education.”  Under the new guidance, employees do not need to be removed from the workplace unless these efforts result in “continued noncompliance.” Consistent with the latitude provided by the new guidance, university employees who are not fully vaccinated as of Dec. 8 will be allowed to continue working and not be placed on a leave of absence.  
 
Unvaccinated employees and those employees who have not submitted proof of vaccination will be permitted to continue to work and remain on the payroll until Jan. 3, 2022, while the university continues to counsel and educate these employees on the need to get vaccinated.  Employees who are not fully vaccinated by Jan. 3 (and who have not demonstrated a good faith effort to become fully vaccinated by having received at least one dose of the vaccine of their choice) or who have not received an accommodation may be separated from employment.  If you are separated from employment for failing to become fully vaccinated, you may be eligible for rehire to an open position if the vaccine mandate is ever rescinded. 
 
Employees who have a pending accommodation request as of Jan. 3 will be allowed to continue working until review of their request is completed.  If an accommodation request is denied, the employee will be given a reasonable period of time to act promptly and become fully vaccinated. Here are the links to get more information and learn how to submit a request for an accommodation:
Thank you for doing your part to help the university work toward compliance on this matter. I am mindful that these developments present a difficult challenge for some of you. We will continue to monitor further updates or clarification of the federal guidance, and we will continue to modify our plans to comply with the Executive Order based on new information. 
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Glenn F. BoyceChancellor

University Update on Vaccine Requirement for Employment

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Dear students,
 
I’m writing to you about the University of Mississippi’s response to the vote earlier today by the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning directing all universities to comply with an Executive Order issued last month by President Biden on “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors.”
 
To comply with the order, the University of Mississippi will require all UM employees (including faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate student employees) to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Please note that this vaccination requirement is a condition of employment at the university, not a condition of enrollment. If you are a student who is not employed by the university, you are not required to be vaccinated. The IHL Board kept in place its directive preventing COVID-19 vaccine mandates as a condition of enrollment.  
If you are a student employee (graduate or undergraduate) of the University of Mississippi, this vaccine mandate will apply to you and vaccination will be required for employment. Student employees will receive a separate communication with additional details.
 
The university continues to follow health and safety guidance when determining the university’s response to COVID-19. I want to encourage all students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of employment status, as vaccination remains the best way to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19. Please visit the university’s vaccination web page for additional information, including information about on campus vaccine clinics at Johnson Commons on Oct. 26, 28, 29, and Nov. 2, 3, 9, 17, 19 and 30.

Be safe. Be responsible.

Fall 2021 — What You Need to Know!

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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

Chancellor’s Message: Update to Campus Protocols in Light of Current Cases and Data

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August 4, 2021

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As the fall 2021 semester approaches, our university leadership team is excited to return to in-person learning and the full on-campus experience. While our anticipation builds, we must recognize the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A sharp spike in cases in Mississippi and nationally is being caused by the Delta variant that is highly contagious and spreading quickly.

Considering where we were this time last year, we can all be grateful for the availability of effective, safe and free vaccines. Even with vaccines, however, the recent surge is cause for concern because the Delta variant is easily transmitted. We have reviewed updated guidance and recommendations from the CDC and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). We have regular communications with the IHL and other universities in the system, MSDH, the City of Oxford, the local school district, and the local hospital to assess the impact on our community. These discussions further inform our decision making for expanding or reducing community intervention and mitigation strategies.

To align with the CDC and the directive from MSDH stating, “that masks be worn universally indoors for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Due to the prevalence of the highly transmissible Delta Variant, masks must be worn in all indoor facilities to mitigate the risk of infection at this time” the university is implementing the following update to campus protocols:

  • Effective immediately, the university will require face coverings in indoor public spaces on campus, regardless of vaccination status. This includes public office spaces, classrooms, conference rooms and other academic spaces like laboratories and libraries. Additionally, masks will be required while traversing public spaces in residence halls, dining facilities, the Student Union, Campus Rec, and retail spaces. Masks will be required for extracurricular activities held in indoor on-campus spaces. Face coverings are not required when outdoors.

This new, temporary protocol is an evidence-based mitigation strategy which will assist us in delivering in-person learning and maintaining a full on-campus experience with the least amount of disruption. We’re optimistic that this temporary mask utilization indoors will help ensure a successful start to the school year. In fact, to have the full in-person experience, this strategy is being embraced by all eight public universities in Mississippi, as well as other SEC universities. We will evaluate this protocol daily based on how spread of the virus evolves on campus and in our community. Let me emphasize that we are implementing this temporary mitigation strategy as the least disruptive way to ensure a full campus experience.

We’re incredibly grateful to all those who are doing their part to protect themselves, their families, and others by getting vaccinated. We know that many of you who have received the vaccine will be frustrated about once again returning to masking, even if it is temporary. It is important to note that the effectiveness of vaccines against virus spread, hospitalization, and the most severe outcomes offer us the best path forward and your individual choice to be vaccinated will remain advantageous to you. Please know that when we are able to lift the temporary mask mandate for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, it is very likely that anyone who is unvaccinated will still need to wear a mask indoors, as it will be their only protection from the effects of getting the virus. We urge everyone to do their part to keep themselves and our community safe: Take advantage of the free and widely available vaccines.

Our teams continue to monitor this fluid situation daily, and we will keep you apprised of any changes to the campus protocols. Thank you for your commitment to our shared success — it will require all of us, working collectively and in alignment, to limit the spread of the virus.

Stay well,

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor