Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

University of Mississippi

Official University Messages

Employee COVID-19 requirements, policies and best practices

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Dec. 2, 2020
Dear faculty and staff,
 
With case counts spiking locally and around the state nearly 10 months into the pandemic, now is a good time to share reminders about COVID-19 requirements and policies as well as highlight best practices.

Telecommuting and leave policies

The University continues to encourage telecommuting in the wake of COVID-19. Employees who can perform their job responsibilities remotely and remain productive and effective may continue to do so with prior approval from their supervisor and department head. It is imperative that offices continue to provide services. If you require some flexibility, speak with your supervisor to develop a plan that achieves work goals and meets your needs. The requirements and continuity of university operations may not allow for telecommuting in certain instances.
 
Paid leave of absence (time-off) may be available. Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA), known as FMLA+ on our campus as offered under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), are available for eligible employees until December 31, 2020. Beyond 2020 or if the employee has exhausted EPSL, employees are encouraged to use First Day Illness and Major Medical Leave, as needed.  Employees should not report to work if they feel ill or show any possible signs of COVID-19.
 
For more information, visit the HR site on Leave Programs & Work Arrangements Due to COVID-19.

What to do after taking a COVID-19 test

These helpful flow charts are a good resource that offer options for what to do based on why you took a COVID-19 test and the results of the test. The flow charts outline next steps if you have taken:
  • a PCR COVID test because you have symptoms,
  • a PCR COVID test because you had close contact with someone who has COVID,
  • a PCR COVID test as surveillance testing, or
  • a rapid (Antigen) COVID test

Reporting positive tests

Employees must report COVID-19 positive tests to their supervisor and to Employee Health (662-915-6550).
  • The anonymity and confidentiality of persons with COVID-19 will be protected during this process.
  • University Health Services will collaborate with the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) for contact tracing and to determine additional precautions that may be warranted.  

Isolation and quarantine orders

If you tested positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact, please be aware of the following MSDH orders:
  • COVID-19 Isolation Order stating that persons infected with COVID-19 must remain in the home or other appropriate residential location for 10 days from onset of illness (or 10 days from the date of a positive test for those who are asymptomatic).
  • COVID-19 Quarantine Order requiring a 14-day quarantine period from last exposure for all household contacts to a person with COVID-19.

Return to work authorization

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you will need clearance from your healthcare provider to return to work. For additional guidance, please visit this CDC resource.
 
Be sure to read the recent blog we shared about how the protocols are working for employees working on campus. And while the holidays typically present plenty of opportunities for people to celebrate with coworkers, the COVID-19 pandemic is complicating things this year. Please read this article from UM experts who share tips for modifying gatherings and events – including celebrating virtually as much as possible – to reduce the spread of the virus to keep friends and communities healthy and safe.
 
If you have any questions, please contact us at hr@olemiss.edu or 662-915-7431.
 
Continue to stay safe,
 
Andrea M. Jekabsons
Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

Fall 2020 Update

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Oct. 27, 2020
Dear Ole Miss Parents and Families,

 

Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet with a large number of students to check-in and gather feedback about their experiences this semester. Their commitment to the pursuit of a college education and the passion that they exhibit for Ole Miss is truly outstanding.

 

I want to share an update with you about a number of steps that we are taking to support our students further for the fall and in preparation for the spring. When we made the decision to resume instruction for the fall semester, we knew it would not be an easy task. Feedback from our students, faculty, staff and families is incredibly important, and it has informed a number of initiatives now underway to enhance student support and campus activities as outlined below.

 

Academics for Spring 2021

  • Offer more in-person (face-to-face and hybrid) courses – We remain committed to holding as many face-to-face courses as we possibly can, and we are looking at new and additional ways to make that happen. Departments are finalizing their course formats for the spring semester, and we will assess those in relation to available spaces to hold classes. Once approved and finalized, course formats will not change unless under special circumstances related to the pandemic. The Spring 2021 course catalog will be made available online later this week.
  • Expand the number of places where we host classes, including potentially off-campus locations, to maximize opportunities for face-to-face instruction while also practicing social distancing in the classroom – We will also expand our use of non-traditional spaces on campus to hold classes. It is worth noting that in normal times, we hold relatively few large classes compared to other flagship public universities. That means we have fewer auditorium-style classrooms. As a result, reduced classroom capacities required to maintain social distancing give us fewer options to host our larger classes on campus, which is why we extended our search for space to off-campus venues. We will use any space that will allow for more face-to-face instruction.

 

Student Life

  • Opened more options for registered student organizations to host activities off campus – The university has launched a pilot to expand student social activities safely. The pilot allows some off-campus social gatherings under delineated parameters and requirements. We hope to expand upon this plan at the conclusion of the pilot. (See Oct. 19 message to students for details.)
  • Created additional efforts to direct students to the full range of campus resources including supplemental instruction, tutoring, counseling services, and more. Our Division of Student Affairs contacted all freshmen by text to ask if they needed any assistance. Several hundred responded, and we are working with students individually to address their needs.
  • Extended hours of operation for the J.D. Williams Library on campus – On weekdays, the library will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The library will also be open on Saturdays (except on home football Saturdays) and Sundays.
  • Expand co-curricular opportunities for student engagement – We kicked off our Bright Pathways initiatives task force, which is developing a framework to offer additional co-curricular activities through academic departments and further engage faculty and students in topics related to their disciplines and programs.
  • Make more on-campus spaces available for student organizations and groups to meet – In addition to meeting rooms in the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union, we will make classroom spaces open to registered student organizations when available. These groups are also being encouraged to meet outdoors.
  • Expand student programming – Students can visit the ForUM website for information about the full array of registered student organizations. Please encourage your student to learn more about the hundreds of organizations in which they can get involved and grow their leadership skills at Ole Miss.

 

Additional Efforts

  • Instituted direct outreach in dorms to check on individual students – The Center for Student Success and First Year Experience is working with Student Housing staff to reach out to individual students who may have struggled in midterms or are known to be struggling in other ways. This “door knock” campaign will allow us to connect students to a full range of campus resources.  
  • Publicize additional opportunities for engagement to students and faculty — In an effort to enhance our students’ connection to campus life, we created another touchpoint with our students at the start of this semester by launching a weekly student newsletter, The Powder Blue. This publication provides student-focused updates, tips, events, resources and more.
  • Add picnic tables around campus to promote gathering places for students  – In response to a request from a student leadership advisory council, we are adding 75 picnic tables across campus to allow small groups to gather in order to enhance social connections across our campus community. We want our students to be able to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.
Please know that we are striving every day to make the most of this environment for our students. Our focus has never wavered in our mission to transform lives and communities through higher education. We will continue to work hard each day for your student.
Stay well,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Revised Spring 2021 Academic Calendar and Commencement Plans

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Dear students, faculty and staff,
 
As we look ahead to Spring 2021, we are committed to offering the best on-campus living, learning and working environment that we can under the current challenges that we continue to face due to COVID-19. Our planning continues to be driven by four guiding principles:
  • Maintain an on-campus learning, residential and working environment that prioritizes the safety and well-being of the campus population,
  • Prevent the spread of the virus by following guidance provided by public health officials and agencies,
  • Fulfill our core mission of education, research, and service, and
  • Enable our students to maintain academic progress toward earning their degrees.
 
We recognize that the restrictions on campus activities have made this semester different for our students. While faculty and staff feel the difference as well, they are committed to delivering an outstanding educational experience to our students.
 
This message provides an overview of the modified academic calendar, the health and safety measures that will be in place as well as other relevant details known about the spring.    
 
Spring 2021 Health and Safety Protocols
The established public health protocols and parameters outlined in our Campus Ready Plan will remain in effect, including wearing masks and practicing social distancing. These parameters and protocols are constantly evolving and are continuously being evaluated as our environment and understanding changes.
 
Classroom Capacity and Engagement
Like every university in our state system and the Southeastern Conference, we must maintain reduced capacity in our classrooms to allow for social distancing. This reality constrains our ability to offer classes that can meet face-to-face. We will offer as many classes as we can with a face-to-face component, up to the protocol-adjusted capacity of our classroom spaces. Course formats for Spring 2021 will be determined and made known prior to registration so students can take this into consideration.
 
There will be many opportunities for faculty to engage with students in every course. These opportunities will be announced to the class or posted in the syllabus. Of course, these opportunities are more prevalent in remote, face-to-face, and hybrid formats. Interactions with faculty can take many forms, like class instruction, office hours, extra recitation, virtual discussions, etc.
 
Condensed Spring Schedule
  • Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (UM closed) will remain on the calendar for Jan. 18, 2021.
  • Classes will begin as originally scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.
  • Spring break will be canceled to complete the semester as quickly as possible while mitigating risks associated with travel. This has been widely adopted as a best practice in the current environment by universities across the country.
  • Good Friday holiday (UM closed) will remain on the calendar for April 2, 2021.
  • Classes will end April 23, 2021, which is one week earlier than previously scheduled.
  • Final exams will be completed by April 30, 2021.
  • Faculty will remain on contract until May 15, 2021.
For more information, please see the academic calendar for Spring 2021 on the registrar’s site.
 
Commencement
We consider it a great privilege to celebrate our graduates and their accomplishments during Commencement each year, and we are pleased to announce ceremony dates for the Class of 2021 as well as the Class of 2020. While we were unable to hold an in-person event for the Class of 2020 this past May because of the pandemic, we are eager to welcome them back to campus to celebrate and honor their incredible achievements, character and spirit. 
In anticipation that we will be able to interact more freely in May, we are planning both commencement ceremonies for that time. If COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, we will make and announce any adjustments to the formats of these events. We will share more details as they are finalized.
  • Class of 2021 Commencement — The main ceremony and most individual ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021. Some individual ceremonies may take place the day before or day after May 1. Details about individual ceremonies will follow.
  • Class of 2020 Commencement — The main ceremony and most individual ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 8, 2021. Some individual ceremonies may take place the day before May 8. Details about individual ceremonies will follow.

In spite of the many challenges we have faced and continue to tackle since the onset of the pandemic, I’m grateful and humbled by the incredible commitment and determination of our university community to look after all of our students as well as our faculty and staff. We remain committed to delivering the education, experience and value that is synonymous with Ole Miss.
 
Stay healthy, stay well.
 
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

University COVID-19 Update

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September 1, 2020

Dear students, faculty, staff and parents,

Entering our second week of classes, I’m writing to share observations and updates as we continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19.

On Friday, Aug. 28, a group of university leaders and I met on campus with Dr. Thomas Dobbs and Dr. Paul Byers from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss MSDH guidance to the state’s universities regarding isolation and quarantine processes, and to share what we have learned in navigating a number of complex and ever-changing scenarios. Dr. Dobbs added that he recognized the challenges facing universities, but was encouraged by the detailed plans and on-campus safety protocols employed by our university.

I’d like to share a big Thank You to all in our university community who expressed support to our colleagues who are working earnestly, diligently and tirelessly to make this environment work. Managing through a pandemic is difficult, and it affects everyone on every level, personally and professionally. Thank you for sharing constructive feedback, which we are using to improve our processes, approaches and overall response.

Below are updates and clarifications to keep you apprised of where we stand. Additional details are provided in the links incorporated below.

Monitoring the impact of the virus on campus

Last week, the Future Planning Task Force launched a dashboard to share data and metrics that we are tracking to assess the impact of COVID-19 on our campus. It is important to note that there is no single data point that will determine whether we need to implement additional measures. Rather, decision-making will require us to consider a number of factors affecting our ability to address the needs of current cases, mitigate risk for our campus constituents and manage the resources we need to respond.

For example, the number of active cases is considered in conjunction with other metrics such as capacity of hospital beds for our local hospital (Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi), or in tandem with availability of designated isolation or quarantine space on campus. Such considerations will more fully reflect the impact of the virus on our community and our ability to respond.

Thanks to our robust contact tracing efforts through our team of expert volunteers from the School of Applied Sciences, we have discerned that spread of the virus on our campus is not prevalent in classrooms and academic spaces. The experiences that have been shared with us about the classrooms and learning experiences have been positive. People are following the protocols in our academic and research spaces, and those protocols are working there.

We have linked a number of cases and outbreaks to a failure to follow the protocols in other settings, primarily off-campus social gatherings. We once again ask all members of our community to embrace the shared responsibility of adhering to the protocols – on and off campus. It is imperative that all of us take precautions to protect our entire community, especially vulnerable individuals among our students, faculty, staff and neighbors in Oxford.

Isolation and quarantine processes for on-campus residents

There has been some confusion related to isolation and quarantine, so I want to clarify our approach in this area.

The university is required to manage these processes in accordance with MSDH guidance, which continues to evolve as MSDH’s understanding deepens on how the virus may spread in various areas and populations. On Aug. 21, we learned that an outbreak in a university setting was defined by MSDH as three or more positive cases among a defined group, such as residents of a floor in a residence hall or members of a team.

Subsequently, MSDH updated its written guidance on Aug. 27 regarding isolation and quarantine on college and university campuses. In the on-campus meeting last Friday (Aug. 28), MSDH verbally communicated its plan to clarify further its guidance to colleges and universities on how to quarantine individuals affected by outbreaks. As a result of these discussions, we updated the information about these processes for Student Housing residents on our university’s COVID-19 website. Please visit this information page for additional details and FAQs.

This is just one example of how our processes continue to evolve as new information becomes available, and it requires time to understand such changes before we can communicate them to you. We remain committed to keeping our campus community informed as we navigate this period together.

As a university, we are working diligently to provide the best living and learning environment possible within the limits posed by these challenging times. While we may have to do things differently in the short term, we must remain focused on our long-term goal of reducing the impact of the virus in our community while keeping our students on track toward earning their degrees. We are grateful for everyone who is doing their part to help us get there.

Stay healthy, stay well.

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor