Official University Messages

Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020 – Parents and Families

· Jul 9, 2020 ·

July 9, 2020

Dear parents and families,

We hope all of our Ole Miss families have had a good summer so far and that this letter finds you healthy and well. On campus, we have had a busy summer with planning and preparations for the countdown to Fall 2020. I’m writing to share information about a message we sent to faculty, staff and students on June 30 to share the “Campus Ready” plan that outlines changes to campus operations for the Fall 2020 semester.

As parents and families, we know you have a great interest in the university’s planning and preparedness during these challenging times. Foremost, we want you to know that every aspect of the “Campus Ready” plan is focused on preventing the spread of the virus to safeguard our community. We have done this in alignment with government orders and public health recommendations from the Safe Return order of Gov. Tate Reeves’s reopening plan, the City of Oxford’s Serving Oxford Safely recovery plan, the IHL Safe Start Task Force, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), and the American College Health Association (ACHA).

The “Campus Ready” plan will be updated as additional campus protocols are finalized, the pandemic unfolds and new information and updated public health recommendations are made available. In the plan, you will find extensive information on student responsibilities ranging from the expectation to wear a face mask or cloth face covering to how courses will be delivered. Below you will find links to topics most relevant to your student.

One area in particular I’d like to highlight is how social distancing guidelines will impact the classroom experience. In order to comply with public health recommendations of maintaining six or more feet from others, we have to reduce the capacity of classrooms and other learning spaces. This means that courses will be offered in four different delivery modes — you can read detailed descriptions of these delivery modes here.

Regardless of the delivery method this fall, I want to emphasize that students will continue to learn from outstanding faculty and will participate in amazing academic programs. The University of Mississippi is one of the best values in higher education, and our faculty are working hard to ensure that courses this fall are valuable and provide the same student outcomes, whether they are offered in a remote format or a face-to-face format. And all of our programs will continue to meet the accreditation standards and prepare students for their next educational experience or a career in their chosen field.

As we work hard to maintain a healthy campus environment this fall, we are very appreciative of your support in understanding what is expected of our students as outlined in the “Campus Ready” plan and in emphasizing the importance of compliance. If we cannot achieve full compliance with the protocols across our entire community and the university experiences prolific spread of the virus, we will have no choice but to scale back on-campus operations and take more strict measures to prevent further spread. If all members of our community do their part to prevent the virus from spreading, our level of activity on campus can be greater.

We know it is a lot to take in, but we are here to answer your questions, and we will be here to support your student through all of it this fall.

Stay well and Hotty Toddy!

Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor

Campus Ready: Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020

· Jun 30, 2020 ·

June 30, 2020

Dear faculty, staff and students,

This message marks the release of the university’s “Campus Ready” plan that outlines how we will operate for the Fall 2020 semester. The plan is the product of extensive and exhaustive planning efforts designed to resume daily operations and return to instruction on campus safely. As a result, this message is lengthy and backed by additional supporting documentation in an effort to share with you what is known now and identify what remains to be determined.

Return to Work on Campus Overview

· Jun 15, 2020 ·

Dear faculty and staff,

This message offers an important update about the university’s plans to Return to Work on Campus so that we continue to fulfill our core mission of providing an extraordinary educational experience for our students and enabling them to make progress toward earning their degrees.

Message about Future Planning Task Force

· May 19, 2020 ·

May 19, 2020

Dear students, faculty and staff,

With the Spring 2020 semester now behind us, we look to the summer and the planning necessary for the Fall 2020 semester. In that light, I’m writing to share an update on planning efforts underway to guide the university as we continue to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spring 2020 Checkout

· May 6, 2020 ·

May 5, 2020

Dear Resident,

We hope you and your family have been safe and healthy. While we could not have anticipated your time in Student Housing would be cut short, we truly hope you enjoyed your experience living on America’s most beautiful campus this year. We appreciate your patience, understanding and cooperation over recent weeks as we continue to keep the health and safety of our community at the forefront of our planning and decisions.

We have established a detailed plan for Spring 2020 checkout based on three priorities:

Maintain the health of our students, guests, and staff by adhering to guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) regarding social distancing and large group gatherings.
Provide you with recommendations for ways in which you can be prepared prior to your arrival on campus for Spring 2020 checkout.
Make the checkout process as easy as possible given the current circumstances.

Checkout Procedures

You will need to schedule your checkout date and time. Appointments are available in two-hour increments from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. CDT from Monday, May 11 through Sunday, May 31. A limited number of students will be able to select each appointment time in keeping with CDC guidelines of limiting the number of people in a single area at one time.

You will be permitted to enter the residence hall only during your confirmed appointment time. Only you and two additional guests will be permitted. Overnight stays are not permitted.

To schedule a checkout appointment

Log-in to the Student Housing Portal (where you completed online forms and your application).
Choose “Spring 2020 Checkout” from the top red menu bar.
The Appointments page will appear and default to the first available day of appointments. Use the calendar drop-down options or the day-to-day scrolling option located under “Please book an appointment for yourself” to search for your preferred day and time. (Note: If your preferred day or time is not listed, that means no appointments are available at that time.)
After selecting your appointment, scroll to the bottom and click the “Save & Continue” button to confirm your time. You will receive an email confirmation of your appointment, sent to your Ole Miss Gmail. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please log back into the portal to finalize any items.

*IMPORTANT: The Student Housing Portal has a limit to the number of students that can be logged in at one time. If you receive an error message, please be patient and check again at a later time to select your checkout appointment.

To change your checkout appointment

Log-in to the Student Housing Portal
Choose “Spring 2020 Checkout” from the top red menu bar.
The Appointments page will appear and you will see your current appointment information under “My Appointments.” Click on the “Cancel” button next to your current appointment and click “Ok” to confirm you want to cancel.
Select a new appointment time and click “Save & Continue” to confirm your new appointment time. You will once again receive an email confirmation, sent to your Ole Miss Gmail.
Appointment times can be changed up to one (1) hour before your confirmed time.

At the time of your checkout

Bring no more than two (2) additional people. Please follow CDC guidelines and do not bring anyone who has a compromised immune system, has been in contact with anybody who may have tested positive, or who has exhibited COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of your appointment.
Per CDC and MSDH guidelines, students and guests will need to wear masks or similar face coverings— including homemade masks, scarves, or bandanas.
Go directly to your building. Access to the building and your room will be provided on your Ole Miss Student ID starting at your appointment time. Please do not arrive earlier than your appointment time. If you arrive early, please remain in your car in the parking lot until your allotted time when you can move closer to the building and to a loading zone.
Please use the hand sanitizer that will be available in all residence hall lobbies.
Maintain a safe social distance of at least 6 feet from others who are in the building at the same time as you. Please do not share the elevator with anyone except those with you.
Take all personal belongings you want from the room to your vehicle and dispose of all trash/perishable items in outdoor dumpsters.
Remove one (1) Express Checkout form from your door and fill it out, ensuring all sections are complete. It is important that your writing on this form is legible so that we can verify you have checked out. The Express Checkout form will indicate you give permission to Student Housing to dispose of any personal items left in the room.
Turn in your Express Checkout form to the drop box located at the front desk of each building (for Northgate residents, the RH1 front desk).
Parking and University Police will be on hand during this time. As long as you are not parked in an illegal parking space, you will not receive a parking ticket.

If you have a compromised immune system, are sick, or cannot return to campus

You can submit a request for someone else to retrieve personal belongings and checkout on your behalf. A Student Housing staff member will be in contact with you to provide further instruction. For any questions about having someone retrieve personal belongings and checkout on your behalf, please email housingrl@olemiss.edu.

For students who are not planning to return to campus to claim their belongings, or students who wish to contract with a company for packing, shipping, or storage options, information and next steps will be posted on the Student Housing website. The packing/shipping, or storage option will be at the expense of the student, and students will contract with the vendor directly.

Recommended Preparations

Bring your Ole Miss Student ID with you at your scheduled appointment time. This will be used to access your building and room.
Wear a mask or similar face covering—including homemade mask, scarf, or bandana for each person coming to campus. Nobody will be permitted inside a residence hall without a mask/face covering.
Be prepared with boxes, tape, and other moving supplies. These items may not be readily available in Oxford.
Bring a dolly, handcart, or furniture mover to aid in removing large or heavy items.
Please arrive at your scheduled appointment time and remove your belongings as quickly as possible to remain within your appointment window. Appointment times have been carefully developed to ensure a safe number of people are in each building at one time. Arriving early or staying after your appointment time places everyone in jeopardy.

Contacting Student Housing

Student Housing may experience a high volume of questions and calls during this time. All efforts will be made to respond as quickly as possible; however, responses may be delayed. Student Housing can best be reached through email at housing@olemiss.edu or by calling (662) 915-7328.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work together through this unprecedented event. The University of Mississippi’s highest priority is the health and safety of our students and campus community and, for this reason, a great deal of time and consideration has gone into the planning for Spring 2020 checkout. Our hope is to make this process is smooth and safe for everyone.

Student Housing