Message from the Director
During this fall semester at the University of Mississippi, your students are showing amazing resilience and adaptability.
Meanwhile, the Ole Miss Family Association would like to make sure you have all resources available to you during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please visit coronavirus.olemiss.edu/ for all updates, recorded number of cases, and information on quarantine and isolation. You can also sign up to receive campus updates on COVID-19 via email here.
As a fellow parent, I understand the frustration, maybe even fear, that many of you have expressed when you’ve called or emailed our office. Some of you sent your child over 20 hours away, with no built-in support system. Please know you and your student are not alone. The University of Mississippi is eager to help students as they transition through this difficult time. Below are some quick references you or your student may want to have on hand.
- Keep Learning – tips on how to navigate online classes
- Center for Student Success and First-Year Experience – the central location for all things first-year students, including help with time management and study skills
- Campus Recreation – Students can get involved in sports clubs or join a virtual or socially distanced workout class
- The ForUM – We cover this in this issue, but it includes all activities going on around campus and a calendar of events for extracurricular activities
- Ole Miss Student Union – houses the Student Activities Association, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Associated Student Body, Black Student Union and Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement
- Social Media – Please note the only official social media account for parents and families at the University of Mississippi is the Ole Miss Family Association. Several sites are not university sanctioned and often deliver false or misleading information.
- For a detailed social media chart on who to follow, check out our Family Communication Plan
Many of you have asked about Fall Family Weekend, and we now have a final decision. Due to the city of Oxford’s restriction on gatherings with no more than 25 people, and following the parameters and protocols set forth by the Mississippi Department of Health and university administration – Fall Family Weekend will be hosted virtually this year. Mark your calendars for the weekend of Oct. 24 to participate in some fun activities with our colleagues at UM – from yoga to cooking, virtual games to escape rooms, we have it all covered! Stay tuned for more information and sign-up directions for Fall Family Weekend!
In closing, we ask that you check in on your students this week. Ask if they are washing their masks and practicing safe social distancing. If they need to speak with someone, our Counseling Center is available via walk-in or telehealth. If you need support in any way, please email merrill@olemiss.edu or call 662-915-7705.
Mask up and Hotty Toddy!
Merrill Magruder