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IHL Board Released Statement Concerning Contract Negotiations With Chancellor Dan Jones
This is a statement from Commissioner of Higher Education, Dr. Jim Borsig.
The meeting of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi held on Thursday was the culmination of discussions that began prior to his medical diagnosis, were suspended during the Chancellor’s medical leave of absence, and resumed at the request of the Chancellor when he returned to full-time service.
The concerns centered on financial issues at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, over which the Board of Trustees has the constitutional duty to provide fiduciary oversight, as it does for all public universities. However, we want to make it very clear that the Board has no concerns over the personal integrity or honesty of Dr. Jones or any other employee of UMMC.
The Board had discussed these and related concerns with Dr. Jones over a lengthy period of time and these matters were not corrected to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees. The Board cannot directly manage an institution or replace employees other than the institutional executive officer; therefore, the only practical remedy available to the Board was a change in leadership at the Chancellor level.
It had become clear prior to the March meeting that there was not a majority in favor of contract renewal. The Chancellor was informed that there was no path forward to renewal and that the contract would be allowed to expire on its own terms. He indicated he would not resign or retire.
The motion that was passed in executive session yesterday was:
In light of the fact that the contract of Dr. Jones expires by its own terms on September 14, 2015 and that the Board has not extended the term of that contract, the Commissioner is directed to begin appropriate preparations to conduct a search process for the next Chancellor of the University of Mississippi in accordance with the Board’s policy related to such searches.
Nine members voted in favor: Trustees Blakeslee, Cummins, Dye, Hooper, Parker, Patterson, Perry, Rouse and Smith
Two members voted against: Trustees Owens and Robinson
One member was absent: Trustee Pickering Dr. Jones has provided strong leadership in many facets of the University of Mississippi during his tenure. However, the Board cannot overlook its longstanding concerns regarding the business and financial affairs at UMMC.
The University of Mississippi is one of the great public universities in our nation. The Board of Trustees is committed to selecting the best possible leader to take the university to even greater levels of achievement.
The Board of Trustees recessed its meeting on Friday until Monday at 4:00 p.m. Members of the Board may participate in the meeting via teleconference. Members of the public and media may attend the meeting in the IHL Board Room, located in the Universities Center, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211. An Executive Session may be held in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.
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Arlene Potter
March 21, 2015 at 7:51 pm
I graduated from the University of Miss. School of Nursing in 1970. I understand how much medical costs run. However, why could the Board not reach an agreement with Chancellor Jones? I read the minutes to you meeting, and a lot of information was left out…”he said, he said, etc.”
It sounds like a lot POLITICAL to me, and I’m guessing a lot of BIG egos got in the way of one another.
Shame on all of you on the board!
Bill Lumbergh
March 21, 2015 at 8:10 pm
I’m not sure what the IHL’s true reasoning is. They claim it has to do with UMCC, but all I read was bloviating. I find it troubling when we allow the State run IHL to not allow the Chancellor of The University of Mississippi to have input on who is to run UMCC. Whether we UM alums like Dan Jones or not, we should rally the troops and fast. This is most definitely a situation of ALL OF THEM against us. Ole Miss is vastly underfunded per student compared to the rest of the State Universities and relies upon it’s private fundraising much more so than the others to survive. The same IHL proposed a revenue “sharing” system for out of state tuition which also hurt Ole Miss as our school is not only attractive instate, but nationally as well. This is nothing but a political ploy perpetrated out of sheer jealousy. Shame on our governor and shame on the board. I may not agree with Chancellor Jones on many of his liberal beliefs, but he is one of us and when you pick a fight with one of us, you pick a fight with the whole lot of us.