Headlines
UM Takes Down State Flag
OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi Police Department officers lowered and furled the state flag in a Lyceum Circle ceremony as the campus opened Monday morning. The flag will be preserved in the University Archives along with resolutions from students, faculty and staff calling for its removal.
The university’s removal of the flag is the latest development in discussions within the state about whether to change the official state flag, which includes the Confederate battle flag in one corner.
Interim Chancellor Morris Stocks first joined other state and university leaders calling for a change in the state flag in a statement last June.
“The University of Mississippi community came to the realization years ago that the Confederate battle flag did not represent many of our core values, such as civility and respect for others,” Stocks said. “Since that time, we have become a stronger and better university. We join other leaders in our state who are calling for a change in the state flag.”
In recent weeks the focus of campus discussions has shifted from whether the state should change the flag to whether it should fly on campus. After news spread that the Associated Student Body Senate would take up a measure to endorse removing the flag, more than 200 people attended an Oct. 16 campus rally in support of the idea.
On Oct. 20, the student senate voted 33-15-1 to request that the university remove the flag, following three hours of respectful and impassioned debate. Within the next two days, the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Student Council and the Staff Council joined the student government in asking for the flag to come down.
Stocks lauded the way students, faculty and staff treated one another in the course of debating resolutions encouraging removal of the flag.
“Their respect for each other, despite genuine differences of opinion, was an inspiration to us all,” Stocks said.
Stocks noted that the decision to no longer fly the state flag was not an easy one, adding that the flag means different things to different people.
“As Mississippi’s flagship university, we have a deep love and respect for our state,” Morris said. “Because the flag remains Mississippi’s official banner, this was a hard decision. I understand the flag represents tradition and honor to some. But to others, the flag means that some members of the Ole Miss family are not welcomed or valued. That is why the university faculty, staff and leadership have united behind this student-led initiative.”
Stocks noted that other public universities and local governments have already taken this step, and he continues to encourage state leaders to create a new flag.
“Mississippi and its people are known far and wide for hospitality and a warm and welcoming culture. But our state flag does not communicate those values,” Stocks said. “Our state needs a flag that speaks to who we are. It should represent the wonderful attributes about our state that unite us, not those that still divide us.”
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Joseph Blackston MD
October 26, 2015 at 8:52 am
Have they also stopped receiving taxpayer funding from the state of Mississippi?
HG
October 26, 2015 at 9:07 am
They have violated Mississippi law, the legislature should stop all State funding! The administration is an embrassment!
Boyd Harris
October 26, 2015 at 9:59 am
The University of Mississippi currently receives less than 25% of its funding from the state. If you so desire, please write to your legislator and demand that the state stop dribbling out a few paltry dollars to the university. It will allow those of us who wish to move forward in the state to do so without your ignorance in the way. It will allow you to buy a cup of coffee, that is if you can still find a place that sells it for less than a quarter. FYI: I’m being generous in my estimate of how much of your taxes actually goes toward the university. I would not be surprised if it was less.
Trudy
October 26, 2015 at 10:23 am
I’m so sick of Ole Miss bowing down to certain groups of people. If you can’t fly our state flag then by damn don’t take our state money.
Bruce
October 26, 2015 at 10:43 am
Just curious to how many students and faculty are actually from the state of Mississippi that voted the flag down?
Don
October 26, 2015 at 10:54 am
Shameful! The University of Mississippi has yet again decided to bow down to anyone that chooses to be offended and complain. Battle flags, Colonel Reb and now the state flag of Mississippi. What are they going to change next? Every time you give the complainers an inch they will take a mile. They will find other things to be offended about. Ole Miss is changing into a place where the offended people run the University and in the name of inclusiveness the loudest whiners get whatever they want.
ej
October 26, 2015 at 11:51 am
I am for changing the flag…I am against this,,,,,just seems that a state university should fly the state flag….
not much I can do…..I wrote my letter, and will not donate anymore, so I guess they can do what they want without me
Good Luck to All
ej
Reb Fan
October 26, 2015 at 12:39 pm
They have destroyed all of Ole Miss’s traditions; Rebel Flags, Colonel Reb, Confederate Drive, Dixie, From Dixie with love, and now the State Flag. It is not even Ole Miss anymore, the alumni and fans should boycott all athletic events! Most of the people at the University are from other areas of the country. Why support them, they don’t respect us or our heritage.
david smith
October 26, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Another sad day in the state of Mississippi. .political correctness wins another battle. These people are dismantling our university one piece at a time. Im sorry but if you look at a state flag and feel your not welcome or valued as stock’s suggests then im afraid you have bigger issues.
C. Hicks
October 26, 2015 at 1:03 pm
This is a VERY SAD day!!!! I cannot believe The University of Mississippi bows down to a few who have NO IDEA what this flag means!!!!! It would also be great to know THE ones yelling for the flag to come down, if they are even FROM Mississippi!!!!
God help us all, now you have really started a mess!!! You took our Colonel Reb, now our Flag….what’s next???? I can tell you what is next, the THOUSANDS of dollars you will now be WITHOUT from the dedicated MISSISSIPPI born & raised Alumni & contributors!
Let’s see how much $$ you can get from the “flag down crying bunch”!!
You are no longer our flagship university of Mississippi!! ???
Kathy
October 26, 2015 at 1:53 pm
I sift through the comments…and laugh because I see a bunch of whiners.
Be happy, dear Southerners!
We are making progress towards a less racially tense state!
If you wish to memorialize your state’s/family’s history, donate to your local Civil War museum.
Dede
October 26, 2015 at 2:06 pm
Not another dime of state money – 25% more or less.
HG
October 26, 2015 at 2:51 pm
The administration has caused a divide among Ole Miss People that will never be resolved. This will create a deep anger among many Alumni, and will divide us for a very long time.
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October 26, 2015 at 4:01 pm
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Jm
October 26, 2015 at 4:02 pm
What ignorant people we have running our universities. If the student senate votes to take the US Flag down, it will come down to I guess. Ole Miss will not survive without Alumni support.
TampaRebel
October 26, 2015 at 6:02 pm
I’m a native Mississippian, a native Oxonian, an Ole Miss alumnus and a direct descendant of CSA General Albert Sydney Johnston and I FULLY and completely support this decision. I’m proud of the students, faculty and staff for acknowledging the fact that the history of Mississippi is greater than, and more diverse than, four short years defined by the state’s participation in the bloodiest, most deadly, most shameful act of treason against the United States of America in the country’s history. I’m happy that the students, leadership, faculty and staff are putting more emphasis on our University’s future and less on her past. I’m glad that they are leading the way in calling for a banner that is worthy of our great state; a banner that ALL Mississippians can look upon with pride and belonging.
I was among those who waved Rebel flags at football games when I was a freshman and sophomore. As I paid attention to the arguments against it and learned the facts about many of the Southern myths that I had been marinated in since birth, I made the personal decision to put my rebel flag away. I’m proud that my senior class developed the Battle M flag as a first step to removing the divisive confederate symbol from official events. We heard a lot of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when Ole Miss got rid of the rebel flag. We heard a lot of doom and gloom when they got rid of Colonel Rebel, but the fact of the matter remains that Ole Miss has endured and gotten better and better in EVERY way since we let them go. Our enrollment has skyrocketed; donations to the university have skyrocketed; our sports teams have excelled and our pride in our beloved university has only grown.
So if you want to turn your back on Ole Miss; if you want to withhold your donations, if you want to bitch and moan and act as if the world’s coming to an end, then go right ahead. Take your rebel flag and your Colonel Rebel mascot to your grave if that’s all Ole Miss is to you. Continue to fight and complain and right angry letters to newspapers if this is the most important issue in your world. The rest of us will continue on loving our beloved university; supporting her; donating to her; growing her enrollment and our alumni family and looking toward our amazing future. And while we’re at it we’ll enjoy you returning your season tickets so that they can be snapped up by people who consider Ole Miss more than a piece of cloth or an old man with a cane. Ole Miss will survive and THRIVE quite well with or without you.
Hotty Toddy!
ej
October 26, 2015 at 7:13 pm
I am always amused by those who are so willing to throw over long time supporters and donors. Yes, someone will pick up my tickets, and my donations may not be missed. And I wish you all well at P C U. Formerly known as ole miss
jean stewart
October 26, 2015 at 8:08 pm
I am ashamed of the University of Mississippi. Racism is in the heart of everyone that voted to take down the state flag, and everyone that supports this move.. The American flag is offensive to a lot of people these days. Why don’t you take it down also, just in case it might offend someone. Maybe the name of the university should be changed….it has the name of our great state of Mississippi in it. I’m sure that there is someone out there that doesn’t like that either. This all is so ridiculous. Just makes me sick!!!
Chris Pool
October 27, 2015 at 7:35 am
what about all those lives lost fighting for that flag do they no longer mean anything to this country. Quit being a bunch of IDIOTS. the only thing that represents racism is every person going along with this BULLSHIT. whats next changing the school colors to pink and black. I’m so done with all of this politically correct crap. stop removing history !!!!! It only shows our true weakness as a country. THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!
Roger ulmer
October 27, 2015 at 10:52 am
I am amazed at the lack of understanding of a very basic fact of human nature exibited by those who wish to impose their will on the majority. God understood before He created man that love without choice is not true love. Your choice to remove the flag from your campus against the will of the majority will only serve to devide the population. Coerced acceptance will only breed resentment.
The real problem with what you did is that you didn’t consider the desire of the majority. If there is a state referendum and the result is a change of the state flag, then so be it. We can all get behind that like it or not, the majority will have spoken.
So if you don’t need the state funding as you say, please send it back to the legislature and they can send it to a more worthy school. I did like the suggestion that you change the school name to UPC.