Headlines
Negotiations Ongoing with Chancellor Dan Jones, IHL Trustees
Photo courtesy UM Communications
After Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning board of trustees met Friday exclusively in executive session with no public statement after the meeting, little headway has been made public to renew University of Mississippi’s Chancellor Dan Jones’ contract.
Since the media explosion March 20 over the news that the board voted 9-2 not to renew Jones’ contract,both parties have tried to keep as much of the deliberations private.
“We’re in discussions, but those won’t take place in the media,” commissioner Jim Borsig said. “Chancellor Jones and I are in agreement on this.”
Jones has made similar statements to multple outlets but has said negotions are still ongoing between him and the board.
No official vote was made during the meeting, therefore another session would be required to change the original decision to not renew the contract past Sept. 14, 2015, and to begin the search process for a new chancellor. No statement has been made about the ongoing search.
Last week, reports flooded the media stating IHL trustees offered Jones a two-year deal, half the typical term for a university president, with one of two stipulations: either a public apology to the board or no chance of renewal in 2017. Jones allegedly countered with a two-year renewal culminating in a performance review to decide whether he is reneed, but no deal has been made.
Amelia Camurati is editor of HottyToddy.com and can be reached at amelia.camurati@hottytoddy.com.
| 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 |
Mary Ann Wright
March 31, 2015 at 11:03 pm
The IHL needs to stick to their original decision. Now is the time to stand up for what ‘s right, not be wimpy and wishy-washy!!
S
April 1, 2015 at 8:26 am
In the last sentence in this story what does reneed mean?
JW
April 1, 2015 at 9:59 am
To S: the W was left out of renewed! Are you being sarcastic or truly didn’t decipher that?
JW
April 1, 2015 at 10:07 am
I agree with Mary Ann Wright. I was neutral on Dr Jones in the beginning or all of this, but too much has happened now for the relationship between Jones and the IHL to ever recover. The IHL is the board that oversees the 8 public Universities, so until the Legislature changes that, which will not be in the next 9 months, then their decision should stand. Jones’ supporters have been very nasty in applying pressure to IHL Board Members with threats, boycotts, etc, and I feel that if they change their vote now, they will be seen as bending for their own benefit. In fact, I fault Jones for not reining in the rhetoric and actions of some of his Oxford supporters.
Al Nall
April 1, 2015 at 10:54 am
I am not a Dan Jones fan and never understood why he was qualified to be chancellor to start with. With all the name changing he has attempted – the embarrassing bear mascot joke – the race to make us out to be racist when we have done more for racial diversity than any other university – and now what the IHL board calls not following policy on bids and contracts, they believed he should not go forward. So what has changed since and why should they reconsider it ? I believe any chancellor would have achieved what Jones did possibly more as I don’t believe we would have had a chancellor as divisive as Jones.
Kit
April 1, 2015 at 11:32 am
The recent published comments are full of anger and devoid of truth. Is it ugly to withhold an enormous gift to a group that acts against the givers principles? The Manning’s,Jim Barksdale and the Ford Foundation can spend their money as they see fit. There us nothing ugly about that. What is ugly is that the IHL board seems to be driven by ego rather than service. So Allen Perry felt disrespected. Grow up.
Arlene Potter
April 1, 2015 at 1:42 pm
However this turns out, I would hope that Ole Miss alumni and student body will support Chancellor Jones for his ability to lead…not for his changing a mascot.
Marta Heflin
April 1, 2015 at 3:58 pm
Dan Jones and Robert Khayat turned Ole Miss into a respected academic institution fully capable of embracing international scholars and students. it is a shame to take a backward step. I find it bizarre that a bunch of political cronies control all of the schools there, approving every employee’s contract. Turning a Harvard lawyer/CPA loose to turn up some dirt to use against Jones was smarmy, and it was even more heartless to fire him just as he was recovering from cancer. Ole Miss is much more than a mindless party school populated by racist rednecks. It should take its rightful place in the 21st century.
Preston Irving
April 1, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Let Dan move on, Ole Miss will be a far better place.