University of Mississippi Physical Plant employees recently received a mass-letter from Physical Plant Director Ashton Pearson after the Ole Miss vs. LSU football game on Nov. 19. The Daily Mississippian obtained the letter from an anonymous physical plant employee.
Pearson sent the university letter Oct. 22 on university letterhead in regard to an employee’s behavior during the football game in which an employee posted comments on their social media website in support of LSU.
The letter states that while the university will never tell its employees whom they can or cannot cheer for, there is an expectation to support Ole Miss while on the clock. Pearson states that if employees cannot support Ole Miss, they shall “remain neutral and without comment.”
The university employee was on the clock and working on the sidelines at the football game during the time when he posted the comments, according to University Communications Director Danny Blanton.
Blanton highlighted that the main issue lies more so within an employee not doing their job, rather than supporting their team of choice.
“When you’re working gameday responsibilities, number one: You have a job to do and unless you’re working in media relations, that’s not tweeting. And number two: Don’t be disruptive to the team and the fans while you’re working,” Blanton said.
University Communications monitors social media activity to strictly report what is being said about the university itself, not to keep watch or track of individual employee behavior, according to Blanton.
Multiple attempts were made to contact Pearson in which he was not available for comment.
