Chancellor Dan Jones speaks in response to discussions with the Institutions of Higher Learning at a press conference in the Lyceum at the University of Mississippi, Thursday, April 2, 2015. (DM Photo | Cady Herring)
After days of negotiations, The University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones declined the state College Board’s offer to extend his contract for 21 months. He will step down from his position on Sept. 15 when his current contract expires.
Minutes before the chancellor’s press conference Thursday in Oxford, the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees and Commissioner Jim Borsig released a statement explaining that an agreement between the two parties could not be reached, and the board would “move forward with their search for a new chancellor.”
Two minutes later, Jones issued a letter via email to the university community stating he had declined the board’s offer. He began the conference by reading that letter aloud.
“I feel strongly, as do most of my advisers, that serving two years as a lame duck would make it difficult to recruit and retain key leaders and continue our momentum in private giving,” Jones said in the letter. “More importantly, it is clear from the board’s position that the board would not support my leadership during any extension.”
The chancellor continued by saying that in order for Ole Miss to thrive and succeed, the university needs a leader who has the support of its governing board, which he does not have. For that reason, he would not accept their offer.
“I’ve certainly confessed to being an imperfect person, I certainly have made judgment errors over time in my responsibilities, both in leadership at the medical center and my role as chancellor,” Jones said. “By my non-objective views, none of the things that have been cited are things that, if I were a board member, I would make a decision to terminate the contract of a leader of a university.”
Jones said the board had disagreements about leadership at The University of Mississippi Medical Center, but he was satisfied with former Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. James Keeton’s decisions.
“Both of us were comfortable that we were making sufficient progress, but obviously the board disagreed with that,” Jones said.
The chancellor said the IHL board is in a difficult position, but it is time for people to have a conversation about the government structure for the higher eduction in Mississippi.
“All across the country, boards are getting more and more involved, and so, I think this is an issue that will be important for this state moving forward,” Jones explained.
Donald Cole, assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs, was in attendance at Jones’ press conference. He said the chancellor has garnered so much support because the logic of the board’s decision doesn’t add up.
“An institution doesn’t function well without leadership and the uncertainty of that leadership,” Cole said. “(Jones) put the right people in place, with the right visions to carry out that particular direction.”
Cole saw Jones as a leader who was “steady and firm” and a person who would make “swift and hard” decisions when it came to progression for the university.
“He stepped forward as a leader,” Cole explained. “We saw him take stands that others would avoid.”
With the non-renewal of Jones’ contract, Cole said the state had endured a gigantic loss.
“The law has been followed, but I question whether or not justice has been served,” Cole said. “Mostly what I see is power, and the use of power.”
Cole said he is not ready to give up on a leader whom he has put his trust and heart into and has lost faith in a system that was set up to give some guidance based on conversation and trust.
“We feel as if we’ve been invaded,” Cole said. “The whole situation is going to either have to be resolved and resolved soon or it’ll be a long time before trust is restored into the entire system.”
Following Thursday’s press conference, Borsig told student media the discussions Jones had with board members were “wide-ranging.” He was unwilling to disclose the details of those conversations.
“This is not the first tough call that they’ve made,” Borsig said. “When the board makes tough calls, it’s controversial.”
Borsig said The University of Mississippi’s loss in trust of the College Board is a conversation for another day. Now is the time to begin the search for the university’s next chancellor – a process that will involve hearing the needs of the university’s constituents.
“(The board members) are thoughtful, hardworking, caring folks who want the best for the eight public universities and for the state of Mississippi,” Borsig said. “I think that is part of the conversation as we move forward.”
Phillip Waller, co-organizer for Students for Chancellor Jones, said he had hoped for a different outcome, but he and other organizers are already at work figuring out their next step.
“It’s not going to keep us down,” Waller said. “We recognize that sometimes social change is not always successful, but what we have been successful in doing is bringing attention to a very important issue and for that I don’t think any of us are going to apologize.”
Waller and other organizers encourage supporters of Jones to attend the upcoming IHL board meeting on April 16 in Jackson. The group will also be looking into a Jones promotion tied to UM’s commencement ceremony on May 9.
English instructor Beth Spencer attended the press conference to show her support for Jones. She said the IHL board has lost trust not just from The University of Mississippi but from all eight public universities in the state.
“We definitely do not have any reason to trust the IHL and their decision-making process,” Spencer said. “We also shouldn’t have the belief that they will listen to us in any further input.”
Spencer said it is very sad that a leader like Jones can be forced out without the voices of the community being considered.
“This dismissal still makes absolutely no sense,” Spencer said. “It’s really a very dark day for higher education in Mississippi.”
