Marvin King, associate political science professor, described the atmosphere of the rally in one word, “Family.”
“It just shows that while we have differences day-to-day, that when there’s a common cause, we can all come together the way a family should. Students, staff, faculty, alumni, we can all come together as a community, and that’s what a family does. If somebody in your family has been unjustly and unfairly attacked, you come together, and you support them, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Beth Spencer, English professor, sees the university as a home to her and went to the rally because she did not like the way the IHL announced the non-renewal.
“Personally, I love University of Mississippi students. I love this place, it is home to me. I have a couple of degrees from here. It is very much home to me. I am out here because I am very concerned about the way in which Dan Jones was removed from office without any kind of coordination between IHL and the administration, faculty, staff and students on campus to even give us our concerns. No consideration is very concerning to me.”
Diane Fergusson, Oxford resident, mother of an Ole Miss Law student and acquaintance of the Jones family, fully supports what the chancellor has done for the university.
“I think his efforts on increasing diversity are stated right here, and the amazing job he’s done on fundraising. These are two incredible accomplishments, and the whole atmosphere, how it’s such a collegial place to work which is not always the case on university campuses, and we are privileged to have somebody of his caliber here. You don’t find administrators with the compassion and the ability and the desire and the willingness to do the work that has to be done every day, and when you’ve got a proven winner, why in the world would you get rid of him? It just doesn’t make sense.”
Ike Hill, senior accountancy major, came out to support the chancellor because he has seen Jones as a courageous leader through his actions.
“I felt like he wanted the best for everyone and not just black people, and white people, but everyone. And I just felt like that was something that needs to be stood by, and he needed my support, and so, I came out to support him, and also I just think he is a great leader, and our university has been excelling with him at the number one spot, and so I want him back.”
Larry Wells, Oxford resident and publisher for the Yoknapatawpha Press, came out to support Jones. He said he had never seen anything like it before.
“I love to see the student support, it is very important. This was organized by students. It comes from inside the school, and their the ones who are impacted the most. So, that makes me very hopeful at the very least, even though whatever happens, the students will never forget this.”
