Dive Brief:
- The University of Mississippi will begin its search for a new chancellor in earnest following weeks of protests by supporters over a decision not to renew the contract of Dan Jones.
- The state board that oversees higher education in Mississippi offered Jones an extended contract with a forced retirement in June of 2017 but Jones declined it, The Clarion-Ledger reports.
- According to the article, Jones didn’t expect to have much impact as a lame-duck leader without the support of his bosses.
Dive Insight:
Many in the Ole Miss community hoped to win Jones his job back by advocating for the once-beloved chancellor. The animosity between Jones and members of the state’s college board over the functioning of the university’s medical center just couldn’t be overcome, it seems. Legislators in Mississippi have proposed amending state law to allow Ole Miss to run with its own, separate governing board. Jones’ supporters may shift their energy toward supporting such a change, now that it seems his tenure is truly over.