The Mississippi College Board has named its preferred candidate for chancellor of the University of Mississippi. Now it’s up to the campus community to vet the candidate.
“I’m very proud and pleased and excited to announce that the Board’s preferred candidate for the next Chancellor of the University of Mississippi is Jeffrey S. Vitter, PhD, Provost of the University of Kansas,” said Mississippi College Board President Alan Perry in front of the storied Lyceum in Oxford. According to Perry, more than 50 had applied for the position and eight were interviewed. The search had become necessary after the IHL, in a controversial move, decided in March not to renew the contract of former Chancellor Dan Jones. Vitter, a New Orleans-native and a professor of computer science and electrical engineering, holds a doctorate in computer science from Stanford and an MBA from Duke University. IHL president Perry is eager to stress Vitter’s strong academic background, something that university stakeholders had made very clear was essential to them:
“So he’s a renowned scholar as well as being an experienced and highly sought- after administrator.”
Next week Thursday, Vitter is due on campus to meet with Ole Miss faculty, staff and students. He can expect a flurry of questions on diversity and his stance on flying the state flag on campus. Meanwhile, Perry said that unless there are serious questions or concerns during that visit, Vitter may already be declared the next Ole Miss chancellor that very same evening, although he would probably not take the helm before February of next year.
