6/18/2020 - Jackson, Miss.

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved the University of Mississippi’s request to relocate the Confederate Monument from its current campus location, at the front of the Circle on University Avenue, to the University Cemetery, which is located on campus on Coliseum Loop, at its meeting held today in Jackson.

“The Board of Trustees approved the request from the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi,” said Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr., Commissioner of Higher Education. “He and his team devoted considerable time and attention to developing a thoughtful plan to relocate its Confederate Monument to the University Cemetery.”

Action on this item was tabled at the January Board meeting, pending review of a progress report from the University of Mississippi (UM) regarding the recommendations from the 2017 contextualization report. UM provided the requested information, including the status of proposed improvements to the cemetery on the UM campus.  Review of the proposed cemetery improvements was prudent in the Board of Trustees’ due diligence in assessing the appropriateness of the relocation site, as required by law.  

"The Board reviewed the detailed plans for the new site, considered events on college campuses across the South involving Confederate monuments, and listened to the University's various constituency groups.  The Board subsequently determined relocating the Confederate statue to be most appropriate for Ole Miss moving forward”, said Ford Dye, Board President.

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The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

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