COLUMN: The University of Mississippi is at a crossroads and never gets out of its own way. It has an opportunity to do just that.

In 1962, James Meredith was successfully admitted to the University of Mississippi. The school was integrated that same year as Ole Miss would rightly admit students no matter the color or race. Unfortunately, the school would still be the talk of racial strife with music, mascots and symbols. Noting the pushback and effort to be proactive, a decision was made to cease its affiliation to the confederate battle flag, the mascot noted as Colonel Reb and any music that referenced “Dixie.”

It should be noted, the University and the State of Mississippi is a loving place, full of people that will help our fellow neighbors regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, many throughout the country still believe Mississippi is a racially charged state with no way of any cohabitation between racial groups.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I am a proud Mississippian and so proud of how we have grown in so many areas. The University of Mississippi should be applauded as well, taking positive steps to make sure all of its alumni and fans feel welcomed and loved. Since the day Mr. Meredith stepped foot on campus, the universities leadership has done a great job of being an inclusive group, conversely, its has done a poor job of standing its ground to the detractors.

Since Dr. Robert Khayat retired, there has been a void of leadership to tell the world what Ole Miss has to offer. Rather than be defensive in what it has done wrong, tell the world what it is doing right and go on the offensive. Pound the podium and let the world know what the University of Mississippi has to offer future students. 

Stop walking on eggshells and carry a big hammer.

WAOM is a punchline. Tweeting it out by the marketing department only makes the point more vivid for the world to see. Do you want it to mean something? Change the narrative and make a difference.

Finally, it is high time the Ole Miss fans stand up and support the university for what it is. The Rebel faithful continue to be somewhat divided over the loss of an on the field mascot, a song and a flag. While the group gets smaller by the day, the administration made it a priority to advance forward with inclusivity. The fans that object need to follow suit. 

As long as there is a divide, it will only hinder the administration for advancing the university forward in all forms.

THE NCAA INVESTIGATION IS OVER AND ITS TIME TO PUSH THE RESET BUTTON.

The now infamous picture of former Chancellor Jeff Vitter, former Director of Athletics Ross Bjork and former head coach Hugh Freeze is quite telling. In order to move forward, the University had to make some tough decisions. Both Vitter and Freeze are gone. As we all know, Bjork has moved on as well. I think most believe Bjork leaving for Texas A&M was best for both parties.

For those three, including holding a press conference without any press, countless decisions were made during the entire process that was proven to be head scratching. From Freeze daring the NCAA to investigate the football program on Twitter to Bjork and Vitter making the decision to cooperate with the NCAA during the investigation, those were the most glaring.

While the actual findings and punishment were eventually rendered, it packed a very little punch. The actual time of the investigation is what was brutal on the program, with a plethora of the problems being self-inflicted. When the NCAA findings noted that Ole Miss did not exhibit cooperation into the investigation, while the administration remained steadfast in doing so, the writing was on the wall. None of the three leaders would ever totally win the fanbase back.

All three have now moved on in one capacity of the other.

THE NEW CHANCELLOR

For every Ole Miss fan reading this, it will be the biggest hire in your lifetime at Ole Miss. I firmly believe the right Chancellor would catapult the university to places it has never been. From giving to the school, endowment advances and student recruitment, Ole Miss and the Institution of Higher Learning board must make the right choice. 

The good news for Rebel fans, Dr. Ford Dye, a local ENT physician in Oxford, has Ole Miss’ best interest at heart. He is heading up the committee to hire the new Chancellor and has been on the board since his appointment by current Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant in 2012.

This is a new day. I look forward for the opportunity to see the committee look at candidates of color and those of the opposite sex, of a position where all 18 Chancellors have been males. Current interim Chancellor Larry Sparks has been terrific in his short time on the job. He has no interest in the permanent position but being a Mississippi native has been perfect for the transitional period.

Leadership at Ole Miss is something that has been void for quite some time. The good news for the new Chancellor, the only way to go is up. A place with the charm of Oxford, the beautiful campus and a school full of hard working professors and staff, the sky is the limit.

ROSS BJORK LEAVES FOR TEXAS A&M

Bjork was named the Director of Athletics at Ole Miss in 2012 and was perfect for the job. Ole Miss needed a fresh face at the time and Bjork was a home run. With stints at Western Kentucky, UCLA, Missouri and Western Illinois, Bjork hit the ground running. Before he would depart Oxford, Bjork would double the budget at Ole Miss from $57-million to $117-million.

Facility improvements were also a priority during his tenure as the Manning Center was built for football, Swayze Field continued to receive updates, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium saw its North end bowled in and the jewel of the campus, The Pavilion, was built for the Ole Miss basketball team.

He excelled in so many areas and should be commended for his time in Oxford in those areas.

In decisions not of his volition, Bjork would see the athletic program mired in NCAA troubles. From women’s basketball, track and football, Bjork and the administration would make the decision to comply with the NCAA in regards to cooperating during the investigation, which proved to be vital in the demise of the department in many facets. 

The lack of transparency would also prove to be a detriment. We learned that Bjork and Ole Miss fought hard inside the Embassy Suites in Covington, KY, yet the dye was cast for many Ole Miss fans. Bjork, Vitter and Freeze would lose fans and supporters they would never get back.

In the annuls of history, Bjork very well could be one of the most decorated athletic directors in the history of the University of Mississippi. Due to the NCAA disaster, many will feel that will not be the case.

The next AD for Ole Miss will also be a big hire. Just like the Chancellor hire, the athletic program, specifically the football program, has a great opportunity to turn the page. Currently Keith Carter is acting Director of Athletics and the perfect person for the transition. 

Carter, a former standout in hoops at Ole Miss, could potentially be the long term AD. Regardless, the incoming Chancellor will make the decision and Carter could be a viable candidate.

THE NEW BEGINNING SHOULD START NOW

At the end of the day, Ole Miss needs to turn the page. From academic recruiting, to giving, to marketing, to all points in-between. Now is the time to hit the reset button.

Ole Miss is much more than a person in a costume patrolling the sideline, it’s much more than a song or a piece of cloth on a stick.

Ole Miss is a place where everyone is and always will be welcomed. 

It’s a place where friends and family can come together in The Grove on Gameday and tell stories about all the games of the past, share recipes and eat until you can’t eat anymore. It’s the smell of the flowers and the Pride of the South playing before the game and meeting your future wife. 

It’s a place to receive a quality education, learn a ton of life lessons and know that your education can take you places you could never dream of.

With a new Chancellor, Athletic Director in place and all of the fans pulling in the same direction, Ole Miss could rise to places it has never been before.