In a visit to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the College Board's top choice for Chancellor - Jeffrey Vitter - got a chance to interact with students, faculty and staff.
Vitter says he knows students and faculty at the Medical Center have concerns, but one of the areas he plans to focus on is diversity.
"When you think of the UMC community, you've got a group of people who are incredibly smart, and they have a lot to contribute. Why not tap into that collective wisdom? That also elevates the diversity of the institution," says Vitter.
Students and staff are questioning his experience overseeing a medical center, as well as UMMC's financial well-being.
Vitter says he needs to familiarize himself with the issues and will make himself available to hear concerns.
"My whole focus as a new incoming person is to learn about the university. I need to know and understand people before I take decisive actions. My focus is going forward. I want to look forward to how this university can improve and make a difference in people's lives - not revisit issues of the past," Vitter says.
Michelle Wheeler is a student at UMMC who supports Vitter - saying he's just what the University needs.
"Sometimes when you hear people, you want to see if it's genuine or not. Everything he said felt really genuine. It seemed like he honestly believed Ole Miss is were he wants to be. He seemed like he has drive, a goal, and a passion, and that he was all about diversity. He had that confidence behind his words that showed he knows what he's doing," says Wheeler.
Vitter will undergo campus interviews with students, faculty, staff and alumni today in Oxford. If all goes well, his hiring could be made official this afternoon.
