Multi-topic

Good morning! 

Today, I want to give brief updates on a few timely items. 

First, an update on the follow-up to the recent cyberattack. 

We’ve been able to bring back online most of what is used in regular Medical Center operations thanks to the hard work of many people, led by our DIS team, and the high-level security systems we already had in place. The investigation of the criminal attack on our systems may take months or longer to get a full forensic picture, but it is essential to know how this happened and prevent it in the future. This was a major historical event, but luckily, we were able to quickly get ourselves back going and serving Mississippi’s needs. 

And as was noted in Wednesday’s memo, if you receive a strange call that may be the threat actors, please let our Division of Information Systems and Office of Information Security and Privacy teams know at abuse@umc.edu.

The Medical Center has had positive news related to actions in the U.S. Congress. 

We are grateful for the support of the Mississippi congressional delegation for many reasons, not the least of which is how they support our mission financially. This past federal fiscal year, they garnered over $18 million in direct spending to UMMC including: 

• $8.5M for site preparation for a new Cancer Center and Research Institute facility 
• $4.53M for renovation/construction of the 8th floor of the Research Wing 
  • An additional $2.4M for imaging equipment in these new labs  
• $2.5M for a maternal health research and intervention effort  
• $907,000 for campus safety support 

Congress also included continued robust funding for federal grant-making agencies that direct funds to UMMC like the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. Additionally, they included increased support for primary care residency funding, obesity prevention work and for the National Center for Telehealth Center of Excellence program, of which UMMC is one of two sites.

The Medical Center’s budget process is in full swing following a slight delay while systems were not accessible because of the cyberattack. We are back on track to meet original deadlines. 

Finance leaders are reviewing department/office budgets, expecting to complete this step by the end of the month. 

In April, executive leadership will receive a draft of the FY27 UMMC Operating and Capital Budget to review and adjust as necessary. The final version will be submitted to the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning at the May meeting. 

Daylight Savings Time kicked in this past Sunday, costing (most of) us an hour of sleep. The yield, though, is daylight hours going later into the day. Also, we know a new season is coming, it’s time to “spring forward.” 

As we move into longer days, let’s commit to keeping our focus forward. Seasons shift, systems stall, clocks jump an hour – but your dedication to your work and this state stays constant. Thank you for staying grounded, adaptable and mission‑driven. 

Here’s to brighter days ahead as we travel the path onward to A Healthier Mississippi.