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\n<\/p>\n\nOXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends are throwing a party Thursday (April 30) for Robert C. Khayat, their retiring chancellor.\n<\/p>\n
\nWeather permitting, the party will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Grove, the huge park-like area in the middle of UM’s Oxford campus.\n<\/p>\n
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\n“Everybody affiliated with Ole Miss absolutely loves the Grove, including Chancellor Khayat, so this is the perfect spot for his party,” said UM Dean of Students Sparky Reardon, who will emcee a short, informal program at 4 p.m. on the Grove stage.\n<\/p>\n
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\nRefreshments will be served from 3 to 5 p.m.\n<\/p>\n
\nIf it rains Thursday, the party will move to the C.M. “Tad” Smith Coliseum.\n<\/p>\n
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\nSue Keiser, Khayat’s assistant for 11 years, said that her retiring boss “didn’t want anything formal or expensive, so we’re just going to serve lemonade and cookies, and are inviting all our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends – past and present – to show up.”\n<\/p>\n
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\nKhayat became UM’s 15th chancellor in summer 1995 and retires June 30.\n<\/p>\n
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\nDuring his 14 years as UM’s chief executive, he has drawn praise for a multitude of achievements. This year alone, UM ranked among the nation’s top 25 public universities on Forbes.com, hosted a presidential debate, announced its 25th Rhodes Scholar, inaugurated the first black president of its alumni association, trounced Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl and completed its successful $200-million MomentUM campaign.\n<\/p>\n
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\n“Our alumni and friends love Chancellor Khayat, and I hope many of them will be able to come to campus and visit with him and other members of the Ole Miss family as we gather to celebrate 14 years of prosperity at our state’s flagship university,” said Alumni Affairs Director Tim Walsh.\n<\/p>\n