BY RANDY BOYD
INTERIM UT PRESIDENT
We all remember our teachers asking us to write an essay on how we spent our summer break. Since students have returned to our campuses, I wanted to share with you how I spent my summer.
OAK RIDGE INSTITUTE AT UT ESTABLISHED: The UT Board of Trustees approved a resolution creating the Oak Ridge Institute at the University of Tennessee (ORI@UT). ORI@UT forges a path of increased collaboration and alignment between UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and will enhance Tennessee’s ability to provide talent to meet national needs. ORI@UT plans to recruit 60 top-tier UT faculty/researchers, matched by 60 renowned ORNL scientists/researchers; leverage existing world-class facilities for high-return programs; increase the number of joint Ph.D. students from 120 to 500; and attract roughly $150M in new funding annually.
UTIA AND UTK BEGIN REUNIFICATION: Of all the 1862 land grant institutions, UT was the only one with its flagship campus independent of the College of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Experiment Stations and Extension. As a result, according to Fiscal Year 2017 National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey data, UT Knoxville ranks 107th in research and UTIA ranks 170th. We were not structured in a way that allows us to be competitive. Our trustees voted to reunify these two critical campuses. Together, the campuses now rank 55th among public universities. The two campuses already shared the same faculty senate, faculty handbook, residence halls, facilities management, and, now, are accredited as a single institution.
LAUNCHED THE UT COMMISSION ON AGRICULTURE: The land-grant mission of the UT Knoxville has always had serving the agricultural industry at its core. In order to serve, we need to understand and to understand, we need to listen. The more ways we can do so, the better we can deliver that mission. We created the UT Commission on Agriculture to help us listen. For years, the UT Institute of Agriculture leader through advisory councils and serving on the Board of Farm Bureau has been tied into agriculture across our state. All UT leaders that support agriculture at UT need to hear directly from the people, the communities and the industries we serve in order to provide the value they want, need and deserve.
HELD SUMMIT FOR OPIOID ADDICTION AND RESPONSE (SOAR): UT is uniquely positioned to identify the state’s “grand challenges,” such as the opioid addiction crisis, and convene the key stakeholders to work together to combat those challenges. More than 700 leaders from across the state and nation gathered in Knoxville to share ideas and information, make connections, and make new plans to work together to combat this epidemic on our people, our state and the nation.
VISITED EXTENSION OFFICES: After my first two weeks on the job, I boasted I had been to every campus: Memphis, Martin, Tullahoma, Chattanooga, Institute for Public Service, Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Lab. I was reminded that we have campuses in all 95 counties — our Extension offices. I promptly committed to visiting all 95. They share the same mission and passion, but are unique and inspiring in their own way. I have visited 33, and I can’t wait to visit the rest.
This is only a portion of what we have accomplished. To see the complete list, please visit https://president.tennessee.edu/column/.
While we have accomplished much this summer, I couldn’t be more excited about our future, this year and the decades to come for the University of Tennessee — our One UT.