Announcements Archives 2007
Strategic Plans for the Knoxville Campus
Chancellor Loren Crabtree has asked me to direct a strategic planning process for the entire campus. I want to explain how I am organizing this initiative. I also want to strongly encourage your input into this process.
2007-11-27 08:32
Undergraduate Education on the Knoxville Campus
Remarks presented at the initiation ceremony of Phi Kappa Phi, November 15, 2007
2007-11-19 18:32
Our Goals and the Governor's Priorities
At the budget hearings in Nashville last week, Governor Phil Bredesen mentioned four priorities he has for the coming year. Each of them should be welcome news for the Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee as the governor?s vision lines up very well with our priorities here at UT Knoxville.
2007-11-07 08:47
Remarks at Faculty Bookplate Ceremony
Every year faculty members who have been promoted to associate professor or full professor, or who have received tenure at either of those ranks, are asked to select a book in which they will then have their name commemorated with a special bookplate recognizing their academic achievement. From a tome on proton-emitting nuclei to a users' manual for creative disruption, this year's additions provide intriguing insights into the interests and breadth of our faculty.
2007-11-02 08:39
Funding for General Education
I am writing today to clarify the issue of funding for general education.
2007-10-19 08:47
New Director of CIE Named
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Pia Wood as associate vice provost and director of the Center for International Education.
2007-10-17 12:41
Address at the Scholars Invitational Luncheon
We have so much to offer here at the University of Tennessee, and it's not just football, Rocky Top, and Smokey. What we have here is a great institution of higher education, and it's getting better every year.
2007-10-16 14:00
Compensation of Faculty Members for Administrative Positions
I write today to encourage you to offer a 129 Freshman Seminar in the spring 2008.
2007-10-16 14:09
Report from the Provost at the Deans, Directors, and Department Heads Retreat
My purpose in talking to you this morning is twofold. First I want to review with and for you what we've been able to accomplish over the past year. Second, I want to give you some insight into what we in the Provost's Office are planning to accomplish this year.
2007-10-02 14:34
Remarks at the Senator Herbert S. Walters Scholarship Luncheon
The event today celebrates the generosity of an outstanding donor to the campus as well as the results of that generosity.
2007-10-02 14:14
FYS129 Freshman Seminar Proposals
I write today to encourage you to offer a 129 Freshman Seminar in the spring 2008.
2007-09-17 08:11
Textbook Legislation in Tennessee
On May 31, 2007, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law designed to control textbook costs at Tennessee public colleges and universities. We will need to alter our book order procedure to comply with the new legislation.
2007-09-14 13:11
House Calls 2007
Recent research demonstrates that students who have meaningful encounters with professors, staff and administrators develop loyalty to the institution, and persist to graduation at higher rates than students who do not experience positive encounters with campus personnel. In this spirit I encourage you to participate in the House Calls 2007 program.
2007-09-06 11:50
Spousal and Domestic Partner Hiring Program
The Knoxville campus is pleased to announce a new program to facilitate recruitment of excellent faculty. This program will be implemented with searches for the coming academic year and will pertain only to the recruitment of new faculty.
2007-08-24 11:50
Are Honors Programs Elitist?
In a guest column, Steven Dandaneau, Director of the Chancellors Honors Program, discusses the differences between honors programs and scholars programs.
2007-08-23 16:04
Words of Welcome
Speech delivered at the thirteenth annual McNair Symposium.
2007-07-20 12:49
Promotion & Tenure, Retention Reviews, and Annual Evaluations for 2007-2008
A memo to academic deans that explains the process and timetable for submitting faculty for promotion and tenure review, as well as retention reviews and annual evaluations.
2007-06-29 15:00
Year-End Thoughts
As I approach the end of my first year at Knoxville, I thought I should share with the campus some of the work of the Provost's Office over the past year and some of the items we will be working on in the future.
2007-06-19 15:00
Principles and Prejudice
I remain ashamed of this institution for its failure to take a principled position in repudiating bias toward gay and lesbian applicants for positions, as well as gay and lesbian employees on the campus.
2007-06-18 10:38
Size Matters
Now that I have completed almost a year on the Knoxville campus, I have begun to reflect back on the time since I arrived. In retrospect one of the things that surprised me most was the paucity of staff in the Provost's Office.
2007-06-05 15:41
Lender Advisory Board
I am pleased to announce the new Lender Advisory Board and its membership. This Board will replace the current committee that has established the preferred lender list.
2007-06-05 10:26
University Lender Protocols
In light of recent scrutiny of college loan programs, I have been reviewing the university's preferred lender program.
2007-05-22 17:57
Closing Remarks
Remarks at the College of Business Administration Commencement Ceremony
2007-05-14 17:59
Graduation Remarks
Remarks at the College of Social Work Commencement Ceremony
2007-05-14 17:58
Freshman Seminar Update and Thank You
In January the freshman seminar was but an idea Provost Holub brought with him from UC-Berkeley, where the program improved the first year experience of students. Today this idea is a reality at Tennessee, and seminar professors are now leaders in improving first year undergraduate education on campus.
2007-05-03 15:45
Undergraduate Education at UT
On April 26, 2007, the Provost addressed the Department of Chemistry at the Honors Day Ceremony where he shared good news about UT's efforts to increase retention.
2007-04-27 18:32
Address to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chapter of the NAACP
On April 3, 2007, the Provost addressed the campus chapter of the NAACP on his goals for the university, recent strides toward inclusiveness, and unfounded charges of institutional racism.
2007-04-04 13:32
Marx and Nietzsche on the Jewish Question
A talk presented at the Arnstein Jewish Community Center on March 26, 2007
2007-03-27 11:34
Appointment of Special Assistant to Provost
Today I bring you good news about our efforts to improve student retention at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I am delighted to announce to the campus the appointment of Dr. Terrell Strayhorn as the Special Assistant to the Provost, effective March 1, 2007.
2007-03-01 14:13
Budget Narrative
The Provost presents his priorities and budget requests for the coming year.
2007-03-01 14:00
Confessions of a Lapsed Academic Darwinist
In this guest column, Vice Provost Todd Diacon explains a transformation in the way that he views students and how it has impacted his teaching.
2007-03-01 17:29
Academics and Athletics
Since I've arrived at Tennessee, several faculty members and students have written or spoken to me about the place of athletics on the Knoxville campus. In most cases the tenor of the communication has been that athletics, as it exists here at least, is incompatible with academic standards.
2007-02-22 09:30
Guidelines on the Timeline for Tenure Consideration
This memo outlines a new approach to the timeline for tenure consideration for faculty appointments.
2007-02-14 16:43
Progression Requirements
As a general principle the Knoxville campus should oppose progression requirements for majors. Our goal, however unrealizable, should be that every student in good standing should be able to choose his/her major and graduate with a degree in that discipline from the University of Tennessee.
2007-02-01 10:06
Freshman Seminars
To address retention the campus has decided to implement a program of freshman seminars. These seminars will bring students into close contact with faculty members in their initial year, which will introduce them to the excitement of learning in higher education.
2007-01-31 08:00
Annual Advertisement in the Chronicle of Higher Education
If you plan to recruit lecturers for your department or college and would like to be included in this ad, please send Linda Silvers a response by February 9, 2007, indicating what area or areas you would like to have represented.
2007-01-25 13:53
General Education and Transfer Students
My view is that we ought to accept the general education courses from the community college for students with an associate?s degree and allow them to proceed with work in their major without having to make up deficiencies resulting from the difference between general education requirements in the community college and general education requirements at UT Knoxville.
2007-01-22 08:12