University of Tennessee system
Encyclopedia
The University of Tennessee system (UT system) is one of two public university
systems in the state
of Tennessee
. It consists of three primary campuses in Knoxville
, Chattanooga
and Martin
, a health sciences campus in emphis, Tennessee|Memphis], a research institute in Tullahoma
and various extensions throughout the state.
The University of Tennessee system has a combined student
enrollment of more than 44,000 students, over 260,000 living alumni, and a total endowment of approximately $867 million.
was founded in Knoxville as Blount College in 1794. The university was designated as the state's land-grant institution in 1869, and gained the name "University of Tennessee" in 1879. The medical campus, the UT Health Science Center
was founded in Memphis in 1911.
In 1927, UT acquired Hall-Moody Institute and renamed it to the University of Tennessee Junior College. In 1951, the school began awarding bachelor degrees and became the University of Tennessee Martin Branch. In 1968, the UT system was officially formed, with the University of Tennessee at Martin
and UT Knoxville
as the primary campuses.
That same year, the Tennessee state legislature gave UT permission to establish a campus in Chattanooga
, which was the largest city in Tennessee without a public university. The private University of Chattanooga determined that it could not raise enough private capital to compete with a public institution, and agreed to merge with UT to form the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
in 1969.
Also in 1968, UT announced plans to create a campus in Nashville
, expanding an existing UT center of education created in 1947. Rita Sanders Geier filed a desegregation lawsuit against the state, arguing the existence of a UT campus in Nashville where Tennessee State University
is located perpetuated a dual system of higher education. As a result, the UT Nashville campus was eventually merged with TSU by court order in 1979.
. The Executive Director of THEC does not have a vote, however.
One member is appointed from each of Tennessee's nine congressional districts. Two members each are appointed from Knox and Shelby Counties. One member each is appointed from Hamilton, Weakley, and Davidson Counties. One member is appointed from Anderson, Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, Moore, or Warren County.
Two faculty members of the UT system serve as faculty members of the Board, serving two-year terms. Each faculty member serves a two-year term, as a non-voting member in year one and a voting member in year two. The appointments rotate among the three primary campuses and Health Science Center.
Likewise, two students serve as members in similar fashion. The faculty member and student member are appointed from the same campus in the same year. For example, if the voting faculty member is from UT Martin, the voting student member is also from UT Martin.
is the flagship campus of the UT system. The largest university in the state, it has a current total enrollment of 27,523. UT awarded 6,345 degrees in over 300 programs in the 2009-10 academic year.
While not a separate entity, UT Knoxville operates a campus in Nashville that is part of the UT Knoxville College of Social Work. The Nashville Campus awards the M.S.S.W. in conjunction with UT Knoxville.
is a metropolitan university located in downtown Chattanooga. The university was founded as a private school in 1886 and currently has over 10,000 students.
has over 8,000 students.
(UTHSC) has its main campus in Memphis. UTHSC offers a wide variety of degree programs among its six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine
, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also has colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy plus an Allied Health Sciences unit in Knoxville, and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga. In addition the Health Science Center has more than 100 clinical and educational sites statewide.
is located in Tullahoma
. The Institute awards master's and doctoral degrees in conjunction with UT Knoxville.
Historical presidents and interim presidents of the University of Tennessee system, University of Tennessee, and its predecessor schools have been:
Each of the five campuses is administered by a chancellor. Administrators on each campus report to their respective chancellors, who in turn report to the president. The only exceptions are the athletic directors of the Knoxville campus, who report directly to the president and not the Knoxville chancellor.
programs.
are 50-50 partners in UT-Battelle
, which manages the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
for the United States Department of Energy
.
The system is usually referred to as the University of Tennessee system. However, many times the term University of Tennessee is also used to refer to the system as a whole.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is often referred to as simply UT, especially by the general public. UTK is considered to be a correct abbreviation, but UT Knoxville is preferred.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is properly abbreviated as UTC. Athletics teams prefer to be called simply Chattanooga. UT Chattanooga is generally frowned upon by the campus, but is used widely in system publications.
The University of Tennessee at Martin prefers UT Martin to UTM, except in headlines.
ing campaign. The campaign was centered on the orange UT logo that incorporates the shape of the state into its design.
The campaign focuses on the word FUTURE, with the letters "UT" replaced by the system logo. Other words used in the campaign include SLEUTH, NEUTRONS and COMPUTATION. The advertising to promote the brand includes billboards, magazine ads and television spots.
The UT system plans to use the new brand to assist its $1 billion fundraising effort. In 2006, UT raised $271 million towards this goal.
The UTC alumni board have asked alumni and supporters for their opinions on the branding campaign. The alumni board plans to release the results in the summer.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
systems in the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It consists of three primary campuses in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and Martin
Martin, Tennessee
Martin is a city in Weakley County, Tennessee, United States. Martin is the home of the University of Tennessee at Martin. The population was 10,515 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Martin is located at ....
, a health sciences campus in emphis, Tennessee|Memphis], a research institute in Tullahoma
Tullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
and various extensions throughout the state.
The University of Tennessee system has a combined student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
enrollment of more than 44,000 students, over 260,000 living alumni, and a total endowment of approximately $867 million.
History
The University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
was founded in Knoxville as Blount College in 1794. The university was designated as the state's land-grant institution in 1869, and gained the name "University of Tennessee" in 1879. The medical campus, the UT Health Science Center
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis includes the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Its pediatric residency program is affiliated with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center and residents in pediatrics,...
was founded in Memphis in 1911.
In 1927, UT acquired Hall-Moody Institute and renamed it to the University of Tennessee Junior College. In 1951, the school began awarding bachelor degrees and became the University of Tennessee Martin Branch. In 1968, the UT system was officially formed, with the University of Tennessee at Martin
University of Tennessee at Martin
The University of Tennessee at Martin is a campus in the University of Tennessee system. Other campuses include the flagship campus in Knoxville, the Chattanooga campus, the Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, and the Space Institute in Tullahoma...
and UT Knoxville
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
as the primary campuses.
That same year, the Tennessee state legislature gave UT permission to establish a campus in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, which was the largest city in Tennessee without a public university. The private University of Chattanooga determined that it could not raise enough private capital to compete with a public institution, and agreed to merge with UT to form the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
in 1969.
Also in 1968, UT announced plans to create a campus in Nashville
University of Tennessee at Nashville
The University of Tennessee at Nashville was a branch campus of the UT system which existed from 1968 to 1979. It grew out of an adult education extension program which the University had operated in Nashville since 1947, and UTN remained focused on evening adult education throughout its life. ...
, expanding an existing UT center of education created in 1947. Rita Sanders Geier filed a desegregation lawsuit against the state, arguing the existence of a UT campus in Nashville where Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
is located perpetuated a dual system of higher education. As a result, the UT Nashville campus was eventually merged with TSU by court order in 1979.
Governance
The University of Tennessee system is governed by the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee. There are five ex officio members and twenty-one appointed members. The ex officio members are the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Commissioner of Education, the President of the University, and the Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education CommissionTennessee Higher Education Commission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is the established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1900, primarily to achieve coordination between the various public higher education institutions in the state.-Composition:...
. The Executive Director of THEC does not have a vote, however.
One member is appointed from each of Tennessee's nine congressional districts. Two members each are appointed from Knox and Shelby Counties. One member each is appointed from Hamilton, Weakley, and Davidson Counties. One member is appointed from Anderson, Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, Moore, or Warren County.
Two faculty members of the UT system serve as faculty members of the Board, serving two-year terms. Each faculty member serves a two-year term, as a non-voting member in year one and a voting member in year two. The appointments rotate among the three primary campuses and Health Science Center.
Likewise, two students serve as members in similar fashion. The faculty member and student member are appointed from the same campus in the same year. For example, if the voting faculty member is from UT Martin, the voting student member is also from UT Martin.
Campuses
There are five educational units of the University system, three of which are separate universities within this statewide higher education system.University of Tennessee at Knoxville
UT KnoxvilleUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
is the flagship campus of the UT system. The largest university in the state, it has a current total enrollment of 27,523. UT awarded 6,345 degrees in over 300 programs in the 2009-10 academic year.
While not a separate entity, UT Knoxville operates a campus in Nashville that is part of the UT Knoxville College of Social Work. The Nashville Campus awards the M.S.S.W. in conjunction with UT Knoxville.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
UTCUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
is a metropolitan university located in downtown Chattanooga. The university was founded as a private school in 1886 and currently has over 10,000 students.
University of Tennessee at Martin
Located in rural northwest Tennessee, UT MartinUniversity of Tennessee at Martin
The University of Tennessee at Martin is a campus in the University of Tennessee system. Other campuses include the flagship campus in Knoxville, the Chattanooga campus, the Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, and the Space Institute in Tullahoma...
has over 8,000 students.
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
The University of Tennessee Health Science CenterUniversity of Tennessee Health Science Center
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis includes the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Its pediatric residency program is affiliated with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center and residents in pediatrics,...
(UTHSC) has its main campus in Memphis. UTHSC offers a wide variety of degree programs among its six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine
University of Tennessee College of Medicine
The University of Tennessee College of Medicine is one of six graduate schools of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in downtown Memphis...
, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also has colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy plus an Allied Health Sciences unit in Knoxville, and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga. In addition the Health Science Center has more than 100 clinical and educational sites statewide.
University of Tennessee Space Institute
The University of Tennessee Space InstituteUniversity of Tennessee Space Institute
The University of Tennessee Space Institute, also known as UTSI, is a satellite campus of the University of Tennessee located near Tullahoma, Tennessee....
is located in Tullahoma
Tullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
. The Institute awards master's and doctoral degrees in conjunction with UT Knoxville.
Administration
The university system is administered by a president.Historical presidents and interim presidents of the University of Tennessee system, University of Tennessee, and its predecessor schools have been:
- Joe DiPietroJoe DiPietroJoe DiPietro is an American playwright and author.Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, DiPietro grew up in nearby Oradell. Son of the banker Lou, and Jean DiPietro. He attended Oradell Public School and River Dell Regional High School. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University in 1984 with a...
, named UT System president on October 23, 2010 - John D. PetersenJohn D. PetersenJohn D. Petersen is an American chemist and educator who was president of the University of Tennessee system.A native of Los Angeles, California, John Petersen attended California State University, Los Angeles, where he received a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1970. In 1975 he received a Ph.D...
, named the system's 23rd president on July 1, 2004; resigned February 18, 2009. - John W. ShumakerJohn W. ShumakerJohn William Shumaker is an American educator who served as president of Central Connecticut State University, the University of Louisville, and the University of Tennessee.- Early life and education :...
, 2002–2003 - Emerson H. Fly, 2001–2002
- J. Wade Gilley, 1999–2001
- Joseph E. Johnson, 1991–1999; also served as interim president in 2003-2004
- Lamar AlexanderLamar AlexanderAndrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
, 1988–1991 - Edward J. Boling, 1970–1988
- Andrew D. HoltAndrew D. HoltAndrew David Holt , universally called Andy Holt, was an American educator who was the 16th president of the University of Tennessee, filling that position from 1959 to 1970....
, 1959–1970 - C. E. BrehmC. E. BrehmCloide Everett Brehm was the 15th president of the University of Tennessee, serving in that position from 1946 until his retirement in 1959....
, 1946–1959 - James Dickason Hoskins, 1934–1946
- Harcourt A. Morgan, 1919–1934
- Brown Ayres, 1904–1919
- Charles W. Dabney, 1887–1904
- Thomas William HumesThomas William HumesThomas William Humes was an American clergyman and educator, active in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the latter half of the 19th century. Elected rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in 1846, Humes led the church until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he was forced to resign due to his Union...
, president of East Tennessee University, 1865–1879; president of University of Tennessee, 1879-1883. - J. J. Ridley (East Tennessee University), 1860–1862
- William D. Carnes (East Tennessee University), 1858–1860
- George Cooke (East Tennessee University), 1853–1857
- W. B. Reese (East Tennessee University), 1850–1853
- Joseph Estabrook, president of East Tennessee College, 1834–1840; president of East Tennessee University, 1840–1850
- James H. Piper (East Tennessee College), 1833–1834
- Charles Coffin (East Tennessee College), 1827–1832
- David Sherman (East Tennessee College), 1820–1825
- Samuel CarrickSamuel CarrickSamuel Czar Carrick was an American Presbyterian minister who was the first president of Blount College, the educational institution to which the University of Tennessee traces its origin....
, president of Blount College, 1794–1807; president of East Tennessee College, 1807–1809
Each of the five campuses is administered by a chancellor. Administrators on each campus report to their respective chancellors, who in turn report to the president. The only exceptions are the athletic directors of the Knoxville campus, who report directly to the president and not the Knoxville chancellor.
Other units
The University of Tennessee system has other units that provide service to the state of Tennessee and to the nation.University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
The Institute of Agriculture is composed of the Agricultural Experiment Station, UT Extension and Knoxville's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and College of Veterinary Medicine. The Institute has a presence in all 95 counties through its educational programs in agriculture, home economics, resource development and 4-H4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
programs.
University of Tennessee Institute of Public Service
The Institute for Public Service was created in 1971 as a part of the university "to provide continuing research and technical assistance to state and local government and industry and to meet more adequately the need for information and research in business and government." Components include the County Technical Advisory Service, Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Center for Industrial Services, Law Enforcement Innovation Center, and Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership.UT-ORNL partnership
UT Knoxville and Battelle Memorial InstituteBattelle Memorial Institute
Battelle Memorial Institute is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the...
are 50-50 partners in UT-Battelle
UT-Battelle
UT-Battelle, LLC is a limited liability partnership between the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute that manages the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy ....
, which manages the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
for the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
.
Naming conventions
The university system has long struggled to come up with concrete naming conventions for its individual units. A consulting study by Keith Moore Associates called the differentiation of the system from its Knoxville campus "one of the thorniest internal problems facing the university."The system is usually referred to as the University of Tennessee system. However, many times the term University of Tennessee is also used to refer to the system as a whole.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is often referred to as simply UT, especially by the general public. UTK is considered to be a correct abbreviation, but UT Knoxville is preferred.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is properly abbreviated as UTC. Athletics teams prefer to be called simply Chattanooga. UT Chattanooga is generally frowned upon by the campus, but is used widely in system publications.
The University of Tennessee at Martin prefers UT Martin to UTM, except in headlines.
UT branding campaign
On September 19, 2006, the University of Tennessee system unveiled a new brandBrand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ing campaign. The campaign was centered on the orange UT logo that incorporates the shape of the state into its design.
The campaign focuses on the word FUTURE, with the letters "UT" replaced by the system logo. Other words used in the campaign include SLEUTH, NEUTRONS and COMPUTATION. The advertising to promote the brand includes billboards, magazine ads and television spots.
The UT system plans to use the new brand to assist its $1 billion fundraising effort. In 2006, UT raised $271 million towards this goal.
Controversy
The branding campaign has caused controversy on the Chattanooga campus. Faculty and alumni have expressed concern over the "influx of orange," a result of the system using Volunteer athletic success as the basis of the brand. Many have suggested the university return to a previous name of Chattanooga University or the University of Chattanooga.The UTC alumni board have asked alumni and supporters for their opinions on the branding campaign. The alumni board plans to release the results in the summer.
See also
- Tennessee Board of RegentsTennessee Board of RegentsThe Tennessee Board of Regents is one of the two systems of public higher education in Tennessee. The TBR was authorized by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly passed in 1972...
, the other public higher education authority in the state.