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Going from the Lane Train to the Dooley Express
Saturday, August 14, 2010
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Vol. 115
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Gov. challenges UT to become Top 25 school Andrea Castillo Staff Writer Already ranking as number 52 among all public universities and number 106 among all national universities for 2010, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was challenged by Governor Phil Bredesen, who also serves as chairman of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, to become one of the top 25 schools within the next 10 years. A task force, led by Bruce Bursten of the College of Arts and Sciences, was appointed to analyze where UT stood to better understand what needs to be done in order to reach their goal and how to do so. This task force analyzed the universities ranked No. 21 through No. 29 in order to compare and contrast UT's data and that of those 9 other schools. Based on ACT equivalent scores, the UT's new and incoming students have had scores similar to those of students attending more highly ranked schools. However, the findings indicated that although UT is currently ranked 52nd, the six-year graduation rate is 59.8 percent lower than the 27 other schools that were studied, standing at a mere 60 percent as opposed to 75 percent graduation rate. In addition, a number of other findings tend
to indicate that UT is not doing as well as it should be as the retention rate is 6-percent lower than that of the “target groups” retention rate. Gov. Bredesen is asking UT to do something that has never been done before: move up at least 27 slots in ten years in order to become a top 25 ranking school. Chancellor, Jimmy Cheek, says, “I am proud of the challenge because it means that the governor knows what we know-that we are a great university.” Cheek also said that, not only was it what the governor wants, but that it's also what he wants for the university and that it will make UT a better institution for the students educated and a better institution to serve the people of Tennessee. Toby Boulet, engineering professor and 2009-2010 Faculty Senate president, said that he is very happy that the governor appreciates the value of having a top-tier public university in Tennessee, and that he appreciates the Governor's public encouragement for UT to improve its standing. “I can't predict where UTK will be ten years from now,” says Boulet, “but as Chancellor Cheek has stated on several occasions, the value in aiming high is that it sets us on a path
Phillips named interim dean of libraries upon Dewey’s departure
toward being an even better asset to the people of Tennessee.” Boulet also mentioned that the student's part in making a great university is simply to work hard toward graduation. “College is an opportunity to lay the foundation for your future. Take ownership of this process and personal responsibility for finding your way through the college years without unnecessary delays. If you have a seat in a class but don't take full advantage of it, that's a missed opportunity.” On the flip side, UT's graduate programs are ranked among the best in the nation for 2011. U.S. News and World Report, the Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine and the National Jurist Magazine, were just a few that ranked UT as one of the “better” or “best” universities. The students have played, possibly, the largest role in this by having an average core GPA of 3.79, with 40 percent of those students having a 4.0 GPA, as well as bringing in a 26.5 average on the ACT score. The ACT score is the highest ever for an incoming freshman class. The HOPE Scholarship has also contributed to the university by increasing applicants, allowing the university raising the amount of
need-based scholarship programs, and strengthening academic preparedness before college. This has made an impact because of the number of in-state freshman that qualify for the scholarship. Each of the 13 different colleges that the university offers has a variety of programs, advising, and financial aid help for its students while also striving to be the best, each department with their own minimal GPA requirement and course work and are doing well in rankings. The College of Social Work recently had its first distance education master's degree student's graduate, all of whom received the Chancellor's Award for Professional Promise prior to graduation. This year, the college, itself, ranked 26th overall and 15th among public universities in US News & World Report's rankings of graduate schools of social work. The College of Engineering ranked 32nd among public universities and 64th in the nation according to UT News & World Report. The graduate college program ranked 40th among public universities and 68th nationally. In addition, the College of Engineering's graduate program in nuclear engineering is ranked ninth nationally.
Bredesen appoints two new board members Kevin Letsinger
Chris Shamblin Staff Writer
News and Student Life Editor
Linda Phillips, UT Libraries professor and head of scholarly communications, has been named interim dean of UT Libraries. Phillips came to UT in 1977 from the Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute Library. Phillips is succeeding Barbara Dewey, who has accepted a position as the dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications at Penn State University. Dewey said Phillips is a good successor and that she will bring her knowledge and experience to the library program. “Linda Phillips has a broad knowledge and understanding of traditional and 21st century research library programs,” Dewey said. “She is well known among UT faculty and considered a great university citizen. She understands the research and teaching process at a high level.” Phillips believes she can bring a lot to UT Libraries as interim dean through her work and her nearly 40 years experience as an academic librarian. “Much of my work has involved experimentation with new technologies and services,” she said. “So I get excited about helping students and faculty push the boundaries of traditional learning and research.” Phillips’s work encompasses the creation of local digital collections, including digitization of library holdings, the launch of Newfound Press, the libraries’ peer-reviewed digital imprint, and she leads community outreach efforts about the libraries’ scholarly and economic impact on society. “From 1997 to 2007, I managed the library’s collection budget, which offered considerable experience collaborating with librarians and other faculty on getting the most from limited resources,” Phillips said. “We’ll be searching for a permanent library dean, and I’d like UT to be in the best position possible to attract star-quality leaders.” Phillips believes she is well prepared for the position and feels as though her experience and work as the head of scholarly communications will help her as she takes her new position. “As head of scholarly communication, I’ve collaborated with faculty and students across UT’s diverse disciplines to envision how scholarly publishing cultures are changing,” Phillips said. She also said students leading the new undergraduate research journal, Pursuit, are using Trace to publish the journal online. “The UT Scholarly Communication Committee is sponsoring ‘roadshows’ in the departments of its members for faculty and graduate students to discuss scholarly publishing trends in their discipline,” Phillips said. “The library’s digital Newfound Press is publishing peer-reviewed, open-access scholarship and partnering with UT Press. All of these experiences are building community within and beyond UT to provide learners and scholars with maximum access to quality information resources.” Douglas Blaze, dean of the College of Law, is leading the search to find a permanent dean. In the meantime, Dewey feels as though the library program is in capable hands. “She will bring the University Libraries through the transition to a new dean in a smooth and competent way, all the while making sure the libraries continue moving forward in its strategic directions,” Dewey said.
Two new members will join the UT Board of Trustees upon appointment from Gov. Phil Bredesen. J.A.M. “Toby” Boulet, associate mechanical engineering professor, and Carey Smith, senior in political science, will represent the Knoxville campus on the board for the coming term. The board has two faculty members, stated by Tennessee law, and the two members rotate amongst the four campuses. When the rotation comes to Knoxville, it is automatic that the representing member will be the outgoing Faculty Senate president. When a new faculty member is appointed to the position, they claim non-voting status for the first year and are handed such power the second year of the two-year term. The voting member for the upcoming term is from Memphis, while the Knoxville campus perspective will be voiced by the non-voting member. Being new to the board, Boulet offers his experience as outgoing faculty senate president to the new post. “During my year as president, I handled the communication of the stimulus funds,” Boulet said. “We need for people to understand what is going to happen.” There have been multiple meetings on how to lessen the impact of the lack of funds, and Interim President Jan Simek has worked diligently to move people around so that only 60 individuals will lose their jobs. “The original number was
• Photo courtesy of Ellie Amado and Gina Stafford
600,” Boulet said. “He (Simek) has done a great job there.” As for the upcoming search for a new president, Boulet said that even though he is not personally on the search committee, there are two faculty members who are represented, one from the Knoxville campus. “We are well represented,” Boulet said. “The Search
Advisory Council will also play an active role, and there are two or three members represented from Knoxville.” One issue discussed was that of the future president’s compensation. Boulet said that while the university does not pay the most for the position, the president is not paid the least either. The UT trustees approved a recommended compensa-
tion package for the next president that includes a base salary of $420,000 to $450,000, a housing allowance of $20,000 and an expense allowance in the range of $12,000 to $16,000. As far as the budget for the presidential search, $212,375 has been allocated with the goal of electing a new president at the October 2010 board meeting.