Chattanooga 鈥 The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees began the process to consider removing the interim from 蓝莓视频 Interim President Randy Boyd鈥檚 title during Wednesday鈥檚 winter meeting at 蓝莓视频 Chattanooga.
Based on positive feedback from Boyd鈥檚 review process鈥攊ncluding hearing from legislators, University Faculty Council, as well as alumni, staff and student leadership councils and boards鈥斃遁悠 Board Chair John Compton said he recommended removing the interim title and extending Boyd鈥檚 term as president for a term of five additional years.
Compton said that he wanted to hear from 蓝莓视频鈥檚 students, faculty and staff regarding Boyd serving as president.
鈥淚 ask that you go campus by campus and state your case,鈥 Compton said to Boyd.
During the campus meetings, Compton asked Boyd to give his vision for moving the University forward and respond to questions from campus constituents.
鈥淣aming the president of the University of Tennessee System is one of our most important decisions that we will undertake as trustees, and I just want to make sure that we are as considerate and comprehensive as possible to all key stakeholders,鈥 Compton said.
After the series of campus visits and review of feedback, a special meeting of the Board will be called to discuss Boyd鈥檚 service as president.
Other trustees agreed.
Trustee Kim White called the campus conversations an important piece.
鈥淲e need to do it in short order, but we need to do it thoughtfully,鈥 she said.
Trustee Bill Rhodes said, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an elegant solution, but we don鈥檛 want to drag our feet.鈥
When Boyd agreed to serve as interim president in 2018, he said he would only serve two years. However, he said, that he has enjoyed serving as president.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no better job in the state of Tennessee than serving the state of Tennessee through the University of Tennessee,鈥 Boyd said. 鈥淚鈥檇 be happy to continue serving for a few more years, if you鈥檒l let me.鈥
Compton鈥檚 remarks came after praising Boyd during his one-year performance review Wednesday.
鈥淩andy has had an excellent first year as interim president,鈥 Compton said.
From providing visionary leadership to developing effective relationships with the state legislature and officials and advancing the University鈥檚 relationship with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Compton said Boyd elicited praise. 鈥淗is ability to think big, resolve issues and be innovative were listed among his strongest leadership qualities,鈥 Compton said.
As an example, Compton cited Boyd鈥檚 creation of 蓝莓视频 Promise scholarship to help student access and afford a 蓝莓视频 education.
鈥淭he 蓝莓视频 Promise is a bold step toward eliminating financial barriers to admission and reducing financial burdens for enrolled students,鈥 Compton wrote in his report. 鈥淚t recognizes the University鈥檚 full commitment to all Tennesseans.鈥
He also praised Boyd鈥檚 leadership in hiring 蓝莓视频 Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman as well as working to raise 蓝莓视频鈥檚 research profile through the creation of the Oak Ridge Institute, the reunification of 蓝莓视频 Institute of Agriculture and 蓝莓视频 Knoxville and the creation of One 蓝莓视频 Innovation and Collaboration Grants.
In his address to the board, Boyd said that he wants to use the momentum from 2019 to keep 蓝莓视频 moving forward.
鈥淲e are committed to making this the greatest decade in the history of the University of Tennessee,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his is not said with disrespect to those who have come before. I think they expect us to make it the greatest decade鈥.To say we鈥檙e going to make it the greatest means it is also one of the greatest challenges.鈥
Boyd also expressed thankfulness for Gov. Bill Lee鈥檚 recommended budget, which includes a 2.5 percent merit pool for faculty and staff pay increase, an additional $2.2 million to hire 32 more extension agents, $5.9 million in additional funds for the 蓝莓视频 Health Science Center鈥檚 operating and maintenance costs. It also includes $10 million to launch the Oak Ridge Institute (ORI).
In other business, the Board approved 蓝莓视频 Health Science Center鈥檚 request to reduce out-of-state tuition and fees for three programs (Doctor of Medicine by 10.6 percent, Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology by 54.1 percent and Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science by 48.6 percent) and for Master of Cytopathology Practice by 28.3 percent for in-state students and by 54.7 percent for out-of-state students. Tuition and fees for all other programs remain unchanged.
In response to a Board request during the November meeting, Senior Vice President and Chief Finance Officer David Miller presented an analysis of lecturer pay by campus and against peer institutions.
鈥淭his is intended to lead to deeper discussions and further study,鈥 Miller said.
Of the more than 550 full-time lecturers across the 蓝莓视频 System, the mean salary is just more than $58,000. According to 2018 data, 蓝莓视频 Knoxville lecturer and instructor pay is slightly more than peer and SEC universities, but below aspirational schools. 蓝莓视频 Chattanooga lecturer and instructor average pay was above peer, aspirational and locally governed institutions. 蓝莓视频 Martin was at or above peer, aspirational and other Tennessee universities.
On each campus, Boyd said, the information will be compared on a department-by-department basis.
鈥淭his is just the beginning of research to inform our strategies and decisions,鈥 he said, noting lecturers have a great impact on student retention. 鈥淲e want to be one of the best places to work.鈥
Boyd said they will report back to the board on the campuses鈥 strategies. He also said this is part of a larger review of pay across the 蓝莓视频 System.
In other business, the trustees approved:
- The appointment of Mark Paganelli as treasurer
- Revised fiscal year 2019-2020 operating budget
- A new Bachelor of Science in Education, Deaf Studies major with American Sign Language concentration and new Master of Legal Studies at 蓝莓视频 Knoxville
- 2020 institutional mission profile statements
- Changed the name of the 蓝莓视频 Knoxville Haslam College of Business Department of Management to the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship
- 蓝莓视频HSC long-range campus master plan
- Honorary resolution for Ron Maples