June 9-15, 2026

Updates and news for the week of June 9-15, 2026

The UTC Campus Weekly newsletter is distributed every Tuesday morning. If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared with campus, please submit your information to Peyton Schultz (peyton-l-schultz@utc.edu) in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.

UTC News  |  UTC Events Calendar  |  Campus Updates  |  In the Media

Click here to view this week’s newsletter in your browser

Highlights

Introducing the MocsBooks Total Access Program

UTC is launching the MocsBooks Total Access Program for undergraduate students beginning in fall 2026. The new course material delivery program provides required materials for participating courses by the first day of class, with costs included on the university billing statement at $22 per credit hour. The program is expected to save students 35-50% compared to purchasing materials individually. Click here to learn more.

How it works:

• Register for classes as usual.
• Approximately one month before classes begin, students will receive an email from the bookstore partner with instructions for reviewing courses and selecting how they would like to receive materials.
• The UTC Bookstore will prepare course materials and notify students when they are ready.
• Physical materials can be picked up at the UTC Bookstore or shipped directly to students.
• Digital materials will be available through Canvas.
• Students with rental materials will receive reminders about return deadlines at the end of the semester.

Benefits include:

• Lower costs on required course materials
• Access to course materials by the first day of class
• Digital materials delivered directly through Canvas
• One streamlined process for obtaining required course materials

*   *   *   *   *

UTC adds ONEbox naloxone stations across campus

If someone experiences an opioid overdose on UTC’s campus, University leaders want a life-saving resource nearby.

This spring, UTC completed the installation of 52 ONEbox naloxone stations across campus, placing them in buildings alongside other emergency equipment such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

*   *   *   *   *

Join Chattanooga Mocs Community Service Day

The Chattanooga Mocs athletics department is partnering with Nobody Trashes Tennessee and Green Steps for a community cleanup from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 12.

Coaches, administrators, student-athletes and community volunteers will work together to help beautify campus and the surrounding area. Participants will meet at McKenzie Arena Gate 2 before heading to cleanup locations around 3rd Street, 4th Street, Mocs Alumni Drive, Collins Street, Palmetto Street, Hampton Street, MLK Boulevard and Central Avenue. Mascots Scrappy and Trashsquatch will also be on hand.

The event is part of the Mocs’ ongoing commitment to serving the Chattanooga community and helping keep the Scenic City scenic. Community members are encouraged to participate. Click here to sign up.

*   *   *   *   *

UTC Employee Esports Tournament Returns this Summer

Outstanding People of UTC

Dr. Venkat Kode

Congratulations to UTC faculty and staff who received awards or submitted proposals for sponsored programs in May. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced that faculty and staff attracted $1,561,482 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $22,336,063 in external funding, if awarded.

Among those receiving awards in May was Dr. Venkat Kode (Civil and Chemical Engineering), who received $199,516 from the National Science Foundation for the project titled “ERI: Renewable Water Harvesting Using Tunable Solid Bio-Desiccants for Low-Energy Regeneration.” Click here to read more about his research.

*   *   *   *   *

UTC faculty and staff recently participated in Corporate Challenge Chattanooga, a community event hosted by Unum that promotes professional networking with organizations across the Chattanooga area while bringing coworkers together through friendly competition.

The week included trivia on Thursday, bowling on Friday and a field day on Saturday featuring a variety of team events.

UTC earned first-place finishes in both cornhole and tug-of-war. The cornhole championship team was Amy Slagle and Gary Snodgrass. The winning tug-of-war team included Ashton Kelley, Shannon Stone, Mackenzie Allen, Michael Johnson, Ashton McLeod, Chris James and team captain Gerry Pacitti.

The award show will be live-streamed at noon today (June 9) on the Corporate Challenge Chattanooga Facebook page. Click here to watch.

*   *   *   *   *

Dr. Jonathan McNair

While the spring 2026 semester may have just come to a close, it’s been a busy time of year for Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music Jonathan McNair.

On May 19, the UTC Department of Music professor traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, to hear his musical composition, “Redemption Suite,” and additional pieces performed by the Marian Anderson String Quartet.

Today (June 9), the North/South Chamber Orchestra will perform his composition, “These Three,” at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church in New York City as part of its On The Move! program. The piece was commissioned in memory of Christian Sinclair Rushing, an urban designer whose love for Chattanooga helped shape downtown development.

*   *   *   *   *

Camden Braidech

At the recent NCAA men’s golf championship in Carlsbad, California, UTC junior political science and public service major Camden Braidech was honored with the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete award, a prestigious accolade given to those who have not only excelled at a national championship level in their sport but have also achieved the highest academic standards among their peers.

The Elite Scholar-Athlete is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships. Braidech was recognized for his 4.0 GPA.

*   *   *   *   *

Check out these Mocs in the news:

• Journey Health Foundation Research Center Director Hemant Jain was featured by fundsforNGOs for UTC’s Research for Evidence-based Action in Community Health (REACH) Fund.
• CUIP Deputy Director and Chief Technology Officer Austin Harris was interviewed by Local 3 News about UTC’s spot in the final four in the U.S. Department of Transportation National Innovation Challenge.

Mark Your Calendar

Faculty and staff are invited to join the Center for Wellbeing in celebrating Megan McKnight as she departs UTC for a new role as director of health promotion and wellness at Penn State University. McKnight has served UTC for seven years and is nationally recognized for her leadership in student health and wellbeing.

A drop-in farewell reception will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, June 12, in the Center for Wellbeing (UC 207C). Light refreshments will be served.

Those unable to attend can stop by the Center for Wellbeing anytime between June 8-12 to sign her going-away gift.

*   *   *   *   *

Please save the date for 2026 Weeks of Welcome, which will take place Aug. 23-Sept. 5. This year, UTC is moving to a two-week model designed to create more opportunities for students and campus partners to connect while better incorporating events already taking place during the second week of classes, particularly those hosted by student organizations.

Campus departments are not expected to add new events because of the expanded schedule. Instead, the two-week model is intended to provide greater flexibility, reduce scheduling overlap and make it easier for students to explore programs, services, departments and student organizations across campus.

The Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community will share information in June about submitting events for the Weeks of Welcome calendar and meeting with departments interested in participating. Questions can be directed to engage@utc.edu.

*   *   *   *   *

UTC departments seeking student employees are invited to participate in the Part-Time Job Fair during Weeks of Welcome. The event will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, in the University Center Tennessee Room and provides an opportunity to connect with students looking for part-time employment opportunities on campus.

Departments interested in participating can contact Marli Wolff, assistant director of community and employer relations, for registration information.

*   *   *   *   *

The UTC Graduate School announced that the following students will present their final works of research as advanced degree candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.

• Today (June 9): Khowshik Dey, ECS Room 415D, 9 a.m., Calendar
• Thursday, June 18: Merna Abdrabo, ECS Room 403, 2:30 p.m., Calendar

Campus Updates

The migration will take place in phases beginning this summer, one building at a time. IT will communicate directly with department leadership before any work begins within their area, to provide additional details, timelines, and expectations for that phase of the transition. Visit the RingCentral project page for the latest information.

*   *   *   *   *

Please be advised that Vine Street, between Palmetto Street and the University Greenway, will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic during Freshman Orientation sessions on the following dates and times:

• 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, through 5 p.m. Friday, June 19
• 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, through 5 p.m. Friday, June 26
• 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, through 5 p.m. Friday, July 17
• 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, through 5 p.m. Thursday, July 30

Parking Lots 10, 11 and 12 will remain open. Access to these lots will be available through the detour route via Parking Lot 15. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the UTC Department of Public Safety at (423) 425-4357 or dps@utc.edu.

*   *   *   *   *

Photo by Angela Foster

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office is accepting votes for its inaugural Tennessee’s Best-Looking Cruiser Award, and the UTC Police Department needs your support. Faculty, staff, students and alumni are encouraged to cast a vote and select “UT Chattanooga PD” as their first-place choice.

Voting is open through 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19. Participants are asked to rank three agencies, with first-place votes earning three points, second-place votes earning two points and third-place votes earning one point.

The winning agency will be recognized at the Law Enforcement Challenge awards ceremony in September. Click here to vote.

*   *   *   *   *

The Manage My Housing portal is open now until 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, for students to change their fall 2026 residential meal plan. Meal plan eligibility is based on earned credit hours. If your spring 2026 or summer 2026 credits will change your student classification, please wait until final grades are submitted before you attempt to make a change.

The University classifies undergraduate students as freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors according to the number of credit hours the student has completed:

• Freshman: 0-29 semester hours
• Sophomore: 30-59 semester hours
• Junior: 60-89 semester hours
• Senior: 90 or more semester hours

The Meal Plans are listed by student classification. Please refer to this link for that information.

*   *   *   *   *

Operation Move In (OMI) 2026 is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 19-20, in residential spaces for new students across campus.

OMI provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, students and organizations to come together and create a welcoming, supportive environment for incoming students and their families. A campuswide committee is coordinating the two-day event, with volunteer roles including unloading, moving, parking and greeting.

Those interested in volunteering can register here. For more information, contact the OMI Volunteer Committee co-chairs Erica Holmes Trujillo and Dr. Andrew McCarthy at omi@utc.edu.

*   *   *   *   *

A Moc’s First Year is seeking faculty and staff volunteers to host a First Class session on Friday, Aug. 21, immediately following Convocation.

Volunteers will spend about an hour welcoming new students, leading a brief activity, sharing tips for a successful first week and helping students feel more comfortable as they begin their college experience. Click here to volunteer.

*   *   *   *   *

UTC students, faculty and staff can explore the city through the UTC Library’s Chattanooga Passport program, which provides free access to a variety of local attractions and events through community partnerships.

Participants can check out passes or reserve tickets for experiences such as the Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Zoo, Chattanooga Football Club, Tivoli Theatre performances, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Hunter Museum of American Art, Ruby Falls and more. Passes may be available in physical or digital formats, with details provided upon reservation.

Each user may reserve one pass or set of tickets per partner per calendar year and must present a valid UTC Mocs ID when redeeming or picking up passes. Click here to learn more and check out passes.

*   *   *   *   *

The National Science Foundation Noyce Track 2 fellowship project is accepting applications from STEM-degreed professionals to prepare to teach secondary mathematics and science through the Master of Education degree program. Please contact Deborah McAllister or click this link for project details. 

*   *   *   *   *

UTC Choruses has openings for tenor and bass singers for the upcoming academic year, with scholarship opportunities available for select positions.

Openings are available in the UTC Chamber Singers and Orpheus Chorale. The Chamber Singers is an advanced, auditioned ensemble with a history of regional, national and international touring. Auditions take approximately 10 minutes and include a brief vocal selection, range check and sight-reading. Students interested in auditioning can contact Kevin Ford to schedule a time.

Students can also join Chattanooga Singers (MUS 0020) or Orpheus Chorale (MUS 0027), both of which are open to all experience levels and do not require an audition. All ensembles are offered for one credit or zero credit, allowing flexibility for students with varying course loads.

*   *   *   *   *

Two new Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence (FDI) reporting resources are now available in DASH, offering enhanced tools for reviewing payroll and labor data. Step-by-step guidance is available through the job aid links, and users can access the dashboards via the FDI Landing Page.

The Payroll Balances – Department Dashboard (roadmap ID #54) allows departments to review and verify payroll totals, pay composition and potential outliers. Replacing the IRIS Check Register, the dashboard provides current information to help identify issues early, prevent errors from carrying forward and reduce the risk of unexpected budget impacts. A brief review after each payroll run is recommended to better understand key payroll drivers, including regular pay, overtime and other variances. Access to this dashboard is limited to users with Human Resources roles.

The Labor Encumbrance Dashboard (roadmap ID #13) provides compensation distribution and encumbrance amounts for compensation, fringe and F&A. The dashboard includes three levels of detail—Department, Project and Person—for streamlined navigation and reporting.

*   *   *   *   *

An Academic Meeting Professionals Conference will take place Aug. 27-28 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offering professional development and networking opportunities for meeting and event planners across the University of Tennessee System.

Designed specifically for UT employees, the conference features sessions focused on event planning, logistics, budgeting, communication, vendor management and guest experience. Attendees will hear from industry professionals, including Dollywood experts, and have the opportunity to connect with UT colleagues and a range of vendors. Click here to register.

*   *   *   *   *

UTC is gearing up for a summer full of camps for local K-12 students, with options ranging from quantum computing to sports clinics. Designed to keep students active and engaged, camps are led by UTC faculty, staff and athletics programs and offer opportunities for elementary, middle and high school students to explore new interests and sharpen skills.

• Mocs Adventure Camp (K-8): Weekly sessions June 1-July 31; activities include climbing, swimming, sports and games; $320 per week.
• Challenger Exploration Camp (rising 3rd-6th graders): July 6-31; space missions, coding, robotics, rocket launches and local excursions; $290.50 per week.
• Quantum Summer Camp (rising 10th-12th graders): June 15-18; hands-on exploration of quantum computing and real-world problem-solving; $200.
• Chattanooga Volleyball Camps (various ages): June and July sessions; costs vary.
• Men’s Basketball Camps (ages 7-17): June 22-25 and July 20-23; $310.

*   *   *   *   *

The Counseling Center has partnered with Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center to offer extended services on the UTC campus. Parkridge at UTC is open from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and offers individual therapy, group therapy and intensive outpatient services for students, faculty and staff.

The Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center is located off the UC Foundation Apartments courtyard (Suite 5217). To schedule an initial appointment, call 423-468-5213. Students who are already receiving services through the UTC Counseling Center are encouraged to speak with their provider about whether Parkridge at UTC is a good fit for their needs.

*   *   *   *   *

UT Promise is a last-dollar scholarship that covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees for eligible Tennessee residents at UTC and includes required mentoring and community service. Student Success Programs has received requests from UT Promise students for mentors to help support them during their time at UTC, with students required to meet with a mentor at least once per semester for guidance, questions and goal-focused encouragement. Faculty and staff can complete the interest form or contact Student Success Programs with questions, and additional information will be shared with those who express interest.

UTC Newsroom

Dr. Bret Eschman works with eye-tracking technology in the Visual Memory and Attention Development Lab.

Dr. Bret Eschman, an assistant professor of psychology and director of the Visual Memory and Attention Development (VMAD) Lab, studies how the brain develops during the earliest months of life.

*   *   *   *   *

Malcolm Key, Sydney Banks, Clara Paulson, Ryan Conley, Kayelyn McCaslin, Megan Cooper and Delaney Holman were honored at the Tennessee Golden Press Card Awards ceremony. Photo courtesy of Jim Tanner.

Seven UTC students earned honors at the Tennessee Golden Press Card Awards ceremony on May 21 for reporting, podcasting and multimedia storytelling.

*   *   *   *   *

Co-producers Nicole Brown (left), Jazmine LeBlanc and Tiffany Herron pose with awards earned by How to Sue the Klan during a celebration of the documentary’s regional Emmy win on Saturday, April 18, at White Duck Taco in Chattanooga. Photo by Clara Paulson.

Tiffany Herron’s curiosity about a group of women who earned the collective name “the Chattanooga Five” led her deep into UTC’s resources. She spent hours in the UTC Library, traveled to New York City for research, interviewed attorneys and family members, and pursued a project that led her far beyond the classroom.

The research eventually opened the door to documentary filmmaking. Herron served as a co-producer for “How to Sue the Klan: The Legacy of the Chattanooga Five,” which earned the category of Outstanding Short Form Documentary at the 40th Midsouth Emmy Awards in February. 

*   *   *   *   *

UTC recently hosted a weeklong training session that brought together law enforcement officers, school safety personnel and emergency responders from across Tennessee and beyond.

*   *   *   *   *

Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce

The 2026 Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit came to Chattanooga on May 28-29 to discuss regional workforce development, quantum technology and economic growth.

*   *   *   *   *

Dr. Hemant Jain is the director of the UTC Journey Health Foundation Research Center, housed in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.

The Research for Evidence-based Action in Community Health (REACH) Fund was established earlier this year through the Journey Health Foundation Research Center housed in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In less than one year, it’s already funding 10 interdisciplinary projects focused on improving community health across Southeast Tennessee.

*   *   *   *   *

Talking to someone across the world instantly? Accessing information in seconds? Handling your banking from your living room?

In 1990, before the internet was the internet, those concepts probably landed somewhere between science fiction and, well, magic.

Quantum feels a little like that right now for a lot of us.

WUTC

On an episode of WUTC’s “Scenic Roots,” student journalists from UTC’s Department of Communication reflected on their trip to Nashville to cover the Tennessee General Assembly as part of the PULSE Project—Public Understanding Through Local and Statehouse Engagement—including two roundtable conversations recorded at the Tennessee State Capitol.