Chancellor’s Update

We are only one month away from the March 6-9 SACSCOC site visit to UTC.  The SACSCOC reaffirmation of UTC’s authority to award degrees is one of the most essential campus-wide initiatives we will undertake, and it is important that everyone understands the process.  If you haven’t done so already, please plan to attend an upcoming Roadshow event in the UTC Southern Writers Room to learn about the reaffirmation process; our Quality Enhancement Plan, called “A Moc’s First Year;” and the SACSCOC visit.

Another way we are preparing campus for the site visit is through a special SACSCOC Reaffirmation Town Hall Session at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, in the University Center Chattanooga Room.

Our UTC celebration of Black History Month is underway with special events scheduled throughout February.  The theme this year is “Black Renaissance,” and activities include panel discussions, guest speakers, workshops and screenings of film documentaries.  A big round of applause goes out to the Office of Multicultural Affairs, which has worked in partnership with many units across campus in putting together a robust Black History Month schedule.

We have a special one-person performance coming to campus.  Tenor Jackson Caesar will be performing the music of Roland Hayes in the style of Roland Hayes on the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall stage at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, February 13.  Caesar, who is making his first trip to UTC’s campus, began an annual tour performing Hayes’ songs during Black History Month in 2010.

Congratulations to Brock Scholar and political science major Lola Oke on becoming the first UTC student to be named a Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellow.  The Rangel Graduate Fellowship supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue a career in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State. Lola will receive up to $84,000 for a two-year master’s degree, two paid internships in the U.S. Congress and a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad, and opportunities for mentoring and professional development.  What a tremendous opportunity!

The renamed and rebranded UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference, the largest academic conference at UTC, will be held on Wednesday, April 12, in the University Center. The event showcases the research and creative works of UTC undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff, and presentation formats include posters, oral presentations, panel discussions, and performances.  The submission deadline, February 26, is fast approaching—so make sure to learn more about the program and register for the event.  Kudos to the Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor staff for all their hard work in organizing this conference.

It was an honor to recently host a luncheon to recognize the Chancellor’s Blue Ribbon Award recipients for the second half of 2022.  The Chancellor’s Blue Ribbon Award recognizes employees who have gone above and beyond to display excellent job performance, dependability and innovation while promoting a positive working environment.  All full-time and part-time non-faculty UTC or UC Foundation staff are eligible for the award.  Please submit your nomination by clicking here.

If you have not done so already, I strongly encourage you to take the quick UT System/Gallup Free Speech and Viewpoint Diversity Survey emailed in late January.  The survey was created by nationally renowned survey company Gallup to get opinions on free speech and viewpoint diversity on our campus.  In advance, thank you for your participation; your voice matters, and your response will give the University a better understanding of the opinions of our employees.