It seems amazing, but Thanksgiving is two weeks from today!
Veterans Day is Saturday and we should all take time to think about and honor the sacrifice our veterans have provided to our country, whether they are still living or no longer with us. We have many veterans advancing their education on our campus. We have an active student veteran’s organization who are supported by their advisor, Joe Wiram. This group of students adds so much to our campus and we are all proud that they have chosen to attend UTC.
If you have not gone to the UTC home page and filled out the survey on Bridges Beyond the Classroom, please do so soon. Hands-on learning is not only a hallmark of a UTC education, it is a commitment. Bridges Beyond the Classroom is an initiative aligned with Goal 1A of our strategic plan to ensure all UTC undergraduates complete an internship, practicum, service project, research project, senior capstone, honors thesis or international experience. The survey takes about five minutes but your input is critical in helping us articulate the distinguishing characteristics of a UTC education.
This past Friday, I announced to the UT Board of Trustees that UTC had decided not to enter into a business relationship with Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. (JLL), to outsource our campus facilities maintenance services such as custodians, groundskeepers and others. The JLL contract would have cost us more than $260,000 above what we now pay for the same services by UTC employees. For an idea of the types of contributions our facilities workers make to the campus and how the campus feels about them, go to http://bit.ly/2y1MOo7.
Congratulations to our School of Nursing. We have always known that it is a top-notch program, but now a national website has echoed that sentiment. UTC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is the best in Tennessee, according to RegisteredNursing.org. Based on the number of nursing students who passed the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs, we are No. 1.
The last home game for our football Mocs is Nov. 18, when we play East Tennessee State University at Finley Stadium. The game begins at 2 PM, but come out early to tailgate and build enthusiasm for our team and help them go out with a win.
Our Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams officially begin their 2017 seasons next week. The Women open on Nov. 13th against the University of Central Florida. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. and is in Maclellan Gym (yes, Maclellan, McKenzie is booked by Disney on Ice). The Men play on Thursday Nov. 16, against Hiwassee in McKenzie Arena at 7 p.m.