I want to wish all of our new students and faculty a warm welcome to UTC. We are delighted to have you join our Mocs Family. To those who had some time away from campus this summer, welcome back! The 2019-2020 academic year has begun, and we are recharged and ready for an exciting fall semester.
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who participated in Operation Move-In on Thursday, August 15. It was inspiring to see how many students, faculty, staff, and community supporters pitched in to welcome our new students. This was my seventh move-in day, and I think it was by far the smoothest one yet. A special thank you to our OMI Committee.
We began the semester with Convocation on August 16 with a large, enthusiastic crowd of freshmen, transfer students, and new graduate students. Thursday, August 29 we open the football season against Eastern Illinois at Finley Stadium. Please join us for the game and pregame festivities including the Mocs Flock and student athlete academic recognition that precede the 7PM kickoff.
There are numerous construction projects taking place on campus; some have been completed, others are nearing completion, and some will begin soon. The section of Oak Street between Founders Hall and Pfeiffer-Stagmaier Hall is nearly complete. The section of Oak Street that runs from Pfeiffer-Stagmaier past the Guerry Center and ends at Cadek Hall is scheduled to be finished by mid-September. Work on Vine Street next to Maclellan Gym and the University Center also is nearing completion.
Remodeling of the Guerry Center, the new home of the Honors College, is in the final stages and most of the building is open for business. Renovation of Lupton Hall, the former Lupton Library, and Fine Arts is in full swing and should be completed by July 2020. Renovation of several floors in Fletcher Hall will begin soon.