Advisory Groups
As chancellor, I have the privilege of appointing some of our most respected faculty, staff, and students to serve on standing commissions, councils, boards, and committees. They lend their advice to me and to the vice chancellors on timely and critical areas of university life and consistently demonstrate exemplary fairness and insight. I am fortunate to have such strong assistance when I am called to make decisions in their areas of expertise.
These groups are an integral part of management, leadership, and policymaking for the entire university. The individuals who have accepted membership are tireless leaders whose thoughtful work and commitments of time and caring are especially significant as we fulfill the goals of our Ready for the World International and Intercultural Awareness Initiative, a critical element of our SACS accreditation.
Below are the names of the groups as well as brief descriptions of their responsibilities and a link to the groups' current membership. I encourage you to take advantage of these groups to share your ideas, hopes, and concerns.
Diversity Council
Task: Advises on creating and sustaining a welcoming, supportive and inclusive campus climate through goals such as attracting and retaining faculty and staff from under-represented populations; attracting, retaining, and graduating students from historically under-represented populations and international students; and ensuring that undergraduate curricular requirements include significant intercultural perspectives.
Committee for Campus Environment
Task: Advises on improving the physical environment of the campus, to ensure that environmentally sustainable principles are used in design, construction, operation, and maintenance decisions and practices at UTK; and to increase the day-to-day environmental awareness and knowledge of students, faculty, and staff. Current project is a 25-year Energy Plan for UT in collaboration with ORNL staff, to be completed later this year.
Commission for Blacks
Task: Recommends changes in or additions to university policies and procedures to reflect Black concerns; makes suggestions for new and existing academic and extracurricular programs related to Blacks; encourages research to identify the problems and progress of Blacks on campus; encourages Black faculty, staff and student involvement in all aspects of campus life.
Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People
Task: Our newest advisory group, formed in December 2006, plans, evaluates, and carries out university programs, policies and services designed to improve the status of LGBT people on campus; serves as an advocacy group committed to the protection and advancement of LGBT students, faculty and staff.
Commission for Women
Task: Plans, implements, and evaluates university programs, policies and services designed to improve the status of women on the Knoxville campus; recommends new and existing academic, professional development, and extracurricular programs; encourages research to assess the status of women at UT; and keeps the community informed on programs related to women.
Student Affairs Council
Task: Reviews decisions of the Student Tribunal and decisions of the Academic Review Boards (except a Board’s decision to support the instructor in a student’s appeal of a professorial penalty), and appeals filed by the Dean of Students of any board’s decision.
Cultural Affairs Board
Task: Evaluates new cultural programming in theatre, dance, art and other areas and recommends funding supported by the University Programs and Services Fee.
Recreation, Entertainment & Social Board
Task: Develops programming supported by the University Programs and Services Fee in film, travel, popular concerts, dances, exhibits, speakers, sports and recreation, and traditional campus events such as Homecoming, Carnicus and All Sing; coordinates programming by the Central Program Council, Recreation Board, and International House.
Student Publications Board
Task: Develops policies and selects the editors for campus student publications including the Daily Beacon newspaper, the Volunteer yearbook, and Phoenix literary art magazine.
Residency Classification Committee
Task: Makes recommendations on appeals to residency classification decisions.
Scholarly Communications Committee
Task: Advises on scholarly communications in the digital age, including the rise in cost of serials, and the challenges and opportunities of new methods of disseminating research, creative work, and teaching materials through electronic media; informs campus community about meanings and benefits of open access to scholarship.
University Calendar Committee
Task: Sets key academic and other major university dates and deadlines.
Traffic and Parking Authority
Task: Prepares traffic, parking and safety regulations to prevent or correct traffic and parking problems on campus and to improve traffic-pedestrian safety; establishes schedule of parking fees and parking facility maintenance; develops more options for students, faculty and staff to travel to and from campus by means other than personal automobiles to reduce congestion among other goals consistent with the Campus Master Plan.