Athletics to Transfer $1 Million for Academic Support

To: UT Knoxville Students, Faculty and Staff
From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek
Subject: Athletics to Transfer $1 Million for Academic Support

Today, we will announce a new transfer of $1 million from UT Athletics to our campus. The money is the result of the new television contract signed recently by the Southeastern Conference, and will be used to enhance teaching, learning and graduate education at UT Knoxville.

I have included the press release we will distribute shortly to the media that details how the money will be put to use. I am particularly glad that we will be able to use $800,000 of this sum to enhance graduate education by providing up to 40 graduate assistantships each year to departments and colleges throughout the campus. This investment in graduate studies at UT Knoxville will have a lasting impact on our ability to recruit and retain top graduate students across the full breadth of our campus.

I am grateful to Men's Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and Women's Athletic Director Joan Cronan for making this opportunity possible, and look forward to building on an already-beneficial relationship between our campus and UT Athletics.

Posted July 7, 2009