Fellow Volunteers,

I am honored and excited to return to the University of Tennessee and to serve as your next chancellor. There has never been a better time to be a Volunteer, and I am ready to hit the ground running.

I look forward to visiting campus Monday and throughout the summer leading to my official start date of July 1. I would like to thank the search committee, President Randy Boyd, and the UT Board of Trustees for putting their trust in me to lead this amazing university.

For me, being a Volunteer means committing to excellence—for our students, faculty, staff, and alumni and for the people of Tennessee and beyond. It means thinking big and making a difference on our campus and in our communities.

As we work together to make that difference and lead UT into the future, I commit to three Ts:

• Talking. I don’t always have all the answers, but I am committed to talking with you, listening to you, and seeking your input in the decision-making process.
• Tracking. We will use data to inform our decisions.
• Transparency. I will share information regularly so everyone can understand where we’re headed and how we plan to get there.

I wish everyone all the best in the final days of the semester, and I look forward to joining you on Rocky Top.