Randy Boyd’s Vision for University of Tennessee’s “Greatest Decade”

Knoxville

Randy Boyd sets University of Tennessee goals for ‘greatest decade’

Randy Boyd will work to see through his promise of the “greatest decade” in the University of Tennessee’s history after being reappointed as UT System president until 2030. But what is he planning next to make that happen?

New campus amenities, same affordable tuition: Randy Boyd’s extended vision for UT System

Randy Boyd’s extended vision for the University of Tennessee System includes a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing student life, improving infrastructure, and ensuring affordability across all campuses. Here’s a look at some key areas of focus:

Adding and updating student housing

UT Knoxville has entered a public-private partnership to build three dormitories by 2026, with plans to accommodate 1,000 students each year. UT Chattanooga will construct a new dormitory by fall 2027. UT Martin and UT Southern are also developing strategies to enhance student housing options on their respective campuses.

Improving parking

The UT System Board of Trustees has approved parking changes for UT Knoxville, including tiered parking zones based on location. The university will also implement parking restrictions for first-year students and expand class schedules to alleviate parking demand. Similar strategies may be adopted by other UT campuses to address parking challenges.

Resolving capital project constraints

UT is working with the state to construct new academic buildings across its campuses. With over 1,000 buildings and an average lifespan of 67 years, UT requires approximately $3.4 billion for capital outlay costs over the next decade, along with $900 million for maintenance expenses alone.

Maintaining affordability

UT has kept tuition increases to an average of 0.8% per year for the past five years. Despite a planned increase in tuition this fall to offset inflation costs, UT Promise, a last-dollar scholarship based on income, has enabled 47% of students to graduate debt-free. UT aims to have 71,000 enrolled students across its campuses by 2030, building upon its current enrollment of 58,726 as of 2023.

New criteria for University of Tennessee guaranteed admissions

The UT System Board of Trustees recently revised the guaranteed admissions policy for upcoming high school graduates. Here are the updated criteria for UT campuses:

For UT Knoxville

Students must achieve a 4.0 cumulative GPA or rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. Additionally, a minimum 24 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1160-1190) is required for admission.

For UT Chattanooga, UT Martin, and UT Southern

Students must maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA or rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. A 23 ACT composite score (or an SAT score of 1130-1150) is necessary for admission.

Adding to Tennessee’s workforce with UT graduates

With 13,459 graduates in the last academic year, UT significantly contributes to Tennessee’s workforce. Boyd aims to boost the number of annual graduates to 16,000 by 2030. UT Knoxville will introduce new degree programs in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and data science to align with market demands. The UT System prioritizes producing and retaining skilled workers in Tennessee.