1) Trustees endorse first female to become UT Knoxville chancellor
Following former UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek’s decision to step down and return to the classroom after seven years as chancellor, the UT board of trustees voted in support of Beverly Davenport entering the role, making her the first woman to lead UT Knoxville.
2) Smokey’s Pantry offers free food for those in need
Smokey’s Pantry, UT’s first on-campus food pantry, opened in January 2016 as the spring semester began. The pantry was first established by students involved with Tyson House.
3) Senate votes to cut UT’s diversity funding
The Tennessee Senate voted to redirect over $400,000 in funding for UT’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion — now called the Division of Access and Engagement — into funding for scholarships for minority students majoring in engineering. Students protested on campus through a mass class exit the day before the bill passed.
4) Crafty coyotes run rampant in Knoxville
Urban coyotes made local news after multiple reported neighborhood sightings and interactions with household pets caused fear in Knoxville residents.
5) UT’s women’s athletes to start sporting logos
The decision to take away the Lady Vols logo in exchange for the Power T for all women’s teams except basketball sparked controversy in early 2016, as some fans feared the change threatened the Lady Vols’ legacy. The original logo returned in September 2017.
6) SGA voting link crashes on first day of elections, campaigns fear decreased voter turnout
The voting website for SGA elections crashed as three campaigns competed in the presidential election, leading to decreased voting accessibility and anxiety over low voter turnout.
7) College of Engineering officially named after John D. Tickle
The former UT College of Engineering was renamed after UT alum and donor John D. Tickle to become the John D. Tickle College of Engineering in November 2016 — the second college program to be named after a donor.
8) Gatlinburg wildfires cause three deaths, hundreds displaced
The 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires swept through Gatlinburg in November 2016, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and forcing thousands of Gatlinburg residents into displacement and evacuation.
9) Law professor’s tweet sparks controversy
UT law professor Glenn Reynolds faced backlash after tweeting about protestors blocking a highway in North Carolina, saying, “Run them down.” Reynolds apologized to the College of Law community and continues to teach at UT.
10) OIT ditches Blackboard for Canvas
The Office of Information Technology moved from Blackboard to Canvas as UT’s online academic platform, citing user-friendliness and cost as motivations for the switch.
