Recent approvals by the UT Board of Trustees are set to bring more changes to campus. The board, which governs the statewide UT system, met virtually on Friday, Sept. 19. The meeting recognized record enrollment and retention rates across the state. They also addressed a new retirement incentive program, UTK campus expansion and building naming.
“Every single campus is improving in practically every single measure,” John Compton, board chair, said.
Recognition of new trustees
The board welcomed two new members including David Wade and Andy Holt. Wade is a UTC alumnus working in the energy sector, and Andy Holt — whose name rings familiar to UTK students — serves as the deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Wade will be joining the Finance Committee, and Holt will be joining the Education, Research and Service Committee.
Volunteer retirement incentive program
Amid ongoing concerns over employee compensation at the UT Health Science Center, the board has developed strategies to restructure program positions. Peter Buckley, chancellor of the UTHSC, proposed a retirement incentive program for retirement-eligible faculty that was approved in the board meeting.
“I think it’s a very thoughtful approach to figure out how we move to the next chapter of the continued evolution of the UT Health Science Center,” Trustee Bill Rhodes said.
Eligible employees have the choice of retiring with half of their annual salary offered as a cash lump sum. There are 626 faculty members at the UTHSC eligible to apply, and board members expect a 20% turnout of around 125 faculty participating in the program.
“The campus needs time to make employees aware of the opportunity and make their individual decisions,” David Miller, senior vice president and CFO of the UT system said.
The estimated combined annual salary of the participating faculty amounts to $12,213,410. With half of that being paid to retirees, the board expects to save $6,106,705. These funds will be redistributed to program restructuring, investments in strategic institutional priorities and investments to address compensation concerns. The program serves as an example for other UT institutions facing compensation concerns.
Future Greek housing real estate acquisition
The board also approved the purchase of 2126 Terrace Ave., a residential property in between the Architecture Research Annex and the N-2 commuter parking lot. The purchase of the property — valued at $800,000 — would adjoin land already owned by the university, making the campus more cohesive.
The UT Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 2126 Terrace Ave., a residential property at their meeting on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.
“This is such a strategic purchase,” Miller said. “The institution owns all of the surrounding property.”
The 2,328-square-foot house on the property is expected to be used for future Greek life housing. Around one third of UT undergraduates are in a sorority or fraternity.
Building namings
Three buildings are to be named or renamed on the UTK campus.
The new chemistry building, which UT broke ground for on Sept. 5, will be named the Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building. Charles Wharton served on numerous UT boards, including the Board of Trustees.
“The proposal to name the chemistry building after Charles Wharton and his late wife, Julie, is a fitting tribute to their enduring dedication to the University of Tennessee,” Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a letter to UT President Randy Boyd.
The new food science building will be named the John H. McLeod Food Science Building, named after the former Dean of the College of Agriculture. The original food technology building was named after McLeod.
The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees approved the naming of the new Jenny Boyd Carousel Theater in May 2021, shortly after the announcement of the construction plans. The board has now approved the renaming of the theater to the Jenny Boyd Theater because the new theater’s design does not correspond with the original Carousel Theater’s.
“To accurately reflect both the historical significance and the new location of the original Carousel Theatre, we respectfully request approval to rename the new facility as The Jenny Boyd Theatre,” Plowman said in a letter.
The Board of Trustees will meet in the fall from Oct. 23-24.
