Former UT system president Joseph E. “Joe” Johnson died at the age of 90 on Friday, the university announced.
Johnson served as UT system president from 1990-99 and returned to the post as interim president from 2003-04. After his retirement in 1999, he served as president emeritus and remained active around the university.
Johnson worked for more than 50 years at the University of Tennessee and was popular with the UT Alumni Association. His acumen for fundraising and his advocating for the university added to his reputation.
“Dr. Johnson was the embodiment of the University of Tennessee,” said UT System President Randy Boyd. “UT would not be the great institution it is today without the leadership, vision and compassion for people that Dr. Johnson so eloquently had. This is a tremendous loss for our university system, but an even greater loss to the state of Tennessee.”
Johnson is considered one of the architects for the UT system structure, which was created in 1968. He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 from the UT board of trustees.
As president, Johnson worked closely with then Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt to promote women’s athletics at Tennessee. The two shared a friendship and mutual respect.
Johnson was also the creator of the university’s decades-long partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“Dr. Johnson committed his life to the University of Tennessee and made this great University a better place for all of us,” said UT President Emeritus Joe DiPietro. “I consulted with him frequently, and he remained very involved out front and behind the scenes. I valued his counsel and have always felt he left big shoes to fill in the president’s office. The entire University will miss his leadership and dedication, and I know those of us who knew him well will miss his quick wit and straight talk.”
Johnson began his career as an instructor and a research associate of political science at UTK in 1958. He left the position after one year to work in state government.
After working with the state government, Johnson returned to UT in 1963 as executive assistant to then president Andy Holt. Johnson later served as vice president for development from 1969-73.
He moved to Memphis to be chancellor of the UT Health Science Center from 1970-73. He returned to Knoxville and continued to serve as vice president for development and executive vice president until the UT board selected him as statewide system president in 1991.
Holt and fellow former UT president Edward Boling helped groom Johnson for the position of president.
“It’s important to be yourself and have a sense of values. It doesn’t take people very long to see if you’re real. You must walk the talk,” Johnson said in an interview with Tennessee Alumnus (now Our Tennessee) magazine upon his retirement. “In the University, faculty and students are the most important. The real strength of the University is what goes on in classrooms and labs.”
Johnson helped calm the waters during a rocky time for Tennessee during 1999-2004. Since that time, he had served as president emeritus and held several other roles around the UT system.
Johnson is a native of Alabama and attended Birmingham-Southern College for his undergrad in 1955. He received a master’s degree in 1960 and his Ed.D. in higher education and industrial management in 1968 from UTK.
“I agree with what Andy Holt said about leadership: surround yourself with people who know more than you do, encourage them and turn them loose. Occasionally correct them. Praise them often,” Johnson once said. “Leadership can be fun. You work with outstanding, devoted people and get to see them grow. Leadership can be lonely. You’re expected to make that tough decision.”
