UT Haslam College breaks ground on new building to accommodate growing enrollment

University leaders, distinguished alumni and architects break ground on the Haslam College of Business expansion (Photo by UT Knoxville)

The University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business is constructing a new five-story building on campus complete with research labs and lecture halls to accommodate the college’s growing student body in the years ahead.

According to an announcement last week, university leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony last week to celebrate the $225 million project, which is expected to be completed by 2027. The announcement said the 243,800 square-foot building will “expand the college’s footprint,” adding that the center will house 18 additional classrooms, three research laboratories, two 300-seat auditoriums and several other meeting spaces.

An artist’s rendering shows the future building for the Haslam College of Business.

An artist’s rendering shows the future building for the Haslam College of Business. (Image by UT Knoxville)

University leaders said the project aims to meet critical infrastructure needs amid “tremendous” enrollment growth at the college, which is now the largest college at UT in terms of undergraduate enrollment. According to university data, the college’s undergraduate enrollment has increased by more than 100 percent, from 3,800 students to more than 9,000, while master’s program enrollment has grown by 35 percent over the last five years. Graduate and executive education class sizes have also increased.

Chancellor Donde Plowman said the new building, which will serve more than 10,000 students and staff, will be part of a broader “physical transformation happening across campus,” as the college looks to expand programming.

“More students than ever want to be Volunteers. Because of the innovative and wide-ranging support that they receive on campus, more students are earning their degrees — and that is great news, because more UT graduates is good for the state, good for business and good for people,” she said in a public statement.

Tim Held, a senior at UT-Haslam studying business analytics and supply chain management, told Tennessee Firefly that the building will enable the college’s academic programs to continue growing in the years to come, as more and more students look to major in fields like data science and business to remain competitive in today’s changing job market.

“I spent a lot of time around campus growing up, and I actually remember when the current Haslam business building was a new, shiny building on campus,” he said. “I’m really excited to come back and see how the university has continued to transform and open opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty.”

According to the university announcement, the building will house the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the college’s seven academic departments, and its graduate and executive education programs, which offer master’s and doctoral degree programs.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Stephen Mangum, dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair of the college, emphasized the need to modernize facilities on campus in order to maintain a competitive edge with other institutions in the years ahead.

“We believe in providing state-of-the-art facilities for instruction, study, research, offices and meeting spaces,” he said. “Now, more than at any time in the college’s history, students and businesses are choosing to partner with the Haslam College of Business. The new building will offer amenities that will enhance these activities and provide additional necessary space for the knowledge creation and sharing that makes a lasting impact on both our state and the greater business world.”

Brian Broyles, the university’s senior vice chancellor for advancement, said in the announcement that the state and university is currently collectively funding 55 percent of the project’s budget. He said alumni support will be crucial to fund the rest moving forward.

“Changing the lives of our students is at the heart of our mission,” Broyles said. “With the philanthropic support of alumni and friends, we can provide enriching experiences and opportunities. Our goal is to raise $100 million for the capital project to make this vision a reality.”

For more information on the new building project or the college, visit UT’s website.