The University of Tennessee system will proceed with an external search to fill anticipated vacancies in the chancellor positions at UT-Chattanooga and UT-Southern, according to University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd.¶
At Wednesday’s special Board of Trustees meeting, Boyd noted that Linda Martin will continue to serve as chancellor at UT-Southern until July 2025. Boyd also recently appointed university alumnus Robert Dooley as interim chancellor of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). He will assume the role starting in January 2025.¶
“Robert is an amazing leader, [and was] very effective at the Rollins College of Business,” he said in his update about the searches.¶
“He’ll be a great interim for us, so I am looking forward to his leadership, and I am already working with him closely on a number of things with regards to both searches.” ¶
Boyd noted that in both cases, the university will conduct a national search for potential candidates. He said UT-Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman will serve as the search chair for UT-Chattanooga, due to his 30 years of experience at that university and knowledge of chancellor duties and expectations. He said the chair for UT-Southern is still pending, adding that he plans to select someone before the end of 2024.¶
Boyd said the search chairs will be tasked with leading a search committee, which will include academic and administrative leaders, faculty, staff, key constituents, and a student representative.¶
In addition, he noted that a search firm will be engaged to assist the committee with the development of the position profile, advertisement, recruitment, and due diligence/background references of the candidates.¶
“Between now and the end of the year, we’ll be choosing our consultant and I will be choosing people to serve on the committee. The committees will kick off in January,” he said, adding that he expects about 50 applications in both searches.¶
In related business, Boyd said current UT-Chattanooga Chancellor Steven Angle, who is set to retire from the role, will soon resume full-time faculty duties as a tenured professor in January 2025.¶
Board of Trustees member Bill Rhodes thanked Angle for his years of service as chancellor, adding that the “accomplishments that he and his team have made over those 11 years are pretty remarkable.”¶
He said he will continue to “change students’ lives” as a faculty member moving forward, after spearheading much of the university’s efforts to expand academic programming.¶
According to a recent news release from the university, Angle also led efforts for 84 projects that invested over $710 million into the UTC campus, such as the new Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building, the addition to the Rollins College of Business, improved athletic facilities, and new student housing.¶
The university also recently welcomed its largest freshman class this fall, contributing to a record-high enrollment. In addition, graduate enrollment has also surged under his leadership, further expanding the reach and impact of the university’s academic programs.¶
“I’ve had a few chances to be on that campus and to see the progress is amazing,” Rhodes said.¶
Board members said more details on the search will be announced on the board’s website in the coming weeks.¶
