UT Chancellor Should Be All VOL

UT Chancellor Should Be All VOL

I have watched the search process for a new UT Knoxville Chancellor with excited anticipation at the possibilities that could occur.  I now fear that I will only be disappointed with the choice being made by a professional head hunter group.

Nowhere in the list of candidates that has been released has there been a graduate of UTK.  Now many people will tell you that it is more important to find someone with the proper academic qualifications and a past history of teaching, fund-raising, and management experience to take the reins at the Knoxville Campus. To them I would say we have tried that and the results were abysmal.

UT Knoxville needs a leader who has gone through the UT Knoxville experience as a student if he/she is to relate to the students on campus.  We need a leader that understands the inter-relationship of the campus with the City of Knoxville, the farmers in Tennessee, the business community, and the Oak Ridge laboratory.

The news reports and press conferences that I have seen show UT Knoxville bringing in candidates to meet with faculty and staff, maintenance workers, and student representatives.  What is the purpose of having a search committee if they are just going to gauge public response and pick the least objectionable candidate?

UTK needs leadership and needs a strong presence as the head of the University.  My fear is that they are looking for a mouthpiece and a PR manager.  What we need is the next Andy Holt, Ed Boling, or Jack Reese.  For now, the Alumni wait to see.