At UT Knoxville, we have 629 faculty, staff, and students who have self-reported as active-duty US military, veterans, reservists, or members of the National Guard.

Some of these men and women had a full career in the military before coming to UT. Others took a hiatus from UT to serve their country. Still others are juggling military life with classes or work responsibilities. They’ve devoted time and effort—and in some cases put their lives on the line—to ensure that all of us can live, work, and study in safety and freedom.

Today, we join more than 180 universities across the country in honoring the more than 6,300 American casualties of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001. It began at 8:00 a.m. in Circle Park, where campus and community volunteers are reading the names of the men and women who have died in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, which is now called Operation New Dawn.

A remembrance ceremony will take place at 1:45 p.m. today in Circle Park. UT President Emeritus Joe Johnson will speak, and at 2:00 p.m., a national moment of silence will be observed on campus to honor fallen veterans. The roll call will continue after the moment of silence.

UT’s participation in the Remembrance Day National Roll Call is being organized by Veterans at UTK and sponsored by the Task Force in Support of Student Veterans. For more information on the event or the organization, visit http://web.utk.edu/~utkvets/.

Also this week, we’ve honored these members of the UT family by sharing daily stories about UT Knoxville students who are veterans and projects going on to help veterans and their families. To see all of these stories, go to http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/tag/veterans-day-2011.

We call ourselves the “Volunteers”—and call Tennessee “The Volunteer State”—because of the responsibility Tennesseans have taken in defending our country for the past 200 years. The state’s nickname stems from the Tennessee volunteer soldiers who played a prominent role in the War of 1812, especially during the Battle of New Orleans.

This valiant tradition is perpetuated today by the active-duty military and veterans on our own campus. I hope you will join me today in honoring our Volunteer legacy.

The Power Down Pledge is an initiative of Make Orange Green and the Chancellor’s Energy Challenge, an aggressive energy-reduction program aimed at reducing UT’s energy consumption by 10 percent.

To date, more than 300 UT students, staff, and faculty have taken the pledge to reduce their energy use and inked the pledge poster.

UT Knoxville’s Make Orange Green program has been recognized by the Princeton Review and by the Sustainable Endowments Institute as one of the nation’s top campus sustainability programs. Other campus initiatives, such as the sustainable building policy, the Student Environmental Initiatives Fee, and the Chancellor’s Energy Challenge have earned the university a reputation as a national leader in campus sustainability.

The Pledge Tree is currently on display at the Carolyn. P. Brown University Center.

For more information on Make Orange Green, visit http://environment.utk.edu. To sign the Power Down Pledge, click here.

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C O N T A C T :

Gordie Bennett, 974-7780, gbennet5@utk.edu

Rebekah Winkler, 974-8304, rwinkler@utk.edu

Since embarking on its journey to become a Top 25 public research university, UT Knoxville has made some good progress in its five priority areas—undergraduate education, graduate education, research, faculty and staff, and financial resources and infrastructure.

Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek on Thursday provided the UT Board of Trustees with an update on the Top 25 initiative. Among the gains that have been made in the past year:

• The freshman-to-sophomore retention rate has increased by 2 percentage points. It’s now at 86 percent.

• The six-year graduation rate has increased by 1 percentage point, to 61 percent.

• Federal research expenditures have increased by $39 million and total research expenditures by $32 million.

• The gap has narrowed slightly between UT Knoxville and its Top 25 peers in the average salaries of tenure-line faculty.

• There has been an increase in the amount UT Knoxville spends per student on teaching and support, as well as on the value of the campus’s endowment per student.

In addition, Cheek explained that many efforts have been undertaken to lay the groundwork for even bigger gains in the future. Among those, UT Knoxville has:

• Used the additional tuition money appropriated by the Board of Trustees last year to add faculty, advisers, tutors, and graduate student teaching assistants.

• Hired three more Governor’s Chairs, bringing our total to nine.

• Recruited high-quality graduate students and faculty for the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education (CIRE).

• Increased faculty diversity hires.

• Established a partnership with Y-12 National Security Complex.

• Expanded research support services.

• Tightened the drop policy, limiting students to dropping only four classes during the late-drop period in the course of their undergraduate careers.

Teams have spent the last year reviewing each of the priority areas to determine what we need to do to continue making progress toward our Top 25 goal. Those individual reports have now been merged into a single action plan outlining 64 major efforts we need to undertake, and many of these efforts are already under way.

To view the presentation Cheek provided to the Board of Trustees and to find all of the latest updates, see the new Vol Vision/Top 25 website, http://www.utk.edu/volvision-top25/. Cheek’s presentation can be found here.

The forum will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Hermitage Room on the third floor of the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center. Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP to Beth Gladden at 974-9008 or bgladden@utk.edu if you plan to attend.

From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek

Subject: Call to Conserve Energy During New Peak Times

Today marks the beginning of Earth Month on our campus. It also marks a change in the way we purchase electricity.

UT Knoxville is one of the largest electrical customers in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s service area. TVA is changing the rate structure for its largest customers in an effort to reduce overall consumption during high energy use times. Going forward, our energy costs will vary based on times that TVA has identified as peak power use times.

This change provides our campus community with a special opportunity to save money by adjusting our study, work, and play habits around those peak times.

Here is how you can help:

• Cut back on energy usage in the afternoon to early evening hours of 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays in the spring and summer months.

• Students in residence halls should avoid doing laundry during the peak time period if possible. Students also should be conscientious of energy consumption when using computers, televisions and game systems during the peak time hours.

• Faculty and staff should take advantage of natural light in their offices and take lighting into consideration when arranging for conference and workroom space. They should also avoid printing or copying large documents and using other electronic machinery during peak times.

• Whenever possible, higher electric use activities should be scheduled for periods outside of the peak time window.

While the most critical months are June, July, August, and September, we must start preparing ourselves for those high usage months when our costs will be almost 50 percent higher than other months.

Campus-wide, several changes have been made with more to come. We’ve adjusted the electric water heaters in our academic and administrative facilities for peak time compliance. We’re also working to adjust room and class schedules to reduce our need to cool our large classrooms during peak times.

In 2008, we launched a goal of cutting our energy consumption by 10 percent. Earlier this year, we asked you to help us cut 10 percent over last year. I know that this opportunity combined with your ongoing efforts will allow us to save even more energy this calendar year.

Because our students, faculty, and staff have already proven their ability to impact our costs, I am confident that we can make a difference. Thank you for your help with this important effort and for all that you do to enhance our campus sustainability.

From: UT Knoxville Chancellor and UTIA Chancellor Search Committee Chair Jimmy G. Cheek

The search for a new chancellor at the UT Institute of Agriculture is underway. We would like your help in gathering candidates for this important position in the statewide UT System.

Our search committee is currently reviewing applications and nominations, and we have hired a search firm to assist us.

If you know a colleague who you believe should be considered for chancellor or if you have interest in applying for the position, please contact Gary Daugherty, senior vice president, Parker Executive Search at Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2900, Atlanta, GA, 30328. His e-mail is gdaugherty@parkersearch.com and phone number is 770-804-1996, extension 103. Interested candidates should submit a letter of application, vita and five references.

The chancellor is the chief academic and administrative officer of the institute and is responsible for planning, implementing and leading strong, progressive programs of excellence in the institute including UT Extension, AgResearch, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The chancellor reports directly to the president of the University of Tennessee.

We are seeking candidates who articulate a strategic vision and long-term goals for the institute; provide direction and incentives for research, creative achievement and service; foster interdisciplinary approaches to undergraduate and graduate education; create innovative and effective programs across the four divisions of the institute; ensure that Extension services meet the agricultural and natural resources needs of the state; ensure that veterinary clinical and diagnostic services meet the needs of the state; nurture relationships with other University programs and with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; maintain a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with the chancellors of other UT campuses in the implementation of agricultural curricula and programs; establish and maintain productive relationships on behalf of the Institute with state government, agricultural industries, veterinary organizations and professionals, forest natural resources industries and agencies, the Tennessee congressional delegation and federal agencies; direct the recruitment, development and retention of excellent faculty, department heads and deans and lead the institute’s development activities.

He/she must have a demonstrated record of successful leadership and fiscal management experience and exhibit exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; a broad knowledge of agriculture, natural resources, veterinary medicine and outreach activities; demonstrated leadership and abilities in the administration of higher education agricultural and veterinary medicine programs, with substantive experience, preferably in a large public and/or land grant institution within a multi-campus environment and the ability to mobilize volunteers and stakeholders for the enhancement of the university.

Candidates will have a record of demonstrated commitment to diversity, collegiality, collaboration and service.

For more information, please visit http://www.tennessee.edu/chancellorsearch/utia/ or http://www.parkersearch.com.

Chancellor Cheek will host a faculty/staff open forum in the Ready for the World Café in the Hermitage Room on the third floor of the University Center. The first 50 employees to RSVP will get a free meal; everyone else is invited to purchase lunch at the café for $11 or bring their own lunch.

The forum will be from noon to 1 p.m. and will be an informal opportunity to talk with the chancellor about your questions or concerns.

To RSVP, please contact Beth Gladden at 974-9008 or bgladden@utk.edu. Remember, reply soon to be in the first 50!

The two-day meeting marks the launch of the IFDC’s Virtual Fertilizer Research Center (VFRC), a new global research effort which seeks to develop and commercialize new clean, cost-effective and renewable fertilizer and improved processes. Cheek is chair of the VFRC.

New and improved fertilizers are critical elements in the effort to help feed the world’s growing population, provide sustainable global food security and protect the environment, he explained.

Cheek was senior vice president of agricultural and natural resources at the University of Florida before becoming chancellor of the UT Knoxville campus in 2009.

“The need for innovative fertilizer research is a global issue that calls for a global response,” he said. “No ‘new’ fertilizer product has been developed in the last 25 years that is affordable for use on food crops in less developed countries.”

He said there are widespread deficiencies in micronutrients — boron, chlorine, cooper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

“Research has already shown that enriching fertilizers with micronutrients not only has an impact in alleviating plant deficiencies but also makes a difference for humans and animals,” he said.

The VFRC will partner with universities, public and private research laboratories and the global fertilizer and agribusiness industries to bring together the best scientific, business and government minds to tackle the issue. Startup funding for the center was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Advisory board members hail from countries that include the U.S., Kenya, The Netherlands, India, France and China.

“In the end, we will create a research system that produces more food with fewer wasted resources and a reduced environmental impact,” Cheek said.

Cheek said there are more than 1 billion hungry people in the world. The world population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, and food production will need to increase by 70 percent by 2050 to serve their needs.

“More than 60 percent of the undernourished population lives in seven countries: Bangladesh, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 265 million of the world’s undernourished population,” Cheek said. “Hunger is on the rise in many developing countries even through world cereal production is at the second-highest level ever.”

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

KNOXVILLE – University of Tennessee Knoxville faculty, students and staff were recognized for their service and accomplishments at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet held Monday at the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center.

Hosted by Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, the annual event honors members of the campus community. Among the top awards presented were:

Macebearer: Bruce Ralston is associate department head of geography and has been with the university since 1976 in numerous administrative roles. The Macebearer — the top faculty honor — leads the faculty in processionals during commencement exercises for a full academic year. Ralston’s research specialties include GIS systems, geospatial analyses and transportation geography. Ralston currently is building a suite of mapping tools for use with the 2010 Census and recently began developing tools for free mapping services, such as Google Earth. For the past 25 years, Ralston has helped students learn the most state-of-the-art technologies and techniques, often attending seminars that he funds personally, as well as working closely with industry to prepare students for employment in the field.

Alexander Prize: Professor Daniel Roberts is responsible for teaching Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, a required course for all biology majors. His consistently positive student evaluations, innovative teaching tools and impressive research record have distinguished him as a caring, yet challenging teacher. Named for former UT president and now Sen. Lamar Alexander and his wife, Honey, the award recognizes superior teaching and distinguished scholarship.

Jefferson Prize: Lynn Sacco, assistant professor of history, specializes in 19th- and 20th- century gender history. Her book, “Unspeakable: Father-Daughter Incest in American History,” combines the medical, legal and social history of a crime whose taboo status for the most part kept it out of the historical record. Made possible by an anonymous donor, the Jefferson Prize honors the principles of Thomas Jefferson and his pursuit of freedom and knowledge.

L.R. Hesler Award: Peter Liaw, professor of materials science and engineering and the college’s Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence, joined the faculty in 1993. His pursuit of research funding has resulted in more than $20 million in education and research funds for the university, including a multi-million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to create the International Materials Institute. The award is named for the longtime department head and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Torchbearer award is the highest honor given to a student. Cheek presented the 2010 Torchbearers with medals, and they each passed the ceremonial torch at the event. The honorees are:

John DiChiara, a political science major from Pinson, Tenn., is in his fourth year as a resident assistant. He served as an orientation leader and as a counselor for the Center for Courageous Kids Medical Camp in Kentucky, where he facilitated programming for 50 campers with varying medical needs. He been accepted into the Teach for America Program and will be working in Chicago for two years after graduation.

Amanda Fortner is a speech pathology student from Lobelville, Tenn. Her community service includes working with families at the Ronald McDonald House and assisting the elderly in her hometown. On campus, Fortner holds leadership positions in SGA, Mortar Board, her sorority and as an orientation leader.

Ashley Hughes, a psychology major from Knoxville, serves as president of the United Residence Halls Council and as the housing liaison for Student Government Association. In addition to her roles within student housing, Hughes has served as an orientation leader, a member of the Dance Marathon morale committee, and was chosen as an Emerging Leader, a selective interdisciplinary leadership program offered to only 25 students each year.

Samuel Mortimer, a fifth-year architecture student from Chattanooga, is an advocate for issues of environmental and social concern. As SGA senator for the College of Architecture and Design, Mortimer led a drive to change the HOPE Scholarship, successfully lobbying the legislature for the scholarship to cover the final year of studies in five-year programs. Recently, he served as lead designer on a UT team participating in the Environmental Protection Agency’s P3 Competition, earning a top honor nationally for the sustainable design project.

Jamil Price is a journalism and electronic media major from Lebanon, Tenn. He serves as press secretary for SGA, student representative on the Student Affairs Council, chair of the Student Alumni Associates, and as an Ambassador Scholar and orientation leader. He also serves on the Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council for the College of Communication and Information.

Todd Skelton, a College Scholars student from Surgoinsville, Tenn., has served as president of the Honor’s Council for two years. Skelton founded and chairs the Honors Ambassador Program and Host-a-Student program and currently serves as the founding editor-in-chief of “Pursuit,” the university’s undergraduate research journal.

Jeff Wilcox, from Fayetteville, Tenn. graduated from the university’s enterprise management program in the fall. During his time at the university, Wilcox served as president of the Student Government Association and on nearly 20 university committees, as well as being heavily involved in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity.

The full list of all faculty, staff and student awards is available online.

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C O N T A C T :

Beth Gladden (865-974-9008, bgladden@utk.edu)

Chancellor Cheek will speak about the state of the university and will discuss the state’s new higher education legislation, as well as how it will influence education within the state, the UT system, UT Knoxville and individual departments. He also will answer questions from those in attendance. Those interested in submitting questions in advance may send them to chancellor@utk.edu.

Attendees are invited to bring lunch or purchase one in the University Center. For more info call 974-8772.