Former Governor Don Sundquist; Governor Bill Haslam; Senator Howard Baker and his wife, Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker; and former Governor Phil Bredesen. (Photo by Joy Kimbrough)

Tennessee governors—sitting Governor Bill Haslam and his two predecessors, Phil Bredesen and Don Sundquist—concurred on this point Thursday when they met for a discussion about civility, and the lack of it, in political discourse. Held at UT’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, the event was sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association, the Baker Center, the UT College of Law, and the First Amendment Center.

“There is not a better venue for this program than the Baker Center. This center is named in honor of the man who for the last fifty years has personified that balance,” said moderator Bill Haltom, a lawyer with the Memphis firm Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson & Mitchell PLLC.

Using many stories about Senator Baker as examples, the governors attempted to define civility, agreeing that it has to do with respect, listening, and learning to “disagree without being disagreeable.”

“Civility is respecting the rights of others to have opinions,” Sundquist said. “Compromise is not failure of principles. It’s the only way to go.”

Haslam added, “Conflict is different than the lack of civility.”

And Bredesen suggested that incivility is often the symptom of a larger problem—societal unrest about the economy, dissatisfaction with election officials, or a disagreement over major issue facing the nation.

Governor Bill Haslam and former Governors Phil Bredesen and Don Sundquist. (Photo by Joy Kimbrough)

The three governors said that while incivility seems to have escalated nationally, the political climate of Tennessee remains somewhat calmer.

Bredesen said he thinks that’s because state-level politicians are closer to the electorate and see how the issues affect them. That “makes it harder to get caught up in the power games.”

Haltom asked the governors if incivility is escalated by “one issue” voters—those who use their money and votes to support only politicians who concur with them on polarizing issues, such as gun control or abortion.

The governors said “one-issue voters” and extremists may be loud, but they’re not as influential as some think.

“People aren’t necessarily where those loudest voices are,” Haslam said, citing a recent poll in Tennessee that showed “70 percent of the people in the state thought the state was more conservative than they are.”

Bredesen agreed: “We categorize everything … but go walk around at Wal-Mart and the people you meet don’t fit in any of those categories.

“It’s like all these comments on websites. Do you know any of those people? We shouldn’t mistake those for the public perception.”

Sundquist, who served in the US House of Representatives for twelve years before becoming governor, said today’s politicians, especially those in Washington, DC, don’t seem to share the same camaraderie they once did. While Congressmen used to stay in Washington for longer stretches, today they fly in and fly out—some on a weekly basis, he said.

When he and Howard Baker worked in Washington, DC, he said, Washington politicians “knew each other and we worked together.” They forged relationships that fostered civility.

“You’re less likely to attack a member if you know his family, go out socially,” he said.

To some extent, the governors agreed, changes in the media have exacerbated incivility.

“From the old world of having three major networks to where we are now, where you can have the filter you want,” Haslam said.

Because they’re in a battle to win readers and viewers, media are “in the entertainment business,” Haslam said. As citizens and voters “our job is go listen and expose ourselves to as many points of reference as we can.”

Bredesen said civility—and finding common ground that both sides embrace—is critical to making lasting changes in government.

He pointed to the education reforms he saw enacted while serving as the mayor of Nashville from 1991 to 1999. Six months after he left office, some of those reforms already had been set aside.

The same thing may happen with Obama’s health care changes; because they are so hotly debated, they risk not standing the test of time.

“When you push something through, you seed its undoing by the next guy,” he said.

Thursday’s forum was the third of three held across the state as part of “Civility and Free Expression in a Constitutional Democracy—A National Dialogue,” funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and conducted in partnership with the American Bar Association Division for Public Education.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

The office also won an international Telly award—the top prize—for the video “A Call for Civility.” Produced by the UT’s Video and Photography Department, the powerful-black-and white video has been shown in classrooms and events throughout the past year, since the April 2011 civility launch on campus. The thirty-second annual Telly Awards received more than 11,000 entries from all fifty states and five continents.

Watch “A Call for Civility” below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOObdcUmNU

CASE awarded a first prize for the 2010 Chancellor’s Annual Report in the crowded category of university annual reports and a second place for the overall launch of the campus’s Civility and Community campaign. The year-long commemoration of the fiftieth Anniversary of African Achievement received a third place prize, as did Quest, the university’s research magazine produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Office of Research. Along with recognition for the magazine, a story in the fall 2011 issue about Governor’s Chair Brian Wirth titled “Your Mileage May Vary,” received third place in the news and feature writing category. The office’s summer redesign of the Ready for the World website also won a third place.

All work involved the collaboration of Creative Communications, Media and Internal Relations, and Video and Photography. Learn more about the Office of Communications and Marketing here.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, does too, and provides strong educational value for every tuition dollar, according to The Princeton Review‘s “150 Best Value Colleges for 2012″ list released today.

The list ranked UT among the seventy-five best values in public higher education, and for the first time, noted UT’s commitment to diversity and civility.

The Princeton Review ranks American colleges based on undergraduate academic quality, affordability, and availability of financial aid for its annual “Best Value” list. The seventy-five public and seventy-five private colleges and universities were selected from more than 650 institutions in the US.

“We work very hard to be good stewards of our resources by delivering a high-quality education in as efficient a manner as possible,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “We are proud to be included in the ‘Best Value’ list again this year.”

This year’s “Best Value” rankings described UT as offering students “the great program diversity of a major university,” opportunities for research or original creative work in every degree program, and “a welcoming campus environment” with “a great sense of unity” and acceptance of diversity. The profile also noted that need-based and merit-based scholarships “are plentiful” for those who apply.

Tennessee’s lottery-funded Hope Scholarship covers nearly half of a student’s tuition and fees. Almost all entering Tennessee freshmen at UT qualify for a Hope Scholarship, and continue to receive the funds as long as they maintain required grade point averages.

UT has significantly increased its funding for need-based scholarships during recent years. These funds are provided in addition to Hope funds. The Pledge Scholarship is available to students whose family’s annual gross income is $40,000 or less. The Promise Scholarship is available to students in Tennessee high schools who historically have been under-represented among the UT student body. Each of these scholarships cover essentially all the costs of tuition, fees, and books.

The Princeton Review is an educational services company known for its test-prep courses, university admission services, and its annual college, business, and law school rankings.

The “150 Best Value Colleges for 2012″ rankings are available at www.usatoday.com/news/education/best-value-colleges.

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C O N T A C T :

Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)

“OUTstanding: A Seminar Exploring LGBTIQ Diversity” will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, at the Black Cultural Center on the UT campus. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Attendees can choose from a wide range of presentations, workshops, speakers, and panels and enjoy a free catered lunch.

Shane Windmeyer

Shane Windmeyer, the opening keynote speaker, is a leading author on gay campus issues and a national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights. He is co-founder and executive director of Campus Pride, the only national organization for student leaders and campus organizations working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. In 2006, he wrote The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the 100 best LGBT-friendly campuses. He will present “What’s Your Gay Point Average.”

Keith Boykin

Also speaking is Keith Boykin, editor of The Daily Voice, a CNBC contributor, co-host of BET TV talk show My Two Cents, and former special assistant to President Bill Clinton. He is a veteran of six political campaigns, including two presidential campaigns. Each of Keith’s three books has been nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, and he won the Lambda Literary Award for his second book, Respecting the Soul.

There will be various presentations and workshops during the day touching on a gamut of LGBTIQ issues regarding cyberspace, Christianity, and baby boomers, among others.

There also will be a panel discussion entitled, “Where Do We Go from Here?” with local leaders of the LGBTIQ community, including Ben Beyers of Tennessee Equality Project; Juliet Meggs, a counseling psychology graduate student at UT; Carol O’Donnell from COLAGE; and Lisa Howe, former Belmont University coach. Panelists will discuss the most effective strategies to promote compassion and equality for LGBTIQ and all people given current political, social, and economic developments in the U.S. and Tennessee.

One of the main goals of the seminar will be to encourage ongoing advocacy and engagement of students, faculty and staff in LGBTIQ cultural issues.

On US campuses, the environment for LGBTIQ students, faculty and staff continues to be a struggle. A 2010 report issued by the Q Research Institute for Higher Education consisting of more than 5,000 participants from all fifty states found that a “chilly” and unsafe environment persists for LGBTIQ students, faculty, and staff in higher education institutions.

OUTstanding is sponsored by Ready for the World, the Recreation, Entertainment and Social Board, the Central Program Council, and the OUTreach LGBT, and Ally Resource Center.

The OUTstanding seminar has support and encouragement from the Commission for Blacks, the LGBT Commission, the Dean of Students Office, the Division of Student Life, the Feminist Action Collective, the Master of Science in Social Work Organization, and several faculty and student organizations from multiple departments across campus.

For the full conference schedule, see http://outstandingseminar.wordpress.com/.

For more information, contact conference organizers at Oustandingutk@gmail.com or 812-606-1427.

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C O N T A C T :

Stephanie Dixon (865-974-2125, sdixon7@utk.edu)

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Maggie Gallagher

KNOXVILLE—As legislators and voters around the country grapple with whether and how to recognize same-sex relationships, Maggie Gallagher and John Corvino—two of the nation’s leading and opposing voices on this issue—will bring clarity and civility to this otherwise divisive topic during a debate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“A Civil Gay Marriage Debate” will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 10, in the University Center Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Gallagher, author and opponent of same-sex marriage, is the president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy and former president of the National Organization for Marriage. She’s also a commentator who has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, and dozens of other media outlets.

John Corvino

Corvino, author and proponent of same-sex marriage, is a professor of philosophy at Wayne State University, the editor of Same Sex: Debating the Ethics, Science and Culture of Homosexuality, and the author of numerous articles and opinion pieces that have appeared in regional and national print media.

The debate was planned by the UT Issues Committee and the Central Program Council.

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C O N T A C T :

Phillip Smith, Issues Committee Advisor, (865) 974-5455, prsmith@utk.edu

The day marked the formal launch of a campus-wide effort to ensure that civility is an integral part of the UT Knoxville community and what it means to be a Tennessee Volunteer. The event was part of UT’s annual International Festival.

“Put simply, civility is treating others as you want to be treated,” said Chancellor Cheek. “As we go forward, you will have opportunities to interpret and discuss the principles of civility and to share what they mean to you. The principles will become part of our UT culture.”

The principles are ten key words which have been defined as the best way to demonstrate civility and value for the campus community.

Cheek announced that civility will be a core component of Freshman Orientation. The principles of civility and community also will be central to FYS 100: The Volunteer Connection, a new zero-credit, pass-fail course, which is now a required course for all freshmen.

Civility goals are already part of UT’s Ready for the World effort to prepare students for working in a global economy. Faculty and staff will integrate civility in their ongoing programs which explore diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Students are also being asked to make the emphasis in campus programming, as they make decisions about speakers, workshops, and campus entertainment.

The campus-wide Life of the Mind book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, highlights civility as a central theme. All freshmen are asked to read the book before arriving on campus and then participate in discussion groups about its themes during Welcome Week.

UT’s Torch Night ceremony will build the principles into our values as Volunteers, Cheek said. Training for faculty, staff, and student leaders will be promoted as well.

“And that is just a start; there will be more work to do,” he said. “We are committed to making it a part of all that we do going forward. I encourage you to think of ways to make it part of your work, your life, your group.”

Last spring, after several incidents of bias were reported, Cheek sent a memo to the campus emphasizing that he would not tolerate behavior that was hostile or unwelcoming to any member of the campus community. He assembled a task force on civility and community and asked its members to define civility and come up with a list of guiding principles and recommend ways to promote civility on campus.

The task force was co-chaired by Mike Wirth, dean of the College of Communication and Information, and included faculty, staff, students, and community members. The group looked at several existing campus-wide programs and services and made recommendations on how to bring the civility and community concepts to the forefront. The task force also recommended several new programs and services.

The final report, located at http://utk.edu/go/7a (pdf),also weighed in on policies, staffing, and ways to incorporate civility into coursework.

For more information about the effort, visit http://civility.utk.edu/.

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CONTACT:

Karen Simsen, Media and Internal Relations, 865-974-5186, karen.simsen@tennessee.edu

Students, faculty, and staff from all areas of campus worked together to create a video that looks at what civility means to our campus. What does civility mean to you? Tell us here.

Featured in the video, in order of appearance, are:

• Suzanne Ankrum Harris, a graduate student studying theater
• James Dickson, a senior studying advertising
• Jordan Burner, a junior studying Spanish
• Mara Naylor, a senior studying public relations
• Daniel Aycock, a junior studying business
• Lauren Charles, a junior studying audiology
• John Nolt, a professor in the Department of Philosophy
• Avery Howard, a junior studying agricultural sciences
• Mark Walker, a senior studying nuclear engineering
• Marva Rudolph, director of the Office of Equity and Diversity
• Andy Rogers, a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and
  minoring in theater
• Jessica Sessions, a senior studying psychology
• Maria Martin, a sophomore studying journalism and electronic media
• Gloria Graham, chief of the UT Police Department
• Madelyn Crawford, a senior studying biochemistry and molecular biology
• Donna Thomas, senior associate athletics director and interim director of the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center
• Magan Wiles, a graduate student studying theater
• Katie Clark, a sophomore studying journalism and electronic media
• Lynn Sacco, associate professor in the Department of History
• Beauvais Lyons, professor in the School of Art
• Mike Wirth, dean of the College of Communication and Information
• Maxine Davis, dean of students
• Anton Reese, director of the Student Success Center
• Joan Heminway, a professor in the College of Law
• Mason McGlamery, a junior studying political science
• Tommy Jervis, a senior studying logistics and information management and president of the Student Government Association
• Tyvi Small, a coordinator in the College of Business Administration
• Emma Macmillan, a senior studying journalism and electronic media
• Gabi Caballero, a sophomore studying journalism and electronic media
• Lizzy Holt, a junior studying psychology and Spanish
• Virginia Purdy, a senior studying theater

The university’s Task Force on Civility and Community spent time over this past year researching and discussing that question. They took a look at campuses across the nation and how they have been successful in bringing civility to the forefront among their community members.

Ultimately, the group came up with ten words that are now called the Principles of Civility and Community. The principles capture the core values of a welcoming campus. They are inclusivity, diversity, dialogue, collegiality, respect, knowledge, integrity, learning, awareness, and response. Read more about the principles here.

On Friday the campus will hold a Celebration of Civility and Community at 11:30 a.m. on the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center Plaza. During the celebration, Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek will share more about the principles and how we can live them so that they become the fabric of our campus culture.

Friday’s celebration is part of the International Festival which will begin at 10:00 a.m. on the University Center Plaza. Plan to stay and buy lunch from one of the many groups cooking at the event.

The twenty-sixth annual International Festival, hosted by the International House, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, April 15, on the University Center Plaza. It is free and open to the public.

The civility initiative was launched last semester by the chancellor after several incidents of disrespect and discrimination occurred on campus. Cheek appointed a task force that recommended ways to promote civility on campus.

During the Celebration of Civility and Community, Student Success Center Director Anton Reece will introduce Cheek, who will talk about civility efforts on campus. Jessica Session, who performed a moving poem during the kickoff to the fiftieth anniversary of African American Achievement, will perform another original work.

The schedule for International Festival entertainment is:

• 10:55 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. — Juggling by Doug McCaughan
• 11:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. — Chinese Acrobatics
• 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. — Celebration of Civility and Community
• Noon to 12:15 p.m. — Juggling by Doug McCaughan
• 12:15p.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Mariachi Band
• 12:30 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. — Chinese Acrobatics
• 1:00 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. — Egyptian Belly Dance
• 1:20 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. –Mariachi Band
• 1:35 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. — Indian Classical Dance
• 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. — Caribbean Salsa Dance

CONTACT:

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

Please join me for a Celebration of Civility and Community at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15, on the University Center Plaza.

The celebration will be part of the 26th Annual International Festival, a great tradition that will feature a taste of cultures and entertainment from around the world.

I invite you to learn more by watching the video below. The community members featured convey a powerful message and say it better than I could.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOObdcUmNU

This day will also mark the beginning of a campus-wide effort to ensure that civility is an integral part of our community and what it means to be a Tennessee Volunteer. Learn more about the effort at http://civility.utk.edu.

I look forward to seeing you at the celebration.

Sincerely,
Jimmy G. Cheek

OUTreach serves as a physical symbol of the University’s commitment to diversity.  The LGBT & Ally Resource Center provides information and referral services on topics relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally community and serves as a resource to all students, faculty and staff at UT Knoxville. OUTreach strives to bring about greater visibility and awareness of LGBT issues important to campus and the Knoxville community and fulfils the educational mission by offering programs on issues of diversity, tolerance and civility.

For more information about OUTreach and the center, visit http://lgbt.utk.edu.

The event will be rescheduled at a later date.

The event was being sponsored by Eastman and hosted by the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the Tennessee Business Roundtable; and the Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport Chambers of Commerce.

C O N T A C T :

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

“A Conversation about Civility in Governance” will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the MeadowView Marriott, 1901 Meadowview Parkway, Kingsport. The event is free and open to the public.

Moderated by John Seigenthaler, founding editor of USA Today and founder of the First Amendment Center, the panel will discuss how incivility can disrupt the legislative process and make it more difficult to meet the challenges of our nation.

To view a live webcast of the event, visit http://tinyurl.com/2dveyd8.

The event is sponsored by Eastman and hosted by the Baker Center, the Tennessee Business Roundtable, and the Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport Chambers of Commerce.

To attend, RSVP by Wednesday, Aug. 4, to Marybeth McLain at 423-392-8827 or mkench@kingsportchamber.org.

The Baker Center, which opened at UT in 2003, is a public policy institute integrating research, education, public programming and archives. It develops programs and promotes research to further the public’s knowledge of our system of governance and to highlight the critical importance of public service, a hallmark of Sen. Baker’s career.

For more about the Baker Center, see http://www.bakercenter.utk.edu.

C O N T A C T :

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

To: UT Knoxville Students, Faculty and Staff
From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek
Subject: Campus Civility

We have had an increase in the number of reported incidents of actions and language that reflect bias on our campus. These actions include derogatory and racist language found in our dormitories. We also had an incident where someone threw a banana at visiting African American students, their parents and guidance counselors. This incident was witnessed by some of our own UT ambassadors.

I am saddened and outraged by this behavior because it does not reflect our campus values or the mission of this great university. We will not tolerate disrespect, racism or bias on our campus.

The UT Police Department is investigating all of the reported events. If you have any information about any such events, you are strongly encouraged to contact the UTPD or any other person of authority on campus so that appropriate action can be taken. We will also keep you informed of the progress of the investigations. In the near future, we will make reports of all such incidents available online on the UTPD Web site, http://web.utk.edu/~utpolice/.

One of my top priorities as chancellor is to increase diversity on our campus, and one of the best ways to do that is to create and maintain a welcoming campus climate for all. I challenge you as faculty, staff, students and administrators to work with me to make sure we are welcoming to all and hostile to none. I am in the process of finalizing the details for a campus project on civility and respect. I will be sharing more information about this and ways you can get involved in the coming weeks.

It is my responsibility to lead our campus in a manner that rejects any action of bias or hatred, but I need your help. As a campus community we must stand strong in our belief that we do not discriminate against anyone regardless of demographic or cultural background. I ask each of you to join me in this important commitment.

The event, free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in the Toyota Auditorium at the Baker Center, 1640 Cumberland Ave.

Mike Fitzgerald, professor in the Department of Political Science, will introduce the program by discussing the shift from the political dialogue characteristic of civil partisanship to the current political atmosphere of incivility and a lack of cooperation.

UT law professor Glenn Reynolds, creator of Instapundit, a highly read political blog, will talk about the role that blogs and social media play in increasing dialogue on policy issues, as well as increasing polarization on issues and political incivility.

Blogs, Social Media and Political Incivility can be watched live via webcast: http://160.36.161.128/UTK/Viewer/?peid=820239f809404e37922b914e252dec5e.

On March 30, to complement this event, the Baker Center and the SGA-Government Affairs Committee will hold a workshop on learning the process of bipartisan dialogue. Free and open to the public, the workshop, “Training Future Leaders in Civility of Governance,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 30 in the Toyota Auditorium.

The Baker Center, which opened at UT in 2003, develops programs and promotes research to further the public’s knowledge of our system of governance, and to highlight the critical importance of public service, a hallmark of Sen. Baker’s career.

For more about the Baker Center, see http://www.bakercenter.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Patrick ButlerPatrick Butler, former senior vice president of the Washington Post, will speak at a luncheon and a workshop, both sponsored by the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Foundry. Cost is $15 per person and space is limited. RSVP to Carrera Harris at (865) 974-0931 or bakercenter@utk.edu by April 17.

The workshop will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Toyota Auditorium at the Baker Center. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information contact Amy Gibson at agibson1@utk.edu or (865) 974-3816.

At the luncheon, Butler — who is a member of the Baker Center Civility Task Force — will discuss “Civility in Public Policy and the Media.” He will highlight some of the Baker Center’s initiatives on this subject, including a booklet on civility standards, a program to train future leaders in the civility of governance and a series of public forums. Butler will show excepts from a new film about civility created by the Baker Center that documents the vision of civility as articulated by Gov. Phil Bredesen; Tom Griscom, editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press; John Seigenthaler, co-founder of USA Today and founder of the First Amendment Center; and other members of the Civility Task Force. The film also includes a panel discussion that includes Sens. Bob Dole and Tom Daschle and features three case studies of civility.

The workshop will begin with a keynote address by Butler, followed by the film. In the second part of the workshop, the audience will engage in a discussion facilitated by Baker Scholars to identify the barriers to civil dialogue in four policy areas — energy, environment, education and health care policy.

Standards of civility from the booklet, “Civility in Government, Principles and Exemplars” will be available to all participants and will provide a framework for the goals of the workshop. The booklet is a product of the Civility Task Force, which is a partnership of the Baker Center, the Tennessee Business Roundtable, the Freedom Forum and the Bipartisan Policy Center. Comprising of leaders from business, nonprofits, academia, the press and government, the task force strives to promote constructive discussion on critical issues by encouraging those with differing points of view to respect each other’s opinions.

Butler retired in December 2008 as senior vice president of the Washington Post Co., where for 18 years he was responsible for public policy, new business development and special corporate projects. As founder and president of Newsweek Productions, he supervised production of 200 hours of nonfiction television programming, including “Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History,” a PBS special that won the Emmy Award for Best Documentary of 2003. Butler continues as a consultant to the Post, and he is also a senior fellow at the Newseum and Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C., and a senior adviser to the National Endowment for Democracy’s Center for International Media Assistance, the Podesta Group and Wydown Management Co. He is chairman of the Maryland Public Television Foundation, the corporate advisory board of SOME (So Others Might Eat) and the Dean’s Advisory Council of the American University School of Communication.

Butler has acted as special assistant to the Senate Minority Leader; consultant and press secretary to the Senate Majority Leader; consultant to the White House chief of staff; and speechwriter for President Gerald Ford. He chaired the impeachment task force for U.S. Rep. Lawrence J. Hogan, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, during its impeachment proceeding against President Richard Nixon in 1974.

Butler is a graduate of UT Knoxville; earned a master’s degree from American University; holds a certificate in finance and accounting from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; and is a Joan Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Contact:

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