Some students take longer to finish the journey than others. But somewhere along the line, taking five or six years to graduate from college became the norm—here and across the nation.

UT is steering students back to the four-year graduation expectation by embarking on a new effort to help students complete their degrees on time.

The new initiative is called Take 15, Graduate in 4, and it establishes a new tuition model that links cost to the number of hours students need to take each semester in order to graduate on time.

Starting in the fall of 2013, all new full-time undergraduates and transfer students will be charged for 15 credit hours per semester. They now pay for only 12 credit hours, regardless of how many they take.

Students who are currently enrolled, or those who enroll before fall 2013, will not be affected and will continue to pay the full-time undergraduate rate based on 12 credit hours.

The plan will save money for students and their families by providing an incentive to finish college in four years. Adding just one year of college costs an extra $24,000. The state-funded HOPE Scholarship and all institutional scholarships expire in four years. Delays in graduation also translate into later entry into the workforce, which lessens lifetime earnings and causes a greater accumulation of interest on educational loans.

But students aren’t the only ones who benefit from on-time completion. Four-year graduation rates are an important benchmark in university rankings and can help move UT forward in its Top 25 journey. On-time graduation rates are also part of the formula the state uses in determining the university’s funding.

This new tuition model will add $6 million to the university’s bottom line. That money will be used to add staff for high-demand courses and labs, hire more advisors and tutors, enhance summer school and online course options, and provide more need-based scholarships.

In the long term, increased college graduation rates help all of Tennessee by creating a better-educated workforce ready to tackle tomorrow’s problems.

For more information about Take 15, Graduate in 4, visit the Financial Aid website.

The Regal Scholars program, in its third year, provides $2,500 annual scholarships for up to forty Knox County students at UT—ten freshmen, ten sophomores, ten juniors, and ten seniors.

From left to right: Regal Scholarship recipients Nicole Galante and Cameron Hensley; Greg Dunn, President and COO of Regal Entertainment Group; Amy Miles, CEO and director of Regal Entertainment Group; and scholarship recipients Kwaku Yeboah, Danny Vo, and Angela Kirkpatrick.

To be eligible for the Regal Scholars program, students must be either admitted to attend or currently enrolled at UT, and they must meet the same income guidelines as those for the need-based Tennessee Pledge Scholarship. Regal Scholars are awarded on an annual basis, and this is the third year that Regal has donated $100,000 to support the scholarship program.

“We are grateful for the partnership with Regal Entertainment Group,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “One of our primary goals is increasing access for all students who want to be Volunteers. Generosity from our great supporters like Regal makes that possible.”

The scholarship program is just one of several gifts that Regal Entertainment Group and its foundation made as part of the Campaign for Tennessee, which concluded in 2011.

“This is one of my favorite things at Regal that we do,” said Amy Miles, UT alumna and CEO of Regal Entertainment Group. “As part of the corporate culture at Regal, it is important for us to give back to the communities in which we live and work. We are extremely proud partners of UT and it’s all because we care so much about this university and its value to our community.”

Regal’s other gifts to the university include:

• College of Business Administration—A gift to establish the endowed Regal Entertainment Group Distinguished Professorship and a gift to support the CBA Technology Fund, which helps maintain state-of-the-art computers, software, and other technology in classrooms in the James A. Haslam II Business Building. A second-floor team room in the building was named the Regal Entertainment Group Team Room to recognize the gift.
• Athletics—The Regal Soccer Stadium, named in honor of Regal Entertainment Group’s legacy of support for UT Athletics, was dedicated in 2008. The $7.5 million facility was paid for by private donations. An additional gift by Regal Entertainment Group will help build a new state-of-the-art football training center adjacent to the Brenda Lawson Athletic Center and Haslam Field. Regal also is a leadership donor to the Football Training Center and Lindsey Nelson Stadium renovations.

Headquartered in Knoxville, Regal Entertainment Group is the largest and most geographically diverse theater circuit in the United States, operating 6,621 screens in 524 locations in 37 states and the District of Columbia.

To learn more about applying for the Regal Scholars program, as well as other UT scholarships, visit the university’s financial aid website. The site lists criteria and important deadlines and for scholarship awards. Students applying to UT for admission for fall 2013 are encouraged to visit their high school guidance counselor for information on the Regal Scholars and other scholarship programs.

Regal Scholars for the 2012–13 academic year are:

Brandon Brackman
Christopher Bright
Cassandra Cardwell
Molly Chaffin
Laurel Christian
Toni Cloninger
Jarrod Drury
Hayden Eidemiller
Jordan Ellison
Keith Ferrell
Nicole Galante
Cameron Hensley
Chasity Hobby
Chelsey Holloway
Grayson Hunley
Carter Jersey
Ember Kao
Angela Kirkpatrick
Mitch Kleiber
Michael Lamacchia
Morgan McPheeters
Nancy Murray
Samantha Myers
Nezar Omari
Tyler Parker
Neha Patel
Savannah Pressley
Milton Proctor
John Ridley
Lauren Ridley
Alexis Riggs
Merry Sheffer
Beverly Simpson
Abby Story
Jessica Swihart
Danny Vo
Danielle Watson
David Wells
Kwaku Yeboah
Priyanka Zaveri

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C O N T A C T :

Ashley Cole (865-974-3011, acole7@utk.edu)

The One Stop center will open in summer 2013 on the ground floor of Hodges Library. The paperless, wireless environment will give enrolled undergraduate and graduate students one location to access the primary services of the registrar, financial aid, and bursar offices.

A new website, onestop.utk.edu, will simplify information and highlight the many transactions that students can complete online.

“The goal of One Stop is to make our students’ experience in managing enrollment, academic records, financial aid, and payments as smooth, efficient, and friendly as possible,” Provost Susan Martin said.

A new One Stop director will soon be on board. The center will eventually employ twelve One Stop counselors who will process transactions, answer questions, provide information, and empower students to use the online systems designed for self service. UT Human Resources has now posted for the first four positions online. An electronic check-in system will help minimize wait time. The center also will answer questions via a phone bank and through an e-mail address.

Watch the video below for more on the One Stop center.

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

Martin said the One Stop initiative is part of UT’s strategic goals for enhancing student support.

“Improving services and support will help students eliminate obstacles, solve problems, and stay on track to graduate. We will create a friendly, service-oriented environment that will work in concert with the latest technology to take care of most things a student will need,” she added.

Construction of the One Stop center will begin this fall. The center will serve all admitted and enrolled students and will work closely with the Student Success Center, college advisors, the housing and dining offices, and the Dean of Students Office. One Stop also will serve parents and families during new-student orientation sessions.

While most front-line service functions of the registrar, financial aid, and bursar will be moving, the staff in those functional areas will support One Stop operations and perform additional functions such as central cashiering, federal loan and Hope scholarship processing, in-depth financial aid counseling, classroom scheduling, Banner management, graduation application processing, and setting the academic calendar, among many other services.

University administrators involved in forming One Stop are modeling the center after successful operations at other universities, like the University of Minnesota.

For more information, visit onestop.utk.edu.

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Contact: Karen Simsen (865-974-5186, karen.simsen@tennessee.edu)

This year, for the first time, students can use HOPE Scholarship, funded by the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) Program, to help them pay for summer school.

“There are many advantages to taking summer courses, including smaller classes, a more relaxed campus, and an even more focused learning environment,” said Susan Martin, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Summer school students often find summer jobs or internships, gaining valuable professional experience and earning some spending money while taking classes. The summer is also a good time to study abroad.”

Students planning to attend summer school must already have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for the current academic year. Also, by April 1, they should complete a UT Summer Aid Request Form, which is available online.

To qualify for the HOPE Scholarship during the summer, students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours and meet GPA requirements. The HOPE Scholarship cannot be used for the UT mini-term.

UT students who qualify for the HOPE scholarship can receive up to $6,000 per year. The award is divided equally between fall, spring and summer semesters. Awards are prorated for students who take fewer than twelve credit hours.

The HOPE program has a 120-hour cap on the number of hours for which students can use the scholarship money, with exceptions for certain majors and programs.

Priority registration for summer school began on February 29. Registration opened for seniors on Tuesday. Today, juniors could begin registering. Sophomores follow on March 13 and freshmen on March 15.

Current UT students can find out more by logging onto the MyUTK portal.

Summer school registration continues until classes begin.

The summer school timetable is available on the Office of the Registrar website.

Here are some important dates to remember:

• May 9, 2012—Mini session begins
• May 30—Mini session ends
• May 31—First and full summer sessions begin
• July 3—First summer session ends
• July 5—Second summer session begins
• August 7—Second and full summer sessions end

For more information about summer school,visit the summer school website.

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C O N T A C T :

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

For Natalie Pierce, a sophomore at UT Knoxville double majoring in studio art and art education, the $2,500 Regal Scholarship made it easier for her to continue her education.

“I am the third out of four children, so I know how expensive college and extra fees can be with two older siblings in college as well,” said Pierce. “Being a Regal Scholar is such an honor and a blessing. This generous scholarship ensured that I had enough money for all my books and my art supplies for my studio classes, which add up quickly.”

The Regal Scholarship program, offered through UT to students for the first time last fall, provides $2,500 annual scholarships for up to forty Knox County students: ten freshmen, ten sophomores, ten juniors and ten seniors.

“We are so grateful for the partnership with Regal Entertainment Group,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “One of our primary goals is increasing access for all students who want to be Volunteers. Generosity from our great supporters like Regal make that possible.”

To be eligible for the Regal Scholarship program, students must be enrolled at or admitted to attend UT Knoxville, and they must meet the same income guidelines as those for the need-based Tennessee Pledge Scholarship (a family adjusted gross income of less than $40,000). Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis.

Amy Miles, UT alumna and CEO of Regal Entertainment Group, said, “The Regal Scholars program proudly supports these student scholars, and this year’s recipients are certainly very deserving. Through the Regal Foundation, we are pleased to make an impact on these young people’s lives.”

The scholarship program is just one of several gifts that Regal Entertainment Group and its foundation have given UT through the Regal Foundation as part of the Campaign for Tennessee.

Headquartered in Knoxville, Regal Entertainment Group is the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world, operating 6,605 screens in 528 locations in thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia.

Regal Entertainment Group’s gifts to UT Knoxville include:

• UT Academics—In addition to funding the Regal Scholarships, UT’s College of Business Administration has benefited from two more investments by Regal Entertainment Group. One will establish the endowed Regal Entertainment Group Distinguished Professorship. The other will support the CBA Technology Fund, which helps maintain state-of-the-art computers, software, and other technology in classrooms in the James A. Haslam II Business Building. In appreciation, a second-floor team room in the building will be named the “Regal Entertainment Group Team Room.”
• UT Athletics—The Regal Soccer Stadium, named in honor of Regal Entertainment Group’s legacy of support for UT Athletics, was dedicated in 2008. The $7.5 million facility was paid for by private donations. An additional gift by Regal Entertainment Group will help build a new state-of-the-art football training center adjacent to the Brenda Lawson Athletic Center and Haslam Field.
• UT Medical Center—The Regal Foundation, the charitable arm of Regal Entertainment Group, with the Will Rogers Institute, recently donated $1 million to UT Medical Center and the UT Graduate School of Medicine to establish the Mike Campbell Pulmonary Medicine Fellowship. The fellowship will foster enhanced research and training for physicians specializing in pulmonary disease and also will help attract the nation’s leading pulmonary residents.

Regal’s gifts are part of the university’s $1 billion fundraising campaign, the Campaign for Tennessee. The most ambitious effort in the university’s history, the campaign places UT among the ranks of the nation’s largest public and private institutions that have sought this level of private support.

The campaign secures private gifts through contributions, pledges, and planned giving to advance the university’s strategic goals, which include improving student access and success, research and economic development, outreach, and globalization. More than 98 percent of all gifts are designated for a specific purpose or program, such as scholarships or endowed professorships, and help provide the vital resources to advance key initiatives.

To learn more about applying for the Regal Scholarship, as well as other UT scholarships, please visit the university’s financial aid website. This site lists important deadlines and criteria for scholarship awards. Also, students applying to UT Knoxville for admission for fall 2012 are encouraged to visit their high school guidance counselor, who has information on the Regal Scholarship and other scholarship programs.

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C O N T A C T :

Tiffany Carpenter (865-974-1476, tcarpenter@tennessee.edu)

The changes, which recently passed into law, shift the processing of federal student loans away from private lenders and to the U.S. Department of Education. UT Knoxville students should see few, if any, changes, although many of them will need to complete additional paperwork:

• Students currently receiving federally backed student loans must complete a new master promissory note (MPN) to cover the new direct loans from the government.
• Current students with existing federally backed loans managed by private lenders will have the option to consolidate their loans into the direct loan program.
• New loan recipients, including incoming freshmen and transfer students, now will complete forms directly from the Department of Education to receive their loans.

The changes go into effect beginning with the summer term.

Students can find information on the new process and links to the online MPN at the UT Knoxville financial aid website.

More than 12,000 UT Knoxville students receive some form of federally backed student loan, totaling more than $110 million each year.

Students or parents with questions about the changes are encouraged to call the UT Knoxville Office of Financial Aid at (865) 974-3131.

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C O N T A C T :

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