The volunteers are easily identifiable by their Volunteer spirit and their ASK ME! lapel buttons. Tents are being manned at nine locations from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days.

ASK ME! volunteers may be found at the following locations:

Staff members Ashley Blamey and Jim Harrison are ready to welcome students on the first day of classes.

-Circle Park at the Torchbearer

-On the Hill near Ayres Hall

-Phillip Fulmer Way near the University Center

-On the corner of Volunteer Boulevard and Cumberland Avenue

-The Pedestrian Mall at Hodges Library

-The Pedestrian Mall at the end of Andy Holt Avenue

-Presidential Courtyard

-Joe Johnson Drive on the agriculture campus

-The backside of the Student Services Building at the entrance to Financial Aid.

For more information on the Division of Student Affairs, visit http://studentaffairs.utk.edu/. Visit Undergraduate Admissions at http://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate/.

Matisyahu album cover

KNOXVILLE – Matisyahu alongside opener Nathen Maxwell and the Original Bunny Gang will perform a free concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, in the Humanities Amphitheater on UT campus.

Admission is free for this Welcome Week event, which is open to UT students, faculty and staff.

Born Matthew Miller, Matisyahu is a distinctive hip-hop/reggae artist who has earned accolades the world over. A Hasidic Jew, Matisyahu took his name from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of “Matthew.” He fuses the traditional songs of hazzan, Jewish traditional prayer, with modern rock, reggae and beat-boxing influences to great critical and popular success.

One of his three studio albums went gold in 2006, skyrocketing Matisyahu to fame. In the words of The New York Times, “once you hear Matisyahu’s music, you may wonder why someone didn’t think of this sooner.”

The opening act, Nathen Maxwell, may be better known as the bassist for the internationally acclaimed Celtic rock band Flogging Molly. After spending the past 13 years growing musically with the band, Maxwell decided to take advantage of a less rigorous touring year in order to see his own music come to fruition. Borrowing from Flogging Molly’s own unique sound, Maxwell combined his affinity for reggae, folk and rock into the sound that would define his solo sound.

This event is sponsored by UT’s Cultural Attractions Committee and UT Hillel.

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C O N T A C T :

Bridget Hardy, UT Media Relations (865-974-2225, bhardy4@utk.edu)

Sarah Kim, Cultural Attractions Committee Press Secretary (865-228-8826, skim64@utk.edu)

Painted in neon orange spray paint on one of the campus’ most recognizable landmarks, the message was hard to miss. Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt and men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl painted The Rock on Sunday to welcome the freshman class.

Joining the chancellor and coaches were several members of the campus administration and UT Spirit Squad. Despite the heat, the group worked to paint the message for students to see as they made their way to Welcome Week events on Sunday.

“The Rock is one of UT’s most beloved traditions, so what better way to publicly welcome our new students?” said Cheek. “It’s a great opportunity to introduce them to a campus tradition and show the students how happy we are to have them here. This is an excellent class – our most academically accomplished ever – and we’re excited to see what they’ll achieve as UT students.”

Welcome Week, a long-standing tradition at UT that gives students a glimpse of campus life, kicks off Saturday, Aug. 14, as both new and returning students move into residence halls. Female students will begin check-in at 8 a.m.; male students will start check-in at 1 p.m.

Parents can say their goodbyes at the Big Orange Good Bye at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15, in Presidential Courtyard as Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl welcomes the Class of 2014 to campus. The official welcome begins at 6 p.m. Sunday with the traditional Torch Night Ceremony at Thompson-Boling Arena. Students will then head to the Freshman Picnic in Circle Park. Following the picnic, students will have the opportunity to participate in Night in Neyland where they will get a sneak peek into Neyland Stadium, hear from coaching staff and learn about some of the great athletic traditions that take place on Rocky Top.

This year’s freshman class boasts an academically accomplished and diverse group of 4,200 students, representing more than 48 states.

“We want our incoming freshmen and new students to be a part of the tradition of UT as soon as they get here,” said Susan Martin, provost and senior vice chancellor. “Welcome Week is a great way to showcase campus resources that will help students get off to a great start academically. We also want to help our students feel that they are part of the university and begin to make memories of their own.”

Two key Welcome Week activities designed to help get new students acclimated to campus are:

• Passport to Success, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, in Humanities Plaza. The Passport to Success tour guides new students through key campus locations with the help of knowledgeable college veterans.
• Life of the Mind book discussions will take place throughout Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 16-17, across campus. Small groups of students and faculty leaders will come together to discuss this year’s assigned book, “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” by Tracy Kidder. Students can find the date and location of their discussion by visiting http://online.utk.edu and selecting “Light the Torch” under “My Courses.”

Sorority and fraternity recruitment orientation sessions also will occur during Welcome Week. Sorority Recruitment Orientation will take place Saturday, Aug. 14, in the Alumni Memorial Building Cox Auditorium from 7-9 p.m.

Fraternity Recruitment information will be available throughout Welcome Week. The first opportunity to visit one of the information booths will be from 3-5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, in Presidential Courtyard.

Other Welcome Week activities include:

• Sunday, Aug. 15: Video Dance Party, 10 p.m. in Presidential Courtyard
• Monday, Aug. 16: Caribbean Splash Jam, 8 p.m. at TRECS
• Tuesday, Aug. 17: Rec Fest, 5 p.m. on the TRECS Plaza
• Wednesday, Aug. 18: CarniVOL, 7-9 p.m. on the UC Back Plaza
• Thursday, Aug. 19: KnoxVegas Casino Night, 8 p.m. at the University Center
• Friday, Aug. 20: Student InVOLvement Fair, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the Pedestrian Walkway
• Saturday, Aug. 21: Matisyahu LIVE in Concert, 8 p.m. at the Humanities Amphitheater

For a complete schedule of and more information about Welcome Week events and activities, please visit the Welcome Week website at http://welcomeweek.utk.edu/events.php.

For more information on this year’s freshman class, visit http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2010/08/11/class-2014-profile.

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CONTACT:

Abbey Taylor (865-974-9409, ataylo30@utk.edu)

Rebekah Winkler (865-974-8304, rwinkler@utk.edu)

There’s a lot to keep in mind at the start of the school year: where you’ll live, finding your classes, buying books. But one of the most exciting parts of arriving on campus – whether it’s your first time, or you’re a seasoned veteran – is taking part in the many UT Knoxville traditions that make you a Volunteer.

Torch Night is the official welcome to the Class of 2014, but it also marks the return to campus for all students. The ceremony takes place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, at Thompson-Boling Arena. Underclassmen will take a pledge of loyalty to the university, freshmen will be formally declared part of the student body, and candles will be lit to symbolize the “Torch of Preparation.”

Following Torch Night, the Class of 2014 will attend the Freshman Picnic in Circle Park, and then head to the Night in Neyland, an opportunity to hear from the coaching staff, learn some of UT’s athletic traditions and take the official class picture.

For more Welcome Week information and a full schedule of events, including Life of the Mind discussion groups, visit http://welcomeweek.utk.edu/.

University staff will be on hand Saturday to assist students and families.

Students moving in to the residence halls can utilize temporary parking areas around each hall, in the University Center Parking Garage and in staff lots. Click here for a map showing parking options during Move-In and campus road closures.

UT Knoxville Move-in Weekend Map (Click for full-size version)

Use caution while driving on campus and in surrounding areas. In addition to increased foot and motor traffic as families move their students in to residence halls, ongoing construction and maintenance projects have affected some popular traffic routes.

-Phillip Fulmer Way in front of Neyland Stadium and UT’s bus transfer facility will open prior to the first home football game on Sept. 4. The sidewalks along this area are closed to pedestrian traffic.

-KAT buses and campus shuttles running “The T” routes will continue their detour routes until Phillip Fulmer Way reopens, at which point bus routes will return to normal. Read more about this project here.

-Motorists on Neyland Drive between Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Leinard Lane will see reduced speeds and narrowed lanes as work continues on underground utilities.

-There may be temporary lane closures around campus during move-in weekend, though nothing is scheduled at this time.

Pedestrian Safety on Campus

The University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD) has suggested safer, quicker routes for pedestrians on campus.

Andy Holt Avenue at Phillip Fulmer Way is one of the busiest intersections on campus. UTPD is encouraging members of the campus community to use the pedestrian bridges at the University Center (UC) as an alternative to using the crosswalks to ease its congestion. Two bridges connect the UC to The Hill while two other paths take pedestrians alongside the Haslam Business Building toward the intersection of Andy Holt Avenue and Volunteer Boulevard. These walkways are accessed at the second level of the UC, off the plaza.

For more pedestrian safety information, visit http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2010/08/10/utpd-pedestrian-safety/.

This year’s freshman class’ average GPA was 3.81, compared to 3.79 last year, and more than 41 percent of this year’s incoming freshmen had high school grade point averages of 4.0 or better — continuing the steady rise in this statistic over past years.

“We’re pleased that in addition to its stellar academic profile, our freshman class is diverse and represents an economic cross-section of our state,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “Quality, access and diversity have been and will continue to be our goals.

“As we did the research to begin our quest to become a Top 25 university, we learned that UT Knoxville has for several years attracted students who are as good — if not better — than those students who attend the best universities in the country,” Cheek said. “The Class of 2014 has carried on that admirable tradition.”

The incoming freshmen have an average ACT score of 26.5 — roughly the same as it has been for the past two years.

Though nearly 500 students larger than last year, this year’s freshman class is expected to be 17 percent minority and about 8.3 percent African-American. Ninety percent of the freshmen are Tennessee residents.

About 99 percent of the in-state, incoming freshmen qualified for the state’s lottery-funded HOPE, which provides $4,000 per year toward tuition and fees.

This year also brings growth to UT’s need-based aid programs — the Tennessee Pledge Scholarship, the Tennessee Promise Scholarship and Achieve the Dream grants.

“Over the past five years, we’ve created these other financial assistance programs to help ensure that money won’t be a stumbling block for academically qualified students who want to attend UT Knoxville,” said Richard Bayer, assistant provost and director of enrollment services.

This year, about 69 percent of the institutional scholarships awarded by UT are merit-based and 31 percent are need-based. In 2005-2006, about 99 percent of UT’s institutional scholarships were merit-based.

About 14 percent of this year’s freshmen will receive the Tennessee Pledge Scholarship which, when combined with other federal, state and institutional aid, will cover mandatory costs — tuition, fees, room and board, and a book allowance. This year, the scholarship is available to students whose families have adjusted gross incomes of up to $40,000, which is about 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The average income of Pledge families is $19,400, compared to about $127,000 for all in-state students.

This year, 175 freshmen have received the Tennessee Promise Scholarship. The only program of its kind in the state, the Promise Scholarship is available to students from a group of eligible high schools across the state. Promise scholarships are valued at up to $6,850 per year plus a $1,200 book allowance. The average family income of Promise recipients is $45,727.

Also, this year, 353 freshmen have received Achieve the Dream grants. The program — for high-achieving students from middle-income Tennessee families — provides four-year grants up to $3,000 per year, when combined with the UT Volunteer or University scholarships. The average family income of recipients is $79,255.

Admission numbers aren’t final until the 14th day of class.

C O N T A C T :

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

You won’t have to move furniture, lift boxes or otherwise work up a sweat as students arrive. Instead, University Housing is looking for volunteers to simply be in the lobbies or behind the front desks welcoming students and their parents, and to identify yourself and your position in the university. Meeting the chancellor, provost, dean, department head, faculty or staff member on move-in day will make a terrific and long-lasting first impression of our campus.

As in years past, Resident Assistants will check-in students on their floors; therefore, campus leaders are asked to work shifts during move-in weekend. Your duties will be confined to giving directions to the elevators, checking out carts, scanning students’ ID at the front desks and answering general questions.

If you are interested in volunteering, University Housing would like faculty and staff members to volunteer during one of the following blocks on Friday, Aug. 13; Saturday, Aug. 14; or Sunday, Aug. 15. Rank your two preferred time blocks and University Housing will attempt to schedule you during those times.

Volunteer shifts are as follows:

Friday, Aug. 13 (Laurel, Hess and Morrill halls.)

• 8 a.m. – noon, Laurel Hall.

• Noon – 4 p.m., Laurel and Morrill halls.

• 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., Morrill and Hess halls.

Saturday, Aug. 14 (Freshmen Residence Halls)

• 7 – 11 a.m.

• 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 15 (Apartment Residence Hall and Volunteer Hall)

• 8 a.m. – noon

• Noon – 4 p.m.

To participate, contact Rita Hensley at rhensley@utk.edu.

Two bridges connect the UC to The Hill while two other paths take pedestrians alongside the Haslam Business Building toward the intersection of Andy Holt Avenue and Volunteer Boulevard. These walkways are accessed at the second level of the UC, off the plaza.

“Using these pedestrian bridges is safer than attempting to traverse the crowded streets,” Lt. Emily Simerly said. “Phillip Fulmer Way is a popular entrance to campus and the only way to access the public parking garage at the UC. Combine the large number of vehicles traveling in the area with several hundred pedestrians on foot, and you could have an extremely congested intersection. The pedestrian bridges are the best way to avoid this area,” she said, adding that using the bridges may even get pedestrians to their destinations quicker.

Additionally, UTPD provides the following safety tips for pedestrians traveling on campus:

• Walk defensively and be prepared for the unexpected. Don’t let cars surprise you even if a motorist does something wrong like running a stop sign or red light or making a sudden turn.
• Cross streets at intersections or designated crosswalks.
• Never cross between parked cars.
• Obey traffic signals, especially “Walk/Don’t Walk.”
• Remain alert! Don’t assume that cars are going to stop. Make eye contact with the driver to make sure they see you.
• Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk available, walk as far off the roadway as possible.
• Look left, right and left again before crossing. Watch for turning cars.
• Don’t talk on a cell phone or wear earphones when crossing the street.
• Stay sober. Walking while impaired greatly increases your chances of being struck. Take a cab, bus or use a designated driver to get home safely.

Check out these additional personal safety tips.

For a map of the intersection at Andy Holt Avenue and Phillip Fulmer Way, visit http://www.utk.edu/maps/.