KNOXVILLE — A new era of leadership at the University of Tennessee began today.
This is the first day on the job for new UT President Joe DiPietro. He started the work day by having coffee with employees in Knoxville, and then he went straight to presiding over his first president’s staff meeting.
“I’m rolling up my sleeves and getting to work,” DiPietro said in an e-mail sent today to System-wide faculty and staff. “After my election, I made quick visits to each campus, and I am in the process of scheduling more visits that will let me spend more time getting to know each place and its distinctiveness.”
The Board of Trustees elected DiPietro president in October. He officially became president on Jan. 1. During the transition, Interim President Jan Simek and DiPietro traveled to each campus.
“I’m grateful to Dr. Jan Simek for his outstanding service as interim president. He has been a steadying influence and strong advocate for the University over the last 22 months,” DiPietro said. “He has guided us through these difficult economic times, and I believe his efforts have us on a sound foundation as we begin 2011.”
When the legislative session begins, DiPietro’s main task will be advocating for the University in Nashville. Some of the University’s legislative goals this year are finding a way to provide pay increases for employees, who have not had raises in three years, and seeing legislation passed that will allow the University to establish an interdependent UT Foundation that will encompass all development functions.