Yancy Freeman to be Recommended as Next Chancellor of UT Martin

KNOXVILLE –Yancy Freeman, vice chancellor for enrollment management and student affairs at UT Chattanooga, will be recommended by University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd to the UT Board of Trustees as the next chancellor of UT Martin.

The UT Board of Trustees will consider the recommendation at a special meeting July 14 at 8:45 a.m. EDT (held virtually – access information will be forthcoming). Pending board approval, Freeman’s first day at UT Martin will be Aug. 9.

Freeman will succeed former Chancellor Keith Carver, who moved to senior vice chancellor/senior vice president of the UT Institute of Agriculture earlier in the year.

“One of the most important responsibilities I have as president is hiring outstanding people to lead our campuses and institutes,” UT System President Randy Boyd said. “Yancy is the right person at the right time to lead UT Martin. He will bring energy, excitement and expertise to the campus, and will be a generational and transformative leader.”

Freeman has served at UT Chattanooga for the past 25 years in various admissions, recruitment and enrollment roles. A first-generation college graduate, Freeman completed an undergraduate degree in political science, a master’s degree in public administration, and a doctorate in learning and leadership from UT Chattanooga. He currently serves on the board of the Public Education Foundation and has previously served as a member of 100 Black Men of Chattanooga, and on the Boards at Chattanooga Christian School and Youth YMCA Leadership Council. Freeman was named a 2018 Top 30 Influential Leader in Chattanooga by City Scope Magazine, and he holds active memberships within several honor societies including Golden Key, Alpha Society and Phi Eta Sigma. Freeman is also a 2020 graduate of the UT System’s Executive Leadership Institute.

The UT Martin chancellor is the chief executive officer of the campus and serves on the UT System leadership team, reporting directly to the UT System president. The chancellor’s primary responsibilities are to promote academic excellence, and to provide leadership and administration of the Martin campus. The chancellor is also expected to provide visionary leadership in strategic initiatives to enhance the standing of the University, budget planning and accountability, shared governance, enhancement of diversity and resources, engagement of the University with the wider community and other elements of administrative policy.

The search committee, chaired by UT System Senior Vice president and Chief Financial Officer David Miller, launched the chancellor search in February and was conducted by a committee of faculty, staff, students and alumni community members. The committee invited three candidates to campus earlier this month. For details about the search process, please visit the search website.