UT President Joe DiPietro had set the stage for Wednesday’s discussion about funding at the trustees’ annual meeting in June. The board’s workshop covered the issue more in depth and allowed trustees to ask questions. The purpose of the discussion was not to devise strategy but gain a better understanding of the issue in order to plan a multi-year initiative.
University of Tennessee System President Joe DiPietro told the Board of Trustees today he is committed to reversing the current trend of dwindling state appropriations for higher education.
Data is an important way to measure the University of Tennessee’s fulfillment of its mission, and many of the metrics of the UT System Strategic Plan are trending upward as President Joe DiPietro enters his fourth year. DiPietro focused on data in his presentation Thursday to the UT Board of Trustees and noted having more consistency in institutional research has been a priority during his tenure.
Tennessee’s economic growth remains slow, and it is not likely the state will be able to set aside more funding for higher education than a year ago. The good news is that the state can achieve Gov. Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative, which seeks to increase the number of graduates in the state, and it will have a tremendous impact on the state’s economy for the future.
