Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd may follow retiring President DiPietro
This report was compiled from press releases sent by the UT Board of Trustees and the UTM Office of University Relations.
The UT Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday, Sept. 25, in Knoxville to consider appointing an interim president to serve upon UT President Joe DiPietro’s retirement, which was announced Sept. 17.
UTK alumnus and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, a recent Republican candidate for governor, will be considered for the position.
The board meeting will begin at 10:45 a.m. CDT. It will be webcast live and archived for later viewing; a link to the webcast will be available at tennessee.edu.
Though DiPietro’s official retirement date is Feb. 14, 2019, he will step down from active service Nov. 21 to use his remaining vacation time. DiPietro has led the University of Tennessee System as UT’s 25th president since January 2011. He serves as the chief executive officer of UT and its campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin, the Health Science Center in Memphis, the statewide Institute of Agriculture and the Institute of Public Service.
“I am very proud of all we have accomplished together, which would not have been possible without the important efforts of our talented faculty, students, staff and administrators and the steadfast support of the Board of Trustees,” DiPietro said. “The university is well positioned for success — we are coming off a record-breaking year in research funding as well as private fundraising, and we have a committed group of chancellors and system administrators to move the university forward.”
According to a press release, the Board of Trustees will consider appointing Boyd to serve as interim president for up to 24 months or until the effective date of appointment of a new president following an external search. In an email to UT employees, UT Board of Trustees Chair John Compton praised Boyd as “a Tennessean and successful businessman with strong ties to the University of Tennessee and experience in higher education leadership and policymaking.”
“Prior to running for governor this year, Boyd served as chair of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. He also served as Gov. Bill Haslam’s adviser for higher education and was the architect for Drive to 55 and tnAchieves — initiatives aimed at increasing the number of high school graduates in Tennessee who attend college and earn degrees without financial hardship. Through his philanthropy, Boyd also supports the UT Knoxville Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research and the Boyd Venture Challenge seed grant program for student entrepreneurs,” Compton wrote in the email.
If appointed interim president, Boyd has declined to be paid a salary, Compton said.
Requests to address the Board of Trustees regarding the proposed appointment may be submitted using the online form or the pdf at: https://trustees.tennessee.edu/requests-to-address-the-board/. Requests will be accepted until 11 a.m. CDT Monday, Sept. 24.
Compton also heavily praised DiPietro.
“We should all be thankful for Joe’s leadership. He and the former Board of Trustees accomplished a great deal together. All stakeholders in the university system have been well-served by his tireless commitment to continual improvement across all of our campuses. Our new board will convene soon to discuss next steps in selecting a new leader for the University of Tennessee System,” he said.
During DiPietro’s tenure, he oversaw a record four years of low tuition increases, including a zero percent tuition increase this year for UTK and UTC. In 2017, UT research achieved a record-high, system-wide $481 million in sponsored-program expenditures. The UT Foundation experienced a record fundraising year of more than $397 million given during the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
DiPietro also oversaw the construction of the Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus and its growth to two buildings that provide laboratory and work space for private industry, researchers and scientists affiliated with the university and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. UT was also chosen to lead the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, a $259 million public-private partnership.
Under his leadership, more than 240 projects totaling more than 11.5 million square feet were constructed or renovated across the system. Those projects reflect investments of more than $727 million by the state and more than $1.25 billion by the university.
When notified of an impending $377 million shortfall by 2025, DiPietro established the Budget Advisory Group. Through cost cutting, reallocated funds and unexpected increases in state allocations, the projected shortfall has been erased.
“I did not want to kick dealing with this problem down the road,” DiPietro said. “It was important for me to leave the university in good financial shape, and now, thanks to hard work by faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees as well as increases in state appropriations for the last seven consecutive years by the governor and legislature, we are.”
Donations in honor of DiPietro can be made to the newly established Joe and Deb DiPietro Endowment for Leadership Development. The endowment will provide support to assist UT employees in developing their leadership skills and understanding leadership’s role in higher education.
DiPietro plans to retire to Illinois and spend time with his wife, Deb, and their three children and six grandchildren.
For more information contact Jennifer Sicking, assistant director of media relations for the UT System, at jsicking@tennessee.edu.
Randy Boyd, a UTK alum and recent gubernatorial candidate, may be tapped to lead UT. | Photo courtesy of The Tennessean
Dr. Joe DiPietro, 25th UT president, will end active service Nov. 21 and retire Feb 14. | Photo courtesy of University Relations
