UT Martin is currently in the process of searching for a new Public Safety director and chief of the university’s police department.
Dr. Andy Lewter, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, is also the chair of the search committee for the Public Safety position. Lewter says the committee is diligently searching for the next person to fill the position.
“We’ve received 30 applicants so far,” Lewter says, “and we have a really great pool of applicants.”
Lewter says the search committee is currently interviewing applicants through Zoom calls. Once the search is narrowed to a few applicants, they will be invited to campus for an in-person interview. During this interview, the applicants will spend a day on campus meeting with the search committee and touring the grounds.
Lewter says the hope is to have a new Public Safety director by the end of the semester.
“The goal is for them to start in the summer for when students come back for the fall semester,” he says.
Meanwhile, Lt. Jerry Garcia has served as the interim chief of police and director of Public Safety since Feb. 1. Former Chief Monte Belew left UT Martin, his alma mater, to join Republican U.S. Rep. David Kustoff’s community engagement team.
Photo Credit / Sarah Johnson
