What’s ahead for the University of Tennessee? A new strategic plan approved in 2012 provides the UT System a roadmap for the next five years. Each of the five goals of the plan has separate initiatives supporting the goals. Implementation of several initiatives began last fall. In addition to the goals, the strategic plan includes more specific definitions and purposes of the UT System and UT System Administration. Progress included in a public online dashboard with dials for each goal. For more information, visit president.tennessee.edu/strategicplan.
Five Goals
- Enhancing education excellence
- Expanding research capacity
- Fostering outreach and engagement
- Ensuring effectiveness and efficiency
- Advocating for the University of Tennessee System
Creating Companies
Through the UT Research Foundation (UTRF), the university helped established nine startup companies in fiscal 2012. The startup companies were created to commercialize technology developed by UT researchers. Five of the companies are based in Memphis and promote discoveries made at the UT Health Science Center. Two companies are based in Knoxville, one in Chattanooga and one in Vonore. Between 1999 and 2011, UTRF spun out a total of 32 companies based on UT intellectual property. UTRF is a not-for-profit organization that works with researchers across the UT System. For more information, visit utrf.tennessee.edu.
Learn about Solar Energy
The West Tennessee Solar Farm off Interstate 40 in Haywood County will eventually have a visitors’ center with an educational exhibit about solar energy. Until that project is completed, the exhibit, called SPECTRUM, is temporarily on display at Knoxville Center mall and open to the public. Organizers expect the exhibit to remain in Knoxville for about 18 months. The solar farm, one of the largest arrays in the Southeast, is owned and operated by UT. For more information, visit solarfarm.tennessee.edu.
Look Back and Look Forward
Want to know more about the accomplishments of the university in 2012 and what’s in store for the future? Take a look at the 2012 president’s annual report. It contains information about the UT System, including enrollment and financial statistics. To watch the report’s video, go to president.tennessee.edu/annual.
