In less than three years since the Tennessee General Assembly passed the University of Tennessee Focusing on Campus and University Success (UT FOCUS) Act, the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees was selected to receive the 2021 John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, the premier organization representing higher education governing boards.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges,” UT Board Chair John Compton (Knoxville ’83) says. “Our trustees have worked collaboratively and diligently to learn more about the UT System, to understand our roles and responsibilities as board members of a public, land-grant institution and to ask the difficult questions needed to ensure that the university fulfills its mission and helps the state of Tennessee prosper.”
Trustees Approve Paid Parental Leave
During the winter Board of Trustees meeting, trustees approved allowing six weeks of paid parental leave within the first 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child. Employees will not be required to use any accrued sick or vacation leave. It can also be used concurrently with leave provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act or the Tennessee Parental Leave Act.
ORNL and UT Name Bienvenue Director of Oak Ridge Institute
Joan Bienvenue has been selected as the first executive director of the University of Tennessee Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, established in 2020 to align the expertise and infrastructure of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the university in support of world-leading research and talent development. As director, Bienvenue also will serve as a vice provost at UT. She began her new position March 2021.
Whitworth Appointed Vice President for Government Relations and Advocacy
Trustees appointed Carey Whitworth (Knoxville ’11, ’12) to serve as vice president for government relations and advocacy. Prior to this appointment, Whitworth served as associate vice president for government relations and advocacy. Whitworth has been with the UT System since 2012.
“There is no one more dedicated and passionate about UT and our service to the state than Carey,” says UT System President Randy Boyd. “She has nearly a decade of experience serving UT. She is exceptionally smart, a strategic thinker and tireless. I look forward to serving with her.”
