August 9, 2007
 
To: UT Vice Presidents, Chancellors, Vice Chancellors, Deans, Department
Heads and Directors
From: President John Petersen
Subject: Mission of the University
 
On August 6, I met with the chancellor and provost of each campus, along
with our statewide institute leaders and outlined for them my vision for the
direction of the University based on a mission of service to the people of
Tennessee.
 
For the past three years leadership within the system and campuses has
worked together to determine our strengths and opportunities. From that
work, this mission statement was developed and shared:
 
³The mission of The University of Tennessee is to provide the people
of Tennessee with access to quality higher education, economic
development and enhanced quality-of-life opportunities.²
 
The direction outlined is intended to fulfill that mission, guided by our
six strategic focus areas: student access and success, research and economic
development, and outreach and globalization.
 
It provides that the UT System:
§        Has direction, oversight and accountability for all components of
the University.
§        Delegates certain authority to campuses and institutes.
§        Holds campuses and institutes accountable for effective resource
deployment.
§        Oversees and coordinates Oak Ridge National Laboratory relationship
and    Cherokee Farms.
§        Oversees the UT athletics program.
§        Assists in identifying and implementing strategic partnerships.
§        Delivers administrative support enabling campuses and institutes to
focus on quality educational programs, expanding research, increasing
community involvement and campus leadership responsibilities.
 
As mission-appropriate, campuses and institutes have the following shared
responsibilities:
§        Student access and enrollment growth plans.
§        Articulation and transfer agreements, and distance learning.
§        Community involvement and outreach, and rural development.
§        Strategic partnership development, and strategic resource
deployment.
§        Leadership and accountability, particularly for:
o       Management training
o       Performance evaluations
o       Recognitions
 
While I have stressed campus autonomy throughout my tenure as president, it
should be clearly understood that autonomy does not mean independence. The
University operates as a strong union of campuses and institutes, and the
autonomy of each rests in the latitude leadership has to deploy resources in
enabling success of our mission.
 
I also presented the following diagram, illustrating the Universityıs
campuses and statewide institutes, and the organizations managed by the
System. Specifically, it denotes that the System manages and has direct
responsibility for: The Oak Ridge National Lab relationship, Biofuels LLC,
Cherokee Farms, Research Foundation, UT Athletics, UT Online, the National
Alumni Association and Development council, and state and federal government
relations.
 
 
I directed leadership to return to a meeting on August 27 with input on how
their campus or institute relates to, partners with, or draws upon the
resources managed by the University. It is up to each leadership team to
determine their interaction and implementation of dotted line relationships.
I also directed them to engage their staff in developing that input.
 
My intent is to define and clarify roles and responsibilities so that
leadership understands what is required, how performance is measured, the
parameters in which we operate, accountability, and consequences.
 
This direction recognizes that the state is our campus and that a
consolidated, collaborative effort is the most productive and effective way
to fulfill our statewide obligations to deliver quality programs and
services.
 
Campuses and institutes are expected to identify and implement programs that
fulfill that mission via our strategic plan.