Welcome!
I hope you found time to rest during spring break. As you return for the final half of the semester, I wanted to update you on two important initiatives.
First, I am pleased to share that the three new academic units —the College of Music, Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, and the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies — have received approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Each new unit will begin operations July 1.
Dr. Jeff Pappas will be the dean of the College of Music. Dr. Marianne Wanamaker will be dean of the Baker School, and Dr. Ozlem Kilic will serve as both interim vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies.
The units will meet critical needs in our state and provide new opportunities for faculty and students. They have a bright future.
Second, I want to thank the many faculty members who are engaged in campus conversations on AI tools (ChatGPT) as part of the initiative organized by the Division of Academic Affairs. It is clear AI will impact our work. I appreciate the efforts of the campus steering committee and task force committees to develop policy recommendations, provide guidance that empowers faculty, and help us all navigate this new technology. They have made much progress in just a few weeks.
The task force committees plan to develop sample statements faculty can use in their course syllabi based on their needs and provide discussion points for consideration by the undergraduate and graduate academic policy committees. I encourage all faculty to stay up to date on this important work.
Welcome back and Go Vols!
John Zomchick
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor
