KNOXVILLE — Dr. Maxine Thompson, University of Tennessee interim dean of students, has been named permanent dean, effective June 1.
Thompson’s appointment was announced by Timothy Rogers, vice provost for student affairs. She has been on the UT staff since 1981 and in the student affairs division for the past 15 years. Thompson will be the first African American to serve as dean of students at UT, Rogers said.
“Maxine brings many strengths to the position, including breadth
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Dr. Maxine Thompson |
of experience in working with every conceivable student constituency,” Rogers said. “Her emergence from a very strong candidate pool says volumes about her many talents.”
The dean of students has administrative and fiscal responsibilities for 10 departments that have a combined budget of more than $4 million. The dean also is an advisor to the Student Government Association.
“I am very pleased to have been selected to be the dean of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and I am looking forward to the challenge of committing myself to further serving students in this new capacity,” Thompson said.
Thompson said she would look at new ways to better serve students through the use of technology, address campus climate issues relating to students, develop new programs in collaboration with faculty and academic affairs, and enhance services to adult students and distance learners.
“The Dean of Students Department has an excellent staff,” Thompson said. “We will work together to achieve the mission, goals and objectives of this great university.”
Thompson came to UT from Knoxville College where she worked in admissions and financial aid. She earned the bachelor of arts from KC in 1975 and served an internship in the President’s Office.
Her first job at UT was in the Department of Conferences. She moved to student affairs in 1987 as director of minority student affairs. She also served as director of the Adult Student Services Center and was named associate dean of students in 1997. She had served as the interim dean of students since last August.
Thompson earned the master’s and doctoral degrees in education from UT.