KNOXVILLE — Performance goals for University of Tennessee President John Shumaker and a scorecard to grade his and the university’s progress were approved recently by UT’s Board of Trustees.
The plan sets eight-year goals that include changes in the vision and structure of the UT system; increased research productivity; strengthened relationship with students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and others; benchmarks for private fundraising; greater commitment to diversity; and implementation of a comprehensive marketing plan.
The UT scorecard will track annual or two-year changes in about 50 categories related to student quality, faculty and staff achievements, research accomplishments, service to the state, private support, and strategic quality goals.
Increases in research expenditures, doctorates awarded, faculty in national academies, entrance test scores for freshmen, and merit scholars will be used to measure UT’s national status, Shumaker said.
“I guarantee you that you-re going to have our best efforts in defining very ambitious long term goals and you-ll be able to track the progress that we make towards those goals on a daily basis because this scorecard will be on our website for all to see.”
The board also approved: a capital outlay request for building projects totaling $205 million; amendments to university bylaws to change the title of the chief operating officer for the Knoxville campus from “vice president and provost” to “chancellor;” a new university salary policy and compensation plan; and endorsement of an agreement with Beijing Bohua Foreign Language School to establish a UT-Sino United States high school in Beijing.
In other action, the board discussed accelerating research at UT with the establishment of a Research Foundation, and UT’s brand marketing contract with Educational Marketing Group of Aurora, Colo., to generate a clear message and positive image of the university’s core values.