If freshmen have problems or questions, they can definitely takes there troubles to some of the UTM’s top administrators.

Chancellor, Nick Dungan, Vice Challcellor of Academic Affairs, Tom Rakes and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Katie High share a few of their goals for the 2002-2003 academic year:

Dr. Nick Dunagan, Chancellor

Dunagan has been chancellor of UTM since 2001. But he began his work here in 1973. Dunagan has set the following goals for 2002-2003:

We are doing good work and have a lot to celebrate.

UT Martin faculty, staff and students have done some great things this past year, and we should take time to recognize those achievements. SACS reaffirmation was a success, the reaccredidation of the Communications Dept was completed and many other academic milestones. Likewise, our student groups received national attention, i.e., Phi Chi Theta, SAACS, Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Omicron Pi, and others. Let’s not forget the many positive attributes of this campus and the people who work and study here.

We must enhance our state funding, raise more private dollars, and enter into more partnerships while making sure we allocate our limited resources to their proper places.

This means we must be creative in the way we finance higher education. We must think outside the box and look to ways other than state appropriations and increases in student tuition. An important part of stable funding is stable enrollment and that is the business of everyone on campus. Currently enrolled students are an important component of our marketing efforts. I hope we can involve more students and faculty in our legislative actions. The student voter registration effort this fall is also important.

We must lift UT Martin to the next level of excellence.

This involves many things. The new admission standards; completing our plan for new student housing; web site improvements; a critical review of the curriculum and program offerings; working on the Campus that Cares image; hiring and retaining good faculty and staff; being more proactive in recruiting African-American staff and faculty; and empowering faculty and staff to make the necessary changes to improve their particular office or department. Students can contact Dunagan at ext. 7500 or e-mail at ndunagan@utm.edu.

Dr. Thomas Rakes, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs

This is Rakes first year at UTM and the goals that he plans to achieve:

Provide leadership to achieve the academic mission of the university.

Promote educational excellence and effectiveness of the university.

Coordinate activities of academic units to meet the overall goals of the university.

Ensure diversity throughout academic affairs and academic related areas.

Cooperate with the Faculty Senate to promote shared governance.

Seek creative strategies to enhance the viability of resources including operating budgets as well as levels of faculty and staff compensation.

Articulate a vision for future discussion and strategic planning to facilitate excellence in instructional innovation, research and connectivity

Strengthen university, community, and global partnerships reflective of the diversity, value, goals, and economic development within the region, state and beyond. Students contact Rakes at ext. 7010 or rakes@utm.edu.

Dr. Katie High, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs

High has been Vice Chancellor for one year and has the following goals she wants to achieve this year:

Provide the extracurricular activities and services so that all students have a successful career here at UTM -- in and out of the classroom. We are providing special programs to students who attend UTM at the Selmer Center.

Announce the opening of the LEAD Academy -- a special program to provide leadership training and opportunities for UTM undergraduates (informational meetings will be held August 26th and September 9th and I would love to talk to you more about this in depth.)

Work with students to hire a coordinator for minority affairs to replace Cory Majors who will be leaving UTM to attend graduate school full-time.

Work with students to identify retention strategies for UTM students, especially freshmen.

Work with students to develop a plan for new apartment style and suite style housing at UTM.

Work with students to get them involved in the political process...locally, state-wide and nationally, by participating in voter registration drives and then going to the polls in November and voting.

Students can contact High at ext. 7711 or e-mail her at khigh@utm.edu.

Others freshmen need to know

David Belote, Asst. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs - dbelote@utm.edu, Ext. 7525

Denny Bubrig, Coordinator of Student Activities and Greek Life - dbubrig@utm.edu, Ext. 7527

Eric Tolbert, SGA President - sga@utm.edu, Ext. 7785