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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - With the institution's final degree certification process now complete, the University of Tennessee announced that 51 student-athletes have fulfilled graduation requirements. One of those student-athletes, Vicki Baugh from women's basketball, graduated with a master's degree in kinesiology.
The university also announced academic performance highlights for Spring 2012, and the average grade-point average (GPA) for all UT student-athletes was 2.94, including 29 student-athletes who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. A total of 76 percent of Tennessee student-athletes earned a 2.5 GPA or higher, while 56 percent earned a 3.0 or higher and 26 percent were at or above the 3.5 GPA threshold.
The golf programs recorded the highest GPAs among UT sports, as women's golf led all teams with a 3.58 GPA and men's golf finished at 3.56. Women's tennis ranked third at 3.45, followed by volleyball at 3.42.
"At the core of our mission is the pursuit of comprehensive excellence, and this includes performance in the classroom as a top priority," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart. "Our expectation is that our student-athletes will earn a degree, and we commend the 51 who achieved that goal this spring."
A total of 13 of the 16 teams improved their GPA in one of the last two semesters, while four programs (men's basketball, men's golf, rowing, and women's tennis) improved their GPA in each of the last two semesters. Of the 16 teams, 11 posted a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the Spring 2012 semester and also hold a cumulative GPA of above 3.0.
The following is a list of Spring 2012 student-athlete graduates:
Men's Basketball
Tyler Summitt, Communication Studies
Women's Basketball
Briana Bass, Sport Management
Vicki Baugh, Kinesiology (Master's)
Shekinna Stricklen, Sociology
Kamiko Williams, Sociology
Football
Chris Cates, Finance
Grant Jessen, Logistics
Herman Lathers, Sport Management
Jacob Storey, Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism
Robert Yonce, Logistics
Men's Golf
Justin Walker, Management
Rowing
Ashley Case, Journalism and Electronic Media
Kristin Coggin, Psychology
Hilary Epes, Interdisciplinary Programs
Soccer
Emily Dowd, Sociology
Chelsea Hatcher, Political Science
Hannah Hut, Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism
Chelsea Kephart, Management
Lara Langworthy, Communication Studies
Ashley Owens, Sociology
Emily Shore, Political Science
Softball
Holly Baker, Exercise Science
Kelly Grieve, Animal Science
Cat Hosfield, Communication Studies
Men's Swimming and Diving
Michael Christy, Biological Sciences
Carl Jones, Communication Studies
Women's Swimming and Diving
Aleksa Akerfelds, Advertising
Abbie Alton, French
Lindsey Brackens, Communication Studies
Samara Gelb, Psychology
Jodie McGroarty, Communication Studies
Martina Moravcikova, Interdisciplinary Programs
Gaby Trudeau, Finance
Atlantis Wilkins, Biological Sciences
Women's Tennis
Natalie Pluskota, Sport Management
Men's Track and Field
Kevin Carney, Logistics
Thomas Gilmartin, Biomedical Engineering
Scott March, Political Science
Robert Rasnick, Mechanical Engineering
Women's Track and Field
Annie Alexander, Journalism and Electronic Media
Bianca Blair, Sociology
Andrea Ferri, Interdisciplinary Programs
Aslynn Halvorson, Kinesiology
Ashley Harris, Communication Studies
Charity Honeycutt, Retail and Consumer Sciences
Laquoya Kelly, Psychology
Chelsea Knotts, Biological Sciences
Chanelle Price, Journalism and Electronic Media
Elizabeth Tiller, Public Administration
Ellen Wortham, Psychology
Volleyball
Kelsey Mahoney, Nutrition
The following is GPA information for the various University of Tennessee teams:
| Team GPA Information | ||
| Team | Spring '12 | Cumulative GPA |
| Baseball | 2.67 | 2.77 |
| Basketball, Men | 2.55 | 2.59 |
| Basketball, Women | 3.12 | 3.10 |
| Football | 2.71 | 2.60 |
| Golf, Men | 3.56 | 3.32 |
| Golf, Women | 3.58 | 3.42 |
| Rowing | 3.33 | 3.29 |
| Soccer | 3.25 | 3.16 |
| Softball | 3.24 | 3.33 |
| Swimming & Diving, Men | 2.90 | 2.90 |
| Swimming & Diving, Women | 3.16 | 3.22 |
| Tennis, Men | 3.24 | 3.33 |
| Tennis, Women | 3.45 | 3.42 |
| Track & Field, Men | 2.79 | 2.82 |
| Track & Field, Women | 3.15 | 3.28 |
| Volleyball | 3.42 | 3.42 |
| GPA Summary | |||
| Team | Spring 2011 | Fall 2011 | Spring 2012 |
| Baseball | 2.62 | 2.74 | 2.67 |
| Basketball, Men | 2.25 | 2.37 | 2.55 |
| Basketball, Women | 3.10 | 3.17 | 3.12 |
| Football | 2.45 | 2.08 | 2.71 |
| Golf, Men | 3.41 | 3.45 | 3.56 |
| Golf, Women | 3.58 | 3.37 | 3.58 |
| Rowing | 3.24 | 3.26 | 3.33 |
| Soccer | 3.20 | 3.05 | 3.25 |
| Softball | 3.20 | 3.34 | 3.24 |
| Swimming & Diving, Men | 2.94 | 2.92 | 2.90 |
| Swimming & Diving, Women | 3.09 | 3.17 | 3.16 |
| Tennis, Men | 3.18 | 3.28 | 3.24 |
| Tennis, Women | 3.30 | 3.43 | 3.45 |
| Track & Field, Men | 2.75 | 2.80 | 2.79 |
| Track & Field, Women | 3.21 | 3.30 | 3.15 |
| Volleyball | 3.59 | 3.35 | 3.42 |
KNOXVILLE—We receive check-ups for our teeth, eyes, and even our cars—but not for something that is the foundation of most our lives: our romantic relationships.
A study by Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeks to determine if periodic check-ups can keep relationships strong and healthy for a lifetime by increasing intimacy, improving communication, and promoting greater acceptance of each partner, among other outcomes.
Called the “Relationship Rx,” the three-year project launching this month seeks to make it easier for couples to take good care of their relationship health. Gordon is collaborating with Clark University’s James Cordova, who developed the Marriage Checkup, a scientific program for sustaining and strengthening marital health.
Here is how it works: Patients learn about the importance of relationship health at their doctor’s visit from his or her health care provider or pamphlet. Then, if the patient and his or her partner are interested in assessing their relationship health, one assessment session and one feedback session are held in the couple’s home or doctor’s office with a trained relationship health professional. Couples also will be offered the chance to participate in ongoing relationship skills workshops and workshops designed to help individuals with job searches.
About 500 couples are being recruited for this study.
“This project will use motivational interviewing principles to help couples use their strengths to address the areas of concern in their relationships and make their relationships stronger,” said Gordon. “The goal is to help couples use their own resources to improve their marriages, reduce the stigma of seeking help for their relationships, and connect partners with community resources to help them deal with identified problems.”
The researchers predict in the short term, couples will improve their financial outlook, intimacy, and communication. In the long term, they predict couples will improve overall relationship health and satisfaction, and experience a lowered risk of divorce, fewer reports of domestic violence, increased financial stability, better parenting outcomes, and better attitudes towards seeking relationship help.
“By working with couples before they are unhappy, we hope the program identifies potentially damaging relationship issues and helps couples make small changes in their relationships before problems spiral out of control,” said Gordon.
The Relationship Rx is not therapy but an informational health service that provides confidential, personalized feedback designed to help couples keep their relationship on track.
The service will be offered for free to existing patients at Cherokee Health Systems and to other interested couples who qualify as part of a clinical study funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). ACF is within the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. This program is also available to other interested couples in the community who qualify.
If you are interested in participating or learning more about this study, please call or visit RelationshipRx.utk.edu.
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C O N T A C T :
Whitney Heins (, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
KNOXVILLE—Seven budding businesses got a financial boost this spring thanks to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s fifth annual Business Plan Competition.
They were chosen out of a group of twenty-four business plans that competed for $25,000 in donated prize money and services in a contest sponsored by the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the College of Business Administration.
The students competed for first, second, and third place in two different categories—growth/technology-enabled businesses and lifestyle businesses.
First-place winners won $5,000, second-place winners received $3,000, and third-place winners won $2,000. The two first-place winners also received complimentary start-up accounting services from Brenda Boyd, a 1990 college alumna, as well as a one-year membership in Estrada Strategies business coaching network, donated by Kevin Kragenbrink, one of its founders.
“The Business Plan Competition was designed to develop and encourage an entrepreneurial culture on campus and to support aspiring young entrepreneurs in their quest to create value,” said Tom Graves, the Anderson Center’s operations director.
Zach Linn, a recent retail and consumer sciences graduate, won first place in the growth/technology-enabled category with Squish Bottles LLC. The product is a food-grade silicon rubber, collapsible water bottle. It incorporates thermal qualities, a replaceable filter, and the ability to collapse when pressed and to comfortably fit in a person’s pocket. Linn’s winnings will allow him to produce prototype bottles for beta-testing.
Second place went to the largest team to ever compete, Greek Connect. The five-person team—architecture major Collin Cope, management major Richmond Watkins, communications major Ryan McPherson, management major Grant Blevins, and marketing major Maggie Rubenstein—created software to enhance communications and interaction among the Greek communities on college campuses.
Third place went to management major Jake Rheude and accounting major Cedric Brown, the creators of SummerSett Foods. The company offers a line of frozen, pre-packaged buffalo chicken dips.
In the lifestyle category, Jennifer Smith, a recent Russian/global studies graduate and founder of Grassroots Uganda in North America, took first place. The organization uses the Web to connect Ugandan women who make jewelry and crafts to US customers. Customers buying the products can see the impact of their purchases on the lives of the Ugandan women. Smith’s prize money is allowing her to develop the website and import additional craft and jewelry items for the retail market.
Second place went to recent management graduate James Thayer, creator of the 54 Film Fest, a competition that provides local filmmakers a network and outlet for their creative talent.
The third-place prize was split between recent logistics graduate Rashad Sanders, who created Klass Kolab, and accounting graduate Corben Miller and finance graduate Brennen McMurry, who created Sneak-A-Peak. Klass Kolab focuses on improving the learning management systems used by universities. Sneak-a-Peak is creating an app to connect buyers and sellers of limited edition sneakers.
The judging panel included Gus Zacharias, CEO of Tennessee Marble; Bill Jenkins, a retired corporate executive/consultant; Jim Vaviledes, the general banking head of Capital Mark Bank and Trust; Jim Brogan, CEO of Brogan Financial; Bob Campbell, a local entrepreneur; Kevin Kragenbrink, founding partner of Estrada Strategies; and Aron Beierschmidt, founder and CEO of Foundation Mobile.
“With five of the seven winners already in business, we’re seeing an increasing number of undergraduate student competitors who have launched their first venture before graduating,” said Zacharias, a four-time judge.
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C O N T A C T S:
Cindy Raines (, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Lola Alapo (, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
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Derek Dooley will guide the Vols in Johnson City from Aug. 9-15. |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee football team will spend a week of fall training camp away from campus, as the Vols will train at Milligan College in Johnson City, Tenn., from Aug. 9-15.
"The week in Johnson City will provide a unique opportunity to build team unity and limit distractions," said head football coach Derek Dooley. "The opportunity to train away from campus also allows for a more efficient move into our new Football Training Center and will reduce the wear and tear on our practice fields."
The timing of the week in Johnson City coincides with the projected dates for moving all operations and offices of the football program into the new Football Training Center from the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex. With the football team and most supporting units out of town, the facilities staff will be able to complete the move in a more efficient and organized manner and without the burden associated with having the team currently on-site.
With a considerable reduction in the time spent on the Haslam Field practice fields for seven days, there also is a greater probability that the fields will not have to be resodded in October.
"The decision to train off-campus this year is not only driven by the factor of our move into our new Football Training Center but also by the opportunity to maximize the ability of our coaching staff to become further acclimated to one another and the team in a very controlled environment," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart. "I support Derek's decision and feel strongly that we need to make this investment in our football program as we prepare to open our season in Atlanta. This is a one-time situation, and there are no plans to train off-site at any time in the future."
Tennessee opens its 2012 season in Atlanta against North Carolina State on Friday, Aug. 31. Kickoff at the Georgia Dome is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Phillip Fulmer is the newest member of the Tennessee Volunteers family to reach the College Football Hall of Fame. He was named to the 2012 class during a Tuesday ceremony in New York City by the National Football Foundation and becomes the 22nd former UT player or coach to earn enshrinement. Fulmer is the first Vol gaining entry into the College Football Hall of Fame since offensive guard Chip Kell in 2006.
Fulmer led the Vols to the very first BCS National Championship after the 1998 season, finishing 13-0 with a 23-16 victory over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl. The 1997 and 1998 Vols remain the last teams to repeat as SEC champions, and Fulmer coached Tennessee to seven SEC Eastern Division titles in 16 seasons.
"I am honored to be joining such an elite group of coaches selected to The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame," said Fulmer. "There are so many people to thank , but it must start with my wife Vicky and my children. It was never a job for us, but very much a lifestyle. They certainly sacrificed a lot for me to live my passion."
"I am grateful to my wonderful staff who worked so hard and stayed so loyal to UT for many years. They did their jobs well, and were great mentors and examples for our young men.
"I am proud of the many outstanding young men that played for us. They trusted us to come to Tennessee, worked really hard for us, and were rewarded with the best era in modern Tennessee football. There are hundreds of special relationships that will be there forever.
"I appreciate so much Joe Johnson and Doug Dickey, who gave me the opportunity and guided and supported me so well thru the years.
"There are countless loyal Tennessee fans, wonderful friends and administrators, who helped us when we needed help to build and maintain our program. I am certainly proud of our record, but I am just as proud of how we accomplished or goals."
Fulmer's won-lost record of 152-52 figures to a .744 winning percentage, and he left UT as the winningest coach in major college football with at least 10 years' experience. Joining Nebraska's Tom Osborne as the only two coaches to lead a team to a bowl game in each of their first 13 years of coaching, Fulmer led the Vols to a 98-41 record during his final 11 seasons, including four conference title games and one SEC championship, the 1998 BCS Championship, and eight January bowls.
Tennessee's four-year stretch from 1995-98 under Fulmer was one of the best in college football history - a 45-5 record from 1995-98 that culminated in the BCS title game win. For his efforts in that 1998 season, Fulmer was a near-unanimous pick as national coach of the year.
Fulmer led the Vols to 10 or more wins nine times and finished his career 44-37 against ranked teams. Tennessee won six consecutive overtime games from 2002-07, and the Vols became masters of the come-from-behind method of victory, rallying from 18 down against Arkansas in 1998, 21 at Kentucky in 2001, 24 at Notre Dame in 1991 (when Fulmer was offensive coordinator), 17 at Georgia in 2006 and 15 to Vanderbilt in the fourth quarter of 2007 with a trip to the SEC Championship Game on the line.
Fulmer went 11-5 against his biggest rival, Alabama, and led the Vols to the SEC title game five times. Tennessee won two of those nail-biters and lost three heartbreakers, but over the final decade of Fulmer's coaching career, UT never went more than three years without taking a team to Atlanta.
Induction for this year's hall of fame takes place Dec. 4 at the 55th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner in New York's historic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Tennessee Vols already in the College Football Hall of Fame (and their induction years) are Gene McEver (1954), Beattie Feathers (1955), Gen. Robert R. Neyland (1956), Herman Hickman (1959), Bobby Dodd (player, 1959), Bob Suffridge (1961), Nathan Dougherty (1967), George Cafego (1969), Bowden Wyatt (player, 1972; coach 1997), Hank Lauricella (1981), Doug Atkins (1985), Johnny Majors (1987), Bob Johnson (1989), Ed Molinski (1990), Steve DeLong (1993), John Michels (1996), Steve Kiner (1999), Reggie White (2002), Doug Dickey (2003), Frank Emanuel (2004) and Chip Kell (2006).
Here is the official class from the National Football Foundation:
From the national ballot of 76 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees, Archie Manning, chairman of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, announced today the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision Class, which includes the names of 14 First Team All-America players and three legendary coaches.
PLAYERS * Selection from the FBS Veterans Committee "We are extremely proud to announce the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Manning, a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Ole Miss. "Each year the selection process becomes increasingly more difficult, but Gene Corrigan and the Honors Court do an amazing job of selecting a diverse group of the most amazing players and coaches in our sport's rich history. This class is certainly no exception, and we look forward to honoring them and celebrating their achievements throughout the year ahead." TWITTER REACTION Honored to say I played for a Hall of Famer. Congrats Coach Fulmer. #VFL Hall Of Famer= Phillip Fulmer! HE WAS AND STILL IS A BEAST, point blank period! Well deserved Coach, thanks for giving me an opportunity! Congrats to Coach Fulmer, for making it to the college hall of fame. Much love fam Not many people truly understand the hard work & sacrifices coaches have to make in order to be successful! Great day for the Fulmer family! Congrats to Coach Fulmer for making the HOF..Now I can always say I played for a HOF coach.
CHARLES ALEXANDER - TB, LSU (1975-78)
OTIS ARMSTRONG - HB, Purdue (1970-72)
STEVE BARTKOWSKI - QB, California (1972-74)
HAL BEDSOLE - SE, Southern California (1961-63)
DAVE CASPER - TE, Notre Dame (1971-73)
TY DETMER - QB, BYU (1988-91)
TOMMY KRAMER - QB, Rice (1973-76)
ART MONK - WR, Syracuse (1976-79)
GREG MYERS - DB, Colorado State (1992-95)
JONATHAN OGDEN - OT, UCLA (1992-95)
GABE RIVERA - DT, Texas Tech (1979-82)
MARK SIMONEAU - LB, Kansas State (1996-99)
SCOTT THOMAS - S, Air Force (1982-85)
JOHN WOOTEN* - OG, Colorado (1956-58)
COACHES
The 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Class will be inducted at the 55th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 4, 2012, at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. They will be honored guests at the National Hall of Fame Salute at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2013 and officially enshrined in the summer of 2013.
Today's announcement was made from The NASDAQ OMX MarketSite in Times Square, which has hosted the event for the past four consecutive years. XOS Digital produced the NFF web streams for the second consecutive year, and the Orange Bowl and the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP participated as the supporting sponsors of the announcement.
KNOXVILLE—What do you do with those old cell phones you can’t use anymore? Or the laptop that has outlived its usefulness? Bring them to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on Saturday, May 19, to be recycled.
UT Recycling will accept household electronics such as computers, cell phones, televisions, and game systems between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Staff Lot 66 parking lot at the corner of Joe Johnson Drive and E. J. Chapman Drive.
Businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and other organizations may bring their electronics to be recycled on Friday, May 18. These items will be collected between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the student lot at the corner of Joe Johnson Drive and River Drive. While the event is free, these groups are encouraged to register online in advance.
For a full list of items that may be recycled and for additional information, visit the UT Recycling website.
UT is partnering with Apple for the two-day e-waste recycling event in order to provide a free, environmentally friendly way of discarding electronics. The National Safety Council projects that nearly 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years, amounting to an estimated 3.2 million tons of e-waste.
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C O N T A C T :
Rebekah Winkler (865-974-8304, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Jay Price (865-974-3480, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
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Pat Summitt |
After 38 seasons as head basketball coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers, Pat Summitt successfully kept the team among the nation's elite while changing the way women's collegiate hoops is perceived and inspiring women across the country. The 2012 ESPYS will recognize the strength and courage Summitt displayed during her tenure at UT and in the face of illness by honoring her with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
Moving into her role as head coach emeritus after retiring with 1,098 wins, Summitt is the all-time winningest coach, man or woman, in NCAA basketball history. Known for her fierce dedication and competitive spirit, Summitt challenged and guided the Lady Vols her entire career, leading them to eight NCAA titles, 13 NCAA Final Fours and 32 Southeastern Conference tournament and regular season championships. In April 2000, she was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century.
This past summer, Summitt showed more courage than ever before as she bravely announced on Aug. 23, 2011 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, "Alzheimer's Type," at the age of 59. She will now face her toughest opponent as she plans to deal with her diagnosis by raising awareness and research dollars while battling the public stigma this illness can sometimes cause.
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award will be awarded to Summitt at The 2012 ESPYS in Los Angeles. Presented annually to individuals whose contributions transcend sports, the Ashe Award is the emotional pinnacle of the industry-wide sports celebration, which will be hosted by actor/comedian Rob Riggle and televised live Wednesday, July 11, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.
"I am humbled to receive an honor bearing Arthur Ashe's name and to join an amazing group of recipients who have received the Ashe Award at the ESPYs. Besides being an incredible tennis player, I genuinely admired Arthur's honesty, integrity and conviction in all areas of his life on and off the court. I will proudly accept this award," said Summitt.
"Pat Summitt's accomplishments as a coach and mentor are unmatched as she has dedicated her life to serving as an inspiration and a motivator for generations of young students and athletes," said ESPN's EVP of Programming and Acquisitions, Norby Williamson. "As she enters this next phase of her life focusing on transforming her personal adversity into making an impact on the fight against Alzheimer's, we could not be more proud to honor her as the recipient of the 2012 Arthur Ashe Courage Award."
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is presented each year to individuals whose contributions transcend sports. Past honorees include: Jim Valvano (1993); Steve Palermo (1994); Howard Cosell (1995); Loretta Claiborne (1996); Muhammad Ali (1997); Dean Smith (1998); Billie Jean King (1999); Dave Sanders (2000); Olympian Cathy Freeman (2001); Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, four passengers who lost their lives September 11 on United Flight 93 (2002); Pat and Kevin Tillman (2003); Liberian-born soccer legend George Weah (2004); disabled athletes Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and Jim MacLaren (2005); Afghan female athletes (2006); and Trevor Ringland and Dave Cullen for their work with PeacePlayers (2007); U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos (2008); former president Nelson Mandela (2009); the Thomas family of Parkersburg, IA (2010); and boxer Dewey Bozella (2011).
The ESPYS The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2012 ESPYS marks the shows 20th telecast and will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as "Best MLB Player" and "Best WNBA Player," and best-in-sport winners, such as "Best Team" or "Best Female Athlete" that pit nominees from different sports against each other. The ESPYS honor ESPN's commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYS in 1993.
Fans will determine the winners in all ESPY categories (except the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards) by voting online or on ESPN Mobile Web at ESPN.com/espys.
Sports fans can follow The 2012 ESPYS on Twitter @ESPYS and use the #ESPYS hashtag for live tweets during the show.signed the piece of his 2012 legislative agenda that redefines school accountability in the state and waives Tennessee from portions of the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Surrounded by educators from across the state and students, Haslam also announced more than $37 million in federal grants for three school districts to assist in their efforts to turn around low-performing schools.
The waiver was approved in January by the U.S. Department of Education and required changes to Tennessee law, which were approved by the General Assembly earlier this spring. The federal School Improvement Grants fund Innovation Zones: small clusters of schools, as described in the waiver, where innovative educational systems can be developed, implemented, assessed, and shared.
“This administration is committed to continuing Tennessee’s momentum in education reform, and days like today are the reason so many eyes are on us as a leader in the effort to improve education for every student in every classroom,” Haslam said. “This legislation was a priority for me this session, and I appreciate the broad bipartisan support it received – a testament to a lot of hard work by many people.”
The legislation, HB 2346/SB 2208, replaces the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards and designations for LEAs and schools and establishes a state accountability system requiring, in aggregate, significant growth in student achievement in core subjects and the reduction of the achievement gap between student subgroups. For additional details, click here.
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and Sen. Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) and House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) and Rep. Harry Brooks (R-Knoxville) sponsored the bill.
For the School Improvement Grants, Memphis City Schools will receive a three-year award for $14,744,394, which will serve seven schools. Metro Nashville Schools will receive a three-year award for $12,384,213 to serve seven schools, and the state-run Achievement School District will receive a three-year grant for $10,395,111 to serve six schools. Hamilton County will also receive a one-year $600,000 planning grant for the creation of a district Innovation Zone to begin its turnaround efforts. For a complete list of schools, click here.
“Through our waiver, we committed a great deal of resources to turning around the bottom 5 percent of schools in this state, and it’s exciting to see some of those pieces coming together,” Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman said. “The Innovation Zones give districts greater autonomy, responsibility and resources to turn around some of their low-performing schools.”
The money given to each district can be used to fund a variety of practices, including extended learning time for students and a greater use of technology in the classroom.
Complementing the Innovation Zone funds, the Charter School Growth Fund also announced a $6.75 million investment in two Tennessee-founded charter school organizations to help serve students in the highest-need neighborhoods in Memphis and Nashville. Made up of federal money and private donations, the fund is giving $3.25 million to Nashville’s LEAD Public Schools, which will expand their K-12 program to five campuses and ultimately serving more than 4,700 students. They also are investing $3.5 million in Gestalt, which is located in Memphis. That investment will take Gestalt from two schools to 10 by 2016, ultimately serving 5,300 students.
During University of Tennessee commencement ceremonies this week, some students will be wearing special graduation cords in honor of their service in the US Armed Forces.
There are more than fifty veterans, reservists, and National Guard members graduating from UT Knoxville this spring and summer in various colleges as undergraduates, graduates, and law students.
The cords are red, white, and blue and serve as a token of appreciation from UT’s Office of Veterans Affairs.
KNOXVILLE—The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the Knoxville/Knox County Homeless Coalition will release a study Wednesday, May 9, about the ongoing challenges of homelessness in the area and highlight successes, including housing placement.
The 2:00 p.m. event will be at the Bill Lyons Pavilion on Market Square, downtown Knoxville.
Members of the Knoxville/Knox County Homeless Coalition and the Knoxville Homeless Management Information System (KnoxHMIS), housed in the College of Social Work, will present the findings.
This is the first time the presentation will combine the results of two studies: a biennial study from an in-depth survey of 236 people experiencing homelessness and an annual examination of population demographics and services provided to 7,320 individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Roger Nooe, College of Social Work professor emeritus and social services director for the Community Law Office, authored the first study. Nooe has been conducting biennial studies of Knoxville and Knox County homeless individuals and families since 1986. David A. Patterson, a professor of social work and director of the KnoxHMIS, data analyst Stacia West, and graduate students prepared the second study. The KnoxHMIS annual reports have been issued since 2007.
“This research offers two distinct perspectives on the homeless population,” Patterson said. “You get a broad overview of the demographics and services delivered to individuals and families and a deeper look into the experience of being homeless.
“What both studies do is expand our understanding of the complexities of homelessness, which in turn allows us to better match services delivery and public policy towards the goal of ending homelessness.”
KnoxHMIS began operations in 2004, enabling agencies to collect and share demographic information to reduce duplicate services and conserve resources. Now, the homeless management information system—which has captured the data on more than 27,500 unique people—provides up-to-the-minute information, like how many people were housed in transitional housing the previous night.
Patterson noted that 3,400 people have been placed in housing since July 2008. The information management system helps measure the effectiveness of agencies’ efforts to house and serve homeless individuals and families.
The system is beneficial in many ways, Patterson said.
“At the client level, it allows them to seek services without having to tell their stories again,” he said. “It informs practices and service delivery; it serves the city and county in terms of knowing the dimensions of the problems and how many people are being housed; it serves the federal government by reporting the situation and outcomes.”
The Coca-Cola Big Orange Caravan is coming your way.
Coaches from the Vols football program and men's and women's basketball programs along with Athletic Director Dave Hart are scheduled to be on hand to answer your questions.
Check out the tour stops below, and save the date!
2012 Caravan Dates May 7 - Maryville Area - Hosted by UT Alumni Association May 8 - Memphis, TN - Hosted by Memphis-Shelby County UT Alumni Chapter May 9 - Murfreesboro, TN - Hosted by UT Alumni Association May 15 - Tri-Cities Area - Hosted by Washington County UT Alumni Chapter May 16 - Jacksonville, FL - Hosted by Jacksonville, FL UT Alumni Chapter May 22 - Atlanta, GA - Hosted by Atlanta, GA UT Alumni Chapter May 23 - Chattanooga, TN - Hosted by Hamilton County UT Alumni Chapter
