In 1999, with a hiring freeze in effect, students discussing a possible walkout from classes to protest cuts in UT’s state appropriation and pressure being brought upon the legislature to raise the appropriation for UT. President J. Wade Gilley instituted a plan by which the top one-fourth of UT employees should be given raises in order to reward their excellence and encourage them to stay at UT. Receiving raises were 908 UT Knoxville employees. The Student Government Association, the Daily Beacon, and student groups across the campus vocally disagreed with the raises, approved by the board of trustees at its October meeting. The Beacon singled out raises given by Chancellor William T. Snyder of $9,500 to Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Philip Scheurer and $14,530 to Provost John Peters as being inconsistent with the university’s stance that it needed more funds. Raises of less than 10 percent were received by 721 employees, and 32 employees whose salaries exceeded $100,000 (23 of whom were faculty) received raises. State Senator Tim Burchett and State Representative Bill Dunn were also outspoken about the inadvisability of giving raises in a time of fiscal constraint. Chancellor Snyder explained that the 15 percent raise in tuition had funded the raises, among other things.