In February 2000 the board of trustees approved a major institutional reorganization, which reduced the number of campuses from four to three by combining the Knoxville campus with the Medical Center at Memphis and the Space Institute at Tullahoma. That institution, often referred to as Big Orange University, was to be the flagship campus, with the other campuses being UT at Martin and UT at Chattanooga.
Several administrative positions were abolished in the streamlining. The Knoxville campus chancellorship was abolished, with Chancellor Bill Snyder returning to the College of Engineering. Knoxville Provost John Peters assumed the additional title of senior vice president for academic affairs and served as chief operating officer for Knoxville. Dr. William Rice, chancellor of the Health Science Center at Memphis and vice president for health affairs, retained the vice president title, but the position of chancellor was abolished. Dr. Dwayne McCay, vice president of the Space Institute, became vice president for research and technology. The duties of Sammie Lynn Puett, who had been vice president for public service, continuing education, and university relations, were modified, with a corresponding change in title to vice president for public service. Responsibility for continuing education was delegated to the campuses, and responsibility for university relations was combined into the duties of Jack Williams, whose title was changed from vice president for alumni affairs and development to vice president for advancement. Gilley also retitled various administrative positions as staff vice presidents. These administrative officers did not require election by the board of trustees or bylaw change and could be named or eliminated at the discretion of the president.
President Gilley estimated that with the streamlining administrative costs could be reduced by $40 million in five years. The changes were the initial part of implementation of his Tennessee Plan for Academic Excellence, which was designed to boost UT into the Top 25 public research universities. The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (UT’s accrediting agency) approved the campus merger in September 2000.