In 1996 Dr. Lorayne Woy Lester became the first female dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, a job she expected to have for three years but which stretched into six. She retired in 2002 after 49 years of association with UT—from student to faculty member to administrator. She enrolled at UT in 1953, … Continued

All individuals who have been awarded a varsity letter “T” in an NCAA-sanctioned intercollegiate sport at UT (both men and women) are considered members of the Letterman’s Club. The Varsity Club was formed in 1903, and women are recorded as having been in a Varsity Club in 1906, although the first varsity letters were not … Continued

The Lettermen’s Wall of Fame is located in front of the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. Funded by private contributions from the Lettermen’s “T” Club, the wall contains the names of all men and women athletes, managers and trainers whose performance has been recognized by award of the “T” dating back to 1891. An initial list of … Continued

The College of Law’s Career Center was named for Bettye B. Lewis, first president of the Tennessee Bar Auxiliary on April 18, 2006, in the Chancery Court III Courtroom at the Shelby County Courthouse in Memphis. Bettye Lewis was the wife of Chancellor George T. Lewis Jr., a 1936 College of Law alumnus, and the … Continued

In January 1934 archaeological work began on the Norris and Wheeler Reservoirs to identify and collect Indian remains and artifacts that were buried in ground anticipated to be flooded by TVA Lakes. The work was under the general direction of William S. Webb, and Thomas M. N. Lewis was hired as the supervisor of the … Continued

In fall 1903 Home Economics awarded the first Lewisohn Scholarship to Alice Deaderick. The funds, pledged in 1952 for an initial five years, were provided annually for 50 years by Frederick Lewishon of New York City. The award was a grant of $250 for “the best student needing help to complete a course preparatory to … Continued

The Faculty Senate passed a resolution on October 22, 2007, establishing a Safe Zone program at UT Knoxville for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) members of the campus community. Chancellor Crabtree responded by appointing a task force to work out details and have a Safe Zone in place by fall semester 2008.

The first purchase of books for the UT Library was in 1825, and the 1839 university catalog listed the first librarian. The library occupied space in Old College, then Science Hall, until a library building, the Carnegie Library (now Austin Peay Building) was opened in 1911. The James D. Hoskins Library replaced the Carnegie Library … Continued

The program of delivery of library books and photocopies of books to the office of the faculty member requesting the item began July 1, 1992. Turnaround time of no more than 24 hours and the retrieval of books for return to the library when the researcher had finished using them added to the popularity of … Continued