The Presbyterian Student Center was formed in 1950. The center became well known for its coffeehouse gatherings. It was located in a university-owned house at 1105 Circle Park. In 1961 a fund-raising campaign was undertaken for purchase of a Presbyterian student center. The property at 1831 Melrose, a house built during the 1920s by Walter … Continued

Dr. Present joined the faculty of the university’s Physics Department in 1946 and was designated Alumni Distinguished Service Professor in 1969. He retired from the faculty in 1983. He was an authority on molecular structures and nuclear fission, the author of a popular textbook, Kinetic Theory of Gases (1958), and published more than 50 articles … Continued

In 1944 the board of trustees created the position of president emeritus, with an annual pension of $6,000. When President James D. Hoskins retired in 1946, he became the first former president to hold the title. While a retirement plan had been created in 1941, it had not been in place long enough to be … Continued

Formed as part of the celebration of the 175th chartering of UT as Blount College, in 1968 the President’s Club accorded membership to UT donors who contributed $10,000 or more to the university or who pledged to give that amount within a 10-year period. Donors were also allowed to provide $15,000 or more through a … Continued

President Joe DiPietro formed the President’s Council in 2013, as “a constituency of alumni and friends who understand and support higher education broadly in Tennessee.” It is the university system president’s “core volunteer leadership group charged with advancing the System’s mission to serve the people of Tennessee and beyond through the discovery, communication, and application … Continued

The first president’s residence of the institution was the stately home of Charles McClung, which included most of a 74-acre tract of land north of the Hill. This residence and its extensive grounds were bought in 1826 as an inducement to Dr. Charles Coffin to leave Greeneville College, where he was serving as president, to … Continued

On September 24, 1985, President Ronald Reagan participated in a presidential briefing entitled “Teaming Up for Economic Growth” held in the ballroom of the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center. Essentially, the briefing focused on the principle that basic research is essential to the applied research that culminates in economic development; on the involvement of … Continued

Partially completed in 1966 and designed by Painter, Weeks, and McCarty, the $11 million Presidential Complex consisted of four residence halls named for former UT presidents, a central courtyard, and the Presidential Court Building housing principally dining facilities, the bakery, lounges, and other amenities. With the opening of these dining facilities, UT first offered students … Continued

The food court was installed at the Presidential Courtyard dining facility over the summer of 1996. The facility, open until midnight, featured submarine sandwiches, burgers, a salad bar, Pizza Hut, Freshëns Yogurt, and Chick-fil-A. There was also a gourmet coffee bar, featuring 12 varieties of coffee.

Established in 2000, Presidential Scholarships recognize National Merit Finalists, National Merit Semifinalists, and National Achievement Finalists. The scholarships are for four years, guaranteed, and are available to entering freshmen who designate UT as their first-choice college with the National Merit Corporation by the National Merit deadline. Students must be admitted to UT by February 1. … Continued