Led by the environmental advocacy group Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK), students made a major push for UT to switch to recycled paper in all printers and copying machines. The group issued an informational flyer indicating that 6.5 million pages were printed in computer labs and in offices and estimated that a switch … Continued

In 2002 members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Black Students Alliance were outraged to find that Kappa Sigma Fraternity had held a blackface party at RT’s Warehouse—a fraternity/sorority mixer. Vice Provost for Student Affairs W. Timothy Rogers released a statement apologizing for the “unfortunate display of racial insensitivity by members of a fraternity,” … Continued

Most students learned from the media two days before classes were terminated on June 28, 2002, that the first session of summer school would have to end early. A government shutdown would take place because the state legislature had failed to pass a balanced budget before the beginning of the fiscal year. The principal concern … Continued

Several student organizations joined with the United Campus Workers on Secretaries Day in April 2002 to promote campaigns for a living wage and a seat for a staff-nonexempt employee on the UT Board of Trustees. A rally was held at Hodges Library, followed by a march of chanting, placard-bearing participants from Hodges to Andy Holt … Continued

The Black Student Alliance held a rally prior to the forum given by Dr. John Shumaker, a candidate for president of UT. Their goal was to provide information about grievances of African American students at UT. Aneisha Davis, BSA president, indicated that among their principal reasons for believing that UT was mishandling minority affairs was … Continued

Residents of Melrose Hall were notified in February that space on the second, third, and fourth floors of Melrose Hall was to be renovated for exclusive use of the Honors Program and that 24 residents would be displaced. The notification came only two weeks before students had to reapply for housing. Students met with Honors … Continued

Students were highly critical of the noise, inconvenience, and inconsideration of the university with regard to large numbers of construction projects in residence halls or near residence halls on campus in 2003. Upgrades to fire alarms and installations of sprinkler systems, in addition to construction to add an elevator to Henson Hall, were of greatest … Continued

Members of the Progressive Student Alliance, accompanied by the costumed “Living Wage Chicken” crowded the exits of the administration parking lot on August 3, 2003, in protest of the firing of a Steam Plant employee for “excessive absenteeism” and the slowness of the Human Recourses Department in responding to his requests for information and requests … Continued

In 2003 students in the College of Business sought to have a bill passed by the Student Government Association calling for removal of the requirement that undergraduates in the College of Business purchase laptop computers and an extra battery. The business students cited the cost of the computer and extra battery and the fact that … Continued

In 2003 commuter students complained to the Student Government Association and the administration that the loss of 86 parking meters along three streets made parking even more difficult for them than it had been previously.