Torch Night, scheduled for September 11, 2007, with the speaker to be new Associate to the Chancellor Rita Geier, was cancelled on September 10 because of “predicted inclement weather.” The Student Government Association, concerned that this tradition might follow the fate of cancellation of combined commencements, protested and had the ceremony reinstated for November 13, … Continued

The Athletics Department announced in February 2007 that the impending renovation of Thompson-Boling Arena would include replacing the orange seats, installed as part of the original furnishings, with black ones. Students and the community were vocal in their opposition to the change away from orange. The Athletics Department justified the change based on (1) the … Continued

The 2007 announcement of the temporary elimination of a combined spring commencement ceremony due to scheduled renovations on Thompson-Boling Arena was received with mixed reactions. Some students preferred the more intimate college ceremonies, while others would have preferred to be part of a larger ceremony with their friends from other colleges.

The Student Government Association was in an uproar at its October 23, 2007, meeting when Vice Provost Todd Diacon erroneously reported that the Faculty Senate had approved a new grading scale incorporating minus grades that the Undergraduate Council had passed at the request of the Provost’s Office. In fact, the senate had not approved the … Continued

Following Hope Lohmueller’s suffering of a heatstroke on August 22, 2007, the lack of air-conditioning in Sophronia Strong Hall became a major issue. The prolonged heat wave, with day and night temperatures over 90 degrees for several days, had led university housing officials to allow residents to sleep in the air-conditioned lounges of Strong and … Continued

Many complaints from students of residence halls surrounding Presidential Courtyard about BMX bikes and skateboarders during late night and early morning hours led to the March 29, 2007, passage by the Freshman Council of a bill requesting that the Student Affairs Division enforce quiet hours in the courtyard from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. The … Continued

The Student Government Association and other students were displeased with the cut in the student ticket allocation from 6,000 for all men’s basketball games to 3,749 for selected SEC games and 1,530 for nonconference games. The cuts came as the renovation of Thompson-Boling Arena decreased the number of seats from 24,525 to between 20,000 and … Continued

Prior to 2006, students had used Webmail for email purposes. OIT determined that it would be better for them to use UT’s Tmail system, which had more features, could handle more simultaneous users, and was almost as easy to use as Webmail. Student migration was announced, and some students were allowed to migrate in 2006, … Continued

In November 2008 the Student Government Association passed a bill seeking to change UT policy to allow students 21 years old or older to possess and consume alcohol on campus. Meredith Myers and Laura Nishida, authors of the bill, pointed to the availability of alcohol in skyboxes and at certain university events and noted that … Continued

On June 13, 2008, students, faculty, alumni, and members of the community held a protest against the elimination of the Audiology and Speech Pathology Department. More than one hundred people met at Neyland Stadium and circulated to other places on campus, among them the office of Bruce Bursten, the dean of arts and sciences, chanting … Continued