As part of Sustainability Week in 2011, SPEAK (Students Promoting Environmental Acton in Knoxville) held a Coal Kills flash mob on the pedestrian mall. At 12:15 p.m. on October 13, a horn was blown and students fell to the ground and shouted out a fact about coal and its harmful effects. After the flash, students … Continued
In February 2011 the Student Government Association initiated a letter writing campaign to urge legislators to support the extension of HOPE scholarship benefits to the summer term. The UT Knoxville Undergraduate Student Senate, as well as the UT Knoxville, UT at Chattanooga, and UT at Martin Student Government Associations passed resolutions supporting the extension.
On March 7, 2011, the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to support the university’s current policy of prohibiting firearms on campus. In April the Student Senate passed a resolution to express student opposition to state Senate Bills 0051 and 0399, which would allow concealed permit-carrying students, faculty, and staff to carry firearms on the UT campus. … Continued
Occupy UT was the campus branch of Occupy Wall Street. The movement was described by its founders as deliberately leaderless, because in the digital age, everyone has a voice. In 2011 the group placed signs on the pedestrian mall and had members ask students what they liked and didn’t like about UT and what they … Continued
In 2011 students and members of the community strongly favored retaining Bruce Pearl as head coach of the men’s basketball team. A demonstration was held on campus the weekend before the May 21 firing of Pearl, and the Rock had a constant series of messages of support for Pearl—and an equal number calling for the … Continued
In 2012 students took to the Daily Beacon to express discontent with the new “tag” slogan Big Orange. Big Ideas., with the concept of “branding” itself, and with the expenditure of funds for development of the branding materials. Its detractors saw the tagline as emphasizing athletics and as being “cheesy.” Faculty member Arthur Echternacht suggested … Continued
Andrew Doss, a senior in electrical engineering, started an online petition on Change.org shortly after the June 2012 board of trustees meeting to request that Chancellor Jimmy Cheek decline the 6 percent, $22,356 pay raise allocated to him by the board of trustees at the same meeting at which tuition was raised 8 percent. The … Continued
The Athletics Department closed the Varsity Inn dining facility in Gibbs Hall in June 2012, citing the average loss for the cafeteria as ranging between $750,000 to $850,000. The facility was closed, however, after students had signed up for meal plans. While students on the Varsity Inn meal plan were allowed to stay on it, … Continued
In 2012 students complained about the ever-changing traffic patterns as construction progressed and also about the noise of construction during classes.
In spring 2012 the Progressive Student Alliance, Tyson House Student Ministries, Lambda Student Union, and other student organizations sought to have the UT Bookstore carry a line of clothing from Alta Gracia, a company that was an exemplary fair wage employer. Bookstore Manager David Kent agreed to look into the possibility, and in October the … Continued