The National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy announced in August 2011 a five-year endowment to UT with an $18 million award to fund a research center in the College of Engineering. More than one hundred institutions initially submitted preproposals, which were narrowed to 40 proposals and then to 11 site visits. CURENT’s vision … Continued

One of the four Memphis Research Centers of Excellence designated in 2001 by President Wade Gilley, this center expands the study of connective tissue research at the UT Center for Health Sciences. Scientists in the center focus on basic research of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis and inflammation, fibrotic … Continued

The National Science Foundation launched a program of Centers of Excellence in 1965, and on July 1, 1968, the UT Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering and the UT Physics Department implemented a three-year, $1,450,000 grant under the program. The grant was one of about 20 awarded to that date by NSF and was designed … Continued

In 1984 the Tennessee General Assembly passed Governor Lamar Alexander’s Better Schools Program. Most of the provisions related to K-12 education, but three initiatives—better overall funding, Chairs of Excellence, and Centers of Excellence—were targeted toward higher education. The 1984 legislature appropriated $10 million to launch the Centers of Excellence program. Two UT Knoxville center proposals—the … Continued

The Central Programming Council is the primary student activities programming organization of the institution. Composed of nine committees, the council’s charge is to provide cultural, social, educational, and recreational programs for students. Student activities fees fund the council.

The popular faculty luncheon series Centripetals was begun in 1979 by the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, under the leadership of Associate Vice Chancellor Ralph Norman. Originally held monthly, the series featured faculty and staff members’ presentations about their current research, with time left at the end for questions and discussion. In … Continued

The oldest of the university’s “gift clubs,” the Century Club (originally the designation for contributors to the institution of $100 or more) was initiated in 1960 with a goal of one thousand members by 1969. By 1966–67, Century Club membership stood at 1,326. In 1992 the club was modified to recognize annual donors of $100 … Continued

Beginning in 1880–81, certificates were awarded at commencement to students who had successfully completed all the work offered in any one school or department, such as Ancient Languages or Pure Mathematics. The practice lasted only a few years.

In 1878 the university began the practice of awarding at commencement Certificates of Distinction to students whose average grade was sufficiently high for any one-year’s work. The practice lasted only a few years.

The Tennessee Chairs of Excellence program was a facet of Governor Lamar Alexander’s Better Schools Program, passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1984. While much of the program dealt with K–12 education, three areas (increased general funding, the Chairs of Excellence program, and the Centers of Excellence program) were designed specifically to improve higher … Continued