In January 1942 President Hoskins established the UT Defense Council to coordinate various defense services in place and inaugurate any new ones needed. All deans and directors and the president of the student body were members.
At the time of formation of the council, UT organized formal programs for the distribution of informational materials prepared by federal, state, and local entities to individuals or groups that needed them through the UT Governmental Reference Service; provided speakers, library materials, and programs to assist agencies in preparing programs and activities; supplied “package libraries” of information on all phases of civilian morale and defense, bibliographies, etc. to speakers on defense and to others through the Division of University Extension; offered short courses and institutes and established new initiatives through the Division of University Extension; offered correspondence courses; established active committees to cooperate with established defense agencies; offered a variety of training courses for defense industries through the College of Engineering and the College of Business—in cooperation with the US Department of Education—in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Kingsport, Murfreesboro, Cleveland, Cherokee Dam, and Pickwick Dam; participated in the Civilian Pilot Training program beginning in 1939; trained students in the College of Home Economics to serve as volunteer nurses in a project sponsored by the American Red Cross; and carried out extensive agricultural defense activities. The UT Agricultural Extension Service was designated by the national, state, and county agricultural defense boards to lead the educational phases of all programs.