The State of the University Address

The State of the University Address, delivered annually by University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd, provides a comprehensive overview of the UT System’s present state and future directions.

In this address, Boyd will highlight key achievements, challenges and strategic initiatives of the past year, plus outline his vision and priorities for the upcoming year. The address serves as an important platform for discussing the university’s impact on education, research, community engagement and economic development. It also serves as an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of faculty, staff and students, and to reinforce the University’s commitment to excellence and innovation in higher education.

In 2024, the State of UT Address will feature a panel discussion of the leaders of all five UT campuses and two statewide institutes. The discussion will be moderated by Boyd and David Plazas, Director of Opinion and Engagement for the USA Today Network-Tennessee/The Tennessean.

The address will be on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 8:30 a.m. CST and will be streamed live at tennessee.edu.

Moderators for the 2024 State of the University Address:

Randy Boyd

UT System President

David Plazas

Director of Opinion and Engagement for the USA Today Network-Tennessee/The Tennessean

Panelists for the 2024 State of the University Address:

About the UT System
The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, Pulaski and Memphis; the UT Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service. The UT System manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle partnership; enrolls about 58,000 students statewide; produces about 13,000 new graduates every year; and represents more than 445,000 alumni around the world.
Economic Impact
The UT System has a statewide impact of $4 billion, with $1.9 billion in annual expenditures and more than 79,000 jobs created.
UT System 2023 Objectives and Results
The University of Tennessee’s goals and subsequent results from 2023 systemwide.
University of Tennessee System 2021–25 Strategic Plan
The UT System strategic plan establishes a vision and direction for success. It builds on successes and ensures continuous improvement toward achieving the greatest decade in the history of the University of Tennessee.
“Four the Future” Campaign
Ten public universities across Tennessee are a part of a joint campaign to promote awareness of the value of earning a four-year degree. The unifying theme of the campaign is: “Tennessee universities support Tennessee communities.”
Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges are complex, interconnected, large-scale problems that create uncertain futures. By harnessing the collective power of human relationships, research, science, technology and imagination, UT and its partners are aiming to create a future where every Tennessean can thrive.