Office of the President

Appointed by the UT Board of Trustees, the UT System president serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the statewide institution and is accountable to the university’s faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and the public. Randy Boyd currently serves as the 26th president of the UT System.

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Contact the Office of the President

Have a question, media inquiry or speaking request? Get in touch!

Jamie Blessinger

Executive Assistant

jblessinger@tennessee.edu

865-974-2241

Melissa Tindell

Media Contact

mtindell@tennessee.edu

865-974-0741

Invite the President

To request President Boyd to speak at or attend a meeting or event, please start by completing the form below.

From the President

Stay informed with updates and insights from UT System President Boyd through his columns distributed to stakeholders within and outside of the university.

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Annual Updates

Explore UT’s progress, impact and vision for the future.

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Administration and Advisors

eet the executive leadership team, chancellors and volunteer advisors working with the UT System president to advance the university’s mission and statewide impact.

History of the Office

Since 1794, 26 leaders have shaped UT’s presidency. Until 1968, the president led the Knoxville campus, its branches and extension elements. A reorganization created today’s UT System, with Andy Holt as its first systemwide president, expanding UT’s statewide impact.

  • For more than 50 years, the University of Tennessee, made up of many parts, has moved with one voice for the good of its students, faculty, alumni and state. On July 1, 1968, the parts became one as a system.

As the largest producer of the state’s workforce, we’re training the next generation of health care professionals, educators, engineers and more. This is why we’ve set an ambitious goal of enrolling 71,000 students across our campuses by 2030 − because, for Tennessee to grow, UT must grow too.

Randy Boyd, President of the UT System
Read the Full Story (external link)
Close-up shot of two men wearing business suits and commencement regalia clapping during a graduation ceremony.
President Randy Boyd shared his perspective on the critical role UT plays in developing the state’s workforce in an op-ed published by the Tennessean, Feb. 9, 2025

President Emeriti

2000 – Present

Headshot of Randy Boyd

Randy Boyd
B.S., M.L.S.
University of Tennessee, 2018 – Present 

Headshot of Joe DiPietro

Joe DiPietro
B.S., D.V.M., M.S.
University of Tennessee, 2011-2018

Headshot of Jan Simek

Jan Simek
B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 2009-2010 

Headshot of John Petersen

John D. Petersen
B.S., Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 2004-2009 

Headshot of John Shumaker

John W. Shumaker
B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 2002-2003 

Headshot of Fly Emerson

Emerson H. Fly
B.S., C.P.A.
University of Tennessee, 2001-2002 

Headshot of J. Wade Gilley

J. Wade Gilley
B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 1999-2001 

1900 – 2000

Headshot of Joe Johnson

Joseph E. Johnson
B.S., M.A., Ed.D.
University of Tennessee, 1991- 1999 

Portrait of Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander
B.A., J.D.
University of Tennessee, 1988-1991 

Headshot of Ed Boling

Edward J. Boling
B.S., M.S., Ed.D.
University of Tennessee 1970-1988 

Headshot of Andy Holt

Andrew D. Holt
A.B., M.S., LL.D., Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 1959-1970 

Photo of C.E. Brehm

C.E. Brehm
B.S. LL.D., L.H.D.
University of Tennessee, 1946-1959 

Headshot of James Hoskins

James Dickason Hoskins
B.S., A.M., LL.B., LL.D., Litt.D.
University of Tennessee, 1934-1946 

Headshot of Harcourt Morgan

Harcourt A. Morgan
B.S., A.M., LL.D.
University of Tennessee, 1919-1934 

Portrait of Brown Ayres

Brown Ayres
B.Sc., Ph.D., LL.D., D.C.L.
University of Tennessee, 1904-1919

1700 – 1900

Portrait of Charles Dabney

Charles W. Dabney
Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, 1887-1904 

Old photo of Thomas Humes

Thomas W. Humes
A.M., S.T.D.
University of Tennessee, 1879-1883,
East Tennessee University, 1865-1879 

Illustration of JJ Ridley

J.J. Ridley
D.D.
East Tennessee University, 1860-1862 

Portrait of William Carnes

William D. Carnes
A.M.
East Tennessee University, 1858-1860 

Old portrait of George Cooke

George Cooke
A.M.
East Tennessee University, 1853-1857 

Old painting of W.B. Reese

W.B. Reese
LL.D.
East Tennessee University, 1850-1853 

Illustration of Joseph Estabrook

Joseph Estabrook
A.M.
East Tennessee University, 1840-1850,
East Tennessee College, 1834-1840 

Illustration of James Piper

James H. Piper
A.M.
East Tennessee College, 1833-1834 

Painted portrait of Charles Coffin

Charles Coffin
D.D.
East Tennessee College, 1827-1832 

Illustration of David Sherman

David Sherman
A.M.
East Tennessee College, 1820-1825 

Illustration of Samuel Carrick

Samuel Carrick
A.M.
East Tennessee College, 1807-1809,
Blount College, 1794-1807 

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