KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lori Mann Bruce, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Tennessee Technological University, will be recommended by University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd to the UT Board of Trustees as the next chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The board will consider the recommendation at a special meeting in the coming weeks. Pending approval, Bruce will begin her tenure on June 30.
“One of the most important responsibilities I have as president is hiring outstanding people to lead our campuses and institutes,” Boyd said. “Lori is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader with a strong track record of academic excellence, innovation and a deep commitment to student success. I believe she will be a transformative leader for UTC and the greater Chattanooga community.”
At Tennessee Tech, Bruce oversees all academic operations, research and strategic planning. Under her leadership, the university achieved a perfect academic program quality score from the state—an accomplishment unmatched in more than four decades. She led the launch of new academic programs aligned with workforce needs, helped increase annual research funding from $16 million to more than $46 million, and guided more than $350 million in infrastructure improvements. She also launched the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence and implemented a campuswide compensation study that improved salaries for faculty and staff.
Bruce previously served as associate vice president and dean of the Graduate School at Mississippi State University and held multiple leadership roles in engineering and research. She holds a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering and brings extensive experience in academic planning, fundraising, crisis leadership and research administration.
The chancellor serves as chief executive officer of the Chattanooga campus, reports directly to the UT System president and is a member of the UT System leadership team. The chancellor is responsible for advancing academic excellence, improving student outcomes, growing research and community engagement, and promoting fiscal and operational effectiveness.
The search for the next chancellor began earlier this year and was guided by a committee of faculty, staff, students and community members.
