The University of Tennessee at Martin Faculty and Staff Newsletter | September 13, 2016

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UT Martin announces fall enrollment, national rankingsUT Martin has 6,705

undergraduate and graduate students enrolled for fall semester 2016 in final numbers announced Sept. 13.

This total includes students on the main campus as well as online students and those attending on the university’s five centers in Jackson, Parsons, Ripley, Selmer and Somerville.

Total enrollment is down 1.8 percent (122 students) from the fall 2015 headcount of 6,827 students, and there are 77 fewer first-time freshmen registered.

However, this incoming freshman class boasts the highest average ACT composite score of any previous freshman class with an average of 23.01, up from 22.7 in 2015. The freshman class also holds an average high school grade point average of 3.53, up from 3.48 last year.

The number of enrolled graduate students increased by 8.7 percent (34 students) and transfer students increased by 4.3 percent (19 students).

The largest jump occurred in the dual enrollment area, with a total of 604 high school students earning college credit from UT Martin. This is a 77.6 percent increase over the 340 students participating in fall 2015.

The number of out-of-state students attending UT Martin has also increased this year, with out-of-state freshmen increasing 38 percent (22 students) and total out-of-state enrollment increasing 15 percent. Out-of-state numbers do not include international students.

Enrollment numbers are expected to rise for fall 2017 as Tennessee Promise students complete their first two years at local community colleges and transfer to finish their degrees at four-year universities.

The university has also continued as a top university according to both U.S. News & World Report and The

Princeton Review. U.S. News & World Report

has ranked UT Martin 16th among public, southern universities in its 2017 list of the “Best Regional Universities” in the South.

UT Martin is tied for this position with Marshall University in West Virginia and Radford University in Virginia, and is in a five-way tie for 47th-place overall. This is up from the 2016 ranking in which UT Martin tied at number 19 among public southern universities and number 50 overall.

The rankings also place UT Martin in a tie for number 11 among the best public, southern

universities for veterans this year (29th overall). UT Martin did not appear on this list in 2016.

The Princeton Review included UT Martin in its “Best of the Southeast” list for the 14th consecutive year.

The USA Today 2017 College Rankings released this month list UT Martin 10th in the state in the category “Best Colleges for the Money – Undergraduates with no Aid.” The university is also listed in the top fifth percentile for the categories “Agriculture, General: Most Popular” (3 of 83 universities ranked) and “Agriculture, General: Most Focused” (1 of 83).

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YoUTMs faculty, staff and student excellence

Dr. Louis Glover, assistant professor of educational studies, was recently selected as one of three state educators to discuss the issue of diversity among teachers statewide with the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education. The resulting article is available here.

The UT Martin Department of Music will continue its fall concert season with a faculty trombone recital at 3 p.m., Sept. 18, in the UT Martin Fine Arts Building’s Blankenship Recital Hall.

Dr. Joseph Frye, assistant professor of music, will present a program of eclectic works for trombone and piano, including works by composers Steven Snowden, Alexander Scriabin and Herbert L. Clarke.

Frye has also written two new transcriptions specifically for this performance. Scriabin’s “Romance,” originally written for horn, will be performed on tenor trombone, and Mozart’s familiar “Queen of the Night” aria for soprano will be performed on alto trombone.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the UT Martin Department of Music at 731-881-7402.

EARNING ACCREDITATION – The Tennessee Intensive English Program, housed at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has earned independent accreditation from the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation. CEA is recognized by the United States Secretary of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency for English language programs and institutions in the U.S. Pictured are (front row, l-r) Nelda Rachels, TIEP faculty; Amy Fenning, director, Office of International Programs and International Admissions; Stephanie Butler, student services specialist; Lynn Patterson, TIEP faculty coordinator and instructor; (middle row) Caroline Ideus, TIEP faculty; Dixie Timmons, administrative support assistant; Ken Fackler, Tom Johnson and Kavitha Nambisan, all TIEP faculty members; Dr. Ross Dickens, dean, UT Martin College of Business and Global Affairs; Dr. Malcolm Koch, executive director, Center for International Education; (back row) Meghan Lupole, TIEP faculty; Ryan Diffee, assistant director, Office of International Programs and International Admissions; and Phil Taylor, TIEP faculty.

Lane Last, professor of art, has been selected for inclusion in an exhibition titled “Points of Departure: An Exhibition without Borders” running Oct. 23-Jan. 15, 2017, at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wis. The selected pieces, titled “Sublime Harbor,” are 3D prints designed and printed by Lane.

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Online programs recognized for great value

UT Martin’s online programs have recently been recognized for great value at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Onl ineCol l egeP lan . com collectively ranked UT Martin’s five online bachelor’s programs 39th on its list of the “Top 50 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s Degrees.”

GradSchoolHub.com recently released its list of the most

New Innovation and Product Realization Facility proposed

CONCEPT ART – Pictured is one of several concept drawings depicting the layout and appearance of the proposed Innovation and Product Realization Facility.

UT Martin plans to add a new facility in the coming years to create workspace where local industry leaders can partner with UT Martin students and faculty to develop and test new products and ideas.

The university unveiled plans for the facility Aug. 24 during a breakfast event for local industry representatives in the Boling University Center.

The proposed facility, large enough to accommodate an 18-wheeler, will provide space for local industry representatives to construct new concepts, develop and test new ideas, and improve upon existing products.

This not only gives UT Martin students and faculty an opportunity to assist with product development, it also gives local industries a chance to evaluate soon-to-be graduates and hire highly qualified students straight off the commencement stage.

The idea for this facility was originally presented by students, highlighting the need for hands-on experience as part of UT Martin’s degree programs.

Students in the engineering program are required to participate in team competition projects such as designing and

constructing an airplane, bridge, Baja car or concrete canoe. The new facility will provide space for full-size construction of these projects.

The facility will also create partnerships with the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, the Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center and the Northwest

Tennessee Entrepreneur Center. Both the REED Center and NTEC will have a physical presence in the building to help local entrepreneurs who wish to use the space.

According to recent statistics, 85-90 percent of graduates from the UT Martin engineering program begin their careers in West Tennessee. The creation of

new facilities for these graduates not only increases the value of the UT Martin program, but also puts highly trained employees into the regional workforce.

Read more of this story at in the September archives at utm.edu/newsarchives.

affordable top-ranked online MBA programs for 2016 and included UT Martin at number 15.

UT Martin’s online MBA program is designed for financial services professionals and was most recently ranked 22nd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Read the full story in the September news archives.

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THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY NAMES UT MARTIN ‘OUTSTANDING STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE YEAR’

The UT Martin student chapter of The Wildlife Society has received the Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year Award for the society’s southeastern section. This is the fourth time the UT Martin chapter has received this regional honor.

“The passion and drive of these students is what keeps me loving my job,” said Dr. Eric Pelren, professor of wildlife science and chapter adviser. “I’m not surprised that they won this award, but I am very proud of their hard work.”

Over the past year, chapter members have worked to educate UT Martin students and the local community about professionalism, ethics, qualifications and conduct in the wildlife management field.

They have also attended a variety of conferences and symposiums, participated in habitat management and resource conservation projects, and reached out to a variety of groups in an attempt to increase diversity in their career field.

Overall, the chapter hosted more than 25 events during the 2015-16 academic year.

“Although we are always eager

to learn and improve from other chapters’ experience, we stand proudly among our peers and believe that no chapter has surpassed UT Martin this year in serving the mission and spirit of The Wildlife Society,” wrote Dalton Smith, former chapter president, in a letter to the award selection committee.

“I think our chapter can continue to make a positive impact on UTM students and the community by continuing our efforts to educate both each other as well as the public on the many aspects

COMMUNITY EDUCATION – Brandon Weber, a current member of the UT Martin chapter of The Wildlife Society, displays a red-tailed hawk during Magical Martin Day, Sept. 3, as part of the Tennessee Soybean Festival.

of wildlife conservation and the benefits that come with practicing that conservation,” said Gunner Boucher, current chapter president. “Our natural resources are some of God's greatest gifts, and it is our responsibility to manage those resources in a way that they will be here for years to come.”

The award will be officially presented to chapter representatives in October during The Wildlife Society Annual Conference in Raleigh, N.C.

The Addenda newsletter is published weekly during the academic year. Send your Addenda news to Erin Chesnut at

echesnut@utm.edu by noon on Thursdays.

Closing the Loop

This is a recurring section to recognize offices and departments that have gathered data and used it to make informed decisions for the positive impact of their area.

The Office of Financial Aid and

Scholarships

Staff members in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships noted a three-year high in the cohort default rate for students who have entered repayment of their student loans.

To address this issue, staff members began providing increased loan counseling services to help students understand the long-term consequences of borrowing.

The office also created a partnership with EdFinancial Services to contact students with delinquent loan accounts, or those who are at risk of defaulting, and counsel them on their payment options.

Data collected from the National Student Loan Data System is used to identify these students and guide them through the payment, deferment or rehabilitation of their accounts.

UT Martin’s three-year cohort default rate was 16.1 percent in 2009 and decreased to 10.6 percent in 2012, the most recent data available. The national three-year cohort default rate for the same period was 11.8 percent.

USDA Project Announcement with Bobby Goode, rural development state director

9:30 a.m., Sept. 15, Boling University Center, room 225ARSVP to joel.howard@tn.usda.gov

•Sept. 12-17 – “Guitar as Art” exhibit; Fine Arts Building Gallery•Sept. 13-14 – Lifeline Blood Battle; Boling University Center; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily•Sept. 13 – Soccer vs. Evansville; Skyhawk Soccer Complex; 6 p.m.•Sept. 15 – USDA investments announcement; Boling University Center, room 225A; 9:30 a.m.•Sept. 15 – SACS preparation open forum; Duncan Ballroom; 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Calendar

Published weekly during the academic year and biweekly during the summer by UT Martin, Martin, TN 38238• Dr. Joseph DiPietro – President, University of Tennessee System • Dr. Robert M. Smith – Interim Chancellor

Erin Chesnut – Addenda Editor UT Martin is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer. E05-0425-00-001-16

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UT Martin Q&A

•Question – Are any discounts offered to faculty who want to take courses at the university?

•Answer – Full-time UT Martin employees are eligible for a waiver of fees for up to nine hours of academic credit, per the employee benefits booklet.

Both full-time and part-time employees may take courses at either the undergraduate or graduate levels. The fee waiver chart is available online.

Those considering an advanced degree should consult Educational Assistance (Fee Waiver) Procedure 330 on job responsibilities and potential salary increases.

Additional forms can be found on the Office of Human Resources webpage.

Submit your questions to the Suggestion Box link at

www.utm.edu.

You Tell Me

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•Sept. 16 – Soccer vs. Three Rivers Community College; Skyhawk Soccer Complex; 2 p.m.•Sept. 16 – Faculty and staff sneak peek of stadium renovations; Hardy M. Graham Stadium; 3:30-5:30 p.m.•Sept. 16 – Softball vs. Freed-Hardeman; Martin Parks and Recreation Field; 8 p.m.•Sept. 17 – Academic space and press box grand opening; Hardy M. Graham Stadium; 11:30 a.m.•Sept. 17 – Softball vs. Rend

Lake College; Martin Parks and Recreation Field; noon•Sept. 17 – Football home opener vs. Bacone College; Hardy M. Graham Stadium; 2 p.m.•Sept. 17 – Softball vs. John A. Logan College; Martin Parks and Recreation Field; 2 p.m.•Sept. 18 – Concert Series: Dr. Joseph Frye, trombone; Blankenship Recital Hall; 3 p.m.•Sept. 18 – Soccer vs. Memphis; Skyhawk Soccer Complex; 7 p.m.

Sneak Peak

Grand Opening11:30 a.m.Sept. 17

Skyhawks vs. Bacone College

2 p.m., Sept. 17

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. • September 16 • Hardy M. Graham Stadium

FACULTY & STAFFof the Academic Classrooms & Football Press Box