Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd will take over as interim president of the University of Tennessee on Monday. He replaces Joe DiPietro, who will officially retire in February but has already left the office.
Boyd will serve as interim president for up to 24 months or until the effective date of appointment of a new president following an external search.
"So far it's been a whirlwind," Boyd told 10News on his first day Monday. "But it's been exciting and energizing."
Boyd said he traveled the state to visit with stakeholders both inside and outside the UT system, and has outlined six primary goals he hopes to accomplish during his tenure. He listed those in a press release:
- Succession planning and recruitment. Boyd plans to launch a search for the next chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville soon into his tenure with a search for a new president set to begin in 2020.
- Increase talent development. The University of Tennessee is the talent development engine of the state, producing 11,806 graduates last year. Boyd will focus on strategies that improve graduation rates, improve recruitment of both in-state and out-of-state students and grow online education programs.
- Enhance the relationship with ORNL. The long-term relationship between UT and ORNL, the geographic proximity of the two institutions, and UT’s co-management of the lab makes this partnership unique and provides the University an opportunity that allows development of these distinctive programs. Boyd plans to explore opportunities for all UT campuses and institutes to expand its engagement with ORNL and explore ways to implement a system-wide strategy.
- Advance Engagement. Engaging directly in the community is a primary mission of the University of Tennessee. Boyd will work across the system to bring greater visibility to ongoing programs across all 95 counties and explore organizing engagement efforts at the system level to ensure maximum benefit for the state.
- Strengthen and clarify the relationship between UT System Administration and its campuses and institutes. Boyd plans to work with stakeholders across the system to create a culture of collaborating and coordinating on initiatives, leveraging partnerships, and developing bold new strategies and exciting opportunities.
- Build the brand. Boyd will launch efforts to enhance the University of Tennessee brand by providing greater transparency and accountability supported by data analytics to give the university meaningful reports with actionable data to make informed decisions.
Boyd told 10News his first priority is the most important one: "Selecting visionary, generational leaders for both the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus and to take my place. So if I only get one thing right, that’s the most important thing I have to get right."
“I have always been passionate about helping students achieve their dream of a college education. I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue this work as a part of the University I love and that has meant so much to me, my community and my state,” said Boyd. “While these are my initial observations and priorities, they will likely evolve as I continue to listen, learn and discuss with individuals across the system and the state.”
On campus Monday, some students said they wish Boyd had included increasing diversity among his list of agenda items.
"If I were president," Amy Webb said, "I would do more diversity and inclusion on our campus. We’re always going to need donors and more buildings and things like that, but we need to create a better environment for our students."
Boyd says his priority to increase talent development is a close second when it comes to most important and that he plans to address diversity as well.
"My first operational priority outside of selecting my successors is making sure more students are successful on our campus, making sure more students graduate. And the number one reasons students will drop out is because they don’t feel they belong," he said.
Boyd ran for governor and was previously the State Commissioner for Economic and Community Development. He founded Radio Systems Corp., a Knoxville-based business with more than 700 employees, offices in six countries and the brands PetSafe, Invisible Fence and SportDOG. He also serves as chairman of Boyd Sports and is the owner of the Tennessee Smokies, Johnson City Cardinals and the manager of the Greeneville Reds.