THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT MARTIN CAMPUS SCENE ALUMNI MAGAZINE VOLUME LX WINTER/SPRING 2016 A business takes flight story on page 34 CHANCELLOR’S Dr. Robert Smith, UT Martin Interim Chancellor CORNER The University of Tennessee at Martin received verbal notice in December 2015 of the decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to place the university on probation for the next 12 months pending corrective actions they wish us to address. In summary, the Commission Board of Trustees determined that we have not finished the documentation necessary to address five recommendations from its last campus visit. In specific terms, the university has not “closed the loop” on learning assessment. We know students receive an outstanding education at UT Martin as evidenced by regional and national rankings, successful graduates and positive contributions to the region’s economy. But, we must be more effective in proving that these outcomes are happening. The plan is to fulfill the requirements specified by SACSCOC and submit a progress report in early fall 2016. We anticipate an on-campus visit by the commission in the fall with an expectation of a new decision in December 2016 or earlier. In the meantime, here are some important facts related to this announcement: • UT Martin is accredited and will remain accredited throughout this process. Current and future students are not at risk. Federal funding and student aid are not threatened. The quality of degrees granted has not changed. • In addition, all of our program-specific accreditations (business, communications, chemistry, dietetics, education, engineering, family and consumer sciences, music, nursing, social work and veterinary health technology) remain intact. • In all five recommendations, the issue is not with the quality of our education or degrees, but with our documentation of evidence of student and institutional outcomes and how we use this evidence to improve ourselves. This action results in a one-year opportunity for us to satisfy these concerns. We will use this time to both restore and enhance the quality of our academic programs – something we were doing anyway. • We understand and appreciate the investment students and families have in a UT Martin education, and we remain fully committed to maintaining the high value of our degrees. You can be assured we are giving this 100% of our attention. More than 200 faculty and staff members have already participated in daylong sessions working on our next report. Current and future generations of students will continue to proudly call UT Martin their alma mater. Sincerely, Dr. Robert M. Smith FEATURES DEPARTMENTS SCOTTIE NELL HUGHES: SCENE & HEARD 28 6 NOTEWORTHY News and views Thriving in the National Spotlight from on- and off-campus BY BUD GRIMES 20 ATHLETICS 32 FROM THE ARCHIVES 26 UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT 28 Continuing Campus Improvements BY NATHAN MORGAN 34 THE POWERS ALUMNI NEWS BROTHERS: 48 THE REAL DEAL 50 SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMS A Business Takes Flight 56 CLASS NOTES The who, what, when BY NATHAN MORGAN and where 40 TENNESSEE’S FIRST 56 IN MEMORY CHARTER SCHOOL Redesigning Urban Memphis BY ERIN CHESNUT 44 CATHY WHITEHEAD 34 You are enough! BY ERIN CHESNUT www.utm.edu • 731-881-7020 a twitter.com/utmartin bfacebook.com/utmartin x instagram.com/utmartin zutmartinphotography.tumblr.com Snapchat: DiscoverUTM www.issuu.com/ut_martin 40 The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/ Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Inquiries should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 303 Administration Building, Martin, TN 38238, (731) 881-3505 Office, (731) 881-4889 TTY, Hearing Impaired, (731) 881-3507 Fax, [email protected], http://www.utm.edu/departments/equalopp/. In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act), UTM’s an- nual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on or around the campus and UTM’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. You can view the report at http://www.utm.edu/departments/ finadmin/publicsafety/ annualreport.php or you may obtain a paper copy of the report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, 215 Hurt Street, Martin, TN 38238 or calling (731) 881-7777. Data on intercollegiate athletics program participation rates and financial support may be found at http://www. utm.edu/webshare/consumer_docs/09-10%20DOE-EADA%20Report.pdf and printed copies may be obtained through the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1022 Elam Center, Martin, TN 38238 or by calling (731) 881-7660. E05-0425-00-015-16 utmforever.com WINTER/SPRING 2016 1 the picture UT MARTIN REUNITES VANDERBILT FOSSIL COLLECTION, OWNS LARGEST IN TENNESSEE >>> UT Martin is the new owner of the Vanderbilt University fossil collection, which contains between a quarter and a half-million specimens collected as early as the 19th century. Scientists believe many of the fossils themselves to be nearly 500 million years old. The Vanderbilt University Department of Earth and Environmental Science is home to one of the oldest geology programs in Tennessee, but the collection was relocated in recent years due to space reallocation. Dr. Michael Gibson, professor of geology at UT Martin and associate curator with the Pink Palace family of museums in Memphis, originally split the specimens between the two institutions. However, the entire collection was reunited at UT Martin shortly before the start of the fall 2015 semester. Gibson (opposite page) is shown holding a plaster cast replica of an early crocodile relative made in the early 1900s. <<< Published semiannually by The University of Tennessee at Martin Martin, Tenn. 38238 Dr. Joe DiPietro, President The University of Tennessee System Dr. Robert M. Smith, Interim Chancellor The University of Tennessee at Martin FACULTY SPOTLIGHT>>> Dr. Mahmoud Haddad Andy Wilson Professor of Finance Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Charley Deal Finance is not something many people study by accident. However, Dr. Mahmoud Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations Haddad, who has taught the subject for more than three decades, did just that. Born in Jerusalem, Haddad came to the United States at the age of 19 to continue Nathan Morgan Campus Scene Editor; Assistant Director of University his education. “I started as an engineer and then I took an accounting course for Relations and Coordinator of Photographic Services the fun of it,” he said. He ultimately changed his major and received associate, Editorial Contributions bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting before going to work with the Erin Chesnut (‘12); Charley Deal (‘92, ‘96); American Family Insurance Company in Minnesota. Bud Grimes (‘78); Nathan Morgan; Ryne Rickman; “After I worked for a couple of years, I found out [accounting] was not what I Barianne Taylor (‘16) wanted to do for the rest of my life. I found the closest to that area is finance, so I Design and Layout went and got my Ph.D. in finance and I like it,” he said. David Deaton (‘10) Haddad has spent time on five continents and in dozens of countries, and can Photo Contributions truly be called a world traveler. However, he and his family have called Martin home Bud Grimes; Nathan Morgan; Katie Long; John Sellers for the past 24 years. Copy Editors Haddad originally came to UT Martin on the suggestion of a friend, and has Erin Chesnut; Bud Grimes; Barianne Taylor since helped launch the prestigious Tennessee Valley Authority Financial Portfolio Original story ideas, photo ideas and manuscripts may be Management Competition for undergraduate students, which allows them to used at the editor’s discretion. Photos and submitted works manage real stock portfolios worth $500,000. cannot be returned. Some interviews are conducted via email and other electronic means. Unless otherwise Haddad’s experience teaching and designing graduate-level courses also played noted, all towns and cities mentioned are located in a key role in creating UT Martin’s MBA program, which is consistently recognized Tennessee. Campus Scene is not a news magazine. on a national scale. “What makes UT Martin continue to have a great MBA program Comments and feedback may be directed to Nathan Morgan, Campus Scene Editor, is the [number] of our students, the selection [of students] and the type of faculty [email protected], 304 Administration Building, who are honestly committed to making the program successful and to disseminating Martin, TN 38238, 731-881-7617. information to the best of our ability to the students and to our country,” he 37,700 copies printed by Courier Printing, Nashville, TN. explained. At the end of the day, however, when the stock markets have closed, there is one thing Haddad wants to make sure his students take away from the classroom. “Education is the most valuable gift anybody can ever give you. It will stay with you forever; nobody can take it away from you because it’s within your brain,” he said. Whatever his students’ goals may be, and whether they were set on purpose or stumbled upon by accident, Dr. Mahmoud Haddad wants to help provide the tools needed to make them reality. 4 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT MARTIN CAMPUS SCENE utm.edu NOTEWORTHY 6 ATHLETICS 20 UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT 26 SCENE HEARD& UT MARTIN DELEGATION SHOWS OFF AT 46TH TISL GENERAL ASSEMBLY PAGE 18 UT MARTIN DELEGATION TAKES THREE EXECUTIVE SEATS AT 46TH TISL GENERAL ASSEMBLY >>> Twenty-four UT Martin students traveled to the 46th general assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature on Nov.