Chancellor,

This is to thank you for introducing the new Five Year Plan for UTC to be 
unveiled this afternoon.  Although we have heard about its advent for some 
time now, nobody oUTside those pre-selected to operate the committees seem 
to know much about it.  As an aficionado of edu-babble, I always look 
forward to a new round of the latest hot topic, whether it's branding, 
compUTer corridor, freshman seminar, writing across the curriculum, or 
total quality management.  I had one or two questions I wanted to ask you 
in advance of the big show, and this seemed the best way to ask them.

It was about five years ago we went through the same exercise to develop a 
concise and memorable mission statement.  "We" decided to become a national 
model of an engaged metropolitan university.  I doubt that one person in 
five could remember anything much aboUT that any more.  Only the word 
metropolitan seems to have stuck.  That's the one word President Petersen 
uses for UTC.

We did establish a metropolitan college, however, and hired a dean for it 
with a six-figure salary.  The college lasted about six months before being 
air-brushed out of institUTional memory, although the erstwhile dean stayed 
on with his salary as a special assistant to the chancellor.  At last 
report to Faculty Senate he was engaged in real estate dealings on behalf 
of UTC.  So that is the legacy of the last round.  I seem to recall mention 
of hiring a person for the job of planner.  My first question, then, has to 
be, "What is the salary of this person, and will she/he remain an employee 
in some capacity?"

For our beloved President, as I'm sure you know, the metropolitan label 
most likely has connotations of "inner city," "colored ghetto," "low budget 
priority," and the like.  Minority enrollment at UTC is, after all, the 
only reason the UT system has finally beat the rap on segregation.  On the 
Knoxville campus, meanwhile, the administration is attempting to block the 
tenure of George White, an extremely popular professor who has the support 
of his department.  Professor White's sins are, first, that he has been 
active in United Campus Workers, second, that his scholarly work critical 
of US foreign policy in Africa during the John Foster Dulles era is out of 
favor, and third, that he is African-American.  According to a source 
extremely close to Petersen recently, it is speculated that Knoxville, as 
the flagship campus, is to be kept as white as possible in the Petersen 
vision, while certain others will be channeled toward Chattanooga.

If this is part of what you have in mind, then I for one think we should 
welcome beloved leader Petersen's vision by celebrating our diversity and 
our too often under-valued heritage from Chattanooga City College.  I also 
sincerely hope you will not mimic the mistakes being made at 
Knoxville.  The UCW is standing with Professor White, as we have done with 
others.  Professor White will prevail and UTK will not.

Although the fix may already be in with the politburo on the new Five Year 
Plan, I look forward with eagerness to hearing all about it.  As beloved 
leader Petersen might say, "Helluva job, Brownie.  Stay the course!"

Fritz Efaw,
Economics.

At 06:07 PM 2/8/2007 -0500, Roger Brown wrote:
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>I want to thank the many of you who have offered your support and 
>enthusiasm for the strategic planning initiative announced here on campus 
>last week.  The Steering Committee has been busy contacting faculty and 
>staff members, students, and community leaders and establishing the 
>membership on the various task forces.  No doubt, many of you have 
>received and accepted those invitations, and I deeply appreciate your 
>willingness to serve.
>
>Now, we're ready to get to work.  On Wednesday, February 14, at 3 p.m., 
>the entire campus is invited to the UC Auditorium for an introduction to 
>the strategic planning process. Co-chairs Charles Nelson and Karen Adsit 
>will explain the process and timeline as well as outline opportunities for 
>campus participation.  We will also introduce members of the various 
>committees and task forces.
>
>Following this, everyone will be invited over to the Chattanooga Room for 
>a mini-brainstorming session.  Each task force will have a table set up 
>with flip charts and Post-it notes for you to offer ideas as well as 
>sign-up for focus groups.  This is just the first of many outlets for you 
>to be involved in the planning process.
>
>Supervisors, I hope you will encourage your staff members to attend this 
>important kick-off event, and I ask for your continued support and 
>patience as your staff members are asked to serve on different aspects of 
>the planning effort.
>
>I hope to see you all on Wednesday.
>
>Roger
>
>************************************
>Roger G. Brown, Ph.D.
>Chancellor
>The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
>615 McCallie Ave., 101 Founders Hall
>Chattanooga, TN 37403
>
>423-425-4141
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