During this time of confusion, I will provide updated information as
soon as it is available through a variety of outlets.  UTC faculty
and staff RAVEN emails and UTC student SCRAPPY emails will be
distributed as soon as I have something new to report.  We also will
update the UTC homepage at http://www.utc.edu/.

WUTC will continue to serve as a primary information outlet and will
broadcast updates hourly as part of their NPR news headlines.  NPR
headlines begin at the top of the hour with the local update
immediately following (about 5 minutes later) during the regularly
scheduled hours of programming, 6 a.m.-midnnight.  WUTC is located at
FM 88.1.

The local TV, radio, and newspaper have been tremendously helpful in
spreading the word and we will continue to update them as information
becomes available.  I must caution that some of the specifics  of
this unfolding situation are complicated and you should not depend on
the broadcast media as your only source of information, as they are
prone to shorter reports and perhaps delete some important
particulars.

The main UTC phone line, 425-4111, and the University Relations
Office, 425-4363, will also be updated.

Here's the latest (as of 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 1, 2002):

An emergency Essential Services Appropriation Bill passed in
Nashville allows summer classes to continue, despite a shut down of
other University functions.

Students should report to classes as scheduled.  The Lupton Library
and a general student use computer lab in Siskin Hall will be open
with limited personnel and services.  Cadek Conservatory and the UTC
Children's Center are closed.

Faculty members who are teaching courses or involved in time critical
research may report. Only those UTC staff members who have been
identified by their supervisors as part of the essential, skeleton
crew should report to work.  All other employees must stay home.
Administrators and staff members who are not required to work may
take annual leave, personal leave, or accumulated comp time to be
compensated for the missed days.  SICK LEAVE CAN NOT BE USED.

The Essential Services Appropriation Bill allows for five days of
operation. The legislature has the option of extending that time
period if a permanent budget has not yet been adopted.  Higher
education officials hope that the situation will be resolved before
the five day period is over.

If a budget is adopted, all employees will report back to regular service.







--


Chuck Cantrell
Assistant Vice Chancellor for University Relations
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
201 Founders Hall
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598

[log in to unmask]
Voice (423) 425-4363
Fax (423) 425-5299