Dear Colleagues,

Sadly admitting the obvious, I must confirm that Tennessee's revenue
shortage prevented the Legislature and the Governor from doing what they
had indicated that they would do regarding our funding request for the
Engineering, Math, and Computer Science Building. No capital appropriations
were possible for l999-2000 in the absence of structural changes in
Tennessee's revenue code.  The number one priority for all of Tennessee
Higher Education was to build the Engineering, Math, and Computer Science
Building on the UTC campus.  It will be my pledge to the campus to do
everything possible to keep that building the number one priority for the
state - as well as for this campus - and to see it taken off the priority
list by gratefully accepting the state's appropriations to construct it as
soon as possible.

I must express my strongest appreciation to Senator Ward Crutchfield, chair
of our Chattanooga Legislative Delegation, for his tireless fight for that
building.  He led our Chattanooga delegation in pushing for the building
right up to the very last minute of budget options.  The strong support of
legislative members from Chattanooga was met across the state with strong
support from Senator Womack, Senator Miller, Lt. Governor Wilder and
Speaker Naifeh.  Governor Sundquist had proposed the building a year ago,
obtained initial "pre-planning funds" and proposed construction funding
this year.  He has been a strong supporter of the project for quite some time.

I am very grateful for the strong efforts of President Joe Johnson, the
Trustees of the University of Tennessee, the Commissioners of the Tennessee
Higher Education Commission, and their Executive Director Rich Rhoda for
presenting our building proposal as Tennessee's top academic building
priority.
Dr. Desmond, Dr. Berry, and I will continue to stress to our legislative
leaders and to the citizens of Tennessee that this building is crucial, not
only a campus academic priority, but also to the economic and technological
development of Tennessee as well.  It is an investment well worth the
attention of Tennesseans.  It must not be delayed past the next available
opportunity for the state.

To those of you who see a painful similarity in this year's outcome to our
search for the Building to other outcomes over the past two decades, I
would encourage you to see hope. Hope resides in the top priority ranking.
Hope abounds in the comments of the Governor, the comments of Senator
Womack, the comments of Speaker Naifeh, and the comments of Lt. Governor
Wilder.  I enjoy a confidence that Senator Ward Crutchfield conducted every
step of this year's quest for the building in a way that leaves a firm
foundation on which to build next year's arguments for our building.

We will get that building.  This is a painful delay, but not the end of the
quest.  We shall continue the pre-planning authorized last year with the
$500,000 budget.  We shall be ready to re-present the construction funding
request at the first possible legislative call by Governor Sundquist.

Bill Stacy