
UT FOCUS Act Passes; Appointments, Confirmation Hearings Expected
The UT FOCUS Act, which would reconstitute and restructure the UT Board of Trustees, was approved by the Senate this week when they concurred with the House version of the bill on a 22-8 vote.

Governor Haslam Unveils Final Priorities in State of the State Address
Governor Bill Haslam unveiled his 2018 priorities Monday evening at his final State of the State Address, presenting a $37.5 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2018-19, with significant initiatives aimed at the state’s opioid crisis and college completion. The college completion initiative—“Complete to Compete”—would require students receiving HOPE and Tennessee Promise Scholarships to take … Continued

UT President Presents Top Funding Priorities in FY18-19 Budget Hearing
Governor Bill Haslam kicked off his annual budget hearings this week, hearing the requests and funding priorities of state agencies, departments, and public institutions of higher education. The funding priorities of state entities are weighed each year in light of competing interests, available resources, and the Governor’s priorities as he prepares his spending plan for … Continued

UT Office of Government Relations and Advocacy Seeks Public Policy Intern
The University of Tennessee Office of Government Relations & Advocacy is seeking a dynamic legislative/public policy intern for the 2018 spring semester. This is an opportunity for a graduate or undergraduate student with an interest in the intersection of higher education policy and politics to gain unique experience in both federal and state government relations … Continued

Budget Deliberations to Begin This Week
On Tuesday, the Governor’s proposed budget amendment is expected to be released. The amendment provides an opportunity to alter the original budget proposal based on the State’s latest forecasted revenues. We will update advocates of any changes that impact the University of Tennessee. Senate budget amendments were released last week. Several amendments relate to the … Continued