UT president announces retirement

KNOXVILLE — University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro announced Monday that he will retire after the first of the year.

DiPietro will retire Feb. 14, 2019, according to a release. He will step down from active service Nov. 21 to use his remaining vacation time.

DiPietro has led the University of Tennessee System as UT’s 25th president since January 2011, the release says.

He serves as the chief executive officer of UT and its campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin, the Health Science Center in Memphis, the statewide Institute of Agriculture and the Institute of Public Service.

“I am very proud of all we have accomplished together, which would not have been possible without the important efforts of our talented faculty, students, staff and administrators and the steadfast support of the Board of Trustees,” DiPietro said in the release. “The university is well positioned for success — we are coming off a record-breaking year in research funding as well as private fundraising, and we have a committed group of chancellors and system administrators to move the university forward.”

The UT Board of Trustees will convene soon to discuss the next steps in selecting a new president.