University of Tennessee president talks pandemic impacts, plans for fall semester

JACKSON, Tenn. — The pandemic kept University of Tennessee campuses masked up, socially distanced and in virtual classrooms rather than on campus.

Friday morning, the UT President Randy Boyd delivered his annual State of the University address to highlight the universities’ key accomplishments through the pandemic.

“The past year wasn’t what any of us expected, it proved to be a challenging journey and a greater learning experience than we could have ever imagined,” Boyd said.

Last fall, the system wide COVID-19 positivity rate for students was .22% overall.

This means students were nine times safer than the general population of Tennesseans ages 17-25, who had a 2% positivity rate.

“Like everyone else, we are eager to see life on campus return to some sense of normal in the fall. Even if it does, however, we are confident the pandemic’s lessons have made us stronger, more nimble and more innovative,” said Thomas Zacharia with Oak Ridge National Lab.

Across the system, medical students, faculty and staff helped the state with scheduling appointments, creating training videos, and analyzing COVID-19 test samples.

Many other students have been raising money, delivering medical supplies, and 3D-printing personal protective gear.

“The UT Libraries are recording the history, collecting submissions from faculty, staff and students for future generations [to know] what it was like to live through a global pandemic.

“Our UT family is more excited and more prepared than it’s ever been to move forward and help shape a better future,” Boyd said.

In Fall 2021, students can expect to have a traditional college experience on campus.

“Our state’s economic future depends on a strong, well-trained workforce,” Boyd said. “We depend on Tennessee’s bright young minds to be our future leaders.”

University staff will be working between now and august to prepare to return to teach in-person.