University of Tennessee President John Petersen spoke to campus and community leaders at UTM last week about a strategic plan designed to strengthen academic and research programs throughout the five-campus system.

Petersen also met with students in the University Scholars Program and listened to them debate the pros and cons of foreign language classes being required at all pre-collegiate grade levels.

During a luncheon at the chancellor’s residence, Petersen told legislators and community leaders that he had vowed to start the discussion of higher education needs early in advance of the next Tennessee General Assembly. “It is far better for us to sit down together and work on what it is we need to do for higher education and how we can both work together,” Petersen said.

Petersen explained that he wanted to see UTM and other UT schools closer to their peer groups in funding higher education. To get there, it will mean additional funds from the state legislature and/or additional funds from tuition increases.

Petersen’s initial plan includes a request for $142 million in additional state funding. Funding is also anticipated from a UT fund-raising campaign, slated to begin in 2006.

Petersen cited UTM FY 2006 funding levels in a comparison with a peer group of universities that is designated by the Tennessee Higher Education Association.

“We’re close, but we’re lower than the average of that peer group,” said Petersen. He noted what it would take in FY 2007 to move UTM to the average funding level of that peer group and then to the upper one-third of the group. With the FY 2006 UTM funding per full-time student at $9,781, it would take an additional $392 per student to reach the average funding level of the peer group and $1,009 to be in the upper one-third.

“... I think we’ve got a gem here (UTM) and I think we’ve got a university system that has a greater opportunity than any other I know of in the country right now to go forward, “ Petersen said.

Petersen’s two-day visit to UTM ended with a visit to the Tennessee room of the Honors Building where he listened to freshmen university scholars debate about requiring foreign languages to be taken by students in all K-12 schools.

Chancellor Nick Dunagan and Provost Tom Rakes also stayed to listen to the scholars debate. After the debate, Rakes became involved in the discussion about the possibility of implementing foreign language requirements.

Honors Director Dan McDonough was the debate moderator.