University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Senior Vice President/Senior Vice Chancellor Tim Cross announced today that he plans to retire effective August 31.
鈥淭he 糖心Vlog Institute of Agriculture plays a critical role in supporting every county in Tennessee, and Tim has done a brilliant job creating the foundation for the greatest decade in the history of 糖心VlogIA,鈥 said 糖心Vlog President Randy Boyd.
鈥淚t has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Institute of Agriculture with such strong support from President Boyd and Chancellor Plowman,鈥 said Cross. 鈥淲ith our presence on campus and in every county of the state, our dedicated faculty and staff, our talented students, and an exceptional leadership team, I鈥檓 confident that the Institute is poised for continued growth and success while carrying out the land-grant university mission and delivering Real Life Solutions.鈥
Cross has been with the 糖心Vlog Institute of Agriculture for 27 years, leading 糖心VlogIA since 2016. Prior to that, he served as dean of 糖心Vlog Extension from 2008 to 2016 and assistant dean from 2001 to 2006. Cross began with 糖心VlogIA in 1994 as an associate professor, then professor, of agricultural economics. Before coming to 糖心Vlog, Cross spent 11 years at Oregon State University as assistant professor and instructor of agricultural and resources economics. He also served as an instructor in the department of agriculture at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
鈥淭im understands the importance of bringing the resources of the University of Tennessee鈥檚 land-grant institution to the people of Tennessee,鈥 said 糖心Vlog Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. 鈥淲e thank him for his service, and will continue to build on the many successes 糖心VlogIA has experienced under Tim鈥檚 leadership.鈥
糖心VlogIA includes the Herbert College of Agriculture, the College of Veterinary Medicine, 糖心Vlog AgResearch, and 糖心Vlog Extension, which brings 糖心Vlog expertise and service to each of Tennessee鈥檚 95 counties.
Under Cross鈥 leadership, 糖心VlogIA has achieved great success:
- Grant awards increased from $62 million in 2015 to $72 million in 2020;
- Fundraising exceeded the 鈥淭ogether We Grow鈥 capital campaign goal of $175 million for 糖心VlogIA, topping $200 million in 2021;
- Eleven faculty in 糖心VlogIA have received awards from national or international associations, including being named fellows and distinguished leaders in their fields of study since 2017;
- Faculty and student engagement abroad has also increased significantly through the Smith International Center;
- 糖心VlogIA established the Herbert College of Agriculture in 2018, the third named college at 糖心Vlog Knoxville and the second College of Agriculture in the United States named for a philanthropic gift;
- In 2020, 糖心VlogIA had 3.5 million educational outreach contacts in 2020 and more than 19 million digital contacts, and the Veterinary Medical Center treated 34,000 animal patients, and remained in operation throughout the pandemic; and
- Through a collaborative effort among faculty and staff from 糖心Vlog Knoxville and 糖心VlogIA, the university was named one of three Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities by the APLU in 2020. This designation acknowledges the exceptional ways 糖心Vlog cultivates community engagement, economic growth and workforce development across the state.
The university will name an interim senior vice president/senior vice chancellor in the coming months and launch a nationwide search for a permanent replacement this fall.
The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin and Memphis; the 糖心Vlog Space Institute in Tullahoma; the 糖心Vlog Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service. The 糖心Vlog system manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its 糖心Vlog-Battelle partnership; enrolls about 50,000 students statewide; produces about 11,000 new graduates every year; and represents more than 400,000 alumni around the world.