Ammar L. Ammar

The meeting featured a Chancellor's update regarding state budget allocations for new infrastructure and key leadership recruitment. Representatives from East Tennessee Children's Hospital discussed a new partnership for a residency program. The Executive Dean of the College of Medicine provided an update on initial leadership priorities, accreditation, and strategic goals. A comprehensive presentation on the College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building project was shared, outlining programming and design phases. The board reviewed the results of an enterprise risk management assessment and engaged in a detailed discussion regarding a proposed 2% tuition and fee adjustment for the upcoming academic year. The board unanimously approved the tuition increase, and the meeting concluded with an acknowledgment of a recent retirement.

The meeting featured a Chancellor's update and a presentation on rural health transformation, focusing on addressing healthcare access disparities and the role of the Tennessee Rural Healthcare Center of Excellence. The primary focus was the Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal, which included a review of financial performance history, strategies for achieving financial sustainability, and key guiding principles for the upcoming budget. The board reviewed proposed investments across several pillars, including community engagement, educational excellence, research expansion, and talent development, along with proposed capital investments such as the new College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building.

The meeting featured several key presentations and discussions. The Chancellor provided an update and special recognition. The Executive Dean of the College of Medicine presented on the 'First 100 Days,' focusing on listening, strengthening foundations, and advancing the statewide mission, alongside updates on successful LCME accreditation reaffirmation. Research momentum was discussed, highlighting statewide cancer collaboration and plans for restructuring the NASH Building. A unified statewide vision for the College of Medicine was emphasized, along with strategic growth plans, including expanding class size to 250 students and developing early pipeline programs. Further discussions covered culture and leadership philosophy, facilities modernization, and an update on the College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building, including space utilization study findings and design considerations for the new facility. The Executive Vice Chancellor presented on Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), detailing the top 10 risks identified, and a proposal for AY26-27 Tuition and Mandatory Fees, which involved a program-by-program evaluation leading to a recommended across-the-board adjustment of approximately 1.8-2%.

The meeting included a Chancellor's Update covering recent campus events and expressions of gratitude for efforts aligning with the strategic direction. The Board recognized Alliance Healthcare for its partnership in mental health services, with the CEO detailing their work with adults and upcoming services for children, and announcing a new psychiatric residency program. A financial update noted that the internal $55M budget deficit, identified in late 2023, has been reduced by approximately $21M. The capital update focused on the College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building (COMIB), estimated at $350M, with HOK and brg3s architects selected as designers; ground breaking is anticipated in August 2026 pending funding confirmation. Campus master planning efforts led by Ayers Saint Gross (ASG) will present a final plan by fall 2026.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center's strategic plan for 2023-2028 is a roadmap designed to achieve the vision of 'Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.' It focuses on five core pillars: strengthening partnerships to engage communities, promoting quality interprofessional education, growing research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, expanding quality care across Tennessee, and creating an environment of success for all stakeholders. The plan emphasizes building institutional capacity through broad engagement with internal and external communities.