FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 7, 2007
Contact: Rita Mitchell, University Relations
RAKES IS NEW UT MARTIN CHANCELLOR
MARTIN, Tenn. – Dr. Thomas A. Rakes was named the ninth University of Tennessee at Martin chancellor in an announcement on Monday by University of Tennessee President Dr. John Petersen. Rakes will begin his new role on July 1, succeeding Dr. Nick Dunagan, who will retire June 30.
“This is a critical time in the continued growth and excellence of our Martin campus,” said Petersen. “Identifying and selecting the individual capable of leading UT Martin through this transition from the strong leadership and demand for excellence of Chancellor Dunagan has been a challenging but vital task.
“In Tom Rakes, we are fortunate to have an individual who is known and respected on this campus, who understands the Martin mission and can move seamlessly into the leadership role. At the same time, he has demonstrated his commitment to pursuing excellence and to continuing to raise the bar,” added Petersen.
“It is this combination that makes Tom a unique and ideal choice for Martin at this important time. We’re pleased he is seizing this critical opportunity for the university to continue and build on the momentum under way here at Martin. We welcome Tom to the task and appreciate very much Nick’s continued contribution to this transition,” Petersen said.
Rakes joined UT Martin as vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of educational studies in May 2002. He was named provost in 2005.
“I am pleased and very honored to be selected as the next chancellor. We have a tradition of excellence and a host of opportunities for growth, expanded research and outreach as a student focused institution,” said Rakes.
Dunagan added, “I am excited about President Petersen’s appointment of Tom Rakes as UT Martin’s next chancellor. Tom knows and appreciates this region; he knows and understands the faculty, staff and students of this campus; and he has been a highly effective provost with great leadership skills. UT Martin is going to be in good hands.”
Rakes’ wife, Dr. Glenda Rakes, is a UT Martin professor of education. The couple has two children, Karee and Patrick.
Rakes received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Milligan College, a master's degree in reading from East Tennessee State University and a doctor of education from UT Knoxville.
Before coming to UT Martin, he was interim president at University of Louisiana at Monroe. He began his employment at Monroe in 1995 as College of Education and Human Development dean and professor. Also, he served as vice provost and Graduate Studies and Research dean. He became UL Monroe provost and vice president for academic affairs in 2000. Rakes previously served as a University of Memphis professor and director of the Division of Research and Development in the College of Education. He also served as chair and professor in the Department of Instruction and Curriculum. Also, the new chancellor has been a UT Knoxville instructor, and University Reading Center assistant director. His first education position was as a Johnson City, Tenn., teacher and basketball coach.
Rakes has completed a variety of scholarly activities including more than 160 refereed presentations and publications. He is a member of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission Performance Funding Standards Review Committee, Tennessee P-16 Mathematics Curriculum Alignment Committee and the National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal editorial board, a recipient of the Tennessee Institute for Pre-professionals Outstanding Service Award and chair of the UT Martin Enrollment Management Task Force, among numerous other honors and leadership appointments. Additionally, he has been involved in consultation and presentations for professional development and accreditation for more than 40 different institutions of higher education. Since 1978, he has been associated with 11 training programs that have been developed for business or nonprofit organizations operating in six states. Corporate consulting has involved communications improvement and human resources evaluation for hotel, manufacturing and retail businesses.
The announcement culminated a seven-month search spearheaded by an advisory committee Petersen named last October. The committee, chaired by Dr. Jerald Ogg, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, began with more than 60 applicants and was assisted in the search by the firm of Baker Parker Global Executive Search, of Atlanta, Ga.