The revolving door of leadership at the University of Tennessee is going around again. Multiple sources have confirmed to Volquest.com that Chancellor Beverly Davenport has been relieved of her duties at the University of Tennessee as first reported by WMNL SportsTalk host Jimmy Hyams.
Davenport was hired in December of 2016 and took office in February of 2017. Her first major action was the hiring of athletics director John Currie. She relieved Currie of his duties on Dec. 1, 2017 less than a year after he was hired. She replaced Currie with current athletic director Phillip Fulmer who last month was given a four year contract paying him a million dollars a year.
Davenport also went against popular opinion of the former Board of Trustees when she voting against Govenor Bill Haslam's outscouring plan for the University of Tennessee.
Davenport was supposed to attend Tuesday's declaration day which is essentially a signing day event for students who have been admitted at freshman to the University for the upcoming fall semester. Davenport was not in attendance saying she was called away for an urgent meeting in Nashville.
In a statement issued via a release, University of Tennessee President Joe Dipietro called Davenport's removal 'unfortunate,' but 'necessary.'
"It is my responsibility as UT president to ensure the success of every campus, beginning with the leadership of every campus. A great deal is at stake in these hires, particularly given the importance of the flagship campus both to fulfilling the UT system mission and to that mission’s impact on the lives of all Tennesseans. Upon realizing that UT Knoxville needed a change from Dr. Davenport’s leadership, I decided to take action to address the leadership need,” DiPietro said.
“Dr. Davenport and I have had several conversations during her tenure as chancellor to lay out expectations, and discuss concerns. Unfortunately, issues arose that have progressed and, while I am disappointed to have to make this change, it is necessary and in the best interests of the University."
May 2, 2018
Dr. Beverly Davenport
Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
527 Andy Holt TowerKnoxville, TN 37996-0184
Dear Beverly:
I have decided that it is in the best interest of The University of Tennessee to change the leadership of our flagship campus and terminate your appointment as Chancellor of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Your performance evaluation for Calendar Year 2017, a copy of which is being provided to you under separate cover, describes numerous areas of unsatisfactory performance. In several areas, even after I raised concerns early in your tenure and addressed them multiple times since then, you have been either unwilling or unable to improve, including:
1.The relationship between us, as well as that between you (and some members of your cabinet) and some on my leadership team continues to be unsatisfactory. More times than I find acceptable, there has been a lack of trust, collaboration, communication, and transparency in these relationships, and it has been counterproductive to the collective success of the university.2.You would have benefited from a professional coach, and your unwillingness to routinely engage one, despite my recommendation that you do so, has been frustrating.3.You have not acclimated yourself to the UT system and still appear unwilling to try to understand or acknowledge the value of the UT system. I continue to detect that you (and some members of your cabinet) have an “us (UTK) vs. them (UT system and UT Board)” mentality.4.Your one on one, small group, and business transactional communication skills are very poor. I have had multiple people on multiple occasions complain that you do not listen to the person talking to you or pay attention to the details of written communications you receive. I also have received multiple complaints from multiple people about your ability to communicate orally. These complaints are consistent with my personal experience.5.Regularly, you have problems with lack of organization, attention to details, timely follow-up.6.You have failed to accept ultimate responsibility in some cases where subordinates make mistakes or errors and publicly have blamed administrators who held positions before you or others in dealing with problems you inherited.7.You have failed to communicate to the campus a defined strategic vision of where you want to take the institution and a plan for its implementation.
As I indicated to you last Tuesday, I do not think you can be successful as the leader of our flagship campus and have decided that it is best to move forward with a change in leadership rather than putting you on a formal performance improvement plan after considering: (1) the number, magnitude, and fundamental nature of the areas that need to be addressed; (2) the lack of trust in our relationship; (3) your unwillingness or inability to address many of the areas that I brought to your attention early in your tenure and multiple times since then, which leads me to conclude that a formal performance improvement plan would not lead to the required changes; and (4) the broad-based concerns and compelling lack of support from Board of Trustees members regarding your leadership, and my belief that you will have similar problems with the new Board.
Effective July 1, 2018, in accordance with the terms of your appointment letter dated December 6, 2016, your appointment will be converted from your current administrative appointment as Chancellor to your full-time faculty appointment as Professor, with tenure, in the School of Communication Studies. As approved by the Board of Trustees, your compensation as Professor will be $438,750.00 (which is 75% of your initial base salary as Chancellor of $585,000.00) for four years. Beginning with the fifth year, your compensation in your faculty appointment will be adjusted to the average base salary of full professors in the department. Effective immediately, and until June 30, 2018, you will be placed on administrative leave with pay.
Obviously, this is not where either of us hoped we would be when I hired you. Personally, I am disappointed that this action is necessary, but as President it is my duty to make decisions that are in the best interest of The University of Tennessee. I wish you the best as you return to the faculty.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. DiPietro
President
