Faculty Senate Closes Academic Year with Thanks for Collaboration, Resilience, and Dedication

Executive Vice Chancellor Raaj Kurapati, third from left, was named Administrator of the Year by the Faculty Senate during the group's end-of-year meeting. With him from left are: Dr. Ted Cory, president-elect; Dr. Tracy McClinton, outgoing president; Paul 'PJ' Koltnow, 2024 president; and Dr. Karen Derefinko, 2025 president.

UT Health Science Center's Faculty Senate accomplished much over the past academic year, despite political and financial challenges, Tracy McClinton, DNP, AG-ACNP-BC, APRN, outgoing Faculty Senate president said during the group's final meeting for the year.

"We have sustained during some challenging times, some of which will continue or resurface," Dr. McClinton, an associate professor in the College of Nursing, said. "However, through continued collaboration in shared governance with our chancellor and the Administrative Leadership Team, we have hope that we will continue to thrive during future uncertainties for the benefit of our university, the students, and the communities we serve."

Karen Derefinko, PhD, who served as president-elect last year and is the Faculty Senate president for 2025-26, echoed that sentiment, along with a message for the senators.

"I want you to know that I am humbled and honored to serve as your Faculty Senate president for the next year," Dr. Derefinko, an associate professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine in the College of Medicine, said. "I take this responsibility very seriously. Our jobs are to organize, assist, and advocate. Your department elected you to represent them. The senate needs your leadership now. I sincerely hope you will stand up and speak up often throughout this next year."

The senators elected additional officers for the new academic year.

Ted Cory, PharmD, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science in the College of Pharmacy, is the president-elect, after serving as secretary last year.

Nina Sublette, PhD, APRN-BC, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, was elected secretary.

Opening the meeting, Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, praised the senators for their "great collaboration" during the past year. "We're looking forward to a spectacular year next year," he said. "Thank you for the great year. We will put our heads and shoulders together as we move ahead."

Committee chairs reported on key accomplishments. Among them:

• The Clinical Affairs Committee focused on enhancing awareness of the university's clinical excellence and research resources. The committee also established a new Clinical Excellence Award.
• The Communications Committee reviewed a new AI policy.
• The Education Committee worked on updating the Honor Code, adding faculty members to the hearing procedures and more faculty support in the investigation process.
• The Research Committee advocated for developing institutional training grants for researchers.

During the awards portion of the meeting, the Faculty Senate recognized G. Nicholas Verne, MD, who recently completed nearly two years of service as the interim executive dean for the College of Medicine. "He has served tirelessly, he was resilient, he persevered, and continues to serve with grace," Dr. McClinton said.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati was named Administrator of the Year for transparency in working through issues experienced by the faculty, working for capital improvements, and balancing the budget while building reserves.

"When you share information, we all pull together," Kurapati said. "I will continue to lean into the leadership of the Faculty Senate, the Staff Senate, and the Student Government Association."

Chancellor Buckley received a Presidential Citation for his collaborative work with the faculty.

Also receiving Presidential Citations were Cindy Russell, PhD, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs, who was called "the running back for the university," and Valerie Fleming, PhD, senior associate vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs.

A Certificate of Appreciation went to Wes Byerly, PharmD, senior associate vice chancellor for Research, who served as interim vice chancellor for Research and "continues to serve at a high level."

"As faculty, we are the core, the strong foundation, that helps to hold our community together."

Dr. Tracy McClinton

Senators of the Year were Dr. Ted Cory and Kevin Freeman, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics in the College of Medicine, who chaired the Research Committee.

Terry Cooper, PhD, Harriett S. Van Vleet Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, also received a Presidential Citation for his work with the Handbook Committee

Three new awards were given.

Senate Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Martin Donaldson, DDS, associate professor in the College of Dentistry, for his equanimity and judgement, and Richard Smith, PhD, who after retirement from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, continues to serve.

The late Peg Hartig, PhD, APN-BC, who served 25 years in the College of Nursing before retiring in 2022, received the Faculty Senate Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for service to the community. Dr. Hartig passed away in June. "She served the community with such great passion," Dr. McClinton said.

The Clinical Excellence Award went to Diana Dedmon, DNP, APRN, associate professor and director of Clinical Affairs for the College of Nursing, for changing lives through clinical practice in rural communities.

Closing the meeting and her year as president, Dr. McClinton thanked the senators for their service, dedication, and resilience. "As faculty, we are the core, the strong foundation, that helps to hold our community together," she said. "We train the future health care professionals. How healthy can our community, can Tennesseans be, if we the faculty, do not educate, train them, and prepare them for the future? How well can the community be, can the future leaders be, without strong, resilient faculty to prepare them? I believe a community can only be as strong as the strongest, the best among them. In the health care community locally and with impact abroad, that is the faculty of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center."