Oh, My!

1,600 faculty members, thousands (tens of thousands?) of alumni, hundreds (thousands?) of emeriti, and hundreds of donors may soon lose the chance to be part of an important community. A community that builds camaraderie. A community that develops faculty to teach the next generation. A community that promotes networking among faculty and political leadership to advance the University's interests. The University of Tennessee under the direction of Dr. John Petersen and, locally, Chancellor Loren Crabtree have seen fit to terminate this community due to a $160,000 operating deficit in the past year.

A meeting of University Club membership was held today to discuss the pending closure of the University Club (formerly known as the Faculty Club). Dr. John Petersen graciously attended to address members concerns and defend the University’s decision to close the facility. Petersen said he would take the members’ concerns back to U.T. Chancellor Loren Crabtree. It appears to be of utmost importance to those concerned to contact Dr. Crabtree with their ideas to keep the University Club open.

In late May or early June, the University Club Board was called to a meeting with the University to let them know the University Club (UC) would be closed effective August 31, 2006. At that time there was no discussion as to how there could be a future for the UC. There had been no warning of a problem with the facility's operating deficit, especially considering a UC deficit is the norm. There was also no discussion of the decline of food quality and service after Aramark took over operations.

The President of the UC Board spent money out of her own pocket to inform UC members of the pending closing. The UC was denied funds by the University for the mailing. Why did the University not want members informed? (Dr. Petersen agreed just prior to todays meeting to reimburse her.)

There is also a question on possible deed restrictions for the facility and land. Apparently, part of the information cannot be found. Dr. Petersen mentioned some sort of connection between the closure of the Tennessee Grill and the UC. Who knows how this can be. The UC has been around for many decades prior to the Tennessee Grill being a blip on the radar.

In a more recent meeting last Thursday August 3rd, it was decided the UC would remain open for Sunday brunches and the Swim Club would remain open at least through 2007.

Why close it now? Why can’t the membership be given time to cure the deficit? The UC was a benefit offered to faculty, alumni, emeriti, and donors. Why does the University no longer want to offer this benefit? Why does the University think this community no longer important? Why do they announce this closing at the end of a semester, allowing for negotiations in the summer months when universities are practically closed and nobody is there?

Petersen says these types of clubs are on the decline. According to a member at the meeting, an organization of university clubs states that most “leading” universities have these types of clubs.

WBIR was at the meeting and filed a report on the 6 o’clock news. Here’s what they didn’t report.

They did not report that members attended the meeting today to protest the closing.

They did not report that a recent letter went out to members stating that the 1967 deed transfer has a conveyance clause stating that the property was donated to the faculty for the purpose of club facilities for a period of 56 years from the date of transfer.

They did not report that an attorney working with the Board stated there are property records missing and that at the present it is not clear what the deed restrictions may or may not be.

They did not report a member saying that when the possible deed restrictions were mentioned to the University, the University’s response was “prove it.”

They did not report a similar attempt to close the UC back in the early 70s so the University could build high-rise student housing on the property.

They did not report that membership voted to authorize the UC Board to raise the membership dues to cover the operating deficit for the next year, thus eliminating the University's only stated concern.

They did not report that membership also voted to authorize the UC Board to seek an injunction against closing the facility, if a reasonable request for more time to study the issue was not granted.

I was certainly surprised at the lack of communication regarding the closure of the University Club. There appear to be a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of faculty, alumni, emeriti and donors whose voices are not being heard.