Beverly Davenport was named the new chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville Thursday during a meeting of the college system's board of trustees.
Davenport, 62, will be the first woman to lead the state's flagship campus. She was approved by the unanimous vote of the board members at the meeting.
She is currently the interim president of the University of Cincinnati and will take the helm at UT in 2017. The UT board also approved Davenport's base salary of $585,000 per year, plus additional compensation.
"We've emerged with a woman who is incredibly talented," UT system President Joe DiPietro told board members while Davenport watched the meeting with her daughter. “We’re really pleased that you’re with us today, Beverly.”
Davenport comes to UT at a pivotal time for the university. She will quickly need to fill two important posts — provost and athletic director — and gear up for budget discussions during the 2017 legislative session.
She also will oversee the university's ongoing response to a Title IX lawsuit that was settled over the summer that alleged the school fostered a “hostile sexual environment” for women. A commission by DiPietro is examining each campus’ prevention, education and response to sexual assault.
DiPietro has said Davenport's "depth of experience" set her apart from the other two finalists, who were provosts for the University of Georgia and for the State University of New York system. She has spent time at land-grant universities has handled sensitive issues during her time as interim president at the University of Cincinnati.
Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.