Following the announcement regarding changes to the athletics tickets program, UT has announced a major change in the academic process and how graduations will be processed.
Under the new system, students and family members will need to give money to a new fund overseen by the athletic department in order to receive a diploma.
UT says it has adopted this policy “to facilitate quicker and more streamlined academic schedules, and to eliminate any confusion that non-donors are important to the future of Tennessee or the college…” Under the new program, students are allowed to graduate once the combined total of donations from family members is equal to the value of an amount of silver that is exactly 18 times the weight of the student.
Gifts may be made to academics, but only those designated to the athletics department will be counted towards graduation.