Latest News
News & Notices
With more than 600 team members, 10 units, and countless ideas for innovation and improvement, there’s always something to share from Facilities Services. Whether we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming construction or campus closures as a result of infrastructure improvements, you’ll find all of our news and notices here.
EVERY PERSON & PROJECT HAS A STORY
As the flagship campus for the University of Tennessee, our campus is more than just a collection of buildings and pathways – it’s a vibrant landscape that tells a story rich in history, tradition, and innovation. From the iconic, time-honored halls that have witnessed countless milestones, to the green spaces where students and staff gather, every corner of our campus is steeped in meaning. Our Facilities Services team plays a vital role in maintaining this environment, ensuring that every aspect of the campus runs smoothly and efficiently.
The dedication and hard work of our Facilities Services staff often go unnoticed by those outside their departments, yet they are the unsung heroes who keep the heart of the campus beating. These employees work behind the scenes to create safe, welcoming, and functional spaces for learning, collaboration, and community. Whether it’s responding to an urgent request, performing routine maintenance, or enhancing the campus environment with innovative solutions, the Facilities Services team approaches each task with dedication and a deep sense of pride.
It’s a privilege to share the stories of how these talented individuals work together every day to serve our campus community. Through their efforts, they exemplify the Volunteer Spirit that defines the University of Tennessee. Their work is not just about physical spaces; it’s about creating an environment where history continues to be made, and where each person who steps onto our campus can feel inspired, supported, and valued.
-
When Mowers Cannot Go, Goats Get to Work
On the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s 910-acre campus in the rolling hills of East Tennessee, summer landscape work comes with its share of challenges. Facilities Services Landscape Services maintains everything from wide-open lawns to steep, difficult-to-reach embankments, often in hot weather and on terrain that is not especially mower-friendly. To meet those challenges, the team…
-
Keeping Rocky Top Running: Women in Maintenance Make an Impact
Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student AssistantEvery day, thousands of students and employees move through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville without thinking twice about the lights that turn on, the doors that lock, the air conditioning that keeps classrooms cool, or the plumbing that simply works. Behind each of those everyday moments is a…
-
The Annual Outage That Helps Prevent Unplanned Outages
For most of campus, the annual steam outage comes and goes without any notice beyond slightly cooler building temperatures. There are no ribbon cuttings, no crowds gathered around a construction site, and few visible signs of the work taking place beneath the surface. Yet for dozens of Facilities Services employees, the outage represents one of…
-
Breaking Barriers, Building Leaders: How Maria Martinez Earned Her Doctorate—and Helped Redefine What’s Possible in Facilities Services
When Maria Martinez finished defending her dissertation in early April, the moment didn’t feel the way she expected. She closed her laptop in her own home with only her dog there beside her. There was no grand celebration. No immediate sense of arrival. She mostly felt a surreal stillness. “Now what?” she thought. Everything had changed. And yet, in that moment, everything felt the same. So she…
-
Shaping Rocky Top: Ted Murphy Named Director of Design for UT Facilities Services
UT Facilities Services is proud to announce the appointment of Ted Murphy as its next Director of Design. Ted’s career is defined by long-standing service, deep institutional knowledge, and a collaborative leadership style that has helped shape the university’s built and natural environments. We eagerly anticipate the ways he will continue to steward and elevate…
-
From Proposal to Pavement: TDEC Grant Will Expand Electric Fleet at Facilities Services
Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is always looking for new ways to support a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient campus environment. This year, Facilities Services is taking a major step forward with the introduction of nine, large all-electric utilities and recycling vehicles, some of the first of their kind in the state of Tennessee.…
-
From Crisis to Control: Building a More Resilient Campus After Elliott
In late 2022, Winter Storm Elliott put our campus to the test. The extreme cold exposed vulnerabilities across critical systems and left us with more than $10 million in damage and disruption. It was a hard lesson, and it became a turning point for Facilities Services. Since then, our teams have worked with one goal in mind:…
-
In Case You Needed a Sign…
Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant Most people cross the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus without a second thought about the signs guiding their way. They fade into the background: arrows pointing toward buildings, room numbers on doors, decals on police vehicles, bright orange event boards lining the sidewalks. Yet every one of…
-
Behind the Build: The Work Powering Lindsey Nelson Stadium’s Upgrade
Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant Lindsey Nelson Stadium has long been a cornerstone of Tennessee baseball, but its latest transformation marks a new chapter for both the team and the fans who fill the stands. As the Vols continue to rise in national prominence, the stadium has grown with them, evolving into…
-
Where Campus Work Starts: UT Facilities Services’ Central Supply Warehouse
Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is known for its size, spirit, and its unmistakable presence in the state, but behind the roar of Neyland Stadium and the bustle of campus life is an operation that keeps Rocky Top rolling. At the center of that operation is the…
It Takes a Volunteer
More than 600 individuals make up Facilities Services, working tirelessly to keep the campus running 365 days a year.”