Jimmy Cheek

{{Short description|Chancellor of the University of Tennessee}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jimmy G. Cheek | image = | order = | title2 = Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Florida | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|9|7}} | birth_place = Gorman, Texas | spouse = Ileen Cheek | children = 2 | title1 = 7th Chancellor of the<br />University of Tennessee, Knoxville | term_end2 = January, 2009 | term_start2 = January, 2005 | term_end1 = February 14, 2017 | term_start1 = February 1, 2009 | alma_mater = Texas A&M University (BS, PhD)<br>Lamar University (MS) | successor1 = Beverly J. Davenport }}

'''Jimmy G. Cheek''' is a former academic administrator. He served as senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida from 2005 to 2009 and as the 7th chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from February 2009, to February 2017. After leaving the chancellor's office, he joined the Knoxville's faculty at the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and retired from the university in November 2022.

== Education == Cheek holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Education and a bachelor's degree with high honors in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University. He received his master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from Lamar University.<ref name=":3" />

== Career ==

=== University of Florida === Cheek was hired at the University of Florida in 1975 as an assistant professor of agricultural education and communication and became professor in 1985. In 1981, he was appointed assistant department chair and served in that role until 1992.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2015-01-28 |title=Jimmy G. Cheek |url=https://elps.utk.edu/people/jimmy-g-cheek/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Educational Leadership and Policy Studies |language=en-US}}</ref>

From 1999 to 2005, Cheek served as dean of the University of Florida's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, where he led the creation of new academic programs, increased student enrollment, and enhanced research and teaching initiatives. Under his leadership, the college had $55 million in new funding, including recurring, non-recurring, and endowment resources.<ref name=":3" />

Cheek became assistant dean for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1992 and served for seven years before becoming dean. During his tenure, the college's undergraduate enrollment rose by 120%, degrees conferred doubled, and the early admissions program and an off-campus initiative were launched.<ref name=":3" />

From 2005 to 2009, Cheek served as senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida, overseeing the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). During his tenure, IFAS had growth in funding, such as a $20 million cellulosic ethanol plant and the $100 million Emerging Pathogens Institute, while grant expenditures rose 30% and private fundraising increased 76%.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=BLOGS.IFAS |date=2008-10-24 |title=UF Senior Vice President Jimmy Cheek Accepts UT Chancellor Post |url=https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2008/10/24/uf-senior-vice-president-jimmy-cheek-accepts-ut-chancellor-post/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=News |language=en}}</ref>

=== University of Tennessee, Knoxville === During his time as the 7th chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the university invested more than $1 billion in new facilities, increased enrollment and retention, opened several research centers, named the colleges of business and engineering, and was designated a Carnegie Engaged University.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The University of Tennessee, Knoxville {{!}} UT Timeline |url=https://www.utk.edu/history/jimmy-cheek-chancellorship |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=www.utk.edu}}</ref>

Major accomplishments include approval by the Board of Trustees of differential tuition for 4 colleges, the 15-4 tuition model where full-time undergraduates pay for 15 credit hours each semester, and approval of a transformational campus infrastructure and landscaping plan. In 2012 the campus launched a private fund-raising campaign, Join the Journey, with a goal to raise $1.1 billion by 2020 and raised about $1.3 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Journey of Generosity |url=https://giving.utk.edu/s/1341/2/20/adv.aspx?sid=1341&gid=2&pgid=14544 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=giving.utk.edu |language=en}}</ref>

== Awards and recognitions == The Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee System honored him for his work as Chancellor with a resolution commending him for his outstanding service to the board, university, and state. He received the Leadership and Service Award from the Alumni Board of Directors, a Faculty Senate Resolution honoring his significant and lasting contributions, a Thomas Jefferson Cup for his support and dedication from the Chancellor's Associates, and the Student Government Association created the Jimmy G. Cheek Visionary Award to annually recognize a visionary student leader.<ref name=":3" />

Dr. Cheek has received Outstanding Alumni Awards from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Education and Human Development from Texas A&M University.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Today |first=AgriLife |date=2012-10-16 |title=Texas A&M agriculture, life sciences college bestows alumni awards |url=https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2012/10/16/texas-am-agriculture-life-sciences-college-bestows-alumni-awards/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=AgriLife Today |language=en-US}}</ref> Tarleton State University awarded him the President's Legacy Award for Excellence Through Leadership.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chandler |first=Tysha |date=2017-01-30 |title=Three receive 2017 Tarleton State University Legacy Awards {{!}} Tarleton News |url=https://web.tarleton.edu/news/three-receive-2017-tarleton-state-university-legacy-awards/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=web.tarleton.edu |language=en-US}}</ref>

While at the University of Florida, Cheek received the President's Medallion and Student Body Resolution 2009-104 for dedicated and loyal service to the university and outstanding service to students, respectively, and the Morton Wolfson Faculty Award for outstanding contributions to the quality of student life.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2011-12-03 |title=Office of the Chancellor {{!}} Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek |url=http://chancellor.utk.edu/bio/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203040247/http://chancellor.utk.edu/bio/ |archive-date=2011-12-03 |access-date=2022-08-30}}</ref> Cheek was named to the Academy of Teaching Excellence in 2008 at the University of Florida, a Fellow of the American Association for Agricultural Education in 2005, and a Fellow of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in 1998.<ref name=":1" />

== Professional service == Cheek served on the United Way Tocqueville Cabinet, the Greater Knoxville Board of Directors,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board Members |url=https://www.uwgk.org/our-people/board-members/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029162146/https://www.uwgk.org/our-people/board-members/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 29, 2020 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=United Way of Greater Knoxville |language=en-US }}</ref> and was the United Way of Greater Knoxville Campaign Chair in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Board Members |url=https://www.uwgk.org/2018-board-members/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701160420/https://www.uwgk.org/2018-board-members/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=United Way of Greater Knoxville |language=en-US }}</ref> He was a member of the Delaware Valley University Board of Trustees<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Trustees |url=https://delval.edu/office-of-the-president/board-trustees |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=delval.edu |language=en}}</ref> and past chair of the board of directors for the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dr. Jimmy Cheek Elected to IFDC Board of Directors – IFDC |date=19 June 2012 |url=https://ifdc.org/2012/06/19/dr-jimmy-cheek-elected-to-ifdc-board-of-directors-2/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |language=en-US}}</ref> Cheek was the chair of the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources, a member of its Energy Forum, a board member of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Purdy |first=Michael |date=2012-03-01 |title=UT Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek on APLU Board, Chairs APLU Commission |url=https://news.utk.edu/2012/03/01/cheek-aplu-board/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=News |language=en-US}}</ref> and currently a commission member of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities Food Systems Leadership Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |title=APLU / FSLI Commission Members – Food Systems Leadership Institute |url=https://fsli.org/aplu-flsi-commission/aplu-fsli-commission-members/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |language=en-US}}</ref>

While Chancellor, Cheek served on the UT-Battelle Board of Governors for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the board of directors for United Health System, the Pat Summit Foundation, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Board of Directors, the SEC Executive Committee and chaired the Leadership Knoxville Board of Directors.<ref name=":3" />

== Personal life == Cheek is a native of Texas and is married to Ileen Cheek, and they have two children and four grandchildren.<ref name=":3" />

== Publications ==

* Cheek, J. G., & Arrington, L. R. (2011). Reshaping SAE to provide experiential learning in the 1990s. ''The Agricultural Education Magazine'', ''83''(4), 5–8. * Cheek, J. G. (2008). Ag Fuels Florida's Future. ''Florida Grower'', ''101''(4), 34. * Cheek, J. G. (2006). Safeguarding the future of Florida's citrus industry. Florida Grower, 22, 24. * Darnell, R., & Cheek, J. (2005). Plant science graduate students: Demographics, research areas, and recruitment issues. ''HortScience'', ''40''(4), 1138B-1138. * Martin, M. V., & Cheek, J. G. (2004). Off-campus degree programs: lessons from Florida's experience. ''NACTA journal'', 42–45. * Connor, L. J., & Cheek, J. G. (2002). Effective utilization of faculty task forces for problem solving. ''NACTA Journal'', 27–32. * Achey, P. M., & Cheek, J. G. (1999). Alternative Approaches to Computerized Monitoring of Student Progress. ''NACTA journal'', 24-28 * Comer, D. A., Cheek, J. G., & Connor, L. J. (1996). A case study of undergraduate curricular reform in a college of agriculture. ''NACTA Journal'', ''40''(3), 4–13. * Cheek, J. G., Arrington, L. R., & McGhee, M. B. (1995). ''Effective oral communication''. Interstate Publishers. * Cheek, J. G., Arrington, L. R., Carter, S., & Randell, R. S. (1994). Relationship of supervised agricultural experience program participation and student achievement in agricultural education. ''Journal of agricultural education'', ''35''(2), 1–5. * Arrington, L. R., & Cheek, J. G. (1990). SAE Scope and Student Achievement in Agribusiness and Natural Resources Education. ''Journal of Agricultural Education'', ''31''(2), 55–61. * Cheek, J. (1988). Maintaining Momentum in Vocational Education Research. ''Journal of Vocational Education Research'', ''13''(1), 1–17. * Cheek, J. G. (1983). Predicting Whether or Not Agricultural Education Graduates Will Teach. ''Journal of Vocational Education Research'', ''8''(4), 49–60. * Cheek, J. G., & Christiansen, J. E. (1977). Perceptions regarding the role of the vocational counselor. ''The Journal of Educational Research'', ''70''(5), 281–285.

== References == {{reflist}} {{University of Tennessee Knoxville leaders}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheek, Jimmy}} Category:University of Florida faculty Category:Texas A&M University alumni Category:Living people Category:Lamar University alumni Category:Leaders of the University of Tennessee Knoxville Category:1946 births