Friday morning, the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees unanimously approved Donde Plowman as the ninth Chancellor of UT-Knoxville. The selection came after an extensive national search. Plowman is currently executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Under her leadership, enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln grew by 35 percent in six years; the university added 70 new faculty, created several new academic initiatives – including the College of Business Honors Academy – and added many student services. She led a major fundraising effort that brought in nearly $150 million, including $84 million for a new building that opened in 2017.

Plowman is set to be the highest-paid chancellor in UT’s history, with a base salary of $600,000, a one-time moving allowance of $35,000 and an annual housing allowance of nearly $20,000.