Board approves naming of three Knoxville facilities, including Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building

The executive committee approved three facility naming resolutions for buildings on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus.

Trustees approved naming the new chemistry building the Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building in recognition of a transformative gift from the Wharton family. They also approved naming the Food Science Building in honor of Dean Emeritus John McLeod; the presenter said the building had previously carried McLeod’s name before a renovation and that McLeod’s family made a generous gift commitment. Finally, trustees approved renaming the Jenny Boyd Carousel Theater to the Jennie Boyd Theater after design changes made the term "carousel" inaccurate.

All three naming resolutions were approved by roll call vote. The recorded votes were: Trustee John Compton, aye; Trustee DeCosta Jenkins, aye; Trustee Bill Rhodes, aye; Trustee Donnie Smith, aye; Trustee Jamie Woodson, aye.

Why it matters: Trustees said the namings reflect donor commitments that support facilities, programs and faculty across campus and help the university build endowments and capacity that support enrollment growth. The committee noted these decisions follow the university’s naming policies and involve substantial philanthropic commitments.