Biography
Richard Bayer is Assistant Provost, Enrollment Services and has oversight of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of the University Registrar, and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Mr. Bayer joined UT as Dean of Admissions and Records in 1999 and was named Dean of Enrollment Services in 2001. In 2008, Bayer was named Assistant Provost and Director of Enrollment Services. Under Bayer’s tenure the past five years have witnessed a sharp increase in the number of applications and the quality of the freshman class. African American enrollment has increased from less than 7% in 1999 to 9% in 2007. More than 150 million dollars of student aid and scholarships were disbursed this year to UT students. While serving as Assistant Provost of Enrollment Services, UT has moved up the rankings in US News and World Report to rank in the nation’s top 50 among all public research universities
Enrollment Services is also responsible for providing services to students, staff, and faculty. The Office of the University Registrar produces The Timetable (schedule of course offerings), the graduate and undergraduate catalogs, and the academic calendars. In addition, it is responsible for registration, verification of enrollment, grading, graduation, commencement, and is the custodian of student records.
The Offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid and Scholarships have recently focused its attention on recruiting under-represented students at UT, and making it affordable. Through his guidance and leadership the University has launched two new scholarship programs, The Tennessee Pledge, and the Tennessee Promise for low income and under-represented students.
Mr. Bayer was honored for his work promoting diversity on campus and was named the recipient of the Hardy Liston Jr. Symbol of Hope Award from the Commission of Blacks at the 2008 Chancellor’s Award banquet.
Mr. Bayer earned his Masters Degree in History from Niagara University. He also teaches a First Year Studies course to incoming freshman. Prior to arriving at UT Mr. Bayer was University Registrar at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Mr. Bayer has a daughter Charlotte who aspires to attend the University of Tennessee after graduation from high school next year.