University of Tennessee to give highest honor to former senator and a Civil Rights leader

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will give honorary degrees this year to two important state figures, one who served as a U.S. senator and another who fought for equal rights in education.

At UT, an honorary degree is one of the highest forms of recognition it bestows. Earlier this year, UT honored Bob Booker with a degree before his death.

The next people to receive the honor will be former Sen. Lamar Alexander and Rita Sanders Geier.

The university has not set a date for when this will happen, but here's what we do know: UT will give Alexander an honorary Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences and Geier an honorary Doctorate of Laws.

The UT System Board of Trustees approved the honorary degrees at its annual meeting in June, along with a reappointment for Randy Boyd, a historic renaming of a college and tuition increases for every UT campus.

Sen. Lamar Alexander helped run the University of Tennessee

Alexander, who turned 84 on July 3, has served in numerous public roles throughout his life.

The Maryville native earned degrees from Vanderbilt University and New York University Law School. He was elected and served as Tennessee governor from 1979 to 1987. He also was the U.S. secretary of education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush, and he was elected to serve in the U.S. Senate from 2003 until 2021 when he retired.

Alexander also served as the 18th UT president for a short stint from 1988 to 1991. He helped set some groundwork for UT to move forward with his vision for connecting with Oak Ridge National Lab.

"His remarkable legacy as a leader with a commitment to advancing education for all makes him a truly deserving candidate for this prestigious honor and is an inspiration to so many," UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman wrote in her recommendation letter.

Rita Geier changed higher education in Tennessee

Geier, a Memphis native, attended Fisk University and received her master's degree from the University of Chicago. She worked at Tennessee State University before entering the Vanderbilt University Law School.

Along with four other plaintiffs, Geier filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Tennessee in 1968, saying Black students and faculty members were segregated from equal higher education opportunities.

The lawsuit brought systemic change to higher education systems across the South, including through the 2001 Geier Consent Decree, which provided $77 million from the state of Tennessee to help diversify institutions and fund scholarships.

Between the lawsuit and the decree, Geier was admitted to the bar in Tennessee and in Washington, D.C. She joined the Department of Justice in 1979 and served as general counsel for the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Geier joined the Social Security Administration in 1992, first as a deputy associate commissioner and then as associate commissioner, before becoming the executive counselor on interagency adjudication.

She worked for UT from 2007 until 2011 as associate to the chancellor and as a senior fellow in the Howard Baker Center, which is now the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs.

"Her courageous legal efforts not only transformed Tennessee’s educational system but also paved the way for a more inclusive society. By challenging discriminatory policies and tirelessly advocating for the rights of all citizens, regardless of race, Ms. Geier has left an indelible mark on our state and country’s history," Plowman wrote in her recommendation letter for Geier.

Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.

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