The facelift continues at the University of Tennessee.

"This is a university on the move," said Todd Diacon, chairperson of UT's athletics board after Saturday morning's fall meeting in the Ray Mears Room at Thompson-Boling Arena. "I think we all recognize that."

UT men's athletics director Mike Hamilton does. He spoke of "changing the face of Tennessee basketball and football" within five to 10 years.

Proposals are being developed to renovate Thompson-Boling with skyboxes, more seats and a better main concourse. Estimated cost: $13 million.

Plans were discussed to build an adjoining two-court practice facility shared by the men's and women's teams for an estimated $15 million.

"It will make Thompson-Boling available for a lot of other functions and therefore offset the costs," Hamilton said. "Of course it would make it much more possible for the teams to be able to practice when they want to."

The master plan for renovating Neyland Stadium goes to the Board of Trustees in November.

Hamilton said fundraisers are in place to help pay for both.

"We're headed in the right direction," he said. "We've got plans for where we're going.

"We are going to be cost effective in the management of our resources and continue to look for new revenue sources."

The men's athletic department raised a record $24,511,301 in contributions for the 2004 fiscal year that ended June 30. That's a 19-percent increase from 2003.

The men made $60.2 in revenue for 2004. The women's side made just more than $13 million, including $7.2 million in support from the men.

"We have lots of things going in the right direction," women's AD Joan Cronan said, "and facility upgrades are our next priority.

"It takes a lot of people doing the right things to make our athletic programs successful, and we have that."

Groundbreaking for a new aquatics center is set for early November. It'll take about 28 months to finish.

Improvements also are being planned for soccer and softball facilities.

Cronan said her objective hasn't changed in 22 years at Tennessee.

"My goal is to enhance opportunities for women without decreasing opportunities for men," she said. "I think we've done that as well as any institution in this country."

In 1994-95, the participation rate was 74 percent men, 26 percent women. It's now 56 men, 44 women.

Hamilton also reported the change in the grandfathered football ticket policy resulted in $750,000 in additional revenue. There will be no grandfathered tickets on the sideline by 2006.

Attendance In Classroom: UT is reviewing a proposed policy that would suspend athletes one game for having more than three unexcused absences in a class.

"This proposal is in discussion right now," said Ann Fairhurst, chairperson of academic integrity/welfare-conduct of student athletes.

UT has 501 student athletes.

Also, Fairhurst said an "objective-based" study hall program piloted last fall with 10 test students was a success. GPAs increased an average 1.22 points.

The program focuses on effort "rather than the number of hours required per week (in study hall)," Fairhusrt said.