NASHVILLE (AP) — The outgoing University of Tennessee board of trustees has passed a resolution giving a vote of confidence to UT President Joe DiPietro following his stunning ouster of the school's first female chancellor.

The board meeting comes in the midst of a firestorm of accusations following the sacking of Beverly Davenport. It also follows a decision this week by the UT Faculty Senate to pass a resolution that censured DiPietro's actions.

At the meeting in Nashville, Vice Chairman Raja Jubran said DiPietro had always had the best interest of the UT system and had restored confidence in the office of the presidency.

A new and smaller board of trustees will meet for the first time in July following the passage of a law backed by Gov. Bill Haslam.