KNOXVILLE (AP) — The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees has been selected to receive a national leadership award from the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

The UT trustees were all new to the board in 2018 when the Tennessee General Assembly restructured governance. Since then, they have appointed a new UT president and new chancellor of UT Knoxville.

Some of the board's successes include a 1.9% increase in enrollment across the system this school year, in spite of the pandemic. The UT system also conferred a record number of degrees last year with more than 8,600, according to a news release from the university.

The board will receive the 2021 John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership at an upcoming meeting and will be honored throughout the year by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.