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At Tennessee’s community colleges, a student’s acceptance to college can begin the moment they apply for admission, regardless of academic readiness. A student’s high school grade-point average (GPA) or ACT score does not determine their eligibility for admission at any of Tennessee’s 13 community colleges.

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Jackson earned VETS Campus certification by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, certifying the college’s commitment to programs and services to help veterans succeed as they pursue their education.

Enrollment in Tennessee’s community colleges rose one percent this fall over the fall semester of 2022, ending a three-year decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest enrollment report presented at the Tennessee Board of Regents quarterly meeting Thursday and Friday.

A total of 72,289 students are enrolled in the 13 community colleges this fall, compared to 71,804 in Fall 2022. Enrollment reached 88,946 in Fall 2019 but began a three-year annual decline in Fall 2020.

With tremendous sadness, we announce the untimely passing of Dr. Orinthia T. Montague, President of Volunteer State Community College. 

“Dr. Montague’s passing is a tremendous loss, not only to the Volunteer State Community but to the entire Tennessee Board of Regents System and higher education. She was a great leader who cared deeply about her students and their success,” TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family and the campus community.”

The Tennessee Board of Regents will hold its regular quarterly meeting at Motlow State Community College’s Moore County Campus, with committee meetings on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, and the full board on Friday, Sept. 22.

The Board of Regents governs Tennessee's public community colleges and colleges of applied technology.

NASHVILLE (September 15, 2023) – TBR - The College System of Tennessee, is pleased to announce that 11 students from Tennessee’s Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) have been awarded the James B. Brown Memorial Scholarship. Since 2018, $47,250 has been awarded to 188 technical students. 

This year’s scholarship recipients include:

The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation, recently welcomed all thirteen community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents system to its First Scholars Network.

Three finalists have been selected for the next president of Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Shelbyville, and all three will participate in public interviews on the campus Sept. 27, the next step in the selection process.

The finalists are: 

This week, ahead of the upcoming Labor Day holiday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee visited three community colleges across the state to highlight key investments in career, technical and vocational education and reaffirm the administration’s commitment to workforce development.

 On Aug. 28, Dyersburg State Community College welcomed Governor Lee and First Lady Maria Lee as they toured its Nursing and Emergency Medical Services labs.

The Tennessee Board of Regents’ committee chairs will meet Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, to receive informational reports and preview items on the draft agenda for the full board’s next quarterly meeting Sept. 21-22. The board’s Audit Committee will meet immediately after the committee chairs adjourn to review various audit matters.

The Board of Regents governs Tennessee's public community colleges and colleges of applied technology.

The Tennessee Board of Regents today (Aug. 15, 2023) appointed Dr. Carol A. Rothstein as the seventh president of Jackson State Community College, effective Oct. 1.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will hold a special called meeting Aug. 15 to review and consider the chancellor’s recommendation of Dr. Carol A. Rothstein for the next president of Jackson State Community College. The board will also consider proposed criteria for the next president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Dickson.

NASHVILLE (August 8, 2023) – TBR – The College System of Tennessee has announced Trucking Tennessee, a statewide marketing initiative aimed at educating Tennesseans about the critical need for more Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders in the state. The initiative stems from a statewide plan to expand CDL training and make it more accessible to all residents through 14 of the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs).

Roane State Community College and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville broke ground on the new Knox Regional Health Science Education Center during a joint celebration on August 1, 2023.

A Tennessee Board of Regents Search Advisory Committee has selected three finalists for the next president of Jackson State Community College. The candidates will participate in public forums on the JSCC campus July 27, 28 and 31, the next step in the presidential search process.

The finalists are:

The Tennessee Board of Regents today approved criteria for the next president of Cleveland State Community College, the first step in the search for the college’s next president.

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) has been recognized as a 2023 Top Workplace by the Tennessean – an honor that acknowledges companies ranked by their employees as the best places to work in the state of Tennessee. TBR received a top 10 ranking in the mid-size company category.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will convene a special called meeting July 13 to consider criteria for the next president of Cleveland State Community College, the first step in the presidential search process.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation, Audi of America, and Volkswagen Group of America announced that they have partnered to donate 25 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles to collision repair programs at Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology in East Tennessee.

These donations will enhance the education of collision repair students and support the next generation of the automotive workforce in Tennessee. In a rapidly changing industry, it is critical that students have access to the latest vehicles and technology.

Bloomberg, the prestigious global news and financial services company, reported Thursday, July 6, that Tennessee’s public technical colleges, the state’s free tuition programs, and partnerships with business and industry “offer a glimpse of the future” in career training and workforce development.