Current News

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) announced today (Sept. 24, 2026) that the 2027–28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open for all Tennessee students. Students and their families can begin applying at www.fafsa.gov.

Tennessee’s community colleges awarded 16,240 associate degrees and technical certificates to graduates in the 2025-26 academic year, the highest number ever conferred – a 9 percent increase over the previous year and 19 percent growth from a decade ago.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will hold its next regular quarterly meeting Sept. 17-18 at Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Shelbyville. The agenda includes, but is not limited to, a report on enrollment and student success trends at community colleges, and consideration of a new academic program proposal, 2027 legislative priorities for the college system, institutional mission profiles, faculty emeritus recommendations, the search criteria for the next president of Pellissippi State Community College, and more.

After 25 years since September 11, 2001, the memory of those we lost endures. We honor the first responders, the families and the communities whose lives were changed forever. Their legacy lives not only in remembrance but in the good we choose to do.

Each year, this date stands as the National Day of Service and Remembrance. It invites us to answer loss with purpose and to meet tragedy with compassion. Across our communities, small acts of service carry lasting impact.

TCAT Northwest hosted its Fourth Annual Fish Fry in Newbern on Aug. 14. More than 500 people gathered to support the campus's technical education programming and training. 

August has been an incredible month of celebrations for TBR - the College System of Tennessee. 

On Aug. 3, the College System joined local and state leaders in Roane County for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Harriman. This $46.3 million dollar investment in technical education and training expands space for programming that includes construction, electrical, HVAC, machine tool technology and others. 

The Tennessee Board of Regents committee chairs will meet Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, to receive informational updates and reports in advance of the full board’s next quarterly meeting in September. The board’s Audit Committee will convene a business meeting after the committee chairs session concludes.

TBR – The College System of Tennessee is launching the Academic Leadership Collaborative, a new professional learning opportunity developed in partnership with Vanderbilt University to support academic deans and leaders at Tennessee’s community colleges. 

Belmont University and the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) announced new statewide articulation agreements that create seamless transfer pathways from community colleges to Belmont for students who want to become teachers.

The new pathways are for students earning an Associate of Science in Teaching (AST) degree in K–5 Elementary Education or Middle School Education at any of Tennessee's 13 community colleges to continue their education in Belmont University's Bachelor of Science in Education programs.

On July 29, TCAT Dickson President Laura Travis joined workforce development and ceramic tile industry leaders in Clarksville to announce the launch of a new Ceramic Tile Manufacturing Operator program. At the event, local media members toured the campus and saw firsthand how the new program will build a highly skilled workforce. 

TBR - The College System of Tennessee joined local and state leaders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) at Coffee County campus on Friday, July 10. 

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) congratulates Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Upper Cumberland on becoming only the second college campus in Tennessee to earn the VETS Bravo designation and the first Tennessee Board of Regents institution and Tennessee College of Applied Technology to receive the honor.

The designation recognizes TCAT Upper Cumberland’s outstanding commitment to serving military-connected students through enhanced support services, workforce engagement, and student success initiatives.

Supported by Tennessee’s pioneering Dual Enrollment Grants, 42,532 high school students enrolled in college courses at the state’s community and technical colleges last fall. Earlier last year, 824 members of the Class of 2025 earned college credentials by the time of their high school graduation – associate degrees and workforce certificates at community colleges, and diplomas and certificates at Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs).

TBR - the College System of Tennessee recently honored the Walters State Community College (WSCC) Men's and Women's basketball and baseball teams, as well as the Volunteer State Community College (VSCC) softball team, for their athletic achievements.

TBR - the College System of Tennessee had much to celebrate at three different technical college campuses over the last several weeks. On May 12, the College System joined Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee to celebrate the opening of two new buildings on the TCAT Oneida/Huntsville campus; these spaces will help more students learn the skills they need for successful careers.

TBR - The College System of Tennessee continues to identify and develop scalable solutions to address workforce development gaps across Tennessee. Recently, the College System announced the launch of a new Tile Manufacturing Operator program at three of its technical colleges in the fall of 2026: Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Dickson, TCAT Hohenwald and TCAT Upper Cumberland.

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) approved tuition and fees for the next academic year, capital budget requests for college construction projects, a new academic program, new and revised policies, compensation plans, faculty promotion and tenure recommendations, and more during its quarterly meeting Friday, June 12.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will hold its next regular quarterly meeting June 11-12, 2026, at Nashville State Community College. The agenda includes, but is not limited to, consideration of tuition and fees, capital budget requests, a proposed new academic program, new and revised policies, compensation plans, faculty promotion and tenure recommendations, and more.

The Tennessee Board of Regents committee chairs will meet Wednesday, May 27, 2026, to receive informational updates in advance of the full board’s next quarterly meeting in June, including a preliminary presentation of proposed tuition and fees for academic year 2026-27. The board’s Personnel and Compensation Committee and Audit Committee will hold business meetings following the committee chairs meeting.

In a special called meeting Aprl 30, the Tennessee Board of Regents appointed Dr. John M. Davis as the next president of Cleveland State Community College and Timothy Smith as the next president of Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Oneida/Huntsville. Both are expected to assume their new duties in June.