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The Tennessee Board of Regents approved four priority requests for education, job-training and security initiatives across the state’s community and technical college system for the next fiscal year on Friday, including 100 new success coaches to bolster student advising.

The first class of Tennessee Promise students entered college in the fall of 2015. After four semesters, 56.2 percent of the first class of Promise students are either still enrolled, have earned a college credential, or transferred to a four-year university. That compares to 38.9 percent of their peers – a 17.3 percentage point difference.

Overall enrollment in the state’s 13 community colleges on the 14th day of classes for fall semester was 86,621, up 2.2 percent from the 84,773 on the same date in fall 2016.

The College System of Tennessee's governing board will meet Sept. 21-22 at Southwest Tennessee Community College’s Macon Cove Campus. Major agenda items include fiscal year 2018-19 budget requests for new initiatives and capital projects; updates on the progress of Tennessee Promise students, fall semester enrollment and 2016-17 graduation rates; appointment of a new president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Crossville, and search criteria for a new president of Motlow State Community College.

The beginning of the fall semester 2017 marks 50 years since classes were first offered on the Jackson State Community College campus. To commemorate this milestone, the college is hosting a reception in the Student Center on its main campus September 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.

“This will be a time to focus on the tremendous impact that the college has had in the lives of our students as well as in the communities we serve,” said Dr. Allana Hamilton, JSCC president. “We look forward to seeing former students, faculty and staff at this momentous event in our history.”

AT&T's contribution will provide up to $3,000 for each of the 27 technical colleges to buy new equipment in computer IT training programs, helping students learn skills in cloud computing, systems administration and network backups and recovery.

Tennessee Promise students at community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents system looking to complete their four-year degrees will benefit from a new transfer scholarship program established by the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Two committees of the Tennessee Board of Regents and the chairs of all the board’s committees will meet Tuesday, Aug. 29, to review a number of items in advance of the full board’s next quarterly meeting in September.

Columbia State, Jackson State and Walters State community colleges win funding to implement various student success initiatives.

TCAT-Livingston received nearly $1.3 million in CDBG funds to construct a new transportation building; TCAT-Jacksboro $84,925 for new welding equipment at Campbell County High School welding laboratory

New building will house existing nursing program and new dental and pharmacy tech programs. Grant for TCAT Ripley will replace outdated equipment in industrial electricity program.

Kelly Young of Carter County is driven. She plans to become a master automotive technician when she graduates in December 2017 from the ASE-certified program at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Elizabethton.

The Tennessee Board of Regents today approved a 2.6 percent increase in in-state tuition rates at its community and technical colleges for 2017-18. Except for one year when the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology asked for a small increase in fees rather than tuition, it is the lowest increase for the community and technical colleges combined since 1991-92.  It is the third consecutive year of tuition hikes of 4 percent or less – the TBR system’s lowest three-year increase in decades.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will meet in its regular quarterly session on Friday, June 23 – following a day of board committee meetings on Thursday – at Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tenn. The agenda includes student tuition and fee recommendations for the upcoming 2017-18 school year.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will convene for a special called meeting Tuesday, June 6, to review and consider recommendations for two senior-level staff appointments: chief audit executive and vice chancellor of business and finance.

The board’s committee chairs and its Audit Committee will also meet on the same day.

Gov. Bill Haslam wrapped up the 2017 Spring Commencement season for Tennessee's community colleges by addressing graduates at Southwest Tennessee Community College on Saturday.

It was the second consecutive Saturday that Gov. Haslam spent on the road addressing graduates and honoring the first class of Tennessee Promise students to graduate. He was also the main commencement speaker at Cleveland State Community College on May 6.

The Tennessee Board of Regents today appointed Dr. Rebecca Ashford as the next president of Chattanooga State Community College, effective July 10. “I am honored and humbled to be selected as the next president of Chattanooga State. I look forward to working with the faculty and staff to build upon the college's successes in meeting the community's educational and workforce needs,” she said.

The Tennessee Board of Regents’ Finance and Business Operations Committee will meet May 18 to continue its discussions on student tuition and mandatory fees for the 2017-18 academic year.

Gov. Bill Haslam promised Tennessee Promise students at Cleveland State Community College two years ago that he would be back for their graduation. He fulfilled that promise Saturday, delivering the spring commencement address.

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings delivered the spring commencement address at the University of Tennessee at Martin Saturday, telling graduates about “the three ‘tudes’ of success”: fortitude, gratitude and attitude.