Board of Regents approves tuition and fees, new construction requests and more during its quarterly meeting

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.

Meeting at Nashville State Community College, the board approved finance staff recommendations for tuition and mandatory fees for Academic Year 2026-27 that, combined, are a 3.64 percent increase at TCATs and an average 3.65 percent increase at the community colleges.

The new rates are well under the 4.5 percent combined tuition and fee increase ceiling set by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for the next academic year. The TBR increases are based on funding some but not all operating cost increases that are not covered by state appropriations, encouraging cost-cutting and efficiency improvements.

Mandatory fees are assessed to all students enrolled at a college, as opposed to course-specific fees such as lab and materials fees. The only systemwide mandatory fee increase is in the technology access fee, which supports campus technology upgrades. It will increase by $19 per semester at the community colleges, to $135, and by $12 per trimester at the TCATs, to $85.

The board reduced the online course fee by $8 per credit hour, to $17, as part of a three-year phaseout of the fee.

Tuition for in-state students at the 13 community colleges will increase by $6 – to $197 – per credit hour up to 12 credit hours per semester. Each credit hour above 12 will increase by $1, to $42. For students taking 15 credit hours, tuition will be $2,490 per semester. Mandatory fees at the community colleges range from $166 to $193 per semester.

Tuition at the TCATs will increase by $42 per trimester, to $1,446.

Tennessee’s public community and technical colleges remain the most affordable higher education option for students. Many students are eligible for financial assistance covering tuition and mandatory fees and, in many cases, other costs – through the state’s innovative Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect, and other public and private assistance programs.

In other action, the board approved capital outlay recommendations for college construction and major renovation projects for Fiscal Year 2027-28, the first step in the funding process. The recommendations now go to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for its consideration, along with proposals from the state’s universities. All projects are ultimately subject to state legislative approval through the annual state budget process.

The 12 capital outlay requests include:

• Roane State Community College – New Nuclear Academy.
• Volunteer State Community College – Public Safety, Emergency Response and Workforce Training Center.
• Dyersburg State Community College – Community Workforce Entrepreneurial Center.
• Motlow State Community College – New building at the Smyrna Campus.
• TCAT Morristown – Aviation Campus replacement.
• TCAT Hartsville – Wilson County replacement campus.
• Columbia State Community College – Warf Building replacement.
• Nashville State Community College – Science and Technology Building replacement.
• Cleveland State Community College – Workforce/Technology Building replacement.
• Walters State Community College – Technology Building replacement and renovations.
• Jackson State Community College – Nelms Classroom Building replacement.
• Northeast State Community College – Technical Education Complex addition.

In addition, the board approved major maintenance requests for projects across the system, such as roof and HVAC replacements and upgrades, totaling $82.6 million.

The board also:

• Approved a new Associate of Applied Science degree program in neurodiagnostic technology at Chattanooga State Community College, which will announce details and launch dates when completed.
• Approved a proposed systemwide operating budget of $1.6 billion for FY 2026-27.
• Approved faculty emeritus designations for three retired faculty members at Walters State Community College: Lori Campbell, professor of education from 1990-2025; Kay Heck, professor of English from 1998-2025, and Malcolm McAvoy, associate professor of communications from 1971-2023.
• Approved faculty promotion and tenure recommendations.
• Approved system compensation plans, with a base 1.5 percent salary increase.
• Received updates on workforce initiatives and state legislation affecting the system.
• Approved several new policies and policy revisions
• Approved building naming requests at Roane State Community College and TCAT Morristown.
• Approved resolutions of appreciation for Regent Mark George, Faculty Regent Angela Richardson and Student Regent Makena Davis, whose terms on the board are ending.
• Presented proclamations recognizing the Walters State baseball and men’s and women’s basketball teams and the Volunteer State softball teams, for advancing to National Junior College Athletic Association national competitions.

The board and its committee meetings were livestreamed and are archived for viewing on the TBR website at: https://www.tbr.edu/board/june-2026-quarterly-board-meeting. Complete agendas and an executive summary are posted at the same meeting link.