Billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates say they’re impressed with what’s happening with education reform in Tennessee, including programs at the Tennessee Board of Regents.
The couple toured the Tennessee Technology Center in Nashville yesterday during their visit to Tennessee to see how the state’s commitment to reforming education is proceeding.
The Tennessee Board of Regents will meet telephonically in special called session at 1:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, August 24 to take action on two agenda items.
The Tennessee Board of Regents today elected John Morgan as the seventh chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents system. Morgan, currently Deputy to the Governor of the State of Tennessee and former Comptroller of the Treasury, will replace Chancellor Charles Manning, who is retiring effective December 31, 2010.
The Chancellor Search Committee of the Tennessee Board of Regents voted unanimously today to recommend John Morgan to the full board as the system’s seventh chancellor, succeeding Charles Manning, who is retiring effective December 31, 2010. The committee interviewed John Morgan today. A special called meeting of the board will be held via conference call on Friday, August 6, at 10:00 a.m. CDT, at which time the full board will receive and act on the search committee’s recommendation.
Chancellor Charles Manning announced today that he has accepted the retirement of Melvin Johnson as president of Tennessee State University effective January 1, 2011. Johnson cited family and personal reasons for his decision to step down from the presidency. According to Manning, “Melvin Johnson is a hard-working man of great integrity, and he has been a pleasure to work with. We respect his decision to retire from the presidency at TSU and return to the classroom.”
Board of Regents Approves Tuition Increases
Almost Three-Quarters of University and Community College Students Will See Increase of Around 6% or Less
Chancellor Charles Manning announced today that the Tennessee Board of Regents system is experiencing a substantial increase in its fall enrollment. “In fact, the system is experiencing the highest enrollment in its history” said Manning. “We are now educating and providing training for over 200,000 citizens across the state. Reaching this significant milestone gives us a greater opportunity to make real strides in raising the educational attainment level of Tennessee.”
The Regents Educational Assistance Program (REAP) in Perry County will be up and running full speed on July 27. The program is designed to provide displaced workers living in Perry County with one year’s free tuition at Columbia State Community College, Nashville State Community College, or the Tennessee Technology Technology Center at Hohenwald. Any Perry County resident who is unemployed and not currently enrolled at any other public or private educational institution (including high school, proprietary school, college or university) is eligible for the free tuition program.
Beginning this year, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the national organization that ensures quality in teacher education, will introduce a new approach to accrediting nearly 700 teacher education programs that prepare a majority of the nation’s teachers.
The Tennessee Board of Regents today voted to approve tuition increases that will result in additional revenue of 7.1% at the University of Memphis, an average of 6.1% at the five TBR state universities (APSU, ETSU, MTSU, TSU, and TTU), an average of 5.5% at the state’s community colleges, and 5.5% at the technology centers. Except at the technology centers, where the 5.5% is an across-the-board tuition increase, these are tuition REVENUE increases, NOT tuition increases.
