Board of Regents hears reports on college programs, policies during quarterly meeting

During its quarterly meeting Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Tennessee Board of Regents heard an informational report on TCAT Murfreesboro’s innovative partnership with Nissan in an Industrial Electrical Maintenance and Mechatronics training program in which students can earn diplomas and industry-ready certificates.

The partnership is in its second trimester with about 100 students currently enrolled. Graduates may work at any industry in need of their new skills.

Through the partnership, five highly qualified employees of Nissan’s Smyrna Assembly Plant work as TCAT Murfreesboro adjunct instructors teaching the college’s accredited Industrial Electrical Maintenance (IEM) & Mechatronics course. The program offers day and evening class options at the TCAT Murfreesboro Smyrna Campus/Nissan Training Center.

Nissan senior workforce development executives Dan Caldwell and Jason Stanley and TCAT Murfreesboro President Patrick Wade presented details of the program. Rodney Douglas, a 35-year Nissan employee, and IEM student Carlos Castillo spoke about their experiences.

In other action Wednesday, the Board of Regents, which governs Tennessee's public community colleges and colleges of applied technology:

• Received an update on a new review of the TBR System Strategic Plan. This is ongoing work by a Strategic Plan Steering Committee whose members include four Board of Regents members and representatives of TBR colleges, system-level leaders, and TBR partners and stakeholders. Whatever revisions the steering committee recommends later this year will go to the full board for consideration, tentatively at the September quarterly meeting.
• Heard an informational report on the process for developing finance staff recommendations for Academic Year 2025-26 tuition and fees that will be presented and considered in a special called meeting of the board March 27.   
• Approved Faculty Emerita status for retired Southwest Tennessee Community College Professor Barbara Roseborough in honor of her 47 years of extraordinary contributions to the college. Professor Roseborough taught languages and literature. Faculty Emeriti recommendations are made by college presidents based on outstanding and distinguished service.
• Approved new programs and program changes at the colleges of applied technology that will enable them to be more responsive to the needs of students, business and industry.
• Received other informational reporting and updates on state legislation potentially impacting the system, the Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy presented to the Arconic Foundation presented in October, and a draft of a proposed new policy on use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). After undergoing further review and input by campus groups, the final draft will be considered for adoption as TBR policy by the board at a future meeting.
• Approved revisions to the TBR General Travel Policy designed to update and streamline the policy.

Wednesday’s meeting was live-streamed and is archived for viewing anytime on the TBR website at https://www.tbr.edu/board/february-2025-quarterly-board-meeting. The agenda, executive summary, and board materials are also posted there.