Chancellor Manning Announces Retirement

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Charles Manning today announced he will retire as chancellor at the end of FY 2008-2009, with his resignation becoming effective June 30, 2009. In a prepared statement he read to the board at its quarterly meeting today, Manning said, “I recently heard Governor Bredesen make a point in a speech I very much appreciated: he said he is seeking at the end of his term to leave Tennessee with higher expectations of itself and what it can accomplish. Based on everything we have accomplished, I believe I am leaving you with a Board of Regents’ system that has a far higher expectation of what it can do collectively for the people of Tennessee. I plan to spend this next year actively and enthusiastically serving the Board of Regents as your chancellor. I have loved the opportunity to bring a lifetime of experience to a state with so much potential and to a system filled with individuals who want to improve and are eager to take on the challenge.” Manning’s full statement can be accessed here.

After Manning’s statement at today’s meeting, Vice-Chair Bob Thomas said, “I have been vice-chair for a year and a board member for three years, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Charles Manning. I value the relationship we have developed working together. Under his leadership, all parts of the system from the board to the staff to the institutions are operating well. And we have some excellent projects underway that will further improve our operations. Dr. Manning has done an excellent job. I will be in touch with Governor Bredesen about designing a search process for a new chancellor, and that process will certainly involve our board members at appropriate points.”

Manning joined the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) as chancellor in April 2000 after serving for 10 years as chancellor of the university system of West Virginia. His eight years as TBR's chancellor have been marked by a range of accomplishments in improved innovation, efficiency, and responsiveness to the needs of students. Underlying all these accomplishments is an emphasis on collaboration among TBR's institutions. Further detail on Manning’s accomplishments during his tenure at TBR may be found at http://www.tbr.edu/offices/chancellor.aspx?id=1540&ekmensel=e2f22c9a_610_622_btnlink.

Manning earned his B.A. in chemistry from McDaniel College and his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland and has done post doctoral work in chemistry at the Institute for Anorganische und Kkernchemie, Johannes Gutenberg Universitat. He is married to Sharon F. (Sherry) Manning; they have a son, two daughters, and two grandsons.

The Tennessee Board of Regents is the nation’s sixth largest higher education system, governing 45 post-secondary educational institutions. The TBR system includes six universities, 13 two-year colleges and 26 technology centers, providing programs in 90 of Tennessee’s 95 counties to over 180,000 students.