TBR Chancellor Recommends Chris Whaley as Roane State’s Next President; Board to Vote Oct. 1

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan will recommend to the Board that Chris Whaley be appointed the next president to lead Roane State Community College.

Whaley, who currently serves as vice president of student learning and chief academic officer at Roane State, was selected after a nationwide search.

Morgan will ask the Board to vote on his recommendation of Whaley during a special telephonic meeting at 3 p.m. CDT Monday, Oct. 1.

“Dr. Whaley's proven dedication to student success, his overwhelming faculty support and his earned respect of the surrounding community make him the right choice to lead Roane State into the next important phase of its future," said Morgan. “Roane State already plays a critical role in the growth and development of its communities and the region, and I expect Dr. Whaley will continue that great work and position the college for even greater success."

If approved, Whaley will replace Gary Goff, who will retire from Roane State on Oct. 31 after leading the campus for seven years.

Whaley is a graduate of Roane State. After three years in private practice as an attorney, he returned to the college in 1997 as program director of the A.A.S. Paralegal Studies program, a position he held through 2002. Since then he has served in positions of successively greater administrative responsibility at the college. He was named dean of social science, business and education in 2002, and in 2010 was promoted to vice president of student learning/chief academic officer. Whaley has also taught as an assistant professor, associate professor and full professor of Legal Studies at the Harriman campus, and he continues to teach.

Whaley earned his associate’s degree in social science from Roane State, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Middle Tennessee State University, and the doctor of jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He holds a license to practice law in Tennessee and is certified as a Rule 31 Civil Mediator. A link to his full resume is available at http://www.tbr.edu/offices/chancellor.aspx?id=8182

Roane State, which is governed by the TBR, is a two-year college providing transfer curricula, career-preparation programs and continuing education. Founded in 1971, the college has campuses in Crossville, Harriman, Huntsville, Jamestown, Knoxville, LaFollette, Lenoir City, Oak Ridge and Wartburg.

The Oct. 1 meeting is open to the public and press as listeners. Those wishing dial-in information for the call should contact Monica Greppin-Watts at monica.greppin-watts@tbr.edu or 615-366-4417 before 9 a.m. CDT on Oct. 1.

The TBR is the nation’s sixth largest higher education system, governing 46 post-secondary educational institutions. The TBR system includes six universities, 13 two-year colleges and 27 technology centers, providing programs to more than 200,000 students across the state.