Search Advisory Committee for next president of TN College of Applied Technology Knoxville meets Sept. 5

The Search Advisory Committee assisting in the search for a new president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Knoxville will hold its orientation meeting and public forum Sept. 5 at the college.

The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 5 in Building A, Conference Room A, at the TCAT Knoxville main campus, 1100 Liberty Street, Knoxville. The meeting will open with a forum in which members of the public and college community can express their views about the search and the characteristics and skills the next president should have. 

The president is the college's chief executive officer. President Dwight E. Murphy is resigning as president of TCAT Knoxville effective Dec. 31. He  has served a dual role as president of TCAT Knoxville and TCAT Oneida/Huntsville for six years, and is resigning as president of TCAT Knoxville only, while remaining head of the Scott County campuses.

The Tennessee Board of Regents approved criteria for the next president July 25. The criteria, application and nomination information are posted the TBR website at https://www.tbr.edu/hr/executivesearches.

The Advisory Committee is chaired by Board of Regents member Danni Varlan and includes Regents Tom Griscom and Joey Hatch as members, along with representatives of the faculty, staff, students and alumni and the community the college serves.

The committee will review applicants, conduct interviews and submit up to three finalists to TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings, who will interview them further, gather input from the campus community and recommend one candidate to the Board for its consideration. The full Board of Regents appoints presidents of all 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology in the College System of Tennessee, which the Board governs. The goal is to have a new president in place on the Knoxville campus Jan. 1.

TCAT Knoxville enrolls more than 1,700 students per year, in about 20 technical training programs. Its main campus is on Liberty Street west of downtown Knoxville, and it offers programs at four other teaching locations. The college will also offer programs at two new higher education facilities under development in Anderson County and Blount County.