Press Releases

The Search Advisory Committee leading the Tennessee Board of Regents' search for the next president of Walters State Community College has been appointed, and a public forum on the search will be held April 22.

Board of Regents Member Miles Burdine is chair of the 16-member committee. Board Members Cayden Keltgen, Ross Roberts and Danni Varlan also are serving as committee members, along with representatives of the college’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, and business and civic leaders from the community. The full membership is listed below.

The College System of Tennessee today announced the 10 members of the inaugural Chancellor’s Fellowship Class of 2025-26, representing faculty and staff from community and technical colleges across the state.

The Chancellor’s Fellowship is a new cornerstone initiative of the Maxine Smith Leadership Series, designed to cultivate leadership talent among senior administrators across the college system. 

Members of the Chancellor’s Fellowship Class of 2025-26 are:

Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community college students, presented its Paragon Award for New Presidents to three Tennessee community college presidents during its annual convention last week.

Two Tennessee Board of Regents staff members were honored by the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) during its 2025 annual conference.

We extend our heartfelt condolences on the passing of James W. "Jim" Ayers, founder and chairman of The Ayers Foundation Trust.

An entrepreneur, philanthropist, and friend to many, Mr. Ayers dedicated his life to serving rural Tennessee's young people and communities. His steadfast commitment to removing financial barriers to education has ensured that thousands of students across the state have greater access to higher education -- at our community and technical colleges and universities -- paving the way for their success.

The Tennessee Council for Career & Technical Education will hold its Spring Meeting May 1, 2025. The agenda includes review and approval of the Council’s By-Laws.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has designated March 31 - April 4, 2025, as "Finish the FAFSA Week." This initiative urges all high school seniors and their families to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before April 15 to maintain eligibility for up to two years of tuition-free college through the Tennessee Promise program.

A new case study from The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) showcases Tennessee's pioneering work in expanding postsecondary education opportunities for incarcerated students, spotlighting the critical roles played by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT).

In a special called meeting today, the Tennessee Board of Regents approved tuition and fees for Academic Year 2025-26, search criteria for the next president of Walters State Community College, and a new associate degree program at Roane State Community College.

The Tennessee Board of Regents will hold a special called meeting Thursday, March 27, 2025, to consider tuition and fees for Academic Year 2025-26, search criteria for the next president of Walters State Community College, a new associate degree program at Roane State Community College, and the chancellor’s performance evaluation process.