Stories @ TCAT

In addition, the Board suspended campus-specific online course fees for the second consecutive year, saving students about $2.6 million collectively in the upcoming year and removing a financial barrier for students taking online courses through their colleges. The Board of Regents, which governs the state’s public community colleges and colleges of applied technology, held its June quarterly meeting Thursday and Friday, hosted by Columbia State Community College.

TBR staff said that the major increase in state funding for public higher education approved this year, extended federal pandemic funding for another year, and savings and efficiencies achieved by the colleges enabled the Board to keep tuition and fees stable for another year despite rising inflation.

“We’re grateful to Governor Lee and members of the Tennessee General Assembly for supporting Tennessee students and their families with a historic increase in state funding for higher education. The Board’s approval today to keep tuition and fees unchanged for another year is a direct result of that, the continued federal assistance, and the hard work by our colleges to hold costs down,” said Chancellor Flora W. Tydings.

Board members and staff also observed the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Board of Regents and its system of colleges in 1972.

Governor Bill Lee, who could not attend, thanked the Board via a pre-recorded video for 50 years of service to Tennesseans. “The Tennessee Board of Regents plays an important role in equipping a highly skilled workforce and preparing students for life beyond the classroom… It’s an honor to join you in celebrating this important milestone in our state’s history, and I appreciate your continued partnership to ensure Tennessee students have opportunities to thrive,” the governor said.

The Board and its committee meetings were live-streamed and are archived on the TBR website at https://www.tbr.edu/board/june-2022-quarterly-board-meeting. The complete agendas and materials for the meetings are also posted on the same meeting webpage. 

The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving approximately 140,000 students. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.
Source/full article: https://www.tbr.edu/news/board-regents-holds-tuition-fees-stable-students-tennessee%E2%80%99s-public-community-technical