Tennessee community and technical colleges will raise tuition for next school year

Tennessee community and technical college students will pay more for tuition starting with the upcoming school year.

The Tennessee Board of Regents approved the proposed tuition increases Friday. Technical college students will see a 2.42% increase and community college students will see a 2.45% increase.

In real dollars, tuition will increase by $109 and mandatory fees by $7 per academic year at community colleges. Tuition will increase by $94 and mandatory fees by $19 per academic year at technical colleges.

Regent Greg Duckett said that the increases raise an estimate of $8.1 million that will be used by the various institutions to help attain educational goals and cover the cost of a 2% salary increase for adjunct staff.

The committee also recommended approval of the operating budget of $1.13 billion for the colleges, technical schools and system office for fiscal year 2019-2020. These are based on the state funds in the governor's budget as well as early estimates of factors like enrollment growth and availability of federal funds.

The tuition and fee increases at the community colleges are the lowest increases since 1991 and the lowest at the technical colleges since 2013, according to a release by the Board of Regents. 

The College System of Tennessee includes 40 community and technical colleges and approximately 118,000 students in the state.

Pellissippi State Community College, based in Knoxville, is the largest community college in the state, with 10,894 students enrolled and five campuses.

Buildings renamed in honor of community members

Buildings on three community college campuses will be renamed to honor community members associated with the schools.

The second building on Pellissippi State's Blount County campus will be renamed the Ruth and Steve West Workforce Development Center.

Both Ruth and Steve West have been supporters of Pellissippi State since 1988 and were a driving force behind the construction of the Blount County campus.  

"In addition to building a very successful family business, Steve and Ruth have been actively engaged citizens during their time in this community," Pellissippi State President Anthony Wise said. 

"I would describe the Wests as educators in the way that they talk about philanthropy in our community," Wise added.

Roane State Community College will rename its technology building in honor of state Sen. Ken Yager, who was an assistant professor and dean of the Roane State's business and technology college from 1978 to 2008.  

Yager advocated for funding of the Henry Stafford East Tennessee Agricultural Exposition Center and to build a science lab wing at the Roane State Campbell County Higher Education Center.

"This really means a lot to us and thank you for honoring Sen. Yager in this way," said Chris Whaley, president of Roane State Community College. "I promise you there is no one who goes to the General Assembly and fights harder for students than Sen. Ken Yager does."

The softball complex at Volunteer State Community College will be renamed the Dr. Warren and Chris Nicolas Softball Complex in honor of Dr. Warren Nicolas, the second president of Volunteer State Community College who served from 2003 to 2011.

"Given their advocacy and support for athletics and for softball in particular," Volunteer State President Jerry Faulkner said. "This is a fitting way to honor their legacy and also I think it's appropriate that this action take place when the board is meeting at Vol State."