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Tennessee Tech earns perfect score from THEC on academic quality
Tech President Phil Oldham speaks at the university's Nov. 30, 2023 Board of Trustees
meeting.
Tennessee Tech University Provost Lori Mann Bruce announced at the university’s Nov.
30 Board of Trustees Meeting that Tech received a perfect score on academic quality
from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC).
THEC scores universities annually on a 100-point scale through its Quality Assurance
Funding (QAF) program. Under the program, institutions can earn up to 5.45% over their
operating budget based on their score. Provost Bruce noted at the meeting that it
is believed this is the first perfect score in the history of the QAF program in Tennessee.
“I do believe we are the first and only university to have scored a perfect 100 on
the quality of our academic programs,” said Provost Bruce.
Tech has consistently scored above the state average for all Locally Governed Institutions
in the state over the last six years. The university received an additional $3.2 million
from the state as a result of its achievement. Provost Bruce and university trustees
lauded Associate Provost Sharon Huo, who oversees accreditation and assessment activities
at the university, for her role in the process.
Later at the meeting, Tech President Phil Oldham briefed trustees on Tech’s participation
with nine other public universities across the state in the first-of-its-kind “Four the Future” campaign to promote the value of a four-year public university degree.
“We’re typically competitors but we have bonded together in a very collaborative way
to jointly fund a statewide marketing campaign,” said President Oldham. “Fundamentally,
you can get a better career, have a more flexible career, and have more choices available
to you – all with a college degree.”
Oldham cited data showing that four-year degree earners see higher career salaries,
better job security and flexibility, more resilience to economic downturn and even
longer lives, according to findings shared in an Oct. 2023 essay in the New York Times.
“Having a four-year college degree makes a difference and this place is the best at
doing it of any place I know,” concluded Oldham.
Trustees also recognized students with Tech’s Cybersecurity Education, Research and
Outreach Center (CEROC) competition team who took first place in the annual capture the flag cybersecurity competition at the 2023 InfoSec Nashville
conference earlier this year.
From left: Tech students and CEROC competitors Nate Dunlap, Landon Byrge, Landon Crabtree and Micah Jones pose for a picture following their remarks to the Board of Trustees.
“Tech, especially CEROC, has been really pivotal in making sure students have resources
to grow in the field,” said Landon Crabtree, a junior computer science major from
Manchester, Tennessee, in remarks to the trustees. “Cybersecurity is one of those
fields where you really have to get hands-on experience to further yourself and CEROC
has done an excellent job in making sure students have those chances.”
During the board’s morning Academic and Student Affairs Committee session, trustees
received a presentation from Christina Mick, director of the Tennessee Tech University
Counseling Center. Mick shared how the center is helping students navigate a “nationwide
mental health pandemic” and find free, confidential help from the center’s six licensed
counselors. She reported that 1,043 students received services from the center during
the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
Mick thanked trustees for recognizing the importance of mental health and their support
of the counseling center’s services. “We’re helping stigma go away and we’re modeling
for our students that it’s okay to ask for help,” Mick concluded.
Board Chair Trudy Harper speaks at the Nov. 30 Board of Trustees meeting.
Trustees also heard a presentation from John Liu, the university’s new vice president
for research.
“Let me share with you how happy my family and I are to come home here to Tennessee
Tech,” said Liu. “I do not use the word ‘home’ lightly being a first-generation immigrant.”
Liu, who previously held senior administrator roles at Auburn University and Syracuse
University, noted that research at Tech has more than doubled over the last six years.
He outlined plans to increase Tech’s proportion of research-active faculty and to
increase faculty’s research overall. Tech set an all-time record for externally funded
research at $36.3 million in fiscal year 2023.
“Your enthusiasm is infectious,” said trustee Thomas Lynn following Liu’s presentation.
Materials from today’s meeting and the webcast of the full board meeting are available
at the board’s website, www.tntech.edu/board.
The Board of Trustees’ next meeting is scheduled for March 7, 2024.
