Tennessee Tech board gets a phone call from outer space, welcomes local officials at quarterly meeting
Tech President Phil Oldham takes a surprise phone call from Trustee Barry Wilmore
at the International Space Station while Board Chair Trudy Harper looks on.
The Board of Trustees at Tennessee Tech University fielded a surprise phone call from
outer space, approved a plan to seek state funding for new campus buildings, received
a visit from city and county officials and heard remarks from the university’s new
police chief at its quarterly meeting on Sept. 26.
“I have probably our most famous alumnus on the phone right now!” Tennessee Tech President
Oldham announced during the board’s afternoon session.
Barry Wilmore, a two-time Tech graduate, NASA astronaut and current university trustee,
placed a call to the board from the International Space Station, where he remains
until early 2025. Trustees briefly adjourned the meeting to take the call.
“I can’t believe you all are having this meeting without me!” Wilmore joked, before
going on to express gratitude for the Tech community’s outpouring of support during
his extended stay aboard the ISS. The call was not recorded and did not air as part
of the board’s livestream, per a NASA request.
Also in the board meeting, trustees unanimously approved the fiscal year 2025-2026
capital outlay budget, which calls for Tech to seek $117 million in state funding
to construct a new social sciences building where Crawford and Matthews-Daniel Halls
stand today.
The new building, which would provide classrooms, faculty offices and support spaces
for the College of Education and College of Arts & Sciences, is among the Tennessee
Higher Education Commission’s top five funding priorities for the year ahead, according
to Tech Vice President for Planning and Finance Claire Stinson.
The capital outlay budget also includes a request for additional funding for the university’s
forthcoming Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Engineering (ACME) building to
account for recent inflationary trends. The ACME building, currently in the design
phase, will be cross-disciplinary within the College of Engineering and will provide
Tech students with applied skills desired by industry partners.
In the full board’s afternoon session, trustees received a visit from local leaders
including Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton, Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter, Cookeville-Putnam
County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Amy New, and Cityscape Executive Director
Ferran Kefauver.
“We have wonderful relationships here in Cookeville, Putnam County and the Upper Cumberland,”
said President Oldham in remarks to trustees. “Our ability to do our job, to meet
our mission, here at Tennessee Tech is heavily dependent on relationships and partnerships,
and we’re blessed to have some great ones … They’re big supporters of Tennessee Tech
and I appreciate them tremendously.”
Oldham presented each local leader with a commemorative book from the university’s
2015 centennial anniversary while Board Chair Trudy Harper praised the group saying,
“You do so much good for our whole community … The university could not do what we’re
doing without you.” 
Community leaders are recognized at Tech's Sept. 26 Board of Trustees meeting. From
left: Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Amy New, Cityscape
Executive Director Ferran Kefauver, Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton and Putnam County
Mayor Randy Porter.
During the board’s morning committee meetings, trustees heard remarks from Fred Nichols,
the university’s newly appointed police chief, who succeeds recently retired police
chief Tony Nelson and will be tasked with building on the University Police’s successful
record that has kept Tech among the safest university campuses in Tennessee.
Chief Nichols first joined University Police in 2013 and has been promoted continuously
through the years. Vice President for Student Affairs Cynthia Polk-Johnson praised
Nichols’ “strong track record in law enforcement” and “bold vision for the future.”
Polk-Johnson additionally briefed trustees on the university’s recent “College Town
Kickoff” concert and block party, held on Aug. 24 in downtown Cookeville, and the
university’s renewed focus on promoting first-generation student success as a member
of a consortium of universities led by FirstGen Forward, formerly the Center for First-Generation
Student Success.
Also during the board’s morning committee meetings, trustees received presentations
from Vice President for Enrollment and Communication Karen Lykins, Provost Lori Mann
Bruce and Vice President for Research John Liu. The administrators informed trustees
of recent strategies and tactics that led to the university’s fourth largest freshman
class in university history, highest recorded four-year graduation rate and best year
for externally funded research.
According to Lykins, survey data shows that Tech’s awareness score – the percentage
of students who know of Tech as an option for their higher educational pursuits –
reached its highest recorded mark, and the university is at its strongest position
compared to in-state competitors since 2010.
From left: Emma Parson and Baylee Dalton, students in Tech's College of Business,
speak to trustees about their recent experiential learning opportunity at Walt Disney
World as part of their "Leadership the Disney Way" course.
Provost Bruce shared that Tech’s rate of full-time freshman students completing at
least 30 credit hours in their first year continues to exceed the national and regional
average, while noting that student withdrawals from the university are down for the
third year in a row.
In the board’s Audit and Business Committee meeting, trustees recommended tenure upon
appointment for five new faculty hired to university leadership roles, including:
Jeffrey King, director of nuclear engineering; Kelly McCallister, dean of the Volpe
Library; Daren Snider, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Kevin West, chair
of the department of chemical engineering; and Jinfa Zhang, director of the School
of Agriculture. The full board then unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation
during trustees’ afternoon session.
In other business:
- Presentation on the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing: Kim Hanna, dean of Tech’s Whitson-Hester School of Nursing (WHSON), provided an update
on the school’s accomplishments. Hanna reported that 100 percent of WHSON graduates
are employed within a year of graduation, while the school’s first-time pass rate
on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) has
averaged 97 percent over the last five years. Hanna also addressed nationwide workforce
shortages for the nursing profession, noting that WHSON’s enrollment had increased
eight percent since 2021, even as undergraduate enrollment in nursing education is
down nationwide.
- Recognition of students: Trustees heard remarks from students in Tech’s College of Business, including Baylee
Dalton, Abbie Maffett and Emma Parson, who recently participated in an immersive learning
experience at Walt Disney World as part of the college’s unique course, “Leadership
the Disney Way,” by instructor Sherrie Cannon and lecturer Chelsea Dowell. Students
on the trip visited non-public areas of the parks, participated in workshops and team
building activities and met with Disney leadership to get an up-close look at the
entertainment juggernaut’s marketing operation.
- University Advancement update: Vice President for University Advancement Kevin Braswell briefed trustees on the
university’s ongoing giving campaign, titled “It’s Personal: The Campaign to Elevate
Tennessee Tech.” Braswell noted that the campaign, set to continue through 2028, is
currently in its ‘quiet phase’ with plans for a public launch in 2026. Braswell added
that alumni remain Tech’s strongest donor base, providing 52 percent of all gifts
to the university over the last four years.
- Introduction of Coach Bobby Wilder: President Oldham introduced Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder, who delivered remarks
to trustees during the afternoon session. Wilder was named to lead Tech’s Division
I football program last December after a successful 13-year run at Old Dominion University.
Trustee Tom Jones lauded Wilder’s leadership, saying “The energy that you bring, the
excitement, the camaraderie … what you’re bringing, the university was lacking, and
I thank you so much for that.”
- Renovation of Academic Wellness Center: Trustees approved a planned $3 million renovation of the university’s Academic Wellness
Center. The facility first opened in 1991 and previously served as the university’s
student recreation and fitness center.
- President’s performance review: During the board’s morning Executive Committee session, Trustee Rhedona Rose reported the findings of President Oldham’s recent performance review, calling the results “very, very positive.” Rose noted that the board solicited feedback via trustee, cabinet and faculty surveys and praised Oldham for a “fantastic job” leading the university. The executive committee recommended, and the full board approved, a 3.5 percent annual compensation increase for Oldham based on the positive results.
Materials from today’s meeting and video of the full board meeting will be available at the board’s website, www.tntech.edu/board.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for December 4, 2024.
