News
Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees welcomes new member, green lights nuclear engineering degree
Board Chair Trudy Harper listens to remarks from other trustees as Tech President
Phil Oldham looks on.
The Board of Trustees at Tennessee Tech University welcomed its newest member and
paved the way for an expected fall 2024 start of the university’s nuclear engineering
degree program at its quarterly meeting on March 7.
Trustees also heard a report on the university’s latest state audit, which showed
no findings, voted to act on the results of a third-party compensation study and learned
of preliminary plans for a new Master of Science in child life within the university’s
School of Human Ecology, among other developments.
Camron Rudd, a 2005 Tech graduate with degrees in both mechanical engineering and
foreign languages with a concentration in German, was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee to
complete the term of former trustee Teresa Vanhooser, who announced her resignation
from the board in Dec. 2022.
Rudd was confirmed unanimously last month by the Tennessee General Assembly and is a 2021 recipient of Tech’s “Outstanding
Young Alumnus” award. He serves as chief operating officer for Hörmann North America,
a family-owned entry systems manufacturer headquartered in nearby Sparta, Tennessee.
“I’m ecstatic to be here,” said Rudd in remarks at the board’s morning executive committee
meeting. “I really appreciate the opportunity that was afforded to me by the Governor.
I hope we can do some great things for Tennessee Tech and I’m looking forward to it.”
Camron Rudd, the 2021 recipient of Tech's "Outstanding Young Alumnus Award" was recently
appointed by Gov. Bill Lee and unanimously confirmed by the Tennessee General Assembly
to serve on the university's Board of Trustees.
In the full board’s afternoon meeting, trustees gave their unanimous approval for
the university’s proposed Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering, setting up a
likely fall 2024 start date. The proposal now goes back to the Tennessee Higher Education
Commission (THEC), which already provided preliminary support earlier this year, for
final approval.
“The proposed program in nuclear engineering aims to meet the current demand for nuclear
engineers trained at the baccalaureate level, as well as to address emerging needs
as Tennessee grows a nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem,” said Tech Provost
Lori Mann Bruce in comments to the board’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee.
The 128-credit hour program will be only the second nuclear engineering degree currently
offered in Tennessee. The university expects to enroll nearly 50 nuclear engineering
majors by the program’s fifth year, which, according to Provost Bruce, would increase
the number of nuclear engineering graduates in the state by 25 to 30 percent.
Provost Bruce also shared with trustees the university’s pre-proposal for a Master
of Science degree in child life within the university’s School of Human Ecology. If
approved by THEC and by the board at a later date, the online degree program could
begin enrollment in the fall of 2025.
“The purpose of the program is to prepare professionals to serve in child life roles
in healthcare,” said Provost Bruce. “It will provide advanced content knowledge and
child life clinical practice, psychosocial care of children and families and evidence-based
practice to meet the needs of credentialed child life specialists.”
In the board’s Audit and Business Committee meeting, Claire Stinson, vice president
for planning and finance, updated trustees on the university’s fiscal year 2023 audit
from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
“We had an unmodified opinion, and we had no findings,” explained Stinson, garnering
a round of applause from trustees.
Stinson and Kevin Vedder, associate vice president for human resources, also introduced
guests from Mercer, a consulting firm specializing in human resources retained by
the university to study faculty and staff compensation and propose ways to improve
market competitiveness.
Based on the findings of the Mercer study, the university presented a multi-year plan
to trustees that included allocating $1.76 million for salary increases, including
bringing all permanent university employees to a minimum salary of $15 per hour. As
a second step, the plan would allocate $2.28 million for recurring salary increases,
pending passage of the state’s 2024 – 2025 budget. Trustees approved the plan unanimously.
“We compete on a daily basis to keep the best here at Tennessee Tech,” explained Tech
President Phil Oldham in remarks to trustees. “We want to make sure our compensation
plans and infrastructure is up to the very top level so that we can compete successfully.”
From left: Stephen Canfield, professor of mechanical engineering at Tech, introduces
students Jakob Coats, Ian Sweetin and Lacy Grinder, who recently completed projects
as part of the university's "Tech Engineering for Kids" initiative.
In other business:
- President’s report: Tech President Phil Oldham noted that, with months left in the fiscal year, the university
has already set an all-time annual record of $40 million in externally funded research.
President Oldham further updated trustees on ongoing capital projects, noting that
the university expects “substantial completion” of its Ashraf Islam Engineering Building
and the new pedestrian walkway and plaza through the center of campus before the board
reconvenes for its June 2024 meeting. President Oldham also provided an update on
the university’s plans to rebuild the west side of Tucker Stadium, home of Tech’s
Golden Eagle football team since 1966, and noted recent generous gifts from the City
of Cookeville and Putnam County – believed to be the first time that both the city
and county joined together to contribute to a university project.
- Enrollment update: Karen Lykins, vice president for enrollment and communication, noted the university
is up year-over-year in enrollment applications and admissions. Lykins also explained
that recent trends, including a statewide initiative promoting free college applications
during the month of September, mean that universities are changing the way they project
enrollment numbers in relation to applications and admissions. Lykins briefed trustees
on Tech’s recent successful “Spring Showcase” events and noted that registration will
open later this month for SOAR, Tech’s freshman orientation program held over the
summer. Lykins explained that 96 percent of SOAR attendees traditionally enroll at
the university that fall.
- Non-mandatory fee and housing cost adjustments: In line with other Tennessee universities’ fee schedules, trustees approved an $85
increase to Tech’s Ready-to-Teach specialized academic fee and a 3 percent increase
for residence halls and Tech Village apartments to offset rising operating costs.
- Building naming: Trustees approved a recommendation to name the new agriculture engineering laboratory
at Tech’s Shipley Farm the "Randall and Marjorie Warden Agriculture Engineering Technology
Laboratory.” The decision recognizes Tech alumni Randall and Marjorie Warden’s generous
gift toward the laboratory’s construction.
- Recognition of students: Trustees heard a presentation from three students in Tech’s College of Engineering, Lacy Grinder, Jakob Coats and Ian Sweetin, who recently completed projects with Tech Engineering for Kids, an initiative providing innovative engineered products to children with special needs and their families. The project is advised by Stephen Canfield, professor of mechanical engineering at Tech.
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 June 20, 2024.
