News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Some concerned about the merger of TCAT Crossville and TCAT Livingston’s administration.
But State Representative Ed Butler said he sees the merger as a good thing for Livingston. He said he has received support from most constituents who have discussed the idea.
“As a state, we’re investing almost a billion dollars into the TCATs and into the community colleges,” Butler said. “And so T-CAT Livingston is getting $50 million dollars of investment which is a huge sum of money to invest in that campus. And so, they’re not doing away with any of our programs, matter of fact we’re probably going to add some programs.”
Butler said the success of the TCAT merger relies on the staff the Tennessee Board of Regents places in charge. Butler said that he believes they have the staff to handle the merger well, which is why he has faith in its success.
Butler said that he would not yet describe the merger as a done deal.
“As far as the process that’s gotten started I think they’re on step two as I understand it,” Butler said. “They brought it up before their board to vote on discussing this and exploring it and then it was voted on here in the last few days.”
The Tennessee Board of Regents called the situation a fusion. Some county leaders across the Upper Cumberland have called it a merger. Butler said that he does not think the term ‘merger’ best describes the situation between T-CAT Livingston and Crossville.
“They’re consolidating some resources that don’t necessarily pertain directly to the campus when you have multiple campuses involved,” Butler said. “And they have merged, I’ll use their term, several campuses in West Tennessee and had success with that.”
