News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
TCAT Crossville and TCAT Livingston have become TCAT Upper Cumberland, effective Thursday, expanding programming and outreach.
TCAT Upper Cumberland President Cliff Wightman said the merger is designed to increase student success above all else. He said the service areas of the two campuses already had major overlap.
“This is something that’s thought of far ahead of how can they share resources being that they’re in such close proximity, with the whole goal, all the time, is those two single things,” Wightman said. “One, how can we better serve students, and two, how can we better serve the industry.”
Wightman said the new region-wide approach would help clear wait lists as well. He said if a student is on a waitlist at Livingston for a program that was not previously offered in Crossville, they may be able to take the class right away once offered at the Crossville campus.
“You’re looking at like 14 counties now that this combined resource is serving,” Wightman said. “So that’s a good way to put it because we’ve become a huge portion of the entire state of Tennessee, and you know, the outreach actually goes further than that, believe it or not. We have students that commute from outside counties.”
He said transit is still an issue to contend with, but staff is on board, and he looks forward to seeing TCAT Upper Cumberland fill the needs of more students and provide local industry with a well-equipped workforce.
Wightman said the ability to transfer equipment and technology from one campus to another when needed, offers additional freedom.
The process of transitioning signage, brochures, and online labeling is already underway, Wightman said. He said many people may not realize that dual enrollment programs previously offered at just one campus will now be available at both.
“Outside of the adult students, the high school students, we want to catch them right out of the gates,” Wightman said. “We want to get them while they’re in high school and get them on a clear path to transfer credits coming right to TCAT full-time.”
Wightman said the transition has been smoother than he had expected and he is excited to represent a large section of the state. He said key personnel from one location can now provide services and guidance to either. He said the ability to consolidate resources will also create cost savings.
“That just adds to the outreach of the whole TCAT Upper Cumberland and it just seemed like everything fit together at a cool time,” Wightman said.
He said the new Bledsoe County facility will be part of the TCAT Upper Cumberland network as well once complete. The campuses will be known as TCAT Upper Cumberland Crossville Campus and TCAT Upper Cumberland Livingston Campus.
