Oldham Sees Tech As 15K Student University

Tennessee Tech could increase its student population to 12,000 students within three to five years, with a long-term goal of 15,000.

That’s the outline from Tech President Phil Oldham to the Board of Trustees Thursday. Tech’s fall enrollment stand at 10,511, the highest number since 2015.

“In the marketplace of higher education, size does matter,” Oldham said. “There’s an economy of scale. There’s a level of significance that’s attached to public institutions in particular that are of a certain size. I mean, it’s a competitive marketplace. And, you know, in public education, the big are getting bigger and the small are struggling. So we want to make sure we’re in the upper category.”

Though he would not predict it, Oldham said the university could reach 11,000 students by next fall. He said getting to 12,000 would be a harder climb. Based on college enrollment, statistics show that the 15,000-mark would make Tennessee Tech the fourth largest university in the state, behind Tennessee, Memphis and Middle Tennessee State.

Vice President For Enrollment Karen Lykins said an all-time high 9,800 students applied to Tech this year.

Oldham said the students who decide not to enroll at Tennessee Tech after showing interest, often site the school as too small for their reason of going elsewhere.

“Our yield rate went down,” Lykins said. “We are right in the range of the national averages, the state averages. It is a phenomenon that we need to understand more, but everyone has lots of applications, and the real work comes in trying to understand which of those applications need your most attention.”

Lykins said the perception of Tennessee Tech continues to grow, with more students outside the immediate Upper Cumberland knowing about the school and considering it again among this class.

Board of Trustees Chair Trudy Harper said the number of students enrolled may not be as important a criteria as the quality of students coming to Tech.