News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee Tech Trustees raised student tuition and mandatory fees Thursday roughly five percent for the 24-25 academic year.
President Phil Oldham told the board University leadership does not take the increase lightly. The increase takes into account inflationary pressures, progress on the campus pay study, increased utility costs and state and federal mandates.
“Nobody wants to raise tuition and fees, but it’s really important that we maintain the quality of educational experience for students here at Tennessee Tech because it’s about the value proposition,” Oldham said. “Ultimately, that is the most meaningful. And so we want to make sure that that’s as affordable as possible, but we also want to make sure that it’s the highest quality possible.”
Tech did not raise tuition last year. Oldham said the board and the state really needs to look at that strategy.
“That was strongly incentivized by the state of Tennessee that all of us come in at zero, and we were glad to do that,” Oldham said. “However, I continue to push the state as well as this board to say, you know, we really need to start looking at a multi year strategy around tuition costs so that we’re not doing zero percent one year and five percent the next next year. If we can smooth those out over time, it makes a whole lot more sense, and I think it’s a lot more manageable for families to adjust.”
Associate Vice President of Business And Fiscal Affairs Emily Wheeler said Tech’s increase stands as one of the higher numbers in the state. Tennessee State will increase tuition and fees 5.5 percent with East Tennessee State at 5.4 percent. Tennessee-Knoxville tuition and fees will increase 2.4 percent.
“We tend to have a higher percentage of what I would call more costly programs,” Oldham said. “About 40 percent of our students are studying a science or engineering discipline, which tends to be more costly. And so I think that’s part of the. It’s a big part of the equation.”
Oldham said that increasing enrollment can help bring those average numbers down.
Mandatory fees will increase five percent. Program service fees will increase to $693 per semester, up front $660. Those funds will help develop facilities.
The board also voted to eliminate the pre-2020 tuition model and put all undergraduate students on the current flat rate model. Wheeler said some students had been grandfathered into the old model. The move will be effective fall, 2025, as part of the Tuition Transparency Act enacted by the state.
In other business, the board celebrated the retirement of Dr. Graham Kash. Kash began his Tennessee Tech career in 1966.
The board ratified the new lease agreement with the City of Cookeville for new downtown parking lots. The emeritus contract for Dr. Bob Bell approved for the new academic year. The board also approved tenure for new faculty members. That would bring the percentage of tenured faculty to 55 percent on campus.
New student trustee Claire Myers elected by the board to serve during the next academic year. Myers, a West Tennessee native, is beginning her graduate degree.
