THEC held its Higher Education Master Plan Statutory Committee meeting on Monday to discuss strategic goals for the state’s public higher-ed system moving forward. (Screenshot)
THEC held its Higher Education Master Plan Statutory Committee meeting on Monday to discuss strategic goals for the state’s public higher-ed system moving forward. (Screenshot)
East Tennessee State University administrators joined several other higher-ed leaders from universities across the state on Monday to discuss strategic goals for the Tennessee Higher Education Master Plan moving forward.
According to a presentation from officials at Monday’s Tennessee Higher Education Commission Higher Education Master Plan Statutory Committee meeting, the 2025-35 Master Plan will aim to strengthen universities’ abilities to align programming with workforce demands.
In addition, the presentation noted, universities across the state will look to “improve the agility†of the state’s higher education system by fostering a “coordinated, data-informed environment that proactively generates innovative approaches to evolving challenges.†Officials also plan to continue ongoing efforts to make higher education more accessible and affordable, among other key goals.
University of Memphis President Bill Hardgrave said making students “workforce ready†is among the most important outcomes institutions should strive for.
The sentiment aligned with recent stakeholder interviews conducted by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which indicated that “emerging workforce needs†are among key “priority issues.â€
“I think we have to keep outcomes as our North Star,†he said. “The [public] opinion of higher education has dwindled over time, and some of that is attributable to a lack of attention to outcomes.
“I know we have an outcome-based formula, but I think we have to rethink how we look at outcomes.â€
A timeline provided by the committee said state officials are still in their “writing phase†for the new strategic plan. The commission will submit their new plan for final approval in October 2025.
ETSU President Brian Noland, a member of the state’s Master Plan Committee, noted in an interview last week with the ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ Press that this year marked the last year of former Gov. Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative to increase the percentage of Tennesseans with post-secondary credentials to 55% or more. He said state leaders plan to build on the progress made under that initiative.
“[We’re] spending a lot of time with other presidents across the state looking to ensure that the policy levers at the state are aligned to help us meet whatever that next big goal may be,†he said.
