Board of Regents Braces for Further Cuts

Over this year and the next, universities in Tennessee’s Board of Regents system will likely see a 20 percent reduction in state funding.

At a meeting of the board’s committee chairs today, Chancellor Charles Manning proposed a set of long-term changes. They’re aimed at putting the system’s institutions in better shape for working with lean budgets.

“We cannot chase other systems and expect to stay anywhere in the race when they have a good bit more money-unless we change how we do things.”

Manning suggests finding ways to maximize the number of students served by each faculty member through measures like an expansion of online courses and more collaboration between Board of Regents schools.

The Board of Regents is also considering changing the way it charges students. Currently, part-time students pay for courses on a per-hour basis, while full-time students pay a flat fee, equivalent to 12-hours, no matter how heavy their classload. If passed, all students would pay each course hour taken.

The full Board of Regents meets early next month at East Tennessee State University.