NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), which governs The College System of Tennessee, has received a four-year extension after both the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee Senate approved its sunset legislation on Feb. 9. The action extends the termination date of the State University and Community College System, Board of Regents, to June 30, 2030. Under the Tennessee Governmental Entity Review Law, the board was set to terminate on June 30, 2026. The extension followed the bill’s advancement out of the Senate Government Operations Committee and comes amid continued legislative support for higher education and workforce development initiatives statewide. 

Reports directly from the bill show that the legislation will allow for the continuation of the existing entity at its current funding level. According to the Work Program Budget Year 2026 details, total funding for the board during the FY 25-26 is $1.01 billion ($578,230,800 is funded by the state; $1,041,700 is federally funded; and $428,426,800 comes from other sources).

Infrastructure Investments On Time, On Budget - During committee testimony, TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings reported that all infrastructure projects funded through Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly’s nearly $2 billion investment in higher education over the past four years remain on schedule and within budget.

The capital investments have included upgrades and expansions across community colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), aimed at modernizing facilities and expanding capacity in high-demand workforce fields such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and information technology.

Enrollment Growth Signals Workforce Demand - Chancellor Tydings also reported strong enrollment growth across the system. Technical colleges experienced a 14.2 percent increase in enrollment for the Fall 2025 semester, while community colleges saw a four percent increase during the same period.

In Rutherford County, Tennessee College of Applied Technology operates a primary campus in Murfreesboro and an additional campus in Smyrna, located across from the Nissan North America assembly plant. Nissan serves as a key industry partner to the institution.

The Smyrna Campus and Nissan Training Center — a 162,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2017 — is a public-private partnership between Nissan North America and TCAT Murfreesboro. The center provides technical instruction in advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, and industrial maintenance, equipping both students and Nissan employees with the skills required for high-demand, high-skilled careers.

TCAT Murfreesboro is widely regarded as a leading technical training institution in Rutherford County, offering certificate and diploma programs in fields such as practical nursing, welding, automotive technology, cosmetology, and information technology. With a 100 percent acceptance rate and an 88 percent job placement rate, the college serves a diverse student population through hands-on, career-focused training designed to prepare graduates for immediate entry into the workforce.

Lawmakers commended the system for meeting students “where they are,” particularly adult learners, dual-enrollment high school students, and individuals seeking short-term credential programs aligned with employer demand.

One highlighted example was Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville’s new Union County campus, cited as a model for expanding career training access in underserved areas while strengthening local economies.