Bill > SB2079

This bill makes several changes to Tennessee's higher education system, primarily focusing on the appointment of members to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and establishing new rules for tuition, fees, and graduation rates. Specifically, it redistributes the appointment authority for the nine voting members of the THEC, with the Governor, Speaker of the Senate, and Speaker of the House each appointing three members, ensuring a more balanced representation. The bill also defines "on-time graduation" as completing an associate's degree within three academic years at a community college or a bachelor's degree within four academic years at a university, and requires the THEC to set target on-time graduation rates for institutions. Furthermore, it allows the THEC to approve separate tuition and fee increases for institutions if they demonstrate positive growth in their on-time graduation rates, and it caps tuition and fees for online undergraduate courses to be no more than 75% higher than comparable in-person courses if an in-person option isn't available. Finally, it mandates that university governing boards develop policies by July 1, 2026, outlining how revenue from out-of-state undergraduate tuition and fees will be used to help reduce costs for in-state students.

Education, Government Affairs

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB2079&ga=114