Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101 (2026)
System established
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a)
- (1) There is established a state university and community college system, to be called the board of regents. The state university and community college system is composed of state universities, community colleges, and state colleges of applied technology.
- (2)
- (A) The board of regents state universities shall be composed of Austin Peay State University, East Tennessee State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, and the University of Memphis. The board of regents state universities shall be subject to the authority of a local governing board of trustees, referred to in this chapter as a state university board.
- (B) The management and governance of each state university shall be vested in the institution's respective state university board, subject to certain powers and duties maintained by the Tennessee higher education commission.
- (C) During a transition period commencing July 1, 2016, and ending November 30, 2017, the board of regents shall maintain performance of the following functions on behalf of the state university boards: data systems, capital project planning and management, and procurement. By November 30, 2017, the Tennessee higher education commission shall solicit and receive requests from the state university boards to assume the performance of these functions. The Tennessee higher education commission shall approve or deny a state university board's request to assume these functions. A state university board shall not be permitted to assume the performance of these functions until November 30, 2017. If the board of regents continues to perform the functions related to data systems, capital project planning and management, and procurement after the transition period has concluded, a state university board is not precluded from requesting to assume the performance of these functions at any time after November 30, 2017.
- (3)
- (A) The state community colleges shall be composed of Chattanooga State Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Columbia State Community College, Dyersburg State Community College, Jackson State Community College, Motlow State Community College, Nashville State Community College, Northeast State Community College, Pellissippi State Community College, Roane State Community College, Southwest Tennessee Community College, Volunteer State Community College, and Walters State Community College, and other community colleges that may be established. The statewide system of state colleges of applied technology, established under chapter 11, part 4, of this title, shall be composed of the state colleges of applied technology now established and located at Athens, Chattanooga, Covington, Crossville, Crump, Dickson, Elizabethton, Harriman, Hartsville, Hohenwald, Jacksboro, Jackson, Knoxville, Livingston, McKenzie, McMinnville, Memphis, Morristown, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Newbern, Oneida, Paris, Pulaski, Ripley, Shelbyville, and Whiteville. The board of regents is authorized to establish additional state colleges of applied technology or to combine existing state colleges of applied technology as needed to improve operational and administrative efficiencies.
- (B) Subject to certain powers and duties reserved for and relegated to the Tennessee higher education commission, the government, management, and control of the state community colleges and the state colleges of applied technology shall be vested in the board of regents.
- (b) The board of regents shall work collaboratively with state university boards to ensure alignment between community colleges and state universities, especially in regards to innovation and student success initiatives.
- (c)
- (1) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board of regents, in consultation with the Tennessee higher education commission, shall establish a comprehensive statewide community college system of coordinated programs and services to be known as the Tennessee community college system.
- (2) It is the legislative intent that the Tennessee community college system operate as a unified system with individual campuses, teaching centers and teaching sites as necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the system in enhancing student success and increasing the number of college degrees held by Tennesseans.
- (3) In order to carry out this subsection (c), the board shall develop a plan to transition from the existing system of thirteen (13) independently managed institutions to a comprehensive statewide community college system managed as a unified system. Such plan shall identify any statutory changes needed to accomplish the transition.
- (4) As part of its plan, the board shall identify and implement consolidation of services among institutions and standardization of processes between institutions in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness in all functional areas, including, but not limited to, student services, academic support and institutional support.
- (5) The plan shall also incorporate the use of block scheduling and cohort programming as a means of delivering educational programs within the Tennessee community college system. Programs developed pursuant to this subdivision (c)(5) shall be developed in a manner that results in the opportunity for more rapid and significantly higher rates of program completion through structured degree programs that incorporate fixed course offerings that meet the requirements for the degree being offered on a predetermined schedule.
- (6) In carrying out this subsection (c), the Tennessee community college system shall pursue strategies to create mutually beneficial relationships with colleges of applied technology such that certificate programs may be offered at community college sites and community college courses may be offered at colleges of applied technology.
- (7) This subsection (c) shall be fully implemented no later than July 1, 2012.
- (d) All institutions in the state university and community college system shall submit annually institutional mission statements to the Tennessee higher education commission for review and approval. An institutional mission statement shall:
- (1) Characterize distinctiveness in degree offerings by level, focus, and student characteristics, including, but not limited to, nontraditional students and part-time students; and
- (2) Address institutional accountability for the quality of instruction, student learning, and, when applicable, research and public service to benefit Tennessee citizens.
- (e) Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit any institution from pursuing research and related activities that are consistent with the institution's mission.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 877,s 1, eff. 5/3/2018.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 869,s 2, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 869,s 1, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 473,s 7, eff. 7/1/2013.
Acts 1972, ch. 838, § 1; 1973, ch. 80, §§ 2, 4; 1973, ch. 200, § 1; 1983, ch. 181, § 3; T.C.A., § 49-3236; Acts 1994, ch. 538, § 2; 1994, ch. 685, § 3; 1999, ch. 510, § 1; 2002, ch. 618, § 1; 2009, ch. 352, § 1; 2010 (1st Ex. Sess.), ch. 3, § 8.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1991–2026 · leading case: Dishmon v. Shelby State Cmty. Coll., 15 S.W.3d 477 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999).
Dishmon v. Shelby State Cmty. Coll., 15 S.W.3d 477 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
Tennessee Env't Council v. Water Quality Control Bd., 250 S.W.3d 44 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
Est. of Burchfiel v. First United Methodist Church of Sevierville, 933 S.W.2d 481 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996). “For a list of "independent” regional community colleges established in Tennessee, see T.C.A. § 49-8-101, etseq.”
Chaudhuri v. State of Tenn., 767 F. Supp. 860 (M.D. Tenn. 1991). “The Court DENIES defendants’ motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s § 1983 claims for compensatory damages and for prospective relief against defendants Neal, Cox, Rogers, and Onwubiko.”
Cedar Nordbye v. Univ. of Memphis (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101 (a)(2)(A). The system provides for termination of tenured faculty members based on “adequate cause” and sets forth certain minimum procedures to be put in place by member institutions to ensure due process for the faculty member whose termination is…”
State of Tennessee v. Michael Patrick Sullivan & Deborah Clark Buckner, Alias (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021). “The State responded, relevant to Officer Cianflone’s qualifications, that Tennessee Code Annotated section 49-8-101 recognized community colleges as colleges.”
Alexander Wells v. Tennessee Bd. of Regents (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101 , et. seq. The caption of Senate Bill No.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) — 2 cases
Dishmon v. Shelby State Cmty. Coll., 15 S.W.3d 477 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
Tennessee Env't Council v. Water Quality Control Bd., 250 S.W.3d 44 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a)(1) — 1 case
Cedar Nordbye v. Univ. of Memphis (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101 (a)(2)(A). The system provides for termination of tenured faculty members based on “adequate cause” and sets forth certain minimum procedures to be put in place by member institutions to ensure due process for the faculty member whose termination is…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-101(b) — 2 cases
Dishmon v. Shelby State Cmty. Coll., 15 S.W.3d 477 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
Tennessee Env't Council v. Water Quality Control Bd., 250 S.W.3d 44 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 49-8-101(a) (1996). Its management and control is vested in the Board of Regents.”
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