TN.gov Newsroom

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Higher Education Commission today announced the Lumina Foundation for Education will spend up to $1.2 million in Tennessee on a multi-year initiative to implement model programs for re-enrolling and graduating adult students who have left college and revising the state’s higher education funding formula and Performance Funding program. The grant, which comes amid budget shortfalls and rising college enrollments, is one of seven awarded nationally as part of the foundation’s effort to increase productivity by promoting significant changes in how states fund and deliver higher education.

“Increasing the number of students that complete their degree is a primary focus in Tennessee, and being selected to participate in this effort is a significant milestone toward that goal,” said Bredesen. “Tennessee’s long-term economic viability relies on increasing our rate of degree completion. The multi-year funding associated with this project will help our state become more efficient in that process, which is especially important as we seek innovative ways to fund higher education.”

“Productivity is the new public agenda for higher education in Tennessee,” said Dr. Richard Rhoda, Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “This means graduating more students within available resources with no decrease in the quality of the end product. We will support this primarily through our public higher education funding mechanisms and statewide outreach to returning adult students.”

“Obviously, we’re gratified that Tennessee was chosen to receive funding to support strategies for graduating more students. In one sense, we’ve passed a test, but the real test will be whether we can sustain productivity gains in a way that significantly improves Tennessee's national ranking in educational attainment,” he continued.

The grant, which will extend for up to four years, will focus on using existing resources to graduate more adult students, specifically, adults who have left college without a degree but with significant credits toward a degree. Selected community colleges across the state will implement new policies and programs designed to make it easier for these students to re-enroll and complete degrees quickly, saving time and money.

In addition, the grant will support efforts by the commission, in collaboration with Governor Bredesen, to make changes in both the state higher education funding formula and the Performance Funding program to provide stronger institutional rewards for graduating students, especially adult students.

“This round of grants represents Lumina’s next steps in advancing a national agenda for raising the level of productivity within higher education,” said Jamie P. Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. “Momentum is building to serve greater numbers of students by maximizing the use of existing resources and ensuring quality. These grants will move us toward a deeper understanding of how we can implement policies and practices that elicit more value from our shared investment in higher education.”

The grants are part of Lumina’s effort to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025 to meet economic demand. The state investments are designed to stimulate changes in policy and practice that can be emulated. States also receiving grants today include Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, Ohio and Texas.

In an effort to engage more states, the foundation also released Four Steps to Finishing First in Higher Education, a practical guide for state policymakers and higher education leaders. These documents describe steps states can take to achieve greater efficiency.

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About the Tennessee Higher Education Commission

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly for the purpose of coordinating and supporting the efforts of post-secondary institutions in the State of Tennessee. One of its statutory requirements is to create a master plan driven by an all-encompassing mission for the development of public higher education in Tennessee.

Tennessee Higher Education Mission: Tennessee public higher education will ensure student access to mission-focused institutions providing teaching and research of high quality and educate an increased number of citizens ready for productive lives in a global knowledge economy. www.tn.gov/thec

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation for Education is committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college — especially low-income students, students of color, first-generation students and adult learners. Our goal is to increase the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Lumina pursues this goal in three ways: by identifying and supporting effective practice, through public policy advocacy, and by using our communications and convening power to build public will for change. For additional information about Productivity, visit Lumina’s Web site and www.makingopportunityaffordable.org.