The purpose for this research is to investigate the spending patterns of undergraduate and graduate students in a Tennessee, four-year, public institution. The cost of attending a college or university is often cited as the source for student loan debt spiraling out of control. Not to marginalize the impact that increasing tuition, fees, and books…

As California begins to reinvest in public higher education after several years of budget cuts, it could opt to tie funding more closely with outcomes--for example, the number of students educated or degrees awarded. This approach, known as performance-based funding, has the potential to incentivize investment by the state's higher education…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Using data from academic year (AY) 2006 through AY 2016, this report presents projections of awards to be produced by public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee…

Public two-year colleges serve as an important access point for two out of every five students enrolled in postsecondary education. However, only 40 percent of community college students earn a postsecondary credential of any kind within six years, limiting their opportunities for advancement. Hoping to increase student retention and success, many…

College is one of the most reliable routes to economic security for parents and their children. College credentials are linked to increased earnings, higher rates of employment, lower poverty rates, and improved economic and educational outcomes among the children of college graduates. Student parents and their families stand to gain…

This brief report uses data collected under the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Fall Enrollment survey to highlight distance education data in the state of Tennessee. The sample for this analysis is comprised of all active, degree-granting…

Off-campus locations play a significant role within Tennessee's higher education system. They meet the needs of many citizens who are unable to take advantage of the services provided at main campus locations and, in turn, serve the needs of the institution by making education available to more students. It is the responsibility of the Tennessee…

This is a time of great challenge and opportunity for American higher education. The challenges are well-established and widely acknowledged: escalating standards for economic competitiveness, coupled with a severe economic downturn and protracted recovery, require broad access to relevant postsecondary education, training and retooling as never…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Using data from 2006-2014, this report presents projections of degrees to be awarded from public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee through the year 2025. These…

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) adopted the Master Plan for Tennessee Postsecondary Education 2015-2025 in 2015. Published as Tennessee was launching the Drive to 55, the 2015-2025 Plan includes state and system-level projections of the necessary degree production to reach our state's ambitious attainment goal. As a complement to…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Using data from 2006-2014, this report presents projections of degrees to be awarded from public, private, and…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) is the process of evaluating learning, regardless of when or where the learning occurred, and, if the learning is at the college level, awarding college credit to the possessor of that learning. This article provides an overview of the PLA program at a large public U.S. institution and presents the findings of the…

Before last year, public colleges in Tennessee had a very good reason to fill classroom seats through the first couple of weeks of the term. Each institution's share of the state appropriations for higher education was largely based on enrollment at that point in the semester. Now, however, those colleges stand to lose state money if students do…

The majority of Southern states performed below the national average and the average of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in terms of the percent of young adults in 2015 who attained an associate degree or higher. This regional profile presents a synthesis of trends in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)…

In January 2010, the General Assembly passed the Complete College Tennessee Act (CCTA), a comprehensive reform agenda seeking to transform public higher education through changes in academic, fiscal and administrative policies at the state and institutional levels. While the higher education landscape has been shaped by the CCTA, higher education…