THEC History and Mission
History
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly to achieve coordination and foster unity with regard to higher education. The Commission coordinates two systems of higher education, the University of Tennessee institutions governed by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, and the state universities, community colleges, technical institutes and technology centers governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents. There are currently nine public universities, two special purpose institutes, 13 two-year institutions, and 27 technology centers in Tennessee that serve nearly 200,000 students.
The Commission is composed of nine lay members, with six year terms, representing congressional districts of the State; three Constitutional Officers who are ex-officio voting members (Comptroller of the Treasury, State Treasurer, and Secretary of State); two ex-officio student members; and the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, as an ex-officio non-voting member.
Mission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly (TCA 49-7-202) 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 for the development of public higher education in Tennessee.
The mission for Tennessee's twenty-first century system of higher education is to:
- Elevate the overall educational attainment of citizens in the State through increased accessibility to mission-focused institutions, which deliver educational services on campus, as well as through a planned network of off-campus instruction, and
- Prepare citizens responsibly for success in the new century by providing high quality teaching and research in an environment that serves the needs of its consumers.
