Tennessee Tech expanding in-state tuition eligibility to students from specific regions in Kentucky and Alabama starting in the fall of 2027.
Tennessee Tech vice president for enrollment and communication Karen Lykins said the university is targeting areas where current resources can be most successful.
“Alums have scored, we scored high in that area, the type of industries, the type of student,” Lykins said. “So those were chosen based on their feeding into Huntsville, and there also is two campuses of Calhoun Community College, and we also wanna include them in our conversation about recruiting.”
Lykins said the strategy focuses on specific locations to reach students interested in higher education through established relationships and messaging.
“We know where you come from,” Lykins said, “That’s why we chose to do that, if that makes sense.”
Tennessee Tech vice president for planning and finance Claire Stinson said the proposal also includes students transferring from Somerset Community College in Kentucky. Stinson said while some Kentucky border counties already receive in-state rates, the new plan allows any student from the community college to qualify regardless of their home county.
Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham said the university is moving toward a model where any student transferring from a partner institution receives the in-state rate.
“I think it’s moving away from that geographical distinction,” Oldham said. “I think the logic is pretty straightforward.”
Stinson said the financial impact of the change is not significant. The estimated revenue loss from the Alabama expansion is $30,240, which Stinson said represents the amount of out-of-state tuition currently collected from students in those specific areas.
In other business, the board approved changing the School of Nursing to the College of Nursing. Officials also discussed football stadium revenue, noting that while season ticket sales dropped from 819 to 745, total revenue increased from $152,708 last year to over $1 million this year.
