Higher Education Commission requests $150 million to cover growing costs at universities across Tennessee

THEC Interim Director Steven Gentile, left, speaks at Tuesday’s budget hearing with University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd to his right. (Screenshot) 

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is requesting new funding in the state’s higher-ed budget to capitalize on the progress made through other state investments geared toward boosting postsecondary enrollment and expanding workforce training.

According to THEC Interim Executive Director Steven Gentile, who spoke with Gov. Bill Lee and other education policy leaders at Tuesday’s hearing in Nashville to discuss the budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, the commission is proposing $150 million to help cover growing operational costs at universities across the state. He said among other expenditures, $1.6 million will go toward medical education operating costs at schools like East Tennessee State University, while nearly $424,000 more will be devoted to research operation costs. In addition, the commission has proposed $72 million for “strategic initiatives,” such as $7.5 million for land grant funding at Tennessee State University, 2.5 million for expenditures at the ETSU College of Pharmacy, $17 million for medical equipment modernization, and $6.5 million for workforce development.

Gentile said that the commission also hopes to use additional funding to continue increasing the number of students in dual enrollment programs and workforce training programs, which play a key role in ongoing efforts to increase workforce participation.

“There is a lot to celebrate with this administration’s investments in higher education over the last six years. Under this administration, the state has greatly expanded opportunities for high school students to access higher education sooner, exposing students to the rigors of coursework and helping them progress toward their degree more quickly,” he said, adding that Governor Lee’s recent investments in vocational education over the years have expanded access to workforce training.

“The more Tennesseans that have a credential, the likelier they are to participate in the workforce.”

For more information on this week’s budget hearings and THEC’s 2025-26 budget requests, visit www.tn.gov.