Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees makes interim appointment, approves new master’s program at quarterly meeting
The Board of Trustees at Tennessee Tech University approved a cabinet-level interim appointment, greenlit a new master’s degree program and welcomed its newest member at its quarterly meeting on Dec. 4.
During the board’s morning executive committee session, trustees unanimously approved the president’s recommendation to appoint Katie Winningham Aikens, Ed.D., as interim vice president for student affairs.
A two-time Tech graduate and Upper Cumberland native who has served the university for more than 20 years, Aikens was named dean of students in 2017 — the first woman in Tech history to hold the role — and took on additional responsibilities as assistant vice president for strategic initiatives in 2021.
Tech President Phil Oldham said he was “delighted and honored” to recommend Aikens for the position and praised her record of dedicated service to the university.
“Student Affairs’ focus has been and will continue to be on student engagement, student wellbeing and overall student success,” Aikens told the board before the vote. “I’m pleased for the opportunity to serve our students and our dedicated Student Affairs professionals, and I appreciate your consideration.”
Trustees also approved a proposed Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program, which would be housed in the Department of Sociology and Political Science.
The 60-credit-hour program would be delivered in a majority-online format with some in-person instruction scheduled in the evening to accommodate working professionals.
University leaders said the program is in response to “urgent and growing needs for professional social workers trained in addiction recovery, mental health services, community development and social service leadership” across the region, state and nation.
The proposal is backed by letters of support from diverse stakeholders, including the Putnam County School System, the Upper Cumberland Council on Children and Youth, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, the Putnam County Regional Office of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, among others. The proposal now advances to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for final review.
The meeting was the first for new trustee Allen Foster, a two-time Tech graduate appointed by Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton in late September. Foster is well known across the region for his service as mayor of Cumberland County, a position to which he was first elected in 2018.
“I am honored to be here,” Foster said in remarks to fellow trustees. “I am looking forward to serving with everybody and am excited to be back here at my alma mater.”
In other board news:
- President’s report: President Phil Oldham updated trustees on key performance metrics, highlighting Tech’s
record freshman retention rate and rising four-year graduation rate. He also shared
updates on the university’s efforts to raise its profile through earned media coverage
and strategic marketing investments, including statewide billboards and a new 30-second
television spot titled “Wings Up,” which airs in the Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga
markets.
- Recognition of Deb Combs: Trustees recognized Coordinator Deb Combs, who is retiring after more than 35 years
of service. Oldham praised Combs for doing an "outstanding job" and noted she was
one of the first people he met after being named university president 13 years ago.
Trustee Barry "Butch" Wilmore also honored Combs, saying "It's just been a joy, and
I am going to miss you terribly." Combs thanked trustees, adding, "I appreciate all
of you. It's been a good run, and I am very thankful for it."
- Provost’s report: Interim Provost John Liu informed trustees of the university’s latest Quality Assurance Funding (QAF) score, an annual assessment by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Tech earned a score of 93 on a 100-point scale, including perfect marks on academic programs, institutional satisfaction and student equity. Liu also updated trustees on performance metrics for recently approved academic programs, noting that all have exceeded early enrollment goals. Most notably, the university’s new baccalaureate degree program in nuclear engineering, launched in fall 2024, has enrolled more than four times the number of students originally projected.
- Planning and finance update: Senior Vice President for Planning and Finance Claire Stinson provided a financial
update and briefed trustees on the university’s composite financial index (CFI), which
stands at 4.79 — above industry benchmarks and higher than the average of other Locally
Governed Institutions (LGIs) in the state. Stinson said the score reflects strong
financial health.
Stinson also introduced Robert Waits, founding partner at Studio Topography, who presented a proposed landscape master plan to guide campus beautification in the coming years. The plan calls for increased tree coverage, an emphasis on native plants and a proposed bandshell at the site of the former Foster Hall, among other features.
Stinson additionally outlined three new proposed capital projects, which the board approved. The projects include a long-anticipated parking garage with capacity for more than 800 vehicles. Construction on the garage could begin as early as next spring. - Recognition of students: Trustees recognized two Tech students, Elena Gould and Maddie Ray, who recently won second place at Eagle Works — the university’s Shark Tank-style innovation and entrepreneurship competition. They were honored for their concept “The Beginner Chef,” a cooking starter kit designed to help students gain confidence in the kitchen.
Materials from today’s meeting and video of the full board meeting will be available at the board’s website, www.tntech.edu/board. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for March 12, 2026.