Members at Tennessee Tech University’s March 6 Board of Trustees meeting approved plans for new master’s degrees in agriscience technology and child life, while also voting to support sound upgrades in the university’s Hooper Eblen Center and to award an honorary doctorate to a distinguished Tech alumnus.

According to Tech Provost Lori Mann Bruce, the proposed Master of Science degree in child life will “prepare graduates to support the emotional, developmental and psychosocial needs of children and adults, as well as their families, who are facing medical or traumatic experiences.”

Bruce noted that Tech’s plans were bolstered by a feasibility study showing “high demand for graduate students in the child life field” as well as letters of support from St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and others. It will be the only program of its kind at a public institution in Tennessee.

Likewise, Bruce explained that the proposed Master of Science in agriscience technology will “train highly skilled workers in the agricultural field that will be integral to the states’ transition from conventional agricultural systems to new smart systems that are being implemented globally.”

While there are currently ten agriculture-focused master’s degree programs in the state, Bruce reported that Tech’s curriculum will offer key distinctions.

“None of the degrees that are currently offered in the state are focused truly on technology in agriculture,” said Bruce. “This is a degree program that is really going to be differentiated from other programs and fits well with the brand of Tennessee Tech and the faculty expertise we do have on campus.”

The board voted unanimously to support proposals for the two degree programs, which will now be sent back to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for final approval.

The board also voted to approve a $2.6 million upgrade to the sound system in the university’s Hooper Eblen Center. The nearly 10,000-seat facility is home to Tech’s basketball games, commencement ceremonies and other large-scale gatherings.

“What it does is replace the sound system, but it also replaces some acoustic wall panels, some acoustic ceiling elements, and all related work around that,” said Claire Stinson, Tech’s vice president for planning and finance. “We will be working with a sound designer to make sure we get this project right.”

In the board’s afternoon meeting, trustees voted unanimously to award an honorary doctorate of finance to Purna Saggurti, a former university trustee and 1982 Tech graduate who has gone on to become one of the nation’s leading financial industry leaders.

Today, Saggurti is vice chairman of Bank of America and chairman of global corporate and investment banking. He was previously head of Americas at Merrill Lynch, during which time he helped lead the company through the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the 2007 “Great Recession” and the subsequent merger with Bank of America. 

“Purna Saggurti has shaped our nation's banking and financial investments industry for the past 40 years and is certainly one of Tennessee Tech University's most accomplished alumni,” said Tech President Phil Oldham in a letter of recommendation shared with trustees. “He continues to be an excellent ambassador for Tech and another great example of what every Tech grad can achieve regardless of where they start or where they come from.” 

In other board business:

• Enrollment update: Karen Lykins, vice president for enrollment and communication, provided trustees with a report on Tech’s recent “Spring Showcase” preview event, which drew 932 students and over 2,000 guests. More than three-fourths of students who attend the annual event are projected to enroll in the fall. Lykins also shared that the university saw an increase in its fall-to-spring retention rate.
  
  
• President’s report: President Phil Oldham highlighted the rapid pace of capital projects and improvements on Tech’s campus, including recent projects such as the university’s new pedestrian walkway and plaza which now displays inlaid “Tennessee Tech University” lettering and a bronze tri-star seal. Oldham additionally highlighted future capital projects on the horizon, such as the plans for a 400-bed residence hall and student innovation center, a new social sciences building, new student event center and new running track.
  
  “There is a long list of projects yet to do and we’re going to keep moving as fast and expeditiously as we can,” said Oldham. “Students need and deserve these kinds of spaces.”
  
  
• Report to the Audit & Business Committee: Claire Stinson, vice president for planning and finance, informed trustees during the morning’s Audit & Business Committee meeting that, for the fourth consecutive year, the university received an unmodified opinion with no findings in its annual audit report from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
  
  Stinson also discussed Gov. Bill Lee’s 2025 – 2026 budget recommendation, which allots more than $25 million to support the university’s forthcoming Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Engineering (ACME) building.
  
  During the committee meeting, trustees approved proposals for modest increases to non-mandatory fees. Stinson and Oldham noted that minor cost adjustments are necessary to safeguard the quality of the student experience and account for inflationary costs.
  
  “Keeping that balance between cost and quality is really important,” said Oldham “The inflationary costs that we’re seeing – it’s just a fact of life, and we have to absorb it one way or the other.”
  
  
• Recognition of Diane Smith:  Trustees gave a standing ovation to Diane Smith, assistant to President Phil Oldham, ahead of her upcoming retirement after 32 years of distinguished service to the university.
  
  "Diane, I can’t say enough about your compassion and your kindness and, number one, your professionalism and your commitment to this place,” said Board Chair Trudy Harper, who presented Smith with a vase inscribed with the dates of her service.
  
  
• Recognition of students: Trustees recognized four students with unique stories of personal achievement including:
  
  
  • Jameson Wharton, a Tech football player and junior interdisciplinary studies major who launched “Football for the Cure” to raise money for cancer research
  • Justin Schlenkert, a junior business major who set three state and three national powerlifting records at the recent “Powerlifting United” national competition
  • Sahera Abumariam, a doctoral chemical engineering student whose research on microplastics in wastewater treatment facilities won first place in its category at the recent American Institute of Chemical Engineers national meeting, and
  • T. Wayne Williams, a freshman agricultural communications major who serves as the outgoing 2024-2025 Tennessee FFA President. 
    
    

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 June 26, 2025.