Chattanooga State Community College (informally Chatt State) is a public community college in Chattanooga, Tennessee."Chattanooga State Community College." Educating Tennessee. Tennessee Board of Regents. https://www.tbr.edu/schools/default.aspx?id=2940. Retrieved 15 March 2011. The college is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents System and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).For list of TBR Institutions and Schools, see "01:03:00 TBR Institutions and Schools." Chattanooga State Community College. http://catalog.chattanoogastate.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=192. Retrieved 8 April 2011. For list of accredited colleges, see Accredited Colleges in Tennessee. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. . Retrieved 15 March 2011. Athletically, Chattanooga State is a member of Region VII of the NJCAA.
Chattanooga State is the only community college in Tennessee that has a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) as an integral part of its organization."Chattanooga State Community College." Tennessee Blue Book 2009-2010. http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/bluebook/09-10/16%20TBR.pdf. Retrieved 15 March 2011. The TCAT offers 21 diploma programs and 7 certificate programs with a combined annual enrollment of over 2,300 students and has 1151 employees."Tennessee Technology Center at Chattanooga: A Division of Chattanooga State." Chattanooga State Community College. . Retrieved 29 March 2011.
Chattanooga State functions as an open-entry postsecondary institution for students residing in six counties in Southeast Tennessee, as well as seven bordering counties of North Georgia and Northeast Alabama, including Bledsoe, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie in Tennessee; Catoosa, Dade, Fannin, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield in Georgia; and Jackson in Alabama.
History
In the early 1960s, the Tennessee State Board of Education began efforts to establish community colleges across the state as a result of post-World War II children entering higher education. In September 1965, Chattanooga State became Tennessee's first technical college and Southeast Tennessee's first public institution of higher education. It was originally known as Chattanooga State Technical Institute and was classified as a two-year, coeducational, college-level institution. The college was founded to offer technical programs with Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering degrees, primarily to meet industry needs and "to bridge the gap between engineers and craftsmen."Corlew, Robert E., and William B. Wheeler. Tennessee, the Volunteer State: An Illustrated History (Sun Valley, CA: American Historical Press, 2008), p. 190.
In 1973, Chattanooga State Technical Institute became Chattanooga State Technical Community College. Specifics of Senate Bill 1010 mandated that the college provide comprehensive one and two-year occupational, college parallel, continuing education, and community service programs; offer quality technical and scientific occupational programs; and serve as a regional technical school to train engineering technicians or technical workers in the fields of production, distribution, and service.
The college was under the State Board of Education until 1974 when it became part of the State Community College and University System, which was later renamed the Tennessee Board of Regents. With that administrative change the college identified the counties in its service area: Hamilton, Rhea, Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Marion, and Grundy counties in Tennessee and border counties in Georgia.Corlew, Robert E., and William B. Wheeler. Tennessee, the Volunteer State: An Illustrated History (Sun Valley, CA: American Historical Press, 2008), p. 191.
In 1981, the State Area Vocational-Technical School, now known as the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), entered into a pilot merger with Chattanooga State Technical Community College. Consequently, the college added vocational education to its mission. In July 1983 the Tennessee legislature officially recognized the merger, creating a unique partnership between vocational and career programs. With this merger the college began offering one-year certificates in fields such as industrial electronics, automotive technology, and welding.
In 2009, the college was renamed Chattanooga State Community College when Senate Bill 681 became law.Public Acts, 2009, State of Tennessee, Public Chapter No. 352, Senate Bill No. 681 http://www.state.tn.us/sos/acts/106/pub/pc0352.pdf. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
Over the years, the college has collaborated with business and industry to achieve several milestones. In 2006 the college acquired the building and land which had been the world headquarters of the portrait photography company, Olan Mills, Inc., which added and to the campus, and was renamed the Center for Business, Industry, and Health Professions."Chattanooga State - The Power of Achievement," p. 10. Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.pageturnpro.com/user/uploaded_books/129240170931567500_Viewbook%20Web%20final.pdf. Retrieved 29 March 2011. The creation of the Volkswagen Academy in 2009 was a unique partnership between the college and Volkswagen - the only such training partnership in over 60 Volkswagen plants worldwide.For Chattanooga State's responsibility for the program, see "Volkswagen Academy on Partnership with Chattanooga State." Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/about/abvw.html . Retrieved 30 March 2011. For Enterprise South and Chattanooga State's unique partnership, see "Chattanooga State - The Power of Achievement," p. 22. Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.pageturnpro.com/user/uploaded_books/129240170931567500_Viewbook%20Web%20final.pdf. Retrieved 29 March 2011. For the address of the facility, see "The Chattanooga Chamber's Volkswagen Team." The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. http://www.chattanoogachamber.com/VolkswagenTeam.asp . Retrieved 11 April 2011.Pare, Mike. "Firms Extol 'Green'." Chattanooga Times Free Press, 8 April 2011, p. C1. The establishment of the Business and Community Development Center in downtown Chattanooga provides customized support for start-up companies.Business and Community Development Center, Center for Distributed Education, and Library Services in "Chattanooga State General Information." http://catalog.chattanoogastate.edu/content.php?catoid=9&navoid=568. Chattanooga State Community College. Retrieved 30 March 2011.Corlew, Robert E., and William B. Wheeler. Tennessee, the Volunteer State: An Illustrated History (Sun Valley, CA: American Historical Press, 2008), p. 192.
The college has partnered with other cultural and educational organizations to offer collegiate education to particular populations. Hispanic immigrants are prepared for postsecondary study served by the Plaza Communitaria, a program in which the college partnered with the government of Mexico."Chattanooga State - The Power of Achievement," p. 34. Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.pageturnpro.com/user/uploaded_books/129240170931567500_Viewbook%20Web%20final.pdf. Retrieved 29 March 2011. American displaced workers are served by the AHEAD program."Chattanooga State's Project AHEAD." Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/ahead/ . Retrieved 29 March 2011. High school students can apply to the Middle College High School, a campus-based school offering both high school and collegiate studies."Chattanooga State - The Power of Achievement," p. 16. Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.pageturnpro.com/user/uploaded_books/129240170931567500_Viewbook%20Web%20final.pdf. Retrieved 29 March 2011. High school students can also apply to the Early College program, which offers motivated and bright students a chance to finish high school faster and get into college sooner."Dual Enrollment More Than Just a Matter of Convenience." Chattanooga Times Free Press, 27 October 2008, p. D1. For website, see "Dual Enrollment/Early College." Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/dual_enrollment/ . Retrieved 29 March 2011.
Organization
Chattanooga State Community College is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system, consisting of 18 board members."Who We Are." Tennessee Board of Regents. https://www.tbr.edu/about/default.aspx?id=804. Retrieved 11 April 2011. Debbie Adams served as interim president for Chattanooga State, following Flora Tydings' appointment as chancellor to the Tennessee Board of Regents in 2017. On July 10, 2017, Rebecca S. Ashford was named the president of Chattanooga State.
Tydings replaced James Catanzaro, who had served as president of CSCC from 1990 to 2014. Warren Nichols and Fannie Hewlett were appointed interim president during the search period prior to the appointment of Tydings."Policy 1:04:01:00 Subject: Duties of the chancellor." Tennessee Board of Regents, http://www.tbr.edu/policies/default.aspx?id=4852&terms=presidents+report+to+chancellor. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
Administration Chattanooga State Community College Rebecca S. Ashford (President 2017 to present) Debbie Adams (interim president 2017) Flora Tydings (president 2015–2017) Fannie Hewlett (interim president 2015) Warren Nichols (interim president 2015)
Chattanooga State Technical Community College/Chattanooga State Community College James Catanzaro (president 1990–2014) Henry Wagner (president 1987–1990) Charles S. Branch (president 1973–1987)
Chattanooga State Technical Institute Edgar H. Sessions (Director 1967–1973) Charles Whitehead (Director 1965–1967)
Academics
Chattanooga State Community College has seven academic departments:"Academic Divisions." Chattanooga State Community College. http://catalog.chattanoogastate.edu/content.php?catoid=9&navoid=590. Retrieved 8 April 2011. Business and Information Technologies Engineering Technology Humanities and Fine Arts Math and Sciences Nursing and Allied Health Social and Behavioral Sciences Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Student life
The Student Life department provides extracurricular activities that address various interest groups on campus."Chattanooga State Student Life." Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/student_life/clmulti.html . Retrieved 8 April 2011. Activities, workshops, trips, and events provide students with leadership opportunities, social development, and interaction with various aspects of the campus culture. Students often refer to Chattanooga State as "Chatt State."
Athletics
Chattanooga State competes in Region VII of the National Junior College Athletic Association."Athletics." Chattanooga State Community College. http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/athletics/index.html. Retrieved 8 April 2011. Intercollegiate athletics include baseball, men's and women's basketball, and fast pitch softball. Teams routinely compete for national championships. Scholarship opportunities enable qualified student athletes to pursue an education while representing Chattanooga State in a variety of sports. During the 2007 season all four head coaches received "Coach of the Year" conference honors."TJCCAA Honors CSTCC." Chattanooga Times Free Press, 18 November 2007, p. C11.
Baseball
During the 2009–2010 season the team competed in the NJCAA baseball world series."NJCAA Baseball History and Records," p. 5. http://www.njcaa.org/news/NEW%20RECORD%20BOOK/Baseball_Record_Book_110510x.pdf. Retrieved 2 May 2011. Tiger baseball opened the 2010–2011 season with a Region 7 Tournament win and a trip to Grand Junction, Colorado, as one of ten teams in the country to compete in the JUCO World Series. Tiger baseball has produced student athletes with awards both on the field and in the classroom.
Basketball