NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal held a workshop on Feb. 18 at Tennessee State University to discuss college affordability. It was part of a daylong visit by U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, to address teacher shortages and other educational needs.
James Kvall, U.S. Under Secretary of Education, left; Dr. Jerri Haynes, Dean of the TSU College of Education; and Rich Williams, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Education, participate in the discussion at the workshop. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)
Organizers of the workshop said its main purpose was to allow Kvaal to hear directly from students about their concerns. They included the challenge of paying tuition and the effectiveness of Tennessee Promise, a state initiative that allows high school graduates to attend a community or technical college free of tuition.
For instance, while Tennessee Promise takes care of tuition, students say they still have to pay for their books, which can sometimes be expensive.
“They shared problems as students, and things they want to see happen in the future,” said Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of TSU’s College of Education, and one of a number of educational stakeholders who also attended the workshop.
Hartlee Hill, a first-year TSU dental hygiene major from Livingston, Tennessee, said she liked the fact that Kvaal took time to listen to their issues.
“It was so good to be here and to hear everybody’s views and how to help improve the system,” said Hill.
Accompanied by Rich Williams, chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Education, Kvaal said he wanted to gather information on the needs of students and educators, as well as make them aware of existing services. He said he was impressed by the level of “talented young people” at the workshop.
“They were very sharp and very passionate about the issues they presented,” Kvaal said. “We talked a lot about the challenges of covering living expenses, books, and the challenges of student support services, such as mental health challenges and the difficulties first-generation college students face in navigating the system.”
Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU’s associate vice president and chief of staff, and Jessica Macy, senior director of student impact at Tennessee Achieve, a partnering organization to Tennessee Promise, were among stakeholders at the workshop.
“This opportunity helped us highlight our students and all of their hard work and persistence, in attending college,” said Macy.
Earlier in the day, the highlight of Education Secretary Cardona’s roundtable discussion was TSU’s Grow Your Own teacher pipeline initiative in the College of Education. TSU is the number one HBCU for producing teachers and a top institution in the field across the nation.
“I’m really proud of what I see here,” Cardona told reporters after the roundtable. “We want to see more of this across the country. We know that with the American Rescue Plan funds, and what we’re pushing with Build Back Better, there’s going to be more support for this. It takes seeing programs like this to keep us pushing really hard because we know they work.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, hosted a roundtable discussion at Tennessee State University on Friday, Feb. 18, to address teacher shortages and other educational needs. The highlight of the conversation was TSU’s Grow Your Own teacher pipeline initiative in the College of Education. TSU is the number one HBCU for producing teachers and a top institution in the field across the nation.
TSU President Glenda Glover (2nd from left in front) with U.S. Under Education Secretary James Kvaal (left) and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona with student leadership. (photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)
TSU graduate and undergraduate students from the Grow Your Own program, faculty and local educational leaders participated in the dialog that allowed them to talk openly about issues impacting their lives and work environment, including diversity and the pandemic.
“This has been so amazing to have the Secretary of Education visit the campus of TSU and have such engaging discussions with our faculty and students,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “TSU has a proud legacy of producing quality teachers who are committed to the profession and for providing them the tools to succeed, ultimately resulting in student success. We are glad to share the success and impact of our Grow Your Own program with Secretary Cardona and look forward to his next visit.”
Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education, speaks during roundtable discussion. (photo by Aaron Grayson)
“I’m really proud of what I see here,” Cardona told reporters after the event. “We want to see more of this across the country. We know that with the American Rescue Plan funds, and what we’re pushing with Build Back Better, there’s going to be more support for this. It takes seeing programs like this to keep us pushing really hard because we know they work.”
Cardona said TSU is “not only a place where you’re going to see great programs … but you’re going to see an environment that’s welcoming and nurturing to all students.”
Currently, TSU has more than 50 participants in its GYO programs. Tanisha Morrow, a paraprofessional at a local Nashville high school, is among them, and she’s thankful.
“This is paving the way for me to obtain a master’s degree in special education, and also allows me to get an endorsement in ESL,” said Morrow, who participated in the roundtable. “But more than anything, I’ll be able to better serve kids in our community. That’s important to me because our classrooms are so diverse. I need to be able to reach all learners.”
GYO participant Tanisha Morrow address roundtable. (photo by Aaron Grayson)
Education officials say initiatives like GYO are necessary to address teacher shortages, which have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of education job openings overall surged by nearly 75 percent this fall compared to the same period last year. And teacher shortages, in particular, are expected to linger when the pandemic wanes, experts say.
However, TSU and its Grow Your Own initiative is doing its part to make sure school districts are supplied with enough qualified teachers, said Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of TSU’s College of Education.
“Some schools are starting without teachers, some have interim subs,” said Haynes, who was part of the roundtable. “So, we want to make sure that all students get a fair chance at the beginning of school with a highly qualified teacher in their classroom.”
Junior Tre’veon Hayes, an elementary school major from Memphis, Tennessee, said the visit by the Education Secretary and what he heard about programs like Grow Your Own, were motivational.
TSU junior Tre’veon Hayes, an elementary school major, talks to reporters following the event. (photo by Aaron Grayson)
“I like where we’re heading with the education vision,” said Hayes, a roundtable participant. “I believe we have a strong plan to really encourage more students to get involved in education.”
Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools and a TSU alumna, was also part of the roundtable, and she too, liked what she heard.
“It takes these types of conversations to make things happen,” said Battle. “I commend all of you for what you do.”
U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal was also a part of the visit to TSU. To learn more about TSU’s College of Education, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/coe/.
For more information about the state’s Grow Your Own initiative, visit https://bit.ly/36oIgKN.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s undergraduate and graduate elementary teacher preparation programs have been named among the top in the country for contributing to greater teacher diversity by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Dr. Jerri Haynes
TSU’s programs are among only 21 percent of the 1,256 NCTQ evaluated across the country and among only seven programs in Tennessee to be recognized in a new NCTQ report for enrolling a cohort of future teachers that is both more racially diverse than the current teacher workforce in their state and reflects the racial diversity of their local community.
Tennessee State University’s undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program was also named among the top in the country by NCTQ for Early Reading Instruction
Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education, said the college is excited to receive this prestigious NCTQ recognition.
“The College of Education continues to pave the path where ‘Excellence is our Habit’ in preparing our teacher candidates in both undergraduate and graduate programs to become effective teachers and leaders in rural, urban, and metropolitan school settings,” Haynes said.
Dionna Robinson
In its report, NCTQ, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research and policy organization, said TSU’s programs showed clear evidence of dedicated course time, as well as measures where aspiring teachers must demonstrate their knowledge of the five key components of the science of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This, the report added, puts TSU among the fewer than one-third of programs in Tennessee and nationally to earn an “A” on this NCTQ standard.
Dionna Robinson and Quinton Bolden are students in the teacher preparation program in the TSU College of Education. They are not surprised that NCTQ named their programs among the top in the nation.
Quinton Bolden
“We have amazing professors and advisors who go the extra mile to see us succeed,” said Robinson, a junior elementary education major from Huntsville, Alabama. “From the start, my advisor opened my eyes to making the right decision about my career goal, and I have not regretted it.”
For Bolden, who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, the NCTQ recognition underscores the dedication and care “my professors show to make sure I am not only successful in the classroom but how I approach my career in the future.”
“It is very uplifting for me to know you have people who care so much for your successful development. They provide me with all the tools I need to be successful,” said Bolden, a native of Earl, Arkansas. “
With a long record of an outstanding teacher preparation in the country, TSU’s recognition by the NCTQ is only the latest accolade for the College of Education. About two years ago, the university was recognized as the highest producer of teachers among historically black universities and colleges in the nation. A year ago, TSU received $600,000 from the Tennessee Department of Education to train educators to become assistant principals in Middle Tennessee school districts.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is using a $375,000 grant from the state Department of Education to address the need for more special education teachers across the state.
The SPED Endorsement Program allows certified teachers within Tennessee to receive their special education endorsement at no cost to them or their school district. At least 70 teachers are scheduled to take the online course in the fall.
“The College of Education plays a critical role in addressing special education teacher vacancies across Tennessee by providing a pathway for current teachers to add special education endorsements at no cost,” said Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education.
“TSU has a history of preparing educators in K-12 settings. It has been preparing educators since 1934 and is a leader in higher education, pioneering education, and preparing teachers. A lot has changed since then, but our commitment to training educators remains the same.”
Statistics show a need for special education teachers in Tennessee. The National Center for Education reports that 12.1 percent of the state’s student population has an Individualized Education Program, below the national average of 13 percent. In its analysis of the ability of each state to meet the needs of its students with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Education rated Tennessee as “needs assistance.”
The program at TSU will allow an educator to become the teacher of record for instruction, and develop and implement Individual Education Programs (IEP) for the Special Education Interventionist K-8 endorsement. Participants will receive services at no cost for tuition or fees. Also, TSU will cover the cost of one administration of the Licensure Assessment(s) associated with the endorsement through the grant funds.
Dr. Judith Presley is the program’s coordinator. She said program participants are enthusiastic.
“Several students have contacted me and expressed their excitement to have the opportunity to be a part of the program and the benefits of receiving the training,” said Presley.
Brady Risner of Collinwood, Tennessee, is among those enrolled to take the course in the fall, and she’s grateful for the opportunity.
“I was thrilled to be accepted,” said Risner, a second-grade teacher at Collinwood Elementary. “I’ve always had a soft spot for children with special needs. I taught in a transition class before, where there were struggling students, and it really opened my eyes to see that I have a passion for that.”
Nicki Hartsfield, who is also enrolled this fall, said she realized she wanted to become a special education teacher after being a special Ed assistant.
“I found out about the (TSU) program through our central office,” said Hartsfield, who is currently a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at Leoma Elementary School in Leoma, Tennessee. “This gives me another opportunity to help kids.”
The grant is the latest TSU has received from the Tennessee Department of Education in the last year. In June, the University received the other half of a $600,000 grant to train educators to become assistant principals in Middle Tennessee school districts.
Officials said the effort is part of a longstanding collaborative partnership between the university, the Department of Education and K-12 systems aimed at attracting more qualified applicants for positions in school leadership.
“Tennessee State University is taking the lead in the state’s assistant principal training program, as a further recognition of the quality of our programs,” said Haynes. “Through this program we are helping to fill the void or shortage of assistant principals, especially minorities.”
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Tennessee State University College of Education has received another $300,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Education to train an additional 51 aspiring assistant principals in Middle Tennessee school districts. This brings to 101 the total number of individuals to be trained in the one-year program.
Dr. Jerri Haynes
“Tennessee State University is taking the lead in the state’s assistant principal training program, as a further recognition of the quality of our programs,” says Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education.”
“This is an opportunity the university is certainly proud to receive. Through this program we are helping to fill the void or shortage of assistant principals, especially minorities.”
Dr. Eleni Elder, professor of educational leadership, is one of the leads on the Aspiring Assistant Principals’ Program. (TSU Media Relations)
Last January, the college received $300,000 to begin the training of the first group of 49 aspiring assistant principals. Officials say this is part of a longstanding collaborative partnership between the university, the state agency and K-12 systems aimed at attracting more qualified applicants for positions in school leadership.
The funding from the Tennessee Department Education will be used to conduct a one-year, master’s degree-level training for cohorts from the region, including four of the state’s largest school systems – Metro Nashville Public Schools, Shelby County Schools, Rutherford County and Clarksville. In May, the first cohort took one course during Maymester, an accelerated summer program. To catch up, the new group will take two courses during next year’s Maymester to finish the program at the same time.
Dr. Terrance McNeil, assistant professor of educational administration and coordinator of the training program, says to have the ability to have “such a large influence” on what happens next across the state in terms of educational leadership is a tremendous opportunity for the College of Education.
“We have taken the lead in the state in terms of this initiative,” says McNeil. “What that mean is that we have the rare opportunity to prepare the next generation of principals in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Education, and that really makes us happy from the professional standpoint.”
TSU students in the educational leadership program contacted in January said the strength of the curriculum would be helpful in developing the leadership skills of the aspiring assistant principals.
“This program helps build character because it offers a lot of field experiences where we go and directly talk to people and observe what they are doing,” said Pragati Natraj, a first-year graduate student from India majoring in instructional leadership.
Bridney Jones, who’s also pursuing her master’s degree in educational leadership, agreed.
“I believe this course will benefit the new cohorts by giving them strong hands-on and practical experience they will need as leaders,” said Jones, of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
According to Haynes, participants in the program are teachers who have been selected by their superintendents or principals to take part in the training. All courses in the program, which is from June 2020 to June 2021, are offered online. When completed, participants will receive professional licensure as educational leaders.
“We have developed a special program of study for this project,” says Haynes. “We are going to provide them the theory and application, as well as internships and on-the-job training. They will receive university mentors, and we will work to identify mentors at their schools where they work.”
Dr. Latasha Lang, an adjunct faculty, who is one of the instructors in the program, says to be able to be taught by people who have experience as principals or assistant principals is a “wonderful opportunity” for the trainees.
“For those that are aspiring to become assistant principals, this is an excellent way to get information about what actually occurs in the school building,” says Land, who also currently serves as a high school assistant principal. “The program offers the opportunity to discuss scenarios, to be able to ask questions, and get information on things that have actually occurred. I am very excited about this.”
For more information about the Aspiring Assistant Principals Program and other graduate-level programs in the in the College of Education, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/coe/.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Education has received a $300,000 grant to train 49 aspiring assistant principals in Middle Tennessee school districts.
Dr. Jerri Haynes, Dean of the College of Education, says the college has developed a special program of study to train the aspiring school leaders. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
The funding from the Tennessee Department Education will be used to conduct a one-year, master’s degree-level training for cohorts from the region, including four of the state’s largest school systems – Metro Nashville Public Schools, Rutherford County Schools, Sumner County Schools and Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
“This is an
opportunity that Tennessee State University is certainly proud to receive,”
said Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education. “It is a further
recognition of the quality of our programs. It helps to increase our enrollment
and helps fill the void or shortage of assistant principals, especially
minorities.”
According to Haynes, participants in the program are teachers in their various systems who show leadership potential and have been selected by their superintendents or principals to take part in the training. All courses in the program, which is from June 2020 to June 2021, will be offered online. When completed, participants will receive professional licensure as educational leaders.
“We have developed a special program of study for this project,” Haynes said. “We are going to provide them the theory and application, as well as internships and on-the-job training. They will receive university mentors, and we will work to identify mentors at their schools where they work.”
Dr. Eleni Elder, left, Professor of Educational Leadership, holds discussion with graduate students in her school finance class. The course is part of the curriculum for the aspiring assistant principal training program. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Kirmanj Gundi is the interim chair of the COE’s Department of Educational Leadership. His department will be primarily responsible for conducting the training, which he called a “remarkable opportunity.”
“When we became
aware of the grant through Dr. Haynes, we had less than 10 business days to
come up with a winning proposal,” Gundi said. “We were successful, thanks to
our leadership and a remarkable team. Getting this grant is another
opportunity for TSU to go out there and put its name out. We have an
outstanding state-approved licensure program, we have great faculty.”
Current TSU students in the educational leadership program talked about the strength of the curriculum and how beneficial it would be in developing the leadership skills of the aspiring assistant principals.
“This program helps build character because it offers a lot of field experiences where we go and directly talk to people and observe what they are doing,” said Pragati Natraj, a first-year graduate student from India majoring in instructional leadership. “We have practical experience, and gaining that knowledge and seeing what leaders are already doing in the field help us reflect on what we should do.”
Bridney Jones,
who’s also pursuing her master’s degree in educational leadership, agreed.
“I believe this course will benefit the new cohorts by giving them strong hands-on and practical experience they will need as leaders,” said Jones, of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Dr. Terrance
McNeil, assistant professor of educational administration and coordinator of
the training program, said the partnership with the state gives TSU a great
opportunity to “take an active role” in training principals.
“We at TSU believe that we have a great program that can prepare principals in a very unique manner, given our history of educator preparation,” McNeil said. “We already do a great job with educators and all-around teachers, but when you start talking about principals, you are talking about the ability to create leadership and policies that can be implemented for the betterment of the students.”
TSU’s College of Education, which has been recognized as the highest producer of teachers among HBCUs in the nation, has had a long relationship with the Tennessee Department of Education for many years. In October, the college received more than a half million dollars from the department’s Title III program to develop a Global Education Student Support Services Lab to increase student learning across the curriculum.
In 2017, TSU was one of only four applicants out of 18 to receive the Tennessee Innovation in Preparation grant, or TIP. The grants are designed to support an increase in the development of a diverse educator workforce, an increase in the production of educators in high-demand licensure areas, and promote collaboration to improve educator preparation in literacy.
For the assistant principals’ training program, Dean Haynes congratulated the following committee members for their hard work in coming out with a successful proposal that made the grant possible: Dr. Heraldo Richards, associate dean; Dr. Trinetia Respress, assistant dean; Dr. Gundi, department chair; and faculty members: Dr. Carole De Casal, Dr. Eleni Coukos Elder, Dr. McNeil, and Dr. Darren Kennedy.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (TSU
News Services) – Students in the TSU College of Education will soon receive
increased academic support services, thanks to a U.S. Department of Education
Title III grant of $569,250.
Dr. Jerri Haynes
The college will use the funding to develop a Global Education Student Support Services Lab intended to increase student learning across the curriculum, as well as hire new career advisors, academic coaches and a program coordinator.
“This
is an exciting time for the College of Education,” says Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean
of the college and principal investigator for the grant. “Our goal here is to
provide support services for students to be successful in their journey to
getting their degree.”
With the aim of transforming the existing curriculum lab, Haynes says the Global Education Student Support Services Lab will be student friendly, with 21st century technology. It will streamline services, integrate career planning, and increase retention. The lab will also have kiosks where students can hold one-on-one meetings with advisors, as well as docking and privacy stations where students can relax and read.
Dr. Graham Matthews, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, teaches Introduction to Early Childhood Education to students who will be among many to benefit from the Global Education Student Support Services Lab. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Advisors
and academic coaches in the lab will provide support and mentoring to students
who may be struggling with licensure exams, or others who may need career
advising on their chosen pathway in education,” she says. “Our psychology
department will also benefit greatly, by catering to students who may be
struggling academically or need extra help.”
Students
in the college are excited about the news. Kayla Dawson, a freshman psychology
major and a work-study student in the old curriculum lab, welcomes the new
changes.
“I am
in this building a lot, and usually with a lot of work to do after class. To
have a place with the right resources and to be able to relax and focus, will
be a great help,” says Dawson, who is from East St. Louis, Illinois. “I am a
technology person, so I am just excited about the kinds of resources that will
be available.”
Jaylon
Jones, also from East St. Louis and a freshman criminal justice major, agrees.
“The
enhancement will definitely be a wonderful thing,” says Jones, also a
work-study student in the curriculum lab. “What was here before was great, but most of it
was not up-to-date.”
Previously,
the curriculum lab consisted of books and reading materials, which have all
been removed and are being replaced with more advanced technology that was not
available to students.
Debra
A. Jackson, director of the COE Curriculum Lab, says the vision for the new lab
is for students to be able to come in and take advantage of different media and
computer resources that will enhance their learning.
“The dean (Haynes)
has talked about the possibility of having kiosks where students can go in and
access different things,” says Jackson. “This is a positive change where
students can come and create, while being able to access things with
technology, as well. I am very excited about these new enhancements.”
The Global Education Student Support Services Lab will be completed and ready for student use January 2020, according to TSU officials. For more information about TSU’s College of Education, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/coe/
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has named Dr. Jerri A. Haynes the new dean of the College of Education. Haynes comes to TSU from Fort Hays State University, where she was associate professor and assistant dean of the College of Education.
Dr. Jerri A. Haynes
“Through a
faculty-driven process, the search committee recommended Dr. Jerri Haynes,”
said Dr. Alisa Mosley, interim vice president for Academic Affairs.
“The faculty supported Dr. Haynes for her administrative
capabilities, her insight on the needs of P-20 education, and her desire to
impact academic programs. She understands how to build collaborations with our
external stakeholders and help our students succeed.”
A prolific
writer credited with a number of peer-reviewed professional articles, Haynes
has a wealth of experience in higher education and K-12 administration. At Fort
Hays State University, she also served as director of assessment and accreditation.
Previously, she was ESOL coordinator and department chair at Bethune-Cookman
University.
“I am excited
about being at Tennessee State University,” Haynes said. “This is an
opportunity for me to make a difference in the College of Education and pretty
much leave my legacy as to how we can move forward in the 21st
century.”
With a
student-centered philosophy, Haynes said under her leadership the College of
Education’s primary focus will be recruitment, retention, graduation and
employment, and building stronger partnerships with stakeholders like K-12
school systems, community colleges, local agencies and organizations.
“First, we must
make students our priority, be more supportive of students,” Haynes said. “It
is more than just about getting students to the university and say, ‘You are
here and it’s now up to you to complete the process.’ We must realize that they
have aspirations and that it is our responsibility to help them resolve those
aspirations. This means that faculty must rethink the way they teach. They
definitely have to rethink how they approach students in the 21st
century. We have to build relationships with the students.”
Haynes holds a
doctorate degree in child and youth studies, and an Ed.S. in Teaching English
to Speakers of Other Languages, both from Nova Southern University; and
master’s and bachelor’s degrees in elementary education from Florida A&M
University.
A year ago, HBCU Lifestyle, a publication
dedicated to “black college living,” ranked TSU No. 1 among the “Top
10 HBCUs that Produce Teachers” in the nation. The publication, which
provides HBCU students and their families with “valuable advice” about college
admissions, campus life and financial aid resources, said TSU’s undergraduate
and graduate offerings and concentrations in biology, chemistry and elementary
education made the school’s teacher preparation program more attractive.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
