Committee extends Tennessee Tech board term and hears university leaders on revived nuclear engineering program

House Bill 279, carried by Representative Lafferty, extends the Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees to a later date and passed the Government Operations Committee by unanimous voice/roll call vote. The measure also prompted a committee‑requested presentation from Tennessee Tech leadership about the university’s relaunch of a nuclear engineering program.

Representative Lafferty said the bill extends the board and introduced Phil Oldham, president of Tennessee Tech, and Trudy Harper, board chair, who answered legislators’ questions about the restarted nuclear engineering curriculum and student recruiting. President Oldham said the program was approved last fall and has attracted substantial freshman interest for the coming fall cohort. "We have a substantial number of, freshman applications already lined up for this next fall," Oldham said.

Committee members asked about cohort size, employment pathways and curriculum focus. Oldham said the initial planned cohort was about 10 students, though enrollment interest exceeded that initial target. Harper, an electrical engineer by training, explained that the program was discontinued decades ago and has now been relaunched; she said industry demand is growing and predicted graduates will find roles across unregulated generation development and private industry rather than only at traditional utilities. "I'm not sure we know who's going to employ them because I'm not sure we understand who's going to be in that space in even 5 years from now," Harper said, describing rapid industry change.

Members also asked about student recruitment and dual‑enrollment opportunities. Oldham and Harper said Tennessee Tech uses dual enrollment and online options to accelerate student progress; Harper noted she benefited from early college credits when she attended. Representative Fritz suggested partnerships with Department of Energy training (criticality courses) to give students hands‑on nuclear training; the university representatives said the curriculum will target both traditional and less traditional nuclear fields such as fuel recycling and process engineering and that they aim not to duplicate other programs.

Representative Hardaway asked about water and natural‑resource protections related to nuclear activity; Oldham affirmed the university’s commitment to protecting water resources and natural resources.

The committee recorded a 12‑0 vote in favor of the bill; House Bill 279 moves to calendar and rules.