Trustee Ayers reported the Academic Research & Student Success Committee met earlier and presented three action items that were included on the board's consent agenda and carried.

The committee voted to approve tenure upon appointment for Dr. Dina Evans, named as the incoming dean of the College of Nursing, citing her more than 20 years of nursing leadership experience. Trustee Ayers said, "Based on her outstanding academic and leadership record the committee voted to approve tenure upon appointment for Dr. Evans." The full board adopted the consent agenda, which recorded that approval.

The committee also approved a new Bachelor of Science in Digital Development, a collaboration between the departments of Digital Media and Computing; the program is expected to be the first in Tennessee to offer the full stack of programming and design skills and was planned for presentation to THEC in spring 2025 for a possible fall 2025 start.

Finally, the committee approved a new institutional accreditation policy permitting the university to select any institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; Trustee Ayers said board action on the policy is required by Tennessee law before Dec. 31, 2024. These items were included on the consent agenda the full board adopted by voice vote.