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Committee hears debate on WGU tuition reimbursement expansion for National Guard members
Summary
Representatives debated House Bill 2103, which would allow Western Governors University to be eligible for STRONG Act tuition reimbursement for Tennessee National Guard members; THEC and WGU representatives described a 2013 MOU and a $75,260 fiscal placeholder for 53 students; the committee debated out-of-state providers and passed the bill to Finance.
Representative Stevens introduced HB 2103 to add Western Governors University (WGU) as an eligible institution for tuition reimbursement under the STRONG Act for active members of the Tennessee National Guard. Members raised concerns about sending state funds to an out-of-state institution; sponsor and WGU staff described a 2013 memorandum of understanding, a Tennessee office and local chancellorship intended to ensure a Tennessee presence. Ginger Hauser (WGU) told the committee they signed an MOU in 2013 and maintain a Tennessee office and advisory board, and said WGU's model is competency-based and often lower-cost for working adults.
Lou Hanneman (THEC) and WGU representatives described a fiscal note earmarking roughly $75,260 to cover 53 students in the near term; legal staff explained that the STRONG Act is administered outside THEC and that adding institutions may affect the fixed pool. The clerk recorded 8 ayes and 7 nays on the committee board; the chair announced the bill moves to Finance (the transcript records both clerk tally and chair's procedural direction). Members asked programmatic guardrails and whether other out-of-state institutions would seek similar eligibility; proponents stressed serving active-duty members with a model that accommodates deployments.
