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Table of Contents   General Information   College History

Roane State’s Beginnings

Beginning with the Pierce-Albright Report in 1957, which resulted in a $200,000 appropriation by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1963 to initiate the community college system, the philosophy of community colleges in Tennessee has been to provide higher education for all Tennessee residents. The first three community colleges were established in 1965, with one in each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions—Cleveland State in East Tennessee, Columbia State in Middle Tennessee, and Jackson State in West Tennessee. Additional community colleges opened in Dyersburg and Tullahoma in 1969. The sixth community college opened in Morristown in 1970.

In 1969, the General Assembly, upon the recommendation of Governor Buford Ellington and the state Department of Education, authorized three additional community colleges to be built in Sumner, Roane, and Shelby counties. After visits by Commissioner J. Howard Warf and other officials from the state Department of Education in 1969, a site on Patton Lane was chosen as the permanent location of Roane State Community College.

Facilities Growth

RSCC opened in temporary quarters at the former Fairmont Elementary School in Harriman in the fall of 1971. In the fall of 1973, the college moved into its first permanent building on the main campus in Roane County.

Groundbreaking for the second building on the Roane State campus was held in January 1977. This three-story Technology Building was occupied in December 1978.

Construction on Campus Expansion Phase II began in June 1978. The Maintenance Building was completed in June 1979, and the Library/Learning Resource Center in September 1980. In addition to reference and audio-visual services, the center houses Distance Learning and the Center for Teaching Arts and Technology. A branch campus at Hardin Valley Road and Pellissippi Parkway was occupied in the fall of 1986. This campus was shared with a sister institution in Knox County.

With the establishment of Pellissippi State Technical Community College in the fall of 1988, Roane State moved its Oak Ridge campus to new sites in Oak Ridge.

Phase I of the East Tennessee Agricultural Exhibition Center was completed in 1988 at the Roane County campus. Phase II was completed in 2000. The facility continues to host a variety of agricultural, civic and community events.

In June of 1994, Roane State held a dedication ceremony for its first permanent Higher Education Center at the new facility in Huntsville. The Scott County Center was named after Earl McDonald, a former Scott Countian who generously provided a $1 million gift to help build the new campus. The center’s library was named after Scott County native Howard H. Baker, Jr., former senator and chief-of-staff for President Reagan. Baker’s memorabilia and world-renowned photographs are displayed throughout the facility. The 15,000-square-foot center is situated on 37 wooded acres provided by W.H. Swain.

In August of 1994, the college held its long-awaited groundbreaking for the new $6.3 million Humanities Building. Final approval of funding for the building came after 13 years of support by community and political leaders. The Humanities Building was opened for classes in the spring of 1997.

In December of 1998, Roane State held a dedication ceremony for its second permanent Higher Education Center in Crossville. The Cumberland County Center was named after Roy and Joanne Stone. The Stones donated the 40-acre tract of land for the new center and made significant financial contributions as well. The center’s library was named after the Cumberland Clinic Foundation in honor of this organization’s significant financial contribution.

Roane State occupied a new facility in Knox County to accommodate Health Sciences education that Roane State provides in the expanded service area of Knox and Blount counties. The facility houses classrooms for nursing, respiratory therapy, polysomnography, and EMT/paramedic programs.

Another hard-won dream of the college became a reality when the Oak Ridge Branch Campus celebrated the dedication of its permanent, state-of-the-art, 120,000 square foot facility on August 13, 1999. The building is named in honor of State Senator Randy McNally and former State Representative David Coffey in recognition of their contributions and leadership in the campaign for the permanent Oak Ridge Branch Campus.

In October 2001, dedication ceremonies were held to celebrate the opening of a multi-million dollar facility in which Roane State leases space for the Loudon County Higher Education Center. The college shares this facility with the Loudon County Career Center and the Lenoir City Public Library. City and county officials worked closely with the college to make this valuable community resource a reality after a 1999 fire destroyed the downtown block in Lenoir City where the center now stands.

In November 2004, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of the Fentress County Higher Education Center in Jamestown. The facility is located on property leased from York Institute and consists of five portable units provided by the Fentress County Board of Education. A bronze plaque was presented to Guy and Claudine Pinckley for their effort in providing most of the financial resources necessary to make the center a reality.

In 2005, the Campbell County Higher Education Center was completed. This 18,000 sq. ft. building in Lafollette replaced the college’s leased center in Woodson’s Mall. Thanks to a bequest by Lillian Michaelis and a land gift by Ed Wheeler, Campbell County now enjoys a permanent college campus.

In spring 2008, the Morgan County Higher Education Center is scheduled to open thanks to the support of Wayne and Margaret Solomon whose significant financial contributions made the campus possible. Lawrence and Eva Hines gave the college the land on which the campus is located.

Student Population Growth

Roane State was projected to be the second or third smallest two-year state college when it opened its doors in the fall of 1971 – enrolling 323 students in 35 classes taught by 20 faculty. Over the years, the college enjoyed a consistently upward trend in enrollment with two notable student growth areas - off-campus and distance learning.

Roane State now serves more than 5,400 students who are enrolled for credit. In addition, more than 40,000 individuals become involved in the various non-credit courses, seminars, workshops, cultural activities, exposition events and special educational services offered by the college.

The Presidents of Roane State

In May of 1970, Dr. Cuyler A. Dunbar was selected as the first president of the college.

With 18 years of service to the college, President Dunbar left Roane State in 1988 to assume the presidency of Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, North Carolina.

Dr. Sherry L. Hoppe was appointed on an interim basis and later named as Roane State’s second president in spring 1989.

In February 2000, Dr. Sherry Hoppe accepted an appointment as interim president at Austin Peay State University and was selected as the university’s permanent president in January 2001. During this period, Vice President for Financial Services William S. Fuqua, III served as interim president of Roane State.

On October 15, 2001, Dr. Wade B. McCamey became Roane State’s third president. In August of 2005, Dr. McCamey accepted the presidency of Walters State Community College in Morristown.

Dr. Gary Goff became Roane State’s fourth president on August 19, 2005 after serving as an academic dean and vice president for business at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida.

Milestones

1974	The college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.
1976	77% of all students were taught on-campus.
1979	40% of all enrollment was off-campus.
1980-81	Roane State became the fourth-largest Tennessee community college.
1981	The governor stated that Roane State Oak Ridge and State Technical Institute at Knoxville should share a location on the Technology Corridor.
1981-82	Roane State became the third-largest Tennessee community college, by FTE.
1983-84	Women’s basketball team won the national championship, the first for a two-year Tennessee college.
1985-86	Roane State became the second-largest Tennessee community college with 40% of its enrollment off-campus.
1989	All faculty and staff offices were equipped with a personal computer or terminal.
1989-90	Roane State became the first college in Tennessee to have electronic telephone registration.
1990-91	RSCC has more health science programs than any other two-year college in Tennessee.
1990-91	The college won the AACJC Exemplary Program and Services Award for Excellence of Off-campus Higher Education Centers.
1991-92	Telecourse programming began with two video courses in the fall and three more in the spring. A total of 250 students enrolled.
1992-93	The first distance learning (IDEA) classrooms to be offered by any Tennessee community college were installed. By 1995, with five compressed video classrooms, RSCC became the largest user of this technology among TBR community colleges.
1994-95	E-mail access became available to all RSCC students.
1996-97	The Tamke-Allan Observatory was completed in June on the Schweinler property overlooking Watts Bar Lake.
1996-97	RSCC offered its first classes on the World Wide Web.
2005-06	For an unprecedented fourth year, RSCC earned a perfect 100 points on the THEC Performance Funding Program evaluation.
2005-06	Career education programs had a 96% placement rate.
2005-06	RSCC students rated their entire educational experience higher than state or national peers.
2005-06	All former past presidents came “home” to kick off the college’s celebration of 35 years of academic excellence.
2006-07	Over $14 million was awarded in student financial aid.