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Kingsport begins new era of higher education downtown

Dignitaries formally open the Kingsport Center for Higher Education Friday. Erica Yoon photo.

 

Higher ed center is culmination of a dream

KINGSPORT — The Model City celebrated a milestone in higher education Friday afternoon — the dedication of a new education facility that will change the face of downtown Kingsport forever.

Several hundred people gathered at the corner of Clay and Market streets Friday afternoon to witness the dedication of the new Kingsport Center for Higher Education (KCHE). Numerous political, educational and business leaders were in attendance to officially open the new facility.

“Nobody has done it like you’ve done it here,” said Bill Locke, president emeritus of Northeast State Community College.

Locke, along with former Mayor Jeanette Blazier and Times-News Publisher Keith Wilson, were the original driving force behind the higher education center becoming a reality.

“I’m just blown out of the water. The whole Academic Village concept exceeds my expectations, and this facility is fabulous,” Blazier said. “I just expect more and more great things out of downtown.”

The KCHE is a multi-college facility where several different colleges offer associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees under one roof.

“You can start and complete an associate’s degree at Northeast State, then without leaving the community step across the hall and begin studies in a baccalaureate program, then a master’s or a doctorate in selected areas,” Locke said.

Northeast State operates the facility and offers the first two years of core courses. Participating universities and colleges then offer their bachelor’s and master’s programs, with degrees being in the name of the university offering the program. King College, Lincoln Memorial University, Carson-Newman and the University of Tennessee are all offering courses at the KCHE.

“When your industry leaders come to you about being concerned about having an educated work force, it gets your attention,” said Mayor Dennis Phillips. “I think we have answered the need well.”

The $15 million, three-story facility is 54,000 square feet of classrooms, laboratory and office space, with 18 classrooms (both traditional and computer-lab oriented), two interactive television rooms (similar to video conferencing), two lecture rooms, an eating area, computer lab and a 260-seat auditorium.

Each of the participating colleges has its own office, and U.S. Rep. Phil Roe has decided to relocate the 1st District congressional office back downtown and on the first floor of the KCHE.

King College began its courses at the KCHE on Monday, and beginning this Monday Northeast States courses will begin, Overall, approximately 940 students are registered to take courses at the new facility.

Phillips said East Tennessee State University has estimated the KCHE will generate $44 million in economic activity in the next three years, with $7.4 million in student spending alone during that time.

The idea of a higher education center in Kingsport dates back nearly 20 years — the idea was first mentioned during the Vision 2017 process in 1989, then in the Model City Coalition plan, and again in 1999 during an economic planning summit.

Over a two-year period, a committee of educators, employers and community leaders worked on a plan to bring a higher education center to the Model City. In early 2007, Kingsport agreed to fund the construction of the building, with Northeast State agreeing to operate the facility.

Soon after this request, Northeast State asked the city to build a second higher education building, which would house all of the college’s medical courses.

Now, four years and $19 million later, Kingsport has two new higher education facilities in its downtown — the KCHE and the Regional Center for Health Professions (RCHP).

“It shows what can happen when you get some forward-looking public servants with engaged business and community leaders. You get a great result like this,” said Jim Rogers, CEO of Eastman Chemical Co.

“The city of Kingsport’s higher education efforts have been admirable, and we’re proud to have contributed to the development of the Academic Village,” said John Williams, CEO of Domtar.

The ultimate vision of the city is to transform the Clay/Market/Clinchfield area of downtown into an Academic Village, which will include at least five higher education facilities, a parking garage and three future expansion sites. The first three have been built — the KCHE, the RCHP and the seven-year-old Regional Center for Applied Technology.

The next higher education facility will be the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) located on Clinchfield Street, which will be open soon, Phillips said.

The RCAM is a joint effort of Domtar, Eastman, Northeast State and the city of Kingsport and will offer associate of applied science degree programs in electrical/electromechanical technology, machine tool technology, welding/metal fabrication technology, and the chemical process operations technical certificate program.

The fifth building in the Academic Village will be the Pal Barger School of Automotive Technology. The PBSAT will transform the Free Service Tire and Auto Center on Center Street into a facility housing Northeast State’s automotive services program.

“The work is not done. Today is merely a stepping-stone,” Locke said. “If you stay together with this effort, in five or 10 years you’re going to see what a difference this has been. It will make a monumental effect on this community.”

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Thanks for the details Ms. Jones, it does sound like they have worked to address many of these concerns.

Jeremiah Jones | 8/29/2009 - 4:30 PM - (Suggest Removal )

Mr. Jones,

I truly understand your concerns and with most universities, I feel you are entirely correct. But, I think you need to do more research about and talk to serious students who attend Northeast State. Northeast strives to be on the cutting edge of degree programs, to employ and constantly train quality educators and offers more alternative delivery programs to make a quality higher education possible for more students. That is what this building is about- not contracts with developers. Further, Northeast has practiced conservative fiscal principles through the years, so you won't see many overinflated salaries. Most people stay there because they love the job and the Northeast family and because they care about the future of NE TN- not because of their salary, which in most cases is much, much less than you would expect, especially for people possessing a graduate or numerous graduate degrees. If they were in it for the money, they sure wouldn't be at Northeast and yet, employee retention is extremely high. Regarding crippling student debt, Northeast addressed this concern with the Educate and Grow scholarships. Any student who graduates from high school in cooperating areas (not sure of all of them, but Sullivan County is one) can attend Northeast for free for their first two years. Additionally, they are working towards quality scholarships for non-traditional students, as well. And, if the student shows interest, staff will go out of their way to help them receive financing.

Yes, I am a Northeast fan. I've been through the doors both there and at other institutes of higher ed, here and in other states. However, Northeast is truly one positive entity in the higher ed arena. Although I tend to agree with your opinion regarding higher ed as a whole, Northeast is attempting to break that stereotype. Please research and I'm certain you will agree with the majority of what they have done and are still trying to accomplish.

Jasmine Jones | 8/29/2009 - 9:27 AM - (Suggest Removal )

I admit the idea of an education mall is interesting.

However, modern university education is mostly about contracts to developers to put up new buildings, spas and gyms for students, and obese salaries for administrators.

Rather than spend millions on these beautiful buildings, how about address the lack of affordable education without crippling debt?

Jeremiah Jones | 8/28/2009 - 8:53 PM - (Suggest Removal )

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