Press Releases:

March 4, 2008

For more information: Donna Clarkin
(615) 859-1390
clarkin@bellsouth.net

TAICS Offers Help to Displaced Students

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Association of Independent Colleges and Schools (TAICS) announced today that the organization is working proactively and collaboratively with neighboring and member institutions to relocate displaced students from Tennessee Career College (TCC), which ceased operations on Monday, March 03, 2008. “What is most important in this situation is the welfare of the students. They deserve their education and TAICS pledges to use its resources, contacts and organizational membership to ensure that every student is able to continue their academic endeavors,” said Donna Clarkin, Executive Director of TAICS.

“Our first order of business is working with local member schools with similar programs to those at TCC to find a new home for these students, so they may continue their studies,” continued Clarkin, “and fortunately we have already witnessed a tremendous outpouring of very generous assistance from TAICS membership. We have also seen our colleagues in the Board of Regents schools extending their assistance to TCC's students. Chancellor Dr. Charles Manning indicated that "it is his intent to ensure that colleges such as Volunteer State, Chattanooga State and others work with these students to find solutions for their academic needs."

According to Clarkin, the following measures by schools, staff, and accrediting bodies has already been underway to address the needs of former TCC students:

· Draughons Junior College - Nashville, Clarksville & Murfreesboro are evaluating TCC’s programs and curricula to determine how the students can best be served.

· National College of Business and Technology has offered to teach out TCC students in existing program areas. Additionally, they have requested approval from their accreditor, the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), to teach out TCC’s court reporting students in Nashville. This will allow students to continue their court reporting education in the Nashville metropolitan area.

· Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Postsecondary Division, Dr. Stephanie Bellard, is working with TCC President Faron Boreham to analyze and to assess students’ academic progress and finances, as these relate to the State Tuition Guarantee Fund that is paid in by all schools to handle school closures and teach-outs.

· Court reporting schools from Alabama, Georgia and Texas have also offered to help.

· Roger Williams, Executive Director of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training, has said that he is ready to contact other accrediting agencies to reach out to students to enable them to complete their training.

Clarkin was quick to emphasize that while these efforts are proving very helpful, they are by no means exhaustive or the end of the decisive action TAICS plans to take in the coming days. “This is serious matter that requires the proactive help of TAICS, its member institutions and others willing to step forward at this critical juncture,” said Clarkin. “We have already made substantial headway in finding programs and schools willing to do the right thing by helping these students. And we’ve already ensured that access to higher education for hundreds of students has remained open. To be sure, there is much more work to do, so every party involved must act quickly. But we remain confident that while the classrooms of TCC may be closed to students, the opportunity to gain valuable skills and training necessary to compete in a 21st century workforce will not.”

The Tennessee Association of Independent Colleges and Schools (TAICS) and the Tennessee Proprietary Business School Association (TPBSA) are sister agencies representing Tennessee's schools with the legislature and regulatory entities, including the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, the legislature, and accrediting commissions. TAICS facilitates professional growth and development for private career colleges and schools and their students, faculty, and staff. TPBSA advocates on behalf of career colleges and schools and their students, faculty, and staff. For more information about TAICS, visit www.taics.org.