Officials representing Knoxville College filed paperwork with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission last year to re-open for instruction in 2018, three years after the state disallowed the school from operating due to uninhabitable buildings and health code concerns.
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2018/01/03/after-years-struggle-knoxville-college-plans-re-enroll-students/944419001/
The Knoxville News reports that the college, which this week was again the target of arsonists as two buildings near and on the campus property were sites for small fires, has restored one building and is looking to begin recruiting students and offering instruction this year, pending approval from the THEC.
“We are doing everything possible to be able to open in 2018,” said Knoxville College President Keith Lindsey in an email. “We have had tremendous success to this point and we are continuing to ride this momentum. It is challenging because it does encompass many moving parts, however we are being proactive in our approach to have the infrastructure in place once we receive our approval from (the state) to recruit and admit students.”
According to college and city officials, the campus has secured tax and bookkeeping services to analyze its finances, and expects to pay down two outstanding debts exceeding $100,000 this year. Other talks have been held about the city leasing the school’s library facility, purchasing parcels of land towards debt servicing, and razing some of the unusable buildings prior to reopening.
THEC officials say there is no timetable for the approval of the school’s application to resume business.
