Columbia State Community College

Columbia State Community College
Motto	Get The Tassel
Established	1966
Type	State-funded two-year
Endowment	$707,627
President	Janet Smith
Academic staff	257 (38% full-time)
Students	4,613
Location	Columbia, Tennessee, USA
Colors	Green and White
Mascot	Chargers
Affiliations	National Junior College Athletic Association
Website	columbiastate.edu

Columbia State Community College is a two-year college located in Columbia, Tennessee. Founded in 1966, it serves nine counties in middle Tennessee through five campuses. Columbia State is notable as the first of Tennessee's community colleges.

Columbia State Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

History

On June 22, 1965, the State Board of Education approved Columbia as the site of Tennessee’s first community college. The Maury County Quarterly Court approved a resolution to purchase the 204-acre (83 ha) Hickman farm and pledged $250,000 to aid in the construction of the college. The first students enrolled in 1966 and attended classes in temporary sites throughout the city prior to completion of the administration, gymnasium, library, maintenance, student center, and science buildings in 1967. The new campus was dedicated on March 15, 1967 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson and the first class graduated in June 1968.

In January 1988, Columbia State began offering courses in the Yates Vocational Center in Franklin. In 1994, the facility was transferred to the Tennessee Board of Regents, providing a permanent location for the college’s Franklin campus. Three additional semi-permanent sites have since been established in leased facilities: the Lawrenceburg campus, opened in 1988; the Lewisburg campus, opened in 1996; and the Clifton campus, opened in 1997.

Today around 10,000 students per year matriculate from Columbia State. It awards more than $10 million in financial aid. It has more than 50 programs and an opportunity for students to earn an associate of art, associate of science or associate of applied science degree.

Costs

The tuition to enroll at Columbia State is low compared to many four-year colleges. Instate tuition for Columbia State is $118 per semester hour, and out of state tuition costs $487 per semester hour.

Organization

Columbia State grants Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees in addition to vocational certificates. Degrees are organized by divisions. The divisions are Health Sciences, Science, Technology & Mathematics, and Humanities & Social Sciences. Degrees fall under these different divisions. Each has its own courses needed to get the degree. List of Program All courses are offered at least one of the campus.

Columbia State has partnerships with several universities to offer bachelor's and master's programs to its students. The schools and programs offered are:

• Athens State University, B.B.A. in Business Administration
• Austin Peay State University, Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies
• Middle Tennessee State University, Bachelor Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (K-6), Master Degree in Teaching Math
• Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Education Specialist in Educational Administration, Master of Education in Educational Administration
• Trevecca Nazarene University, Bachelor of Arts in Management and Human Relations

Tennessee Board of Regents recently raised tuition.

Students and faculty

The average student age is 27. There is a 2:1 ratio of female to male students. The amount of students at Columbia State are growing. The amount of students enrolled is around 5000, with around 250 faculty to instruct them.

Teachers of note

Stuart Lenig - Teaches several different media courses as well as being involved in many of the lectures given outside of class. Mr. Lenig is also involved in the hiring of new teachers and the general running of the school.

David White - Responsible for instructing the labs and classes for Chemistry I and II as well as Organic Chemistry I and II. Mr. White has an abundance of experience in fields relating to his classroom material as well as many years of experience teaching at both the high school and college level.

David Fawcett - Mr. Fawcett teaches non-calculus based physics classes as well as astronomy and also instructs the laboratory exercises for these classes. He is also involved in making budgeting decisions for the physics department.

Demographics

• 88% Caucasian
• 7% African-American
• 2% Hispanic
• 0.7% Asian American or Pacific Islander
• 0.4% Native American

the music and media classes are a new addition this 2010 year

Sports, clubs, and traditions

The school is an NJCAA member and fields baseball, softball and men's and women's basketball teams in intercollegiate competition. Scholarships are offered for those sports. Basketball, softball, table tennis, and volleyball are offered for both genders in intramural competition.

Student groups include the Charger Student Radiographer Organization, Circle K, drama/theater group, North American Veterinary Technician Association, Phi Theta Kappa, Pulmonary Pit Crew, Student Government Association, Student Nursing Association, Student Tennessee Education Association, Student Video Gaming Club, the Anime Club, and Students in Free Enterprise.

External links

• Official website
• Official Columbia State Facebook Page
• Official Columbia State LinkedIn Informational Page
• Official Columbia State Twitter Page