THEC Statement on ITT Technical Institute Closure

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission today announced it is working to assist students of ITT Technical Institute with information and resources following the school’s announcement that it is closing.

Students with questions regarding the closure can contact THEC at (615) 741-5293. Additionally, THEC has posted information on its website for students at www.tn.gov/thec, along with an online form that students can complete to receive email updates.

The U.S. Department of Education has also set up a website for updates and information available at http://studentaid.ed.gov/itt. Students should check this website for the most recent information regarding federal student loans.

“Our immediate priority is limiting the negative impact of the closure on the nearly 2,000 Tennessee students enrolled at ITT Tech,” said THEC Executive Director Mike Krause. “This is an unprecedented occurrence and we are working with officials at ITT Tech, the US Department of Education, and other higher education institutions around the state as this rapidly-evolving situation develops.”

Over 1,900 Tennessee students were enrolled at ITT Technical Institute locations, including physical locations in Chattanooga, Cordova, Johnson City, Knoxville, and Nashville, as well as an online ITT location based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Nashville location has been in operation for nearly 30 years.

During the closure process, THEC will be undertaking the following activities:

• Working with ITT locations to attain student transcripts for preservation of the student’s academic record. THEC serves as the repository for transcripts for closed postsecondary institutions;
• Building an email distribution list for former ITT students that will provide up-to-date information;
• Assembling a list of Tennessee institutions with comparable programs for potential student transfer opportunities; and
• Sharing frequently asked questions to help guide students through Tennessee-specific topics regarding the closure.

“We are focused on pursuing every possible resource for these students,” said Krause. “As the situation unfolds, we will work to provide them information on a timely basis to help guide them through this process.”

Most ITT Technical Institute students were between academic terms when the announcement was made today. Students were scheduled to start the next quarter on September 12.