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The College:

Higher Education in the State of Franklin:

An Overview

Institutions of higher education in the State of Franklin operate somewhat independently. Because of a history of autonomous governing boards and distrust of governors, there is no single governing authority for higher education. (See Figure Public Higher Education in the State of Franklin Organization Chart.)

In 1978, the Higher Education Coordinating Board was created by the Legislature to collect and disseminate information about higher education institutions and programs in the State of Franklin. All proposals for new programs at four-year institutions are first submitted to the Higher Education Coordinating Board, which is charged with studying whether there is sufficient need and whether there is unnecessary duplication across institutions. The Board also collects statistics and conducts studies at the request of the Legislature and/or Governor. The Board, however, does not have approval or budgetary authority; instead, it makes recommendations to the joint House-Senate Higher Education Committee of the State Legislature, which has the ultimate decision making power.  For two-year colleges, there is a State Governing Board that considers and approves requests for programs. This board also sets the budget for each two-year college and makes a single budget request to the Legislature through the Governor's Office.

Each year, the Governor proposes a budget for higher education to the Legislature. Specific funding amounts are designed for:

  • Two-Year College Governing Board, which allocates funds to each of the 10 institutions in its system. Head count enrollment on all campuses is approximately 30,000; full time equivalent [FTE] enrollment is approximately 19,000. Campuses are located in: Rentz, Louisville, 3 in Benjamintown, Anderson, Sinclair, Abby, St. Jerome, and Eastwest.

  • The State University of Franklin (located in Jeffersonville) was founded in 1868 and is a Research I, doctoral-granting, land grant institution. It offers bachelor's and graduate programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, education, business, social work, family and consumer sciences, forestry, agriculture, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, journalism, and law. The regional campuses (located in Kingville, Madison, Oakmont, and Auburn) offer bachelor's degrees and a few master's degree programs. A single budget request is make for the State University (including the regional campuses). On campus enrollment at Jeffersonville is 23,000 students (FTE is approximately 20,000); there are approximately 8,000 students enrolled at the regional campuses (FTE is approximately 6,500).

  • Faraway College (located in Hopewell) was founded in 1869 and is a women's liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 900 students.

  • Papish University was founded in 1962 and is located in Rock City; it offers a variety of bachelor's degrees, master's degrees in business, education, humanities, and engineering; it offers doctorates in education. Enrollment is approximately 17,000 (FTE is 13,700).

  • Western State College (located in Peterson) was founded in 1870 and is a historically Black institution that offers bachelor's degrees and master's degrees in business, education, and agriculture. Enrollment is approximately 3,000 (FTE is 2,650).

  • Central State College (located in the state capitol of Benjamintown) was founded in 1953 and offers bachelor's degrees and master's degrees in business, education, and urban studies and doctorates in education. In 1988 it added a law school. Headcount enrollment is approximately 20,000 students (FTE is approximately 11,000).

  • Medical University of Franklin (located in Benjamintown) offers degrees in medicine, dentistry, nursing, and medical technology. It was founded in 1888. (Enrollment is approximately 5,000; FTE is about 4,200.)


  • Oconee College (located in River City) was founded in 1919 as a "normal school" and offers bachelor's degrees in the liberal arts, education, sciences, and nursing and master's degrees in education and business. Enrollment is approximately 4,100.

Each of the bulleted institutions above have their own Board of Trustees and are called on by the Higher Education Committees of the State House and Senate to justify their budget requests each year.