A week celebrating East Tennessee State University's 115-year history concluded with a look toward the future, as ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland outlined how the university is navigating a changing higher education landscape and positioning itself for long-term success.

As part of Founders Week, ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland presented his annual State of the University address on Friday, Oct. 9, at the ETSU Martin Center. The presentation was livestreamed and is available to watch on ETSU’s YouTube channel.

A national and state lens

Noland discussed the broader national challenges facing higher education, from enrollment and demographic trends to financial pressures and growing questions about the value of a college degree.

Despite those headwinds, he said, ETSU continues to grow, innovate and create opportunities for students across the region. Noland emphasized the defining role ETSU will take in shaping P-20 efforts across the state in the coming year and charged the university with establishing additional adult, workforce and off-campus programs targeting students aged 25 and older.

While Tennessee families face rising costs for housing, rent, childcare and food, and lottery revenues that help fund higher education have fallen short of projections, the state continues to invest in higher education.

Noland said those investments have allowed ETSU to continue growing its programming, infrastructure and facilities, including the opening of the new Academic Building this fall and the ongoing renovation of Brown Hall. He also announced plans to break ground on a new Integrated Health Sciences building in 2027 and to expand the engineering program to meet workforce needs.

A long-term approach

These investments are part of a broader strategy aimed at positioning ETSU for long-term success. Noland emphasized that a rapidly changing higher education landscape requires universities to look beyond short-term challenges and remain focused on long-range goals.

The accomplishments and future priorities highlighted in the address reflect the partnership between university leadership and the ETSU Board of Trustees, whose governance and strategic oversight help guide the institution's strategic vision, financial stewardship and major initiatives.

At ETSU, that includes continuing to invest in faculty and staff salaries, improving student retention and graduation rates, growing enrollment, expanding access for adult learners, and developing academic programs aligned with workforce needs.

In the past four years, ETSU has invested more than $26.5 million in salary enhancements for faculty and staff. This fall, the university also allocated funds to increase teaching and research graduate student stipends.

Many of those long-term investments are already producing measurable results. For the third consecutive year, ETSU was designated a Great College to Work For®. Additionally, ETSU also celebrated a record freshman class and first-year retention rate this fall, continued growth in research funding and national recognition earned by students through prestigious awards and scholarships, such as the Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright and Gilman programs.

“Our students can compete against anyone,” Noland said.

“We are in the strongest financial position that we have been in as an institution during my more than decade as president,” Noland said. “However, we cannot rest on our laurels. We have to look forward, knowing that there is uncertainty on the horizon, to make sure that we are prepared to be in this position year after year.”

‘The East Tennessee Way’

Central to Noland’s address and the ETSU Founders Week festivities was a focus on the people who make ETSU’s mission possible.

He paid tribute to Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr., ETSU president emeritus, who passed away earlier this year, and he concluded his remarks by remembering a long-time ETSU employee, Gary Bond, who worked in the grounds department for 47 years.

Noland said the spirit of service, determination and care for others defines what he called “The East Tennessee Way,” a phrase borrowed from a proud ETSU alumna who used it to reflect on the impact of her education.

“‘The East Tennessee Way’ is ambition grounded in humility, excellence without elitism, ideas put into action, and an unwavering commitment to people. We work hard. We stay curious. We treat people with dignity. We show up for one another. And we go beyond in service to the communities we call home,” Noland said.

About the Event

The annual State of the University address provides a progress report on the implementation of ETSU's strategic vision, outlines priorities for the coming year and anchors university trends within the broader context of the state and federal higher education landscapes.