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The Board of Trust, which convenes twice annually in regular session, met Wednesday, June 11, for a three-hour session on the university鈥檚 historic Lebanon campus. The agenda focused largely on the university鈥檚 unprecedented enrollment growth, pressing infrastructure needs, and long-term capital improvements.

鈥淐umberland University continues to experience dynamic growth, and our Board is committed to ensuring we are positioned to meet the needs of our students and our community,鈥� said Sam Hatcher, who was elected for a second two-year term as Chairman of the Board of Trust at the meeting.

During the meeting, Mike Moscardelli was elected for a second two-year term as Vice Chairman and Frank Rudy was elected for a second two-year term as Secretary.

Among the meeting highlights:

Balanced $41 Million Budget: Trustees approved an operating budget of more than $41 million for the upcoming fiscal year. Cumberland University, which employs 381 professional faculty and staff, has maintained a balanced budget and operated in the black for more than ten consecutive years.

Enrollment Leadership: Cumberland was recognized as the number one private university in Tennessee for enrollment growth by Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), a distinction that underscores its rising profile and continued appeal to students across the state and beyond.

Student Housing and Capital Priorities: With a growing student population, Trustees reviewed plans for additional on-campus housing and discussed a list of prioritized capital improvements necessary to accommodate future demand.

Academic Advancements: The Board of Trust was provided recent academic achievements from all three of Cumberland鈥檚 Academic Schools.

The Rudy School of Nursing & Health Professions Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practitioner (PMHNP) emphasis in the University鈥檚 Master of Science in Nursing Program, received unanimous approval from the Tennessee Nursing Board, further expanding the university鈥檚 graduate offerings.

The Board of Trust also voted to approve the University鈥檚 addition of the Associate of Science in Health Science program, strategically designed by the Rudy School staff.

Students in the Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business majoring in Biology, outperformed Belmont, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, East TennesseeState University, and Trevecca, in the 2024 ETS Major Field Test made up of nine assessment indicators that span across the biology field.

Dr. Mark Cheathem, Professor of History and Project Director of The papers of Martin Van Buren, in The Oakley School of Humanities, Education, & the Arts, not only has a live one-hour CSPAN interview about Andrew Jackson as part of a new televised docuseries about past presidents, but has also been invited to apply for National Federal Grants to ultimately provide greater educational offerings in the community beyond the CU Campus.

Athletics: Cumberland Athletics, continues to raise the bar both in competition and in the classroom posting an impressive 3.255 GPA for the Spring 2025 term. The department now carries a cumulative GPA of 3.330 across 636 student-athletes. A total of 115 student-athletes achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA for the Spring semester and 139 student athletes earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete status.

鈥淐umberland University remains committed to delivering a high-quality, student-centered education while growing responsibly as we transform lives through the power of education,鈥� said University President Dr. Paul C. Stumb. 鈥淭he Board鈥檚 continued support and strategic oversight are instrumental as we navigate the evolving landscape of higher education.鈥�

Provided by Cumberland University.