Boards and Commissions

Chairs of Excellence Trust

Chairs of Excellence Trust is chaired by
Tennessee State Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr.

University Professor and Student

The Chairs of Excellence Trust is a permanent trust fund authorized in 1984 to further the cause of higher education in Tennessee. The funding of the program is provided through contributions made by a private donor and a matching amount by the state, thus creating a chair.

Income from the chair is used to offset the cost of retaining a nationally or regionally recognized

scholar
at a state college or university who teaches in a specified academic area. The program is open to all state four-year colleges and universities, and the UT Space Institute.

A chair is authorized to spend 4% of the 3-year average market value of the chair. However, the corpus cannot be spent. Accordingly, only dividends, interests, and accumulated gains may be spent. Since 1984, a total of one hundred (100) chairs have been created.

The Treasury Investments Division is responsible for managing the assets of the Chairs of Excellence Trust.

Board Meetings and Materials



Upcoming Meetings

Recent Meetings

Meeting Date and Time
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 11:00 AM CT

Location
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower
Room E
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, TN 37243

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 1:45 p.m. CT

Location
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower
Nashville Room, 3rd Floor
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 2:00 PM CT

Location
Tennessee State Capitol
Executive Conference Room, Ground Floor
600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37243

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Monday, July 24, 2023 at 2:00 PM CT

Location
Tennessee State Capitol, Executive Conference Room, Ground Floor
600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37243

Individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in these proceedings and require an accommodation should contact the Board of Trustees of the College Savings Trust Fund Program no less than two (2) days prior to the scheduled meeting date to allow time for the Treasury Department to arrange for an accommodation.  You may contact the Board of Trustees of the College Savings Trust Fund Program Staff by phone at (615) 532-5888 or by email to the Board Secretary, LaKesha Page, at tn.stars@tn.gov

Learn more about the College Savings Trust Fund Program.

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM CT

Location
Cordell Hull Building—Conference Room 8D, 8th Floor
425 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
Nashville, TN 37243

This meeting may be conducted permitting participation by electronic or other means of communication pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-44-108.  Individuals who are unable to attend in person may attend the meeting by following the below WebEx instructions:

Meeting Link

Phone: +1-415-655-0001
Meeting number: 2300 706 0240
Password: MMfBbPyc372

Learn more about the College Savings Trust Fund Program.

Documents to download

The College Savings Trust Fund Program Board of Trustees will convene at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday, July 18, 2022, in Conference Room 8C on the 8th Floor of the Cordell Hull Building at 425 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37243.

This meeting may be conducted permitting participation by electronic or other means of communication pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-44-108. Individuals who are unable to attend in person may attend the meeting by following the below WebEx instructions:

Join the meeting by Webex

Phone: (415) 655-0001 US Toll

Meeting Number: 2304 797 2491

Meeting Password: K5pWQRgKC23

Documents to download

The Joint Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees for the Chairs of Excellence Trust and the College Savings Trust Fund Program will meet at 9:40 a.m. (Central Time) Thursday, October 7, 2021. This will be a virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams. This meeting will permit participation by electronic or other means of communications pursuant to T.C.A. § 8-44-108.

Join the meeting via Teams

Documents to download

The College Savings Trust Fund Program Board of Trustees will meet at 11:00 a.m. CT Thursday, July 15, 2021, via Webex. The Board will consider the items in the attached agenda.

Join the meeting by Webex

Meeting Access Code: 1722407781

To join only by phone, call 415-655-0001 and enter the Meeting Access Code: 172 240 7781

Documents to download

The College Savings Trust Fund Program will convene on January 20, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. CT via Webex. In the interest of public safety and welfare, this meeting will be conducted permitting participation by electronic or other means of communications pursuant to T.C.A. § 8-44-108.

Meeting Date and Time

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. CT

Attend this meeting via WebEx

Meeting number: 178 533 6758
Password: b5Q8ns4DuNw
OR
Join by phone:

Dial: 1-415-655-0003 US TOLL
Access code: 178 533 6758

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time
Thursday, October 8 2020 at 9:45 A.M. CT

In the interest of public safety and welfare, this meeting will be held by electronic means only and will not occur in a physical location.

Attend this meeting via WeEx
Meeting number: 171 196 7391
Password: xpDmPmEH635
OR
Join by phone

Dial: 1-415-655-0003
Access Code: 171 196 7391

Learn more about the Chairs of Excellence Trust

Learn more about the College Savings Trust Fund Board

Documents to download

Meeting Date and Time

Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. CT
In the interest of public safety and welfare, this meeting will be held by electronic means only and will not occur in a physical location.

Attend this meeting via WebEx

Meeting number: 161 914 2273
Password: ptKQYdMR282
OR
Join by phone:

Dial: 415-655-0003
Access code: 161 914 2273

Meeting Date and Time

Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 9:45 AM CT

Meeting Location

Tennessee State Capitol (Ground Floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN

Learn more about the Chairs of Excellence Trust

Learn more about the College Savings Trust Fund Board

Meeting documents are available for download below.

Documents to download

Past Meetings (2022 and Prior)

Date and Time Location Agenda/Minutes
Thursday, October 6, 2022
9:30 am CT
Cordell Hull Building
Conference Room D
425 Rep. John Lewis Way North
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Audit Committee for the Chairs of Excellence Trust and
the College Savings Trust Fund - Public Meeting Notice

Audit Committee for the Chairs of Excellence Trust and
the College Savings Trust Fund - Agenda

Thursday, October 6, 2022
10:00 am CT
Cordell Hull Building
Conference Room 8D
425 Rep. John Lewis Way North
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

Board of Trustees - Public Meeting Notice

Board of Trustees Agenda and Materials

Thursday, October 8, 2020
10:00 am (CT)
Virtual meeting via Webex Board of Trustees - Public Meeting Notice
Board of Trustees Agenda and Materials
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Agenda
Thursday, October 4, 2018
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Agenda
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
10:00 am (CT)
Tennessee State Capitol (ground floor)
Executive Conference Room
600 Martin Luther King Jr.
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, December 17, 2015
10:00 am (CT)
Legislative Plaza
Room 30
Nashville, Tennessee
Meeting Minutes

Spending Plan Revisions

Date and Time Subject Documents
May 25, 2019
MTSU Revised Spending Plan Approval
FY 2017-18
May 9, 2019
MTSU Revised Spending Plan Request
FY 2017-18
June 25, 2018 UT Revised Spending Plan Approval
FY 2017-18
June 8, 2018 UT Revised Spending Plan Request
FY 2017-18

View Chairs of Excellence Trust Financial Statements and Investment Reports

Financial Statements on desk

Financial statements prior to 2017 are included in the Treasurer's Report for their respective year.

Chairs of Excellence Trust Board Members

The Chairs of Excellence Trust is comprised of the State Treasurer who serves as Chair, and seven (7) ex officio members.


Ex-Officio Members

Member Title/Department Location
David H. Lillard, Jr. (Chairman)
State Treasurer Nashville, TN
Bill Lee Governor Nashville, TN
Jason Mumpower Comptroller of the Treasury Nashville, TN
Tre Hargett
Secretary of State
Nashville, TN
Jim Bryson Commissioner, Finance & Administration Nashville, TN
Brian Noland President, East Tennessee State University Nashville, TN
Randy Boyd President, University of Tennessee Nashville, TN
Dr. Bob Smith (non-voting Board Member) Interim Executive Director, TN Higher Education Commission Nashville, TN

Audit Committee

Member Title/Department Location
Randy Boyd
President, University of Tennessee Nashville, TN
Jim Bryson Commissioner, Finance & Administration Nashville, TN
Tre Hargett
Secretary of State
Nashville, TN
Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN

Contact Us

Have questions about the Chairs of Excellence Trust?  We're here to help!

 (615) 253-2265

Jaye.Chavis@tn.gov

Mailing Address

State of Tennessee
Chairs of Excellence Trust
Andrew Jackson Building, 15th Floor
502 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243-0248