TAICS & TPBSA Working For You!

WHO WE ARE:
The Tennessee Association of Independent Colleges and Schools (TAICS) and the Tennessee Proprietary Business School Association (TPBSA) are sister agencies representing Tennessee’s schools with the legislature and regulatory entities critical to your success including the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, the legislature, and accrediting commissions.

TAICS facilitates professional growth and development for private career colleges and schools and their students, faculty, and staff.

TPBSA advocates on behalf of career colleges and schools and their students, faculty, and staff. The President of TPBSA is on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation and is the Government Relations Advisor for TAICS.

WHAT WE DO:
TAICS’ Executive Director and Government Relations Advisor support or actively oppose legislation introduced annually in the state legislature. We protect your rights to operate your school in a businesslike manner.

We have worked for you most recently in the areas of computer training, massage therapy, and surgical technology. We continue to work toward getting our students eligible for HOPE scholarship dollars.

Our Associations, in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, working with the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, conducted an Economic Impact Study of the career college sector in Tennessee. The study was completed in February 2007. With your support it will go a long way in cementing our legitimacy with legislators and other public officials.

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Tennessee Association of Independent Colleges and Schools is to promote the common interests of its members.
To accomplish this Mission the goals of TAICS are to:

  1. Provide information to interested parties concerning vocational learning opportunities provided by member institutions;
  2. Respond to requests for information from print and broadcast media, from elected officials, and from other individuals or organizations who wish to know about the role of private career colleges in providing technical education and training at the post-secondary level;
  3. Monitor the activities of the Tennessee General Assembly and report to our members concerning the progress of specific legislative proposals which would affect the interests of our member institutions;
  4. Monitor activities of state and federal agencies as they develop and implement rules and regulations which may be of interest to member institutions;
  5. Formulate responses to notices of proposed rule making by these agencies and arrange testimony at public hearings where such rules are considered;
  6. Maintain a library of state and federal law and regulations affecting member institutions and their students;
  7. Analyze and disseminate this information to its members;
  8. Affiliate with other educational organizations for the purpose of gathering information;
  9. Support and encourage government and private providers of financial aid resources;
  10. Sponsor and arrange education and training opportunities for our members and other schools.

To implement these objectives, we publish a newsletter, maintain a web site, monitor legislation, attend and advise at THEC meetings, provide other correspondence and publications to benefit and promote private career colleges and schools, and plan quarterly workshops, an annual conference and a trade show.

TAICS Board/Officers – 2021

President
Jay Frank
Miller-Motte College
6397 Lee Hwy #100
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Tel: 423-702-3284
Email: Jay.Frank@miller-motte.edu

Vice-President
Cyrus Vatandoost
Nossi College of Art
590 Cheron Rd
Nashville, TN 37115
Tel: 615-851-1088
Email: cyrus@nossi.edu

Secretary
James Williamson
Fortis Institute
1025 Hwy. 111  
Cookeville, TN 38501  
Tel: 931-526-3660
Email: James.williamson@fortisinstitue.edu

Treasurer
Tami Taliento
North Central Institute
168 Jack Miller Blvd.
Clarksville, TN 37042-4810
Tel: 931-431-9770
Email: ttaliento@nci.edu

TPBSA Officers – 2021

President
Cyrus Vatandoost
Nossi College of Art
590 Cheron Rd
Nashville, TN 37115
Tel: 615-851-1088
Email: cyrus@nossi.edu

Vice-President
Jay Frank
Miller-Motte College
6397 Lee Hwy #100
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Tel: 423-702-3284
Email: Jay.Frank@miller-motte.edu

Can we count on you?