Dr. Fannie Hewlett, former provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Chattanooga State Community College, will return to the campus to serve as interim president beginning Feb. 2.
Dr. Hewlett retired from Chattanooga State on June 30 last year, following 35 years of service to the college during which she earned praise and recognition from peers and leaders, officials said.
Warren Nichols briefly served as interim president after longtime president Dr.
Jim Catanzaro retired followed controversy over his hiring of a woman he met in Barbados to a top position. She was fired by Dr. Nichols.
In 2012 Dr. Hewlett was honored by the Tennessee Legislature as an outstanding educator, she received the college’s Eye of the Tiger Award for 2010-11, and the Chair Academy Exemplary Leadership Award. She has also earned numerous accolades for teaching excellence through the years.
A past president of the Chattanooga State Faculty Senate, officials said she "is expected to help build stability on the campus and continue the institution’s focus on student success while the Tennessee Board of Regents begins the search process for the college’s next president."
“We are fortunate Dr. Hewlett, who is well respected and extremely knowledgeable about the campus and its environments, is available and eager to help guide the college during this transition period,” said TBR Chancellor John Morgan. “Her experience and qualifications will enable Chattanooga State to continue its drive forward.”
“I am confident Dr. Hewlett will continue the excellent work Chattanooga State has already begun,” Dr. Nichols said. “Her years of service signify her respect for and commitment to this excellent institution, and that will be reflected in her leadership.”
Dr. Hewlett began her career at Chattanooga State in 1979 as an instructor in Behavioral Sciences. She was selected as the department head for Social and Behavioral Science in 1989 until she was promoted to dean, and then to vice president for Academic Affairs in 2001. In 2011 she was named provost and vice president through her retirement last year.
Dr. Hewlett earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and English from Belmont University, a master’s degree in clinical and school psychology from Fisk University, a doctorate of education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and she conducted post-doctoral studies in community college leadership at the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Nichols said:
Colleagues and friends of Chattanooga State Community College,
It has been my great pleasure and honor to serve as your Interim President this month, and I wanted to personally thank every member of the Community College community for making me feel welcome and supported. Over the past several months our community has experienced some difficult times, resulting in the focus being diverted from recognizing the amazing work of our faculty, staff, and administrators. The primary mission of our community college is to work with every student to make their goals possible, and to work with our businesses and industry to ensure a quality workforce is available to help them be successful as well. We at Chattanooga State Community College understand and are committed to partnering with our community to enrich the quality of life through economic development of all, and even through this transition period, we have remained true to that cause.
I am very excited about Dr. Hewlett’s appointment to serve as the Interim President for Chattanooga State Community College, and I know that you will provide her with the same encouragement, support, and professionalism as you have shown me. I will stay involved with Chattanooga State as your Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and am looking forward to reading the success stories yet to be written about how Chattanooga State helped our students and our community achieve their goals.
Respectfully,
Warren R. Nichols
Interim President
Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges