Dr. Ray Brooks
Dr. Flora Tydings, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, has accepted the resignation of Dr. Ty Stone as president of Cleveland State Community College, effective June 30, 2023. Dr. Stone became the college’s seventh president on July 1, 2022. Chancellor Tydings has appointed Dr. Ray Brooks as Cleveland State’s interim president as of July 1.
She was named a year ago as the college's first black female president. She was previously president of Jefferson Community College in Watertown, N.Y.
Dr. Brooks retired as president of Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, South Carolina, in 2021, after 13 years as the college’s chief executive officer. He previously served 22 years as president of Northwestern Technical College in Rock Spring, Ga.
During his 35 years of experience as a college president, he assisted in recruiting $2 billion in capital investments and creating thousands of jobs.
The Tennessee Board of Regents will begin the search process for Cleveland State’s next president later. The first step will be developing and approving criteria for the position, posting the position for applications and nominations, and appointing a search advisory committee with representatives of the board, the campus community, and business and civic leaders from the broader community. No timetable has been set.
Dr. Ty Stone