Haslam Appoints Three to the Tennessee Board of Regents

Gatts, Weeks new to board; Griscom reappointed

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the appointments of Donald Lee Gatts III and Linda S. Weeks to the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) along with the reappointment of Tom Griscom.

Gatts, the son of Tim and Angie Sells of Livingston and Donnie Gatts of Algood, will serve as the student regent. He is a pre-law student majoring in political science at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville and serves as president of the Student Government Association.

Griscom represents the third congressional district on the Board of Regents. He recently served as communications consultant to the Haslam administration during the transition. He served 11 years as executive editor and publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press newspaper. Griscom previously served as director of communications to President Ronald Reagan and press secretary to former Sen. Howard Baker, Jr.  He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, where he served as an instructor. 

Weeks will serve as the faculty regent. She is an associate professor of English at Dyersburg State Community College.  She serves as a member of the TBR system-wide Student Rules Committee, and as chairperson of the Teaching-Learning Technology Roundtable.  A 1984 graduate of Memphis State University, Weeks holds a master’s in English (technical and professional writing) from the University of Memphis. 

“It is a privilege to have these three citizens serve the state of Tennessee in this capacity,” Haslam said. “They possess the skills, expertise and knowledge required to help guide the system, and I appreciate their commitment and willingness to serve.”

The 18-member Tennessee Board of Regents is the governing body of the Board of Regents system, which includes Tennessee’s Technology Centers, Community Colleges and four-year public universities unaffiliated with the University of Tennessee.  The board oversees the educational and operational activities of the statewide system. The governor serves as an ex officio voting member of the board and, by election, as chair.