Tusculum College has received a record number of student applications -- already 2,172 applications, compared with 1,842 a year ago.

Of the 2,172 applications, the college has accepted 1,258 to enroll next August at what is the oldest college in the nation west of the Appalachian Mountains.

The application figures were reported to the Tusculum College board of trustees during its meetings last Friday and Saturday.

It was reported that the students who have been accepted to enroll in Tusculum College next summer:

* are 56 percent women and 44 percent are men;

* are 82 percent white, 9 percent black, and 9 percent Hispanic or of other backgrounds;

* have had an average 3.37 grade point average. (straight As would result in a 4.0 average and straight Bs a 3.0 average.);

* have average ACT scores of 23.00 and average SAT scores of 1,100;

* come from these states, in order of numbers: Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

* come from these counties, in order of numbers, within Tennessee: Knox County, Sullivan County, Hamilton County, Greene County and Washington County.

Jacquelyn D. Elliott, the college's vice president for enrollment management, wrote in a report to the trustees, "Currently, students (seeking to attend Tusculum College) are asking more career-related questions. This is a change from past years.

"Typically, in the past students (applying to the college) have asked questions such as 'What is there to do on campus? Is Tusculum a suitcase campus? Can I have a car on campus?'"

Reflecting how the national recession has affected their outlook, Elliott's memo said, "Students now ask, 'Do we have a robust internship program? What is the job market like for degrees offered at Tusculum?

Elliott added, "Also, students are asking more informed questions about financial aid."

Tusculum College's board of trustees on Saturday approved the college's Quality Enhancement Plan. It is to be submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as part of the college's reaccreditation process.

A college press release said, "The goal is to improve students' ability to solve real world problems through improvements in their reflective judgment skills.

"The approved plan calls incorporating problem solving with reflective judgment activities and skill-building curriculum into both student course work and through real world experiences, including internships, research projects and service-learning experiences.

"Extensive faculty development will equip professors in targeted courses to teach using problem-based learning, case-study methods and reasoning through moral and ethical dilemmas."

The Tucuslum College trustees also approved starting a new bachelor of science in business administration program for the college's Graduate and Professional Studies program that will "offer students a stronger mix of accounting and finance courses."

Tusculum's trustees also approved the graduation of more than 300 students at the college's May 8 commencement.

After the trustee meetings, Dr. Kenneth Bowman, chairman of the college's board of trustees, and Dr. Edward Kormandy, its vice chairman, characterized the trustee meetings as being both very focused and harmonious.

Dr. Nancy Moody, who has been the college's president only since last April 27, said after the trustee meeting that she "has been truly amazed by the level of support of the faculty and staff" at Tusculum College.

Dr. Moody is the college's 27th president and its first woman president.

Frank DeBusk, the college's athletic director and football coach, said in an interview after the trustees' meeting that while Tusculum College has 365 student athletes, only 73 of them receive athletic scholarships and none of those are full scholarships.