December 5, 2024 –Knoxville College’s Board of Trustees has officially appointed Dr. Rotesha Harris as the institution’s 32nd president. Harris has been serving as the interim president since August and previously held a position on the college’s Board of Trustees for over a year.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal time for Knoxville College. In November, the campus experienced a devastating fire that destroyed Elnathan Hall, a 126-year-old historic structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This tragedy underscored the need to protect the college’s remaining historic buildings while reinvigorating its academic programs, following years of operating without accreditation.
We are thrilled to have Dr. Harris at the helm during this transformative time,” said Dr. Eric Barnes, Chair of the Knoxville College Board of Trustees, in a statement. “Her extensive expertise, commitment to academic excellence, and tireless work ethic make her the ideal leader to guide Knoxville College into a new era of growth and success.
Dr. Harris succeeds Leonard Adams, who resigned in June. She brings nearly two decades of experience to the role, including her prior position as Associate Vice President of Internal Audit, Grants, and Contracts Accounting at Clark Atlanta University, located in Atlanta’s historic Atlanta University Center (AUC) district.
Knoxville College continues to work toward reaccreditation, addressing compliance and financial challenges identified during its application process with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). Dr. Harris’s leadership is expected to play a vital role in achieving these goals and securing a prosperous future for the institution.