Chuck Sutton, a highly respected leader who uses his one-on-one connections with students to provide holistic support and help them stay on the path toward graduation, has been promoted to associate vice president of student affairs and retention at Tusculum University.
Sutton will oversee residence life, student life and programming as well as collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to promote student retention, success and engagement. He will serve on the university’s Executive Cabinet, which advises and assists the president with Tusculum’s day-to-day operations.
“Chuck’s outstanding performance and his positive impact on students during his years at Tusculum merit this promotion,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “He brings a wealth of student support experience, and rarely have I seen someone so effective working with students. Chuck’s exceptional leadership will enhance our programs and initiatives and provide an outstanding collegiate experience for our students.”
Sutton is a 14-year Tusculum employee who has served as dean of students since 2022. He oversaw the Office of Students Affairs’ judicial process, work-study programs and intramural staff and took the lead in assistance and support initiatives for students of concern.
Before he earned that promotion, Sutton had served as director of student affairs since 2018. He was the point of contact for principal behavior education in conduct matters and developed student programming opportunities. He volunteered with Tusculum’s football program and facilitated the Pioneer Peers mentoring program designed to help new students.
“Students gravitate to Chuck because he is strongly committed to their well-being in all aspects,” Dr. Hummel said. “He is focused on helping them successfully navigate college life and emerge as civically engaged, career-ready professionals. He has exemplified our caring Christian environment through the way he carries himself and in his interactions with our students.”
Earlier in his Tusculum career, Sutton served as multicultural retention specialist in Tusculum’s Student Support Services office. He started at Tusculum as a counselor in the Upward Bound program.
Tusculum has twice honored Sutton with an Outstanding Service to Students award.
Sutton views his elevation to associate vice president as an opportunity to tap into other people’s strengths and ideas to create additional growth at Tusculum. He looks forward to more opportunities to work with others at Tusculum that will further elevate the student experience. Those efforts will increase student retention, he said.
“My philosophy is to listen to the students, make sure they are heard and follow up on their needs,” Sutton said. “I look to take that attention to detail to the next level because I always seek improvement. My goal is to increase retention – to keep them enrolled and to see them walk the stage at graduation having had an excellent college experience.”
Before he entered the higher education field, Sutton served as a third grade teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, his native city. He also worked in the criminal justice field.
Sutton has a bachelor’s degree in education from East Tennessee State University and a master’s in education, with a concentration in talent development, from Tusculum.
“I am grateful for my new professional growth opportunity and am excited to work even more closely with cabinet members and Dr. Hummel to build on what Tusculum has achieved,” Sutton said. “One of the more enjoyable aspects of working in the Office of Student Affairs is having the ability to partner with people in all sectors of the university to address the needs of our Pioneers. I have seen how our pioneering spirit and active and experiential learning, which are so prevalent at Tusculum, have benefited our students. I look forward to teaming with others as we continue to move forward.”
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.
