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Four recently retired Motlow State faculty members, representing 128 years of service in higher education, were granted faculty emeritus status by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) at its December meeting. The emeritus designation was conferred upon Charle Coffey, Dr. Lucy Craig, Debra Simpson, and Charoline Simmons.

In making the announcement, Dr. Michael Torrence, Motlow State President, said, “Being granted Faculty Emeritus status is the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member who has exhibited outstanding scholarship and leadership to an institution. Motlow State is honored to have these faculty members approved by the Board. Each person represented the College’s core mission and made significant contributions to higher education. I congratulate each of them and welcome them into an elite group of professionals.”

“I am honored to notify Motlow that the Board of Regents granted Faculty Emerita status to Charle Coffey, Lucy Craig, Charoline Simmons, and Debra Simpson for their outstanding service to Motlow State Community College,” said Dr. Robert Denn, TBR Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.

“These faculty members have made a significant contribution to higher education, have exhibited outstanding academic achievement, and have exemplified exceptional embodiment of institutional values. Please express our deepest gratitude for all they have done to strengthen the College System of Tennessee and help our students succeed.”

          Coffey ended a 40-year career at Motlow with her retirement in April 2025, as an associate professor of geography. Additionally, Coffey taught and revamped the First-Year Experience course, a college-readiness class designed to help students adapt to the rigor of college. She led the education program through accreditation to ensure its alignment with Tennessee’s early childhood education programs.

As an administrator, she led academic affairs, student affairs, and marketing and public relations units. Coffey was a recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in 2020-2021, and the Trailblazer Award in 2025, two of the most distinguished awards given by Motlow.

With a July 2025 retirement, Craig completed 25 years at Motlow as a Criminal Justice faculty member and program administrator. As administrator, Craig was the liaison between Motlow and Tennessee State University (TSU), the partner institution that facilitated a seamless transfer from Motlow into TSU’s Criminal Justice program.

She served as the college’s Director of International Education for 13 years, from 2011-2025, allowing her to teach Criminology and Terrorism in England, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Additionally, Craig served as Motlow’s Title IX Coordinator and served three terms as chair of the Motlow State Faculty Council.

          Simpson ended a 35-year career in higher education with her retirement in June, which included 12 years at Motlow. She served as a faculty member and chair of the Education Department. Her expertise in the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA) program and mastery of early childhood education transformed Motlow’s Early Childhood Education Program.

Additionally, she served as a TBR High Impact Practices (HIP) Ambassador. Simpson was a Faculty Excellence Award finalist twice, and in August, she was named the 2025 Faculty Excellence Award Recipient by the Motlow College Foundation.

          Simmons’ retirement in December of 2020, concluded a 28-year career at Motlow, which was preceded by 18 years as a public elementary and middle school teacher in Franklin County. A reading specialist, Simmons retired as an associate professor of Learning Support. Beyond reading, Simmons taught First-Year Experience and education classes.

From 2013-2016, she served as a mentor in the Motlow Participant Partnership Program (MP3), an academic support and mentoring program that supported Motlow students. Simmons was active in the Faculty Council and served on numerous college committees. 

          Faculty emeritus designation is the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member by the TBR, the College System of Tennessee, which governs 13 community colleges and 23 colleges of applied technology. Recommended by the President, faculty emeritus is granted to faculty who have served an institution governed by the TBR for a sufficient length of time and are eligible for state retirement benefits.

Additional Motlow faculty who hold the rank of emeritus are Dr. Michael Bradley, Dr. Donald Cheatham (In Memoriam), Dr. Janice Harder, Dr. Linda Harris-Young, Dr. Linda Hasty, Dr. Doyle Hasty (In Memoriam), Billy Hix, Alice Huskey, Dr. Mary McLemore, Martha Scarbrough, Debbie Zimmerman, Pat Hendrix, Fred Rascoe (In Memoriam), Steve Smotherman, Sandra Arman, Marian Stewart, Rosie Graham, and Vera Brooks. Dr. Frank Glass, Motlow’s third president, holds the title of President Emeritus.