The current Tennessee State University Board of Trustees has gotten one step closer to being dissolved.
A bill passed in the state’s Senate Government Operations Committee that would dissolve the board and will now head to the House Government Operations Committee for debate.
An amendment to the bill states that the current members would be vacated, the board would be reconstituted, then extended for two years. It must go through additional steps before it can pass in the Senate. It must also be discussed and passed in the House. Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, is the sponsor of the House legislation.
Last February the state threatened to dissolve the Tennessee State University board and place the school under the authority of the Board of Regents after a scathing audit from the Tennessee Comptroller’s office.
The motion passed 7-2. Senator Sara Kyle was one of two dissenting votes.
“I feel this law would give more control over who becomes the next president of TSU,” Kyle said. “I’m very aware that folks across the state are both passionate and frustrated on both sides of this issue. But, to me personally, as a legislator from Shelby County looking at this, it feels like harsh punishment for the university. I would just say I wish and I ask that TSU would be offered more partnership and support as we go forward than complete control being taken away from them.”
Senator Charlane Oliver was the other dissenting vote. She pointed to the fact that the university has been chronically underfunded has played the part in the chronic issues it has been facing.
“The university doesn’t have all the tools and resources it needs to reach it’s full potential. In my opinion one more consequence of this affect leads to mistrust…The legislature, the very body that has been responsible for underfunding Tennessee State University is making allegations, harsh ones, about the way TSU is running it’s business. We as this body are reaching our hand all the way into the affairs of this university and micromanaging them. Now don’t get me wrong, cause there are real issues at TSU. I think we all agree with that. That these issues need to be resolved to improve for the students.”
Loss of institutional knowledge, disruption of progress TSU has made and hampering of the school’s search for a new president are concerns that have been voiced by those in leadership that were present at the Senate hearing.
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