Tennessee Senate passes university board bill amid House discussions on Tennessee State
Senate Republicans on Thursday passed a bill that would transfer governance of any state university to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission — if that university board ceased to exist.
The bill comes amid debate in the General Assembly over Tennessee State University and concerns among Republican lawmakers about how the historically Black college is run. The House version of the legislation has been delayed amid behind-the-scenes negotiations over potential resolutions to the ongoing concerns about TSU leadership.
The Senate on Thursday passed Senate Bill 2109, which established a process for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to take over governance of any university if its board is vacated. This bill is not specifically tied to TSU, but the effort has been linked to another bill, SB 1596, that would effectively vacate the existing TSU board in June and allow the governor to appoint new members.
State Republicans have criticized TSU's management of a recent enrollment boom that led to critical housing shortages. Last year, a state comptroller audit report said the school's enrollment push was one of a series of choices that lacked "sound decision making." State Democrats have vigorously defended the school, particularly in the wake of a 2021 legislative analysis that found the state severely underfunded TSU by millions for decades.
More: TSU, state clash over audit as Tennessee lawmakers consider vacating board
Later data released by President Joe Biden's administration put that underfunding at $2.1 billion total, topping the list of several historically Black colleges and universities facing the same issue.
A House committee earlier this week delayed their version of SB 2109 to late February. Lawmakers may be hammering out a potential compromise on TSU-specific action.
"I'm hoping that we reach a resolution because, at the end of the day, this is a state institution, it is our only state HBCU," Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said. "It is a land grant institution that has been historically underfunded."
Akbari said stability is needed in whatever decisions are made in the coming weeks, given TSU is in the middle of a search to replace outgoing President Glenda Glover. It's also in the midst of several audits, including one commissioned by lawmakers after last year's comptroller's audit.
"Whatever is decided obviously needs to be decided quickly, so that the university can adjust, so students can feel safe and secure in the management of their university," Akbari said. "Obviously, there are discussions going on behind the scenes hoping to get to a resolution — certainly one that doesn't involve legislation. Because when you get that specific, that you're naming a university to vacate their board, it really is overreaching."
On Thursday, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, reiterated the need for general legislation dealing with vacated state university boards, whether at TSU, the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis or elsewhere.
"What this process has uncovered is there has to be a process there for someone to have control until you get new board members, because otherwise we have nothing" Sexton said.
Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, sponsored SB 2109 and said he hopes it never has to be utilized. He noted Tennessee has disbanded or reconstituted boards in the past but has never fully vacated and dissolved a board at an ongoing institution.
Akbari said she does not believe the commission, focused on training higher education boards, is equipped to govern an institution. She said she would prefer that board members remain in place until new appointees take over.
"I know this applies to all (land grant institutes), but I think it's clear that there's one institution that is really actually facing this situation," she said of SB 2109.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN Senate passes university board bill amid House discussions over TSU
