House committee advances “compromise bill” to vacate some members of the TSU Board of Trustees

The House Government Operations Committee advanced what supporters are calling a compromise in the proposal to vacate Tennessee State University's (TSU) Board of Trustees.Last week the Senate Education Committee advanced its version of the bill that would vacate all ten members of the board and would allow Governor Lee to appoint eight of them.House committee members advanced an amended bill on Monday proposed by Representative Caleb Hemmer, D-Nashville, that would vacate the three members of the board whose terms expire June 30, 2024. Under the proposal, Governor Lee would fill those vacancies and the legislation would extend the “new” TSU board through 2026.“There have been many conversations about finding compromise to what was passed in the Senate and their version that vacates 10 members, so this was a good compromise,” said Representative Caleb Hemmer, D-Nashville.The initial proposal to vacate the board came from Representative John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, and Senator Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, as a response to the issues identified in an audit by the Tennessee Comptroller. That report found the university seriously lacked necessary housing for its students and claimed administrators worked to spike enrollment despite those housing issues reaching the point that some students had to live in a motel.University leaders have since taken steps to address the problem and Representative Harold Love, Jr., D-Nashville, told committee members that this compromise would fix many of the issues opponents had and provide continuity by extending the board’s term.“It was my hope this bill would help a lot of what we’re talking about,” said Love. “This helps resolve the wind down portion. As I understand it, the board is in wind down right now, so it helps stop that that process, extending the board to 2026.”TSU Board of Trustee members Van Pinnock and student trustee Shaun A. Wimberly Jr. testified in support of the amendment.Pinnock told committee members that he’s supportive of the proposed continuation of the board, saying it’s less disruptive to the students and faculty at TSU. Wimberly emphasized the students’ voice in the process and echoed the concerns about the Senate plan for the TSU board.“I think that a lot of what has been missing at the table when it comes to these bills is the students’ point of view and the students’ concern. I serve as the essence of the student body, speaking for over 7,000 students, and our biggest concern or issue is that we do not want to see continued disruption at our university right now,” said Wimberly. “I think that when it comes to our board, we have been rated as a good board. There have been things that we have made mistakes on, but this ten members, it goes to show why that saying I mentioned earlier is so important to me because even with us making minor mistakes, we’re getting that extreme and harsh punishment,” said Wimberly.The bill now moves on to the full House for approval.The Senate version also faces a vote in that chamber. If both versions pass members will work out the differences in a conference committee.