NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lawmakers in the Tennessee Senate Government Operations Committee took the first step towards removing and replacing Tennessee State University's Board of Trustees.
It comes at a tricky time for the historically black university in Nashville. The school is currently searching to replace its retiring president, Glenda Glover.
The vote fell along party lines, with all of the Republicans on the committee voting in favor of vacating and reconstituting the board and the two Democrats opposing.
"Feels like harsh punishment for the university," said Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis.
"Vacating the entire leadership is irresponsible," said Sen. Charlene Oliver, D-Nashville.
The Vice Chair of the current TSU Board of Trustees also pleaded for more time.
"We know some things are not right, and we have been working very hard," said Pamela Martin, a TSU alumna.
How we got here
This all started last year, when Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower issued a scathing audit, criticizing TSU's management on their oversight of scholarships, housing and finances.
"Tennessee State University has not been run as well as it should be," Mumpower told NewsChannel 5 in an interview last year.
The Tennessee House and Senate extended the board's term by a year, back in 2023. Republicans are now arguing that time's up.
"I know that what we’re trying to do is to make Tennessee State University the best it can be," said Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, the author of the bill.
What happened to that forensic audit?
A component of that one-year extension was a forensic outside audit of TSU's finances. "I also urge you to delay this vote so we can hear from this audit," argued Sen. Oliver.
NewsChannel 5 asked Sen. Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), who sponsored an amendment to make vacating the board immediate, if it was fair to make that decision before the audit was finalized. "That audit was due December 15," Sen. Lundberg replied. "If you talk to them I think you’d find out that they don’t have enough information to complete that audit. That’s a problem in itself."
NewsChannel 5 asked TSU's Student Trustee, Shaun Wimberly, Jr. if he had any knowledge of problems with the audit.
"I can’t, I can’t speak to that," Wimberly replied.
A spokesperson for TSU also declined to comment on the outside audit.
So NewsChannel 5 reached out to the Tennessee Comptroller's office. A spokesperson said TSU has been cooperative in the audit process, but there have been significant delays because TSU has, at times, struggled to produce the paperwork, communications and emails necessary to fully complete the audit.
Clifton Larson Allen, the firm hired by the state to conduct the audit, told the Comptroller's office they hope to complete the audit by the end of February, but may have to request additional time to complete their report.
Love calls for a compromise
Rep. Harold Love, Jr., D-Nashville, hopes to strike a compromise, especially given that the board is in the midst of a search to hire the university's next president. "Maybe not removing all the board, the possibility of making some members be able to stay. It seemed as if that was palatable to the Senate," said Love.
Caught in the middle of all this are the TSU students.
Wimberly reminded reporters that TSU and other organizations claim the university was underfunded for decades by the Tennessee General Assembly and is now entitled to over $2 billion.
"If our HBCUs can be funded and valued appropriately, we can see the growth of our community as well," said Wimberly.
The Tennessee House will consider the measure next week in committee while the Senate version of the bill has advanced to the Senate Calendar Committee.
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