Recently, SB 1596/ HB 1739 was passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Lee only a few hours later. The bill dismantled the entire Board and Trustees of Tennessee State University, who were similarly replaced by a “predetermined” new board shortly after the governor signed the bill. The justification was based on two audits conducted by the State, neither of which uncovered any signs of impropriety or malfeasance. Overwhelmingly, the students, alumni and community stakeholders associated with Tennessee State are vehemently opposed to this measure.
For many residents who live in the Chattanooga area, this action is painfully confounding because hundreds, if not thousands, are TSU alumni, while thousands of others have been intimately associated with the university in some form or fashion.
An unfortunate and perilous consequence of this action is that the local legislative delegation, with the exception of Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, did not feel compelled to consult, confer or collaborate with any of the hundreds of TSU Alumni in the Chattanooga region on an action so consequential, many of whom are doctors, business professionals, educators and other community contributors too numerous to name; many of whom are their very own constituents.
It must also be noted, the greater Chattanooga community has been immersed in the history and heritage of the university from its very origins. In the early 1900’s, a young Negro student who had been born in Marion County and educated at Maryville College arrived in Chattanooga. He would become principal of both St. Elmo Grammar School and East First Street Grammar School. In 1909, when the state legislature authorized a State Normal School to be authorized in compliance with the Second Morrill Act of 1890, Hale led the Chattanooga community effort. Nashville ultimately was designated as the place where the school would be placed, but Hale left such an impression that he was selected as the primary administrator for the school. Today the university's on campus football stadium, affectionately known as the “Hole”, is named in his honor.
As all who have been enrolled at TSU learn upon entering, the survival of the school in the early days consisted of only a few buildings and resources due to limited funding and support, some of which was nefariously diverted to the other land grant institution in the State, the University of Tennessee. Students would have to carry their chairs from class to class. Faculty and students alike helped in the upkeep and maintenance of the school, including tilling the gardens and tending to the livestock.
As noted, the gross underfunding of TSU began even as its doors opened. In 1968, TSU professor Rita Sanders (Geier) and four plaintiffs filed suit under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act because construction of the UT Nashville campus was in essence discriminatory because its intent was to create a dual system of higher education explicitly based on race, and by virtue, stagnated the funding and resources which were supposed to be allotted to TSU. After several years of ongoing litigation, which included a plan for the desegregation of universities of higher education, on Jan. 31, 1977, Judge Fred Gray ordered the merger of TSU and UT Nashville.
Nevertheless, the effort to desegregate Tennessee’s system of higher education would persist until 2001, when the Geier Consent Decree was crafted in order to mitigate racial inadequacies and inequities in Tennessee's higher education system. This lasted until 2006 when it was mutually agreed upon that significant racial parity had been suitably achieved. Notwithstanding, numerous student-led efforts, including the TSU campus sit-in of February 1990, have reiterated the need for equity in funding and resources, a movement that continues to this day.
The vote to dismantle the board of Tennessee State University is much worse than an unwarranted unilateral action, it is unjust, unnerving, and wholly egregious. It will go down in history as one of the most vitriolic and insensitive pieces of legislation adopted since the Jim Crow Era. The adverse effects and negative shockwaves it has caused in many circles cannot be easily overcome, and very well may be, as presently constituted, irreparable.
Dr. King reminded us, "Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love."
This action certainly fits the definition of reckless and abusive, not only running contrary to the best interest of TSU, but at its core totally devoid of the concepts of collaboration, cooperation, compassion, and above all these, love. That's why we should be in the business of building bridges and pathways that bring us together, not barriers and walls that keep us apart.
Eric Atkins
TSU Class of 2002
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UT Board of Trustees reduced from 27-12 -this was the headline in newspapers across the state in 2018 when the Legislature passed a bill reducing the UT Board of Trustees from 27-12 . Funny there were no demonstrations across the state, where was the UT equivalent of Eric Atkins when this all happened? Maybe the overwhelming majority of UT alumni realized this was a needed move to enhance the quality of representation on the BOT while reducing the quantity. As a result UT is enjoying an unprecedented era of academic and extra-curricular prosperity with Randy Boyd and Donde Plowman in positions of leadership.
Contrast this move with the caterwauling from TSU grads when the Legislature replaced the entire TSU board last week. Mr. Atkins said there was no evidence of "impropriety or malfeasance." Perhaps as evident by the student housing fiasco the former BOT was merely incompetent. That is usually not a fire-able offense in the academic world but maybe the Legislature is trying to do for TSU what it did for UT six years ago.
My understanding is every member of the new Board is a TSU grad? What problem could Mr. Atkins have with that? TSU is a great asset for Nashville and the state and I predict a bright future with the new Board in charge.
Douglas Jones