Haslam's college plan passes in House

Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to restructure Tennessee's largest system of public colleges won support in the House Thursday, moving it one step closer to becoming a law.

The vote — 71 for, 19 against — was an illustration of the plan's broad range of support from state lawmakers. But an hour of debate on the bill made it clear that even its supporters have questions and concerns about its implications.

The plan — which is part of the Focus on College and University Success, or FOCUS, Act — would create individual boards for Tennessee State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University and three other universities included in the Tennessee Board of Regents system.

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The Board of Regents would continue to oversee the state's 13 community colleges and 27 technical colleges.

In an argument that echoed the governor's position, Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, said it was not effective to task the Board of Regents with overseeing community colleges, technical colleges and universities with unique missions.

East Tennessee State University, which would get its own board under the FOCUS Act, is in Hill's district.

"It is unrealistic to expect (the Board of Regents) to be able to, when they have their meetings, focus on ETSU," Hill said. "We need a board that is singularly focused on ETSU, on (Tennessee Technological University), on MTSU. We need a board that does nothing but focuses on that university."

But lawmakers repeatedly mentioned concerns that have surfaced with the plan, including that it might increase competition among the universities or leave the universities without the clout they had as part of a larger system.

Rep. Gerald McCormick, R- Chattanooga, the main sponsor of the bill, acknowledged he shared some of the concerns discussed Thursday, including that the Board of Regents would be weakened in its new structure.

“I’m a little concerned that the (Board of Regents) won’t be as powerful of a counterforce to (the University of Tennessee board)," he said. "They’ll be weakened, there’s no doubt. We’ve got to stick up for our community colleges. We all have to do that.”

McCormick added that, despite his concerns, he thought “over the next couple of years it’ll be good for the state, and certainly I’m going to vote for the bill."

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Some legislators also questioned the board appointments, most of which would be made by the governor and confirmed by the General Assembly, and the student member on each board, who would not be able to vote.

The FOCUS Act is still working its way through Senate committees. It is scheduled to come up in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday.

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Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.