Tennessee State president: I do not oppose FOCUS Act

• TSU leader Glenda Glover addresses concerns she has and responds to column by Frank Daniels.
• Reorganization would strengthen University of Tennessee system while weakening state universities.
• Those state schools include TSU, Middle Tennessee State and Austin Peay State universities.

Re: "TSU should focus on promise of independence," by Frank Daniels III, March 11.

In Friday’s Tennessean, a column was written questioning Tennessee State University’s reaction to the FOCUS (Focus on College and University Success) Act, and the need for TSU to focus its efforts elsewhere.

I believe it is important to communicate and clarify TSU’s position on the FOCUS Act, and dispel any misconceptions regarding our position.

As president of TSU, I am a proud supporter of Gov. Haslam’s initiatives, including Drive to 55 and Tennessee Promise. I do not oppose the FOCUS Act. That allegation is simply not true. However, we have raised some legitimate concerns regarding certain provisions in the act and the unintended effects on TSU, including faculty, students and community members. This is part of my responsibility as president of TSU.

Our primary concern, as conveyed to the governor’s office and to the legislature, centers on the power and structure of the University of Tennessee system, which will remain intact under FOCUS, while six universities in the Tennessee Board of Regents system will be removed from TBR governance, and individual boards will be created.

The unintended consequence will be further strengthening of the UT system (which includes four comprehensive institutions) and the weakening of the six universities as a systemic unit. Allowing the UT universities to remain intact with no disassembling, and diminishing the strength of the six combined universities, invariably adds to the controlling strength of the UT system.

TSU should focus on promise of independence

This is a legitimate concern at a time of limited state resources.

In addition, those familiar with the history between the UT system and TSU will understand the TSU family’s sensitivity and trepidation to structural changes that appear to strengthen the UT system.

For more than 20 years, UT and TSU were embroiled in litigation following UT’s creation of a campus in Nashville in the late 1960s. That litigation led to the court-ordered merger of the UT-Nashville campus with TSU in 1977 (now known as TSU’s Avon Williams campus).

Then, in 2015, we learned about UT’s potential plan to operate a Professional MBA program in the Nashville area, thus opening old wounds. UT was well aware of TSU’s Executive MBA program, which starts next year and would be a duplication of academic programs. This remains very unsettling to the TSU community.

With the enactment of FOCUS, some fear that TSU will be left in a more vulnerable position related to funding and its ability to defend against what many in the TSU community view as UT’s latest effort to assert its power.

NAACP has concerns over higher education restructuring

TSU has also relayed its concerns regarding funding under the Act.  Last week’s column noted that a funding formula already exists that determines appropriations for the universities. This was partially correct. However, this formula determines base operational funding for higher education institutions, but does not determine critically important capital project funding, including much needed academic buildings and residence halls.

The strength and political power of a system or an institution play a significant role in the capital funding process.

Moreover, with respect to the funding formula, under FOCUS, a new committee will be assembled to develop the funding formula that will include the University of Tennessee president, Tennessee Board of Regents chancellor, Tennessee Higher Education Commission executive director and only one of the six presidents of the independent Tennessee Board of Regents universities — rather than all six. This is also troublesome.

In our meetings with the governor’s office, I believe that we have made progress on possible amendments to FOCUS to strengthen the intent of the law, and ensure equity and fundamental fairness for TSU. I commend the governor’s office for its cooperation and willingness to hear our concerns.

Finally, we continue to focus on the future, while also taking reasonable measures to strengthen the FOCUS Act for the benefit of the university, its faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders.

Glenda Glover is president of Tennessee State University.