Majority-White Tennessee Legislature Under Fire for Overhauling HBCU Board
Tennessee’s majority-white legislature removed, in one fell swoop, all 10 board members at the state’s only publicly funded historically Black university on Thursday, a move Democrats slammed.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who is white, signed legislation approved by the GOP-controlled House on Thursday vacating Tennessee State University’s board and appointed eight new members, mostly from the business sector, to replace them.
“I’m pleased to appoint these highly qualified individuals who will work alongside administrators and students to further secure TSU’s place as a leading institution,” Lee said. The nominees now await confirmation by the Legislature.