Tag: Tennessee State University

Lawsuit Claims TSU Fired Financial Aid Director over Refusal to Request Federal Aid for Students Lacking Proof of High School Degree

Tom Pappert
Tanaka Vercher

The former Director of Financial Aid at Tennessee State University (TSU) filed a lawsuit against the institution on Tuesday, claiming she was fired in August after she refused to request federal financial aid for students who had yet to provide proof they were eligible to enroll at the university.

According to the lawsuit, Tanaka Vercher was a 21-year employee at TSU in 2024, when Tennessee auditors informed her the state was unable to provide evidence that up to 20 percent of first-year students enrolled at the university graduated high school or obtained an equivalent degree.

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Tennessee Universities Earn Bad Free Speech Code Ratings

Matthew Giffin

Many Tennessee universities maintain speech codes that suppress campus free speech, according to a recent report by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Of the six Tennessee schools included in the report, five reportedly have rules restricting free speech.

The Spotlight on Campus Speech Codes 2024 report rates U.S. colleges based on whether their written speech codes do not infringe on protected speech. According to the report, 85.4 percent of schools maintain policies that can or do infringe on free expression.

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Tennessee State to Become First HBCU to Start Hockey Program

Peter D'Abrosca

Tennessee State University will become the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to have a hockey team, according to the school. 

“Tennessee State University is set to make history by becoming the first historically black college or university (HBCU) to offer men’s ice hockey at the collegiate level,” the school said in Wednesday press release. “TSU will make this groundbreaking announcement at Bridgestone Arena prior to the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. The addition of ice hockey highlights the University’s dedication to fostering diversity, inclusion, and expanding athletic opportunities for students.”

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Multiple Financial Control Issues Again Found in Tennessee State University Audit

The Center Square

An audit report once again found that Tennessee State University didn’t show proper financial controls over university finances, leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars unaccounted for or misallocated in school financial documents.

The audit also showed that prior bookkeeping issues were not properly corrected, as school staff said those issues would be fixed in previous audits.

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The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Published an Audit Revealing that Tennessee State University Mishandled Five Years of Funding

Kaitlyn Osteen

The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury published an audit on Thursday revealing that Tennessee State University (TSU) management mishandled over five years of funding.

According to the audit, “Management’s failure to adequately implement a system of internal control increases the risk of TSU not achieving key objectives related to financial reporting. When management and staff do not take adequate care when preparing financial statements and the accompanying notes to the financial statements, the risk of errors in the financial statements increases. Providing inaccurate financial information can negatively impact the decision-making ability of users of the financial statements.”

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Tennessee Universities Refuse Comment on How They Will Implement New Intellectual Diversity Law

Admin

Public university leaders in Tennessee are staying silent on how and when they plan to follow a new state law that requires them to implement intellectual diversity on their campuses.

Diversity offices, presidents’ offices, and media affairs’ divisions at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, University of Memphis, Tennessee State University and East Tennessee State University have not responded with answers to emails and phone calls from The College Fix over the last 10 days asking about their plans to follow the relatively new law.

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Kamala Harris Delivers Partisan Democrat Talking Points in Tennessee State University Commencement Address

Aaron Gulbransen

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered the the undergraduate commencement address at Tennessee State University on Saturday at the Hale Building Stadium on Saturday morning and made several divisive partisan statements in her speech.

Harris’ speech, delivered at an institution that receives both federal and Tennessee taxpayer funding included typical Democrat talking points on voting issues, abortion, and the free exchange of information.

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Vice President Kamala Harris Set to Deliver Keynote Address to Graduates at Tennessee State University

Kaitlin Housler

Vice President Kamala Harris will headline Tennessee State University (TSU)’s 2022 Spring Commencement next month as the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Vice President Harris will deliver the keynote address for the undergraduate Commencement on May 7th.

Vice President Harris will address nearly 900 graduates, as well as their families and friends, in Hale Stadium. TSU, located in the heart of Nashville, is one of seven historically black universities (HBCU) located in Tennessee.

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Tennessee Department of Transportation Might Convert Certain HOV Lanes in Nashville into Toll Lanes

Chris Butler

Vanderbilt University staff on Friday published a press release that announced they’d partnered with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to study whether to convert certain High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes into High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes.

But by Monday the Vanderbilt press release had vanished. A source told The Tennessee Star on that Vanderbilt’s communications staff posted the press release in error. The press release appeared online before Vanderbilt officials had signed off on it.

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Al Sharpton Paid $48,000 as “Guest Lecturer” by Tennessee State University

RealClearWire

Rev. Al Sharpton, the firebrand Baptist preacher who made his name as a racial justice activist, taught political science grounded in social justice at Tennessee State University.

OpenTheBooks.com obtained a copy of his contract with the historically Black university via a Freedom of Information request, showing he was paid up to $48,000 between Jan. 25 and May 3 this year to teach students as a distinguished guest lecturer.

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Former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries Passes Away at 85

Cooper Moran

Dr. Frederick S. Humphries, who served as the eighth president of Florida A&M University (FAMU), passed away at the age of 85.

“Dr. Humphries is one of FAMU’s favorite sons. He committed his life to the advancement of higher education, in particular within the HBCU community, and changed the trajectory of FAMU,” said the current FAMU president Larry Robinson in a statement.

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Community Pressures Tennessee State University President into Backing Out of CoreCivic Board

Corinne Murdock

After backlash from the community, Tennessee State University (TSU) President Dr. Glenda Glover reversed her decision to join CoreCivic’s board. Glover tweeted about the change suddenly, less than a day after CoreCivic had announced her appointment. Glover was expected to assume her position on March 1. In that press release, Glover had only positive things to say about the private prison company.

“Every single day, CoreCivic engages with thousands of individuals in educational programs who have the opportunity to positively change their lives,” stated Glover. “As I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the company, it’s clear to me that there is a genuine commitment to progress through innovative reentry programs, strong corporate governance, active public policy support and transparent ESG reporting. I look forward to being an inside voice that can help CoreCivic realize the full potential of its purpose of helping people prepare for the next step in their lives.”

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Tennessee State University Taps Al Sharpton to Teach ‘Political Science Grounded in Social Justice’

Admin

Tennessee State University announced it has hired MSNBC host and progressive activist Rev. Al Sharpton as a Distinguished Guest Lecturer.

Beginning in January 2021, Sharpton will teach “in the area of political science grounded in social justice during the academic term.” Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover said that Sharpton has been an important part of shaping history.

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Tennessee State University Gets $1 Million in Taxpayer Money to Study Climate Change

Chris Butler

  A Tennessee State University agriculture professor will use nearly $1 million of taxpayer money to study how local crops adapt to climate change, according to a university press release. The federally-funded National Science Foundation recently bestowed the money on Jianwei Li, the press release went on to say. The press release quoted Chandra Reddy, dean of TSU’s College of Agriculture, as saying the grant is “very timely.” “The climate change is there, whether politically some of us believe it or not,” Reddy said. “It is a reality.” The NSF may have a pro-climate change bias in how it dispenses taxpayer money. Last year, according to The Huffington Post, four Republican senators demanded officials investigate NSF grants. These senators reported accused the federal agency of “‘propagandizing’ by supporting a program to encourage TV meteorologists to report on climate change.” Those senators, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Jim Inhofe, also of Oklahoma, all Republicans, said the NSF was acting out bounds with its $4 million Climate Matters program. According to the website, the program “sponsors classes and webinars for meteorologists and provides real-time data and graphics with TV stations, went beyond the scope…

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Atlanta Suburb Honors Hometown Hero, Injured Tennessee State Football Player Christion Abercrombie

Scott Wallace

SOUTH FULTON, Georgia – Cheerleaders, students and football players recently filled Westlake High School’s gymnasium for a pep rally, but there was no football game. School leaders welcomed back injured Tennessee State University football player Christion Abercrombie, a Westlake graduate. It’s the first time Abercrombie has made a public appearance since being injured during the TSU game against cross-town rival Vanderbilt University. He suffered a life-threatening head injury during his team’s 31-27 loss. He collapsed on the sideline. The team knew it was serious, but had no idea he would have emergency surgery on his skull that night and many more ahead. “He understands some days and some days he doesn’t. (It) depends on his mood,” said mom Staci Abercrombie. After several surgeries and lots of prayer, Abercrombie is moving quickly on the road to recovery. “Christion is an inspiration to all of us,” said South Fulton Mayor Bill Edwards. “He has persevered through his head injury. In football sometimes, the other team will recover a fumble. Christion has recovered his own fumble and is still on the road to recovery. Today, December 19, 2018 from now on will be known as Christion Abercrombie Day in the City of South…

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State Senator Bo Watson Calls for Review of UT Nike Contract

Jason M. Reynolds
Bo Watson

Taking a stand on Nike’s support of National Anthem kneeler Colin Kaepernick, State Senator Bo Watson (R-TN-11) is calling for a review of university endorsement deals with the seller of running apparel. Watson’s request was reported by Campus Reform. “I have asked the TN Office of Legislative Budget Analysis to review what TN state-financed colleges & universities have Nike contracts and report findings,” Watson, who is the Senate Finance Chair, tweeted. I have asked the TN Office of Legislative Budget Analysis to review what TN state-financed colleges & universities have Nike contracts and report findings. @TN_SenateFWM @TNGOP @tnsenategop @ltgovmcnally #WeStand @robints https://t.co/RoolkmWOY4 — Bo Watson (@SenBoWatson) September 7, 2018 Catherine Haire, Senate budget analysis director in the Office of Legislative Budget Analysis, confirmed to Campus Reform that the office has launched the inquiry and should have the findings by the end of the week. Currently, the University of Tennessee is locked into a deal with Nike as the official apparel supplier until the 2025-26 academic year, The Tennessee Star reported. Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill says that legislators might have a say about the issue. “Similar contracts with Nike reduce the amounts paid to schools if athletes or coaches cover…

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