The newly-instated board of Tennessee State College has determined to cease the present seek for a brand new president and begin over.
In response to the Tennessean, the choice was made unanimously, with none dialogue, throughout a full board assembly on Friday. The transfer to scrap the present search and begin over was really helpful by a three-member advert hoc committee of trustees. This resolution comes lower than three months after the earlier TSU board of trustees was eliminated by the state legislature.
All new members, who have been appointed by Gov. Invoice Lee, are graduates of TSU, a traditionally Black college. They met for the primary time on April 26.
Listed here are the subsequent steps for the search course of:
Title an interim president by July 1.
Proceed its contract with Tutorial Search, a nationwide search agency employed for a earlier presidential search.
Set up a brand new presidential search committee, which can embody a wide range of voices, together with college.
Appoint a brand new president by July 1, 2025.
Trustee Marquita Qualls led the advert hoc committee that laid out the subsequent steps Thursday for the seek for a brand new president. Board Chair Dakasha Winton and Trustee Terica Smith have been additionally on the committee.
“That is an historic second within the lifetime of TSU,” Qualls mentioned Thursday. “For the primary time in our establishment’s historical past, our impartial governing physique will solely choose the ninth president of Tennessee State College. This can be a duty that we as a board of trustees don’t calmly.”
It’s not clear who the brand new interim president can be or if that particular person can be named forward of the July 1 appointment date. It’s additionally not clear what the brand new search means for the three finalists named by the earlier board in March after its months-long search. The earlier presidential search was abruptly paused as state Republican lawmakers handed the measure that dissolved the earlier board shortly after the finalists have been named.
These finalists have been Charles Gibbs, the now-former CEO of the nationwide 100 Black Males of America, William E. Hudson, the vice chairman of pupil affairs at Florida A&M College, and Michael Torrence, the president of Motlow State Group Faculty in Tennessee.
“This selection will not be a mirrored image of the potential of the present finalists, however extra moderately a step to make sure that we, as a brand new board, are exploring all potential candidates comprehensively,” Qualls mentioned Thursday.
TSU President Glenda Glover is about to retire on the finish of the present educational 12 months, which wraps up on June 30. On Thursday, Qualls praised Glover for her service and management.
“President Glover’s tenure and her legacy are perpetually solidified by her being a vocal champion for college students to have entry to a school schooling and a steadfast advocate for (traditionally Black schools and universities),” Qualls mentioned.
Glover, a 1974 TSU graduate herself, took workplace in 2013. She known as her decades-long historical past with the college a “50-year blessing” as she spoke earlier than the board on Friday.
“It has been the privilege and honor of a lifetime to function president as Tennessee State College, my alma mater,” she mentioned. “That is certainly greater than a full circle second for me. That is the place I obtained my begin … as a younger teenager from South Memphis who aspired to alter the world after I got here to Tennessee State College.”
Throughout its Friday assembly, the board additionally unanimously authorized rising senior Tyler Vazquez as its new pupil trustee. Vazquez is majoring in molecular biology and premedical research on the Dr. Levin Watkins, Jr. Institute at TSU. He plans to graduate subsequent Could.
Vazquez was chosen after the board acquired enter from the TSU Pupil Authorities Affiliation, Glover, and different leaders.
“It’s actually nice to have this chance,” he mentioned, as he delivered temporary remarks to the board and thanked those that have supported him throughout his time at TSU up to now.
