April 5, 2024

Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program

HB1914/SB1977 creates a hunger-free campus grant program, administered by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). The measure provides grants to higher education institutions to be used to address hunger on the institutions' campuses. As used in this bill, a "higher education institution" means an institution operated by the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee; the board of regents of the state university and community college system; or a local governing board of trustees of a state university; or a private postsecondary institution accredited by a regional accrediting association that has its primary campus domiciled in this state.

To be eligible for a hunger-free campus grant, a higher education institution must:

(1) Submit an application to THEC on a form prescribed by the Commission, along with any supporting documentation required by the Commission;

(2) Have or establish a physical food pantry that is accessible to students; or partner with a food pantry that is accessible to students and located in the same community as the higher education institution; and

(3) Establish a hunger task force that includes at least two members of the institution's student body to examine the needs and best practices of food insecurity on campus.

The companion bills have moved through the Education Committees and now await action in both Finance Committees.

Bill Addressing Accreditation Passes

HB2625/SB2528, as originally introduced, causes public colleges and universities to regularly evaluate their accrediting affiliations and determine if they best align with the programs offered by the campuses. Accreditors may not compel public colleges and universities to violate state law. The measure allows the campus the right of action against an accreditor if it does so and instructs the institution to seek a new accreditor during the next accreditation cycle.

The bill has gone through various iterations that have, at times, included TICUA member institutions. TICUA expressed concern about the measure as originally drafted. House and Senate sponsors placed amendments to the proposed legislation removing TICUA members from the bill. As amended, the bill affirms the ability of public colleges and universities to change institutional accreditors and grants them a cause of action against an accreditor if the agency causes the institutions to violate state law.

The bill passed, as amended, the Senate Education Committee in late March. On Wednesday, the House Education Administration Committee passed the bill on to Government Operations.

House Education Committee Acts on Several Bills

The House Education Administration Committee took action on several bills this week. Only seven bills remain for consideration on their final calendar. Below are the actions taken this week.

• HB0869/SB0833 among other things, seeks to clarify that a student receiving a Dual Enrollment Grant must make a cumulative 2.0 GPA to take any additional dual enrollment courses. Failure to maintain a 2.0 GPA results in “permanent disqualification” from receiving Dual Enrollment grants. The bill has passed the Senate chamber and has been moved to the House Finance Committee for further consideration.

• HB2184/SB1783, as amended, provides $5 million to be placed in a Tennessee Promise completion grant special account. The funds are designated to assist the Higher Education Commission in awarding completion grants to certain Tennessee Promise scholarship students who demonstrate need. Grants can be used for purchasing food, books, course supplies, childcare, and meeting other needs.  This measure will make the Completion Grant pilot project permanent. The bill has moved through the Senate and House Education Committees and awaits action in the Finance Committees.  

• HB1912/SB2670, allows Tennessee HOPE scholarship students who earned their first baccalaureate degree in less than five years from initial enrollment and graduated between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, to continue to receive the scholarship for graduate studies. The student must reenroll at an eligible postsecondary institution, be in pursuit of an advanced degree, and continue to meet all other applicable eligibility requirements. The bill was passed on to the House Finance Committee.

• HB2180/SB2659, expands the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship pilot program to include Western Governors University. The aid program provides last-dollar funding for students during their final two years of their teacher training. Student recipients must commit to serving in a high-need area of the state. This is year one of a five-year pilot and currently, only one student has signed up for the program. The bill passed and has moved to the House Finance Committee.

• HB2179/SB2327, provides for dual enrollment participation for qualified high school freshmen. The bill requires high school students to complete the eighth grade and be admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student to qualify for a dual enrollment grant. The bill was passed and sent to the House Finance Committee.

House Fails to Adopt Senate Amendment on THEC/TSAC Bill

HB2676/SB2713, abolishes the governing board of directors for the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) and designates the corporation as a division of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). Currently, TSAC and THEC have separate Boards governing the two separate corporations even though the Executive Director of THEC oversees both. TICUA’s president is secured a voting position on the TSAC Board by statute. If the bill passes as drafted, TICUA will no longer have a place at the table. The bulk of the bill seeks to redefine the role of THEC among public colleges and universities by vesting the universities with more power and reconstituting the nominees to the Commission.

The House version of the bill, which vests public institutions with more power, was passed by the House chamber and was sent over to the Senate for consideration. The Senate version continues to vest THEC with its current responsibilities and creates an advisory board to the TSAC division. TICUA is specifically mentioned in the Senate amendment securing the Association a place on the TSAC Advisory Board. The Senate Chamber passed their version of the bill and sent it to the House for consideration.  

This Thursday, the House refused to adopt the Senate amendment without seeking compromise through a conference committee. Consequently, the Senate will have an opportunity next week to reverse their action but, according to the bill’s Senate sponsor, Jon Lundberg, this is unlikely to occur. If all things remain the same, it appears that the measure will not survive the back and forth between chambers which will leave THEC and TSAC unaffected.