TICUA Policy Update

House Higher Education Subcommittee

HB0377/SB0376 prohibits the exclusion of persons from participating in, being denied the benefits of, or being subject to discrimination by a four-year public or private institution of higher education in this state on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, and national origin; prohibits such institutions from using race, color, ethnicity, or national origin in determining whether a prospective student qualifies for admission into the institution, or receives scholarships or financial aid; creates a private cause of action against an institution and its officers, employees, and agents for such unlawful practices. An amendment was added in consultation with higher education constituents to limit the liability if an admissions or financial aid staff member views student racial information in data systems and requires training about this new law to those employees once the bill becomes law.  The bill passed and will go to full House Education Committee next.

HB0919/SB0933 modifies the appointing authority of the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives to state college and university boards. The amendment adds two additional appointments to the boards of the Tennessee Board of Regents (Community Colleges and TCATS), locally-governed state universities, and the University of Tennessee System. The bill gives the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor authority to appoint two members each to each board, in addition to the board members currently appointed by the governor.

Senate Education Committee

Wednesday’s four-hour Senate Education Committee meeting began with confirmations for State Board of Education, University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, Advisory Board, and the Tennessee Board of Regents. The meeting also included budget hearings for the Tennessee Board of Regents, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Memphis. The following higher-education related bills were passed:

SB1291/HB0114 makes changes to the Tennessee Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen (STRONG) Act to allow for expanded use of the scholarship on fees and additional credit hours. This bill has passed all committees in the house and goes to the House floor next week.

SB0603/HB1147 is a caption bill that was amended to provide a waiver of tuition and fees at TN public institutions of higher education for dependents of law enforcement officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty. There is no fiscal note on this bill, meaning the public institutions will absorb the cost. The companion bill has yet to be put on notice with the House Higher Education Subcommittee.

SB0719/HB0704 adds William R. Moore College of Technology, TICUA associate member, as an eligible institution for receipt of the Wilder-Naifeh reconnect grant and Wilder-Naifeh technical skills grant; specifies that the amount of the scholarship for such students enrolled is the average cost of tuition and mandatory fees at TCATs less all other gift aid. The bill was also amended to make Moore Tech eligible for Tennessee Reconnect. The companion bill will be heard at the last agenda of the House Higher Education Subcommittee in two weeks, when they consider all bills that have a fiscal note related to lottery dollars.

SB0689/HB0408 is a caption bill that was amended to dissolve the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) governing board and transfer its responsibilities to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) Board. By statute, the TICUA chief executive officer is a member of the TSAC Board. To ensure that the private higher education sector maintains a voice and advisory role in the state’s higher education priorities and financial aid programs, the amendment also adds the president of TICUA as a member of a currently existing review committee charged with the development and revision of the higher education master plan and state financial aid. The TICUA president will join the review committee currently comprised of the THEC executive director, the chancellor of the board of regents, the president of the University of Tennessee system, each president of a board of regents state university, and select members of the legislative and executive branches of state government. The amendment also terminates the Tennessee Teaching Scholars Program and the Minority Teaching Fellows Program, which have already been phased out since  2023. The companion bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Higher Education Subcommittee next week.