Compromised Diversity Bill Passed
With the legislature rapidly approaching adjournment, sponsors of SB 1912 and its companion bill HB 2248 came to a compromise on a bill that will defund the University of Tennessee- Knoxville’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The bill would restrict all state funds from being expended by the University to promote the use of gender … Continued
Bill Impacting UT Diversity Advances; Diversity Amendment Fails
A newly amended version of SB 1912 was passed out of full Senate Education Committee Wednesday afternoon by a 7-1 vote. The bill, which targets the University of Tennessee- Knoxville, would restrict all state funds from being expended by the University to promote the use of gender neutral pronouns, to promote or inhibit the celebration … Continued
FOCUS Act on Way to Governor’s Desk
One week after passing the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee, the Governor’s Focus on College and University Success (FOCUS) Act was passed on the Senate floor Monday afternoon on a 31-1 vote. This was the FOCUS Act’s final step before being brought to the Governor’s desk after passing the House floor last week with a … Continued
Governor’s FOCUS Act Is One Step Closer to Becoming Law
The Governor’s Focus on College and University Success (FOCUS) Act passed on the House floor Thursday morning on a 71-19 vote, bringing the bill one step closer to becoming law. The FOCUS Act is Governor Haslam’s major higher education initiative that creates individual governing boards for each of the six four-year universities housed within the … Continued
Bills Impacting UT Diversity Funding Shelved for Session; Concerns Over Budget Amendments Remain
Quietly and without fanfare, a bill seeking to divert state resources from UTK’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion was sent to “general sub” during a Senate Education Committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon. “General sub” essentially means that the bill will not be considered further unless the bill’s sponsor seeks to re-calendar it, but that does … Continued