Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
16
Lawmaker: 'Millions' later, TSU less diverse
A Knoxville lawmaker says the state hasn't been getting much for its investment in diversifying Tennessee State University's student body, but defenders of the state's efforts say Republican Rep. Bill Dunn is mistaken.
Dunn has called on the legislative Fiscal Review Committee to investigate the impact of a court-ordered agreement designed to attract more white students to historically black TSU. The pact also aims to draw more black students to the state's predominately white campuses.
The agreement stems from a 1968 lawsuit filed by Rita Geier, a former TSU instructor who wanted to prevent the state from continuing a race-based, two-tiered system of higher education. Other partie
s later joined the suit, eventually leading to an agreement in 1984. Th
at deal gradually proved ineffective, leading the parties to pursue a new settlement, which a federal judge approved in 2001.
The 2001 agreement, often known as the Geier consent decree, provides state money to upgrade TSU's downtown campus, create new degrees, market the university and give scholarships to nontraditional students. When it was approved, it called for the state to spend $70 million to $75 million over 10 years, mostly on revving up TSU's offerings and image.
The 1984 settlement of the lawsuit featured racial quotas, like a 50% white population at TSU. The existing deal dropped those specific requirements but encourages continued efforts to diversify the school.
Dunn said it was important to look at TSU's attempts to attract white students over the past 20 years. He said the white, or minority, population at TSU has declined as a per
centage of the student body, dropping from about 34% in 1984 to 25% last year.
In the same period
, he said, the minority black populations at Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee's Chattanooga and Knoxville campuses have increased. He said the black population rose from 4.63% to 6.94% at UT-Knoxville, the state's flagship campus.
Dunn said it looks as if the state has gotten a bad deal regarding TSU.
''Where did the money go, and why isn't it working?'' Dunn said in a telephone interview. ''Why have we spent hundreds of millions of dollars (since 1984) to go in the wrong direction? "â┚¬Ã…¡ÃƒÆ’”�Å¡¦ All these other schools, at least they can show something for the money they've spent.''
Supporters of the 2001 agreement, which is set to expire in 2006, said that's the deal they should be judged by. They believe the steps it requires wil
l have an impact before everything is said and done.
A $650,000 TSU advertising campaign put together by Nashville's McNeely Pigott & Fox, the Southeast's biggest public r
elations firm, recently got under way. Also, $18 million has been set aside to improve TSU's downtown campus, which has $750,000 more a year for scholarships for working adults.
According to data compiled by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, TSU's enrollment of students 25 and older is up 8.3% this year, though it's down almost 30% over the past 10 years.
''We've got some innovative programs that worked in other parts of the country,'' said George Barrett, the Nashville civil rights attorney who filed the original lawsuit 36 years ago. ''With a little variation, I think they should work here. And we're looking for a new president to reinvigorate TSU.''
James Hefner is retiring as TSU's president in May after 14 years. Barre
tt has been critical of Hefner's leadership over the years.
Dunn said he wants to see exactly where the Geier money is going, fearing much of it is lining the pockets of consultants. Barrett said he welcomes any legislator's inquiries but exp
ects the Fiscal Review investigation to find the finances are in order.
''We've been very careful with what we've done here,'' he said.
************
Whenever niggers are involved in anything, you can expect a bad deal as sure as the sun rises in the east.
T.N.B.
Lawmaker: 'Millions' later, TSU less diverse
A Knoxville lawmaker says the state hasn't been getting much for its investment in diversifying Tennessee State University's student body, but defenders of the state's efforts say Republican Rep. Bill Dunn is mistaken.
Dunn has called on the legislative Fiscal Review Committee to investigate the impact of a court-ordered agreement designed to attract more white students to historically black TSU. The pact also aims to draw more black students to the state's predominately white campuses.
The agreement stems from a 1968 lawsuit filed by Rita Geier, a former TSU instructor who wanted to prevent the state from continuing a race-based, two-tiered system of higher education. Other partie
s later joined the suit, eventually leading to an agreement in 1984. Th
at deal gradually proved ineffective, leading the parties to pursue a new settlement, which a federal judge approved in 2001.
The 2001 agreement, often known as the Geier consent decree, provides state money to upgrade TSU's downtown campus, create new degrees, market the university and give scholarships to nontraditional students. When it was approved, it called for the state to spend $70 million to $75 million over 10 years, mostly on revving up TSU's offerings and image.
The 1984 settlement of the lawsuit featured racial quotas, like a 50% white population at TSU. The existing deal dropped those specific requirements but encourages continued efforts to diversify the school.
Dunn said it was important to look at TSU's attempts to attract white students over the past 20 years. He said the white, or minority, population at TSU has declined as a per
centage of the student body, dropping from about 34% in 1984 to 25% last year.
In the same period
, he said, the minority black populations at Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee's Chattanooga and Knoxville campuses have increased. He said the black population rose from 4.63% to 6.94% at UT-Knoxville, the state's flagship campus.
Dunn said it looks as if the state has gotten a bad deal regarding TSU.
''Where did the money go, and why isn't it working?'' Dunn said in a telephone interview. ''Why have we spent hundreds of millions of dollars (since 1984) to go in the wrong direction? "â┚¬Ã…¡ÃƒÆ’”�Å¡¦ All these other schools, at least they can show something for the money they've spent.''
Supporters of the 2001 agreement, which is set to expire in 2006, said that's the deal they should be judged by. They believe the steps it requires wil
l have an impact before everything is said and done.
A $650,000 TSU advertising campaign put together by Nashville's McNeely Pigott & Fox, the Southeast's biggest public r
elations firm, recently got under way. Also, $18 million has been set aside to improve TSU's downtown campus, which has $750,000 more a year for scholarships for working adults.
According to data compiled by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, TSU's enrollment of students 25 and older is up 8.3% this year, though it's down almost 30% over the past 10 years.
''We've got some innovative programs that worked in other parts of the country,'' said George Barrett, the Nashville civil rights attorney who filed the original lawsuit 36 years ago. ''With a little variation, I think they should work here. And we're looking for a new president to reinvigorate TSU.''
James Hefner is retiring as TSU's president in May after 14 years. Barre
tt has been critical of Hefner's leadership over the years.
Dunn said he wants to see exactly where the Geier money is going, fearing much of it is lining the pockets of consultants. Barrett said he welcomes any legislator's inquiries but exp
ects the Fiscal Review investigation to find the finances are in order.
''We've been very careful with what we've done here,'' he said.
************
Dunn said it looks as if the state has gotten a bad deal regarding TSU.
Whenever niggers are involved in anything, you can expect a bad deal as sure as the sun rises in the east.
T.N.B.