Senate signs off on Haslam restructuring of UT Board of Trustees, 27-3
The state Senate approved 27-3 Tennessee Monday evening Gov. Bill Haslam’s legislation to restructure the University of Tennessee board of trustees, slashing the main governing panel from 27 to 11 members and creating “advisory” boards for each of the system’s four campuses. A few critics noted that there will now be 39 appointees on five boards overseeing UT operations under the “FOCUS Act” and questioned whether that is actual streamlining.
TBI reports campus crime down slightly overall; theft and DUI offenses up
Press release from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has released to the public its annual crime study detailing the volume and nature of crime on the state’s college and university campuses. ‘Crime on Campus 2017’ compiles data submitted to TBI by the state’s colleges, universities, and law enforcement agencies through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS).
Among the report’s findings:
New presidents named at two TN community colleges
Press release from Tennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents today (Wednesday) appointed Dr. Shanna L. Jackson as the next president of Nashville State Community College and Dr. Michael L. Torrence as the next president of Motlow State Community College.
Black says legislature should reject in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants (Update: Lee ditto)
Press release from Diane Black campaign
Nashville, Tenn. – Today, Diane Black released the following statement on the in-state tuition bill currently being debated by the state legislature, which would allow in-state tuition for illegal immigrants:
“I have said many times that if the state legislature were to pass a bill providing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, I would veto it. In-state tuition is a benefit provided to legal residents of our state, and it should stay that way.
“Too many times, so-called conservatives get elected promising to fight against liberal policies, only to embrace them once in office. It’s a shame to see our state legislature do just that, particularly without real debate or even a recorded vote in committee. It’s time for the true conservatives in the legislature to stand up and say no.”
Slatery among critics of federal move to block state oversight of student loan collectors
The Trump administration is taking steps to shield student loan collection companies from state regulators, over the objections of consumer advocates and even some Republican attorneys general, reports Politico. Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery is one of them.
Tennessee Tech disavows study used in lobbying, financed by trucking company
The president of Tennessee Tech University has disavowed a study used to help justify the repeal of tighter federal emissions standards for a type of freight trucks, reports the Washington Post. He says that experts now question “the methodology and accuracy” of the industry-funded test.
TN Tech research used in lobbying ‘eviscerated’ by some professors
“Growing faculty outrage” prompted a Tennessee Technological University internal investigation into the validity of the school research that was financed by a Tennessee company, then used by U.S. Rep. Diane Black in supporting the company’s viewpoint on federal air pollution regulations, reports The Tennessean. Tech’s president suggests the internal review may “exonerate the innocent.”
AG finds fault with bill on in-state tuition for illegal immigrant children
Attorney General Herbert Slatery says state lawmakers, not officials at Tennessee’s public colleges and universities, must decide whether to offer in-state tuition breaks for students whose parents brought or kept them in the country illegally.
The opinion was requested by Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, and deals with HB660, a bill that would give schools the authority to make decisions.
Former ETSU tennis coach indicted on fraud and theft charges
Press release from state comptroller’s office
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released an investigation that has resulted in the indictment of Yaser Zaatini, the former Director of Tennis and coach at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). The investigation was initiated after the ETSU Department of Internal Audit reported financial discrepancies in the tennis program.
Investigators determined that from September 2011 through February 2017, Zaatini misappropriated at least $45,540 from ETSU and often provided fabricated or altered documents to the ETSU Athletics Department. Zaatini used a variety of methods to misappropriate the money. Zaatini fabricated and submitted at least 65 fraudulent student athlete per diem documents, which often appeared to contain copies of student athletes’ signatures. The student athletes told investigators that they had neither signed the documents nor received the per diem payments. Zaatini received money to which he was not entitled.
UT fires football coach Butch Jones, now owed about $8M
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, winless this season in Southeastern Conference football play, has fired fifth-year coach Butch Jones with two games left in the regular season.
“Late [Saturday] night, it was evident this was probably the direction we needed to go for the best of all concerned,” Tennessee athletic director John Currie said Sunday at a news conference. “We wanted our student-athletes to have the best possible chance for success. We want Coach Jones and his family to be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
“We want to be able to focus, from my perspective, on the search going forward.”
Defensive line coach Brady Hoke will serve as the Volunteers’ interim head coach.
On Saturday, Tennessee was blown out 50-17 at Missouri for the Vols’ fifth loss in their past six games. Two weeks ago, they lost at Kentucky, marking only their second loss to the Wildcats in the past 33 years.
…Jones’ contract runs through March 2021. His buyout is around $8 million because he is owed $2.5 million per year remaining on his deal. That buyout will be mitigated by whatever salary he might earn in a new coaching job. Jones was making $4.11 million per year at Tennessee.
