In Print! Higher Ed Revamp

I discuss the potential merger of the TBR and UT systems of higher education in today’s issue of  Sidelines. Catch the original version in its entirety below.

   State Senator Jim Kyle (D – Memphis) introduced legislation last week which would restructure higher education by eliminating the Tennessee Board of Regents and University of Tennessee systems and replacing them with a unified system under which all higher education institutions would be governed. SB 2122 – the “Streamlining Higher and Postsecondary Education (SHAPE) Act – reads, “The Tennessee higher education commission and the present systems of governance of the University of Tennessee system and the board of regents system shall cease to exist on July 1, 2010.” This legislation compels THEC, TBR, and UT to submit plans for restructuring by January 2010 for consideration and possible implementation.
   In an interview, Senator Kyle remarked, “All we’re trying to do here is force educators to examine themselves, come forward with a better way and tell us what it is. If they can’t do that, then we’ll do it for them.” Kyle’s proposal is not the only one that has been filed, as Senator Andy Berke (D – Chattanooga) filed a similar bill which would establish a task force to investigate the possibility of streamlining higher education and propose recommendations accordingly.
   The culmination of three events likely created an environment feasible for this discussion: UT President John Petersen tendered his resignation several weeks ago; TBR suspended its search for Chancellor Manning’s replacement; and Tennessee is currently experiencing a near $1 billion budget shortfall. These factors are causing lawmakers to think outside the box in an effort to both reduce costs and increase the efficiency of higher education. 
   Students should inject themselves into this discussion. Lawmakers routinely allow experts to testify before committees on the specifics of any given piece of legislation. Senators Kyle’s and Berke’s bills will be heard in the Education Committee, chaired by Delores Gresham, in the Senate and in the Higher Education Subcommittee, chaired by David Hawk, in the House.
   Concerned students should contact these legislators – and the other members of these committees – in order to affect debate. Surprisingly enough, elected officials will not only listen to student recommendations and opinions, but they openly welcome them.
   Both sets of bills have each been filed in the House and Senate and will soon be placed on the calendar for their respective committees. To find these bills online, visit www.capitol.tn.gov and search for either SB2212/HB2143 (Kyle/Fitzhugh) or SB2025/HB1943 (Berke/Maddox). Make sure these elected officials understand that you want to be part of the debate. This is an extremely important time for higher education in Tennessee, but lawmakers and experts are the only voices in this debate. Students – who will likely be most affected by any significant changes to the existing systems – should actively engage these decision makers.
   The possibility of merging the systems might seem like an easy task on paper, as both proposals are only about a page in length, but the concrete implications of such a proposal are undoubtedly complex. The University of Tennessee offices are located in Knoxville, while the offices for the Tennessee Board of Regents are in Nashville. Resources will likely need to be combined and services standardized for the merger to work effectively.
   Academic programs and courses would need to be standardized, as well. At present, certain credits are non-transferable from one system to the other. These and other issues currently encumber a facilitated relationship between the systems. Make no mistake, merging UT and TBR will not be easy, but the political atmosphere lends itself to lawmakers tackling this important issue in the very near future. Don’t let the lawmakers and experts leave you out of the debate.

Matthew Hurtt is a senior history/political science major and can be reached at Matt.Hurtt@gmail.com or www.matthewhurtt.com.