NASHVILLE -- The state Senate Education Committee voted Wednesday to strip the University of Tennessee's Office for Diversity and Inclusion of all but its federal funding and to transfer $8 million from the university's administration into its agricultural extension service and rural outreach programs.
The committee approved an amendment by its chairwoman, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, to the UT budget submitted by Gov. Bill Haslam that would have the affect of defunding the diversity office at UT Knoxville - the target of conservative ire since a pair of controversial web posts regarding gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive holiday parties. The panel's action isn't final: it will require concurrence by the full Senate and the House before it could go into affect.
It followed an earlier 2-hour hearing by the House education committees on diversity issues at UT and the Tennessee Board of Regents system.
Read the full story from our news partner, the Knoxville News Sentinel, here.