NASHVILLE – The House and Senate Thursday approved Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposal to boost graduation rates at Tennessee’s community colleges and universities.
The bill, which changes the higher education funding formula to boost retention and graduation, was approved unanimously in the Senate and 93-2 by the House. The Senate later agreed to minor changes made by the House.
The bil now goes to the governor for his signature.
One dissenter was Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, who complained that lawmakers, who took up the bill Tuesday during the second week of a special session on K-12 and highereducation, were moving too quickly.
“I don’t think we ought to pass in three days legislation this important,” Rep. McCormick later said. “Do it right.”
He said “we don’t know what the funding formula will do, but I suspect it’ll lean toward helping Knoxville (University of Tennessee-Knoxville) and (University of) Memphis to the disadvantage of all the other schools … I may be wrong, but we haven’t had time to figure it out.”
The other “no” vote was Rep. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol.
Earlier in the day, all 32 senators present (one was absent) approved the bill.
“What this bill is really all about is ensuring that we have more students graduating from college,” said Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga who served on a panel of lawmakers, higher education officials and others who spent a half year helping identifying necessary changes in higher education.
Senate Government Operations Committee Chairman Bo Watson, R-Hixson, warned colleagues that they should take a lesson from 2000 when lawmakers passed legislation requiring the articulation or ready transfer of community college course credits to four-year institutions. It was supposed to be implemented a year later but never was.
“It is incumbent upon us to review and ensure that those agencies charged with the duties desginated to them by this body implement the wishes of this General Assembly,” the senator said.