NASHVILLE – A plan allowing the University of Tennessee to keep secret its search efforts and any job applications for a new system president has been dropped by Chattanooga lawmaker Gerald McCormick.
Rep. McCormick, a Republican, hoped to add his amendment to a bill that requires the state’s higher-ed organizations to video-stream their meetings.
UT is in the process of finding a new president, and Rep. McCormick, a UT graduate, said the state “ought not to have a public process on that,” noting that it likely discourages applicants from other universities who may fear possibly losing their existing positions if they don’t get the job.
“It may put their jobs in danger,” he said.
But he noted that his proposal should have more public discussion than as a last-minute amendment on a bill coming through in the last two days of a legislative session.
“I hope we’ll take another look next year,” he said.
The House voted 94-0 to require that the state Board of Regents, Tennessee Higher Education Commission and state Board of Education video-stream their meetings to help residents keep up with proceedings.
The University of Tennessee already video-streams its board meetings. Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Les Winningham, D-Huntsville, is “certainly a move in the right direction in terms of opening things up.”
The Senate had not acted on the bill late Friday.