Why was the new TSU Board appointed so quickly?

NASHVILLE, TN — There are several unanswered questions following the legislation that vacated the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees. On March 28, the General Assembly voted 66-25 to remove and replace TSU’s entire Board. Gov. Bill Lee immediately signed the bill into law, and then installed a new board, all Black and TSU alumni.& A lawmaker told a local media outlet “they didn’t think it would happen.” If he was referring to the TSU community of students, faculty, staff and alumni, he was right. Many said they felt blindsided and betrayed. One of those individuals was Rev. Barry Barlow, a TSU alumnus and member of the grassroots group Save TSU Community Coalition.& “We have people in the Tennessee General Assembly who will take your bridge of promise and stick dynamite to it,” Rev. Barlow said.& The selection process for the new board has also come under scrutiny. In fact, it has become a national conversation.& Sources revealed that the local alumni chapter submitted names of friends and individuals, which were shared with a handful of lawmakers who were intricately involved in the process. Alumni around the country are concerned that while the individuals selected are all TSU graduates, some...