The Tennessee Board of Regents wrapped up their quarterly meeting on The University of Memphis campus Friday by naming Gov. Phil Bredesen as their new chair.
Mayor Willie Herenton and U of M President Shirley Raines welcomed the governor to Memphis and The U of M campus.
During the March 27-28 meeting, the 5 percent budget cut facing Tennessee schools was the core concern expressed by college and university leaders. But the attendees did not reach a final decision about tuition hikes by the meeting’s end and they don’t plan to announce any decision until June.
Ken Givens, TBR commissioner of agriculture, said he appreciated the school presidents and encouraged them to step up to the budget cuts by saying, “take your medicine and act like it tastes good.”
At the March 26 Faculty Senate meeting, many members questioned where higher education falls on the governor’s priority list.
“Governor Bredesen visited our campus during his campaign,” said Raines, in an e-mail interview. “The fact that he chose to come to the campus during the campaign was the first indication of higher education being a priority.”
Raines said Bredesen has pledged several times his intent to assist Tennessee higher education to reach new heights and to emphasize its role in the expansion of a post-cut economy.
“Governor Bredesen’s visit to the campus ... and his speech at the Faculty Convocation reaffirmed that pledge,” she said.
Friday, Herenton said he would make it clear to the governor that Tennessee cannot afford to abandon the importance of higher education.
Herenton, described as a “champion of education” by Raines, praised The U of M president for her commitment to the urban institution.
“You’re going to do great things for this great university,” he said.
Herenton said he recognizes the challenge the TBR and its schools are facing and holds them in high esteem for their dedication “during these turbulent times.”
An environment with education cuts is not one in which he wanted to start, Bredesen said.
“That’s the hand that’s been dealt,” he told reporters. “We have to live with the revenues that we have.”
The governor said he thinks Tennessee has an attractive higher education system and hopes during the cuts, schools will take a fresh look at what their core missions are.
“There also will be a time when we ask students to step up and help and that’s where we are now,” Bredesen said.
“I look forward to many, many years of all of us working together to make a great state even greater,” he said.
