Allegations of grade-fixing at Tennessee State University could make it harder for the school to recruit a new full-time president. That’s one concern from the state senator who will lead a hearing on the matter next month.
TSU officials say they were following new state guidelines and trying to give fewer incomplete grades. They’re accused of changing hundreds of incompletes to ‘C’s. Jim Summerville heads the state senate’s subcommittee on higher education. Summerville says the matter could hurt TSU’s credibility:
“And that’s the last thing Tennessee State needs right now. They’re trying to find a new president. It’s going to make that job harder. Nobody wants to come in the middle of a concern like this, so we’re trying to get this settled and resolved and behind us. I’d like that say you should know the truth and the truth shall set you free. That’s what we wanna do.”
Right now TSU is headed by Interim President Portia Shields, who is expected to appear at Summerville’s hearing next month.