TSU Hearing Rescheduled So University President Can Appear

A hearing into grade-fixing allegations at Tennessee State University has been pushed to next month. TSU president Portia Shields was unable to attend the hastily organized legislative hearing planned for Wednesday.

Administrators are accused of changing hundreds of “incompletes” to letter grades. President Shields has denied altering math scores and says any changes were an effort to follow new state guidelines meant to reduce the number incompletes given out.

However, the leader of TSU’s faculty senate and chapter of the American Association of University Professors have expressed concern.

Senator Jim Summerville of Dickson chairs the Higher Education Subcommittee. He calls the allegations “serious” and says if true they could “cheapen degrees.”

State lawmakers say the legislative hearing could exonerate TSU if it’s all a misunderstanding. They’re taking the issue seriously now that grades play a role in how much funding a school receives from the state.