In the annals of Tennessee politics, there are few more egregious examples of injustice and abuse of power than the way certain state lawmakers targeted Tennessee State University in recent years. However, the karma for those responsible is now coming back to haunt them, and I believe this is only the beginning.
Let us not forget the concerted efforts of State Senator Jon Lundberg and State Representative John Ragan to remove the capable leadership at TSU, amid the university’s diligent work to address the issues outlined in a biased and flawed comptroller’s report. These lawmakers, along with certain Republican cohorts, scoffed at the notion that decades of historic underfunding was a legitimate reason for the challenges facing the state’s only four-year public Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
The karma for their actions has now come full circle. In the recent elections, both Lundberg and Ragan were unceremoniously voted out of office by their East Tennessee constituents, many of whom were supporters of TSU. Lundberg co-sponsored the bill to vacate TSU’s Board of Trustees. He relentlessly came after Dr. Glenda Glover, the institution’s first female and alumna president. He took the leading role for the senate in discrediting Dr. Glover’s accomplishments, made disparaging remarks about the TSU Board of Trustees, and listened to close friend Jason Mumpower, the state comptroller, to undermine the work of the board. Hats off to Dr. Glover, a noted political strategist, for mobilizing voters in East Tennessee to unseat Lundberg.
The message from the electorate was loud and clear: “Hit the road, Jack!”
Instead of assisting TSU and providing the resources the university needed, Lundberg, Ragan and their allies strategized behind closed doors to remove the university’s highly qualified Board of Trustees, who had extensive corporate governance experience. Their vendetta against this leading HBCU was truly ugly and unconscionable.
The rest of the Tennessee General Assembly members who led the charge in the unfair treatment of TSU should take heed. As the saying goes, “God don’t like ugly,” and what these leaders did to TSU was truly ugly. Perhaps now the General Assembly will think twice before relying on the word of the comptroller and allowing him to bully state agencies and institutions when he is not qualified to even read a spreadsheet.
The students, faculty, staff, alumni and other supporters of Tennessee State University have not forgotten the injustice they faced. They have long memories, and now have demonstrated that they will use their collective power at the ballot box to hold elected officials accountable.
The removal of Lundberg and Ragan from office is a testament to the resilience and determination of the TSU community. It is a clear signal that the university’s supporters will not idly stand by while their beloved institution is targeted and maligned by those with a personal or political agenda.
As we move forward, I hope the remaining members of the Tennessee General Assembly have learned a valuable lesson: that attacking and undermining a revered institution like Tennessee State University, especially one that serves a predominantly Black student population, will not be tolerated in 2024. The price they may have to pay for such actions could be the loss of their own political careers.
