Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Altering Faculty Disciplinary Procedures at Public Colleges
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has signed a new bill into law that mandates public college and university governing boards to establish policies that differentiate between tenure decisions and disciplinary actions for faculty members. The legislation, known as House Bill 2194, aims to standardize disciplinary procedures for both tenured and non-tenured faculty, ensuring that tenure cannot be used as a shield against misconduct allegations. Under the new law, faculty members facing termination or suspension due to misconduct allegations will receive a written notice and an opportunity to be heard by the institution's chief academic officer or chief executive officer. The decision to terminate or suspend will be made solely by these officers, without input from other faculty members. The bill also requires public institutions to adopt policies that uphold institutional neutrality, free expression, and civil discourse, and to make these policies publicly available on their websites. 
