Dive Brief:
- John G. Morgan, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, will step down at the end of this month, one year ahead of a planned retirement, so as not to implement the governor’s plan to restructure the state system.
- In a letter, Morgan said he believes Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to form separate governing boards for the state’s six public universities is unworkable and will “seriously impair” alignment of state needs, the board of regents’ oversight responsibility, and accountability at each university.
- He said the plan will spark competition across the universities, weakening statewide collaboration, and he plans to resign Jan. 31, leaving his successor to oversee the change.
Dive Insight:
Haslam introduced the plan as a way to give the state’s public universities more autonomy and allow the Tennessee Board of Regents to focus more heavily on community and technical colleges, where his Tennessee Promise program has the greatest impact. Morgan spent nearly 40 years working for the state, and he has been in his position as chancellor since 2010, when he was appointed by Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen. His abrupt departure will force the state to scramble for a replacement. Haslam, however, will get the added benefit of working with the new chancellor for a longer period before he leaves office.