NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University will be the site for the Fifth Annual Tennessee Local Food Summit. The summit, to be held Dec. 4-6, will feature seminars and experts on a wide range of topics from backyard gardening, organic agriculture and rural economics to cooking, nutrition and climate change. More than 200 participants are expected to attend.
Sponsored by TSU and the Barefoot Farmer, LLC, the summit will also feature some of Nashville’s best chefs offering delicious, locally grown organic meals during a full-day of educational workshops, networking, and “the celebration of another great growing season,” organizers said.
“Tennessee State University is pleased to host this important summit,” said the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Dr. Chandra Reddy. “It comes at a time when Nashville and Tennessee are moving toward healthy eating habits, protecting the environment and developing the local economy. This conference also provides an opportunity for our faculty and students to share their research and innovation in this field.”
Organizers say the annual summit is intended to make Middle Tennessee viable again as “the farmland that once fed Nashville.”
Speakers will include nationally and internationally recognized food and farm experts and consultants from Tennessee, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Australia, as well as TSU faculty members like Dr. An Peischel, Dr. Sandria Godwin, Dr. Lan Li, Dr. Dilip Nandwani and Dr. Arvazena Clardy.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
U.S. Air Force Retired Col. Albert Hill Jr., gives the keynote address at the TSU Veterans Day Ceremony in the Amphitheater on the main campus. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – When Albert Hill Jr. joined the Air Force as a recruit right after high school, his goal was to serve a few years, qualify for the GI Bill, leave the military, go to college and find a job.
“I did just that,” said Hill, a retired Air Force Colonel. “I really just wanted money to go to school so after four years I left the Air Force and went to college.”
But Hill’s departure from military life was short-lived. He was missing something …life in the military. “I missed the people, the excitement and the discipline,” he said.
At a ceremony on the Avon Williams campus March 31, Tom Morrison (right), the Tennessee Higher Education Commission Assistant Executive Director for Veterans Education, presented the title and certificate of designation to President Glenda Glover, officially declaring TSU a certified “Vets Campus.” (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)
Hill reenlisted in the Air Force, and for 32 years, until his retirement in 2008, he served on various posts in Japan, Germany, Panama and the United States, including the Air Force ROTC Detachment at Tennessee State University, where he was commander. Hill received many decorations and awards including the Defense Meritorious Service Award, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
U.S. Air Force Retired Lt. Col. Michelangelo McCallister Sr.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Hill, TSU’s director of Business Operations in the Department of Facilities Management, was the keynote speaker at the university’s annual Veterans Day ceremony in the Amphitheater on the main campus. Many other ex-service men and women working at TSU attended the ceremony including highly decorated Air Force retired Lt. Col. Michelangelo McCallister Sr., contract administrator in the Office of the University Counsel; and retired U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Harold Hal Murra, safety inspector in the Department of Facilities Management. Cadet India Williams, a freshman Industrial Engineering major, and member of the TSU ROTC program, also participated in the ceremony.
U.S, Coast Guard Retired Petty Officer Harold Hal Murra
Honoring veterans with this specially planned ceremony is just one of many efforts geared toward recognizing the sacrifice of prior service people. As a Certified Vets Campus, TSU provides support services for veterans to ease their transition from military service to college life.
“We have a number of students, faculty and staff at Tennessee State University who have served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Dr. Mark Hardy, vice president for Academic Affairs. “Because of their sacrifice and dedicated service to our country, we have a tradition at TSU of honoring them on Veterans Day. We celebrate them and thank them for all they have done for their country.”
AFROTC Cadet India Williams
Williams added that as AFROTC cadets, their mission is to promote quality leaders who, like veterans, put “service before self.”
“Veterans are our leaders in guiding the pathway for success in the future,” she said. “They deserve all honor and recognition. Veterans Day not only means a great significance to the veterans, but to cadets like myself who one day hope to be recognized for all the hard work and dedication to serving our country.”
Recently, seven prior servicemen and servicewomen received certificates as information technology specialists after graduating from a training program offered through the TSU Continuing Education and Workforce Development Unit. TSU also has a Student Veterans Association to help fellow veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
JeTara Brown crawls through Mammoth Cave toward a water sampling sight. (Submitted Photo)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University student and faculty-led research findings are helping to keep the nation’s drinking water safe. According to reports from the recent National Cave and Karst Management Symposium in Cave City, Kentucky, two TSU graduate students and their professors presented findings on ways to improve water quality in the karst landscapes, a unique and fragile set of ecosystems that are dependent on clean stormwater recharge. Two-thirds of Tennessee has karst or karst-like landscape, including all of middle Tennessee. Their findings at Mammoth Cave have application to Nashville and the surrounding area.
Graduate students JeTara Brown and Hung Wai Ho, along with their professors in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, partnered with federal agencies to investigate management practices that improve storm runoff from parking lots and spills in the Mammoth Cave National Park in south central Kentucky. The cave and karst systems serve as a habitat for unique ecosystems and sources of drinking water for much of the population.
According to Hung Wai, their research focused on the assessment and treatment of different pollutants in stormwater runoff in an urbanized area.
Hung Wai Ho conducts a tracer study with Rhodamine dye in Mammoth Cave. (Submitted Photo)
“Water is a vital part of the environment but anthropogenic activities have been causing impairment to the water quality, especially in the karst regions of Tennessee and Kentucky,” Hung Wai said. “Additionally, the National Park offers a dynamic and interactive environment for us to apply our academic knowledge in a real-world situation.”
The research was part of an agreement among TSU, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Western Kentucky University Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning, to aid in understanding the transport of contaminants into the karst system.
“Over half of the U.S. population relies on groundwater as a source for water supply,” said Brown, a first-year graduate student. “Unfortunately, when it rains, contaminants can be transported into the groundwater through sinkholes and fractures that are unfiltered. The more we understand how karst systems work, the better we can find ways to protect them.”
Dr. Tom Byl is a research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey. For the last 20 years he has partnered with TSU conducting environmental research and teaching occasional classes. Brown and Hung Wai are among the more than 150 students he has mentored.
“My students have conducted studies on a wide variety of topics, ranging from groundwater remediation to wetlands and cave systems,” Byl said. “Students bring new insight and energy to research projects. Involving TSU students in field studies and lab research helps them understand that they can have meaningful careers in earth and environmental sciences.”
On the quality of the research, Dr. Rick Toomey, director of the Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning, said it is “incredibly” important to the science of caves.
“We have been incredibly impressed with the students Dr. Byl brings from TSU,” Toomey said. “They have been involved in helping to provide us with critical information on park management and finding interesting patterns in pure science such as water chemistry change. Their work has been very valuable and we hope it is also providing educational opportunities for the students.”
Dr. De’Etra Young crawls through Mammoth Cave toward a water sampling site. (Submitted Photo)Byl said as a result of the students’ “outstanding” work, Brown and Hung Wai, along with their faculty advisors, have been invited to present their research findings at the Karst Water Institute in Puerto Rico in January 2016. The students were each awarded $200 toward travel expense to the conference by the prestigious Karst Water Institute.
“JeTara and Hung Wai are great examples of our talented students at Tennessee State University,” said Dr. DéEtra Young, a faculty advisor. “As coordinator of the College of Agriculture Dean’s Scholars Program, I’m working diligently to increase research opportunities for our students. It is our goal to actively foster the academic and personal development of our students in preparation for the workforce or the many graduate opportunities available.”
“There are very few minority scientists in this very important field of cave and karst management. TSU’s Ag and Engineering colleges are trying to train and fill this gap,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. “Our faculty, Drs. De’Etra Young and Tom Byl, do an outstanding job in training students and the invitation they received to present at this important national meeting is a good indicator of that.”
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
Dr. Tamika Winston received 3 other awards earlier this year including the College of Liberal Arts Professor of the Year for the 2015-2016 academic year. (Submitted Photo)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The accolades keep piling up for Dr. Tameka Winston. A Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 winner for 2015, she has received yet another award with statewide recognition.
Dr. Winston, a professor in the Department of Communications at Tennessee State University, recently received the 2015 Woman of Achievement Award in Higher Education in Tennessee. The award was presented at the 35th Annual Women in Higher Education in Tennessee conference in Murfreesboro.
Past award recipients include Dr. Shirley Raines who is the first female president of the University of Memphis. Dr. Raines won the award in 2012.
The Woman of Achievement Award is presented to a dedicated leader who has earned admiration and respect, has vision and leads by example, faces challenges with grace and courage, and lives with dignity, integrity and honor.
“It was an honor to be recognized by the Women in Higher Education,” said Winston. “WHET is a wonderful organization and many of the longtime members have served as great role models for me over the years.”
Since 1980, WHET has sought to meet the needs of women in the academy, according to Winton. The organization holds professional development seminars, partners with the statewide Women’s Leadership Conference for college and university students, offers annual scholarships, and supports members’ participation in national leadership conferences.
Winston also received 3 other awards earlier this year including the College of Liberal Arts Professor of the Year for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
3-Day Honors Conference Highlights Academic Achievement; Exposes Students to Career Opportunities
TSU President Glenda Glover receives a gift from Dr. Coreen Jackson, President of NAAAHP, following the TSU president’s keynote address at the conference. Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover has challenged educators to do more to help students who are lagging behind. At a gathering of more than 400 students during the annual National Association of African American Honors Programs conference, Glover questioned why some students do well, yet many more are failing or dropping out.
“It is time to look at the service we provide,” she said. “Our institutions of learning are full of Ph.Ds., but still many of our students are lagging in achievement. We have issues that need answers and it is going to require our very best effort if we want our children to succeed.”
More than 400 students from 70 HBCUs attended the three-day NAAAHP conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
The three-day NAAAHP conference, hosted by TSU and Fisk University at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, brought together students and representatives from 70 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Under the theme, “The Audacity of Vision: Dare to Dream,” the conference features a debate, quiz bowl, model U.N., and scholarly research presentations, as well as a career and recruitment fair with representatives from medical schools, the pharmaceutical and food industries, and manufacturing companies, among others. Representatives from institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford were also at the conference seeking potential recruits for their graduate programs.
Kroger, a Premier Platinum Sponsor, invested more than $30,000 as one of the major corporate sponsors of the conference. (Submitted Photo)
Glover called on the honor students to help bring along their fellow students who are struggling. “As our best and brightest, you too have a responsibility to encourage your fellow students. You represent excellence. You have set for yourselves a path to success, and I encourage you to continue to run until you have reached your God-given destiny,” Glover said.
Addressing the question of why many students are failing while others succeed, one educator at the conference said the problem was the lack of drive.
Dr. Lesia Crumpton Young, TSU Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, a keynote speaker at the conference, receives a gift from NAAAHP Board members. From left are Dr. Ray Davis, of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, of TSU; Amani Perkins, of Hampton University; Dr. Coreen Jackson, NAAAHP President; and Angela Divine, of Miles College. (Submitted Photo)
“If lagging is in relation to academic performance, what I have seen is not a decrease in intelligence but a gradual decrease in drive,” said Dr. Sabin P. Duncan, director of the Freddye T. Davy Honors College at Hampton University, who accompanied 29 students to the conference. “Perhaps it could be generational or perhaps socio-economic, but the students I see as lagging often lack drive.”
TSU honor student Mikayla Jones said many students have what she called “this grandiose dream” of making it big in life, but they forget that to reach their goals it requires hard work.
A recruiter from Harvard University talks to students about graduate school opportunities, at the conference. (Submitted Photo)
“Many students don’t understand that they are the biggest barrier to their own success,” said Jones, a junior Health Care Administration and Planning major with a 3.9 GPA. “What you put in is what you get out, and if you really want it, then you must be ready to work hard.”
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering at TSU, co-moderated a faculty panel on “Navigating Academia for Women and Minority Faculty in STEM.” He said students are motivated by opportunities and goals.
“There is a greater chance of success when students know of opportunities complemented by an environment that nurtures and promotes students success,” said Hargrove, who has co-authored a book on the topic.
Conference facilitators and presenters included NAAAHP Board members Ansel Brown, of North Carolina Central University, and Angeline Divine, of Miles College; and TSU’s Honors College Program Coordinator Susan West, and Associate Director, Dr. Douglas McGahey. (Submitted Photo)
The conference also included faculty presentations on such topics as “Innovative Math and Science Courses in Interdisciplinary Honors Core,” and “The Pedagogy of Diversity in the Entertainment Industry: Teaching the Business of Jazz.” Among other TSU presenters were Dr. Lesia Crumpton Young, Dr. Martens Stanberry and Dr. S. Guha.
The NAAAHP conference also attracted major corporate sponsors such as Kroger, as a Premier Platinum Sponsor, which invested more that $30,000, as well as The Ryman Hospitality Properties Foundation, ARCADIS Design and Consulting, and PSAV.
“The success of this conference has been beyond my wildest expectations,” said Dr. Coreen Jackson, president of NAAAHP and Interim Dean of the Honors College at TSU. “Having it at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center has been a wonderful experience. Our staff and administrators, including Dr. (Douglas) McGahey, the students and organizers from TSU, Fisk and all of our other institutions helped to make this all possible.”
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Minor League Baseball® announced Nov. 2 it will host a Diversity Leadership Symposium on Nov. 6-7, 2015, in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will be co-hosted by Tennessee State University and held on its campus.
TSU students are invited to attend the two-day event for a unique look into the business of professional baseball. Attendees will hear from industry leaders, gain insight on strategies to break into the industry and have the opportunity to network with Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball executives. On Saturday, attendees will take a tour of the newly constructed First Tennessee Park, home of the Nashville Sounds.
“When I created the Minor League Baseball Diversity Initiative, the goal was to attract and retain a diverse workforce,” said Pat O’Conner, president and chief executive officer of Minor League Baseball. “In examining the internal and external needs of our organization, and our industry as a whole, it was clear that diversity was an important piece of the puzzle. I want to thank Tennessee State University for co-hosting this event and providing an outlet for us to reach students.”
“Tennessee State University is excited about our partnership with Minor League Baseball and the opportunities for our students through this collaboration,” said Tennessee State University president Glenda Glover. “TSU students will get a chance to meet the heavyweights of this industry as it relates to sports management and administration as well as sports medicine and physical therapy. It is ideal that we can bridge the gap between classroom curriculum and real life employment experience.”
The symposium aims to engage undergraduate- and graduate-level students through a series of panel discussions, workshops and networking opportunities. One of the event’s goals is to increase awareness of baseball as a career option while offering an eye-opening introduction to the career opportunities within the industry. Each year, Minor League Baseball will look to partner with a historically black college and university (HBCU) in the Baseball Winter Meetings™ host city for this symposium. The 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings will be held in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.
This is good news for April Bell, a TSU senior Human Performance and Sports Science major. Her dream is to be a sports executive but is not aware of career opportunities for minorities in baseball.
“I am looking forward to this symposium,” Bell said. “My dream is to be an executive, like a manager or a senior-level personnel, but as a female and a minority I am not sure of the chances available to me. I hope to meet and talk with people who can give me some direction.”
The Minor League Baseball Diversity Initiative is a comprehensive, five-category initiative designed to diversify Minor League Baseball by addressing race and gender diversity within its ownership, executive management, staff level employment, fan bases and business-to-business opportunities.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
TSU President Glenda Glover announces the University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan at a news conference Friday, as State Rep. Harold M. Love, Jr, and State Sen. Thelma Harper, both TSU alumni, watch. (Photo by John S. Cross, TSU Media Relations)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University faculty, staff and student representatives stood with President Glenda Glover Friday as she unveiled a 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan during a news conference. The plan emphasizes action, accountability and assessment. While expressing support for the plan, the group believes the campus shooting last Thursday was an isolated incident that could have happened anywhere.
Tarence Rice, a senior Electrical Engineering major, and the student representative on the university’s Campus Safety Commission, said safety has always been a major issue on campus. But like any secure environment, there are always elements trying to find ways around it.
“I feel like TSU is like any other campus,” Rice said. “There are going to be problems sometimes but as the president said, we are doing everything possible to make sure everyone is safe on campus.”
Among those attending President Glover’s news conference were TSU alumnus State Rep. Harold M. Love, Jr., left, Jessica Gabriel, Chair of the Staff Senate, and TSU Police Director Anthony Carter. (Photo by John S. Cross, TSU Media Relations)
Prior to the news conference President Glover met with TSU faculty and staff to give an update on strategies that were being implanted immediately to ensure the campus is safe and secure.
“It is tragic that this happened at all,” said Dr. Michael Catanzaro, chair of the Faculty Senate. “We have joined the president to show that we care about what happened and what happens at our university. This is not just my university because I am a faculty; this is where I spend most of my time.”
“We have all come to join with the president as she presents this safety plan because this is our campus and the safety of students, faculty and staff is a major concern for all of us,” said Jessica Gabriel, chair of the Staff Senate.
Media representatives listen to TSU President Glover as she announces the University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan during a news conference on the main campus. (Photo by John S. Cross, TSU Media Relations)The 10-point plan emphasizes a partnership with Metro Nashville Police and other law enforcement agencies, an increased police presence, enforcement of the university’s ID policy, the establishment of a TSU Police satellite office, centrally located on the campus where there is high student traffic, and a Student Safety Patrol.
“I have spent time with (Nashville) Police Chief Steve Anderson, Metro Police North Precinct Acting Commander Blair, and Mr. Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to develop additional strategies that deal specifically with the incident,” President Glover said.
Below are the Tennessee State University 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan:
Increased visibility of the TSU police force.
We have a partnership with Metro Nashville Police, who have already joined with TSU PD in providing increased patrols on campus. We have also begun the process of hiring more TSU Police and Security Officers to fully implement the increased activity.
The opening of a new TSU Police satellite office in the Floyd Payne Campus Center, near the courtyard area.
This satellite office will be fully operational beginning November 1, 2015.
Strict enforcement of the TSU ID policy, requiring students, faculty, and staff to wear IDs at all times.
We will strictly enforce TSU’s ID policy, which requires students, faculty, and staff to wear their campus-issued ID at all times. IDs must be worn visibly and not contained in a pocket, book bag, or handbag.
Fines will be imposed for individuals not wearing IDs. (The first time there will be a warning or referral. The second time is a $25 fine, and the third time is a $50 fine).
The same policy will also apply to parking. Students and employees must show a campus-issued decal and ID to come on campus. Special IDs and parking passes will be issued to campus visitors.
The incorporation of a tip hotline, through our Red Flag System, that will allow individuals to report information anonymously. We also have a mobile TSU Safety App which can be downloaded to cellular phones.
We are offering cash awards to students as a part of our See Something Say Something
This initiative encourages students to report suspicious activity to the TSU PD.
The initiation of a Student Safety Patrol staffed by volunteers from male student organizations—which include fraternities, service organizations, and other related campus groups—
to accompany individuals across campus.
The TSU Student Safety Patrol will consist of uniformed volunteers that will be strategically located across the campus for added patrol and provide assistance to students when requested. Recruitment has begun and will continue throughout the semester.
More frequent room inspections in campus housing.
Room checks are randomly conducted if there is reasonable cause to believe that a student is using a residence facility for purposes that are illegal, constitute a hazard, or would seriously interfere with campus discipline.
Enhanced surveillance on campus, including cameras and lighting will continue.
Increased access control on campus through proximity readers.
We began this initiative with our classrooms and expand the program to include the Floyd Payne Student Center in approximately 3 weeks. Other campus buildings will come on-line throughout the year.
The completion of Phase II of the fence project on TSU’s campus.
Phase I is approximately 75% complete. It is the existing fence with gates and access control from Kean Hall on 33rd to Hale Hall on Albion.
In Phase II – we will continue the fence to other parts of the campus. It will start from the existing chain link fence behind the Torrence Hall Engineering Building to the TSU steam plant area.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
Tennessee State University is leaving no stone unturned as the campus begins an aggressive push to enhance safety measures. In a press conference held this morning, President Glenda Glover announced a plan that included new initiatives while upgraded others to assure students, parents, alumni, and the public TSU is a safe and secure campus.
TSU President Glenda Glover announces the University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan at a news conference Friday, as State Rep. Harold M. Love, Jr, and State Sen. Thelma Harper, both TSU alumni, watch. (Photo by John S. Cross, TSU Media Relations)Glover laid out a 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan developed in consultation with security and law enforcement experts, including Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson, Metro Police North Precinct Acting Commander Gregory Blair, Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Director, Mark Gwyn, and a cross-section of individuals who represent the university in various capacities, to develop additional strategies for safety improvement. The plan addresses key concerns such as increasing visibility and patrols by police officers, strict enforcement of TSU’s ID policy, an active tip hotline, more frequent room inspections, and enhanced campus surveillance measures, among other crucial steps.
“The administration is taking a multifaceted approach to further enhance safety measures that strategically address the issue of insuring that there are no weapons or other illegal activity on our campus,” Glover said. “Having a weapon on campus is immediate grounds for expulsion from the university.”
Joining President Glover at the news conference were leaders from the University family including the student representative from the Campus Safety Commission Tarence Rice, Faculty and Staff Senate Chairs Jessica Gabriel and Dr. Michael Catanzaro, TSU Police personnel, members of TSU’s National Alumni Association, TSU Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Dwayne Tucker and Kevin Williams, alumni Senator Thelma Harper and Rep. Harold Love, Jr., and other community leaders.
“This plan calls for action, accountability and assessment by all, and all three are equally as important. And it starts with me,” Glover said. “Police, staff, faculty and students as well as the President will be held accountable for ensuring that this plan is implemented in a timely and professional fashion. This plan goes into action, not next week, not next month, and not next year, but now.”
The 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan birthed out of two Town Hall meetings held with students who voiced their concerns about the TSU Police Department and other campus activities. Effective immediately, the TSU Police Department now reports to Glover.
“Metro police, particularly the North Nashville Precinct officers, have been a tremendous help in providing resources that will assist with our safety enhancement plan. The university is also grateful for the outpouring of support for our students and TSU as a whole, from alumni and supporters across the country.”
Below are the components of Tennessee State University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan:
Increased visibility of the TSU police force.
We have a partnership with Metro Nashville Police, who have already joined with TSU PD in providing increased patrols on campus. We have also begun the process of hiring more TSU Police and Security Officers to fully implement the increased activity.
2. The opening of a new TSU Police satellite office in the Floyd Payne Campus Center, near the courtyard area.
This satellite office will be fully operational beginning November 1, 2015.
Strict enforcement of the TSU ID policy, requiring students, faculty, and staff to wear IDs at all times.
We will strictly enforce TSU’s ID policy, which requires students, faculty, and staff to wear their campus-issued ID at all times. IDs must be worn visibly and not contained in a pocket, book bag or handbag. Fines will be imposed for individuals not wearing IDs. (The first time there will be a warning or referral. The second time is a $25 fine, and the third time is a $50 fine). The same policy will also apply to parking. Students and employees must show a campus-issued decal and ID to come on campus. Special IDs and parking passes will be issued to campus visitors.
The incorporation of a tip hotline, through our Red Flag System, that will allow individuals to report information anonymously. We also have a mobile TSU Safety App which can be downloaded to cellular phones.
We are offering cash awards to students as a part of our See Something Say Something
This initiative encourages students to report suspicious activity to the TSU PD.
The initiation of a Student Safety Patrol staffed by volunteers from male student organizations—which include fraternities, service organizations, and other related campus groups—to accompany individuals across campus.
The TSU Student Safety Patrol will consist of uniformed volunteers that will be strategically located across the campus for added patrol and provide assistance to students when requested. Recruitment has begun and will continue throughout the semester.
More frequent room inspections in campus housing.
Room checks are randomly conducted if there is reasonable cause to believe that a student is using a residence facility for purposes that are illegal, constitute a hazard, or would seriously interfere with campus discipline.
Enhanced surveillance on campus, including cameras and lighting will continue.
Increased access control on campus through proximity readers.
We began this initiative with our classrooms and expand the program to include the Floyd Payne Student Center in approximately 3 weeks. Other campus buildings will come on-line throughout the year.
The completion of Phase II of the fence project on TSU’s campus.
Phase I is approximately 75% complete. It is the existing fence with gates and access control from Kean Hall on 33rd to Hale Hall on Albion. In Phase II – we will continue the fence to other parts of the campus. It will start from the existing chain link fence behind the Torrence Hall Engineering Building to the TSU steam plant area.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
Tennessee State University is adding more funds to its scholarship coffers thanks to a generous gift announced by HCA today.
HCA Chief Operating Officer Samuel N. Hazen, left,; TSU Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Eloise Abernathy Alexis; TSU President Glenda Glover; and HCA Chairman and CEO R. Milton Johnson.
As part of the company’s annual Caring for the Community campaign, TSU President Glenda Glover joined with hundreds of HCA employees in Nashville’s Centennial Park to celebrate the company’s commitment to partners and projects across the city. The gift of $1 million, which will come in intervals of $250,000 over the next four years, will support scholarships for students in health sciences disciplines.
“It is not unusual for us to announce gifts to city and local institutions, and this year we are pleased to announce a four-year commitment to Tennessee State University of $250,000 annually totaling $1 million in schol
arships to benefit students in the College of Health Sciences,” said R. Milton Johnson, HCA’s Chairman and CEO. “We are proud to support our neighbor, TSU, and we have many graduates who have done an outstanding job for us.”
President Glover said the scholarship support is needed as the university continues its efforts in producing well-educated and trained students to work in the health care arena. The College of Health Sciences currently offers degrees in 11 disciplines.
Nashville Mayor Meagan Berry, Left; CEO R. Milton; and President Glenda Glover.
“Tennessee State University thanks HCA for their support and for consistently recognizing the talented young people we produce by investing in them,” Glover said. “This is not the first time HCA has backed TSU, and we appreciate yet another generous donation that will provide us the opportunity to recruit, graduate and prepare students for employment as top-notch health care professionals who deliver quality services across the country.”
HCA’s campaign encourages the elevation of four key pillars – learn, serve, give and lead – and has engaged 64 percent of HCA employees as volunteers with various organizations and causes, and 66 percent in giving, according to Johnson.
“HCA is woven into the fabric of communities,” Johnson said. “We are in the relationship business with our patients, physicians, vendors, each other and in our communities.”
Also, joining Johnson and Glover at the event were HCA Chief Operating Officer Samuel N. Hazen and Nashville Mayor Meagan Barry.
The melodic sounds of Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands filled the campus as the Tigers kicked off a spirited pep rally in preparation of a new football season.
At the pep rally, students, alumni, faculty and staff blasted roaring screams and applause cheering on the Tigers in support of the big opener – the John A. Merritt Classic.
The Classic will be the first home game held Sunday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m. at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The TSU Tigers will face off with rival Alabama State Hornets. Fans will enjoy the big blue experience complete with the game, the band and a salute to TSU great, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, who was drafted by the NFL in 1974 and was one of only three players to ever play 15 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Jones’ successful professional football career includes being named an All-Pro, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XII champion.
Among those motivating the crowd at the pep rally were student leaders and administrators including Mr. TSU Delvakio Brown and Miss TSU Tyra Laster, along with TSU Athletics Director Teresa Lawrence-Phillips and Head Coach Rod Reed.
“We really appreciate your support and need you there on Sunday night,” Reed said to the crowd. “We want you to show up and show out because that’s what the Tigers plan to do!”
Psychology major Kenneesha Beckwith was excited to share in the festivities on TSU’s campus.
“This is my first TSU pep rally on campus,” said Beckwith, a freshman from Chicago. “The band is great.”
Also joining in the celebration were TSU alumnae Margo Cain (’61) of Nashville and Renee McCleary (’88), who traveled from Chicago. They fondly remembered the excitement that pep rallies had in building the spirit on campus and the energy at TSU during their years as students when the games were held in the William Jasper Hale Stadium, affectionately known as ‘The Hole.’
“There was a lot of student involvement when the games were in ‘The Hole,’” said McCleary. “The pep rallies were always fund and the band would come from across the campus, and everyone would be ready to win.”
The John A. Merritt Classic was first played in 1999 and honors John Ayers Merritt, the legendary TSU football coach who led the Tigers from 1963-1983. During 21 seasons, “Big John” won four undisputed national championships among historically black colleges ranked by the Sheridan Poll, compiled a lifetime record of 172-33-1, and built a powerful program that produced NFL stars like Richard Dent (Chicago Bears), “Jefferson Street” Joe Gilliam (Pittsburgh Steelers), Ed “Too Tall” Jones (Dallas Cowboys), Claude Humphrey (Philadelphia Eagles) and many others. John Merritt Boulevard in Nashville is named in Coach Merritt’s honor.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University will be the site for the Fifth Annual Tennessee Local Food Summit. The summit, to be held Dec. 4-6, will feature seminars and experts on a wide range of topics from backyard gardening, organic agriculture and rural economics to cooking, nutrition and climate change. More than 200 participants are expected to attend.![Flyer with 3 logos[2]](https://tnstatenewsroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Flyer-with-3-logos2.jpg)
“Tennessee State University is pleased to host this important summit,” said the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Dr. Chandra Reddy. “It comes at a time when Nashville and Tennessee are moving toward healthy eating habits, protecting the environment and developing the local economy. This conference also provides an opportunity for our faculty and students to share their research and innovation in this field.”
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