Tag Archives: FSI

TSU interim President unveils 100-Day plan during fall gathering 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The new academic year at Tennessee State University began with renewed enthusiasm at the TSU Faculty and Staff Institute (FSI) for 2024-25. The event marked Interim President Dr. Ronald A. Johnson’s first formal appearance before faculty and staff. Dr. Johnson was warmly welcomed by over 300 employees as he introduced key leadership additions and launched his 100-Day Action Plan, the Trajectory Change Initiative (TCI). This initiative is designed to address current challenges and ensure TSU remains future-ready and poised for success.

Pres. Johnson, center, with the 84th Student Government Association student leaders during the 2024-25 Faculty and Staff Institute.

“I am here. I am ready, and I am prepared to pilot the trajectory of this institution,” President Johnson declared to the faculty and staff, who donned TSU blue to show their Tiger spirit.

The 100-Day Action Plan is a year-long effort focused on leadership transition, operational stabilization, and university transformation. The plan also includes addressing operational leadership, assessing and resolving issues, strategic alignment, and financial stabilization.

Dr. Johnson brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience in higher education and has a distinguished career in the HBCU community. Johnson is the former president of Clark Atlanta University and served in key advisory roles for national organizations. He is also an accomplished economist and investment manager, with extensive experience in managing multi-billion-dollar portfolios and holding senior positions at major financial institutions.

“To be more, we must commit to doing more,” he told the audience, outlining his approach to leading TSU. “And the road ahead will not be easy.” He emphasized the importance of understanding internal stakeholder needs and tailoring cross-organizational alignment and execution strategies.

Pres. Johnson, left, meets Duanté Abercrombie, center, who is the inaugural head coach of the men’s hockey team, and Nick Guerriero, right, the Director of Hockey during FSI.  

During the event faculty, and staff engaged in a Q&A session with President Johnson. He highlighted TSU’s achievements, such as the state-of-the-art SMART Global Center and the significant research efforts within the College of Agriculture. He also acknowledged the unprecedented challenges the university has faced and discussed his plans to enhance communication and success across the campus.

President Johnson noted that improving TSU’s services is essential for understanding and meeting student needs, and for integrating delivery channels to provide a seamless student experience across all touchpoints.

He also announced the addition of two seasoned higher education leaders to his team. Dr. Bridgett Golman, who will serve as Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, and Darryl Thompson, who will serve as Special Advisor for External Affairs, Infrastructure, and Major Projects.

“Their extensive experience and dedication to institutional excellence will be crucial as we continue to execute our 100-Day Action Plan, meet the Board’s strategic goals, and prepare TSU for a successful future,” President Johnson stated.

Nearly 300 faculty and staff donned TSU blue to show their Tiger spirit during this year’s FSI to kick off the Fall 2024 semester.

The annual event also featured brief remarks from every TSU college dean, welcoming President Johnson. Faculty and staff heard from Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Robbie Melton, Chair of the Faculty Senate Dr. Artenzia Young-Seigler, Director of engagement and visibility Reginald Cannon, and more. Student Government Association leaders, along with newly appointed student trustee Tyler Vazquez, were also present.

At this year’s FSI, Dr. Johnson set the foundation for TSU’s journey toward becoming a Future-Ready institution, ready to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond.

Interim President Johnson Announces Key Additions to Leadership

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University Interim President Ronald A. Johnson has announced the addition of two seasoned higher education leaders, Dr. Bridgett Golman and Darryl Thompson, to his leadership team. These appointments mark significant progress in President Johnson’s First 100 Days Action Plan, which focuses on stabilizing operations, resolving critical issues, and positioning TSU for long-term success.

Dr. Golman and Mr. Thompson will play pivotal roles in advancing the university’s Trajectory Change Initiative (TCI)—a key component of the 100-Day Plan aimed at leadership transition, operational stabilization, and university transformation. Their expertise and leadership will help drive the initiatives necessary to ensure that TSU remains future-ready and aligned with the strategic goals set by the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Bridgett Golman joins the team as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students. In this role, she will provide transitional leadership across several key areas, including customer relations, disability services, enrollment services, strategy and effectiveness, and undergraduate recruitment.

Dr. Golman brings 28 years of experience in higher education, having worked at research universities, public universities, and community colleges, where she has been instrumental in enhancing academic performance, elevating the student experience, optimizing enrollment management, and driving institutional growth.

Darryl Thompson will serve as President Johnson’s Special Advisor for External Affairs, Infrastructure, and Major Projects. With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Thompson is recognized for his ability to lead comprehensive strategies for institutional advancement, resource acquisition, and strategic partnerships. His recent tenure at Kentucky State University saw him build strong relationships with elected officials and executive branch leaders, while also ensuring the effectiveness of infrastructure projects and operational efficiency.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Bridgett Golman and Darryl Thompson to the TSU leadership team,” said Interim President Johnson. “Their extensive experience and dedication to institutional excellence will be crucial as we continue to execute our First 100 Days Action Plan, meet the Board’s strategic goals, and prepare TSU for a successful future.”

These appointments underscore the progress being made in President Johnson’s efforts to improve TSU’s daily operations and align the university with the Board’s long-term vision. As TSU continues its journey through the 100-Day Plan, the addition of high-caliber leaders like Dr. Golman and Mr. Thompson is a testament to the university’s commitment to excellence and its readiness to face the challenges ahead.

TSU kicks off semester focused on continued excellence and underfunding

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Highlighting major accomplishments, headline grabbing news, and historic underfunding, Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover delivered her final address to faculty and staff.

President Glover took the stage in front of over 200 employees and reflected on the remarkable achievements and pride she felt for the university and its dedicated staff. After leading the institution for eleven years, President Glover will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year.

Over 200 faculty and staff members applauds Dr. Glover after highlighting the university’s 2023 accomplishments and achievements.

“TSU will continue to be a great university,” Glover said. “We will continue to win. This is more than a full-circle moment for me,” she said due to graduating from TSU in 1974. “This is a 50-year blessing. Serving as TSU president has been an honor of a lifetime. I am forever grateful for the love and support.”

President Glover covered an array of topics during her State of the University address, including expectations for the semester and TSU’s strategic plan to receive $2.1 billion in underfunding.  

She began by highlighting some of the university’s most significant accomplishments this past year. Kean Hall was filled with pride as she reiterated that TSU had surpassed the monumental milestone of $100 million in endowments and $100 million in research funding, setting a new TSU record. The president also highlighted that this academic year was set as the second-highest year of enrollment with over 8,100 students.

President Glover said the plan for the university is to continue charting a strategic path toward reaching R1 research status and establishing new degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The new proposed academic programs consist of a Ph.D. in public health, Ph.D. in executive leadership in urban education, Master of Science in business data analytics, Master of Science in nutrition and wellness, and a Bachelor of Science in Africana studies.

Faculty and staff join hands to sing the university alma mater to conclude this semester’s FSI.

“We have also revamped the entire health and wellness plan to meet the needs of our students,” Glover said, noting the focus on increasing the emphasis on mental health and counseling.

The president’s address continued, highlighting the significant improvements in campus infrastructure and buildings, including ceiling and flooring upgrades, interior design, electrical and HVAC systems updates in several campus academic buildings, and the main student cafeteria.

Glover then took a dive deep into the different levels of underfunding calculated by the state and federal government.  TSU is only one of two land-grant institutions in the State of Tennessee, and this has been the source of the underfunding.

In 2019 a state legislative committee revealed it shorted TSU over $544 million dollars in land-grand funding over several decades. In 2022, Gov. Bill Lee and lawmakers allocated $250 million to TSU, as the largest one-time investment to a historically Black university by a state. President Glover shared how the funds were being used for much needed capital improvement infrastructure projects, as outlined by the State. The biggest lump sum is an early childhood education building price at $35.7 million, an electrical master plan, at $33.3 million, and the entrepreneurship and industry partnerships at $30 million. This money will also be utilized for roofing the Gentry Center Complex, library infrastructure and more. TSU also received additional, separate funding of $68 million for an engineering building.

AOB Director Dr. Reginald McDonald delivers a surprise performance, serenading President Glover with a saxophone tribute to conclude her final FSI meeting as president.

Last Fall, it was then announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education stating that 16 of the nation’s governors collectively owed their respective land-grant HBCUs $13 billion. Tennessee State University was listed as having the largest underfunding owed amount by a state at $2,147,784,704. President Glover noted that she met with the US Department of Agriculture and Department of Education officials to determine how the $2.1 billion was calculated over a period of 33 years, from 1987 to 2020. 

President Glover continued by sharing TSU’s comprehensive 5-year underfunding restoration plan on how the $2.1 billion could be phased to fund projects. The first year is slated for $285 million, followed by $450 million for three consecutive years, followed by $512 million to close out year five.

President Glover finished her address with hopeful words to the listening ears of the faculty and staff.

“TSU is such an extraordinary place. Everyone at TSU matters,” she said. “We will continue to succeed and advance our university. We had less to work with, but we still got there. We saw unfair treatment, but we are still here.”

Laurence Pendleton provide updates on the president’s search at FSI.

Prior to President Glover’s state of the university address, there were remarks from Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Robbie Melton, the Chair of the Faculty Senate Dr. Artenzia Young-Seigler, Staff Senate Chair Reginald Cannon, and General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Laurence Pendleton. Glover asked Pendleton to provide an update on the president’s search.

“The number one thing we can do to honor her legacy is to make sure we have a great search for the next president of TSU,” Pendleton said during FSI.

Pendleton noted that the search process involves not only the board of trustees but the entire community, as there is a search committee in place as of September 2023. TSU’s search committee is set to commence its evaluation process of candidates. Ultimately, on-campus interviews of finalist candidates followed by the board appointing a new president by April.

FSI concluded with a surprise performance from Dr. Reginald McDonald, director of the Aristocrat of Bands. He serenaded President Glover with a saxophone tribute to end her last FSI meeting as president.

President Glover then thanked everyone and said, “Stay strong. We are unshakable. This is our university. As we move forward, we will take TSU higher and higher. We are TSU, TSU forever.”

 Glover will have served as TSU’s first female and alumna president for 11 and a half years when she retires at the end of the semester. A Salute to Excellence Gala is planned for April 13, 2024, in her honor.

Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover announces retirement, going where voice is need

Glover, a 1974 TSU graduate, was appointed president by the TN Board of Regents in 2013.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Saying she was surrounded by 1,000 of her closest friends, Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover announced earlier that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year. Glover first shared her plans during the annual TSU Faculty Staff Institute that marks the beginning of the new academic year.  She later shared that same news during a press conference.

“After almost 11 years and having reached nearly every objective and goal I set for myself and TSU, as the leader of this great institution, my beloved alma mater, I stand before you to announce my retirement as President of Tennessee State University, at the end of the spring semester 2024. It was a decision that did not come too easily, and it was not made lightly. My voice is needed now on a more national platform.” 

President Glenda Glover announces that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year during a press conference at TSU.

Those goals and objects were prominently displayed behind her as she spoke to a crowded room of TSU supporters and reporters. SGA President Derrell Taylor, a Memphis native like President Glover, said it is disheartening moment but exciting at the same time to reflect on all the great things she has accomplished and all the ways she continues to lead the University into excellence.

“I believed that every time TSU had a major accomplishment, we just began to work on the next one or improved more and I appreciate that and believe that is what it takes in a leader,” said Taylor, a business major.

“Dr. Glover has led this institution to understand how to compete globally. Ultimately, I’m disappointed that as students we are uncertain of what the future holds, but I’m very confident that she will do an excellence job in making the transition as smooth as possible to benefit students.”

Having led the institution for over a decade, President Glover said it was more than a full circle moment to serve as president of her alma mater.

83rd SGA president Derrell Taylor, Chrishonda O’Quinn, SGA vice president, Victoria McCrae, Miss TSU, Davin Latiker, Mister TSU, student trustee on the board of trustee, Shaun Wimberly, hugs President Glenda Glover after announcing Monday that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year.

“Serving as President of Tennessee State University has been the honor of a lifetime. Words cannot express the emotions I have as I stand before you this morning. TSU prepared me for every accomplishment I have achieved throughout my career. This is where I got my start, where the seeds of excellence were sown for a young teenager from south Memphis who aspired to change the world.”

Known as the national expert and leader for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Glover has guided TSU through a decade of excellence while overcoming challenges and celebrating significant milestones and accomplishments. This includes using her influence to bring national figures to the TSU campus.

“We have elevated the brand, the reputation, and the legacy; and ensured that TSU is on a nationwide platform by increasing the national visibility of this university. TSU is being discussed in rooms where it has never been discussed before. This recognition helped us recruit even more students, not only from Tennessee but from around the country.”

President Glover’s accomplishments are a source of pride for TSU alumni.

TSU President Glenda Glover with college deans, board of trustee members, faculty, after the annual Faculty Staff Institute

“Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover serves her alma mater with tenacity,” said Charles Galbreath, president of the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association.


“For over a decade, Dr. Glover has successfully positioned, protected, and promoted Tennessee State University on international platforms. I am encouraged to see a daughter of the Civil Rights Movement wield the wisdom and power of that era, fighting the good fight for today’s injustices. I admire Dr. Glover’s grace under pressure and her humility when praised. Dr. Glenda Glover is a global trailblazer, and her influence will live for generations to come at our beloved alma mater.”

In her announcements, she thanked students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community leaders for their support.

“I am merely retiring from the presidency of Tennessee State University. Wherever my door may be, it will always remain open to the students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and the Nashville community. I will continue to advance educational opportunities, ensuring fairness, equity, and justice for African Americans and people of color, women, and those often left behind.”

Shaun Wimberly, the student representative to the TSU Board Trustees, commented that it is Glover’s leadership and focus on helping others that he will always remember.

“Our president has served my beloved school and its surrounding community diligently for over a decade. To myself and to many she is the definition of a servant leader. It’s bittersweet to see her go, but it is even more exciting to see where her path may lead next. I couldn’t have picked a better time to come to TSU. Thank you, President Glover.”

President Glover graduated from TSU in 1974 and went on to have a stellar career in the corporate sector and higher education. She is one of a few women to hold the CPA, Ph.D., JD combination.

President Glenda Glover Decade of Accomplishments at TSU

  • Moved TSU Moved TSU into the R2-high research category, one of only 11 HBCU in R2 category
  • Expanded internships and permanent placement for students
  • Established essential new degree programs at undergraduate and graduate levels
  • More than doubled TSU endowments from $45 million to over $100 million
  • Significantly increased grant funding with all-time high of over $100 million in 2023
  • Increased the national visibility of TSU
  • Noted as the national HBCU leader among and others in higher education
  • Implemented plan to move TSU from R2 to R1, the highest research category offered
  • First HBCU to establish a national technology and innovation center
  • Established the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr Institute and Accelerated medical program with Meharry Medical College
  • First student-operated physical therapy and occupational therapy clinic
  • #1 HBCU forensic and debate champions for three consecutive years
  • Record corporate partnership and million-dollar donations
  • Aristocrat of Bands first collegiate marching band to win a Grammy
  • Fall 2022 Largest Freshmen Enrollment among HBCUs
  • 2022 OVC Volleyball Championship
  • Successful $1 Million in One Month Campaign
  • Successfully led TSU through the COVID pandemic, tornado recovery, and other crisis moments
  • Implemented comprehensive campus safety plan, including the installation of fencing