In a move that will transform higher education in Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill that overhauls the governing boards of some of the state's universities.
The Tennessean reports that Haslam signed the FOCUS Act, a law that creates new boards for Austin Peay in Clarksville, East Tennessee in Johnson City, Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee State in Nashville and the University of Memphis.
The University of Tennessee system is not affected.
Haslam will get to appoint eight of the 10 board members for each school. Those boards will oversee tuition, hiring of university presidents and set school agendas.
The governor expects to announce appointments later this year and get confirmation of them from the General Assembly in 2017.
