Tennessee State University

By Gregory Brand Jr. This fall Tennessee State University will roll out a laundry list of changes that will impact everything from the school’s leadership to its racial climate and campus geography. With changes in administration, program and facilities, the 93-year-old school stands poised to redefine both its student body and its position in Nashville’s educational landscape. Most notable among the changes at TSU is the appointment of President Melvin N. Johnson, who took office on June 1, 2005. Johnson follows James A. Hefner, who retired amid controversy after 14 years at the helm, to become the seventh president of TSU. Johnson arrives at TSU from Winston-Salem State University, via academic posts at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the U.S. Air Force Academy. At Winston-Salem, Johnson served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs and taught economics. Johnson received his undergraduate degree in economics from North Carolina A&T State University, and earned a master’s from Ball State University. He received an M.B.A. and D.B.A. in Business Economics and Public Policy from Indiana University. His postdoctoral studies include the Harvard Institute for Higher Education and Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. Students are looking for good things from Johnson, so long as he doesn’t rock the boat too much. “As long as he keeps with tradition, he’ll be fine,” says Roshandra Beard, incoming TSU freshman from Memphis. “Changing this too much could cause some problems. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.” The TSU community is looking to Johnson to restore confidence in the office of the president, which came under scrutiny in 2004 when audits by the Tennessee Board of Regents found that, among other things, the university was improperly allocating scholarship funds and that Hefner accepted from university vendors a gift of Super Bowl tickets, which was against TBR policy, and subsequently denied doing so. As the new president heads into his first full year, three other major administrative positions will change, including vice presidents of business, student affairs and university relations and development. “There is really no way to tell which direction the university is headed administratively due to all the position changes,” says Antoinette Coleman, a junior psychology major from Memphis. “I hope everything will be positive.” Race matters In an effort to keep receiving federal funds, TSU has been working to comply with the 2001 Geier consent decree, which maps out a timeline for the university to increase enrollment of minority (white) students. Under the Geier requirements, the historically black university seeks to be half minority, half majority—or steadily building toward that goal—by 2006. While minority numbers saw an increase after the ruling in 2001, they have since declined slightly, and the university is taking steps to increase the ratio toward parity from its current ratio of 75 percent African American students to 21 percent white students. Efforts to boost minority enrollment include dedicating scholarship funds for non-traditional older and working students and hiring a public relations firm to broadcast the message that TSU is seeking diversity. The communications effort will primarily target older and working students, who will likely boost attendance at the downtown Avon Williams campus. Meanwhile, the Avon Williams campus will be closing down for renovations in the fall. The updates will include improvements to facilities and programs geared toward evening and weekend students. The campus facelift will require the expanding classes to move temporarily from downtown to the 450-acre main campus. (Prepare for already tight parking to get even worse.) Highly decorated Among the most notable changes on the main campus is the new Olympic Plaza, which beams with the Olympian statue, erected in 2004 to honor the 59 TSU students who have participated in the Olympic Summer Games. Constructed of gold, silver and bronze materials, the monument recalls the Olympic medals earned by TSU athletes—including three gold medals won by former Tigerbelle track star Wilma Rudolph. The long-delayed statue was originally slated to appear at Homecoming 2003 but was postponed due to engineering and structural complications and was finally unveiled in May 2005. BMOC at TSU: Roger Ammons Vocational counselor Roger Ammons is blind, but after losing his sight at age 14, he has never given up, never looked back. Ammons, a Mississippi native, says that living with a disability helps him focus on his most important goal of helping students. “I’ve always been able to win students over,” he says, adding that he was the first blind faculty member at TSU. “In my condition, I guess I’m a good listener.” Known for a cool and easygoing attitude, Ammons is a favorite with students and faculty alike. “I’ve had the privilege of working with him for 14 years,” says TSU senior psychological examiner Lynn Swain. “He’s hilarious, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a bad mood.” Ammons’ vision was first impaired when a toy gun fired into one eye. A second accident involving the backfiring of a rubber gun left him blind in both eyes. Ammons left school until age 16, when he enrolled in a school for the blind. After finishing high school in 1964 and making peace with his condition, Ammons earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from Jackson State University. He landed a teaching job in Clarksdale, Miss., where he was recognized for his teaching ability, work ethic and people skills. In 1969, Ammons came to TSU, where he earned specialist and master’s degrees in counseling and has become a trusted and encouraging counselor.