State Rep. Harry Brooks Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

16 May, 2018

UT uses new exemption to keep confidential how much it pays investment, hedge fund managers

By Deborah Fisher|2018-05-18T06:30:16-05:00May 16, 2018|Categories: exemptions|Tags: college endowments, Daniel Connolly, investments, Knoxville News Sentinel, Rip Mercherle, State Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, State Rep. Harry Brooks, University of Tennessee|0 Comments

Daniel Connolly wrote today in the Knoxville News Sentinel about how the University of Tennessee lobbied for a public records law exemption that is now being used to hide how much the public university pays hedge fund managers. Doesn't seem quite right, does it? Connolly, a reporter with the Commercial Appeal in Memphis, did a story about the rising amount of endowment money that public colleges are pumping into private equity funds and alternative investments -- mostly hedge funds -- often in offshore accounts. The University of Tennessee system has $345 million in such funds, about 38 percent of all of its investments. From the story: Under the new law, [...]

1 May, 2018

TCOG’s 2018 Legislative Report
Gallery
TCOG’s 2018 Legislative Report

crime records, exemptions, Legislature, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

TCOG’s 2018 Legislative Report

By Deborah Fisher|2020-02-20T17:23:53-06:00May 1, 2018|Categories: crime records, exemptions, Legislature, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: addresses, Advisory Committee on Open Government, artifact sites, autopsy reports, Ballad Health, Bill Haslam, civil rights crimes, college president selection, legislature, proprietary records, public records policies, radioactive waste, State Rep. Bill Sanderson, State Rep. Eddie Smith, State Rep. Harry Brooks, State Rep. Johnnie Turner, State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, State Sen. Joey Hensley, State Sen. Mike Bell, State Sen. Rusty Crowe, TBI, trade secrets, University of Tennessee|1 Comment

Following is TCOG's 2018 legislative report on changes related to public records and open meetings. The 110th General Assembly of Tennessee adjourned April 25. 1 - Selection of state college presidents (HB 2000 / SB 2586) A requirement in the law to reveal the names and applications of candidates for president at state colleges, including University of Tennessee, was changed to allow search committees to make public “up to three” finalists instead of requiring disclosure of “no less than three.” The effect is that college search committees now have the option of recommending to a governing board as few as one person as finalist for president. Only the finalist or [...]

17 Apr, 2018

Bill to allow more confidentiality for college president candidates awaits governor’s signature

By Deborah Fisher|2018-04-17T11:46:33-05:00April 17, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: Bill Haslam, college president selection, exemptions, higher education, State Rep. Harry Brooks, University of Tennessee|1 Comment

Legislation that would allow more confidentiality for college president candidates has passed the House and Senate and is now on the governor's desk for signature. The bill, which includes an automatic repeal in three years, expands an exemption in state law that already allows names and applications of college presidents to be confidential except for "no less than three" finalists selected by a search committee. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam The change allows a search committee to select "up to three" instead. The effect is that college search committees now have the option of recommending to a governing board as few as one person as finalist for president. Only [...]

16 Feb, 2018

Knoxville lawmaker’s bill to reduce transparency of college president, school superintendents selection is up for consideration Tuesday

By Deborah Fisher|2018-02-16T11:48:59-06:00February 16, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: college president selection, exemptions, State Rep. Harry Brooks, superintendent selection|1 Comment

The first of two bills filed by a Knoxville lawmaker that would allow more secrecy in the selection of school superintendents and college presidents is scheduled to be heard by the the House Education and Administration Planning Subcommittee on Tuesday. State Representative Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, proposes to eliminate provisions in the law that require an open process and replace them with language that would give school boards and governing boards of state colleges and universities the option of keeping confidential applicant names until a single finalist has been selected. Currently, governing bodies of the state's colleges, including University of Tennessee, must allow the public to [...]