Tennessee State University committee finds electronic participation necessary to consider new AI policy

Tennessee State University’s Student and Academic Affairs Committee on April 28, 2025 voted to find that participation by a quorum of committee members by electronic means was necessary so the committee could consider a new artificial intelligence policy.

The chair of the Student and Academic Affairs Committee said the committee needed to make “certain findings on the record regarding the necessity for conducting this meeting by electronic participation” and cited Tennessee Code Annotated provisions authorizing electronic participation. “Participation by electronic means is necessary due to committee members' travels, schedules, and the committee's need to receive updates and information expeditiously,” the chair said.

The chair moved the finding; another member seconded. The secretary then called the roll. Trustee Northwick, Trustee Smith and Trustee Young Sigler recorded “yes” votes. The motion to find that electronic participation was necessary passed by roll call.

The chair said the committee was scheduled to take up “important matters which require timely action,” specifically naming consideration of a new artificial intelligence policy as one of the items the committee needed to address at the meeting. The transcript does not record further debate on the policy in the excerpt provided.

The committee’s formal finding enables the meeting to proceed without the physical presence of a quorum under the statute the chair cited; the transcript quotes the statute text imprecisely. The committee proceeded with the roll call and adopted the finding before moving to other agenda items later in the meeting.