Representative raises student and faculty complaints during consideration of UT Health Science Center appointment

Representative Leatherwood moved concurrence with Senate Joint Resolution 6‑47 to confirm the appointment of Dr. Randall Davis to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center advisory board and renewed the motion on the House floor.

Representative Hurd used the floor opportunity not to oppose the appointment itself but to call attention to a set of concerns he said students and faculty have raised about the Health Science Center. Hurd said, "As of yesterday, they have had five faculty members resign. They're down to two," and reported students' written complaints alleging "bullying, undermining, and belittling of students by their own faculty." He said prior investigations had been flawed and that the chancellor had at first declined to meet with students; Hurd urged that the chancellor meet with students and that an adequate investigation occur.

Hurd said he supported the reappointment of Dr. Davis personally but framed his remarks as oversight: "This is not about the appointment of Dr. Randall Davis... I will be supporting his appointment. This is not about him. This is an opportunity to ask questions that I think we have the responsibility to ask."

Later in the sequence, Deputy Speaker Zachary moved to roll (postpone) an item one week; the roll motion was called and carried on the floor. The transcript does not record a subsequent roll call vote specifically resolving the Davis appointment on the floor record provided here.

The floor exchange recorded students' written complaints and floor calls for a thorough investigation; the House record on this transcript does not show final action on the appointment immediately following the remarks.