Senate Bill 1838 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding faculty tenure policies at state universities and institutions governed by the board of regents. The bill stipulates that while faculty members who received tenure before July 1, 2026, will retain their tenure status, no new tenure status will be conferred on faculty members after this date. The board of regents is tasked with defining the nature of tenure, outlining the rights and responsibilities of tenured faculty, and establishing procedures for termination under specific circumstances.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing legal language by removing references to tenure in certain sections and mandates that policies governing tenure must reflect the new restrictions. Specifically, it prohibits the awarding of tenure on or after July 1, 2026, and eliminates the requirement for faculty to gain joint appointments in other divisions of the University of Tennessee. The act will take effect upon becoming law for policy adoption purposes, while the broader provisions will be effective starting July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-8-301, 49-7-1903(2), 49-7-1903, 49-9-209(d)(1), 49-9-209, 49-9-1603