Tennessee State University Associate English Professor Dr. Jane Davis has won the latest round in a power struggle with the university's administration.  This afternoon Dr. Davis was reaffirmed as chair of TSU's faculty senate.
  It appeared Dr. Davis had been replaced last month minutes after she was removed from a university meeting and charged with disorderly conduct.  The faculty senate chairman-elect, Professor Veronica Oates, said Davis had made threats after being taken to task by the school's president for going public with allegations grades for 270 math students had been improperly changed.  Davis says she merely pointed out if the school's administration broke the law as it applied to whistle-blowers, she  would have no recourse other than to take legal action against the parties personally.
  In a closed-door meeting Thursday afternoon members of the faculty senate decided a previous vote, at the direction of Interim TSU President Portia Shields, to remove Dr. Davis as faculty senate chair was illegal.  A majority of the faculty senate voted against a new motion Thursday to revisit Dr. Davis' leadership.  Afterward, Dr. Davis told Fox 17 News she believed efforts to silence her and remove her from head of the faculty senate were linked to the school president's desire to replace Davis on the search committee to find a permanent president at Tennessee State.  A university spokesperson said Interim President Dr. Portia Sheilds "was not in the office."  So far, there has been no response to Fox 17's request for comment.
  We'll have more on this story Thursday night on Fox 17 News at 9 and 10.
Scott Couch, scouch@fox17.com 9-20-12 English Teacher Wins Latest Round In TSU Power Struggle