General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dakasha Winton, Tennessee State University Board of Trustees -

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by William Lamberth

Confirms Dakasha Winton's appointment to the TSU Board of Trustees through March 31, 2028, ensuring governance by a TSU alumna with strong government-relations experience.

Signed by Governor.

#confirmationofappointment #generalassembly

Overview

HJR 160 is a General Assembly joint resolution that confirms the appointment of Dakasha Winton to the Tennessee State University (TSU) State University Board of Trustees. The resolution affirms a gubernatorial appointment for a term ending March 31, 2028. The bill’s status indicates it has been signed by the governor.

What the bill does

Confirms the governor’s appointment of Dakasha Winton to the TSU Board of Trustees.

Establishes that her term will expire on March 31, 2028.

Recites the statutory framework governing TSU’s board composition, confirming that such appointments are subject to confirmation by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Legal and governance context

Under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) §49-8-101, TSU is governed by a state university board.

Under TCA §49-8-201, the governor appoints eight members to TSU’s board, with at least three appointees being alumni of the institution and at least six of the nine voting board members residing in Tennessee.

The resolution aligns with the statutory requirement that gubernatorial appointments to TSU’s board are subject to legislative confirmation.

Appointee background

Dakasha Winton is a graduate of Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

She currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Government Relations Officer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

She previously represented East Tennessee on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Term, eligibility, and board implications

Term: March 31, 2028.

Status: Confirmation by the General Assembly via joint resolution (no change to statutory qualifications beyond confirming the appointment).

Board role: As a member of the TSU Board of Trustees, Winton would participate in governance decisions for the university, consistent with the board’s responsibilities and the alignment requirements (alumni status and residency criteria) outlined in state law.

Procedural timeline and related actions

Introduced: February 28, 2025.

Read and referred: March 24, 2025 (State Affairs).

House actions culminated in concurrence and enrollment mid-March 2025; transmitted to the Governor.

Companion/related measures: HJR 103 and HJR 189 (companion bills).

Governor’s action: Signed (final date shown as March 25, 2025).

Potential impact

Ensures continued governance by a University of Tennessee system-aligned leader with significant experience in government relations and higher education oversight.

Supports TSU’s governance with a board member who is an alumna of TSU and who meets residency requirements, potentially aligning policy and community interests with the university’s mission.

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