The following is an editorial provided by Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Charles Manning following the dismissal of the Geier desegregation case last month:

Over the past few weeks, we at the Tennessee Board of Regents have been privileged to be both participants in and eyewitnesses to one of the most significant moments in Tennessee’s history. On September 21, U.S. District Court Judge Tom Wiseman dismissed the state’s 38-year-old Geier desegregation case and officially declared Tennessee’s system of public higher education unitary, meaning it is no longer racially segregated.

As laudable an accomplishment as this is, it doesn’t mean our work to ensure Tennessee’s colleges and universities serve all the state’s citizens is done—it only means that work is entering a new phase. The TBR system is going forward with a strong commitment to increasing educational opportunities for all Tennesseans, regardless of their color or class, age or income.

The end of the Geier litigation brought to a close one of the most divisive episodes Tennessee has ever experienced. The crux of the issue at the outset was how the state treated its black citizens, specifically in terms of access to higher education. We know how vital access to education is—what access to a quality education can do for an individual and what happens to those who do not have or do not take advantage of that access.

Under Geier, TBR went from 2,752 (6%) black undergraduates in our historically white colleges and universities in 1969 to 10,619 (17%) in 2005. While the specific legal issues raised by Geier have now been decided, that in no way means we will reduce our efforts to ensure we offer equal access to black students or that we will tolerate any retrenchment from the expectation that all our actions reflect the spirit of Geier.

It is time now to take what we learned during the long, sometimes arduous, journey to the dismissal of Geier and apply those lessons in a way that will provide access to all of the state’s citizens who have been underserved by our institutions. Coming out of this litigation, there are five things we hold as core beliefs.

First, diversity of students, faculty, and staff on our campuses is vital to providing a quality educational experience and preparation for life.

Second, ever-increasing globalization means that Tennessee’s success in attracting and keeping business and industry requires a workforce comfortable with and accustomed to diversity.

Third, every Tennessean must have equal access to higher education, not only for the good of the individual, but for the economic well-being of the state and its citizens.

Fourth, Tennessee must have an educated workforce if it is to remain economically competitive in the global economy.

Fifth, it is not good enough for us to get students into our colleges and universities—we must do better in getting them out with the degrees or certificates they seek.

As the public higher education system in Tennessee with the ability to touch the most students and the most lives, the TBR system has an obligation to reach out to all citizens regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, financial need, or family background. We will need special programs and incentives for some, and we are working to define those programs and incentives so we can continue increasing access to higher education for Tennesseans and continue enhancing diversity on all our campuses.

Charles Manning is the chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents system, which comprises Tennessee’s six state universities, 13 community colleges, and 26 technology centers, serving over 180,000 students annually in 90 of Tennessee’s 95 counties.