TSU interim president lobbys legislators for millions of dollars

(1/24/07 - KTRK/AUSTIN, TX) (KTRK) -- It's a mission for millions of dollars. The president of troubled Texas Southern University is asking for millions to help TSU and its students. He's in Austin lobbying state leaders for help.

Inside the state Capitol in Austin Wednesday, through hallways and behind closed doors, TSU interim President J. Timothy Boddie, Jr., accompanied by the vice president of development, spent the day quietly meeting and lobbying lawmakers, including Houston freshman Borris Miles.

"We've got some serious challenges at TSU," said Miles. "They're facing an immediate need of 26, 27 million dollars. They're coming up to address those issues with legislators who know the governor and the lieutenant governor. Looks like we're going to be looking for some emergency fees to keep the university running."

Miles met with Boddie for almost an hour. But when we tried to talk to the interim president, he wasn't so friendly.

"You go through the proper protocols and you'll get all the information you want," he said to us when we asked him a question. "I've said it three times, OK?"

It will be up to the legislators to help determine the future of Texas Southern University. The initial challenge, and perhaps one of the biggest ones, will be trying to decide just what the health of the university is right now.

"There are three or four things right now that could possibly take place," said state Senator Florence Shapiro. "One of them, obviously, it's been talked about before, is to put TSU into another system, a larger system. But that's just one of three or four mechanisms."

Shapiro is well aware of the indictment of the university's former president and other issues. But she says for now, it's too early to tell exactly what will take place.

"We may find that they can stand fine alone if we make these changes," said Shapiro. "So I think it's very important that we evaluate all the issues that are taking place there before we pass judgment on any of it."

At the end of the day, Boddie managed to meet with the staff members of the legislative budget board as well as about half a dozen lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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