State Universities in West Tennessee

[Clobber]

I think the reason for this has to be education. Memphis has gotten much better in the past year in getting people prepared for the biotech and automotive jobs. East Arkansas Community (Forrest City) and Midsouth Community (West Memphis) are rapidly expanding and are preparing students for the Hino Plant and don't forget the Mazda parts plant that was built in Olive Branch. We have the mega-site next to the Hino plant in Marion and another one in Tunica. Plus, don't forget about Presidents Island which is pretty much all chemical production. Lafarge (concrete) is in North Memphis, and the biotech/medical products are mostly in the south. I think it may have been a good idea to get into distribution first because its a solid industry. No matter what happens, products will have to move. These jobs don't pay well but are a strong point for relocations in the future. I think Ole Miss put a small campus in Desoto County but we need another big university in North Mississippi. Also, why are we the only division in the state w/o a state university? We have ETSU, MTSU, so WTSU has to come someday Next step for production in West Tennessee should be auto, pharmacutical, computers, and aerospace. Our location on 4 interstates and being the "Distribution Center of America" should help alot.

Dude, U of M is a state university. Are you talking in non-Memphis W Tenn? What we need is a full research private university to hedge our bets against the whims of state funding. We definitely need more college students in our region, and need more students from outside the region and especially international students going to school here.

[Rural King]

Also, why are we the only division in the state w/o a state university?

In addition to the University of Memphis like Clobber mentioned, there is also the University of Tennessee at Martin which also serves a lot of Memphis residents, and serves the Grand Division as one of its two 4-year state universities. Its a good school with good programs, which range the full spectrum. Areas of study include Engineering, Business (including a MBA program), Education (incl. a Masters program), Nursing, Agriculture, etc.

We always need more students, I do know that UT-M's student population is growing and should progress further past the 6000 mark in the fall with little sign of slowing down at the moment. It also has a sizable foreign student population, as Martin ranks very high with its English program for foreign speakers, many of whom get degrees at UT-M before moving on to other universities for more specialized graduate degrees.

[rocky top buzz]

The University of Memphis used to be Memphis State University (My wife still drinks out of an MSU Tigers cup). What prompted the name change?

I always here that the higher up's at MTSU keep wanting to change the name to 'The University of Middle Tennessee" But Saying UMT (Umt?) just isn't as fun as saying MTSU (Mitsu?). Many of the locals around here simply call MTSU "middle." "Hey, you going to the football game at middle this weekend? Good, no one else will be either!"

[cdarr]

The University of Memphis used to be Memphis State University (My wife still drinks out of an MSU Tigers cup). What prompted the name change?

The name change occurred in 1995. It was thought that "University of Memphis" carried more prestige than "Memphis State". Administration wanted the school to be thought of like U of Cincinnati, U of Louisville, U of Pittsburgh, etc. rather than Wichita State, San Jose State, Cleveland State, etc. Basically, it had a lot to do with athletics.

Some people liked the name change, while some alumni with MSU degrees on their walls did not. I have a BA from Memphis State and an MBA from University of Memphis, so I have it both ways!!!

[Clobber]

The name change occurred in 1995. It was thought that "University of Memphis" carried more prestige than "Memphis State". Administration wanted the school to be thought of like U of Cincinnati, U of Louisville, U of Pittsburgh, etc. rather than Wichita State, San Jose State, Cleveland State, etc. Basically, it had a lot to do with athletics.

Some people liked the name change, while some alumni with MSU degrees on their walls did not. I have a BA from Memphis State and an MBA from University of Memphis, so I have it both ways!!!

Odd. I always thought it was more about the academics. Prestigious universities with cities in the name don't normally have "state" in their names. St. Louis University. Boston University/Boston College. Univ. of New Orleans. Granted, some of them are private unlike U of M.

And if you're using the state's name with "state", in almost every state, the prestige of XSU is second (often a close second) to the prestige of U of X. Sometimes, U of X/XU is private though (i.e. UPenn), so it's not really a fair comparison.

[cdarr]

Odd. I always thought it was more about the academics.

Well, that's what they SAID it was about. It was about both I suppose, but the University's #1 publicity generator is athletics...for better or worse.

[sleepy]

Odd. I always thought it was more about the academics. Prestigious universities with cities in the name don't normally have "state" in their names. St. Louis University. Boston University/Boston College. Univ. of New Orleans. Granted, some of them are private unlike U of M.

The University of New Orleans was never considered particularly prestigious in New Orleans.

It was also called LSUNO for years.

[Lexy]

"Hey, you going to the football game at middle this weekend? Good, no one else will be either!"

LMFAO!!! I just had to jump on that comment. It is so true it's funny. LOL!!!

[Clobber]

The University of New Orleans was never considered particularly prestigious in New Orleans.

It was also called LSUNO for years.

It's a state school? I always thought it was private for some reason. I stand corrected.

[MemphisJC]

I think the reason for this has to be education. Memphis has gotten much better in the past year in getting people prepared for the biotech and automotive jobs. East Arkansas Community (Forrest City) and Midsouth Community (West Memphis) are rapidly expanding and are preparing students for the Hino Plant and don't forget the Mazda parts plant that was built in Olive Branch. We have the mega-site next to the Hino plant in Marion and another one in Tunica. Plus, don't forget about Presidents Island which is pretty much all chemical production. Lafarge (concrete) is in North Memphis, and the biotech/medical products are mostly in the south. I think it may have been a good idea to get into distribution first because its a solid industry. No matter what happens, products will have to move. These jobs don't pay well but are a strong point for relocations in the future. I think Ole Miss put a small campus in Desoto County but we need another big university in North Mississippi. Also, why are we the only division in the state w/o a state university? We have ETSU, MTSU, so WTSU has to come someday Next step for production in West Tennessee should be auto, pharmacutical, computers, and aerospace. Our location on 4 interstates and being the "Distribution Center of America" should help alot.

A bit of historical trivia:

ETSU, MTSU, the U of M, and Tennessee State were all founded under the General Education act of 1909. The U of M first opened its doors in 1912 as West Tennessee Normal School. The name was changed to Memphis State College sometime in the 40s.

[sleepy]

It's a state school? I always thought it was private for some reason. I stand corrected.

More historical trivia:

LSUNO (LSU-New Orleans) was founded as the white public university in 1958. At that time New Orleans was the largest city in the US without a public university. Being a heavily Catholic city with a very large parochial school system, Loyola University had functioned as the de facto public university.

SUNO (Southern University-New Orleans) was also founded in 1958 as the black public university.

Both SUNO and UNO sit about a mile or two apart, and were desegrated shortly after opening. What a waste of money.

[ricky_the_great]

More historical trivia:

Both SUNO and UNO sit about a mile or two apart, and were desegrated shortly after opening. What a waste of money.

it may have been a waste of money then, but today probably not. the two universites despite their proximaty can specialize in different things. Think of MIT and harvard, both excellent schools and both within walking distance of eachother.

[sleepy]

it may have been a waste of money then, but today probably not. the two universites despite their proximaty can specialize in different things. Think of MIT and harvard, both excellent schools and both within walking distance of eachother.

UNO and SUNO are two public universities which are still essentially segregated by choice and which duplicate programs. It would be the same as if Memphis had a "white" public university and a "black" public university.

[Psalm 91]

We have ETSU, MTSU, so WTSU has to come someday

Good news, it's coming soon.

[Rural King]

^ Is it coming to Jackson? (j/k)

Seriously though, I personally think improving and enlarging UofM and UTM would be a better strategy than starting a 3rd 4-year university in the Grand Division.

[Clobber]

Good news, it's coming soon.

True?

Details?

[rocky top buzz]

If a new 4 year public school is coming, it really should be in Jackson. A working adult in Jackson has no options to stay in Jackson and attend a public school locally, and that should change. It would benefit the entire state.

[soverbey]

a new university should be situated somewhere b/w Memphis and Jackson so that it would be convenient for both.

[Rural King]

^ Why not just Jackson, its convenient for the whole Grand Division being close to in the center of WTN, which would be the point of another 4-year state university I would assume; other than the obvious benefit of serving the fast growing Jackson metro. Plus, locating potential 4-year school outside of Jackson would be a serious slap in the face of the city, which is one of the fastest growing metros in the state, and is the fastest in WTN.

I really don't see the state establishing another 4-year state university anytime soon, I have heard literally nothing about it in the local media, so such a development would come out of the blue, and I doubt thats possible for such large state-level capital project. Thats not to say people might not be working on trying to get one established as we speak, I don't know of them though, and if they are it will take years to get accomplished.

[soverbey]

B/C THERE IS NOTHING THERE!

[Psalm 91]

True?

Details?

Yes. True.

Details? Forthcoming.

[sleepy]

I could see the UofM opening up a small Jackson campus that could later expand.

That may sound odd--the University of Memphis at Jackson, but there's a branch of the University of Houston at Victoria, and Victoria's a good 75-100 miles from Houston.

[Rural King]

@psalms91: I am extremely interested to hear details on this, like I say I have not the slightest knowledge that anything like a new 4-year university for West Tennessee was being pursued by interests in the Legislature.

I could see the UofM opening up a small Jackson campus that could later expand.

That may sound odd--the University of Memphis at Jackson, but there's a branch of the University of Houston at Victoria, and Victoria's a good 75-100 miles from Houston.

I too could see a U of M satellite campus in Jackson, as UT-Martin already has a satellite campus in Jackson, which offers on site instruction and/or closed circuit instruction from UTM faculty. So it would not be that hard to see another satellite facility in the city. I could see the UTM satellite campus being exanded to fill a role in Jackson very easily as well. The establishement of a 4-year school in Jackson could also be facilitated by developing Jackson State into a full-blown 4-year institution, which might be what this new school rumored is based around.

I have heard that Dyersburg State has been rumored to have been interested in obtaining some 4-year programs, but that would not rise to the level of a full-blown "WTSU" type institution I would not imagine.

B/C THERE IS NOTHING THERE!

Exactly. I don't see Brownsville getting a four-year university campus. Memphis already has the Uof M so it having access to a four-year state university would more than likely not be a driving concern, thus it would seem like Jackson would be the logical location since it does not have a 4-year state university.

[HKG]

^ Why not just Jackson, its convenient for the whole Grand Division being close to in the center of WTN, which would be the point of another 4-year state university I would assume; other than the obvious benefit of serving the fast growing Jackson metro. Plus, locating potential 4-year school outside of Jackson would be a serious slap in the face of the city, which is one of the fastest growing metros in the state, and is the fastest in WTN.

I really don't see the state establishing another 4-year state university anytime soon, I have heard literally nothing about it in the local media, so such a development would come out of the blue, and I doubt thats possible for such large state-level capital project. Thats not to say people might not be working on trying to get one established as we speak, I don't know of them though, and if they are it will take years to get accomplished.

Grand divisions are as ancient as the State itself. UTK has enough problems getting money as it is, and adding another school (be it Regents or Board of Trustees) would only exacerbate the problem. I hope that someday the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents will merge and make state universities better off for it. What a waste of money dividing the two!

[Rural King]

^ Oh I agree. I don't see this happening, I was just being hypothetical if somehow this was to occur. I think developing and growing the existing institutions of the state would be a much more pratical use of resources.