University of Memphis The University of Memphis began as a small state teacher's college. Today, The U of M is a major center for learning and research. The University of Memphis' roots date back to 1912, when radio was young, motion pictures were silent and William Howard Taft was in the White House. Named West Tennessee State Normal School, the institution's main purpose was to train and educate secondary-school teachers. It became West Tennessee State Teachers College in 1925. Answering the need for a comprehensive school in the Mid-South, WTSTC expanded its curriculum. In 1941, the school's name changed to Memphis State College and in 1957, the college received university status and became Memphis State University. On July 1, 1994, the name was changed to The University of Memphis. The U of M now has some 20,000 students and a campus of 1,160 acres on four different sites. The main campus lies in the center of a wide spread metropolis and combines the convenience of a large city with the atmosphere of a residential neighborhood. South Campus, which was once a veteran's hospital, is home to the Billy J. Murphy
The University of Memphis has the highest academic entrance requirements of any public fouryear institution in the state of Tennessee or the MidSouth. Sports Complex and student family housing. Students and faculty members can conduct environmental research at the Edward J. Meeman Biological Field Station, which encompasses more than 600 acres of forest, wetlands and fields some 25 miles from the campus. The University is guided by the principles of academic integrity, sound management and equal opportunity. With instruction, service and research as interdependent goals, the University commits its resources to the social, cultural and economic welfare of the region through partnerships with public and private organizations. The University of Memphis is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, first profes-
The University of Memphis has the highest academic entrance requirements of any public four-year institution in the state of Tennessee or the Mid-South.
sional, master's, educational specialist's and doctoral degrees. The University of Memphis offers bachelor's degrees in 50 majors and 70 concentrations; master's degrees in 50 majors and doctoral degrees in 18 disciplines; one specialist degree and one professional degree. The University is composed of six colleges, the Graduate School, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, the Loewenberg School of Nursing, and the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The colleges are: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the College of Education, the Herff College of Engineering and the University College. Reflecting its commitment to high-quality teaching and national prominence in research, The University of Memphis has five Centers of Excellence and 25 Chairs of Excellence. The University has a full-time faculty of over 700. While the University's commitment to education remains its primary focus, the campus also offers a variety of organizations, clubs, honor societies and special-interest and service groups. There are many fraternities and sororities on campus as well as a number of other clubs. Theatrical and musical productions are performed on three stages at the Communication and Fine Arts Building. The University also has its own art museum.
The U of M has recently under taken several building projects designed to update the campus for the 21st century. The projects include the John Wilder Student Services Tower, The Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management, the FedEx Technology Institute, The Michael D. Rose Theatre Lecture Hall, the new University Center Bookstore, The Larry O. Finch Center and the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex. The Elma Neal Roane Field House and the Health and Physical Education and Recreation Complex house a wide range of recreation facilities. Since early in the 20th century, The University of Memphis has provided quality education for students, as well as service to the community. The University continues to meet the challenges of becoming a national leader in scholarship and research.
Name Changes 1912 1925 1941 1957 1994
West Tennessee State Normal School West Tennessee StateTeachers College Memphis State College Memphis State University The University of Memphis