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EspañolUNION UNIVERSITY
'Union University' is a four year institution in Jackson, Tennessee, with an additional campus in Germantown, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and relates to the Southern Baptist Convention.
Union University is the heir of some of the oldest universities in the country and is notable in the sports world as the place where Bear Bryant, the winningest coach in NCAA football, began his football coaching career. The school is a union of several different schools: West Tennessee College formerly known as Jackson Male Academy, Union University of Murfreesboro, Southwestern Baptist University, and Hall-Moody Junior College of Martin, Tennessee.
Jackson Male Academy was founded in 1823 just after the state of Tennessee was opened for settlement [1]. Only five years earlier in 1818 was the land purchased from the Chickasaw Indians.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and it is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
Rankings
Union University has ranked as one of the South’s top tier universities for the 10th straight year by U.S.News & World Report.
Union also ranked in 6 subcategories:
★ 3rd in “faculty resources” category (includes classes with fewer than 20 students, faculty salary and the proportion of professors with the highest degree in the field).
★ 4th in the “percent of classes with fewer than 20 students” category - 73%.
★ 4th (tied) for SAT/ACT score category.
★ 5th (tied) for the “student/faculty ratio” category (ratio of 12/1), placing Union in the top 18 southern universities in this category.
★ 7th (tied) in “selectivity rank,” which includes test scores and class rank for incoming students.
★ 9th (tied) for “freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class"; 66 percent of freshmen meet that description.
Union is also recognized in:
★ Peterson's Guide to Competitive Colleges;
★ The Templeton Foundation Guide for Colleges That Encourage Chartacter Development;
★ America's Best College Buys and
★ America's Best College Scholarships.
History
Early History
In 1907, Dr. T. T. Eaton, a trustee of Southwestern Baptist University, left his 6,000 volume library to the college. Eaton was a former professor of Union University at Murfreesboro, where his father, Dr. Joseph H. Eaton, was a former president.
Southwestern soon changed its name to Union University in honor of the Eatons and others from Union at Murfreesboro who had impacted Southwestern as faculty, administrators, trustees, and contributors.
In 1925 the Tennessee Baptist Convention secured a charter that vested the rights, authority, and property of Union University in the Tennessee Convention. This charter included the election of the University’s trustees. Two years later, the Convention consolidated Hall-Moody Junior College at Martin (1900-1927) with Union University.
In 1948 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Union University accreditation.
In 1962 Union developed a nursing program with the assistance of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital at the request of local physicians.
In 1975 Union moved from downtown Jackson, Tennessee, to a new campus located near the Highway 45-Bypass in north Jackson.
The Craig and Barefoot Administrations
During President Robert Craig (1967-85) and President Hyran Barefoot's (1987-1996) administrations:
★ enrollment increased from fewer than 1,000 students to more than 2,000;
★ the Penick Academic Complex was enlarged several times;
★ additional housing units were erected;
★ and the Blasingame Academic Complex (1986) and the Hyran E. Barefoot Student Union Building (1994) were constructed.
From the early 1950s to the early 1970s, Union operated an Extension Center in the Memphis area. From 1987-95, Union offered the degree completion program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN track) in Memphis. At that time there were over 300 graduates of this program.
David S. Dockery's Administration
David S. Dockery was elected as the fifteenth president of Union University in December 1995. Dockery brought a desire to take Union to a regional and national prominence in Christian higher education. Thus far he has realized:
★ headcount increase from 2200 (in 1996) to more than 3500 (in 2004);
★ increased giving to Union, including ten of the largest commitments in Union history;
★ construction of two residence halls, Miller Tower, Jennings Hall, Hammons Hall, Fesmire Field House and the new White Hall science building;
★ successful completion of the $60 million comprehensive “Building a Future” campaign (1998-2005) (now at $69 million);
★ renewed commitment to scholarship and research among Union faculty-part of Union's new Center for Faculty Development;
★ new undergraduate majors in political science, physics, theology, digital media studies, church history, ethics, sports management, sports medicine, engineering; and graduate programs in education (M.Ed., Ed.S., and Ed.D.), nursing (MSN with tracks in education, administration, and nurse anesthesia), and intercultural studies (MAIS);
★ SAACS Level V accreditation was achieved;
★ added programs in undergraduate research;
★ Addition of LIFE group programs, student retention programs, student mission involvement, giftedness assessment program for freshman students;
★ the establishment of an extension campus in Germantown, TN, which now has almost 700 students;
★ the establishment of the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Christian Leadership;
★ the establishment of the Charles Colson Chair for Faith and Culture;
★ the establishment of the annual Scholarship Banquet (1997-2004);
★ achieving top tier recognition in U.S. News and World Report and other important listings.
★ Implemented the $110 million "Union 2010" plan that includes the future addition of new tennis courts, new intramural fields, and an ampitheatre, which has already included the completion of a second soccer field,the Fesmire Fieldhouse, and the state-of-the-art science building, White Hall [2].
★ a Doctor of Pharmacy program, with classes scheduled to begin as soon as the fall of 2008.
Campus
Jackson facilities
The campus is 290 acres and includes a 2,200-seat gymnasium, dormitories for men and women including a married housing complex, separate lodges for the fraternities and sororities, academic halls, an administration center, baseball and softball parks, two soccer fields, an indoor swimming pool, and wellness center.
Germantown facilities
Union also has a 35-acre campus in Germantown, Tennessee, (suburban Memphis) offering graduate degrees in business, education, Christian studies & nursing.
Olford Ministries International
In early 2007, it was announced that Olford Minstries would be merged into Union University. Olford is an institution that focuses on pastors' training and theological courses. The Olford campus is a 25-acre, wooded retreat setting in Memphis, Tennessee.
Housing
In Jackson, Union has apartment-style living. Each student has a separate private bedroom that shares a common living space with as many as four to five roommates. Apartments feature private phone lines and high-speed Internet connection, and many of the apartment living spaces are equipped with a kitchen unit. All private living spaces have a window and the common areas have cable access. There is no student housing at the Germantown campus.
Sports
The school sponsors intercollegiate sports teams that participate in the NAIA's TranSouth Athletic Conference. Its men's sports are soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball, and golf. Its women's sports are soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball, and cheerleading.
The women's basketball team won national championships during the 1998, 2005, and 2006 seasons.
Greek system
Fraternities
The fraternities represented on campus are:
| Fraternity | Chartered locally |
|---|---|
| Alpha Tau Omega | |
| Lambda Chi Alpha | December 5, 1964 |
| Sigma Alpha Epsilon |
Sororities
The sororities represented on campus are:
| Sorority | Chartered locally |
|---|---|
| Chi Omega | |
| Kappa Delta | |
| Zeta Tau Alpha |
Each of these groups is relatively large in size relative to the size of the institution and consistently contributes to philanthropies, both regionally and globally.
The school also has chapters of the two largest fraternaties in music which are not affiliated with the school's Interfraternity or Panhellenic councils: Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity for women and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity for men
Publications
★ The Cardinal and Cream - campus newspaper
★ The Torch - award winning literary and arts publication
Guest Lecture Events
The Union Forum - Union's annual speaker series
Union's Forum has brought several national figures to Union including:
★ Peggy Wehmeyer,
★ William Kristol,
★ Michael Medved,
★ Robert Novak,
★ Stephen Carter,
★ Morton Kondracke,
★ Clarence Page,
★ Juan Williams,
★ Margaret Carlson.
Annual Scholarship Banquet
Union's Scholarship Banquet has also brought prominent national figures to Union including:
★ George H.W. Bush,
★ Colin Powell,
★ Mikhail Gorbachev,
★ Margaret Thatcher,
★ Bob Dole,
★ Rudy Giuliani,
★ John Major
★ Winston S. Churchill, Grandson of the Former British Prime Minister.
Controversy
Claims
Union University has been one of the private, Christian colleges that the group Soulforce has focused their attentions on over the past couple of years. Soulforce has sought to bring awareness to what they call discrimination of homosexual adults in Christian colleges across the U.S. [3] They claim that these schools have policies that exclude homosexuals by not accepting openly homosexual students and if students are found to be homosexual, expelling them from the university. They have planned protests twice (one in 2006, the other in 2007) over these "injustices" [4]. The first was held during spring break of 2006, while the second never materialized because resources were diverted to the office sit-in of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president, Dr.Albert Mohler, in response to comments made in his blog in March, 2007.
Responses
Union officials also point out students agree to follow the principles as laid out in the handbook when enrolling [5] and refute the claims that homosexuals are immediately expelled when found to be homosexuals, citing that the student handbook states that only those that engage in homosexual activities receive sanctions. [6] The sanctions are listed in the same section as other sexual offenses, which include premarital sex and other activities, and the sanctions include fines, community service, and/or counseling with expulsion reserved for those who continue the activities after lesser penalties are issued. [7]
Notable alumni
Academic
★ Dr. Bob Agee, Executive Director for the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, and President Emeritus, Oklahoma Baptist University.
★ Dr. Joshua F. Drake - Musicologist, hymnist and assistant Professor of Music and Humanities at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania.
★ Dr. George H. Guthrie - Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible and chair of the School of Christian Studies , Union University; one of the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible Translation Review Scholars. An expert in Greek Exegesis and writer known for his analysis and expertise on the Epistle to the Hebrews.
★ Dr. L. Thomas Strong III - Dean of Leavell College and Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek in Leavell College at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
★ Dr. William E. Troutt - President, Rhodes College
Clergy
★ Dr. Steve Gaines - Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
★ Dr. Monroe E. Dodd -- Pastor of First Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, 1912-1950; founder of Dodd College for Girls; and radio minister.
Government
★ Milton Brown (politician) (W) - U.S. Representative and co-founder of Southwestern University (now Union University) and Lambuth University both located in Jackson, Tennessee.
★ Pauline LaFon Gore - mother of United States Vice President Albert Gore, attended Union and was awarded an honorary degree.
★ Tom J. Murray (D) - U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1943 to 1966.
★ Herron C. Pearson (D) - U.S. Representative from Tennessee.
★ John May Taylor (D) - U.S. Representative from Tennessee.
★ Joshua Trent - Associate Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute, and 2006 Lincoln Fellow of the Claremont Institute.
Musical
★ Chris Rice - Christian recording artist
Professional
★ John Dancy - Former NBC News Correspondent.
★ J. Thomas McAfee - president of Hallmark Systems, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia.
★ Dr. Timothy Tucker - President-Elect of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Former president of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA), president of the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, and Speaker of the House for TPA for more than 10 years. Winner of the Lambda Chi Alpha Order or Merit.
Sports
★ Gaylon Moore - American professional basketball player.
Notable faculty - past and present
★ Steve Beverly - professor of broadcasting and expert on British and American gameshows.
★ Ed Bryant (R) - politician.
★ David Gushee - ethicist, author of ''Kingdom Ethics''
★ George H. Guthrie - expert on the Epistle to the Hebrews.
References
1. [1]
2. [2]
3. [3]
4. [4]
5. [5]
6. [6]
7. [7]
External links
★ Union University
★ See What's Inside
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