Pending state and regional approvals, transition is on target for completion by July 1, 2021.
PULASKI, Tenn. (Dec. 9, 2020) – The Board of Trustees at Martin Methodist College (now UTS) has voted to approve the proposed merger between UTS (formerly MMC) and the University of Tennessee System, extending UTS (formerly MMC)’s 150-year-old mission into the future and establishing what would be UT’s fourth undergraduate campus.
Separately, this afternoon in Knoxville, the UT Board of Trustees also voted to approve the next steps in the acquisition process, clearing the way for UT System leaders to continue negotiations and seek necessary approvals. The agreement is still subject to approval by the Tennessee state legislature and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and final authorization by the UT Board of Trustees. Pending those approvals, the target for launching the new campus is July 1, 2021.
“This is about increasing opportunity for the students and families of southern Middle Tennessee and ensuring sustainability for the Martin Methodist mission,” said Richard Warren, chairman of the Board of Trustees at MMC (now UTS). “We commend the work of both university presidents and their departments in exploring this possibility, and we support this union.”
As the only four-year and graduate institution of higher education between The University of the South at Sewanee in the east and Freed-Hardeman College in the west, Martin Methodist serves a southern Middle Tennessee region of 13 counties near the Alabama border.
Joining the UT System not only would provide Martin Methodist (now UTS) access to more cost-efficient benefits for educators and valuable resources for operations, but would benefit the region’s students with more affordable tuition and greater access to graduate programs. It may also keep more of them from crossing the border to Alabama, where there are four four-year public colleges and universities located within 53 miles of Pulaski. The closest in-state option is Middle Tennessee State University, 80 miles from Pulaski.
“We believe our graduates are vital to the long-term economic success of southern Middle Tennessee,” Martin Methodist (now UTS) President Mark La Branche said. “Alignment with the UT System would allow us to keep some of our brightest students in the area and allow them to pursue their education here in Tennessee.”
For more information about the proposed merger, please visit www.mmctout.com.
About Martin Methodist College (now UTS)
Martin Methodist College (now UTS), founded in 1870, is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Martin Methodist offers baccalaureate degrees in 39 programs of study that include English, religious studies, music and dramatic arts, mathematics, natural sciences, business, social sciences, education, criminal justice, and nursing.
About the UT System
The University of Tennessee System is composed of campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin; the Health Science Center in Memphis; the Space Institute in Tullahoma; and the statewide Institute of Agriculture and Institute for Public Service.
The UT System has a presence in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Through the combined force of education, research and outreach, the university serves students, business and industry, schools, governments, organizations, and citizens statewide.
Media Contacts: Javier Solano at jsolano@mpf.com or Susan Carlisle, M.S. at scarlisle@martinmethodist.edu