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Any photos of what this upgrade looks like for us out-of-state alumni?
So we built the Pentagon in 1941 in 3 months but it took over 3 years to "almost" complete one mile of Middle Tennessee Blvd.
To be fair though, we had the greatest generation building the Pentagon.
As someone who has long favored a name change and pretty well given up on it until mcphee is carried out of cope feet first, the plastering of MTxx all over everything on campus really grinds my gears. The post, pylon, column, or whatever you want to call it there at that entrance on Middle Tennessee and Faulkinberry, is like a big 'middle' finger to those of us who want the change. It announces to all who enter or exit from Faulkinberry, this is 'little middle'
Don’t really see how the name changing would do anything to make us not “Little Middle.” To the the University of Middle Tennessee or Middle Tennessee State University are the same to me. Performance improves prestige not the name. Memphis removed the State from their name and has there been any improvements other than that?As someone who has long favored a name change and pretty well given up on it until mcphee is carried out of cope feet first, the plastering of MTxx all over everything on campus really grinds my gears. The post, pylon, column, or whatever you want to call it there at that entrance on Middle Tennessee and Faulkinberry, is like a big 'middle' finger to those of us who want the change. It announces to all who enter or exit from Faulkinberry, this is 'little middle'
Don’t really see how the name changing would do anything to make us not “Little Middle.” To the the University of Middle Tennessee or Middle Tennessee State University are the same to me. Performance improves prestige not the name. Memphis removed the State from their name and has there been any improvements other than that?
Don’t really see how the name changing would do anything to make us not “Little Middle.” To the the University of Middle Tennessee or Middle Tennessee State University are the same to me. Performance improves prestige not the name. Memphis removed the State from their name and has there been any improvements other than that?
Virginia Tech did that huh? Could not be that is what we call tech colleges? Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, etc. Having State in their names does not hurt Boise State, Michigan State, etc. A name change literally does nothing. It does not make us better and it does not change perception.Brand is everything.
I really don't think Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University would have gotten them very far, on field accomplishments or not. The media would have made up their own acronym. Multiple. Different networks calling it different names. Just as happens to us. Instead the school took control and the whole country knows them as Virginia Tech.
As we should take control.
That column is the first thing I noticed in the ribbon cutting photos. Glad I wasn't the only one.
Prove I am wrong. Did anything change when Memphis went from Memphis State University to the University of Memphis? Serious question.Wrong. So wrong.
Prove I am wrong. Did anything change when Memphis went from Memphis State University to the University of Memphis? Serious question.
Time and time again, institutional name changes have fueled institutional growth (North Texas State to North Texas, for example).Virginia Tech did that huh? Could not be that is what we call tech colleges? Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, etc. Having State in their names does not hurt Boise State, Michigan State, etc. A name change literally does nothing. It does not make us better and it does not change perception.
I’m done trying to educate people on this. I’ve researched and written about this topic more than anyone in the world. But I’m tired of caring. Ask Space.
And memphis state would still be west tennessee normal schoolIn a perfect world a name change should have taken place simultaneously with the move to D-1 in FB. Of course, looking back the move to D-1 should have taken place a minimum of a half dozen years earlier.
[crposton: search the archives (hope it's still available) for the well-researched studies on this board showing the positive effects of a name change, it's not all about athletics. Additionally, if a name change wasn't seen as important UNA would still be Florence St., Northeast State Missouri University would not be Truman State, Heck, MT would still be Middle Tennessee State Teachers College (1925) or Middle Tennessee State Normal School (from the founding in 1911).]
Virginia Tech did that huh? Could not be that is what we call tech colleges? Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, etc. Having State in their names does not hurt Boise State, Michigan State, etc. A name change literally does nothing. It does not make us better and it does not change perception.
Not at all the same thing and you all know it. Going from Middle Tennessee State Teachers College or Middle Tennessee State Normal School to Middle Tennessee State University is due to being a different type of institution. In this instance we would not be going from a college to a university just moving where the university is in the name. If the name of a school has positive effects on funding for research and athletics we live in a shallow and sad society. To me there is zero difference in calling us Middle Tennessee State University vs. the University of Middle Tennessee.In a perfect world a name change should have taken place simultaneously with the move to D-1 in FB. Of course, looking back the move to D-1 should have taken place a minimum of a half dozen years earlier.
[crposton: search the archives (hope it's still available) for the well-researched studies on this board showing the positive effects of a name change, it's not all about athletics. Additionally, if a name change wasn't seen as important UNA would still be Florence St., Northeast State Missouri University would not be Truman State, Heck, MT would still be Middle Tennessee State Teachers College (1925) or Middle Tennessee State Normal School (from the founding in 1911).]
They call Central Florida that and UCF. They call North Carolina that and UNC. What is your point? The reason why they don't know what to call us is that we do not matter to them. Changing our name is not going to make us matter more to them. If they call us Middle Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State, or MTSU they are all correct.You proved my point. Those colleges did that because it created a unified easy to say brand for them.
As said. Research has been done on the name change. It’s not about “just” the state. It’s having state. Having four words. Being directional. You have TV calling us MTSU. Middle. Middle Tennessee State. Middle Tennessee. And even Tennessee State.
There is zero consistency and that is on the school for not branding properly.
I personally believe nothing should be on campus with MTSU. The academic logo they came up with around 2000 is great. Focuses on Middle Tennessee and leaves the State University to smaller letters. The MT athletic logo is great (minus Pegasus) and I even have a tattoo of it. But that’s the problem. You have those great things then you have a brand new column with MTSU on it.
What is the message supposed to be?
Making us the University of Middle Tennessee will not make us a tier 1 research institution. Is there an example where a name change caused a school to become a tier 1 research institution?Time and time again, institutional name changes have fueled institutional growth (North Texas State to North Texas, for example).
Show me a school with a direction AND "state" is considered to be a tier 1 research institution.
To be fair I think a name change is fine. Does not matter to me one way or another. I just don't think it would have as positive of an impact as many believe. Honest question how many of you that want to see a name change would start giving more money solely because of the name change?
I am basically saying it does not matter. 20 years ago maybe, but the sports media and like you said our own state does not care about universities out of the power conferences. Just how it is more now than it was. There was always a separation, but they defined it with the P5 and G5. To some it may matter, but overall it would not. I just think winning in football and basketball would have a more positive impact and a name change I do not see as helping with that very much.But see that's the problem. You are just basing your view on an opinion. And you are using awful analogies to support your opinion that are just well - awful analogies. I have studied this. To include both my own empirical data along with information gleaned from other universities, interviews with leadership from those institutions, the reasons behind their decisions, what the outcomes were, and how those institutions benefited.
Bottom line is brand matters. Perception matters.
And while a name change alone isn't going to turn MT into Harvard it is a relatively minor step that should have already been taken to move the university out of it's 20th century model its basically still operating in and demonstrate that it is prepared to be an emerging institution of higher learning. But you know what - and if you wanted to argue this then I would probably agree with you - just like the state proved with the f'd law school decision, it probably doesn't matter. This ass backwards state is never going to let MT spread its wings. Has to be one of the few states in the nation that intentionally undermines its own institutions because these ass hat political clowns in the state think that MT or Tenn Tech having something is somehow going to hurt UT - and they don't even realize they are hurting their own state.
I am basically saying it does not matter. 20 years ago maybe, but the sports media and like you said our own state does not care about universities out of the power conferences. Just how it is more now than it was. There was always a separation, but they defined it with the P5 and G5. To some it may matter, but overall it would not. I just think winning in football and basketball would have a more positive impact and a name change I do not see as helping with that very much.
I am basically saying it does not matter. 20 years ago maybe, but the sports media and like you said our own state does not care about universities out of the power conferences. Just how it is more now than it was. There was always a separation, but they defined it with the P5 and G5. To some it may matter, but overall it would not. I just think winning in football and basketball would have a more positive impact and a name change I do not see as helping with that very much.
I don't care if the name is changed or not. Really does not matter to me. You all can push for that if you want. I am not begrudging your opinions. I think a study needs to be done on how much it would cost to change the name. I cannot find very many peer reviewed academic studies on this. The few I have found have mixed results.CR - I think another way to view this is why don't the powers to be ask for a name change? And why did North Texas and Memphis change their name and did it assist in increasing giving. (it did) I held your position years ago but have come around. I would actually rename it completely different, getting rid of Middle and State but can live with MTU or UMT. Changing the name more or may not help but keeping the name is not helping at all. Why not remove any barriers to being the best we can be? While we may have a few programs that have national attention, we do not get the respect we deserve.
I don't care if the name is changed or not. Really does not matter to me. You all can push for that if you want. I am not begrudging your opinions. I think a study needs to be done on how much it would cost to change the name. I cannot find very many peer reviewed academic studies on this. The few I have found have mixed results.
How many of you would give more money if the name were changed?