Real quick question for Mean Green fans

[BlueRaiderPride]

When ya'll changed from North Texas State to the University of North Texas, did any of the other schools in Texas b!tch and moan to local politicians to try to prevent your name change? Thanks in advance for the answers.

[SilverEagle]

When ya'll changed from North Texas State to the University of North Texas, did any of the other schools in Texas b!tch and moan to local politicians to try to prevent your name change?  Thanks in advance for the answers.

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Not that I ever heard about. The bitching and moaning came in 1960 when we changed our name from North Texas State College. Our original name change request was "University of North Texas". Some a-hole legislator (who was a UT grad) threatened to filibuster the bill unless we withdrew the name, or came up with another.

We compromised on NTSU. We lived with that for 28 years until we changed it to UNT in 1988.

We obviously gained enough respect in the academic and legal community to change our name to what we had wanted originally without any comments/complaints from anyone.

What's up with your school?

[LongJim]

Some a-hole legislator (who was a UT grad) threatened to filibuster the bill unless we withdrew the name, or came up with another.

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I'd be interested in knowing who this was, since a filibuster can only happen in the Texas State Senate. Would be amazing if it was Ray Roberts--who went to aTm, NTSU, and UT.

[BlueRaiderPride]

Not that I ever heard about. The bitching and moaning came in 1960 when we changed our name from North Texas State College. Our original name change request was "University of North Texas". Some a-hole legislator (who was a UT grad) threatened to filibuster the bill unless we withdrew the name, or came up with another.

We compromised on NTSU. We lived with that for 28 years until we changed it to UNT in 1988.

We obviously gained enough respect in the academic and legal community to change our name to what we had wanted originally without any comments/complaints from anyone.

What's up with your school?

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Back around our move to 1-A football, our former president and recently deceased, Dr. James Walker tried to fight for a name change and then the three little pigs--Austin Peay State, Tennessee State, and Tennessee Tech--said that a name change would vastly improve our image so much that it would hurt those three schools' ability to reach minority enrollment quotas as outlined in the infamous Geier statute which you could read so much about on the Middle Tennessee forums in colorful language--more than blue!

The Geier statute requires of all members of the Tennessee Board of Regents system a certain percentage of the student enrollment be of the minority race. For us, it was black students. Same for Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech, but for TSU--a labeled historically black college and university, it's white people they had a hard time enrolling.

Anyhow, they fed the state legislation and the Tennessee Board of Regents this bullsh!t story that a University of Middle Tennessee name change would hurt their chances to enroll minority students, thus, violating the Geier statute.

LUCKILY FOR US, this homosexual statute known as Geier is due to expire on June 30th of this year. That means that those three little sisters won't have that crutch to lean on when they try to block another name change which we friends and alumni of Middle Tennessee have agreed to begin pursuing THIS year since Geier will be out the way.

Our main problem is that there are currently THREE schools in Tennessee that are named or ends with "Tennessee State University." TSU and ETSU have had so many problems with their athletic programs and it has been shameful and for whatever reason, the national media can't seem to tell us apart. Because of that Middle Tennessee has been accused of dropping it's football program (was really etsu), hiring a basketball coach who pulled a gun on a player or assistant during a practice (was really tsu), and committing nearly 100 NCAA violations in almost every sport from football to water polo nearly bringing about the death penalty to the program (that was also tsu).

The perception is killing us. I personally believe North Texas to be the model that we should follow in pursuing our name change. Because it's not like UNT got grief from Baylor or Texas Tech when you changed over from NTSU to UNT. We shouldn't either. It's unfortunate that we have to suffer our dreams because of the incompetent direction that three other Board of Regents schools are taking or not taking--just depends.

Hopefully, we will remedy this and get the name change to honor the one goal our previous and late president was never able to acheive due to three jealous red-headed step children.

Edited February 13, 2006 by BlueRaiderPride

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

When ya'll changed from North Texas State to the University of North Texas, did any of the other schools in Texas b!tch and moan to local politicians to try to prevent your name change?  Thanks in advance for the answers.

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---I think the name change in 1960 to University of North Texas was opposed by several UT grad senators. From what I remember they said there is only one Univeristy of Texas and we are not about to have a University of North Texas.

They had to eat crow in the 1965 session as the baby boom was beginning to hit and universities in the state that were not in the UT/A&M system was deperate for money and space. The UT system had an excessive amount of money due to the income from universty lands [ which contain a lot of oil] so they renamed Texas Western (UTEP) and Arlington State* (UTA) so they could pull from the University Lands fund which made the money they had been given by the legislature available to the other colleges. UNT did a lot of construction in the late 1960s and early 70's as a result.

* for a week or two, Arlington was be Texas A&M Arlington, but both schools protested and the legislature went to the UT-Arlington name. At the time A&M was still almost all-male and all corps.

[greenjoe]

So what would you have your new name be ? The University of Middle Tennessee ? Or Middle Tennessee University ? Or the University of Tennessee at Murphysobro (sp) ?

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[eulesseagle]

Personally, I thought we should have never changed our name from

North Texas State University since that is what just about all commentators still call us today.

[SilverEagle]

I'd be interested in knowing who this was, since a filibuster can only happen in the Texas State Senate.  Would be amazing if it was Ray Roberts--who went to aTm, NTSU, and UT. 

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The name change bill was sponsored and introduced by Rep Joe Ratcliff of Dallas (a North Texas graduate) and passed the house with only one negative comment (from Rep Maude Isaacks of El Paso). The Senate sponsor was Tom Creighton of Mineral Wells. Senator Charles Herring of Austin raised the first objections calling the bill "a fraud on the public". He went on to say "That school is nothing but a teacher's college and that's what it's going to be for years to come".*

Senator Herring (described in the Star-Telegram as a graduate of the University of Texas and it's home Senator) threatened a filibuster on April 26th 1961. He suggested an amendment where the name would be NTSU. After Senator Crieighton confirmed that Herring had no problems with NTSU, the ammended bill was sent back to the house, which quickly approved it.

The name change (forced by the aforementioned a-hole UT grad) was signed by Gov. Price Daniel on May 8th.

* from "The Story of North Texas", by James Rogers....pages 348 and 349.

[BlueRaiderPride]

So what would you have your new name be ?  The University of Middle Tennessee ?  Or Middle Tennessee University ?  Or the University of Tennessee at Murphysobro (sp) ?

Join the Mean Green Club

Buy season tickets

GO MEAN GREEN

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Like you guys, we wish to drop the word "State" and be called the University of + Region of the State + State's Name.

[LongJim]

The name change (forced by the aforementioned a-hole UT grad) was signed by Gov. Price Daniel on May 8th.

* from "The Story of North Texas", by James Rogers....pages 348 and 349.

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Good info. Thanks!

[BlueRaiderPride]

The name change bill was sponsored and introduced by Rep Joe Ratcliff of Dallas (a North Texas graduate) and passed the house with only one negative comment (from Rep Maude Isaacks of El Paso). The Senate sponsor was Tom Creighton of Mineral Wells. Senator Charles Herring of Austin raised the first objections calling the bill "a fraud on the public". He went on to say  "That school is nothing but a teacher's college and that's what it's going to be for years to come".*

Oh my stars! Have any of you guys had a chance to tell this guy to kiss your @ss lately? I would have!

Edited February 13, 2006 by BlueRaiderPride

[Go_UTA]

for a week or two, Arlington was be Texas A&M Arlington, but both schools protested and the legislature went to the UT-Arlington name. At the time A&M was still almost all-male and all corps.

Well, it was quite a bit more involved than that.

Here is the scoop on the UT Arlington name. From about 1917 to 1965, Arlington State College (ASC) was related to the Mechanical and Agricultural College of Texas (now Texas A&M University).

However, in the early 1960s, the ASC campus and community became very dissastified with the support that was coming from the A&M System. At that time, A&M was all-male and struggling for enrollment, if you can believe that. (ASC was actually larger than A&M.) Earl Rudder, war hero from D-day and chancellor at A&M, wouldn't put money into ASC. This was short-sited, but, he was focused on problems on the A&M campus of the day.

Anyway, ASC and community leaders petitioned Governor John Connelly to allow ASC to depart the A&M System for the UT System, which welcomed ASC. Once the governor talked to Rudder and realized his position, he agreed and a bill was passed by the legislature. Looking back, this was a historical blunder on A&M's part which their presidents and some regents have readily and repeatedly acknowledged over the years.

ASC entered the UT System in 1965, and, going to parallel naming within the System, the name was changed to The University of Texas at Arlington in 1967.

It was not until much later that UT Arlington came to share in the Permanent University Fund endowment. It took an amendment to the Texas Consitution that was passed in the 1980s.

Separately, a new logo, brand, and advertising campaign (the latter to begin in March) are being launched this Wednesday at noon in the University Center. If any of you guys are in the neighborhood and just want to take a peek, you will be welcome. It should be a lot of fun. See the website for more details.

[LongJim]

  Oh my stars!  Have any of you guys had a chance to tell this guy to kiss your @ss lately?  I would have!

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That chance has passed as of 01/15/04. RIP.

[BlueRaiderPride]

That chance has passed as of 01/15/04.  RIP.

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Oh well. With every UNT grad that receives their diploma to embark in a career other than teaching and education, that's one hard stomp on that guy's grave. He pretty much asked for it.

[Coffee and TV]

Someone older than me (seeing as how I wasn't even born then) can confirm this, but I recall reading that in the 70's Hayden Fry had briefly pushed for NTSU to be changed to Texas State. I think A&M didn't like this because as we know with the former SWT, State names are usually reserved for former A&M schools.

[SilverEagle]

Someone older than me (seeing as how I wasn't even born then) can confirm this, but I recall reading that in the 70's Hayden Fry had briefly pushed for NTSU to be changed to Texas State. I think A&M didn't like this because as we know with the former SWT, State names are usually reserved for former A&M schools.

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Seems like I remember reading back then that Fry was interested in the school changing it's name to "Texas State". I think that I also remember reading that this name change was suggested to him by Woody Hayes. As I recall, Fry was trying to schedule Ohio St. and Woody Hayes suggested that if we had a less "directional" name, we might be taken more seriously by the big time schools (I think Tennesse was taking us seriously back then ).

I don't know if it ever went anywhere, and I don't know if A$M objected to the speculative talk. However, everyone that talked about the possibility assumed that they (A$M) would object for the reason you stated CTV.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

MT and NT are so very similarly situated. In both cases it is a shame that their respective state governments don't support them equitably, particularly because they are both in such significant metropolitan areas of their states. Memphis is like the Houston of Tennessee and Nashville is like the Dallas of Tennessee. Of course in both cases the Tennessee metros are a lot smaller. But then, everything is bigger in Texas.

[PerryG2480]

I'm still not fond of the use of the word "Middle" as opposed to "Central." UCT or the University of Central Tennessee...The Central Tennessee Blue Raiders...sounds a little bit better in my opinion.

[BlueRaiderPride]

I'm still not fond of the use of the word "Middle" as opposed to "Central."  UCT or the University of Central Tennessee...The Central Tennessee Blue Raiders...sounds a little bit better in my opinion.

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Well, if TSU has their way, we may be called "Some other school in Tennessee not as good as Tennessee State University."

I find it interesting that we should bring up pressing for a name change and only a few weeks later tsu announces they will go back to court on Geier. This pisses me off, but I think we saw this coming.

http://www.tsumeter.com/vnews/display.v/AR...7/44033653a9c4a

Edited February 28, 2006 by BlueRaiderPride

[Huff]

There's a funny story about Hayden Fry wanting to change our name to Texas State. Some smart ass suggested that instead of changing the name of the school that Hayden change his name to Knute Rockne since every coach in America would like to have a chance to beat Knute Rockne. Hayden did not think it was very funny.

[NorthTexasFan]

BlueRaiderPride, is there excitement in the air in Murphreesboro for the Sun Belt Tournament?

What are your predictions for MTSU and UNT and the rest of the tourney?

Edited February 28, 2006 by NorthTexasFan