March 17, 2017 ... the historic day when the University of Memphis Board of Trustees
met for the first time, a moment that instantly made an indelible impact on the future
of the University. The only constant since has been change. In just two short years,
the University has implemented an incredible number of programs that benefit a wide
range of areas allowing this University to become a national leader.
UofM Offers Paid Parental Leave
The University of Memphis Board of Trustees approved a six-week paid parental leave policy. With this implementation, the UofM becomes the first public higher education institution in the State of Tennessee to offer paid leave for new parents. The policy will offer six weeks paternal or maternal leave for faculty and staff adopting or having a biological child. This policy is monumental in the University’s strides to recruit and retain young professionals and be recognized as family friendly.
Football Will Get New Indoor Practice Facility
As part of the Time to Shine Capital campaign, the UofM will open a new indoor football practice facility on the Park Avenue Campus. It will include a 120-yard, top-of-the-line artificial turf practice field with goalposts, coaches’ offices and spaces for enhanced student-athlete academic, nutrition and athletic development.
Campaign Shines Light on Track and Soccer Complex
The Time to Shine Capital campaign is shedding light, literally, on the University of Memphis soccer programs. The UofM announced a $500,000 project to light the Billy J. Murphy Track and Soccer Complex. Started in 2013, the campaign will conclude with the return of Memphis men’s and women’s soccer matches to the UofM Park Avenue Campus.
FedExPark Gets Addition
Originally opened in 2010, FedExPark underwent further development in2017–18. The
Tigers opened a 1,600 square-foot addition to the W.S. “Babe” Howard Training Facility
attached to FedExPark for the 2018 season. The expansion, which was made possible
by the generosity of Ray and Laura Rosas along with other private donors, includes
a team meeting room and additional coaches, offices. With the additional office space,
the Tigers will be able to have their entire coaching and support staff in the same
building.
Patterson Street Project Will Increase Safety
The Patterson Street Realignment Project will make it easier to negotiate the five-way stop on Patterson. It will be completed by the City of Memphis and has 20 percent financial input from the UofM. The work includes aligning the street with the existing railroad crossing and relocating the existing parking from the west side of the street to the east side of the street. No parking will be lost, but it will be more accessible and safer. The street will have a center median and planted verge strips with new sidewalks and lighting.
Office of Technology Transfer Celebrates Record Number of Patents
The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) hosted the 2017 University of Memphis Inventor Celebration to honor and recognize those who have received patents for their inventions and/or intellectual property during the past year. The celebration culminated an extraordinary year for the University, receiving a record 10 patents — an achievement that highlights the research capabilities at the UofM.
UofM Breaks Ground on Scheidt Family Music Center
The University of Memphis broke ground on the new Scheidt Family Music Center, a 40,000-sq. ft. music center that will allow the UofM to immediately increase student recruitment and grow the pool of UofM music graduates. The state-of-the-art facility will double the size of the current Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, and feature an expansive performance hall and significant enhancements in technology and acoustics. Dedicated tailored laboratories for innovation and artistic expression will allow faculty to structure the educational experience to best serve students. View renderings and make a gift to the campaign >
UofM Opens Next Generation of Basketball Facilities
The Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center on the Park Avenue Campus of the University
of Memphis features the latest in amenities, technology, student-athlete involvement
and even fan engagement. The facility is the primary home of the Tiger men’s basketball
program and sets the standard as the next generation of facilities. The center includes
the normal practice facility amenities, including a practice gym, locker room, coaches’
offices and training facilities. However, what sets the Laurie-Walton Family Basketball
Center apart from its predecessors is the commitment to donor and VIP cultivation,
a public Hall of Traditions, academic support for multiple teams, state-of-the-art
training facilities, enhanced technology and connectivity throughout the building
and a practice court that is significantly larger than the normal size.
Rose Family Foundation Commits $1 Million to Natatorium Renovation Project
The Rose Family Foundation has made a $1 million commitment to the University of Memphis Natatorium Renovation Project. The Foundation is partnering with the UofM to secure $10 million to renovate its natatorium, which is used by Memphis Tiger Swimming, Splash Mid-South and the UofM community. Drowning is a leading cause of death among children ages 1-4, and African-American children ages 5-19 drown in pools at a rate 5.5 times higher than that of white children. Since the closing of the YMCA on Walker Avenue in 2011, there have been few options available in the University area for swim lessons and drowning prevention training. In addition, Memphis does not have a swimming facility that can accommodate swimming and diving competitions. Read more and make a gift to the project >
Nineteen UofM Programs Ranked Nationally by U.S. News & World Report
The University of Memphis has 19 academic programs currently ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report in its Best Graduate Schools, including three in the Top 25: Audiology (No. 17), Rehabilitation Counseling (No. 21) and Speech-Language Pathology (No. 24). The other ranked programs are: HealthCare Management (No. 47), Social Work (No. 88), Clinical Psychology (No. 102), Earth Sciences (No. 111), Fine Arts (No. 114), Math (No. 127), English (No. 133), History (No. 134), Public Affairs (No. 135), Law (No. 137), Engineering (No. 145), Psychology (No. 148), Education (No. 153), Nursing (No. 155), Part-Time MBA (No. 163) and Biological Sciences (No. 190). | View full list of rankings >
Trustees Approve New Programs
The Board of Trustees has approved eight new programs to expand the academic offerings
available from the UofM. The following new academic programs have been approved by
the Board of Trustees and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC): PhD in
Nursing (Loewenberg College of Nursing), Doctor of Liberal Studies (University College),
Master of Science in Biostatistics (University College) and Bachelor of Science in
Commercial Aviation (University College). Additionally, the following programs have
been approved by the Board of Trustees, but are pending approval by THEC: PhD in Urban
Affairs (College of Arts & Sciences), Doctor of Physical Therapy (School of Health
Studies), Doctor of Social Work (College of Arts & Sciences) and Master of Science
in Engineering Management (Herff College of Engineering).
UMRF Ventures Opens Command Center, Call Centers
UMRF Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Memphis Research Foundation, has hired 45 UofM graduate students primarily specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to work on campus with FedEx IT employees from their IT Command Center Team. The result of this collaboration is a UMRF Ventures-operated FedEx IT Command Center – Systems Analytics Group, which opened at the FedEx Institute of Technology on campus. UMRF Ventures also operates two IT Call Centers, one on the main campus and one at UofM Lambuth. Students earn a good salary and gain real-world experience providing FedEx team members with first-level technical support. By the end of its second year, it’s projected that UMRF Ventures will employ 300 students.
UofM Launches River City Partnership
The River City Partnership, a collaboration between the University of Memphis, Shelby County Schools and the Achievement School District, was created in 2018. The River City Partnership is an umbrella initiative intended to strengthen the teacher pipeline by introducing high school students to a possible career in education, preparing teachers at both the undergraduate and graduate level and implementing retention strategies for new and existing teachers. | Learn more about the initiative >
Record Year for Fundraising
The University of Memphis secured a record $23,145,635 in academic commitments during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018, surpassing the previous record of $21,080,174 achieved in 2015. The total includes gifts of cash, pledges and planned gifts from alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to the University of Memphis Foundation. Private contributions impact the lives of students and improve the educational experience at the University of Memphis.
University College Adds Commercial Aviation Degree Program
The University College partnered with Crew Training International (CTI) Professional
Flight Training to launch a new Commercial Aviation program in fall 2018. “The Commercial
Aviation Degree program is one of many steps the University of Memphis is taking to
better prepare students for 21st century jobs,” said President M. David Rudd. “The
opportunity to collaborate with Millington’s Crew Training International Professional
Flight Training will not only build a superior education program for our students,
it will also better position our aviation graduates for future opportunities with
FedEx.” | Learn more about the degree program >
FedEx LiFE Program Offers Opportunity for Tuition-Free Degree
FedEx Express and the University of Memphis established the Learning inspired by FedEx LiFE program, a new initiative that allows employees of the FedEx World Hub the opportunity to earn a tuition-free, fully-online degree from UofM Global. This unique initiative provides FedEx Hub employees in Memphis, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Oakland, Calif. and Newark, N.J. the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree through the University of Memphis’ online program, UofM Global, at potentially no cost to the employees. As long as students remain in good academic standing and are employed at the FedEx Hub, tuition expenses will be directly billed to FedEx. | Learn more about LiFE >
Larry Finch Plaza Planned
Larry Finch Plaza, which will include a statue of the late former Memphis Tiger All-American, assistant coach and head coach, will be located on the Park Avenue Campus near the Tigers’ practice facility. A committee has also been appointed to plan the project. Finch, who had his No. 21 jersey retired on Nov. 30, 1974, competed in more than 500 games in 25 years as a player and coach for the Tigers. Finishing his three-year playing career from (1970-73) as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,869 points, Finch is currently ranked fourth behind Keith Lee, Elliot Perry and Rodney Carney. His 22.3 points per game career average remains a Memphis record. | Read more about the Plaza >
UofM Among Three Universities to Share $5 Million NSF STEM Grant
The University of Memphis is one of three urban universities to receive a portion of a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The grant will support the Urban S-STEM Collaboratory project, which brings together the UofM, the University of Colorado at Denver and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis to provide academic, social, professional and peer networking; career preparation; and scholarship support to approximately 150 engineering and mathematical sciences majors across the three institutions. The UofM Herff College of Engineering, College of Arts & Sciences and College of Communication and Fine Arts will collectively receive $1.7 million for the project, $1 million of which will be dedicated to scholarships.
Metal Additive Manufacturing Lab Opens
The University of Memphis celebrated the opening of the state-of-the-art Metal Additive
Manufacturing Lab Sept. 27, 2018.
“The opening of the Metal Additive Manufacturing Lab marks both the culmination of
years of planning and the launch of a new phase of research and instruction at the
Herff College of Engineering,” said Dean Richard Sweigard. “This will be the region’s
first 3-D metal printing facility at an educational institution, and it will enable
the University to perform cutting-edge research while also preparing graduates to
meet the needs of our manufacturing partners. Additionally, the lab will provide new
opportunities for researchers campus-wide to incorporate 3-D metal printing into their
work.”
UofM May Add Osteopathic Medicine School at Lambuth
The UofM is exploring the feasibility of adding a doctor of osteopathic medicine school to the UofM Lambuth Campus in Jackson. President M. David Rudd said the school would be a natural fit for Jackson, where there is a significant need for rural health care. Students who earn a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree are fully licensed physicians who focus on primary care and wellness.
New Simplified Tuition Structure
Most out-of-state students at the University of Memphis will have a sizable cut in tuition under a simplified four-tier tuition structure approved by the Board of Trustees in September 2018. The restructuring sets tuition for Tennessee residents, out-of-state residents, international students and UofM Global (online) students. Under the new system, students from outside a 250-miles radius of the UofM will see a considerable decrease in costs. The changes will significantly reduce the amount above in-state tuition that students from around the country have to pay. | Learn more about "Access Memphis" >
UofM Has Lowest Tuition Increases in State Over Last Five Years
The University of Memphis has the lowest total tuition and fee increases in the State of Tennessee over the past five years by a substantial margin of 11.9 percent. The UofM is the only public institution of higher education in Tennessee to not have a tuition increase in two of the last five years, and has the lowest rate of average tuition increase (1.7 percent) over the last five years. The UofM’s average tuition increase has been 1.7 percent, compared to 7.4 percent over the previous decade and a half.
University Nears Completion of Pedestrian Cable Bridge
The UofM is nearing completion on the much-anticipated pedestrian cable bridge, amphitheater
and general access parking garage. The cable bridge will link the north and south
sections of the campus. Once completed, students will be able to walk across Southern
and Walker avenues and the railroad tracks.
The $30 million Center for Wellness and Fitness will soon follow. The project will feature a new 74,000 sq. ft. building with an academic focus offering holistic wellness and fitness opportunities that are integrated into the University’s core academic mission. Combined with renovations to the existing recreation center, it will provide 225,000 sq. ft. of wellness and fitness space. | Learn more and make a gift to the "On the Right Track" campaign >
UofM Moves Forward on Agreement to Manage Gather Apartments
The Board of Trustees approved, subject to reviews and approvals by the State of Tennessee State Building Commission, moving forward with the acquisition of the Gather on Southern Apartments and entering a master ground lease and affiliation agreement with Municipal Acquisitions. The endeavor – the first of its kind by a public university in the State of Tennessee – will allow the University to expand its housing inventory in a public/private partnership. The 435-bed Gather apartments are directly across Southern Avenue from the UofM campus. The University currently has 2,461 beds. Adding the Gather Apartments would increase on-campus housing available to students by 17%.
Tuition Transparency and Accountability Act Approved
The University of Memphis Board of Trustees approved a Tuition Transparency and Accountability Act — a policy to establish guidelines for considering increases in tuition and mandatory fees — at its meeting in December 2018 at UofM Lambuth.
