Memphis State University (University of Memphis)

In 1951 legislators from Shelby County entered bills in the Tennessee General Assembly that would have joined Memphis State to UT. While UT generally favored the idea, the matter became heated, with opponents referring to the merger as “splitting UT,” meaning that funds would be taken from UT to support the Memphis campus, and proponents contending that Memphis paid one-fifth of all state taxes and did not have access to a university-level education. The effort was rebuffed. Opposition to elevating Memphis State College to university status was debated, with estimates that it would require $5 million to make a real university of Memphis State. The City of Memphis offered to give $100,000 if Memphis State was elevated to university status. Governor Clement supported the last-ditch compromise bill in 1957 that elevated Memphis State to university status.