East Tennessee State University - Buccaneer Yearbook (Johnson City, TN)

Page 11 text:

Carl A. Jones, Johnson City publisher and chairman of the citizens ' committee as Governor Clement prepares to sign the university status bill. Also pictured for university status, and Herman Robinson, state senator from Elizabethton are Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Dossett, and President Dossett. who introduced the university status bill in the senate, beam their satisfaction

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University Status On Tuesday, March 5 Governor Frank Clem¬ ent signed a bill elevating East Tennessee State College to university status, effective July 1. The signing followed unanimous pas¬ sage of the bill in both houses of the state legislature. Achievement of university status climaxed the steady growth and deepening enrichment of the institution ' s program over the past 12 years. It also climaxed a dedicated three- year drive on the part of a group of area citizens to gain official ratification of the uni¬ versity quality of the institution. The expansion and enrichment of the college program has been constant for over a dec¬ ade under the able and energetic leadership of President Burgin E. Dossett, with progress intensified in 1956 when the institution was re-organized into a,university structure and college departments were grouped into schools according to their academic areas. Schools emerging from the re-organization of the college included School of Arts and Sci¬ ences, School of Education, and School of Business Administration and Economics. These joined the Graduate School, which had been in existence since 1950, in composing the new university structure. Recently a School of Health was added as an appropriate re¬ sponse to the growth of the institution ' s fa¬ mous health education program. The development of the schools was indica¬ tive of the breadth and depth of the pro¬ gram of the institution which was becoming known as one of the finest multi-purpose in¬ stitutions of higher learning in the South. High caliber work in the liberal arts and in the sciences combined with numerous pre-profes¬ sional and teacher preparation programs to produce an institution of authentic university proportions and quality. Work in special ed¬ ucation, including remedial reading and speech and hearing, and various health areas enhanced the program by gaining wide recognition. Degrees offered increased to include Bache¬ lor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education, Bachelor of Sci¬ ence in Medical Technology, and Master of Arts. Increase of faculty and facilities was com¬ mensurate with growth of programs. The highly-trained faculty grew to almost 300 persons, with 81 faculty members holding doctoral degrees. The college library, the basic support of any sound instructional pro¬ gram, has over 100,000 volumes and class¬ room and laboratory space also has in¬ creased considerably. Viewing this impressive development, several area citizens began in 1960 to mobilize area support of a movement to secure legislative action on achieving recognition of the broad program and high quality of the institution through changing its designation from col¬ lege to university. The drive formally opened in the winter of 1960 when the Johnson City Chamber of Com¬ merce under the leadership of President John Smoot brought area civic leaders together in a meeting at the college. Leadership of the movement passed to Carl A. Jones, Johnson City publisher, who succeeded Mr. Smoot as Chamber of Commerce president. Mr. Jones assumed leadership of the citizens ' committee for university status which emerged from the meeting in a vigorous and dedicated manner and ably piloted the movement to the suc¬ cessful conclusion of official recognition of East Tennessee State University.

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Members of the Citizens ' Committee for University Status: E. Ward King, Kingsport; Cliff Sanders, Kingsport; By¬ ron Sites, Greenville; Tom R. Keys, Erwin; Joe Jared, Johnson City,- Earl M. Reasor, Milligan; Robert H. Smith, Bristol; Charles M. Gore, Bristol; Mack Trammel, Bris¬ tol; Horace M. Barnett, Jr., Bristol; Dick Beeson, John¬ son City; Mitchell Thorp, Johnson City,- John Jones, Greenville; Carl Mclnturf, Erwin; Clyde Austin, Green¬ ville; Judge Benn Allen, Elizabethton; Wesley Davis, Bristol; Paul Crumley, Elizabethtown,- Judge George Ed¬ ens, Elizabethton,- and Wayne Graybeal, Roan Moun¬ tain. Supporting the efforts of the Citizens ' Committee were hosts of area organizations, including Chambers of Commerces, civic clubs, professional clubs, fraternal or¬ ganizations, veterans organizations, educational or¬ ganizations, and others. Complementing the activity of the committee and the organizations was the splendid support of the gover¬ nor and the legislators whose official advocacy of the measure was so complete and wholehearted. A number of dedicated area citizens joined forces with area legislators to pro- Reasor, and Mack Trammel, also of the citizens 7 committee. The energetic and mote the cause of university status. Pictured with Governor Clement at the sign- untiring efforts of the citizens 7 committee was an inspiring and highly effective ing are Cliff Sanders, Ward King, of the citizens 7 committee. State Senator Her- expression of support of the college and belief in its program and was deeply man Robinson, President Dossett, Joe Jared, Carl A. Jones, chairman, Earl appreciated by the institution.