Despite the task force’s recommendation being endorsed by University President Sidney McPhee and the Tennessee Board of Regents, MTSU has not yet requested that the Tennessee Historical Commission approve a name change for Forrest Hall.
Fourteen months after the fight to remove Forrest’s name from the campus ROTC building re-surged, the university has not yet initiated the final step in getting the name change approved. The Tennessee Board of Regents approved the name change in June, leaving the fate of the name hinging on a two-thirds majority vote from the Tennessee Historical Commission.
Earlier this month, WMOT Middle Tennessee Public Radio asked the commission about their progress, but was told they had not yet been asked to consider the name change.
When Sidelines asked who at the university was responsible for filing the request, MTSU Vice President and Spokesman Andrew Oppmann provided the following statement on behalf of President McPhee:
Since we are a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, we have been working with our colleagues at TBR on the proper route to proceed with the recommendations of the board and university. I anticipate a determination very shortly.
To learn more about Forrest and the debate, see our special section on Forrest Hall.
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