Feature photo by Siri Reynolds
Story by Siri Reynolds
MTSU President Sidney McPhee addressed questions from Student Government Association members about Forrest Hall, faculty salaries, and other issues during a joint session between the Senate and Freshman Council Thursday afternoon.
Forrest Hall was a point of contention in the conversation. Student veteran and SGA senator Courtney Crain asked why the university has not taken a stronger stance on changing Forrest Hall’s name.
“As a veteran, it is concerning to me that the letters are still on there,” Crain said. “Bedford Forrest, to me as a veteran in the United States military, is an enemy combatant.”
McPhee argued that MTSU has taken a strong stance already and that the state government prevents the university from changing the name of the ROTC building.
“If it were up to Sidney McPhee, I would go personally and get my ladder and my hammer and knock that thing off,” McPhee said. “However, as a member of this community that is responsible for following the law of the land, we are prohibited at this point from taking down the name of that building.”
Crain argued that although the student body has taken a strong stance, the university has not.
“For me, I feel like you do have to be diplomatic,” said Crain. “I do believe you could say, ‘This needs to come down. I, Sidney McPhee, believe this needs to come down.’”
McPhee immediately responded to her call.
“I, Sidney McPhee, have said that a zillion times,” McPhee said. “I’m not being defensive, I’m just being factual.”
The back-and-forth ended amicably, with McPhee indeed taking a strong stance.
“We have not given up on removing that name,” McPhee said.
When another student asked about MTSU’s current issues, McPhee said that faculty salaries are not high enough and do not increase appropriately.
“We want to recruit and retain the best faculty and staff,” McPhee said. “The state legislature has not been very kind to universities–state universities–in providing salaries at a level that will help us to retain and attract talent.”
Despite issues with providing appropriate salaries, McPhee also noted that MTSU is in an attractive location with a good community that does attract faculty.
He also spoke passionately about mental health, suggesting that MTSU’s counseling services are lacking. As with faculty salaries, McPhee took issue with the Tennessee legislature for not appropriating funds to universities.
“They haven’t given us any funding in years for that, but we’d like funding to be able to hire more counselors, more psychologists, provide more programming for students.”
However, McPhee was also quick to praise, citing developments in hotel planning, money spent on facilities, and, most of all, the student body.
“I am proud of the engagement,” McPhee said. “The diversity, the engagement of students across all demographics in activities in the university.”
Siri Reynolds is a reporter for MTSU Sidelines.
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