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Murray State University

Murray State University (MSU) is a public university in Murray, Kentucky. In addition to the main campus in Calloway County in southwestern Kentucky, Murray State operates extended campuses offering upper-level and graduate courses in Paducah, Hopkinsville, Madisonville, and Henderson.

Murray State University
Former name
Murray State Normal School (1922–1926)
Murray State Normal School and Teachers College (1926–1930)
Murray State Teachers College (1930–1948)
Murray State College (1948–1966)
TypePublic university
Established1922; 101 years ago (1922)
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$100.2 million (2022)[1]
PresidentRobert Jackson
ProvostTim Todd
Students9,489 (Fall 2022)[2]
Undergraduates7,756 (Fall 2022)[2]
Postgraduates1,733 (Fall 2022)[2]
Location, ,
United States

36°36′56″N 88°19′17″W / 36.61556°N 88.32139°W / 36.61556; -88.32139
Campus258.43 acres (main campus)
ColorsNavy blue and gold[3]
   
NicknameRacers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IMVC
MascotRacer One (live mascot)
Dunker (costumed)
Websitewww.murraystate.edu

History edit

Murray State University was founded after the passage of Senate Bill 14 by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which created two normal schools in the early 20th century to address the growing demand for professional teachers. One was to be located in the western part of the state, and many cities and towns bid for the new normal school. Rainey T. Wells spoke on behalf of the city of Murray to convince the Normal School Commission to choose his city. On September 2, 1922, Murray was chosen as the site of the western normal school, while Morehead was chosen for the eastern normal school. On November 26, 1922, John Wesley Carr was elected the first president of the Murray State Normal School by the State Board of Education. Believing it had the authority to elect the president, the Normal School Commission picked Rainey Wells as the first president. On May 15, 1923, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled for the State Board of Education, and Carr became Murray's first president.

 
Wrather West Kentucky Museum, the first building on MSU's campus

Murray State Normal School opened on September 24, 1923.[4] In 1924, the first building on Murray State's campus, the Administrative Building, was constructed.[5] Before this, all MSU classes had been held on the first floor of what is now Murray Middle School, located on Main Street.[6] Designed by Joseph & Joseph in the Collegiate Gothic style[7] the Administrative Building, later known as Wrather Hall, housed classrooms, a dining hall, offices, and a chapel. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and renovated soon after, finally being renamed to Wrather West Kentucky Museum, named for Murray State executive vice-president Marvin O. Wrather.[5][7] All students lived at home or boarded with local families until the first dormitory, Wells Hall, was constructed in 1925. Wilson Hall was also completed under Carr's presidency, with other structures in progress.

In 1926, Rainey T. Wells, recognized as the founder of Murray State, became its second president. Wells served from 1926 to 1932, and during this time Lovett Auditorium, Carr Health Building, and Pogue Library were all completed. In 1926, the Normal School was renamed Murray State Normal School and Teachers College, with a four-year curriculum, and the General Assembly granted it authority to confer baccalaureate degrees. In 1928, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1930, the name was changed to Murray State Teachers College and it was granted authority to offer liberal arts and pre-professional courses. The name was changed again in 1948 to Murray State College, with the expansion of the programs to include graduate-level courses, in 1966 the General Assembly authorized the Board of Regents to change the name to Murray State University.

The Shield edit

 
Murray State University Shield

The Shield has the heraldic coat of arms of the family of William Murray, Earl of Mansfield, and Lord Chief Justice of Great Britain in 1756. William Murray is an ancestor of the Murray family from whom the city and the university take their names. The shield is blue with a double gold border—its three stars represent hope, endeavor, and achievement.

Campus edit

The Quad edit

 
Two students walk out of Pogue Library near the statue of founder Rainey T. Wells.

The oldest and most easily recognizable buildings on the Murray State campus are situated around a large, grassy, tree-lined area on the south side of the campus. This part of the campus, known as the Quad, is bounded by 16th Street to the west, 15th Street to the east, Lovett Auditorium to the north, and Wilson Hall to the south.

In the southwest corner of the Quad is the oldest building on campus, now known as Wrather West Kentucky Museum. It was first known as the Administration Building and then as Wrather Hall, and housed classrooms and offices, before it became a museum. Ground for Wrather was broken on October 15, 1923, and it has been in use since 1924. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975,[5] and features a large auditorium that is frequently used for lectures and meetings.

Faculty Hall, Wells Hall, and the Business Building line the western edge of the Quad. The Lowry Center, Pogue Library, and the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center line the eastern side of the Quad. The 11-story Doyle Fine Arts Center is the tallest building on campus, housing numerous classrooms, practice rooms, recital halls, the Robert E. Johnson Theatre, Clara Eagle Art Gallery, WKMS-FM, and television studios used for student work.

 
Sparks Hall

Directly south of the Quad is Sparks Hall. The five-story, 39,000-square-foot (3,600 m2), Sparks Hall was completed in 1967 for $1,308,514,[citation needed] and functions as the main administrative building, housing the offices of student financial aid, admissions and registration, accounting and financial services, vice president for administrative services, Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach, human resources and university communications.

To the south of the Quadrangle, and directly west of Sparks Hall is Oakhurst, the residence of the university president. Construction of the mansion, originally known as Edgewood, began in 1917 and was completed in 1918. The home was built by Dr. and Mrs. Rainey T. Wells. The Board of Regents purchased the home from Rainey T. Wells in June 1936. It was remodeled that year and renamed Oakhurst in preparation for James H. Richmond's occupation of the house.[8]

Central campus edit

The central portion of the Murray State campus lines 15th Street between Chestnut Street and Olive Boulevard. This portion of 15th Street was originally open to automobile traffic but has since been closed and converted into a pedestrian thoroughfare. Along the west side of the pedestrian pathway are the Martha Layne Collins Center for Industry and Technology, Blackburn Science Building, and Oakley Applied Science Building. To the east of the pedestrian pathway lies the Curris Center, Carr Health Building and Cutchin Fieldhouse, Waterfield Library, Mason Hall, and the front facade of the now-demolished Ordway Hall. Woods Hall, a former dormitory located behind Waterfield Library, was razed in the summer of 2019, and the space it occupied will soon be replaced with a park.[9]

Ordway Hall was the most historic building in the central portion of campus. It was completed in 1931. Originally used as a men's dormitory, 38,600-square-foot Ordway Hall later housed event space and several offices. Because of costly renovation needs, Ordway was razed in 2013. The front facade was retained as a monument to its significance.[10][11]

Science campus edit

 
Alexander Hall, named for former Murray State president Kern Alexander

An aggressive building campaign on campus has resulted in a westward expansion of the main academic campus of Murray State. The expansion began with a massive renovation and expansion of what is now known as Alexander Hall on the west side of 16th Street near Calloway Avenue. The project was the first to unveil a new architectural style that would become consistent through all renovation and new construction projects on campus. Alexander Hall houses classrooms and offices for the College of Education. Construction continued with the new state-of-the-art science complex for biology and chemistry that is located just to the southwest of Alexander Hall. The massive new science complex was constructed in phases, with the Biology Building opening in 2004, and the rest of the complex and centerpiece clock tower reaching completion in March 2008. The new clock tower was dedicated in 2007 as the Jesse L. Jones Family Clock Tower. A physics and engineering building was completed in the summer of 2017.

Sports and recreation facilities edit

 
Roy Stewart Stadium

The majority of the university's sports and recreation facilities are located on the northernmost edge of the campus, along the KY-121 Bypass. The most prominent structure in the sports complex is Roy Stewart Stadium. The stadium, the home field to the Murray State Racers football program, was completed in 1973 and named for former Murray State football coach Roy Stewart. It seats 16,800. The outdated AstroTurf surface was replaced with FieldTurf in 2007. Located on the second floor of the seven-story press box and seating structure is the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range, home of the three-time NCAA champion rifle squad. The 8,602-seat CFSB Center was completed in 1998 to replace the aging Racer Arena, which had been outgrown by the men's and women's basketball teams. Racer Arena remains in use by the women's volleyball team.

On April 16, 2005, the new Susan E. Bauernfeind Student Recreation and Wellness Center was dedicated. The 73,000-square-foot (6,800 m2) student recreation center includes a swimming pool, two racquetball courts, a walking/jogging track, an aerobic studio, basketball courts, and free weights and cardio workout machines. The center is located just north of the residential colleges, near Roy Stewart Stadium.

Residence halls edit

A building campaign is underway to replace many of the older residence halls. A replacement building for Clark College was completed and ready for residents at the beginning of the 2007 fall semester. Clark Hall was the newest building, and the first residence hall specifically designed around the residential college concept and model. A new four-story, 270-bed, 79,900-square foot Richmond Hall was opened for James H. Richmond Residential College in fall 2009.[12] It has a similar concept and design as Clark College. In the fall of 2009, the old Clark Hall building was torn down.

Following the completion of the spring 2011 semester, the university began renovation to Elizabeth Hall, which houses the Elizabeth Residential College. The $7.2 million renovation project closed the building for the entire 2011–12 academic year as the highrise was upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The renovation also included new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver status.[13] The renovated Elizabeth Hall reopened on August 18, 2012.[14] Hester Hall is the next highrise residence hall scheduled for renovation; however, the timeline for that project has not been announced.[15]

Academics edit

Murray State University offers eleven associate programs, 64 bachelor programs, 42 master and specialist programs, and three doctoral programs which are administered through four academic colleges, two schools, 30 departments, and one joint program shared by the College of Business and the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology. The College of Business is the largest at Murray State, enrolling 23% of the undergraduate students.

Murray State has been institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, continuously since 1928. It is one of eight schools in the state of Kentucky to achieve AACSB accreditation of business programs;[16] however, the school is not AACSB-accredited in accounting programs.[17] Several other programs have achieved specialized accreditation: primarily programs in teaching, fine arts and nursing. As a former normal school and teachers' college, Murray State is best known for its NCATE-accredited education programs. The Clinical Psychology Master's program is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).[18] The university has also gained national recognition for its fine arts programs. The Department of Music has been a member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1936.[19]

Rankings edit

For 29 years, Murray State University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges as one of the top regional universities in the United States. The 2019 rankings listed Murray State at 11th place among the public regional universities in the South and 24th overall among all regional universities in the South. Murray State has consistently been one of the top-ranked public regional universities in Kentucky in the Regional Universities-South category, which consists of both private and public schools. Murray State has also been ranked by Forbes among America's Top Colleges since 2008.[20][21][22]

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
U.S. News & World Report Regional Universities - South (Overall) 24 35 28 26 24 20 25 22 20 18 14 15 17 21 21 18 18
U.S. News & World Report Regional Universities - South (Public Schools) 11 12 9 9 8 7 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 7 4 5
Forbes America's Top Colleges 613 588 547[23] 481[24] 421[25] 322[26]

Tuition policies edit

Presumably, due to its location near multiple state borders, Murray State offers discounts from its normal out-of-state tuition rates to residents of several regional states.[27][28] These discounts apply only to residential students; all online students pay the same rate regardless of residency. Tuition for doctoral students also does not vary by state of residence.[29]

International students edit

401 international students from 45 countries studied at Murray State as of 2021.[30] MSU has several international student groups, including the International Student Organization, the Saudi Student Association, and the Indian Student Association.[31]

Murray State University provides an English as a Second Language (ESL) program to assist international students who are not fluent in English to come to Kentucky to study.[32] This program provides English-speaking, listening, reading, and writing instruction while teaching students about American culture. The ESL program also offers conversation partner practice, where international students are paired with students from the United States to practice speaking English.[33]

Campus life edit

Residential colleges edit

 
HC Franklin Residence Hall at Murray State University

As of fall 2012, Murray State had 2,831 students living on campus.[34] Murray State was the first public university in the United States to adopt a successful campus-wide residential college program.[35] The residential college structure, which took form on the campus in 1996, is based on similar, but much more established programs at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom as well as Yale University, Harvard College and Princeton University in the United States.

The Murray State model does not include some components of the classical residential college model, such as dining halls and libraries at each college. In the Murray State model students do share central dining areas and recreation areas. However, as the older structures are being phased out, the university is taking steps with the new residential colleges to address many of those needs.

Although the physical structures of all of Murray State's residential colleges do not match those of institutions such as Oxford or Yale, the basic residential college concept was successfully implemented. All faculty, staff, and students, even those who live off-campus, are assigned to one of the eight residential colleges. Once assigned to a residential college, a person remains a member of that college throughout their time at the university.

The eight colleges of Murray State edit

  1. Clark College, named for Lee Clark, who assisted Rainey T. Wells in founding the university. Clark later served as the superintendent of grounds and buildings. The current Clark College opened in August 2007 as the first new residence hall built on campus since 1970. It is also the first residence hall at Murray to be specifically designed to support the residential college concept.
  2. Elizabeth College, named for Elizabeth Harkless Woods, wife of fourth Murray State President Ralph H. Woods
  3. Hart College, named for George Hart, a Board of Regents member and former mayor of Murray
  4. Hester College, named for Cleo Gillis Hester, who served Murray State University from 1927 to 1960, as registrar
  5. Regents College, named in honor of the outstanding citizens who have served on Murray State University's Board of Regents; completed in 1970
  6. Richmond College, named for the third president of the university, James H. Richmond
  7. Springer-Franklin College, named for O.B. Springer, member of the Board of Regents from 1950 to 1958 and 1960 to 1970, and Hollis C. Franklin, who served on the board from 1947 to 1956
  8. White College, named for R.H. "Bob" White, a Board of Regents member

Student Government Association edit

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the officially organized body governing all students and student organizations at Murray State University. Its purpose is to promote the welfare, growth, and development of student life in an environment of academic excellence, to represent the students in all phases of administrative effort, and to provide a means of promoting cooperative efforts for the general welfare of the university community. The SGA is made up of four branches: Senate, Campus Activities Board, Judicial Board, and the Residential College Association. The Senate is the main branch of SGA, and it is the governing body with the power to pass resolutions, bills, rules, and regulations necessary for the general welfare of the university, and to implement and maintain any programs consistent with SGA purposes. The president of SGA holds the student seat on the Board of Regents.[36]

Greek life edit

Murray State is home to twenty-six chapters of both social and professional Greek organizations. The oldest social fraternity on campus is Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the oldest professional fraternity is Sigma Alpha Iota (both relating to music) with the oldest social sorority being Sigma Sigma Sigma. As of the spring 2016 semester, 1,438 students were officially reported to be involved with Greek life, representing 19% of the undergraduate student population.[37]

As of Fall 2019, 16% of undergraduate students make up Murray State Greek Life. The average chapter size for the Panhellenic Council is 93; Interfraternity Council is 50; and National Pan-Hellenic Council is 5. The average Greek GPA is 3.20. (All statistics come from the Murray State University Office of Greek Life website.)[38]

Greek life has been banned on campus several times in past decades, namely 2012 and 2018. The 2012 incidents involved Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity houses.[39] The 2018 ban on Greek life and social events followed the death of 19-year-old Zach Wardrip.[40] In both cases, several persons were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning and ensuing violence. In 1998, a fatal dormitory fire on campus was attributed to GLOs.[41]

Traditions edit

Alma mater edit

The alma mater of Murray State University is sung to the tune of "Annie Lisle" and has two verses. A.B. Austin, one-time Dean of Men, wrote the words in 1935. It is traditionally sung at student orientation, convocation and commencement ceremonies, athletic events, and other special events on campus.

All-Campus Sing edit

All-Campus Sing is an annual event, first held in 1958, that takes place each April in which residential colleges, fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations compete in a choreographed song and dance competition. The event is hosted by the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota (the original organizer of the event), with financial assistance from the MSU Alumni Association and the Office of Student Affairs. It is held on the steps of historic Lovett Auditorium.[42][43]

Campus Lights edit

Campus Lights is the longest-running student-produced and performed musical in the South. The show was started in 1938 by the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha as a fundraiser to pay the chapter's chartering fees. Campus Lights is now produced by a joint effort of the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha and the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. All proceeds from the show are given to the Department of Music to fund scholarships.[44][45]

Racer One edit

In 1976, the tradition of having a thoroughbred run around the track after every MSU football touchdown began. The name of that first racehorse was Violet Cactus. She died in 1984 and was buried at Roy Stewart Stadium, near the area where the current Racer One begins its run around the football field after a Racer touchdown. She is the only mascot to be interred inside the walls of the stadium. Since 1985, each horse that has circled the football field after touchdowns has been known as Racer One. Several horses have filled the role of Racer One since 1985, and the position is currently held by a horse named Vegas. Each fall, sophomores and juniors with riding experience can try out to serve as jockeys of Racer One for the following football season. The position is typically held by a student in his or her senior year.[43][46]

Shoe Tree edit

 
The Shoe Tree in July 2021

Located in front of Pogue Library, Murray State tradition dictates if a couple gets married after meeting at Murray State, they return to the Quad and each one nails one of their shoes to the "Shoe Tree." Many of the shoes include names and dates written on them. If the couple has a baby, the baby's shoes are sometimes also nailed to the tree. The shoe tree tradition originated around 1965.[47] This tree (due to the high zinc content from the nails) is a common target of lightning and has caught fire in the past. Previous incarnations of the Shoe Tree were removed in 1999 and 2015 due to safety reasons; the tradition continues through the third tree.[47][48] The Shoe Tree was featured in Danish pop band Lukas Graham's September 2018 music video for their song "Love Someone."[49]

Tent City edit

An annual tradition since 1989, Tent City is an event that takes place before every homecoming football game. At Tent City, more than 50 tents are set up on the track at Roy Stewart Stadium, representing fraternities, sororities, student organizations, and residential colleges. An average of 100 organizations participate each year.[50] Students use this event as a chance to talk to and meet with alumni to help raise money for their activities throughout the school year.

Athletics edit

 
Murray State Athletics wordmark

The Murray State athletic teams are called the Racers. Their historic nickname had been the "Thoroughbreds", but all teams changed over time to "Racers", with the last holdout of baseball making the change in 2014. The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks (for football, the Football Championship Subdivision), primarily competing in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) since the 2022–23 academic year. The Racers previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2021–22; and in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1947–48.

Murray State competes in 15 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, and golf; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball; and co-ed sports include rifle.

Move to the MVC edit

In July 2022, Murray State[51] and Belmont[52] will both leave the OVC to join the MVC. Because the MVC does not sponsor football, Murray State plans to remain in OVC football for the 2022 season before leaving for the Missouri Valley Football Conference (a separate entity from the MVC) in 2023.[53][54] MSU will also maintain OVC membership in rifle, another sport not sponsored by the MVC.

Accomplishments edit

Murray State is particularly renowned for its men's basketball program, which has made 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2022. In 2010, as a 13-seed, Murray State won their second-ever NCAA tournament game on a buzzer-beater against 4th-seeded Vanderbilt. Former Alabama head basketball coach Mark Gottfried coached the Racers to three Ohio Valley Conference Championships all three years he coached there, the only OVC coach to accomplish such a mark.[55] The Racer men's basketball team was also led to the 2012 OVC championship by Coach Steve Prohm. The basketball program has been recognized as one of the top 30 basketball programs in modern history by ESPN.[56]

Murray State also is home to one of the nation's top rifle programs. The Racers claimed national championships in 1978 (NRA), 1985 (NCAA) and 1987 (NCAA) and have produced six individual NCAA national champions, including two-time national titlist and 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist Pat Spurgin.

The football program has become a stepping-stone to major college-coaching success. Frank Beamer, the former Virginia Tech head coach who built that program into a national power in the 1990s and early 2000s, and former Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt are both former Racers head coaches. Former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen was a Racers assistant under Beamer, and former Illinois head coach Ron Zook was an assistant under former ESPN college football analyst Mike Gottfried, who was Beamer's predecessor as head coach.

Murray State is also the home of a nationally ranked collegiate bass fishing team that has won multiple titles, including national championships.[57]

Publications edit

The Murray State News edit

The Murray State News is the student newspaper of Murray State University. The newspaper has been the recipient of several ACP Pacemaker awards, the highest award given to collegiate newspapers, most recently in 2004.[58] In October 2013 the newspaper won third place best-in-show for four-year weekly broadcast at the National College Media Convention in New Orleans. The Murray State News gained notoriety between 1998 and 2001 through the work of cartoonist Darin Shock. Shock earned the honor of top college cartoonist in the nation from the College Media Advisers in 2000. He had earned second-place honors the previous year.[59]

Gateway edit

Gateway Magazine is a full-color, glossy magazine published annually as an imprint of The Murray State News.

The Shield edit

The school yearbook, The Shield, was awarded three Pacemaker awards and two CSPA Silver Crowns.[citation needed] The Shield ceased publication with its 2008 edition due to financial concerns.[60]

New Madrid edit

The university's national literary magazine, New Madrid with editor Ann Neelon, featured work from a range of nationally recognized authors and received acclaim from sources as diverse as La Bloga, a leading Hispanic journal, and New Pages, a leading national review of literary magazines. A lack of funding led to the suspension of publication in 2018.[61]

Radio edit

WKMS-FM (91.3 FM) is a non-commercial, educational National Public Radio-affiliated station licensed and operated by Murray State University. It features a variety of NPR programming and local music shows ranging from classical music, bluegrass, alternative rock, jazz, electronica, and world music.

Former Presidents of the University edit

Presidents of the university include:[62]

  1. John W. Carr, 1923–1926
  2. Rainey T. Wells, 1926–1932
  3. John W. Carr, 1933–1936
  4. James H. Richmond, 1936–1945
  5. Ralph H. Woods, 1945–1968
  6. Harry M. Sparks, 1968–1973
  7. Constantine W. Curris, 1973–1983
  8. Kala M. Stroup, 1983–1990
  9. James L. Booth, 1989–1990 (Acting)
  10. Ronald J. Kurth, 1990–1994
  11. Samuel Kern Alexander, 1994–2001
  12. Fieldon King Alexander, 2001–2005
  13. Samuel Kern Alexander, 2006 (interim)
  14. Tim Miller, 2006 (interim)
  15. Randy J. Dunn, 2006–2013
  16. Tim Miller, 2013–2014
  17. Robert O. Davies, 2014–2018
  18. Robert Jackson, 2018–present

Notable alumni edit

References edit

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  2. ^ a b c "CPE Interactive Data Center". Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  3. ^ Murray State University Brand Guidelines (PDF). June 30, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Hortin, L. J. (11 Dec 1970). (PDF). The Ledger and Times. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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  7. ^ a b "Kentucky SP Old Normal School Building". National Archives Catalog. 11 June 1975. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  8. ^ Fifty Years of Progress: A History of Murray State University. 1973. p 93
  9. ^ Dillard, Grant (August 30, 2019). "Former Woods Hall space to become park". The Murray State News. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  10. ^ "MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY Proposed Projects Involving the General Fund (cash or bonds): 2012-2014" (PDF). Lrc.ky.gov. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  11. ^ Fifty Years of Progress: A History of Murray State University. 1973. p 85
  12. ^ "Murray State University Richmond Residential College". Luckett-farley.com. June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  13. ^ "Elizabeth College renovation nearing completion - Murray Ledger & Times: Home". Murrayledger.com. June 28, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  14. ^ Villanueva, Samantha (September 10, 2012). "University completes renovation of Elizabeth, hires consulting firm to review other residential colleges". TheNews.org. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
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  16. ^ . AACSB. Archived from the original on March 28, 2008.
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  28. ^ "Graduate Tuition Rates". Murray State University. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  29. ^ "Doctoral Tuition Rates". Murray State University. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
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  35. ^ [4] February 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
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  37. ^ "Greek Life 15-16 Annual Report" (PDF). www.murraystate.edu. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
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  41. ^ "Hazing is suspected in fatal dormitory fire". Tampa Bay Times. September 14, 2005. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
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  48. ^ Scoby, Courtney (21 January 2016). "Shoe Tree finds new home". The Murray State News. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  49. ^ "Murray State's Shoe Tree expands roots in 'Love Someone' music video". The Blue & Gold. October 25, 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  50. ^ Sommerfeldt, Alissa (2015). "Homecoming 2015". Murray State University Alumni Association. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
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  52. ^ (Press release). Belmont Bruins. September 28, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  53. ^ Wright, John (January 10, 2022). "Murray State accepts MVC invitation". Murray Ledger & Times. Murray, KY. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  54. ^ (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. April 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  55. ^ "2015-16 Men's Basketball Coaching Staff". gopack.com.
  56. ^ "MSU Basketball 30th in ESPN Rankings". goracers.com.
  57. ^ LLC, CarecoTV. . www.collegiatebasschampionship.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  58. ^ . Studentpress.org. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  59. ^ "Cartoonist named top college artithe st in nation". The Murray State News. November 17, 2000. p.7.
  60. ^ "Yearbook missed by students, faculty". TheNews.org. February 21, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  61. ^ "New Madrid – Journal of Contemporary Literature". Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  62. ^ "History of the President's Office | Murray State University".

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • Murray State athletics website

murray, state, university, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Murray State University news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2023 template removal help This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage Please help improve this article and add independent sources April 2023 This article is about the university in Kentucky For the community college in Oklahoma see Murray State College Murray State University MSU is a public university in Murray Kentucky In addition to the main campus in Calloway County in southwestern Kentucky Murray State operates extended campuses offering upper level and graduate courses in Paducah Hopkinsville Madisonville and Henderson Murray State UniversityFormer nameMurray State Normal School 1922 1926 Murray State Normal School and Teachers College 1926 1930 Murray State Teachers College 1930 1948 Murray State College 1948 1966 TypePublic universityEstablished1922 101 years ago 1922 Academic affiliationsSpace grantEndowment 100 2 million 2022 1 PresidentRobert JacksonProvostTim ToddStudents9 489 Fall 2022 2 Undergraduates7 756 Fall 2022 2 Postgraduates1 733 Fall 2022 2 LocationMurray Kentucky United States36 36 56 N 88 19 17 W 36 61556 N 88 32139 W 36 61556 88 32139Campus258 43 acres main campus ColorsNavy blue and gold 3 NicknameRacersSporting affiliationsNCAA Division I MVCMascotRacer One live mascot Dunker costumed Websitewww wbr murraystate wbr edu Contents 1 History 2 The Shield 3 Campus 3 1 The Quad 3 2 Central campus 3 3 Science campus 3 4 Sports and recreation facilities 3 5 Residence halls 4 Academics 4 1 Rankings 5 Tuition policies 6 International students 7 Campus life 7 1 Residential colleges 7 1 1 The eight colleges of Murray State 7 2 Student Government Association 7 3 Greek life 7 4 Traditions 7 4 1 Alma mater 7 4 2 All Campus Sing 7 4 3 Campus Lights 7 4 4 Racer One 7 4 5 Shoe Tree 7 4 6 Tent City 8 Athletics 8 1 Move to the MVC 8 2 Accomplishments 9 Publications 9 1 The Murray State News 9 1 1 Gateway 9 2 The Shield 9 3 New Madrid 10 Radio 11 Former Presidents of the University 12 Notable alumni 13 References 14 External linksHistory editMurray State University was founded after the passage of Senate Bill 14 by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky which created two normal schools in the early 20th century to address the growing demand for professional teachers One was to be located in the western part of the state and many cities and towns bid for the new normal school Rainey T Wells spoke on behalf of the city of Murray to convince the Normal School Commission to choose his city On September 2 1922 Murray was chosen as the site of the western normal school while Morehead was chosen for the eastern normal school On November 26 1922 John Wesley Carr was elected the first president of the Murray State Normal School by the State Board of Education Believing it had the authority to elect the president the Normal School Commission picked Rainey Wells as the first president On May 15 1923 the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled for the State Board of Education and Carr became Murray s first president nbsp Wrather West Kentucky Museum the first building on MSU s campusMurray State Normal School opened on September 24 1923 4 In 1924 the first building on Murray State s campus the Administrative Building was constructed 5 Before this all MSU classes had been held on the first floor of what is now Murray Middle School located on Main Street 6 Designed by Joseph amp Joseph in the Collegiate Gothic style 7 the Administrative Building later known as Wrather Hall housed classrooms a dining hall offices and a chapel The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and renovated soon after finally being renamed to Wrather West Kentucky Museum named for Murray State executive vice president Marvin O Wrather 5 7 All students lived at home or boarded with local families until the first dormitory Wells Hall was constructed in 1925 Wilson Hall was also completed under Carr s presidency with other structures in progress In 1926 Rainey T Wells recognized as the founder of Murray State became its second president Wells served from 1926 to 1932 and during this time Lovett Auditorium Carr Health Building and Pogue Library were all completed In 1926 the Normal School was renamed Murray State Normal School and Teachers College with a four year curriculum and the General Assembly granted it authority to confer baccalaureate degrees In 1928 the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools In 1930 the name was changed to Murray State Teachers College and it was granted authority to offer liberal arts and pre professional courses The name was changed again in 1948 to Murray State College with the expansion of the programs to include graduate level courses in 1966 the General Assembly authorized the Board of Regents to change the name to Murray State University The Shield edit nbsp Murray State University ShieldThe Shield has the heraldic coat of arms of the family of William Murray Earl of Mansfield and Lord Chief Justice of Great Britain in 1756 William Murray is an ancestor of the Murray family from whom the city and the university take their names The shield is blue with a double gold border its three stars represent hope endeavor and achievement Campus editThe Quad edit nbsp Two students walk out of Pogue Library near the statue of founder Rainey T Wells The oldest and most easily recognizable buildings on the Murray State campus are situated around a large grassy tree lined area on the south side of the campus This part of the campus known as the Quad is bounded by 16th Street to the west 15th Street to the east Lovett Auditorium to the north and Wilson Hall to the south In the southwest corner of the Quad is the oldest building on campus now known as Wrather West Kentucky Museum It was first known as the Administration Building and then as Wrather Hall and housed classrooms and offices before it became a museum Ground for Wrather was broken on October 15 1923 and it has been in use since 1924 The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 5 and features a large auditorium that is frequently used for lectures and meetings Faculty Hall Wells Hall and the Business Building line the western edge of the Quad The Lowry Center Pogue Library and the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center line the eastern side of the Quad The 11 story Doyle Fine Arts Center is the tallest building on campus housing numerous classrooms practice rooms recital halls the Robert E Johnson Theatre Clara Eagle Art Gallery WKMS FM and television studios used for student work nbsp Sparks HallDirectly south of the Quad is Sparks Hall The five story 39 000 square foot 3 600 m2 Sparks Hall was completed in 1967 for 1 308 514 citation needed and functions as the main administrative building housing the offices of student financial aid admissions and registration accounting and financial services vice president for administrative services Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach human resources and university communications To the south of the Quadrangle and directly west of Sparks Hall is Oakhurst the residence of the university president Construction of the mansion originally known as Edgewood began in 1917 and was completed in 1918 The home was built by Dr and Mrs Rainey T Wells The Board of Regents purchased the home from Rainey T Wells in June 1936 It was remodeled that year and renamed Oakhurst in preparation for James H Richmond s occupation of the house 8 Central campus edit The central portion of the Murray State campus lines 15th Street between Chestnut Street and Olive Boulevard This portion of 15th Street was originally open to automobile traffic but has since been closed and converted into a pedestrian thoroughfare Along the west side of the pedestrian pathway are the Martha Layne Collins Center for Industry and Technology Blackburn Science Building and Oakley Applied Science Building To the east of the pedestrian pathway lies the Curris Center Carr Health Building and Cutchin Fieldhouse Waterfield Library Mason Hall and the front facade of the now demolished Ordway Hall Woods Hall a former dormitory located behind Waterfield Library was razed in the summer of 2019 and the space it occupied will soon be replaced with a park 9 Ordway Hall was the most historic building in the central portion of campus It was completed in 1931 Originally used as a men s dormitory 38 600 square foot Ordway Hall later housed event space and several offices Because of costly renovation needs Ordway was razed in 2013 The front facade was retained as a monument to its significance 10 11 Science campus edit nbsp Alexander Hall named for former Murray State president Kern AlexanderAn aggressive building campaign on campus has resulted in a westward expansion of the main academic campus of Murray State The expansion began with a massive renovation and expansion of what is now known as Alexander Hall on the west side of 16th Street near Calloway Avenue The project was the first to unveil a new architectural style that would become consistent through all renovation and new construction projects on campus Alexander Hall houses classrooms and offices for the College of Education Construction continued with the new state of the art science complex for biology and chemistry that is located just to the southwest of Alexander Hall The massive new science complex was constructed in phases with the Biology Building opening in 2004 and the rest of the complex and centerpiece clock tower reaching completion in March 2008 The new clock tower was dedicated in 2007 as the Jesse L Jones Family Clock Tower A physics and engineering building was completed in the summer of 2017 Sports and recreation facilities edit nbsp Roy Stewart StadiumThe majority of the university s sports and recreation facilities are located on the northernmost edge of the campus along the KY 121 Bypass The most prominent structure in the sports complex is Roy Stewart Stadium The stadium the home field to the Murray State Racers football program was completed in 1973 and named for former Murray State football coach Roy Stewart It seats 16 800 The outdated AstroTurf surface was replaced with FieldTurf in 2007 Located on the second floor of the seven story press box and seating structure is the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range home of the three time NCAA champion rifle squad The 8 602 seat CFSB Center was completed in 1998 to replace the aging Racer Arena which had been outgrown by the men s and women s basketball teams Racer Arena remains in use by the women s volleyball team On April 16 2005 the new Susan E Bauernfeind Student Recreation and Wellness Center was dedicated The 73 000 square foot 6 800 m2 student recreation center includes a swimming pool two racquetball courts a walking jogging track an aerobic studio basketball courts and free weights and cardio workout machines The center is located just north of the residential colleges near Roy Stewart Stadium Residence halls edit A building campaign is underway to replace many of the older residence halls A replacement building for Clark College was completed and ready for residents at the beginning of the 2007 fall semester Clark Hall was the newest building and the first residence hall specifically designed around the residential college concept and model A new four story 270 bed 79 900 square foot Richmond Hall was opened for James H Richmond Residential College in fall 2009 12 It has a similar concept and design as Clark College In the fall of 2009 the old Clark Hall building was torn down Following the completion of the spring 2011 semester the university began renovation to Elizabeth Hall which houses the Elizabeth Residential College The 7 2 million renovation project closed the building for the entire 2011 12 academic year as the highrise was upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act ADA standards The renovation also included new heating ventilation and air conditioning systems to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED silver status 13 The renovated Elizabeth Hall reopened on August 18 2012 14 Hester Hall is the next highrise residence hall scheduled for renovation however the timeline for that project has not been announced 15 Academics editMurray State University offers eleven associate programs 64 bachelor programs 42 master and specialist programs and three doctoral programs which are administered through four academic colleges two schools 30 departments and one joint program shared by the College of Business and the College of Science Engineering and Technology The College of Business is the largest at Murray State enrolling 23 of the undergraduate students Murray State has been institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges continuously since 1928 It is one of eight schools in the state of Kentucky to achieve AACSB accreditation of business programs 16 however the school is not AACSB accredited in accounting programs 17 Several other programs have achieved specialized accreditation primarily programs in teaching fine arts and nursing As a former normal school and teachers college Murray State is best known for its NCATE accredited education programs The Clinical Psychology Master s program is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council MPCAC 18 The university has also gained national recognition for its fine arts programs The Department of Music has been a member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1936 19 Rankings edit For 29 years Murray State University has been recognized by U S News amp World Report s Best Colleges as one of the top regional universities in the United States The 2019 rankings listed Murray State at 11th place among the public regional universities in the South and 24th overall among all regional universities in the South Murray State has consistently been one of the top ranked public regional universities in Kentucky in the Regional Universities South category which consists of both private and public schools Murray State has also been ranked by Forbes among America s Top Colleges since 2008 20 21 22 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002U S News amp World Report Regional Universities South Overall 24 35 28 26 24 20 25 22 20 18 14 15 17 21 21 18 18U S News amp World Report Regional Universities South Public Schools 11 12 9 9 8 7 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 7 4 5Forbes America s Top Colleges 613 588 547 23 481 24 421 25 322 26 Tuition policies editPresumably due to its location near multiple state borders Murray State offers discounts from its normal out of state tuition rates to residents of several regional states 27 28 These discounts apply only to residential students all online students pay the same rate regardless of residency Tuition for doctoral students also does not vary by state of residence 29 Residents of Alabama Arkansas Illinois Indiana Missouri and Mississippi receive what Murray State calls a regional rate for both undergraduate and graduate programs Residents of Tennessee receive the regional rate for graduate programs but undergraduate programs receive a special rate between the regional and in state rates Residents of specific counties in Illinois Indiana and Tennessee are treated as Kentucky residents for tuition purposes Illinois Massac County directly across the Ohio River from Paducah the largest city in Murray State s home Purchase region Indiana Posey Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties all directly across the Ohio from Kentucky Evansville is in Vanderburgh County Tennessee Henry Montgomery Obion Stewart and Weakley Counties all bordering Kentucky Clarksville is in Montgomery County International students edit401 international students from 45 countries studied at Murray State as of 2021 30 MSU has several international student groups including the International Student Organization the Saudi Student Association and the Indian Student Association 31 Murray State University provides an English as a Second Language ESL program to assist international students who are not fluent in English to come to Kentucky to study 32 This program provides English speaking listening reading and writing instruction while teaching students about American culture The ESL program also offers conversation partner practice where international students are paired with students from the United States to practice speaking English 33 Campus life editResidential colleges edit nbsp HC Franklin Residence Hall at Murray State UniversityAs of fall 2012 Murray State had 2 831 students living on campus 34 Murray State was the first public university in the United States to adopt a successful campus wide residential college program 35 The residential college structure which took form on the campus in 1996 is based on similar but much more established programs at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom as well as Yale University Harvard College and Princeton University in the United States The Murray State model does not include some components of the classical residential college model such as dining halls and libraries at each college In the Murray State model students do share central dining areas and recreation areas However as the older structures are being phased out the university is taking steps with the new residential colleges to address many of those needs Although the physical structures of all of Murray State s residential colleges do not match those of institutions such as Oxford or Yale the basic residential college concept was successfully implemented All faculty staff and students even those who live off campus are assigned to one of the eight residential colleges Once assigned to a residential college a person remains a member of that college throughout their time at the university The eight colleges of Murray State edit Clark College named for Lee Clark who assisted Rainey T Wells in founding the university Clark later served as the superintendent of grounds and buildings The current Clark College opened in August 2007 as the first new residence hall built on campus since 1970 It is also the first residence hall at Murray to be specifically designed to support the residential college concept Elizabeth College named for Elizabeth Harkless Woods wife of fourth Murray State President Ralph H Woods Hart College named for George Hart a Board of Regents member and former mayor of Murray Hester College named for Cleo Gillis Hester who served Murray State University from 1927 to 1960 as registrar Regents College named in honor of the outstanding citizens who have served on Murray State University s Board of Regents completed in 1970 Richmond College named for the third president of the university James H Richmond Springer Franklin College named for O B Springer member of the Board of Regents from 1950 to 1958 and 1960 to 1970 and Hollis C Franklin who served on the board from 1947 to 1956 White College named for R H Bob White a Board of Regents memberStudent Government Association edit The Student Government Association SGA is the officially organized body governing all students and student organizations at Murray State University Its purpose is to promote the welfare growth and development of student life in an environment of academic excellence to represent the students in all phases of administrative effort and to provide a means of promoting cooperative efforts for the general welfare of the university community The SGA is made up of four branches Senate Campus Activities Board Judicial Board and the Residential College Association The Senate is the main branch of SGA and it is the governing body with the power to pass resolutions bills rules and regulations necessary for the general welfare of the university and to implement and maintain any programs consistent with SGA purposes The president of SGA holds the student seat on the Board of Regents 36 Greek life edit Murray State is home to twenty six chapters of both social and professional Greek organizations The oldest social fraternity on campus is Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the oldest professional fraternity is Sigma Alpha Iota both relating to music with the oldest social sorority being Sigma Sigma Sigma As of the spring 2016 semester 1 438 students were officially reported to be involved with Greek life representing 19 of the undergraduate student population 37 As of Fall 2019 16 of undergraduate students make up Murray State Greek Life The average chapter size for the Panhellenic Council is 93 Interfraternity Council is 50 and National Pan Hellenic Council is 5 The average Greek GPA is 3 20 All statistics come from the Murray State University Office of Greek Life website 38 Greek life has been banned on campus several times in past decades namely 2012 and 2018 The 2012 incidents involved Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity houses 39 The 2018 ban on Greek life and social events followed the death of 19 year old Zach Wardrip 40 In both cases several persons were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning and ensuing violence In 1998 a fatal dormitory fire on campus was attributed to GLOs 41 Traditions edit Alma mater edit The alma mater of Murray State University is sung to the tune of Annie Lisle and has two verses A B Austin one time Dean of Men wrote the words in 1935 It is traditionally sung at student orientation convocation and commencement ceremonies athletic events and other special events on campus All Campus Sing edit All Campus Sing is an annual event first held in 1958 that takes place each April in which residential colleges fraternities sororities and other student organizations compete in a choreographed song and dance competition The event is hosted by the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota the original organizer of the event with financial assistance from the MSU Alumni Association and the Office of Student Affairs It is held on the steps of historic Lovett Auditorium 42 43 Campus Lights edit Campus Lights is the longest running student produced and performed musical in the South The show was started in 1938 by the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha as a fundraiser to pay the chapter s chartering fees Campus Lights is now produced by a joint effort of the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha and the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota All proceeds from the show are given to the Department of Music to fund scholarships 44 45 Racer One edit In 1976 the tradition of having a thoroughbred run around the track after every MSU football touchdown began The name of that first racehorse was Violet Cactus She died in 1984 and was buried at Roy Stewart Stadium near the area where the current Racer One begins its run around the football field after a Racer touchdown She is the only mascot to be interred inside the walls of the stadium Since 1985 each horse that has circled the football field after touchdowns has been known as Racer One Several horses have filled the role of Racer One since 1985 and the position is currently held by a horse named Vegas Each fall sophomores and juniors with riding experience can try out to serve as jockeys of Racer One for the following football season The position is typically held by a student in his or her senior year 43 46 Shoe Tree edit nbsp The Shoe Tree in July 2021Located in front of Pogue Library Murray State tradition dictates if a couple gets married after meeting at Murray State they return to the Quad and each one nails one of their shoes to the Shoe Tree Many of the shoes include names and dates written on them If the couple has a baby the baby s shoes are sometimes also nailed to the tree The shoe tree tradition originated around 1965 47 This tree due to the high zinc content from the nails is a common target of lightning and has caught fire in the past Previous incarnations of the Shoe Tree were removed in 1999 and 2015 due to safety reasons the tradition continues through the third tree 47 48 The Shoe Tree was featured in Danish pop band Lukas Graham s September 2018 music video for their song Love Someone 49 Tent City edit An annual tradition since 1989 Tent City is an event that takes place before every homecoming football game At Tent City more than 50 tents are set up on the track at Roy Stewart Stadium representing fraternities sororities student organizations and residential colleges An average of 100 organizations participate each year 50 Students use this event as a chance to talk to and meet with alumni to help raise money for their activities throughout the school year Athletics editMain article Murray State Racers nbsp Murray State Athletics wordmarkThe Murray State athletic teams are called the Racers Their historic nickname had been the Thoroughbreds but all teams changed over time to Racers with the last holdout of baseball making the change in 2014 The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks for football the Football Championship Subdivision primarily competing in the Missouri Valley Conference MVC since the 2022 23 academic year The Racers previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference OVC from 1948 49 to 2021 22 and in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference currently known as the River States Conference RSC since the 2016 17 school year of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics NAIA from 1933 34 to 1947 48 Murray State competes in 15 intercollegiate varsity sports Men s sports include baseball basketball cross country football and golf while women s sports include basketball cross country golf soccer softball tennis track amp field and volleyball and co ed sports include rifle Move to the MVC edit In July 2022 Murray State 51 and Belmont 52 will both leave the OVC to join the MVC Because the MVC does not sponsor football Murray State plans to remain in OVC football for the 2022 season before leaving for the Missouri Valley Football Conference a separate entity from the MVC in 2023 53 54 MSU will also maintain OVC membership in rifle another sport not sponsored by the MVC Accomplishments edit Murray State is particularly renowned for its men s basketball program which has made 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament most recently in 2022 In 2010 as a 13 seed Murray State won their second ever NCAA tournament game on a buzzer beater against 4th seeded Vanderbilt Former Alabama head basketball coach Mark Gottfried coached the Racers to three Ohio Valley Conference Championships all three years he coached there the only OVC coach to accomplish such a mark 55 The Racer men s basketball team was also led to the 2012 OVC championship by Coach Steve Prohm The basketball program has been recognized as one of the top 30 basketball programs in modern history by ESPN 56 Murray State also is home to one of the nation s top rifle programs The Racers claimed national championships in 1978 NRA 1985 NCAA and 1987 NCAA and have produced six individual NCAA national champions including two time national titlist and 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist Pat Spurgin The football program has become a stepping stone to major college coaching success Frank Beamer the former Virginia Tech head coach who built that program into a national power in the 1990s and early 2000s and former Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt are both former Racers head coaches Former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen was a Racers assistant under Beamer and former Illinois head coach Ron Zook was an assistant under former ESPN college football analyst Mike Gottfried who was Beamer s predecessor as head coach Murray State is also the home of a nationally ranked collegiate bass fishing team that has won multiple titles including national championships 57 Publications editThe Murray State News edit The Murray State News is the student newspaper of Murray State University The newspaper has been the recipient of several ACP Pacemaker awards the highest award given to collegiate newspapers most recently in 2004 58 In October 2013 the newspaper won third place best in show for four year weekly broadcast at the National College Media Convention in New Orleans The Murray State News gained notoriety between 1998 and 2001 through the work of cartoonist Darin Shock Shock earned the honor of top college cartoonist in the nation from the College Media Advisers in 2000 He had earned second place honors the previous year 59 Gateway edit Gateway Magazine is a full color glossy magazine published annually as an imprint of The Murray State News The Shield edit The school yearbook The Shield was awarded three Pacemaker awards and two CSPA Silver Crowns citation needed The Shield ceased publication with its 2008 edition due to financial concerns 60 New Madrid edit The university s national literary magazine New Madrid with editor Ann Neelon featured work from a range of nationally recognized authors and received acclaim from sources as diverse as La Bloga a leading Hispanic journal and New Pages a leading national review of literary magazines A lack of funding led to the suspension of publication in 2018 61 Radio editWKMS FM 91 3 FM is a non commercial educational National Public Radio affiliated station licensed and operated by Murray State University It features a variety of NPR programming and local music shows ranging from classical music bluegrass alternative rock jazz electronica and world music Former Presidents of the University editPresidents of the university include 62 John W Carr 1923 1926 Rainey T Wells 1926 1932 John W Carr 1933 1936 James H Richmond 1936 1945 Ralph H Woods 1945 1968 Harry M Sparks 1968 1973 Constantine W Curris 1973 1983 Kala M Stroup 1983 1990 James L Booth 1989 1990 Acting Ronald J Kurth 1990 1994 Samuel Kern Alexander 1994 2001 Fieldon King Alexander 2001 2005 Samuel Kern Alexander 2006 interim Tim Miller 2006 interim Randy J Dunn 2006 2013 Tim Miller 2013 2014 Robert O Davies 2014 2018 Robert Jackson 2018 presentNotable alumni editMain article List of Murray State University alumniReferences edit As of June 30 2022 U S and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year FY 2022 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY21 to FY22 Report National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA June 30 2022 Retrieved June 20 2023 a b c CPE Interactive Data Center Retrieved 2023 06 20 Murray State University Brand Guidelines PDF June 30 2022 Retrieved February 26 2023 Hortin L J 11 Dec 1970 The Origin of Murray State University History of University Published As Fiftieth Anniversary Draws Near PDF The Ledger and Times Archived from the original PDF on 17 July 2021 Retrieved 16 July 2021 a b c Wrather West KY Museum Murray State University Archived from the original on Aug 17 2021 Retrieved 2021 07 17 Our History Murray Independent School District Retrieved 2021 07 17 a b Kentucky SP Old Normal School Building National Archives Catalog 11 June 1975 Retrieved 16 July 2021 Fifty Years of Progress A History of Murray State University 1973 p 93 Dillard Grant August 30 2019 Former Woods Hall space to become park The Murray State News Retrieved 2019 11 12 MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY Proposed Projects Involving the General Fund cash or bonds 2012 2014 PDF Lrc ky gov Retrieved November 22 2012 Fifty Years of Progress A History of Murray State University 1973 p 85 Murray State University Richmond Residential College Luckett farley com June 20 2014 Retrieved June 20 2015 Elizabeth College renovation nearing completion Murray Ledger amp Times Home Murrayledger com June 28 2012 Retrieved June 20 2015 Villanueva Samantha September 10 2012 University completes renovation of Elizabeth hires consulting firm to review other residential colleges TheNews org Retrieved June 20 2015 University evaluates high rise renovations TheNews org April 12 2012 Retrieved June 20 2015 Schools Accredited in Business ordered by country region state name AACSB Archived from the original on March 28 2008 Schools Accredited in Accounting ordered by country region state name AACSB Archived from the original on April 3 2008 Master s in Clinical Psychology Murray State University Retrieved 2023 01 25 1 Archived March 11 2008 at the Wayback Machine MSU recognized by U S News amp World Report Murrayledger com September 20 2019 Retrieved January 22 2020 2 Archived September 12 2014 at the Wayback Machine jwright murrayledger com JOHN WRIGHT Murray St makes Forbes list for 12th straight year Murray Ledger and Times Retrieved 2020 01 22 Report on Murray State president released News kentuckynewera com March 30 2013 Retrieved June 20 2015 481 Murray State University Forbes com Archived from the original on August 15 2010 Retrieved June 20 2015 America s Best Colleges Forbes com Retrieved June 20 2015 Many Kentucky Schools Make Forbes America s 500 Best Colleges List Wkyt com August 15 2008 Archived from the original on June 21 2015 Retrieved June 20 2015 Undergraduate Tuition Rates Murray State University Retrieved March 8 2022 Graduate Tuition Rates Murray State University Retrieved March 8 2022 Doctoral Tuition Rates Murray State University Retrieved March 8 2022 Mission amp Quick Facts Murray State University Retrieved 2021 06 18 International Student Life Murray State University Retrieved 2021 06 18 English as a Second Language Program Murray State University Retrieved 2021 06 18 Conversation partners Murray State University Retrieved 2021 06 18 3 Archived April 23 2013 at the Wayback Machine 4 Archived February 9 2006 at the Wayback Machine Board of Regents at Murray State University Greek Life 15 16 Annual Report PDF www murraystate edu Retrieved October 12 2016 About Murray State Greek Life Medovich Olivia March 9 2012 Suspended Fraternity social activities prohibited during University s investigation Murray State News Retrieved August 14 2023 Murray State to announce Greek policy changes today Murray Ledger August 13 2018 Retrieved August 14 2023 Hazing is suspected in fatal dormitory fire Tampa Bay Times September 14 2005 Retrieved August 14 2023 McClain Sherry April 9 2011 Annual All Campus Sing set for April 13 Murray Ledger amp Times News Murrayledger com Retrieved June 20 2015 a b Getting To Know Murray State Backing The Pack 8 September 2009 Retrieved June 20 2015 Cast performs in tragic musical TheNews org January 19 2012 Retrieved June 20 2015 Murray State University Campus Lights Retrieved June 20 2015 Clear the track Racer One returns this fall The Blue amp Gold Retrieved January 23 2019 a b MSU Traditions Murraystate edu Retrieved June 20 2015 Scoby Courtney 21 January 2016 Shoe Tree finds new home The Murray State News Retrieved 28 July 2021 Murray State s Shoe Tree expands roots in Love Someone music video The Blue amp Gold October 25 2018 Retrieved 2019 11 12 Sommerfeldt Alissa 2015 Homecoming 2015 Murray State University Alumni Association Retrieved May 4 2016 Murray State University Joins The Missouri Valley Conference Press release Missouri Valley Conference January 7 2022 Retrieved January 7 2022 Belmont University to Join Missouri Valley Conference Press release Belmont Bruins September 28 2021 Archived from the original on September 28 2021 Retrieved September 28 2021 Wright John January 10 2022 Murray State accepts MVC invitation Murray Ledger amp Times Murray KY Retrieved January 11 2022 Murray State Football To Join Missouri Valley Football Conference July of 2023 Press release Missouri Valley Football Conference April 4 2022 Archived from the original on April 4 2022 Retrieved April 6 2022 2015 16 Men s Basketball Coaching Staff gopack com MSU Basketball 30th in ESPN Rankings goracers com LLC CarecoTV Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Murray State Champions www collegiatebasschampionship com Archived from the original on August 7 2016 Retrieved April 26 2016 ACP Contest Winners Studentpress org Archived from the original on February 17 2009 Retrieved November 22 2012 Cartoonist named top college artithe st in nation The Murray State News November 17 2000 p 7 Yearbook missed by students faculty TheNews org February 21 2014 Retrieved June 20 2015 New Madrid Journal of Contemporary Literature Retrieved 2019 11 11 History of the President s Office Murray State University External links editOfficial website nbsp Murray State athletics website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Murray State University amp oldid 1186272503, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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