Mississippi College posted the following statement on Facebook.
After significant review and in preparation for the institution’s 2026 bicentennial, the Mississippi College Board of Trustees today (Nov. 18) approved an institutional name change from Mississippi College to Mississippi Christian University.
This decision underscores MC’s status as a comprehensive university and allows the institution to retain its MC logo and identity.
Why it matters: The institutional name change is a strategic decision that reiterates leadership’s commitment to fulfilling the private university’s vision statement – To be known as a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ. Planning for a name change and associated branding efforts will begin immediately, and the new name will take effect in 2026 to coincide with the bicentennial.
At the Nov. 18 meeting, the Mississippi College Board of Trustees also approved
- A preliminary plan for academic reorganization.
- A strategic realignment of the athletic department.
“These transformational and necessary changes are extremely important to the future of this institution. As we look ahead to the institution’s bicentennial in 2026, we want to ensure that MC will be a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ for another 200 years,” said Mississippi College President Blake Thompson.
The preliminary plan for academic reorganization elevates the Department of Christian Studies to an interdisciplinary unit that underscores the institution’s commitment to Christian education. A new structure will be implemented that consolidates the School of Christian Studies and the Arts with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the School of Education will be renamed to the School of Education and Human Science. The Provost has been charged with evaluating the potential consolidation of a limited number of academic departments on campus. This plan aims to ensure academic programs are relevant to the marketplace while also making the university more efficient and innovative.
“By refining our academic offerings and investing in key academic initiatives, we seek to provide a learning environment where students and faculty can excel, pursue meaningful scholarship and engage in impactful service,” said MC Provost and Executive Vice President Mike Highfield.
The strategic realignment of athletics includes the discontinuation of the intercollegiate football program, which will allow the institution to further its commitment to excellence in intercollegiate Division II play across its remaining 17 sports and pursue needed facility upgrades.
“Discontinuing our football program is a difficult decision. We acknowledge the program’s legacy and the deep connection to the many student-athletes, alumni and supporters of the football program. I want to emphasize that we will always consider them as part of our MC Family,” said MC Athletic Director Kenny Bizot.
“We will support our current student-athletes as they seek to continue their education at MC as well as those who wish to transfer,” added Bizot.
All three changes – the institutional name change, academic reorganization plan and athletic department realignment – emphasize prioritizing the academic enterprise and supporting the university’s core functions.
The three changes were based on recommendations from a task force of university trustees, which were developed in consultation with university leadership and approved by the Board of Trustees, with the primary goal of providing long-term sustainability for the institution through strategic mission alignment, organizational efficiencies and a structurally balanced budget.
About Mississippi College: Mississippi College is a private, co-educational, Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi, and serves nearly 5,000 students from across the world. Founded in 1826, Mississippi College is the oldest institution of higher learning, public or private, in the state of Mississippi. MC is affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, and the institution’s vision is to be known as a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ. Learn more at mc.edu.
Kingfish note: This website will continue to call the school "Mississippi College."
99 comments:
Me too, Kingfish.
the 1st of many. the lower tiers have empty stadiums. not sustainable
No football? Why?
I still say Belhaven College and not Belhaven University.
There are several other colleges in MS who should also drop their football program.
has the word college become a dirty word?
belhaven college became belhaven university.
ms college is now ms christian university.
are you able to bang more money out of donors and the government if you are a university?
This will turn into another MUW debacle. Football coach posted his dismay on Twitter. Apparently somebody forgot to loop him in. They can spin this however they like, but high schoolers and their parents will assume MC is in dire straights.
Football is a costly enterprise so I can understand the desire. This seems though like a short sighted thing. How many potential attorneys will want to have their law degree from Mississippi Christian University? I am not a graduate and don't live in Clinton yet the name change seems silly just for the sake of being called a "University".
So much for 200 years of tradition.
@KF I’m not surprised. Despite your weekly post of a YouTube video for FBC of Jackson. You have never really shown respect for Christians. The is evidenced by your insistence on promoting the degenerate Christ hating Larry David and Bill Maher.
I could handle one, maybe two of these major changes, but announcing all three at once will be interpreted by alumni and potential students as dire. And how does a DII school blame NIL for cancelling football? This is just a stepping stone move for an up and coming progressive college president. Alums will be left with the pieces.
I bet the discontinuation of the football program will draw more ire than any other change (including the name).
They have had a PhD program for a while and that's always been the difference between a college and a university. This let's them keep "MC", which is good, and if their students want a Christian college experience, that's great for them. I guess I can still call them MC, which is really what I've always called them. (Of course I didn't go there, so no one really cares what I think.)
UAB tried to get rid of their football program and that only lasted a short while. Blazer football came back stronger. We will see how this goes for MC. The sport is different now with NIL.
As a longtime employee and MC graduate, I am not upset about the football program. They have had a handful of winning seasons going back 30+ years. MC is not a football school, and it will be fine. As far as the name change, I am not a fan. My degree says Mississippi College, and I will always refer to my alma mater and workplace as that.
Now the football coach can feel free to apply for the USM job
I also thought of the law school. Makes it sound like some unaccredited garbage law school. Oh wait...
We were very interested in our children going to MC when they graduate in a few years. One of the primary reasons was because it is a Christian school. However, the last think I want is for my child to not even be able to get their foot in the door when looking for a job because some bigoted HR person sees "Mississippi Christian" on their resume and automatically eliminates them as a potential candidate. The name change will affect future enrollment.
Dropping football and the associated students will make the campus and learning environment better.
Should have gone all the way and gotten rid of "MC" also. Madison folks already stole it, and they have a better football program. All the naysayers on social media should have showed up for football games. But no, they just post their rants on computers.
Agree with the 1st 4:18 poster. I have felt the same way for the last 6 years. Especially when Boyce decides to hang it up.
Another Delta State…
@4:44. Agreed! I would like to know how many of those upset have even been to a game in the last 20 years! I have missed very few games in the last 15 years, and I see the same people every time...a few students and very few faculty and staff. I am not opposed to this move. More money and energy can be put into the other sports.
Let's be honest. If your resume/CV lists anything "Mississippi" you probably are hurting with regional or big city hiring managers unless you have an engineering or medical degree with it, or you go on to a top grad program. At least as far as lucrative careers outside the state. And we go back 140 years with all these schools. Not a Yankee or Mississippi hater.
But ignoring 200 years of a name is just stupid. MC is MC. This is like creating Space Force "Guardians," just with leaving out hundreds of years of history. This is akin to creating White Southern Male University, when, in fact, that's not the bulk of their students.
Better to drop football and keep the Christians than vice versa.
Back in the 1970's when Jackson State had upgraded programs and acheived research "university status" with the other 3 universities the college board and the legislature decided rather than give JSU that recognition the designation "university" would become a meaningless title and all state colleges would be called university. Now it seems the term has regained it's lofty status once again. What's really happening?
What Christians at Mississippi College? I never saw any Christians who worked at that place. The administration and their brown nosers are too busy trying to backstab the other workers. All it is a bunch of snoots from Ole Towne Clinton thinking their shit don't stink.
I don't know what kind of money that the smaller schools bring in with football and I haven't been to a game at MC since 1985.
However, I like the name change. In the social climate we are in now, it is great when an entity reinforces their mission statement. It's time to choose up sides, but I like that we can still call it MC.
Troy State
Memphis State
Delta Straight
The W
TSUN
State
The Barn
Bammer
Those names will always be the same for me.
I am a graduate of MC and this is imo not a great idea. Excluding other religions in your official name is surrendering. Snake worship away and while you are at it….might want to add conversion therapy of your show choir group as a major
We are big enough to call ourselves University! Let’s change our 190 year old name to reflect our booming success! Wait, we can’t afford football any more? Ok, just throw it in the same press release! Nobody will notice.
A friend has a grandson who attends MC. His grandson says football games are poorly attended by the student body, & that MC doesn't publicize games very well. The last athletic event I attended at MC was a basketball game 5 or 6 years ago. The student section was about half full, at best. The game was poorly organized, almost like MC just didn't care very much. MC lost to Delta State, BTW.
4:39 - You aren't a Christian if you're as ashamed to be a Christian. You sound like a member of one of the mainline denominations.
I am confused about people hating on Christian being in the name. There are tons of schools that have some sort of religious reference in their name. Ex. Presbyterian college Dallas Baptist university abilene Christian university. They wanted to emphasize the Christian nature of the school. Also mc has always been a university with numerous graduate programs and a law school. So it's about time they put it in their name.
Has TCU - - Texas Christian University taken a "hit" to its reputation that I missed?
I getting some vibes.
3:35 is giving off the vibe he lost a girlfriend to a Delta State, Millsaps, or Mississippi SWAC football player.
I get the vibe MC wants to sound like TCU.
I get the vibe they are tired of the personality of football players.
I get the vibe the AD as basketball guy is trying to become a D1 non football school or is jealous of football.
I have no idea.
Is MC a suitcase/commuter school?
Are a lot of colleges turning into them?
Pfffftttt.
No football team?
Puhleaze......
They're just trying to conform to High Freeze's demands once he leaves Auburn with a foot in his ass.
A board of trustees can do this with no buy-in from the alumni. Nice.
Run Lewis Run.
I'm glad MC is clearing up its mission by adding "Christian" to its name. Nobody realized its religious affiliation (sarcasm). Matthew 6:5
I don’t know how they workshopped this—alums are melting down on FB. Maybe the decision makers thought that throwing in “Christian University” returns more hits for a prospective student in a Google search than “Mississippi College?”
Even if it wasn’t well sourced or attended, fair to say that once football leaves campus, especially at a southern school, for better of worse, you are cutting yourself off at the legs. Only going to attract a limited brand of male student.
4:13, your tin foil hat is on too tight. And why do you even come here?
Everyone calm down, MC is not dropping football, they’re just dropping the brutal American style football. Real football, which you may know as soccer, will still be played.
Name change fine no football bad. Can get rid of 1/2 the foundation employees as fundraising will go way down. 20 full time people way to many now. So as you drop football layoff employees before Christmas that will no longer be needed.
No one is commenting on the consolidations which involves eliminating and downgrading positions and depts
What 8:25 said
Now MC will know what can be, unburdened by what has been.
College vs University is an accreditation issue. It appears they are moving to advance the level of accreditation, which should be a good thing.
8:25- who cares amount male students? MC student body is nearly 60% female, similar to many other colleges and universities. And they only get to 40% male because they actively discriminate against females in admission. That is the affirmative action no one wants to talk about. Lazy momma boys just don’t get their act together. And why would they if everyone excuses them with boys will be boys. And don’t come me with developmental differences. Asian boys don’t have this problem…
OK, I heard this news today, and as a parent that paid tuition for several years in the early 2000's - this is not that surprising to me. MC has always attempted to "prove or promote" themselves as a "better" choice for higher education - -- I never believed it. Smokescreens .
They should drop the Choctaw mascot. Be soldiers. Christian Soldiers!
Southern Miss needs to shut its football program also. The team is not competitive and the fan base has devolved into extinction. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.
Yeah. I'm still pissed about the changing it from Hamstead Academy.
Coaches don't run universities outside of the SEC. Weird, right?
Totally a business decision. They will look like geniuses in 3 years.
MCU is a private college. Not sure financials are comparable.
I know. My great great grandma was also mad when Mississippi Normal College changed their name to Mississippi State Teachers College in 1924.
9:54, tell us more. What accreditation do they lack currently?
“Permanence is an illusion; only change is real”.
- Heraclitus
Maybe they can afford to put up a statue of Glenn Worley so birds can crap on it like he did with staff who work under him.
Tell the donors how much this name change boondoggle will cost for rebranding.
I don’t know of a single living human being who’s been to one of their games. I know someone who “played” but even his parents didn’t go.
I remember in the early 1970s, the Ms. College football team played a Mexican college team in Mexico City.
Ms. College scored a touchdown and kicked an extra point. The Mexican referees called the kick no good because it went too high and did not pass through the goal post, simply because it was “too high”.
I wonder when they are going to re-brand the Indian references, the mascots, and the social "tribes". MC has always been weird. Mostly a bunch of local kids who cant get too far from home to attend college.
Also, the NIL isn't killing their program. Just about no kids playing football at MC left because another school lured them away for an NIL Deal.
MC is not what it used to be. I’ve worked there many times with my company for Utility work and it’s pretty ironic they are adding Christian to the name. LOTS of lgb’s there now. Most are one foot still in the closet but it’s very noticeable. Not just students but staff also.
That’s funny right there.
MCU is a private college. It receives federal money like Pell grants, but not any state money. That means they don’t have to do DEI.
Can someone tell me how much money USM is losing in its football program?
Wait...MC has a football team? Who knew?
That's a good point about some liberal, bigoted HR person seeing Christian on a resume and putting that resume on the bottom of the stack.
For the clown who said, 'Like another Delta State', he must be ignorant as to Delta State's football program over last two decades. Otherwise, who knows what he meant.
We will see more schools fall to NIL as time passes. I have no trouble understanding that MC sees a better return on their money if they do not buy themselves a football team for the 874 MC fans who show up for their games. I see them dropping football as a sad thing, but IMO football is a sad thing now, or maybe better said as Football is a rich man's, hobby now. I can remember when Mississippi Agriculture and Mechanical college changed to Mississippi State College and then to MSU. What's in a name anyway. We worry about names and that is fine. I wish we would put more concern into the enforcement of pronouns.
MC isn't losing football players to other schools for NIL money. Also, MC isn't paying those player NIL money. Football players at MC play football at MC because they want to play while attending school. Not because MC is paying them to play. This axing of the football program has nothing to do with NIL money. Nothing, convenient timing however.
lol @ all of you who think the “christian” part if the name will get the resume filed in the trash instead of the “Mississippi” part of the name.
MC as Ms College or Ms Christian will continue as a fine academic institution. Many graduates go on to medical & other professional degrees.
What would the girls from Central Female Institute or Hillman think? Who? CFI that became Hillman College in Clinton, Mississippi. Here's a bit of trivia from my mother's obituary. Who Knew?
"She attended Hillman College in Clinton, MS and Blue Mountain College, Blue Mountain, MS and graduated at Delta State College, Cleveland, MS. At Hillman she was president of the freshman class. Hillman, originally Central Female Institute, was founded in 1853 and operated during and survived the Civil War and in 1942 was purchased by and became part of Mississippi College in Clinton."
If it was a money thing then wouldn’t they just go back to D3? Then with the Speed money, athletes from in-state would basically be on partial scholarship already, just not athletic technically.
I don’t want to kick a man while he’s down, but MC is pretty weird.
It’s also weird they hired a new coach for the 2024 season. Did they just decide to do this less than a year ago, or hire a new coach just to pay him off?
Thanks for the history, Don Drane...the comments of so many insecure people with anger issues was getting tiresome.
The additions of Christian and University means the Board has secured the financial support of a Christian Church and has enough graduate level programs to meet the requirements of a university.
The notion that " Christian" on a job application likely wouldn't even bother a strip club unless the guy or gal promised to not preach and proselytize to other employees and customers.
It's common to see church membership on an application to college or for a job.
Some of you are making it rather obvious why you are having an unsuccessful life...you are blaming everyone else rather than looking in the mirror! I used to feel sorry for you and want to give you a chance but now the internet and divisive politics has made you feel " entitled" to ruin everyone else's day and spread your anger and misery.
@10:55PM - I'm not necessarily picking up what you are putting down. I agree if you are saying there are more females, or they are outperforming males, at college. The point is that excising a football program from your institution here affects not just the 100 or so dudes on the team, but the overall tenor of the school and student body. You can put the lesser Southern religion for the greater one in its proper place, but maybe do it wisely.
correctomundo
Wow! The insecurity, hate and paranoia is glaring in these comments!
The name change means that that Mississippi College met the accreditation requirements for a university and because they wanted to reflect that they have church support.
Congratulations! Happy for the GOOD NEWS!
It sucks no doubt but how can you justify spending money on something that is not only not profitable, it is costing you millions. The collegiate football environment is irrevocably changed. Sports Fandom Darwinism.
Good thing they are a private college and can do what they want.
Hmmm. I had heard that MC doesn't even HAVE an athletic scholarship program.
@10:45AM - Either level up to FCS but take your licks but get paid for playing the big guys (unlikely), or go back down to D3 (where MC was) and have the students (or Uncle Sam) basically pay their way. Admittedly, neither is a great option, but in the D3 context (see Millsaps), it's the only way some schools can even get students. Or overhaul your institution. I'm just saying there are certain intangibles you lose by punting the football.
Bigger things to fret over…. It’s still MC, only MCU. Not a major worry.
Any time the current president of that institution does something, he always surprises me that he continues to go through more. This current Mississippi College has been just in a weird spot, since Lee Royce left it as a well-oiled machine, and honestly, he was outstanding. Ever since, I think the current president is trying to push the buttons and provide the ambition of the mission. The acronym is frankly unfortunate, MCU sounds like Superhero universe for me, and dropping football, so many years after going to D2, and citing NIL is beyond me. NIL doesnt even happen in D2. Also, I'm curious what the private schools are gonna do bc they lose their state championship football field due to the killing of the football program. Not to mention, a significant chunk of their enrollment will tank due to football being cut. Even if ya are trash, your football team is still bringing in kids.
Also, in terms of the law school, i think prior to recent years, they have been trying to run that institution paralell to the cultural values and such of the main campus, and since the current president came in, there has been more a concerted effort to instill the "main campus values" to the law school, even through they are very much separate physically.
Fine, drop football if you want, but I would not change the name.
@11:57 I’m living in Southeast Asia and passed a “Normal College” and was surprised I had never heard of that before. It also has a sign stating that it is a college for educators. And this particular country is a former colony of the USA.
"the College" vs. "the University"
https://www.reddit.com/r/williamandmary/comments/1doc85a/the_college_vs_the_university/?rdt=47179
Other suggested name changes:
Pentacostal State
Charismatic College
Look-at-me University
Speak In Tongues Tech
I think the Good Book had something to say about people who go around making big demonstrations of their religiosity, besides the fact that it tends to push people away instead of bringing them in.
Oh, for gawd's (pardon the sorta-pun) sake, just merge with Millsaps, call the result "Miss-Sap University," and be done with it. Oh, wait. OK, how about "Ole Miss-Sap?" Yeah, that might raise a brow or two.
So anyway, how about "The University of Jackghanistan?" The "Fighting Indictments" kinda has a ring to it, for the...the...
synchronized swimming team, right?
Much like another humorist noted about the dead raccoon over yonder on that there other thread, there's at least a Clower story or three ri-cheer up amongst us, and some relief is needed desperately.
Nobody 'cited NIL' other than one or two ignorant drive-by posters. Nobody, at this level of play, expects or anticipates NIL money.
Somewhere there is a good quote about not being ostentatious with your Christianity. Something like don’t advertise yourself as a “Christian artist” or a “Christian -insert occupation”. Be a good artist and live as a Christian and it will show.
I don’t give two cents about football and went to one game while I was at MC just on a park because some friends wanted to go. I think I went because we were drinking. But they did the coach and all the staff dirty. This is a hell of a way to inform them.
I’m not surprised. They quietly removed the monument to the students who fought in the War Between the States, many of who died and didn’t come back.
A couple of people have commented about the homosexuals at MC. This has been true for a long time. Lots of closet cases there. I hear more of them are out now than formerly.
University implies large, comprehensive. College implies small, intimate and unique. Which one is MC? Hmm. MC might become the only “university” without a football team. Or Greek system.
Not giving the football coach and staff, nor their players advanced warning wasn't very Christian. And, yes 5:15 am colleges and universities supported by mainstream denominations do have Greek systems as well as football teams.
Since money and politics is a strong driving force in Mississippi and football programs are a part of that. Someone at MC had the strongest politics and or money to have the football program dropped.
"...not being ostentatious with your Christianity...live as a Christian and it will show.
---
...removed the monument to the students who fought in the War Between the States...
---
...the homosexuals at MC....Lots of closet cases there..."
Don't be ostentatious with your racism and homophobia. Live as a racist homophobe and it will show. Even when trolling.
@8:01. I'm sure the coaches that were let go when this new coach came in felt the same way. It's all part of being athletics. Things can change at any time.
As for comments someone made about MC being the only university without football, think again. There is a large list of universities that are doing quite well without football.
11:00 a.m. :
Perhaps you would like to explain how the statements you quoted are “racist and homophobic”?
The American States did fight a war between themselves. I guess that’s the racist part?
Closet cases do exist - does pointing that out make one “homophobic?”
I’m REALLY curious how the first quote displays “racism and homophobia “.
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