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."
31 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.
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