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Union student Genie Henley and Lady Margaret Thatcher stand with a bust of Lady Thatcher, sculpted by Henley. Henley, an art major, created the sculpture for a class project and was able to discuss the work with Lady Thatcher immediately after the Union Scholarship Banquet. Union University introduced its new online publication, Union Today, at the start of the 1998-99 academic year, making even more information about the University accessible with the click of a mouse. The web site, located at http://www.uu.edu/, features Union's biggest news story of the week on the front page, along with links to other major Union stories. Parts of the page also highlight the University's centers, including the Center for Scientific Research, the Center for Christian Leadership, the Center for International Studies and the R.G. Lee Center. According to Union Executive Vice President Michael Duduit, the idea for the publication began when the university recognized the need to provide easily accessible information about Union, specifically through the Internet. "As more people want to know about the exciting things happening at Union University, it is essential that we find alternative ways to communicate with a variety of audiences," Duduit says. "An online publication is an excellent way for Union to tell its story to anyone with a modem and an Internet account, and provide easy access to the wealth of news and resources the University generates." Besides coverage of news events, the site also includes information on Union academics, athletics, alumni, student life and the Germantown, Tenn., campus. A News and Information section features three subdivisions for the reader: upcoming events, campus news and the arts at Union. It also provides a three-year archive of all Union news releases and calendars for chapel, academics, the arts and sports events. Faculty Installation at Fall Convocation Union University installed three faculty members into administrative positions this fall semester, during the university's annual convocation ceremony in September.
Dr. Jimmy Davis was installed as Associate Provost and Executive Director of Institutional Research. Davis, Professor of Chemistry, celebrates his 20th year at Union. Dr. Kina Mallard, Chair of the department of Communication Arts, was installed as Director of the Center for Faculty Development. Mallard, also an Associate Professor of Communication Arts, has been a faculty member since 1991. Each faculty member has already begun to serve in his or her new capacities. In other staff news, Kathy Southall, former Resident Director of Union's McAfee Housing Complex, is now Director of Residence Life at Union. U.S. News Lauds Union for Third Consecutive Year
Rankings are based on a variety of criteria, including academic reputation, retention, graduation rate, class size and ACT/SAT scores of entering students. "We are delighted to receive U.S. News & World Report's high recognition for three consecutive years. The 1999 results testify that Union consistently provides academic excellence that is ranked among the top schools in our region," Union President David S. Dockery said. Union has been recognized in several other publications this year, including Peterson's Competitive Colleges, 1998-1999; The Student Guide to America's Best Christian Colleges, 1999; America's Best College Scholarships, 1998-1999; The Student Guide to America's 100 Best College Buys, 1999; and the 1999 How to Get Into College directory, published by Kaplan/Newsweek. Union was the only West Tennessee school to be included in The Student Guide to America's Best Christian Colleges. Class of 2002 Makes Union University History Union University kicked off the 1998-99 school year with a record-breaking freshman class. The University's class of 2002, made up of 473 students, began its first day of college as the largest and most academically proficient freshman class ever in Union's history. Union's freshman class isn't the only area to see a significant increase in enrollment. The University's total enrollment for the fall semester reached 2,323, up from last year's fall enrollment of 2,031. That number includes graduate students and those enrolled in a variety of non-traditional programs. The University expects that number to exceed 2,500 by the spring semester. "We are delighted with this exceptional surge in enrollment, which is a vote of confidence in the work Union is doing on behalf of students," Union President David S. Dockery says. This year's freshman class of 473 compares to last fall's 373 freshmen and 353 freshmen in the fall of 1996. The record-breaking class includes 30 valedictorians and salutatorians and three National Merit Finalists. Nineteen percent of Union's freshmen scored 28 or better on the ACT. The entire class averaged a 24 ACT composite score, three points higher than the national average of 21 and 4.5 points higher than the Tennessee average of 19.5. "One of the most striking things about this record freshman class is that 91 percent are living on campus, compared to a more typical 65 to 70 percent in past years," Executive Vice President Michael Duduit asserts. "As a result, we will be near capacity in campus housing this year and will be looking to expand our housing facilities during the coming year." The dramatic jump in total enrollment can be partially attributed to the growing interest in Union's non-traditional programs, particularly those offered at the University's Germantown campus. After one year of operation, the campus has more than doubled its enrollment. The campus' focus on providing adult education at the undergraduate and graduate level attracted over 200 students for fall 1998. Last year's enrollment totaled 98. At Germantown, adult students can earn their Master of Business Administration or a Master of Education. Registered nurses can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Germantown's MBA and M.Ed. programs are extensions of the MBA and M.Ed. programs offered at the Jackson campus. Other non-traditional programs available in Jackson include the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership through the McAfee School of Business Administration, the Associate of Divinity and Diploma of Christian Ministry through Union's R.G. Lee centers, and the Master of Arts in Education through the School of Education and Human Studies.
Trustees Name New Building
In their final meeting of 1998, Union University Trustees voted to name the university's newest building Edward P. Hammons Hall, after Dr. Edward P. Hammons of Forrest City, Ark. Hammons - a Trustee, member of the Board's executive committee and a major donor to the university - died suddenly of DIC syndrome. When completed in June 1999, Hammons Hall will house a 9,000-square foot bookstore managed by LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC. The building will also provide space for classrooms, faculty offices and several administrative offices. Hammons' 1997 gift established the O.P. and Evalyn Hammons Chair of Pre-Medical Studies, Union's first endowed chair, and the Hammons Endowed Scholarship Fund. The Forrest City physician also started the Hammons Charitable Foundation, which provides scholarships to students across West Tennessee and Arkansas. This year 30 Union students benefited from the Hammons Foundation. "Dr. Edward P. Hammons was a man with a Kingdom of God agenda. He lived his life for the good of others and was generous with his time and resources for the cause of Christian higher education in particular and other numerous, benevolent causes," President Dockery said.
Last September Union began construction on a building for a new bookstore. The building will house the only LifeWay Christian Resources bookstore on a college campus and will provide space for classrooms, faculty offices for Union's adult education programs and several administrative offices. Trustees voted to name the building Edward P. Hammons Hall, after the late Dr. Hammons of Forrest City, Ark. Don Morris Retires as Golf Coach
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Dr. Carla Sanderson was
formally installed as Provost of Union, a post which she assumed last year. Sanderson has
also served as the Dean of the School of Nursing. 
For the
third consecutive year, Union University has been ranked in the top tier of Southern
regional liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. The weekly news
magazine published its 1999 rankings last summer in the special edition America's Best
Colleges. 
Don Morris, Assistant Vice President and Director of Financial Aid at Union,
retired as the men's Head Golf Coach last spring. Morris coached at Union for 26 years,
leading the team to win eight TCAC championships, four district titles and a spot at the
national tournament nine times. Morris also coached four national All Americans, including
the team's new Head Coach Micky Wolfe. Wolfe, a 1998 Union graduate, ranked fifth in the
NAIA last season. 