Middle Tennessee State Normal School (MTSNS or MTNS) opened on September 11, 1911, with a two-year program for training teachers. It evolved into a four-year teachers’ college by 1925 with the power of granting the Bachelor of Science degree, and the institution’s name was changed for the first time to Middle Tennessee State Teachers College. The school was often abbreviated as “S.T.C.” In 1943, the General Assembly designated the institution a state college, changing its name for the second time to Middle Tennessee State College. This new status marked a sharp departure from the founding purpose and opened the way for expanding curricular offerings and programs. In 1965, the institution was advanced to university status, changing its name to Middle Tennessee State University. In October 2010, the Student Government Association at MTSU proposed that the university be renamed to the University of Middle Tennessee, though, at the time, approval from both the university administration and the Tennessee Board of Regents was required.