Editing Union University (section)

==History==

===Predecessors===
"Jackson Male Academy" was founded in [[Jackson, Tennessee]] in 1823 as a preparatory school for wealthy students.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Rust |first=Randal |title=Union University |url=https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/union-university/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Tennessee Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Tennessee General Assembly]] chartered the academy in 1825.<ref name=":2" /> In 1844, the academy reorganized and rechartered as "West Tennessee College".<ref name=":2" /> During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the college was used as a military hospital by Confederate and Union troops.<ref name=":2" /> West Tennessee College reopened after the war. In 1874, the Tennessee Baptists acquired the college.<ref name=":2" />

"Union University" was established at [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee]] in 1849. It went inactive due to the Civil War in 1859 but operated again between 1868 and 1873.

=== Early history ===
The East Tennessee Baptist General Association, the General Association of Baptists in Middle Tennessee, and the West Tennessee Baptist Convention met in [[Humboldt, Tennessee|Humbolt, Tennessee]] on March 15, 1873, adopting a resolution to establish a "first-class college".<ref name=":2" /> This resulted in an Educational Convention that met on April 10, 187,4 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee at the former campus of Union University. The convention explored potential locations for a new campus, eventually recommending Jackson.<ref name=":2" /> Their recommendation included taking over the endowment and campus of West Tennessee College.<ref name=":2" />

The Tennessee General Assembly issued a charter for a new school, Southwestern Baptist University, in June 1875.<ref name=":2" /> Southwestern Baptist University opened in October 1875 in Jackson.<ref name=":2" /> It was a preparatory school the first year, adding college courses for its second year.<ref name=":2" /> Many of Southwestern's early faculty and trustees were alumni or former faculty of Union University.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Southwestern_Baptist_University_campus,_1906.png|center|thumb|600x600px|Southwestern Baptist University campus, 1906]]
In 1907, Southwestern trustee T. T. Eaton left his 6,000-volume library to the college. Eaton was a former professor of Union University, where his father, Joseph H. Eaton, was a former president. On September 17, 1907, Southwestern changed its name to Union University to honor the Eatons and others from Union at Murfreesboro who had impacted Southwestern as faculty, administrators, trustees, and contributors.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Union University |url=https://www.uu.edu/about/history.cfm |publisher=Union University |access-date=15 January 2023}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

In 1925 the [[Tennessee Baptist Convention]] secured a charter that vested the rights, authority, and property of Union University in the Tennessee Convention.  This charter included the election of the university's trustees. Two years later, the Convention consolidated "Hall-Moody Junior College" at Martin (1900–1927) with Union University; the former Hall-Moody campus subsequently became the location of the [[University of Tennessee]] [[Junior college|Junior College]], now the [[University of Tennessee at Martin]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=History &#124; Union University |url=http://www.uu.edu/about/history.htm |access-date=2016-02-02 |website=Uu.edu}}</ref>

The [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] granted Union University accreditation in 1948. From the early 1950s to the early 1970s, Union operated an Extension Center in the Memphis area.

===Craig and Barefoot administrations===
During President Robert Craig (1967–85) and President Hyran Barefoot's (1987–1996) administrations, enrollment increased to more than 2,000 and several buildigs were constructed. 

===David S. Dockery's administration===
[[Image:Daviddockeryatunionuniversity.JPG|right|thumb|[[David Dockery]] at Union University]]
[[David S. Dockery]] was elected as the fifteenth president of Union University in December 1995. During his administration, which lasted until 2014, the university's enrollment increased and several buildings were constructed.<ref name="uuhistory">{{cite web |date=2015-11-06 |title=History &#124; Union University, a Christian College in Tennessee |url=http://www.uu.edu/about/history.cfm |access-date=2016-02-02 |website=Uu.edu}}</ref>

===2008 tornado===
[[Image:UnionDorm.jpg|right|thumb|One of the Union dorms that was destroyed by the February 5, 2008 tornado.]]
[[Image:Supercell Tennessee.gif|thumb|Radar loop of the Nashville, Jackson and Christian County, Kentucky supercells. Those supercells were responsible for at least 32 deaths (courtesy of NWS Nashville)]]

{{main|2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak}}
On February 5, 2008, at 7:02&nbsp;p.m., the university was struck by an [[Enhanced Fujita scale|EF4 tornado]], with winds between {{convert|166 and 200|mph}}.  The tornado destroyed 18 [[dormitory]] buildings and caused over $40 million worth of damage to the campus, which suffered a direct hit, rendering almost 80% of the dormitory space either destroyed or unlivable.  None of the approximately 1,800 students on campus at the time were killed.

Fifty-one students were taken to Jackson-Madison General Hospital.  While most students were released after being treated, nine were kept overnight.  Some students were trapped for hours while emergency crews worked to rescue them. A total of 31 buildings received damage of varying degrees.<ref>{{cite web|author=東京旅行で楽しむ、お台場などの人気の場所へ観光 |url=http://www.uurecovery.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211194300/http://www.uurecovery.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 11, 2008 |title=東京旅行で楽しむ、お台場などの人気の場所へ観光 |website=Uurecovery.com |access-date=2016-02-02}}</ref> The devastation captured nationwide attention and was featured by [[CNN]], [[Fox News]],<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/clean-up-to-begin-at-union-university-after-tornado-destroyed-dorms-campus | work=Fox News | title=Clean-Up to Begin at Union University After Tornado Destroyed Dorms, Campus | date=December 6, 2011}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/us/07tornado.html?ei=5065&en=5563bf218d261303&ex=1202965200&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print|title= Toll of Deadly Tornadoes in South Climbs Past 50|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date= 7 February 2008|access-date=2016-02-02|last1= Dewan|first1= Shaila|last2= Goodman|first2= Brenda}}</ref> and numerous regional news outlets. [[Secretary of Homeland Security]] [[Michael Chertoff]], [[FEMA Director]] [[R. David Paulison]] and [[Governor of Tennessee]] [[Phil Bredesen]] all visited the campus after the disaster.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uuemergency.com |title=UUEmergency |website=UUEmergency.com |access-date=2016-02-02}}</ref>

''[[The Commercial Appeal]]'' reported that due to extensive damage, the campus would not reopen until February 18.<ref>[http://commercialappeal.com/news/2008/feb/06/devastated-union-university-wont-reopen-till-feb-1/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717021757/http://commercialappeal.com/news/2008/feb/06/devastated-union-university-wont-reopen-till-feb-1/|date=July 17, 2012}}</ref> [[Lambuth University]], a rival area university, reportedly offered to open its dormitories to displaced Union students.  The congregation of Englewood Baptist Church, which owned the Old English Inn in Jackson, voted unanimously to open the inn to Union students.  The church's move accommodated almost 300 students until December 2008.  The university also expected that around 200 students would be housed in the private homes of Union faculty, staff, and friends.

The February 5, 2008, event was the second time in just over five years that the campus was hit by a tornado. On the evening of November 10, 2002, during the [[Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak of 2002|Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak]], the university was struck by an [[Fujita scale|F1 tornado]], with winds of approximately 100 miles per hour, which did approximately 2 million dollars worth of damage to the university.  There were no serious injuries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uu.edu/news/newsreleases/release.cfm?ID=472 |title=Union University suffers damage from F1 tornado - News Release &#124; Union University, a Christian College in Tennessee |website=Uu.edu |date=2002-11-12 |access-date=2016-02-02}}</ref> Union president David Dockery stated that the February 5, 2008 tornado was about 15 times as bad at the 2002 tornado.  The damage caused by the February 5th tornado was estimated at $40 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20080209/TORNADO/802090316/Union-street-sign-found-Huntingdon?odyssey=topicpage |title=Union street sign found - in Huntingdon|access-date=2012-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411043708/http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20080209/TORNADO/802090316/Union-street-sign-found-Huntingdon?odyssey=topicpage |archive-date=2013-04-11 }}</ref>