The University of Tennessee is looking into adding Martin Methodist College to its statewide system. Martin Methodist is a private college located in Pulaski, Tennessee close to the Tennessee/Alabama border.

U.T. system officials signed a nonbinding letter of intent today that opens the door to a partnership between the two institutions.

For this move to become reality, both institution presidents will have to get each of their boards of trustees, state lawmakers, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges on board. If accepted, Martin Methodist would become the fourth undergraduate college in the UT System. The last institution to join the system was U.T. Chattanooga in 1969.

If this plan is accepted, students at Martin Methodist would have the same access to scholarship programs like the U.T. Promise scholarship as well as the opportunity to transfer to other campuses within the U.T. system or enroll in online programs.

Officials hope the partnership will be in play by July 1, 2021 but that may be extended as the process will be a lengthy one.

The U.T. Board of Trustees will meet October 22, 2020 to discuss the proposal.