Union trustees approve purchase of Mid-America campus in Memphis

Union trustees approve purchase of Mid-America campus in Memphis

JACKSON, Tenn. — Union University will acquire the Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary property on Appling Road in Cordova, Tennessee, after university trustees in their Dec. 5 meeting authorized the purchase. 

The university plans to sell its Germantown property at 2745 Hacks Cross Road and move its operations from that facility, including the Memphis College of Urban and Theological Studies, to the new location, which will be named Union University Memphis. 

“This property next to Bellevue Baptist Church gives Union a much more prominent location in Memphis that is easily accessible from Interstate 40 and much more visible than our current Germantown campus,” said Jeff Perkins, chairman of Union’s Board of Trustees. “It also gives us opportunity to expand our programs and try new initiatives in the Memphis market.”

The current Germantown campus is 14 acres and about 39,000 square feet. The Mid-America Seminary property is 36 acres and 138,000 square feet. Union currently offers in-person programs in nursing, social work and Christian studies at Union University Germantown. 

Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said university administrators are in the process of evaluating programming options for the new campus to use the location as fully as possible. 

The Mid-America property became available when the school moved to a new location in Arlington. Plans are for Union to close on the sale in January and take possession then, with a projected opening date for the new campus in the fall semester of 2026.

In other matters, trustees:

• Received a clean audit report from CapinCrouse. The report showed that net assets increased from $201.1 million in 2024 to $216.5 million in 2025. 

“The Lord has been faithful to Union for more than two centuries, and he continues to provide for us,” Oliver said. “We’re grateful that the institution is on a solid financial footing, and we appreciate Union employees being wise stewards of the university’s resources.”

• Approved a new classics major starting in the fall of 2026 with tracks focusing on classical languages and classical civilizations.

• Approved tuition and fees for the 2026-2027 year. Next year’s traditional undergraduate tuition will increase 2.95 percent, one of the smallest increases in recent years. Oliver said the university is committed to keeping tuition as affordable as possible.

• Granted research leave for the fall 2026 semester to Phil Davignon, associate professor of sociology. Davignon plans to spend the semester working on a book about how Christian college faculty, staff and administrators can encourage students to pursue excellence while avoiding the temptation to find their identity in academic success. 

In addition, trustees in their December meeting each year participate in board development training. This year, Oliver and Stephanie Hawley, Union’s director for institutional effectiveness, presented to the board about accreditation, since the university is in the middle of its 10-year reaffirmation with its accrediting body. 

A Thursday evening dinner preceding the trustee meeting celebrated the 10 cohorts of Leadership Union. The program assists participants, selected by the university’s Executive Council each year, in becoming effective leaders with purposeful contributions across campus.

The next trustee meeting is scheduled for April 10. 

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