Austin Peay State University

History

Austin Peay Normal School, the precursor of the university, was established in 1927 and named for then-sitting Tennessee Governor Austin Peay. In 1943, its name was changed to Austin Peay State College. It became Austin Peay State University in 1967.

In 2025, APSU fired a professor of theatre for a social media post following the death of Charlie Kirk which consisted of a screenshot of a 2023 Newsweek headline quoting Kirk's prior views on deaths due to gun violence. The professor sued the university and was reinstated the next year with APSU also forced to pay him $500,000.

Presidents

• Philander Claxton, 1930–1946
• Halbert Harvill, 1946–1962
• Joe Morgan, 1963–1976
• Sherry Hoppe, 2001–2007
• Tim Hall, 2008–2013
• Alisa White, 2014–2020
• Michael Licari, 2021–Present

Academics

Austin Peay is organized into six colleges, two schools, and 28 departments.

Campus

The university's campus in Clarksville, Tennessee, is a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845. The urban setting includes 182 acre. Built before Austin Peay Normal School, the Castle Building was an impressive three-story brick structure that featured fretted battlements, towers, casement windows set in paneled wood.

Athletics

Main article: Austin Peay Governors}}The university's colors are red and white. Its athletics teams are called the Governors, in honor of Governor [[Austin Peay]].{{cn, [NCAA Division 1]].{{cn](ncaa-division-1-cn)

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Austin Peay State University alumni

Notes

References

https://www.apsu.edu/news/november-2023-govs-ice-hockey-1101.php

References

1. (November 10, 2025). "Candid. Austin Peay State University Foundation". Candid.com.
2. (December 2020). "APSU Board of Trustees names Dr. Michael Licari as University's 11th president". www.apsu.edu.
3. (October 2016). "Total Employees By Employment Status, Gender, and Ethnicity". Austin Peay State University Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness.
4. "Faculty By Gender, Tenure Status, and Ethnicity". Austin Peay State University Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness.
5. "College Navigator - Austin Peay State University".
6. Green, Tavia. (October 2016). "Austin Peay State University continues growth, Nashville State opens doors". Clarksville Leaf Chronicle.
7. Smith, Chris. (2025-09-08). "Austin Peay State University hits record-high 11,185 enrollment, defying national trends - ClarksvilleNow.com".
8. Smith, Chris. (2025-09-13). "UPDATE: APSU fires professor over ‘insensitive’ social media post following shooting of Charlie Kirk - ClarksvilleNow.com".
9. Smith, Chris. (2025-09-13). "UPDATE: APSU fires professor over ‘insensitive’ social media post following shooting of Charlie Kirk - ClarksvilleNow.com".
10. Canning, Rob. (January 3, 2014). "APSU's Tim Hall Accepts Presidency at Mercy College".
11. "College Scorecard: Austin Peay State University". [[United States Department of Education]].
12. (November 22, 1944). "The Old Distinctive Castle Building Has Romantic And Varied History". The All State.