in 1943, East Tennessee State University, then known as East Tennessee State Teachers College, was expanding into a liberal arts college. To reflect these changes, the 73rd General Assembly of the State of Tennessee enacted Senate Bill 125, which formally change the name to "East Tennessee State College." Approved on February 2, 1943, this name would remain in place until 1963.

In 1963, East Tennessee State University formally changed its name from East Tennessee State College to the name it currently holds today. This was done via Senate Bill no.226 enacted by the 83rd General Assembly of the State of Tennessee and was formally adopted on March 5, 1963.

East Tennessee State officially became a college in 1925 with a name change to East Tennessee State Teachers College. During this same time, East Tennessee State began applying for accreditation from the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of the Southern States. The institution would eventually achieve accreditation in 1927. This is a hand written draft of an early accreditation application completed in 1925 by President Charles C. Sherrod, of whom the current ETSU main campus library is now named. The physical copy of this item can be found in the President Correspondences Collection of the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. For access or more information please contact the Archives of Appalachia.

Following the passage of the Teague-Cranston Act, on February 14, 1974 Senator Nave of the Tennessee General Assembly called for consideration of state legislation to establish a medical school at East Tennessee State University. Eventually passing both the Tennessee House and Senate, the bill was vetoed by Governor Winfield Dunn of Memphis. Motions to override the veto were made in both chambers and were successful. Senate Bill no.1549 became law on March 6, 1974.

With the passage of the Teague-Cranston Act and efforts to establish a medical school underway in the Tennessee Legislature, East Tennessee State University had already begun the planning process for the new medical school. This plan was submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents on February 1, 1974 by the ETSU Medical Education Study Committee which clarified the specifics of what the Quillen College of Medicine would eventually become. The physical copy of this item can be found in the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. For access or more information please contact the Archives of Appalachia.