states that the decision was made based on the advice of legal counsel and that the school does not discriminate and does not plan to. Through an alumni donation in 2007, the university acquired a neglected 18-acre wooded area of land along Mossy Creek. More recently, the property has been transformed from an overgrown woods with a "dead creek" into a beautiful park named the Carson-Newman Allen and Phyllis Morgan East Campus. Over the years, the East Campus has become increasingly important to the biology program and others at Carson-Newman. In Fall 2017, the creek started showing fresh signs of life once again. In 2019, the university completed construction on a 250-seat open air amphitheater named for President Randall O'Brien on the East Campus. On June 7, 2019, the trustees appointed Charles A. Fowler as the 23rd president of the university. Fowler began his tenure July 1, 2019. Presidents Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary (1851–1859) Rev. William Rogers (1851–1851) Rev. R.R. Bryan (1851–1853) Rev. Matthew Hillsman (1857–1859) Mossy Creek Baptist College (1866–1881) Rev. R. R. Bryan (1866–1868) Dr. Jesse Baker (1869–1870) Dr. N.B. Goforth (1870–1881) Carson College and Newman College (1882-1889) Dr. W.T. Russell (1882–1889) Dr. W.A. Montgomery (1888–1892) Carson and Newman College (1889-1941) Dr. W.A. Montgomery (1888–1892) Dr. John T. Henderson (1892–1903) Dr. M. D. Jeffries (1903–1912) Dr. J.M. Burnett (1912–1917) Dr. W. L. Gentry (1917–1919) Dr. Oscar L. Sams (1920–1927) Dr. James T. Warren (1927–1948) Carson-Newman College (1941-2012) Dr. James T. Warren (1927–1948) Dr. I.N. Carr (interim, 1948) Dr. D. Harley Fite (1948–1968) Dr. John A. Fincher (1968–1977) Dr. J. Cordell Maddox (1977–2000) Dr. James S. Netherton (2000–2007) Mr. Joe Bill Sloan (interim, 2007–2008) Dr. J. Randall O'Brien (2008–2018) Carson–Newman University (2012–present) Dr. J. Randall O'Brien (2008–2018) Dr. Paul Percy (interim, 2019) Dr. Charles A. Fowler (2019–present) Athletics Carson–Newman is a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and fields 18 varsity teams in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II competition. Men's varsity sports at Carson-Newman are: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, and Track & Field. Women's sports are: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Volleyball. In the spring of 2015 the volleyball program expanded to include a beach volleyball program, being one of around 40 schools in the United States to offer the sport. Notable alumni and faculty References External links Carson–Newman Athletics website Baptist Christianity