▁of ▁Hum ph ries ▁in ▁court ▁is ▁largely ▁held ▁as ▁being ▁responsible ▁for ▁this ▁decision ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁presentation ▁of ▁att orney ▁Av on ▁Williams ▁and ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁T enn esse ans ▁for ▁Justice ▁in ▁High er ▁Education . ▁Hum ph ries ▁did ▁not ▁initi ate ▁the ▁court ▁battle ▁over ▁mer ger ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁univers ities , ▁but ▁he ▁inherited ▁it ▁upon ▁becoming ▁president ▁of ▁T SU ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁after ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Tennessee ▁had ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁mult im ill ion - d ollar ▁facility ▁for ▁its ▁night ▁school ▁extension ▁center ▁in ▁Nash ville , ▁a ▁young ▁black ▁woman ▁named ▁R ita ▁Sand ers ▁charged ▁that ▁such ▁action ▁would ▁perpet uate ▁seg reg ation ▁at ▁T SU ▁and ▁continue ▁the ▁dual ▁system ▁of ▁public ▁higher ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁controvers y ▁which ▁ended ▁up ▁in ▁U . S . ▁District ▁Court ▁before ▁Judge ▁Frank ▁Gray ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Sand ers ▁v . ▁Ell ington , ▁et ▁al . ▁( A pril ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ). ▁Sub sequ ent ▁pla int iff ▁was ▁R ita ▁Sand ers ▁Gir er ▁( after ▁marriage ) ▁versus ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Tennessee ▁who ▁happened ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁office . ▁ ▁When ▁Governor ▁Bl anton ▁asked ▁his ▁reaction ▁to ▁mer ger , ▁Hum ph ries ▁informed ▁the ▁governor ▁that ▁" he ▁and ▁his ▁colle agues ▁were ▁agree able