MTSU Wants to Change Music School's Name

CREDITORS ARE FINDING OUT THERE'S NO MONEY IN THE ESTATE OF PHILANTHROPIST ROBERT MCLEAN.. TO PAY OFF CREDITORS.

McLEAN COMMITTED SUICIDE LAST MONTH... THE DAY BEFORE HE WAS TO FACE A JUDGE FOR ALLEGEDLY SWINDLING INVESTORS OUT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

NOW THE MUSIC PROGRAM THAT BEARS HIS NAME WANTS TO REMOVE IT.

THREE YEARS AGO -- ROBERT MCLEAN WAS ALL SMILES AT THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME... WHEN THE MURFREESBORO PHILANTHROPIST DONATED MOTHER MAYBELLE CARTER'S GUITAR TO THE MUSEUM.

ROBERT MCLEAN / AUGUST 2004: "I'm delighted that mother maybelle's beautiful guitar is back home now... and i'm excited beyond words to be able to help."

MCLEAN ALSO ENJOYED HELPING HIS ALMA MATER... MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY.

THE SCHOOL SAYS HE NOT ONLY MADE GENEROUS DONATIONS... BUT ALSO PLEDGED MONEY THAT WOULD PAY FOR 54 NEW STEINWAY PIANOS.

IT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC WAS NAMED AFTER HIM IN 2003.

TONIGHT, THOUGH -- M-T-S-U'S TUNE IS CHANGING.

DR. SIDNEY MCPHEE / MTSU PRESIDENT: "we decided to recommend to our board of regents to remove the name 'the robert mclean school of music' and return to the mtsu school of music."

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT SIDNEY MCPHEE SAYS A BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE INFORMED HIM THERE ARE NO FUNDS IN MCLEAN'S ESTATE TO HONOR HIS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PLEDGES.

THAT -- COUPLED WITH CRIMINAL CHARGES MCLEAN FACED... AND HIS EVENTUAL SUICIDE -- STEERED THE SCHOOL TOWARD THE NAME CHANGE.

Sidney McPhee says: "it's an attempt for the community to heal - for us to move forward - and move on to the business of continuing to provide the best education for our students within our school of music."

Flint Adam / Fox 17 News: "the school of music can't simply just change its name, though -- it's going to require approval by the tennessee board of regents."

THAT WILL COME IN TIME.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC'S FUTURE FUNDING?

GEORGE RIORDAN / ROBERT MCLEAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC: "i don't see that we're facing any major problems because of this."

GEORGE RIORDAN - DIRECTOR OF THE MCLEAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC - SAYS THERE ARE OTHER GENEROUS DONORS WHO WILL HELP KEEP THE PROGRAM AFLOAT AND GROWING...

"we've had some terrific friends and we're going to continue to build that base."

THERE WILL JUST BE A NEW NAME FOR DONORS TO MAKE THE CHECK OUT TO...

M-T-S-U'S PRESIDENT SAYS THE MCLEAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC WILL GO BACK TO BEING CALLED THE "MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC" FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS.MTSU Wants to Change Music School's Name