NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover Monday welcomed new Nashville Mayor David Briley to the TSU campus.

The mayor stopped on campus to meet with “the TSU family” and to promote the city’s new transit initiative, a $5.4 billion proposal to build a light rail system and rapid bus transit for Nashville over the next 15 years. Symbolically, the mayor arrived aboard a Music City Circuit bus that serves key destinations in Nashville between the Riverfront Station and the TSU campus free of charge.

Briley took pictures and had lunch with TSU administrators, faculty, student leaders and staff in the main student dining area in the Campus Center.

“I just took the Circuit bus over here from downtown to Tennessee State University,” said Briley, adding that the service has seen a 50 percent increase in ridership since its inception about a year ago.

“I am out today just to work a little bit on our transit initiative, which we vote for on May 1. This is the kind of service that will expand immediately upon the adoption of the transit initiative. And so I just wanted to come by and see President Glover here and to visit TSU just because the addition of this service has been very important to Tennessee State University.”

Glover said she was glad that TSU was invited to be a part of the plan to draw up the transit proposal.

“It is always a pleasure to have you on our campus to see some of the great things that are going on here,” Glover told Briley. “We recognize the importance of transit to Tennessee State University and the whole community because TSU is anchored right here in North Nashville.”

Briley said  with the increased ridership, bus service on the TSU route will see an immediate increase to 20 hours a day from its current 16 hours.

“This is typical of the kind of increase you will see across the community – greater access, longer hours and more frequent service – immediately when the initiative is approved. We want to make sure it is accessible, it’s affordable, reliable, and a consistent service for everybody who needs it here in our community,” the mayor said.

JerMiiton Woods, president of the TSU Student Government Association, said many TSU students use public transportation.

“An expanded service will give many TSU students a chance to explore Nashville,” Woods said. “It is very important for students here to be connected to the city. I think that most of the students that come to TSU will get a chance to see Nashville and hopefully want to stay and see Nashville grow.”

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With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.