Student Senate unanimously passed legislation Tuesday supporting the university’s goal of obtaining the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
The rarity of a unanimous vote suggests the importance the senate places on acquiring the Bush library – a priority for the school since Bush’s election in 2000. This signifies the legislation was authored with the full support of the student body. It also allows President R. Gerald Turner to show President Bush and his search committee that students as well as the administration are committed to the project.
“Part of the stated mission of the senate is to further the academic community of SMU,” said Senate Speaker Michael L. Dorff. “The George W. Bush Library is a rare opportunity for SMU to step into an elite group of universities.”
There are currently 10 presidential libraries named after Presidents dating from Herbert Hoover to Bill Clinton. Unlike conventional libraries, presidential libraries house the papers, records and other historical material of the president that the library is named after.
The addition of a presidential library would increase SMU’s national reputation by bringing people from all over the nation to Dallas and SMU’s campus, said Steven Schindler, student representative to the board of trustees.
“[The library] would draw the best scholars to campus,” he said.
These scholars would ideally remain on campus to give speeches and hold seminars, Schindler said.
SMU is not the only Texas university seeking the benefits of the Bush Library. Currently Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas A&M and The University of Texas are vying for the prestigious library. Texas Tech boasts its West Texas locale, home to the current president. Baylor claims proximity to Crawford, Texas, the location of the Bush’s ranch, as its selling point. Texas A&M hopes that by housing the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library it will be a contender to hold his son’s library as well. And although the Lyndon B. Johnson library is located in Austin, UT officials think the Bush Library the city will bring a bipartisan balance to the city.
SMU’s hopes of attracting the presidential library hinge on several factors. First Lady Laura Bush is a 1968 alumna. She received the SMU Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999 and sits on the board of trustees. In 1999, President Bush donated $250,000 to fund the Laura Bush Promenade, a sitting garden located outside of Fondren Library.
Vice President Dick Cheney sat on the university’s board of trustees, until he resigned in 2000. He gave the university commencement speech in 1997.
Former President George H. W. Bush delivered the commencement speech in 1977 and spoke as part of the Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series in 1999.
Dallas’ premiere location is another selling point.
“One of the advantages is Dallas, the fact that it would be in a major metropolitan city,” Turner said. “Dallas is easy to access.”
While some students have voiced concern the library would take precedent over the renovation of the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, they are unsubstantiated, said Student Body Vice President Britt Moen.
The space needed to expand the Dedman Center will not compete with the possible land the library would occupy.
A group of architects is looking at all the places the library could occupy including a possible site at SMU Boulevard and Central Expressway, Turner said.
Funding for the two projects will come from separate donors.
“If you look at all the presidential libraries, they are funded through political support,” Turner said. “Granted, there will likely be some alumni on that list of supporters.”
A decision won’t be made on the location of the Bush library until the president is out of office. The earliest that could be is late 2004, if President Bush is not re-elected.
