10 Harriet Miers nominated to Supreme Court
SMU alumna Miers was nominated October 3 by President Bush to fill the position being vacated by Sandra Day O’Connor. However, the nomination was beset with problems. Conservatives complained she wasn’t conservative enough and other senators said her record as a trial lawyer wasn’t prestigious enough to merit a seat on the court. Ultimately Bush withdrew the nomination on October 27.
9 Groundbreaking of Embrey Building
On Thursday, May 12, SMU held a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on the J. Lindsay Embrey Engineering Building. The new facility will be the first at SMU that meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating, a system for constructing “green” and buildings. The building’s namesake, Embrey, died Nov. 11 at the age of 80.
8 Jane Dolkart convicted
On Wednesday, June 8, testimony began in the case of Dedman School of Law professor Jane L. Dolkart, accused of hitting a bicyclist with her car in May 2004. Less than a week later, a Dallas jury found Dolkart guilty of aggravated assault but decided not to sentence her to jail time, opting instead for a penance of five years of probation and two years of community service. SMU has not released an official statement regarding Dolkart’s status within the university.
7 YCT pushes for elimination of special interest seats
February’s senate elections were less about the candidates than the proposed amendment to Article II, Section 3.8 of the Student Body Constitution. The amendment would have allowed any full-time student to run for the Special Interest Senator seats. Members of the Young Conservatives of Texas led the effort to effectively remove the seats, but the measure failed — needing 67 percent of the vote to pass but receiving 63 percent. YCT began a petition drive in October to remove the special interest seats, but the measure failed.
6 Pillsbury resigns from Meadows Museum
Edmund Pillsbury tendered his resignation as director of the museum in March. The move caught university officials and local arts patrons by surprise, as Pillsbury had been on the job less than two years. During his time as director, Pillsbury is credited for stabilizing the museum and crafting a 20-year vision for Meadows. The museum is still without a permanent director.
5 SMU defeats No. 22 TCU
The 21-10 win over archrival TCU was the first against a ranked opponent since the pre-Death Penalty era in 1986. SMU stumbled in mid-season before ending the season on a three game win streak. The Mustangs finished the year 5-6, the best record since 1997.
4 Blocker hired as new provost
Robert Blocker was named as the new provost March 9 and officially took over July 15. Blocker came to SMU from Yale, where he was the dean of the School of Music. Blocker was selected after comprehensive search that involved four finalists visiting campus for on site interviews with students and faculty.
3 University Gardens shut down
Residence Life and Student Housing officials, along with university owned Peruna Properties, surprised residents of University Gardens by sending out eviction notices the first week of June. Citing a university paid for engineering study that said $12.4 million in renovations would be needed to bring the property up to code standards, SMU said tenants had until July 31 to vacate the complex. The move prompted speculation that the land the complex was on was being cleared for the Bush Library.
2 SMU hosts Tulane athletes during Katrina
Members of Tulane’s football team relocated to SMU on Sept. 1 after escaping Hurricane Katrina. The team practiced in Dallas for two weeks before leaving. However, members of Tulane’s golf team and other students from New Orleans colleges enrolled at SMU for the semester. More than 200 took classes on the Hilltop while crews repaired damage to their home institutions.
1 Named finalist in Bush Library search
SMU submitted its plan to the search committee on Sept. 15 and was selected as a finalist on Oct. 14. The university made a formal presentation to the committee in November. The remaining schools include Baylor, Texas Tech and the University of Dallas. The committee will make its recommendation in early 2006 and there will be a decision on the location by June 2006. SMU has not officially confirmed a location. The two most likely include the far-east side of campus, where the SMU apartments and University Gardens currently stand. The other site mentioned is the old Mrs. Baird’s factory, located on Mockingbird across from campus.
— Compiled and edited by Mark Norris
