Because after all, placing the George W. Bush Presidential Library people might become confused if the school is associated with something other than the promotion of Bush Derangement Syndrome and left-wing ideas in the classroom.

Intimates of President Bush have singled out Southern Methodist University as the likely site of his presidential library, but faculty members, complaining of being bypassed, are raising sharp questions about the schoolÂ’s identification with his presidency.

In a meeting Tuesday, faculty members complained of a lack of consultation over the emerging agreement and all but demanded answers from the universityÂ’s president, R. Gerald Turner, on the relationship that would develop between the university and the library.

“There’s been a lack of transparency from the beginning,” said Tony Pederson of the journalism faculty, urging the university’s administration “to be more forthcoming with detailed information.”

Cal Jillson, a political science professor, called for “more rounded information” because, he said, “this train is leaving.” He said there could be a final decision on the library before the end of the month.

Rhonda Blair, the president of the faculty senate who convened the meeting even though many professors were still away on winter break, said she would pass on the questions to Dr. Turner on Wednesday.

The session grew out of the uproar after an op-ed article in the student newspaper, The Daily Campus, by two professors at the universityÂ’s Perkins School of Theology complaining about the library selection process.

One history prof wants to know what it would take for the University to "walk away from the deal. Frankly, I don't care -- I would urge the site selection committee to walk away from the SMU location. Either Baylor or the university of Dallas would be a better choice -- or the committee could take a step towards raising one of our local institutions, the University of Houston, to the first-tier status it deserves among state universities here in Texas by placing the presidential library in the largest city in the state.

Frankly, if SMU profs don't like the political implications of locating the Bush 43 library on their campus, the library should go somewhere it would be appreciated.

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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