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SMU petition criticizes Bush library
By Howard Perlman on 4/30/07
An online petition has added fuel to the debate between members of Southern Methodist University's faculty, staff and administration over whether SMU should build the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on its campus. Some students at AU are not sure if the Bush library would be welcome on AU's campus but believe there would be benefits of hosting the library.
The petition, "Books, Not Bombs: Say No to Bush Political [Institution]," is critical of a "partisan institute" the George W. Bush Presidential Library Site Selection Committee, a private group under Bush, wants to place on SMU's campus in addition to the library and museum.
The petition asserts the placement of a partisan think-tank, such as the proposed Bush Institute, on any campus would be contradictory to free and democratic education and "researchers hired by the institute to pursue the partisan agenda set by George W. Bush will borrow on SMU's credibility in the Academy."
The petition suggests the placement of the institute on-campus will "lower [SMU's] academic respectability" since the institute will seem to be associated with SMU's academic buildings and recommends the institute be placed off-campus.
Dana Burns, a freshman in the School of International Service, said she does not believe the Bush Institute would be welcome on AU's campus.
"The possibility of having a conservative think-tank on campus doesn't bother me, but I don't think it would fit in with the campus culture since it's so liberal," Burns said.
While the library and museum will be owned and operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, the institute will be independent from SMU and operated privately by the Bush Foundation, according to Patti LaSalle, SMU's associate vice president for public affairs.
LaSalle said the petition, which expresses opinions of some SMU faculty members, does not reflect a homogenous faculty opinion.
"There have been open discussions, resolutions in the Faculty Senate and commentaries published representing a range of views," LaSalle said. "Although this petition is critical of the project other faculty members have expressed support for the project."
The petition, "Books, Not Bombs: Say No to Bush Political [Institution]," is critical of a "partisan institute" the George W. Bush Presidential Library Site Selection Committee, a private group under Bush, wants to place on SMU's campus in addition to the library and museum.
The petition asserts the placement of a partisan think-tank, such as the proposed Bush Institute, on any campus would be contradictory to free and democratic education and "researchers hired by the institute to pursue the partisan agenda set by George W. Bush will borrow on SMU's credibility in the Academy."
The petition suggests the placement of the institute on-campus will "lower [SMU's] academic respectability" since the institute will seem to be associated with SMU's academic buildings and recommends the institute be placed off-campus.
Dana Burns, a freshman in the School of International Service, said she does not believe the Bush Institute would be welcome on AU's campus.
"The possibility of having a conservative think-tank on campus doesn't bother me, but I don't think it would fit in with the campus culture since it's so liberal," Burns said.
While the library and museum will be owned and operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, the institute will be independent from SMU and operated privately by the Bush Foundation, according to Patti LaSalle, SMU's associate vice president for public affairs.
LaSalle said the petition, which expresses opinions of some SMU faculty members, does not reflect a homogenous faculty opinion.
"There have been open discussions, resolutions in the Faculty Senate and commentaries published representing a range of views," LaSalle said. "Although this petition is critical of the project other faculty members have expressed support for the project."
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