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After years of pitches and negotiations, Southern Methodist University in Dallas will be home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library, a museum and a public policy institute. The deal was announced on campus at noon today.
"This is a major step forward in helping SMU reach the next level as an international center of academic excellence," said Scott Jameson Jones, president of the United Methodist Church college of bishops, the South Central Jurisdiction. That entity owns SMU, Jones said. "The Wesleyan tradition highly values knowledge and vital piety. This helps SMU reach its potential."Some faculty members, however, called it a "sad day" because trustees, SMU administrators and the Bush library foundation did an "end-run" around the Methodist church, which controls parcels to be included in the project.The land is supposed to be used only for educational and religious purposes -- not political puposes such as the institute, said Susanne Johnson, an associated professor at SMU's Perkins School of Theology. Johnson said she supports the library and museum.Administrators, however, have said they have secured proper permission from church officials to proceed with the entire Bush center. University officials said the Bush library foundation insisted that the three elements were to be developed together.Read a PDF of the president's letter to SMU President R. Gerald Turner here.
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