Meeting in special session in College Station on Thursday at 3:30 p.m., the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents will vote on a measure to rename the campus’s iconic, 100-year-old Academic Building the “Governor Rick Perry ’72 Building.”
Also on the agenda: a vote on a resolution to honor the recently-indicted Aggie alum’s “outstanding dedication and service” during his longest-ever stint as a Texas governor.
The potential Rick Perry ’72 Building was actually built in ’14, 2 years after Texas A&M’s Old Main building burned to the ground:
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It originally housed the university library, but today is home to A&M’s departments of sociology and modern languages and assorted offices.
The Liberty Bell replica was given to the school shortly after World War 2 by then-governor Allen Shivers in honor of the Aggie fallen.
It is also the site of the school’s Silver Taps ceremonies, memorial services to honor students who pass away while enrolled at A&M.
- Texas A&M May Name Building After Rick Perry [Texas Tribune]
- Academic Building [Texas A&M]
Photos: Texas A&M
I thought this was a blog about Houston?
As a person who reveres the honor and traditions of Texas A & M, without going there (my daughter is a graduate), I think it would be terrible to ever have Rick Perry’s name associated with something as sacred as Silver Taps. I give him credit for being an Aggie grad but it ends there. He is a dishonorable and loathsome individual, and as a lifelong citizen of Texas, I am extremely embarassed by him as our
Governor.
Aim high, aggies. No need for an official portrait near in the lobby; just use the mug shot.
I believe that this is the definition of irony.
A&M would do well to wait a number years before naming anything for Rick Perry. Naming buildings after living, non-retired politicians is rather tacky.
Naming the iconic Academic Building after Rick Perry is the most embarrassing, dishonorable proposal I’ve ever heard. As a former student I would be appalled.
That would be a fitting tribute to the patronage that was the hallmark of Perry’s political career. Half of all Aggie alums were appointed by Perry to cushy state agency positions, keeping ATM employment figures high.
shameless pandering that already tarnishes the A&M brand without even needing to be approved. thanks for telling me everything i need to know guys.
Just to let you know, people of TexAgs are overwhelmingly against it, even Republican conservatives.
Another thing, the regents are all Perry appointees. Conflict of interest much?
… Officially team UT…
HaHaHaHaHa. Yes, please! I see nothing more fitting. Perry’s attempts to ruin higher education in this state should go back and reside in Collie Station.
Look, I hate the dreaded Aggies as much as the next Longhorn, but even I feel embarrassed for them having the possibility of this iconic building being named for such a Buffoon. Name some new building after him if you must, but not arguably the most famous building on campus. We wouldn’t name the tower after Matthew McConehey and he’s not half as embarrassing as Gov Goodhair, at least Matthew won a Oscar.
Aaaah the old Academic Building. I got publicly damned to hell in front of it once. I put a penny at the foot of the Sul Ross statue in front of it – that was a superstition for good luck before a test. A bible preacher happened to be screaming at an ad hoc congregation gathered there on that day, and he quickly wheeled on me and said, “You see this guy? He’s going to hell for worshipping idols.”
I also remember that school allowing the hanging of 20 foot tall posters of blown up pictures of aborted fetuses on the plaza in front of the student center, and anti-gay demonstrations being held there.
That was the most miserable 9 months of my life. I got the hell outta there and never looked back. Until Swamplot started posting about it weekly, that is. :(
Hear Hear @wcs and @anonymous –
Let’s just take a chill pill and leave
The Perry
to his newest adventure without comment – or for heaven’s sake Commemoration!!
It’s no worse than SMU having a building named Clements Hall , as in former Governor William P. Clements. You know, the guy who as Chairman of the Board of Trustees approved the pay for play of football players that earned SMU the death penalty. But if you write a big enough check, all’s forgiven.
Here’s hoping Perry will actually move to CS after his impending further embarrassment for our state (the 2016 primaries). Anything to get him out of Austin for good.
SMU didn’t rename Dallas Hall after Clements. This building is the most famous at A&M. It’s a disgrace, however if what Superdave says is accurate, perhaps this is appropriate and indicative of what a backwards backwater College Station has become. (As if it were ever
anything else)
Perry was/is a great Governor and the building should be named after him.
People always make the comment that Perry has appointed all of the regents on the A&M board. Hasn’t he appointed all the regents of all state universities? I mean, he’s been in office for so long that all of the positions must have turned over during his tenure.
Perry isn’t and never has been anything but a lousy governor and thank goodness per the Houston Chronicle this morning the constituency of A & M let the bought and paid for regents know how they felt, forcing perry to pretend to turn down the wonderful honor they bestowed on him.