Protecting the LU Name - Two Years Later

[TexasTerror]

Well, as I told you folks before -- Lamar did not care during the 2007 Legislature to have their name protected alongside SHSU. Now, there's another bill (HB 425) that will hit the floor that will protect Lamar, Sul Ross, SFA and Sam Houston.

Apparently, it does not say specific names as I'm not sure why SHSU is included in the article as we already protected our name (along with Tarleton State and Prairie View A&M, who had done so prior) in 2007.

This guy is reviving the Lois Kolkhorst bill from 2007 which would have done the same thing. At that time, SFA and Lamar did not step up and fight for the bill -- so the only bill that passed was the other bill regarding just Sam Houston State. We'll see if LU shows interest this go around. While I know you guys think there's nothing to worry about, it does not hurt to have such "help" there...

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Saturday, December 20, 2008

Stephen F. Austin State University will be so-named forever if state Rep. Wayne Christian's new legislation passes through the Texas House of Representatives.

A bill recently filed by Christian, R-Center, would prevent the governing board of a state university from changing the name of any institution named after a person of significance to Texas history. The bill, HB 425, would apply to four Texas universities: Sam Houston State University, Lamar University (named after Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas and considered to be the "Father of Texas Public Education"), Sul Ross State University, and SFA.

Christian said he is submitting two bills — one to prevent the name changes to any of the four applicable universities in Texas, and another that pertains solely to retaining the SFA name.

"I want to protect the SFA name no matter what happens in the future," Christian, a graduate of SFA, said. Christian said "the talk is always there about SFA being taken over by another system," though he doesn't see that happening any time soon. However, he said this bill would cement the SFA name permanently.

The legislation addresses concerns that have arisen in the last two decades relating to independent Texas universities that have been swallowed up by major university systems, such as the University of Texas and Texas A&M. For example, East Texas State University merged with the A&M system in 1996, forming Texas A&M University-Commerce.

In 2006 and 2007, a significant uproar followed talk of a potential name change for Sam Houston State University to identify it more closely with the Texas State University System, of which it is a member. During the 80th Session of the Texas Legislature in 2007, House Bill 1418 was passed to prevent any name change for the school.

[TexasTerror]

Bill hits the floor Friday...glad to see Lamar is finally going to have some protection. They evidently did not care two years ago. Apparently someone out there wanted them to share the same protection status (as limited as it may be) that Sam Houston State, Tarleton State and Prairie View A&M have had.

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[UNLV]

Terror don't mistake this areas easy going attitute with not caring. We knew it could never happen.

Anyone tries to touch LU name would be facing category 5 Hurricane SETX.

[TexasTerror]

Terror don't mistake this areas easy going attitute with not caring. We knew it could never happen.

Anyone tries to touch LU name would be facing category 5 Hurricane SETX.

Oh, I can...

I was there in 2003 and 2005 when plenty of name change stuff was brewing under former Chancellor Lamar Urbanowsky and when our friends in San Marcos were starting all sorts of commotion. Our President (who made the remark at his annual state of SHSU address) and our alums were making noise about protecting our name when the discussion was made in Austin about changing all of our system names.

Lamar was never in the house...even when SHSU's state rep offered to protect them as well. While you guys never thought it would happen, sometimes it's nice to be proactive.

[HouTexan]

Haven't made up my mind if 'protecting' the Lamar name is a good idea or not. As a graduate of Lamar University - Beaumont, I have a tie to the name. However, there are so many Lamar 'name' affiliations it gets confusing. With all the Lamar High Schools and the Lamar Institute of Technology (LiT), Lamar State College, and, and, and...maybe a name change wouldn't be too bad. Not to mention most folks don't even have a clue where Lamar University is once you get outside the SLC. While I wouldn't want to see Lamar absorbed and the name changed to The University of Texas at Beaumont, or Texas A&M - Beaumont, I wouldn't mind seeing "The University of Southeast Texas" or "Southeast Texas State University".

Quite frankly, I'm tired of picking up the Chronicle and trying to figure out of the article on Lamar is for the University or for the local High School. And which local Lamar High School. This occurs in other parts of the state too. There is a Lamar HS in every region of the state, even a Lamar Consolidated ISD.

Same thing applies to Sam Houston and SFA...

[UNLV]

Terror don't mistake this areas easy going attitute with not caring. We knew it could never happen.

Anyone tries to touch LU name would be facing category 5 Hurricane SETX.

Oh, I can...

I was there in 2003 and 2005 when plenty of name change stuff was brewing under former Chancellor Lamar Urbanowsky and when our friends in San Marcos were starting all sorts of commotion. Our President (who made the remark at his annual state of SHSU address) and our alums were making noise about protecting our name when the discussion was made in Austin about changing all of our system names.

Lamar was never in the house...even when SHSU's state rep offered to protect them as well. While you guys never thought it would happen, sometimes it's nice to be proactive.

Free country. They talk about anything, but they knew not to touch LU.

[TexasTerror]

While I wouldn't want to see Lamar absorbed and the name changed to The University of Texas at Beaumont, or Texas A&M - Beaumont, I wouldn't mind seeing "The University of Southeast Texas" or "Southeast Texas State University".

That is opposite of the trend. See Southwest Louisiana (ULL), Northeast Louisiana (ULM), East Texas State (A&M-Commerce) and Southwest Texas (TXST).

Same thing applies to Sam Houston and SFA...

The legislation would allow us to change our name to SAM HOUSTON UNIVERSITY. I'd be a fan of that, especially since the state does not give us the money they used to, so why should we include 'state'. It'd be like GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY or JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY.

Free country. They talk about anything, but they knew not to touch LU.

They talked about it. Lamar sat on their hands. Would have loved if it went forward. Texas State University - Lamar or Texas State University - Beaumont. Would have cracked me up to see a school just letting themselves get pushed around.

Luckily, SHSU caused enough of a stink to protect you guys in 2003. Protected themselves a few years later and encouraged the current bill. SHSU, always looking out for little sister Lamar. There's a reason that only SHSU and TXST are mentioned in the flagship debate.

[UNLV]

While I wouldn't want to see Lamar absorbed and the name changed to The University of Texas at Beaumont, or Texas A&M - Beaumont, I wouldn't mind seeing "The University of Southeast Texas" or "Southeast Texas State University".

That is opposite of the trend. See Southwest Louisiana (ULL), Northeast Louisiana (ULM), East Texas State (A&M-Commerce) and Southwest Texas (TXST).

Same thing applies to Sam Houston and SFA...

The legislation would allow us to change our name to SAM HOUSTON UNIVERSITY. I'd be a fan of that, especially since the state does not give us the money they used to, so why should we include 'state'. It'd be like GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY or JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY.

Free country. They talk about anything, but they knew not to touch LU.

They talked about it. Lamar sat on their hands. Would have loved if it went forward. Texas State University - Lamar or Texas State University - Beaumont. Would have cracked me up to see a school just letting themselves get pushed around.

Luckily, SHSU caused enough of a stink to protect you guys in 2003. Protected themselves a few years later and encouraged the current bill. SHSU, always looking out for little sister Lamar. There's a reason that only SHSU and TXST are mentioned in the flagship debate.

Lamar talks softly, but carries a big stick. 

[Guest coachacola]

While I wouldn't want to see Lamar absorbed and the name changed to The University of Texas at Beaumont, or Texas A&M - Beaumont, I wouldn't mind seeing "The University of Southeast Texas" or "Southeast Texas State University".

That is opposite of the trend. See Southwest Louisiana (ULL), Northeast Louisiana (ULM), East Texas State (A&M-Commerce) and Southwest Texas (TXST).

Same thing applies to Sam Houston and SFA...

The legislation would allow us to change our name to SAM HOUSTON UNIVERSITY. I'd be a fan of that, especially since the state does not give us the money they used to, so why should we include 'state'. It'd be like GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY or JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY.

Free country. They talk about anything, but they knew not to touch LU.

They talked about it. Lamar sat on their hands. Would have loved if it went forward. Texas State University - Lamar or Texas State University - Beaumont. Would have cracked me up to see a school just letting themselves get pushed around.

Luckily, SHSU caused enough of a stink to protect you guys in 2003. Protected themselves a few years later and encouraged the current bill. SHSU, always looking out for little sister Lamar. There's a reason that only SHSU and TXST are mentioned in the flagship debate.

I agree with 2 out of 3 of your comments.  Lamar was never in danger in having it's name changed.  It's very bad politics to force a university to change it's name, and with backers like the Provost-Umphrey law firm, I doubt it would have gotten very far.

[TexasTerror]

I agree with 2 out of 3 of your comments.  Lamar was never in danger in having it's name changed. 

You did not hear what the Chancellor told me...the old one, that is. You say that LU was never in danger, but the BoR was putting things in people's ear in 2003 and the Chancellor was too.  Apparently, the LU alums were out of the loop because the chatter was relatively loud...

[UNLV]

I agree with 2 out of 3 of your comments.  Lamar was never in danger in having it's name changed. 

You did not hear what the Chancellor told me...the old one, that is. You say that LU was never in danger, but the BoR was putting things in people's ear in 2003 and the Chancellor was too.  Apparently, the LU alums were out of the loop because the chatter was relatively loud...

LU alum was daring them to act, but they punked out.

[LumberCard]

I agree with 2 out of 3 of your comments.  Lamar was never in danger in having it's name changed. 

You did not hear what the Chancellor told me...the old one, that is. You say that LU was never in danger, but the BoR was putting things in people's ear in 2003 and the Chancellor was too.  Apparently, the LU alums were out of the loop because the chatter was relatively loud...

LU alum was daring them to act, but they punked out.

I talked to one of the state reps from the area back in the fall and he mentioned that LU officials have been very quiet for years now. I guess it doesn't matter much now though.