Southwest Texas State Namechange Delayed

Harry · December 27, 2002

SWT name change put off until 2005

University president hired in June says she needs time to study issue, plan strategy.

By Jeremy Schwartz

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Monday, December 23, 2002

SAN MARCOS -- Greg LaFleur, the athletic director at Southwest Texas State University, had hoped that about this time, he'd be working for a place called Texas State University.

Like a number of other school officials, students and alumni pushing to change SWT's title, LaFleur says Texas State University better represents the school's size and quality.

Earlier this year, momentum for the effort to ditch SWT's double directional name reached its peak when former President Jerome Supple cobbled together a coalition of supporters to petition the Texas State University System Board of Regents. When the regents delayed a vote on the name change until SWT hired its new president, many remained hopeful that the idea would stay on the fast track and go to the Legislature for approval next year.

Instead, the issue has gone to the rear of the school's legislative priorities and will not move to the forefront until 2005 at the earliest, in part because the school's new president remains undecided.

"I'm so disappointed," LaFleur said. "I thought that when we reached 25,000 students, there was no better time to change the name."

President Denise Trauth, hired in June, said at the time that she would have to study the issue before taking a position. She has been true to her word, talking with current and former students, university officials around the state, and faculty and staff members.

"Not a week goes by that someone doesn't bring the issue to my attention on one side or the other," she said. "There's an enormous amount of dialogue."

Trauth wants to decide before the 2005 legislative session. That, she said, gives her enough time to study the issue and then map out a legislative strategy, should the school decide to change its name. Such a change would need legislative approval, which would happen after the regents give their OK.

Meanwhile, the issue remains hotly debated on campus.

Student government President Robert Doerr has become a leading proponent of name change, helping start a group called Students for Texas State that has held public meetings, set up information tents on the SWT quadrangle and printed Texas State T-shirts. The group has set up a Web site, www.texasstateuniversity.net, whose message board is filled with lively exchanges.

"Right now it's a pivotal issue with the new president coming in," Doerr said. "It's extremely important that the students' voice is heard."

Perhaps no other issue in recent memory has polarized the school as much as the proposed name change. Dorothy Evans, SWT's director of alumni affairs, said that during the height of the controversy in February, she was fielding 200 to 300 e-mails a day.

Many alumni and students feel an emotional attachment to the Southwest Texas State University name. They say it's more important to focus energy and money on improving academics and developing programs than on something that would undo a proud tradition.

One alum wrote on the Web site's message board, "If you really hate the name SWT please do all us proud SWT Bobcats a favore (sic) and transfer to another school!!!"

Name change supporters argue that Texas State University would bring more prestige to the school, increase the cachet of diplomas in the work force and aid in recruiting.

Newly hired football coach Manny Matsakis agrees. "Without question, it would help," he said. "A change like that would help me attract better student-athletes."

The name change has some of its fiercest critics in the other schools in the Texas State University System, who argue that if SWT had the Texas State moniker, they would be consigned to second-class status.

"It's the name of our system," said William Fleming, Faculty Senate chairman at Sam Houston State University, the system's second-largest school. "It would give the wrong impression to the outside world that (SWT) is the flagship, when that is not the case."

Fleming said he hopes Trauth will choose a less objectional name.

Supple said he supports Trauth's deliberate course, adding that even had he remained president, he might not have been ready to lobby the Legislature next year. "I'm not sure the selling job has been done yet," he said.

A selling job is what folks on both sides of the issue hope to accomplish with Trauth, who more than anyone holds the key to the future name of the university.

"On one level, it is a lot of pressure," Trauth said. "However, one of the things you take on when you become president of a university is that kind of pressure."

jschwartz@statesman.com; (512) 392-8750

Harry · December 27, 2002

SWT Name Change Debate Link

NT80 · December 27, 2002

I've always liked the "Texas State University" name, even before it was used in the movie Neccessary Roughness. As was posted here before, North Texas tried to get that name a couple times, but we were not a part of that system like SWT, Sam Houston, etc. are.

Image is everything, and while many SWT alums fight the name change, it would certainly help outsiders see them more as a whole state university rather than a regional college.

EagleChick03 · December 27, 2002

I don't know. I think they should stick with Southwest. I have thought that all along and then I visited that message board. There are some great, well thought out agruments posted on that board for keeping the name.

Like one person mentioned on there, Northwestern certainly doesn't have any image problems because of the bidirectional name. And many schools that are "State University" aren't such great schools.

I really think it would be a mess to change the name to Texas State University for so many reasons but above all else, the University of Texas is really the UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, a feat Southwest seems to be trying to accomplish by switching to Texas St.

I know we tried for this name at one point but what would we be without our NORTH?!?!

Just what Southwest would be without their southwest. That is what they are and a drop of directional words isn't gonna change their image one bit. I agree with their people on the board who say to change their rep they need to raise admission standards and strengthen the colleges. An overhaul the money used for a name change would be much better suited for.

GrayEagle · December 27, 2002

I, too, like the name but there are two problems with their getting it.

(Blank) State University is usually reserved for the number one, 1-A or two university in the state. It has historically been THE agricultural college in the state. If anyone were to be granted that name it should be Texas A&M.

Then, assuming A&M were to give up that right, Southwest Texas State is a part of the 'Texas State University System'. They would need to be designated the flagship university to be able to use Texas State University by itself. If approved, it would rightly be called "Texas State University @ San Marcos. Then Sam Houston would become TSU @ Huntsville, etc.

Personally, I don't think that they stand a chance. Texas, the closest university to them, would probably be against it. A&M, unless they are willing to forever give up the name, would be against it. Texas Tech and North Texas, both of which have attempted to secure that name, would be against it. Of the colleges that are larger and offer more degrees, only the University of Houston would likely not be in opposition. I may be wrong, but this whole episode seems to be much ado about nothing. Unless, of course, they can stack the legislature with SWT grads.

Travis · December 28, 2002

If any one is going to change a name to Texas State it sure as hell shouldn't be Southwest Texas....

We, by far, deserve that and if the Texas legislature is going to give that right to anyone it better be us!!!

'nuff said.

NT80 · December 28, 2002

If any one is going to change a name to Texas State it sure as hell shouldn't be Southwest Texas....
We, by far, deserve that and if the Texas legislature is going to give that right to anyone it better be us!!!
'nuff said.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), that name is owned by the Texas State University System, which UNT, UT, A&M, and Tech is NOT a part of.

Texas State Univ. System

Travis · December 28, 2002

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view), that name is owned by the Texas State University System, which UNT, UT, A&M, and Tech is NOT a part of.

Rubbish.. pure 100% rubbish..

you lie nt80.. you lie! why don't you take your unbiased objective glasses off and put on my green tinted ones...

nt80... come to the light my friend.. come to the light!

UNTX · December 28, 2002

I doubt, regardless of the name of the Texas State System, that A$M would allow them to have that name. I've always understood that the Aggies had the right to it all along and weren't willing to give it up despite the fact that they'll never use it.

SWT, if they are going to change their name, should simply change it to the University of South Texas. This is a change that would be better for them and wouldn't ruffle any feathers politically. However, I don't understand why they and apparently others feel like SWT is "all that" lately. I spoke with some folks in Houston this week that said that SWT was the up and coming school in the state and that their business school was on it's way to being the second best B-school in Texas behind UT. I reacted as if they were all on crack and asked what enabled them to make such statements. They could never really offer and real support.

Anyone else heard of SWT having become such an academic powerhouse all of a sudden? I fail to understand how a school with only three PhD programs can really be "all that." Maybe someone out there knows something I don't and can explain it better than those few lawyers in Houston could.