84R13317 BK-D
By: Meyer H.R. No. 1682
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Southern Methodist University is celebrating 100
years of operation in 2015, a milestone that marks a century of
growth, progress, and achievement; and
WHEREAS, SMU traces its roots back to 1911, when the United
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, laid the foundation for a new
university in Dallas after residents pledged $300,000 to secure its
location there; the institution opened its doors on September 22,
1915, welcoming an inaugural class of 456 students at its colleges
of liberal arts, music, and theology; and
WHEREAS, A private, nonsectarian university, SMU today has an
endowment of $1.4 billion and an enrollment of more than 11,000
students from all 50 states and nearly 100 countries, reflecting a
wide diversity of geographic, economic, and religious backgrounds;
students benefit from small class sizes and a wealth of research and
learning resources, including nine libraries that together contain
the largest private collection of research materials in the
Southwest; under the leadership of President R. Gerald Turner, the
university also boasts a world-class faculty and enjoys a
reputation as a leader in research across a broad range of
disciplines; and
WHEREAS, Degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and
professional levels are offered through seven schools, including
the Cox School of Business, one of the top-ranked business schools
nationally and globally, as well as highly rated colleges of law,
engineering, and the arts; named among the best national
universities by U.S. News & World Report, SMU has also been
recognized for the impressive number of its graduates who go on to
start businesses and for its record of success in preparing alumni
for senior executive positions in the corporate world; and
WHEREAS, The picturesque main campus of SMU, located five
miles north of downtown Dallas, consists of 101 buildings on 234
acres, and the university additionally operates satellite campuses
in Plano and in Taos, New Mexico; the Dallas community benefits
greatly from the educational and cultural opportunities provided by
the university, which welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually
for special events; among the attractions unique to the campus are
the George W. Bush Presidential Center, a complex that houses the
Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the George W. Bush
Institute, and the Meadows Museum, which features an expansive
collection of Spanish art; and
WHEREAS, The SMU athletics program draws an enthusiastic
following as well; students compete in Division I of the American
Athletic Conference, and during the 2013-14 school year, 10 of the
school's sports teams qualified for postseason tournaments; the SMU
men's basketball team made a particularly strong showing, advancing
to the championship game of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament
and tallying an unprecedented number of home victories; and
WHEREAS, Looking to the future, the university launched the
Second Century Campaign in 2008 to fulfill a comprehensive set of
objectives that will further enhance SMU's status as a premier
learning environment; since that time, the initiative has resulted
in new classroom, athletic, and student life facilities, as well as
student scholarships, academic programs, and faculty positions;
and
WHEREAS, Throughout its history, Southern Methodist
University has contributed to the prosperity and cultural vitality
of the Lone Star State and to the advancement of human knowledge
around the world, and the next century will no doubt continue the
proud tradition of excellence associated with this venerable
institution; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of Southern
Methodist University and extend to the school's administration,
faculty, staff, and students sincere best wishes for the future;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.