Dr. Turner on the Bush Library

[Water Pony]

SMU

February 22, 2008


Dear member of the SMU family:

Although undoubtedly you have heard news reports on this topic, I wanted you to hear directly from me that SMU has been chosen as the site of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, Museum and Institute, after a competition with seven other institutions. The entire complex of library, museum, institute and conference facilities will be known as the George W. Bush Presidential Center. The announcement was made February 22 by the Bush Foundation on behalf of President Bush.

Only a handful of cities and universities host presidential libraries. For Texas to have three of them gives our state a unique triumvirate of resources for studying presidential history during pivotal times. The Presidential Center is another way in which SMU can serve our community, the nation and the world.

The three-part Presidential Center will consist of the presidential library, containing documents and artifacts of the Bush Administration; a museum with permanent and traveling exhibits; and an independent public policy institute. Focusing on topics of interest to the President, the George W. Bush Institute will host officials, scholars and others as fellows for research and symposia. While the Presidential Library and Museum will be operated by the National Records and Archives Administration, the George W. Bush Institute will be operated independently of SMU by the Bush Foundation and will be identified accordingly. The agreement between SMU and the Foundation stipulates that the relationship between the two “will not interfere with SMU’s commitment to open inquiry and academic freedom within the University.â€