SMU In Five Years: Where Will We Be?

StallionsModelT · Post by **StallionsModelT** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:26 pm

In five years the SMU Unbridled fundraising campaign will have been completed by a few years and the massive construction on campus will be completed. In that time we will have accomplished the following:

Built a Presidential Library
Athletics moved to Big East
40M renovation to Moody
Built an entirely new quad complete w/ housing for second year students
Expanded the campus to the old Ms. Baird's bakery lot
New main entrance to campus via SMU Blvd
Mustang Band Hall
Indoor Practice Facility

Given these massive changes to the physical landscape of SMU, where should we expect SMU
to be in the university rankings and SAT/ACT scores? I know Turner has said he wants the average SAT of the incoming SMU student to be 1300 and we are getting closer and closer to that number. As of now we are in the mid 50's in the US News and World Report rankings. I think the goal in five years should be the following:

1350 SAT average
Increase incoming freshman class size (1800-2000)
Lower acceptance rate to under 40%
Top 40 in US News & World Report (Would put us past UT)
Increase endowment to 1.5-1.8 billion

Are these goals unrealistic? What are your goals for the future?

SMUfrat · Post by **SMUfrat** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:14 am

In 5 years we could be in another conference! its a possibility with growing conferences.

I agree with most of what you said. The thing is, I dont see the construction stopping. They are going to redo the mockingbird strip center (possibly with more dorms on top of it) completely.

They also have another academic quad planned across from the education quad which still has 2 buildings to come in the near future. Also, the library will be redone.

East campus will continue to develop, especially with the BLVD complex. This building will no doubt be like a glorified dorm for SMU students.

Ford Stadium is already fundraising for stadium expansion (160 million) to add 7-12 thousand seats. Estimated time frame is 2015/16 for this - so dont worry, we hopefully will have solid attendence at this time. 30 thousand est. avg. attendance for the 2012 season.

Meadows will be most likely going through a major renovation in 5 years. Boka Powell already has plans for the reno which include a complete 3rd, 4th floor for the entire building. Meadows will rival GWB library to be the largest on campus.

There will be a new fountain / quad established in the science area for a new 'science quad'. I also forsee the splitting of Dedman college into a hard science school and a soft science school. This provides opportunity for naming rights for the new 'hard science' school which would probably include fondren science, deadmen science, hyer hall, and the SIC building. The 'soft science school' could retain dedman name (or get a new one who knows) and would include clements hall, umphrey lee, dallas hall, and degoyer. This would bring the credit giving schools to 9 at SMU.

In 5 years, there will be another parking garage somewhere - maybe across from Meadows where the Bank of Texas is.

The GWB library will be going strong. The park added will make SMU a campus with a huge nature vibe.

Sports will be going well wtih added varsity lacrosse teams. Talk of softball and baseball teams will be even more present.

With classes of 2,000 or more students, SMU would be at 9,000 - 10,000 undergrad (only a 2,000 student increase is reasonable by 2020). I see the Graduate program growing the most. I see it growing to 6 - 7 thousand students by 2020 - matching the growth of Dallas.

Lastly, I see SMU starting to make there 2nd major land grab. From my understanding - UP told SMU they could not buy anymore land because they purchased all of GWB library area and area between the fraternities and sororities (which has still to be developed). Greek life would also have grown to about 12 organitions each, totaling 24.

Very exciting future for SMU circa 2020

couch 'em · Post by **couch 'em** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:56 am

PonyKai · Post by **PonyKai** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 11:08 am

screw our flower budget, we should actually pave the streets with gold.

DanFreibergerForHeisman · Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:40 pm

The funny thing is you can just spout out all of this stuff and very few will even have a single doubt it will happen.

Hopefully the powers that be in the continued conference realignment see this.

I assume the continued land grabs will be on the Dallas side of Central anyway so who cares what HP/UP think.

All of this stuff sounds great too, although I would hope the baseball and expanded Greek life don't come to pass. It will be great to have another fountain though!

Water Pony · Post by **Water Pony** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:41 am

The list is impressive, but a new Natatorium will need to be funded and developed, presumably on the same Bishop Boulevard site.

Digetydog · Post by **Digetydog** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 3:26 pm

couch 'em wrote:sec

I don't think joining the SEC or Pac 12 is that far fetched. If I was running the SEC and wanted to expand, I think that it would be an excellent idea to have my schools make a visit to an enormous TV market 4-5 times per year for football.

friarwolf · Post by **friarwolf** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:37 pm

1350 is unrealistic. We will be busting it to pass 1300. This year, we are hoping to hang onto the 1268 we posted last year. Bigger class has hurt the avg sat. No way we go to 1800 for a freshman class. We don't have the facilities to handle that big a number. Everything else is doable..............

gostangs · Post by **gostangs** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:39 pm

I think we will be over 1275 when the dust settles this year - inching our way up. Giving percentage is at a new high. no final yet but it will be close to 24% - which is respectable but more room to improve for sure.

SMUfrat · Post by **SMUfrat** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:18 am

I think, in time. SMU will have 2,000 per class. and facilities like meadows, will be close to doubled. There are spots for a new Cox building, a new engineering building, and law building.

Every university grows, as SMU will. I hope the admin can find a good balance of growth and increasing quality of education and students.

NY Pony · Post by **NY Pony** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:29 am

SMUfrat wrote:I think, in time. SMU will have 2,000 per class. and facilities like meadows, will be close to doubled. There are spots for a new Cox building, a new engineering building, and law building.

Every university grows, as SMU will. I hope the admin can find a good balance of growth and increasing quality of education and students.

There are no plans for new buildings for Cox, Dedman law or Lyle, nor do those three schools need more space. (Although the law school needs and updating.)

SMUfrat · Post by **SMUfrat** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:38 am

NY Pony wrote:
SMUfrat wrote:I think, in time. SMU will have 2,000 per class. and facilities like meadows, will be close to doubled. There are spots for a new Cox building, a new engineering building, and law building.

Every university grows, as SMU will. I hope the admin can find a good balance of growth and increasing quality of education and students.
There are no plans for new buildings for Cox, Dedman law or Lyle, nor do those three schools need more space. (Although the law school needs and updating.)

I encourage you to look at the SMU master plan they have on the smu website. There are orange and gray buildings - signifying future buildings that are next to the schools. Its an assumption, but i dont think anything would make sense if they werent future expansion plans, although maybe long term.

I just graduated from Cox, and its very packed. all the time. Lyle is good cuz they have all new buildings, but as the program grows and research increases, more space may be needed. And in terms of Law - they are the ones closest to a new building - the orange one on the master plan, which indicates a short term build project - meaning it should be built within 10 years of that plans publishing.

EastStang · Post by **EastStang** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:05 pm

I think 1350 is unrealistic. After all, remember the athletes in all sports including football will bring that SAT score down to some degree. I'd prefer average SAT of 1275 and be top 25 in football.

MustangSTATS · Post by **MustangSTATS** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 4:42 pm

EastStang wrote:I think 1350 is unrealistic. After all, remember the athletes in all sports including football will bring that SAT score down to some degree. I'd prefer average SAT of 1275 and be top 25 in football.

How are these things mutually exclusive?

NY Pony · Post by **NY Pony** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:20 pm

SMUfrat wrote:
NY Pony wrote:
SMUfrat wrote:I think, in time. SMU will have 2,000 per class. and facilities like meadows, will be close to doubled. There are spots for a new Cox building, a new engineering building, and law building.

Every university grows, as SMU will. I hope the admin can find a good balance of growth and increasing quality of education and students.
There are no plans for new buildings for Cox, Dedman law or Lyle, nor do those three schools need more space. (Although the law school needs and updating.)
I encourage you to look at the SMU master plan they have on the smu website. There are orange and gray buildings - signifying future buildings that are next to the schools. Its an assumption, but i dont think anything would make sense if they werent future expansion plans, although maybe long term.

I just graduated from Cox, and its very packed. all the time. Lyle is good cuz they have all new buildings, but as the program grows and research increases, more space may be needed. And in terms of Law - they are the ones closest to a new building - the orange one on the master plan, which indicates a short term build project - meaning it should be built within 10 years of that plans publishing.

My mistake. I've seen that plan, but didn't notice the planned new small building by Carr-Collins. There still is nothing planned for Cox or Lyle