UPDATED: SMU selected as site for George W. Bush Presidential Library?

by Erin Rice

Southern Methodist University President R. Gerald Turner posted on the SMU website the following letter to the campus community concerning the site selection of the George W. Bush Presidential Library:

It is my pleasure to inform you that Don Evans, Chairman of the George W. Bush Presidential Library Search Committee, notified us that SMU has been selected by the Committee for the next phase of planning discussions. These discussions will begin after the first of the year.

We do not know how long these discussions will take. However, any significant announcement concerning the process will come from Chairman Evans.

Today at 2:30 pm SMU is hosting a press availability to which Trustees and the campus community are invited. The press availability will be held in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom.

We are obviously delighted to have reached this final stage of the selection process.

The University of Dallas, however, claims that no official word has yet been released. UD President, Dr. Francis M. Lazarus, writes the following statement in response:

University of Dallas officials have been advised of the most recent statement of the George W. Bush Presidential Library Site Selection Committee and know that no official decision has yet been made. At this time, the University has no further comment to make, and we refer all calls for further information to Secretary Evans' office.

From both statements it looks like the official, final decision has not actually been made. Given, however, that SMU and the Selection Committee have entered the "final phase of the planning discussions," this appears to be a preliminary step towards the official decision.

In either case, Gentlemen, please take your corners.

UPDATE: The DMN is reporting today that "a person close to the deliberations said the two other finalists – the University of Dallas and Baylor University – were told they are out of contention unless unforeseen problems crop up."