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State law makers consider name change
By Rubi Reyes
The South Texan |
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A senator and a state representative have said they will support the Texas A&M University-Kingsville name change to Texas A&I University if it will benefit the campus community.
State Sen. Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) and State Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) have spoken with supporters about the name change and said they appreciate the fact that the alumni are passionate about the proposed name change.
“This situation is very critical, We need to be able to create a win win situation in which alumni and current students are both happy,” Herrero said.
Lucio said while alumni want to go back to Texas A&I University, he understands that current students of Texas A&M University-Kingsville might be reluctant to change the name back.
“I believe it would be very beneficial to have a workshop and get both the opposing and supporting sides of the name change and come to a compromise,” Lucio said.
The name change to Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 1993 was made to help the university receive more funding for programs, said Carlos Truan, former state senator and Texas A&I alumnus.
The recent impetus to override that change has come from the texasaandiuniversity.com website created by alumni Ken Harvey.
“About the time I got the website going, a movement began,” Harvey said. “I started receiving suggestions from various parties on how they wanted to support the return of the A&I name.”
Texas A&I University alumni have now started an online petition to help restore the history of the university and to assist in the name change said Harvey.
“The petition is the result of a collaborative effort of several people wanting to bring the name back,” Harvey said.
The petition to change TAMUK back to Texas A&I may be in full swing, but Texas A&M University System chancellor Michael D. McKinney has said there will be no name change.
“The name is Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and there is not going to be any name change,” McKinney said. .