Senate votes to drop San Marcos


There were questions about why the name of Texas State University-San Marcos was being changed again, for the seventh time since 1903.

And whether “Outlet Mall” was an option for a new name.

And then, there was a request for state Sen. Donna Campbell to sing the Texas State fight song — which she declined to do, as she explained it, “in order to preserve the decorum of this Senate.”

On Wednesday, as Campbell moved to pass her first bill as a Texas senator — Senate Bill 974 to drop “San Marcos” from the official name of the Texas State campus — senators took an opportunity to gently haze Campbell, as they have done with their other freshmen colleagues in recent weeks.

As always, their solemn-faced approach — a knee-slapper for the senators, perhaps, and a long-time tradition in the Upper Chamber — left visitors in the gallery wondering what was going on.

Campbell took the kidding in stride.

Even as Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, questioned whether the Texas State students and university officials really wanted the name changed. They do, said Campbell.

As Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, questioned whether the change erases the legacy of President Lyndon Johnson, who attended and later taught at the San Marcos school. It wouldn’t, she said.

As Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, questioned why Campbell wanted to change the school’s name, when she opposed Davis’ bill last week to rename a section of I-35 in Fort Worth after labor leader Cesar Chavez. Campbell said she opposes “naming highways after anyone.”

And as Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, questioned whether wording in the bill would levy a new fee on students. It won’t, answered Campbell.

After lengthy prodding and questioning from both Democrats and Republicans, as visitors in the galley shook their heads wondering what the debate was all about, the Senate approved the name change. Unanimously.

The measure now goes to the House for consideration, where passage is expected.