EXCLUSIVE: Texas State regents were unhappy with how university took Sallie Ward Beretta's name off a residence hall

In February, Campus Reform reported that Texas State University removed the name of historic female leader Sallie Ward Beretta from a residence hall, citing ties with the United Daughters of the Confederacy. 

However, results from Campus Reform’s Freedom of Information Act request show that the Texas State University Board of Regents was not united in favor of this decision.

Campus Reform obtained a Jan. 31 email from Regent Sheila Faske to Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents Duke Austin in which she expressed disapproval of the school “eras[ing]” Beretta’s memory.

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She wrote, “It is very rare during that era a woman had such high education, let alone be in a position of influence. I really hate to see her memory erased from a school to which she donated 125 acres for it to build upon.”

The email continues, “Which brings the question to my mind, is the university still using this land? If so, will they be returning the land to her ancestors?”

The Texas State University library website confirms that Beretta indeed “purchased 125 acres of land in Wimberley, Texas” and donated it to the school. It also notes that Beretta further contributed to the school through the Sallie Beretta Gift Fund and the Sallie W. Beretta Award which acknowledged an “outstanding woman scholar.”

The Sallie W. Beretta Award has been renamed to “Texas State University Outstanding Senior Woman Award,” however the website’s meta-description still calls it the “Sallie Beretta Outstanding Senior Woman Award.”

Regent Faske’s question as to whether the university is still using the land is answered on the school’s Campus Recreation website, as the university continues to use the land as a campsite for the Texas State University Camp in Wimberley, Texas. 

Despite renaming a residence hall from Beretta Hall to Mesquite Hall and renaming the Sallie W. Beretta Award to the Texas State University Outstanding Senior Woman Award, one of the lodges on the campsite is still named Beretta Lodge.

Faske wasn’t the only member of the Board to express concerns about the decision to remove Sallie Beretta’s name from the residence hall.

Campus Reform also obtained a Jan. 29 email from Chairman of the Board of Regents Charlie Amato to Austin.

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“Read that piece from Texas State regarding the removal of the name of Sallie Ward Beretta from one of our buildings. The Governor’s appointment Secretary is not very happy that this information was published prior to coming before the regents! Peggy is not happy! Confidential! After you read, please delete! Thanks”

“Peggy” refers to Peggy Venable, Director of Governor Greg Abbott’s Appointments Office.

Beretta Hall, which has been renamed Mesquite Hall, was coined in 1947 after Sallie Ward Beretta to commemorate her being the first woman to serve on the Board of Regents for the Texas State University System, and the only female member from 1933 to 1951.

Campus Reform has reached out to Texas State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

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