East Texas A&M University has had some very exciting things happen in the past 12 months. First with Lion Nation getting our identity back and having our name changed to East Texas A&M to unify the A&M system graduates and the Lions of Old ET, a new Agricultural Education Multipurpose & Training Center, a new Welcome Center at the entrance of the University, a new first class game bird research facility, and the creation of the College of Music, and many other great things. 

The most recent development has been the approval by The Texas A&M University System's Board of Regents to start construction of a new event center just south of Loop 178 (Culver Street) behind Whitley Hall that will be the new home to the Men's and Women's Basketball teams and the Women's Volleyball team with a capacity of approximately 3,500 fans. The center is set to open within the next two years from sources. 

The actual building itself will likely be named after a corporate sponsor in order to generate revenue for the school and the athletic department so the teams can compete in our new Division I status, however it is the wish of the undersigned that the game court at the new arena/event center be named after one of the greatest presidents in university history, Dr Dan Jones. 

Dr Jones was President from 2008 until his untimely passing in 2016. During that time, our university achieved the following-

Became the fastest growing public university in The State of Texas from 2012-2015.

The student body grew from 10,000 students in 2008 to 14,000 students in 2015. 

Became the second largest school in the A&M System, only behind Texas A&M University. 

Opened satellite campuses in Frisco and Rockwall. 

Became a Carnegie Research Foundation Level R2 Doctoral University, indicating that a high level of doctoral level research is a part of the academic life at East Texas A&M University. 

The College of Education and Human Services was named the top university for teacher education in the State of Texas and 13th in the entire nation among all colleges, both public and private. 

A brand new music building and concert hall was constructed in 2011. 

Memorial Stadium and the University Fieldhosue were both massively renovated for the first time in almost 25 years. 

The University's rankings in US News and World Report increased every single year from 2008-2017. 

The Distance MBA program was given a top 5 national ranking. 

3 New residence halls were built. 

Dr Jones hired Ryan Ivey and later Tim McMurray as Athletic Directors, rebuilding an athletic department in ashes left by previous administrators. 

Football hired Colby Carthel, who won 3 conference championships, a Division Championship and made the postseason every year during Jones tenure from 2013-2016. Carthel would win the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2017. 

Women's Basketball Jason Burton, who would become the best coach in program history. 

Men's Basketball won the Lone Star Conference Championship in 2015 and returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 10 years. 

Track and Field sent numerous athletes to the NCAA championships. 

The School launched a softball program and built the John Cain Family Complex, a state of the art Division II softball complex. 

And many, many more accomplishments during Dr Jones' time as President of the University. 

We have spoken with Dr Jones' family, and they have given us their blessing to have the court or some part of the new events center named after one of the greatest president's in our school's history. The reason Lion Nation is in the position to have this new gem of a facility is because of a Man who gave his all to a University and Community he loved so deeply. We ask that this honor be bestowed to Dr Dan Jones by naming the game court at the new event center the Dan R Jones Court.