University of Texas-History

Photographs documenting the Ferguson Controversy on the University of Texas campus from the Austin Files collection. Texas students paraded from the campus to the Capitol and held a protest rally, complete with the university band, right outside Governor Ferguson’s office while he met with the regents. The governor decided that the university president must resign, and when Vinson refused, Ferguson vetoed the university’s entire budget. Ferguson then went on a tour of Texas, voicing his disdain for the university and what he called the “university crowd” in public speeches. He vilified everything from fraternities to the faculty to the student body. In his eyes, the university was made up of “corruptionists,” “draft dodgers,” “two-bit thieves” and “butterfly chasers,” according to a historical account compiled by what is now the Texas Exes. The account said Ferguson accused the student protesters of committing treason against him. Soon after, the alumni group began taking out ads in newspapers calling for the governor’s impeachment. In the wake of the controversy, issues from Ferguson’s past campaign for governor in 1916 came back into the spotlight. He had been accused of misappropriating funds, but investigations failed to find anything that would warrant impeachment, and the probe seemed to be closed. But in the midst of this personal war he had sparked with the flagship university in Austin, Ferguson appeared before a Travis County grand jury and was indicted on nine charges. Seven related to misapplication of public funds, one to embezzlement and one to the diversion of a special fund. He posted bond and wasted no time in announcing his candidacy for a third term as governor.