Student Body President Elect Bobby Brooks invited U.S. Secretary of Energy and former student Rick Perry to come and speak with him after Perry penned an op-ed in The Houston Chronicle criticizing the election for featuring “dirty campaign tactics.”
“I would like to invite you to come home to Texas to meet with my team and me as we take office later this month to discuss how we can work together to achieve our common vision,” Brooks wrote in the letter that was released Friday. “We have many students on this campus from all walks of life, whose perspectives I would care to share with you.”
Perry wrote in defense of Robert McIntosh, the junior who initially won the student body president election before he was disqualified for a finance report error. Perry claimed the university sought to push a diversity agenda at the expense of due process.
“It is difficult to escape the perception that this quest for ‘diversity’ is the real reason the election outcome was overturned,” Perry wrote. “Does the principle of ‘diversity’ override and supersede all other values of our Aggie Honor Code?”
Brooks makes no mention of any “dirty campaign tricks,” but emphasized that his platform did feature diversity and inclusion and thanked Perry for his shared interest.
“I pledged to make diversity and inclusion a hallmark of my time in office, and I appreciate that you share my view that respecting and honoring all students is one of the things critical to ensuring that Texas A&M continues to grow and remains the world-class university we all know and love,” Brooks wrote.
Brooks closed his letter by offering to travel to D.C. if the former Texas governor would not be able to make the trip to Texas. Brooks also reiterated he appreciated Perry’s love for A&M.
“I sincerely appreciate your ongoing and committed interest in this University we both love so much,” Brooks wrote.
The full letter can be found below.