At its October 20, 1978, meeting with Governor Ray Blanton presiding, the board of trustees voted to name the new Agricultural Engineering Building (now Biosystems Engineering and Environmental Science Laboratory) for him in appreciation of his efforts on behalf of agriculture. This was the same meeting during which Blanton exchanged words with Afro-American Student Liberation Force members, evicting them from the meeting for causing disruptions.
In January, State Senator Victor Ashe introduced a resolution in the state Senate designed to prevent UT from naming the building for Blanton because of the investigation into possible wrongdoing related to pardons. Both Chancellor Jack Reese and Vice President Joe Johnson expressed doubt about whether the legislature had the power to change the name of a building. The Student Senate unanimously passed a bill asking the board of trustees not to name the building for Blanton. President Boling reported the resolution to the board at its March 5, 1979, meeting. The Student Government Association again discussed the matter at its November 25, 1980, meeting but did not make the request since charges against Blanton had not been proved.
In January 1981 the SGA voted to request the board to delay naming the building until Blanton’s trial ended. The board adopted a resolution, prepared by Vice President Joe Johnson, stating that UT would not name a building for a person convicted of a felony after all appeals had been concluded. The building remained unnamed.