By Rangel                                            H.C.R. No. 237

         75R13374 BNL-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The members of the 75th Texas Legislature are proud

 1-2     to honor Kenneth H. Ashworth for his many outstanding contributions

 1-3     to higher education in Texas and to congratulate him on his

 1-4     decision to begin living the good life in retirement; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, Commissioner Ashworth has served his state and

 1-6     nation in myriad ways, contributing his expertise to numerous

 1-7     educational organizations, sharing his insights in several books on

 1-8     higher education, and guiding the Texas Higher Education

 1-9     Coordinating Board to a position of great respect, all with one arm

1-10     tied behind his back; as a young man while his peers were hanging

1-11     out at the drive-in, this determined individual was busy earning

1-12     merit badges to become an Eagle Scout, and he went on to serve four

1-13     years in the United States Navy before enrolling at The University

1-14     of Texas at Austin; and

1-15           WHEREAS, After completing his studies there as a Phi Beta

1-16     Kappa graduate in economics in 1958, this esteemed bookworm earned

1-17     a master's degree in public administration from Syracuse University

1-18     and a doctorate in the history and philosophy of education from his

1-19     undergraduate alma mater; and

1-20           WHEREAS, Dr. Ashworth's long and distinguished public service

1-21     career began in the 1960s in Washington, D.C., where he no doubt

1-22     sported love beads and Nehru jackets while working at the United

1-23     States Treasury Department and throughout his tenures at the United

1-24     States Urban Renewal Administration, the San Francisco

 2-1     Redevelopment Agency, and the College Construction Grants Section

 2-2     of the United States Office of Education; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, In 1966, the prodigal son returned to Texas and held

 2-4     several leadership positions with The University of Texas System

 2-5     before being appointed commissioner of higher education by the

 2-6     Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 1976; since then, he

 2-7     has worked to ensure the effective and efficient use of the state's

 2-8     higher education dollars, thus guaranteeing that all Texans have

 2-9     access to quality higher education opportunities; and

2-10           WHEREAS, In attempting to fulfill this goal, Commissioner

2-11     Ashworth has often faced considerable challenges, for he has had

2-12     the statutory responsibility to serve two masters: higher education

2-13     institutions seeking to spend tax dollars and legislators seeking

2-14     to save tax dollars; it is not surprising then that Commissioner

2-15     Ashworth has weathered many storms, including the repeated desires

2-16     of several governors and some legislators for his resignation or

2-17     his head, as well as legislation proposing the abolishment of the

2-18     coordinating board; and

2-19           WHEREAS, This enlightened public servant has endured many

2-20     years of being grilled at public hearings and being blamed by his

2-21     inquisitors for all manner of shortcomings in higher education or

2-22     the coordinating board, and although he has been called a dedicated

2-23     "prophet of doom" and a steady naysayer, he has managed to retain

2-24     his sense of humor and insists that he does occasionally say yes;

2-25     and

2-26           WHEREAS, Kenneth Ashworth's integrity and sense of fairness

2-27     have earned him high regard throughout the state, even as he has

 3-1     taken tough, unpopular stands on difficult issues to help guarantee

 3-2     the future success of higher education in Texas; after more than

 3-3     two decades of dedicated service, Commissioner Ashworth has decided

 3-4     to retire because he has many more books to read, more music to

 3-5     play, more words to write, and more places to see with his wife,

 3-6     and the members of this body join in wishing him well in all these

 3-7     enviable pursuits; now, therefore, be it

 3-8           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 3-9     hereby commend Commissioner Kenneth H. Ashworth for his invaluable

3-10     efforts to improve higher education in this state and extend to him

3-11     warmest best wishes for continued success and happiness in all his

3-12     future endeavors; and, be it further

3-13           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

3-14     prepared for Commissioner Ashworth as an expression of high regard

3-15     by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.