HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, Dr. Barry B. Thompson has devoted 41 years of his
1-2 life to the education and service of Texans, and he is indeed
1-3 worthy of special legislative recognition; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Since Dr. Thompson became chancellor of The Texas
1-5 A&M University System in September 1994, the system has expanded
1-6 its scope to include nine universities, eight state agencies, and a
1-7 health science center; in forming The Texas A&M University System
1-8 Health Science Center, he effectively combined all the system's
1-9 health-related organizations under one administrative unit to
1-10 increase cost-effectiveness and collaborative efforts; and
1-11 WHEREAS, Under Dr. Thompson's leadership, The Texas A&M
1-12 University System serves 88,000 students and reaches 3.5 million
1-13 people each year through outreach and continuing education
1-14 programs; in his capacity as chancellor, Dr. Thompson oversees the
1-15 A&M system's $1.6 billion budget and its more than 22,000 full-time
1-16 faculty and staff members throughout the state; and
1-17 WHEREAS, Dr. Thompson is one of the chief advocates of access
1-18 to higher education for all Texans, tirelessly leading efforts to
1-19 provide scholarship funding for economically disadvantaged
1-20 students; and
1-21 WHEREAS, Having spent 13 years working in both teaching and
1-22 administrative positions in the Texas public school system, he is a
1-23 champion of teacher benefits and of building strong partnerships
1-24 between public schools and public institutions of higher education;
2-1 and
2-2 WHEREAS, Along with leading both West Texas A&M University
2-3 and Tarleton State University as president, he has served in
2-4 administrative and faculty capacities at East Texas State
2-5 University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce), the University of
2-6 Texas-Pan American, and Texas A&M University; and
2-7 WHEREAS, During his term as chancellor, Dr. Thompson has
2-8 refocused the mission of the A&M system back to one of serving
2-9 grassroots Texans: the original land-grant university concept; and
2-10 WHEREAS, During the 75th Texas Legislature, he led the
2-11 establishment of the Texas Higher Education Coalition and its "Back
2-12 to Basics" funding effort, generating $594 million for increased
2-13 partnerships between four-year universities, community colleges,
2-14 and public schools to graduate more Texas college students, and he
2-15 continues to lead the Texas Higher Education Coalition during the
2-16 76th Texas Legislature; and
2-17 WHEREAS, He formed the Council of School Executives, in
2-18 conjunction with the Texas Education Agency, to create an ongoing
2-19 dialogue between public school systems and higher education to
2-20 better serve the youth of Texas and to make statewide
2-21 recommendations and improvements regarding the education of
2-22 students and teachers; this visionary gentleman also initiated a
2-23 systemwide community development program in which A&M system
2-24 institutions work hand-in-hand with Texas communities to solve
2-25 problems; and
2-26 WHEREAS, A respected authority in his field, Dr. Thompson has
2-27 published more than 80 articles, essays, and monographs on such
3-1 topics as leadership, philosophy, archeology, physical plant
3-2 management, and higher education; and
3-3 WHEREAS, He is personally dedicated to many charitable civic
3-4 organizations, including United Way, the American Cancer Society,
3-5 both the San Antonio and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
3-6 associations, and the Boy Scouts of America, from which he received
3-7 the prestigious Silver Beaver Award in 1999 for lifelong service;
3-8 and
3-9 WHEREAS, Through his personal contacts and his more than 100
3-10 speeches each year, this noteworthy gentleman has caused many
3-11 Texans to reevaluate their responsibilities to one another in terms
3-12 of leadership, service, encouragement, and self-sacrifice; and
3-13 WHEREAS, Barry B. Thompson has made an indelible imprint on
3-14 the face of higher education in Texas, and although he will be
3-15 sorely missed after his retirement, his legacy of excellence will
3-16 ensure that he is not soon forgotten; now, therefore, be it
3-17 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-18 hereby pay tribute to Dr. Barry B. Thompson for his distinguished,
3-19 productive career in education at all levels in this state, and
3-20 particularly as chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, and
3-21 extend to him sincere best wishes for a fulfilling and satisfying
3-22 retirement; and, be it further
3-23 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-24 prepared for Dr. Thompson as an expression of high regard by the
3-25 Texas House of Representatives and Senate.
Brown of Brazos
Rangel
Cuellar
Goolsby
Reyna of Dallas
Laney Glaze Moreno of El Paso
Alexander Goodman Morrison
Allen Goolsby Mowery
Alvarado Gray Naishtat
Averitt Green Najera
Bailey Greenberg Nixon
Berman Grusendorf Noriega
Bonnen Gutierrez Oliveira
Bosse Haggerty Olivo
Brimer Hamric Palmer
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Pickett
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Pitts
Burnam Hawley Puente
Capelo Heflin Ramsay
Carter Hilbert Rangel
Chavez Hilderbran Reyna of Bexar
Chisum Hill Reyna of Dallas
Christian Hinojosa Ritter
Clark Hochberg Sadler
Coleman Hodge Salinas
Cook Homer Seaman
Corte Hope Shields
Counts Howard Siebert
Crabb Hunter Smith
Craddick Hupp Smithee
Crownover Isett Solis of Cameron
Cuellar Janek Solis of Bexar
Culberson Jones of Brazos Solomons
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Staples
Davis of Harris Jones of Dallas Swinford
Davis of Dallas Junell Talton
Delisi Keel Telford
Denny Keffer Thompson
Deshotel King of Parker Tillery
Driver King of Uvalde Truitt
Dukes Krusee Turner of Coleman
Dunnam Kuempel Turner of Harris
Dutton Lengefeld Uher
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Van de Putte
Eiland Longoria Walker
Elkins Luna West
Ellis McCall Williams
Farabee McClendon Wilson
Farrar McReynolds Wise
Flores Madden Wohlgemuth
Gallego Marchant Wolens
Garcia Maxey Woolley
George Merritt Yarbrough
Giddings Moreno of Harris Zbranek
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 275 was adopted by the House on May
12, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 275 was adopted by the Senate on
May 12, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor