By Flores                                              H.R. No. 657
         77R11408 MMS-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, South Texas Community College (STCC) has named its
 1-2     new Nursing and Allied Health Center after Dr. Ramiro R. Casso, a
 1-3     leader in Valley health care for more than 40 years and the
 1-4     school's vice president for institutional advancement; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Dr. Casso has been described as a South Texas icon
 1-6     because of his unceasing efforts to improve health care for Valley
 1-7     residents, especially for indigent and low-income patients; a
 1-8     McAllen physician for 37 years before joining STCC, he has long
 1-9     worked at the local, state, and national levels to address the need
1-10     for adequate health care; and
1-11           WHEREAS, In 1995, shortly after retiring from his medical
1-12     practice, Dr. Casso agreed to aid STCC in its search for a director
1-13     of the allied health division; he subsequently consented to become
1-14     the interim division director, pending the arrival of the
1-15     successful candidate; after a semester with the school, Dr. Casso
1-16     was promoted to executive director of allied health development;
1-17     and
1-18           WHEREAS, Since his arrival at STCC, the number of students
1-19     enrolled in the allied health division has risen from 100 to more
1-20     than 1,800; many of these students have been aided by another of
1-21     Dr. Casso's projects, the Valley Scholars program, which provides
1-22     scholarships to the top five percent of graduating high school
1-23     seniors; and
1-24           WHEREAS, After nearly four decades of striving to improve
 2-1     health care in the Valley, Dr. Casso now helps guide a rapidly
 2-2     expanding enterprise to train health care workers for this region;
 2-3     in addition to its growth in enrollment, the division offers an
 2-4     ever-increasing number of health-related programs, including three
 2-5     new ones that will be offered in the fall of 2001; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, Dr. Casso's work has also involved securing
 2-7     donations, grants, and other resources to support the college's
 2-8     mission; he raised more than half of the $6.5 million required to
 2-9     build the new four-story allied health center, and he has recently
2-10     obtained contributions from local hospitals that will help increase
2-11     the annual number of students graduating with an associate degree
2-12     in nursing from 45 to 120; and      
2-13           WHEREAS, A physician, health care activist, community
2-14     stalwart, and now a passionately committed leader in health care
2-15     education, Dr. Casso has contributed immeasurably to the welfare of
2-16     Valley residents, and it is indeed a privilege and a great pleasure
2-17     to recognize him at this time; now, therefore, be it  
2-18           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-19     Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Ramiro R. Casso on the naming
2-20     of the STCC Nursing and Allied Health Center in his honor and
2-21     extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his
2-22     worthy endeavors; and, be it further
2-23           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-24     prepared for Dr. Casso as an expression of high regard by the Texas
2-25     House of Representatives.