79S11063 MMS-D

By:  Pitts                                                        H.R. No. 349



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Dr. Larry R. Faulkner has announced plans to retire 
as president of The University of Texas at Austin, and his departure 
brings to a close a most distinguished tenure at that institution; 
and
	WHEREAS, The 27th president of UT-Austin, Dr. Faulkner 
assumed his present post on April 13, 1998; he has won widespread 
respect, within and outside of the 40 Acres community, for raising 
even further the stature of UT as a research university, as well as 
for laying an impressively solid foundation for future development; 
and
	WHEREAS, Under Dr. Faulkner's leadership, the Commission of 
125, a group of alumni and citizens, completed a long-term 
strategic plan for the university, and the largest fund-raising 
drive in the school's history brought in more than $1.6 billion; Dr. 
Faulkner has also reorganized and modernized the university's 
administration and installed a structure to foster effective 
long-range planning; and
	WHEREAS, During his presidency, the university has 
established a number of new academic programs, among them the 
Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, the 
Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Jackson School of 
Geosciences, the School of Life Sciences, and the Institute of 
Computational Engineering and Sciences; moreover, the university 
has provided leadership at the state and national levels in 
advanced computer networking for the support of research and 
education; in 2001, to meet growing instructional needs, UT took 
the first steps to add a total of 300 new members to its faculty; and
	WHEREAS, President Faulkner has also overseen initiatives 
reflecting the global concerns of the university, such as the 
establishment of the South Asia Institute and the Center for 
Argentine Studies; the launching of the Argentine center further 
advances the ambition of the university to become the foremost 
academic center for Latin American studies in the United States; 
and
	WHEREAS, Over the course of Dr. Faulkner's tenure, the 
university has expanded its world-renowned resources through the 
acquisition of several superb art collections, together with the 
Norman Mailer, Newsweek magazine, and Woodward-Bernstein Watergate 
archives; and
	WHEREAS, The campus has also seen extensive renovation of the 
Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the Harry Ransom 
Humanities Research Center, along with the construction of major 
academic, athletic, residential, and museum facilities; and
	WHEREAS, Spurred by Dr. Faulkner's emphasis on undergraduate 
education, the university has set new records in the retention of 
freshmen, student progress toward the completion of degrees, and 
graduation rates; at the same time, notable benchmarks have been 
inscribed by the freshman class of 2003, which ranked as the most 
academically qualified in the school's history, and the freshman 
class of 2004, which ranked as the most diverse; and
	WHEREAS, To promote participation in the life of the 
university among all segments of the state's population, UT has 
created innovative admissions and financial aid programs, 
developed an interactive website offering access to its research, 
teaching, and treasures, and hosted an annual campus-wide open 
house; Dr. Faulkner has also appointed a diverse university 
leadership and worked tirelessly to engage with citizens and 
communities across the length and breadth of Texas; and
	WHEREAS, Recognizing the special obligation that public 
universities have to their respective states, President Faulkner 
has encouraged assistance to public education as an appropriate and 
vital contribution to the community at large; such efforts by 
UT-Austin include, in addition to formal academic and outreach 
programs, the establishment of the National Center for Educational 
Accountability, which promotes best practices, and the creation of 
a demonstration elementary school, which serves primarily African 
American and Latino students; and
	WHEREAS, Before assuming the presidency of UT-Austin, Dr. 
Faulkner taught at Harvard University and spent 25 years at the 
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he held the 
offices of provost, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and 
head of the Department of Chemistry; a productive scholar who has 
been honored on numerous occasions for his research, he was elected 
in 2003 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and
	WHEREAS, The University of Texas at Austin has gained 
immeasurably from Dr. Faulkner's incisive leadership, deep 
experience, and passionate commitment to the mission of higher 
education, and the legacy of his achievements will continue to 
enrich the people of this state for years to come; now, therefore, 
be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby honor Dr. Larry R. Faulkner 
for his eminent service as president of The University of Texas at 
Austin and extend to him sincere best wishes for the years ahead; 
and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Dr. Faulkner as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.