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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The fundamental importance to our state of equality |
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and education is exemplified by their prominent inclusion in the |
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Texas Constitution, which provides that equality under the law |
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shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, |
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or national origin and also provides for the maintenance, support, |
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and direction of a first-class university system; taken together, |
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these provisions should guarantee a sound, thriving academic |
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environment for all students, including those of varying racial and |
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ethnic backgrounds who make up almost half of the student |
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population in Texas' public universities; and |
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WHEREAS, But the reality at many modern campuses is one of |
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increasing violence and animosity between different ethnic groups, |
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often involving incidents of hate speech or worse; unfortunately, |
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these incidents affect not only the persons directly involved, but |
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the student body at large, undermining the conditions necessary for |
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constructive interethnic dialogue and creating an atmosphere of |
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insecurity and alienation, which may limit a student's ability to |
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take full advantage of the educational opportunities available at |
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our universities; and |
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WHEREAS, Moreover, the insecurity prevalent in an intolerant |
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academic environment reduces a student's commitment to the |
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university and may lead to early departure, thereby shattering the |
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student's dreams of personal achievement and diminishing an |
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important resource for the future of our state; higher education |
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contributes $33.2 billion annually to the Texas economy, and |
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earnings and productivity associated with higher education's |
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students increase the state's economic capacity by more than $23 |
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billion per year; and |
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WHEREAS, Universities around the nation have adopted codes of |
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conduct and related student awareness programs aimed at reducing |
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hate speech and preventing discriminatory harassment; by doing the |
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same, Texas universities can deliver on those promises to advance |
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equality and education outlined by the state constitution, |
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fostering academic environments of the highest standard, avoiding |
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potential economic loss to the state, and living up to the most |
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noble principles upon which our nation was founded; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby direct the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to |
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develop and implement policies and programs to be adopted by Texas |
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universities that address the incidence of discrimination and |
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harassment on campus; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the commissioner of higher education |
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of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the president of |
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each Texas public university campus, and the chief executive |
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officer of Texas A&M University-Galveston. |