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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The May 31, 2007, retirement of Dr. Polly Sparks |
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Turner, associate professor and director of the TSU Health Care |
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Administration Graduate Program, brings to a close an outstanding |
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tenure of service to Texas Southern University; and |
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WHEREAS, A dynamic leader and productive scholar, Dr. Turner |
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authored the proposal for the first graduate program in the TSU |
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College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS), a master of |
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science degree in health care administration; she has guided the |
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program as its founding director since 2001; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Turner also designed and implemented the first |
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COPHS Summer Academy Program for pharmacy students, a program that |
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has continued since 1990; in addition, during her career at Texas |
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Southern, Dr. Turner has served as chair of the Department of Health |
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Sciences, as director of the Minority Faculty Fellowship Program, |
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the Health Careers Opportunity Program, and the Center of |
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Excellence, and as assistant vice president for alumni affairs; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed academician has advanced knowledge in |
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her field through grant-funded research and through the |
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presentation of numerous papers at professional conferences; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Turner is a former advisory board member for the |
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School of Allied Health at The University of Texas Medical Branch |
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and for the School of Public Health at The UT Health Science Center |
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at Houston, as well as a former member of the board of directors for |
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the Harris County Area Agency on Aging; she presently serves on the |
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executive committee for the Texas Consortium of Geriatric Education |
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Centers and on the governing council for the American Public Health |
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Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Turner has given generously of her time and |
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talents to such organizations as Chums, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, |
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the National Congress of Black Women, the Sandra Organ Ballet Dance |
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Company, and Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Frequently recognized for her outstanding |
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achievements, Dr. Polly Turner has been honored by Texas Southern |
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University, the American Public Health Association, and the |
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National Institute of Technology; moreover, she has been listed in |
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Who's Who Among American College Teachers, Who's Who Among Women in |
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Pharmacy, and Who's Who in Black Houston, and scholarships have |
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been established in her name at both Texas Southern and the |
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University of Houston Downtown; and |
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WHEREAS, The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Texas |
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Southern University has benefited immensely from Polly Turner's |
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exceptional vision and deep commitment to health care education, |
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and her legacy of achievement will long benefit the department and |
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the university; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Dr. Polly Sparks Turner for her |
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distinguished career at Texas Southern University and extend to her |
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best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Turner as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |