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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Amarillo College lost an ardent champion with the |
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passing of A.C. president Dr. Steven W. Jones on February 22, 2009, |
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at the age of 56; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on September 28, |
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1952, Dr. Jones worked as an industrial economist before turning |
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his energies toward higher education; he held a bachelor's degree |
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in business, an M.B.A. in management and economics, and a doctorate |
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in higher education administration; he was also a graduate of the |
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Harvard University Institute for Educational Management and the |
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Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Jones moved to Amarillo from Phillips Community |
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College of the University of Arkansas, where he had served as |
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chancellor since 1996; he was named president of Amarillo College |
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on October 15, 2003, and over the ensuing years he charted an |
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ambitious new course for this West Texas school; and |
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WHEREAS, One of his first undertakings was the development of |
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a long-range plan that focused on technology upgrades; he |
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subsequently scored a major triumph with the passage in 2007 of a |
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$68 million bond issue, by far the largest in school history; |
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revenue from the bonds is slated to fund the renovation of existing |
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classroom facilities and the construction of two new buildings, one |
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to house math and science programs and the other a nursing and |
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dental health center, which is being named in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, During his tenure, Dr. Jones worked to more closely |
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align the school's technical programs with the needs of the |
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community, so that local industry, business, and government would |
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have a ready, well-qualified workforce and students could train in |
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fields offering long-term employment prospects and high wages; |
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innovative offerings drew new students and helped push the school's |
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academic enrollment to more than 10,000; Dr. Jones also succeeded |
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in increasing federal funding for the college by more than 35 |
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percent; and |
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WHEREAS, A productive scholar, he published three books and |
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dozens of articles in professional journals; moreover, numerous |
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colleges, universities, and community college systems sought his |
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expertise and counsel; earlier in his career, he served as vice |
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chair of the American Association of Community Colleges Board of |
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Directors, as a member of the board of the Ford Foundation Rural |
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Community College Initiative, as a member of the President's |
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Advisory Board of the Association of Community College Trustees, |
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and as an adviser to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for its community |
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college program; and |
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WHEREAS, In Amarillo, this esteemed gentleman chaired the |
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boards of a regional medical center, a rural health care |
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foundation, and the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce, and served as a |
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board member of the Harrington Regional Medical Center, Amarillo |
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Museum of Art, United Way of Amarillo & Canyon, Amarillo Symphony, |
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and Salvation Army; he was a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary |
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International, as well as a Gideon and a deacon in the Baptist |
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Church; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Dr. Jones enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, Tommye Lou Jones, and two daughters, Holly and |
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Jennifer; and |
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WHEREAS, Amarillo College has gained immeasurably from the |
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leadership, experience, and unwavering commitment that Dr. Steven |
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Jones brought to his post as president, and the legacy of his |
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achievements will continue to enrich the citizens of the Panhandle |
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for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Steven W. Jones and extend |
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sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife of 33 |
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years, Tommye Lou Jones; to his daughters, Holly Rhea Jones and |
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Jennifer Ashley Jones; to his mother, Bobbie Jones; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Dr. Steven W. Jones. |