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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Royce Money, who has rendered outstanding |
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service as president of Abilene Christian University, is retiring |
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from that position on May 31, 2010, and transitioning into a new |
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role as ACU chancellor; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Temple, Royce Money became the first |
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member of his family to attend college, earning both his bachelor's |
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and master of divinity degrees from ACU and his doctorate in |
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religion from Baylor University; in addition, he received a |
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master's degree in human development and the family from the |
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University of Nebraska; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Money worked in the ministry for more than a |
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dozen years until ACU recruited him as an associate professor of |
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marriage and family therapy in 1981; a few years later, he |
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transferred to the Bible department to help develop and direct the |
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school's ministry program; in 1987, he became executive assistant |
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to the university's then president, Bill Teague, and served as vice |
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president and provost before becoming the institution's 10th |
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president in 1991; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of Dr. Money's tenure the school's |
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national reputation has grown significantly, and its numerous |
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accolades include high marks in the U.S. News & World Report 2009 |
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edition of "America's Best Colleges," where it ranks No. 1 in the |
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16-state western region for innovative leadership; ACU's Mobile |
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Learning Initiative recently received the Institutional Excellence |
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Award from the Association for Information Communications |
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Technology Professionals in Higher Education; moreover, the |
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university won inclusion in the publication America's 100 Best |
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College Buys for 12 consecutive years and earned a spot on the 2008 |
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President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll; and |
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WHEREAS, Under Dr. Money's skillful leadership, the ACU |
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endowment has more than quadrupled to over $236 million, and the |
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university has received more than $300 million in operating, |
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capital, and endowment gifts; successful capital campaigns have |
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funded major renovations of campus facilities and the construction |
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of many new buildings, including a special events center, a |
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performing arts center, and a residence hall; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic educator directed the creation of the |
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School of Social Work and the School of Information Technology and |
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Computing, and he has overseen an increase in the number of academic |
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programs achieving specialized accreditation and the addition of |
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key graduate and professional programs, including speech-language |
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pathology and conflict resolution; he has also demonstrated a |
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commitment to developing a more diverse and global focus through |
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the expansion of study abroad programs and online degree programs, |
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as well as the establishment of the Office for Student |
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Multicultural Enrichment; the diversity of the student body has |
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increased as well, and ACU today draws students from 60 foreign |
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countries, as well as most of the 50 states; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Dr. Money enjoys the love and |
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support of his wife, Pam, and their daughters, Alison and Jennifer, |
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all of whom count themselves as proud ACU alums; and |
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WHEREAS, Royce Money's vision and expertise have contributed |
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immeasurably to the stature of Abilene Christian University, and |
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the school's students and faculty are indeed fortunate to continue |
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to benefit from his guidance and dedication; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Dr. Royce Money for his outstanding |
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achievements as president of Abilene Christian University and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for success in his new role as |
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chancellor; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Money as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |