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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Bob E. Riley is retiring as president of East |
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Texas Baptist University on July 16, 2009, concluding a |
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distinguished 17-year career with this fine institution; and |
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WHEREAS, Under Dr. Riley's skilled leadership, enrollment at |
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ETBU has reached a record level and the endowment has increased |
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significantly; Dr. Riley organized the university into seven |
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schools, each under the direction of its own dean, and oversaw the |
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completion of more than $25 million in capital projects, including |
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construction of new buildings and extensive renovations of existing |
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facilities; technology has been expanded, the athletics program |
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moved from NCAA Division II to Division III, and the number of |
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athletic teams more than tripled; he also encouraged the |
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development of the Student Leadership Institute and Great |
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Commission Center, expanded the choral program, and instituted the |
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marching band; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Riley was born in Wheeler in 1943; he earned his |
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bachelor's degree and his master's degree in education from West |
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Texas State University and served his country in the United States |
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Navy; after beginning his career in public school systems in Tulia, |
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Canyon, and Claude, he went on to earn his doctorate in education |
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from East Texas State University, which has named him a |
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distinguished alumnus, and he pursued postdoctoral studies at Texas |
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Tech University; he worked as an assistant professor at Sul Ross |
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State University, as dean of instruction at Clarendon College, and |
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as an assistant professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University |
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before joining Howard College in Big Spring as vice president for |
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academic affairs in 1983; the following year, he became president |
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of Howard; and |
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WHEREAS, The 11th president of ETBU, Dr. Riley was elected to |
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the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics council of |
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presidents and was appointed to the executive council of the |
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Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and |
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Schools; and |
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WHEREAS, This noteworthy leader also served the wider |
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community as a member of the board of the Marshall Chamber of |
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Commerce and as president of the Marshall Rotary Club; he and his |
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wife, Gayle, are the proud parents of three daughters, Lisa, Leigh, |
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and Melinda, and he serves as a deacon of First Baptist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Named president emeritus by the ETBU board of |
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trustees, Dr. Riley is highly regarded for his vision and |
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commitment to excellence, and he can indeed take great pride in his |
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legacy of achievement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Bob E. Riley on his retirement |
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as president of East Texas Baptist University and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Riley as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Hughes |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2909 was adopted by the House on June |
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1, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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