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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 168
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize Dr. Blandina C |
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á |
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rdenas, who is retiring from her |
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position as president of The University of Texas--Pan American on |
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January 30, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, A well-known educator and civil rights advocate, |
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Dr. Blandina "Bambi" C |
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á |
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rdenas began her career as a teacher of |
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migrant preschool children in Del Rio in 1968; she later served |
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as director of Development of Innovative Programs at the Edgewood |
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Independent School District, where she designed an array of |
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programs that became national models and advanced the cause of |
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educational equity and excellence; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1977, she accepted a presidential appointment |
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as Commissioner of the Administration for Children, Youth and |
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Families in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, |
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where she led a number of national programs, including the Head |
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Start Program, the Child Welfare Program, and the Child |
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Development Research Program; she served on the governing body of |
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the Inter-American Children's Institute of the Organization of |
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American States, and she has worked extensively with Mexican |
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universities and organizations, for which she earned induction |
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into the Orden del Aguila Azteca, the highest honor bestowed by |
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the government of Mexico on a noncitizen; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. C |
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á |
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rdenas has an impressive history of |
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educational leadership and community service; she has served as |
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chairperson of the board of trustees of the Educational Testing |
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Service, as a founding member of the board of the Fundacion |
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Solidaridad Mexicana Americana, and as a member of the board of |
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the American Association of Higher Education; before her arrival |
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at The University of Texas--Pan American, she served as dean of |
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the College of Education and professor of educational leadership |
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at The University of Texas at San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, She was named president of The University of |
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Texas--Pan American in 2004 after a 10-month, nationwide search; |
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during her tenure, she has been responsible for a number of |
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initiatives that have distinguished the university and enhanced |
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student success, and she has guided the institution to a new era |
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in research in such fields as economics, border life, medicine, |
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and engineering; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than 30 years, Dr. C |
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á |
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rdenas has been a |
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strong, creative voice for expanded educational opportunity, and |
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she has earned numerous awards for her efforts to increase the |
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participation of underrepresented groups in higher education; in |
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2008, she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for her |
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distinguished work in higher education at the 12th Annual Ford |
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Salute to Education; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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Legislature, hereby commend Dr. Blandina C |
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á |
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rdenas on her |
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outstanding service to her state and nation in the field of |
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education and extend to her best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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Hinojosa |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 10, 2009. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |