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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Department of Government at The University of |
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Texas at Austin marked a notable milestone in 2010 with the |
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celebration of its centennial; and |
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WHEREAS, The department traces its origins to 1910, when the |
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UT School of Political Science was reorganized into the Schools of |
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Government, Economics, and Institutional History; since that time, |
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the Department of Government has made significant contributions to |
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the field of political science, to the mission of the university, |
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and to the development of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, the department has been home to a |
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number of eminent academicians; among those who helped to build the |
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department's early reputation for excellence were V. O. Key, Jr., |
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Roscoe Martin, and Emmette Redford; in addition to producing their |
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own scholarship, the department faculty created, in about 1920, the |
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Southwestern Political Science Association (SWPSA) and its |
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journal, the Southwestern Political Science Quarterly, the first |
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social science journal to be published in the United States by a |
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regional organization; today known as the Social Science Quarterly, |
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the publication enjoys international stature; at the same time that |
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faculty members established the SWPSA, they founded a political |
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science honorary society, Pi Sigma Alpha, which now has more than |
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700 chapters across the country; and |
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WHEREAS, Together with promoting the study of political |
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science, the department has sought to meet its responsibilities in |
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the practical realm, in particular by helping state government to |
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function more efficiently and by fostering better understanding of |
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significant public issues; in its first half-century, the |
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department helped to establish both the Legislative Reference |
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Library and the Texas Legislative Council; more recently, it has |
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created the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute, a research unit |
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that focuses especially on issues that are relevant to the state's |
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Latino population; the department also supports a remarkable |
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undertaking called the Texas Politics Project; through a speaker |
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series and extensive online resources, the project is designed to |
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supplement college-level instruction about the workings of Texas |
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government, as well as to help all Texans become more informed and |
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effective participants in the political process; additionally, the |
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department has instituted an internship program that enables |
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students to gain meaningful experience in government and in the |
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crafting of public policy; and |
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WHEREAS, An integral component of one of the state's flagship |
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universities, the department has helped to train countless Texans |
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who have emerged as leaders in areas ranging from law and politics |
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to education, business, and civic affairs; more broadly still, the |
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department has educated generations of Texas citizens about the |
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fundamentals of government and good citizenship; and |
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WHEREAS, In a society founded on representative democracy and |
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the rule of law, the UT Department of Government plays a crucial |
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role in transmitting the values and knowledge that keep that system |
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robust and vital, and the conclusion of its first illustrious |
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century provides a fitting opportunity to recognize it; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of The University of |
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Texas at Austin Department of Government and express sincere |
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appreciation for its outstanding public service; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for The University of Texas at Austin Department of |
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Government as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of |
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Representatives. |