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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, William Powers, Jr., president of The University of |
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Texas at Austin, was elected vice chair of the Association of |
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American Universities in October 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of Harvard Law School, Bill Powers is |
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recognized as a national leader in higher education as well as one |
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of the country's preeminent scholars in personal injury and |
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products liability; his career with The University of Texas dates |
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back to 1977, when he joined the faculty of the UT School of Law, and |
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he became dean of the school in 2000; during his six years in that |
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post, he demonstrated an outstanding ability to attract talented |
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faculty, to diversify the student body, and to build strong |
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relationships with alumni and lawmakers; and |
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WHEREAS, This respected administrator has served as the |
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president of UT since 2006, and in that capacity he has continued to |
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promote diversity on campus and has placed a strong emphasis on |
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strengthening the undergraduate core curriculum and on fostering |
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support for universities and colleges throughout Texas; under his |
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administration, UT has continued to build on its reputation as one |
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of the world's elite places of learning; and |
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WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous accolades, President |
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Powers holds the Hines H. Baker and Thelma Kelley Baker Chair in Law |
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at UT, and he is an inductee in the university's Academy of |
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Distinguished Teachers; in addition, he was named a co-recipient of |
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the prestigious John G. Fleming Memorial Prize for Torts |
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Scholarship in 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, With his election as vice chair of the Association |
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of American Universities, President Powers joins the leadership |
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team of an organization composed of 62 public and private research |
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universities; founded in 1900, the AAU focuses on such issues as |
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support for research, policy matters, and graduate and |
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undergraduate education and acts as a liaison between its member |
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universities and the federal government; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Powers is an eloquent champion of higher |
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education, and the vision and commitment to excellence that he |
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brings to all of his endeavors will be of immense benefit in his |
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important new role with the AAU; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate William Powers, Jr., of The |
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University of Texas at Austin on his election as vice chair of the |
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Association of American Universities and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for a successful term; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for President Powers as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |