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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1041
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize William Powers Jr., who is retiring as the 28th |
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president of The University of Texas at Austin on |
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June 2, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Powers is one of the nation's leading legal |
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scholars and a recipient of the Fleming Memorial Prize for Torts |
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Scholarship; he began his career at the university as a law |
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professor in 1977; he went on to become dean of the law school, |
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and due to his commitment to recruiting a diverse student body, |
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the law school experienced a significant increase in enrollment |
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of minority students during his tenure; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Powers was named president of the university |
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in 2006 and immediately embarked on a multifaceted effort to |
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promote the institution's research mission and strengthen its |
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undergraduate academic program; the students were first among |
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his priorities, and he reformed the curriculum by establishing |
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rigorous Signature Courses for freshmen and served as an |
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instructor of one of these courses throughout his presidency; his |
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student-success initiatives, which included a Course |
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Transformation project and a focus on timely graduation, gained |
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national recognition and were spotlighted on the cover of the New |
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York Times Magazine; and |
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WHEREAS, His invaluable contributions to the university |
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have included his efforts to help establish the Dell Medical |
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School, the first medical school in the United States to be built |
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atanexistingtier-oneuniversityinmorethanthreedecades, |
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and his role in helping to launch the construction of a $310 |
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million Engineering Education and Research Center; he is |
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currently concluding a $3.1 billion capital fund-raising |
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campaign, the largest fund-raiser in the history of Texas higher |
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education; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Powers is a champion of education who has |
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focused on making the university the best public research |
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university in the nation, and he has worked diligently to help |
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the institution rise to its fullest potential; The University of |
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Texas and the field of higher education have greatly benefited |
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from his exceptional leadership; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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Legislature, hereby commend William Powers Jr. on his |
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outstanding service as president of The University of Texas at |
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Austin and extend to him best wishes for the future; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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him as an expression of highest esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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Watson |
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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 May 30, 2015. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |