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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. W. David Watts will retire as president of The |
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University of Texas of the Permian Basin in August 2017, drawing to |
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a close more than 16 years of exemplary service to the university; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A native Texan, David Watts received his bachelor's |
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degree in sociology and English from The University of Texas at |
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Austin and his master's and doctoral degrees in sociology from the |
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State University of New York at Buffalo; early in his academic |
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career, he taught in the sociology and anthropology department of |
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Ohio University and at Southwest Texas State University, where he |
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also served as department chair; he went on to assume the post of |
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dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana |
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University and subsequently served as vice president for academic |
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and student affairs at Jacksonville State University in Alabama; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Watts became the fifth president of The |
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University of Texas of the Permian Basin in February 2001, and over |
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the course of his exemplary 15-year tenure, UTPB has grown from |
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2,200 students to more than 6,100, while the enrollment in |
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engineering classes has nearly quintupled, from 111 students in |
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2009 to 541 in 2014; under his stewardship, the university has |
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earned professional accreditation for its programs in business, |
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engineering, nursing, education, music, athletic training, and |
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social work; and |
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WHEREAS, In his work to expand the school's Midland campus, |
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Dr. Watts has overseen the creation of the Wagner Noel Performing |
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Arts Center as well as the planning for a new 80,000-square-foot |
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engineering school; moreover, UTPB has created a STEM Charter |
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School and a pioneering virtual Early College High School network |
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that serves nine school districts in Texas, and it has also become |
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the first university in Texas to offer a $10,000 bachelor's degree |
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in selected majors; in 2015, Dr. Watts was selected as the Citizen |
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of the Year by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed administrator's dedication, visionary |
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leadership, and commitment to excellence have greatly benefited The |
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University of Texas of the Permian Basin and earned him the respect |
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and admiration of its students, faculty, and staff, and he may |
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indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as he embarks on |
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the next exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. W. David Watts on his |
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retirement as president of The University of Texas of the Permian |
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Basin and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success |
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and happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Watts as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Craddick |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 109 was adopted by the House on |
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February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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