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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Former state senator Robert Duncan concluded his |
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noteworthy tenure as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System |
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on August 31, 2018; and |
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WHEREAS, Appointed in 2014, Chancellor Duncan guided the |
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system through a period of tremendous growth, with record levels of |
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student enrollment and degrees awarded; he also fostered a culture |
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of sustained philanthropy, and fund-raising surpassed $615 million |
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while the endowment grew by over $150 million to a total of $1.3 |
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billion; and |
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WHEREAS, Chancellor Duncan collaborated closely with |
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institution presidents to support system expansion in West Texas; |
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he worked tirelessly toward the goal of establishing a veterinary |
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school in Amarillo to meet the growing need for large-animal vets, |
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and he oversaw efforts to build a new dental school in El Paso; in |
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addition, he addressed the acute shortage of mental health care in |
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the region by creating the Texas Tech Mental Health Institute to |
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increase collaboration and spur faculty innovation; and |
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WHEREAS, Previously, Chancellor Duncan served in the state |
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legislature for more than two decades; first elected to the house in |
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1992, he won a senate seat in a special election four years later, |
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and he represented Senate District 28 for nearly 18 years; admired |
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for cooperating across the aisle to find solutions to the |
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challenges facing rural Texas, he took an active role in reforming |
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the Texas Department of Insurance and resurrected the boll weevil |
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eradication program; a champion of higher education, he was |
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instrumental in the development of such programs as the National |
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Research University Fund and the Texas Research Incentive Program; |
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over the course of his tenure, Senator Duncan chaired the State |
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Affairs Committee for a decade, and he also led the Jurisprudence |
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and Long Term Care Legislative Oversight Committees; moreover, he |
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was repeatedly named one of the state's 10 best legislators by Texas |
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Monthly as well as a Texas Super Lawyer; and |
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WHEREAS, Chancellor Duncan holds both a bachelor's degree in |
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agricultural economics and a law degree from TTU, and he was a law |
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partner at Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam in Lubbock for more than 25 |
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years; in all his endeavors, he has enjoyed the love and support of |
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his wife, Terri, and his children, Lindsey and Matthew; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his visionary leadership, Robert Duncan |
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significantly advanced the mission of the Texas Tech University |
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System, and over the course of his long career in public service, he |
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has made lasting contributions to higher education and to the Lone |
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Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the Honorable Robert Duncan for his |
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accomplishments as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System |
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and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Chancellor Duncan as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Burrows |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 719 was adopted by the House on March |
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21, 2019, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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