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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Raymund A. Paredes is retiring from his post as |
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the Texas commissioner of higher education in August 2019, drawing |
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to a close a tenure distinguished by significant progress and |
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achievement; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Paredes has served as CEO of the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board since 2004, overseeing statewide |
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strategic planning for education and the administration of |
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financial aid; over the course of his exemplary 15-year tenure, he |
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has led the effort to reinvent developmental education in Texas, |
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introduced outcome-based funding for community and technical |
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colleges, and launched an affordable bachelor's degree program at |
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more than 10 institutions; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of El Paso, Raymund Paredes earned his |
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bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at |
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Austin; he served for two years in the U.S. Army, including a |
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14-month tour of duty in Vietnam with the First Infantry Division, |
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and after returning to civilian life, he received a master's degree |
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in American studies from the University of Southern California and |
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a Ph.D. in American civilization from UT Austin in 1973; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Paredes spent much of his academic career at the |
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University of California, Los Angeles, where he was an English |
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professor and vice chancellor for academic development; he also |
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served as special assistant to the president of the UC System, |
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working on outreach efforts to improve access to education for |
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students from educationally disadvantaged communities; he went on |
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to serve as director of creativity and culture at the Rockefeller |
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Foundation and as president for programs for the Hispanic |
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Scholarship Fund; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Paredes has been a member of the Education |
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Commission of the States, the national board of Big Brothers Big |
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Sisters, and the board of the Texas Cultural Trust, as well as a |
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trustee of the College Board and Mercy College of New York; in 2007, |
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he was named one of Hispanic Business magazine's 100 Most |
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Influential Hispanics; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed professional's vision, leadership, |
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and commitment to the mission of higher education have greatly |
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benefited the students of Texas, and he may indeed reflect with |
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pride on all that he has accomplished; 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 Dr. Raymund A. Paredes on his 15 years |
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of service as Texas commissioner of higher education and extend to |
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him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Paredes as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Morrison |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 849 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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