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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio is stepping down as |
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president of Tarleton State University at the end of August 2019, |
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concluding an exemplary tenure in office that has spanned 11 years; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Under the skillful guidance of Dr. Dottavio, an |
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engaged and accessible administrator, Tarleton's enrollment has |
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risen by almost 70 percent, from under 8,000 students to more than |
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13,000; applications have increased by over 131 percent since 2012, |
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reportedly placing the school seventh in the nation for such |
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growth; retention and graduation rates have improved by 60 percent |
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during the last five years, and The Texas A&M University System has |
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recognized Tarleton as a model in this regard; donations to |
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Tarleton have increased by 78 percent, and the endowment is up by 81 |
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percent; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2008, Tarleton has added more than 30 academic |
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programs, and it has established a College of Health Sciences and |
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Human Services as well as a School of Nursing, School of |
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Engineering, School of Kinesiology, and School of Criminology, |
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Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies; a new doctoral program in |
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criminal justice is pending approval; Tarleton offers high-demand |
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academic programs in Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, and Bryan |
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through partnerships with other colleges and universities, and it |
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will open the first building of its planned Fort Worth campus in |
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August 2019; construction and expansion projects totaling over $400 |
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million include the Memorial Stadium renovation, seven new |
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residence halls, and a state-of-the-art engineering building set to |
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open in 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Dottavio previously served as president of |
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Heidelberg University in Ohio and as dean and director of The Ohio |
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State University at Marion; an Ohio State graduate, he holds a |
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master's degree in forestry and environmental sciences from Yale |
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University and a doctoral degree from Purdue University's College |
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of Agriculture and Natural Resources; he will continue to serve |
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Tarleton as a tenured professor in the College of Agricultural and |
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Environmental Sciences, and he will assist the Division of |
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Institutional Advancement; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his visionary leadership and passion for |
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higher education, Dominic Dottavio has transformed Tarleton State |
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University, and in so doing, he has earned the deep respect and |
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admiration of students, his colleagues, and the wider community; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio for his |
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outstanding service as president of Tarleton State University and |
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extend to 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. Dottavio as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |