| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., distinguished himself |
|
|
through his more than 15 years of dedicated servant leadership to |
|
|
the Texas Tech University System, first as president of Texas Tech |
|
|
University Health Sciences Center and then as chancellor of the TTU |
|
|
System; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Mitchell provided tremendous guidance and |
|
|
support to the leadership teams of the five institutions of the TTU |
|
|
System, including Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University |
|
|
Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University, Texas Tech |
|
|
University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and Midwestern State |
|
|
University; he helped to enhance the TTU System's profile, and he |
|
|
supported the shared missions of advancing higher education, health |
|
|
care, research, and community engagement; he also led the system's |
|
|
engagement with elected officials in Austin and with federal |
|
|
leaders in Washington, D.C., to further increase funding and |
|
|
support for strategic initiatives at each university; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Under Dr. Mitchell's leadership, the TTU System |
|
|
consistently achieved systemwide records in enrollment, |
|
|
fundraising, and research expenditures, and it made a $19.2 billion |
|
|
statewide economic impact; moreover, the system experienced |
|
|
exponential growth, including the addition of two institutions, |
|
|
five schools, and numerous academic programs; the system has made a |
|
|
meaningful impact in the lives of people across Texas, including |
|
|
those in underserved rural areas, through workforce development and |
|
|
collaborations with partners in public education, local |
|
|
government, and private industry; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, During the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, |
|
|
Dr. Mitchell led the TTU System's successful efforts to secure |
|
|
approval for the establishment of the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental |
|
|
Medicine at TTUHSC El Paso, the state's first dental school in over |
|
|
half a century, as well as the TTU School of Veterinary Medicine in |
|
|
Amarillo, the state's first veterinary school in more than 100 |
|
|
years; those institutions have helped to address shortages of |
|
|
dentists and veterinarians across the state; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Mitchell was instrumental in the TTU System's |
|
|
historic success in each subsequent legislative session since then, |
|
|
leading to the addition of Midwestern State University as the fifth |
|
|
component of the system in 2021; he also oversaw the creation of the |
|
|
Texas University Fund in 2023, with the goal of supporting emerging |
|
|
Texas research institutions in perpetuity; in 2025, he secured |
|
|
critical legislative funding for each of the TTU System's |
|
|
institutions to support strategic initiatives aligned with their |
|
|
individual and collective strengths; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Mitchell's leadership and extensive medical |
|
|
knowledge has led to the creation of the Big Cure Surgical Oncology |
|
|
Fellowship Program, a partnership with the John Wayne Cancer |
|
|
Foundation that aims to improve access to cancer care and health |
|
|
outcomes for cancer patients in West Texas; in addition, he |
|
|
contributed to the acquisition of the world's largest database on |
|
|
research related to health and fitness to create the Kenneth |
|
|
H. Cooper Institute at Texas Tech University Health Sciences |
|
|
Center, a resource that will further advance preventive medicine |
|
|
and positively impact the communities the system serves; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, All of Dr. Tedd Mitchell's efforts serve as a |
|
|
testament to his enduring and unwavering commitment to the people |
|
|
and communities of West Texas, the State of Texas, and the United |
|
|
States; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature, 1st |
|
|
Called Session, hereby commend Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., for his |
|
|
exceptional service to the Texas Tech University System, its |
|
|
institutions, and all those they serve, and extend to him sincere |
|
|
appreciation for his extraordinary dedication; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Dr. Mitchell as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas Senate. |