093_HR0497

 
                                     LRB093 13546 HSS 18892 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, In the fall of 1968, the University of  Illinois
 3    at   Urbana-Champaign   initiated   the  Special  Educational
 4    Opportunities Program, more commonly referred to  as  Project
 5    500,   which   was  designed  to  increase  and  improve  the
 6    recruitment,  admission,  and  graduation  of  students  from
 7    socio-cultural groups previously  under-represented  on  that
 8    campus; and

 9        WHEREAS,  Chancellor  Jack  W. Peltason, supported by the
10    endorsement of this effort by President  David  Dodds  Henry,
11    encouraged  students,  faculty,  staff, and the entire campus
12    community to  actively  support  this  enterprise  which  was
13    intended  to  expand  the  University's historical mission to
14    include social justice and the provision of equal  access  to
15    higher education of all of its citizens; and

16        WHEREAS,  Thirty-five  years  later,  this  program  with
17    community, State, and federal support has graduated thousands
18    of  Illinois  citizens of color who have achieved profitable,
19    successful, and contributing careers in the  arts,  sciences,
20    education,  the  law, and other professions in this State and
21    throughout the nation; therefore, be it

22        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
23    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
24    we recognize and  honor  the  dedication,  perseverance,  and
25    vision  of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and
26    those persons who were and are responsible for the remarkable
27    initiative that so well articulates  the  institution's  land
28    grant mission and is known as Project 500; and be it further

29        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
30    presented to the University of Illinois  at  Urbana-Champaign
31    as an expression of our esteem.