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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Illinois Board of Higher Education's reports
3 on college and university enrollment indicate an alarming
4 scarcity of male students of African American descent currently
5 enrolled and pursuing post-secondary education; and
 
6     WHEREAS, This scarcity makes African American males, far
7 and away, the least represented demographic group on college
8 and university campuses, both in number and in percentage of
9 total Illinois population; and
 
10     WHEREAS, It is widely recognized that the attainment of
11 post-secondary education is a clear indicator of increased
12 earning potential and employment stability, and of decreased
13 likelihood of criminal activity and incarceration; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Several organizations and institutions, which
15 include the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns in Higher
16 Education, Chicago State University, the University of
17 Illinois at Chicago, the Chicago Urban League, the City
18 Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, the Brother 2
19 Brother Program of the South Metropolitan Regional Education
20 Consortium, the Illinois Task Force on the Condition of the
21 African American Male, and Macy's Department Stores, have
22 formed a working coalition to examine and promote increased

 

 

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1 support of African American males in higher education; and
 
2     WHEREAS, This coalition has planned several events and
3 activities during the month of April 2009 to study the factors
4 contributing to low participation and success of African
5 American males in higher education and provide resources to
6 improve the success and persistence of current African American
7 male students; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives recognizes
9 the importance of increasing the success and persistence of
10 African American male students to the entire State of Illinois,
11 particularly to the State's welfare and economy; therefore, be
12 it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15 designate the month of April 2009 as the Month of the African
16 American Male in Illinois Higher Education in the State of
17 Illinois; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That we congratulate the above mentioned
19 coalition for its efforts in raising the public's awareness of
20 lower than acceptable enrollment and success rates for African
21 American males on college and university campuses, for
22 examining potential barriers to African American male student

 

 

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1 success, for exploring the best practices for increasing
2 African American male success and participation, and for
3 providing resources and support to currently enrolled African
4 American male students.