HR1260 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1260 LRB093 24068 CSA 54224 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives wish to recognize the achievements of retiring University of Illinois President James J. Stukel; and

WHEREAS, President Stukel has served as the University of Illinois' President since 1995; he has been involved with the University since he received a master's degree in 1963; President Stukel received his Ph.D. in 1968 from the University, and has been working with the University ever since; he has taught at the University and served in various administrative roles, including vice chancellor for research, dean in the Graduate College, executive vice chancellor, and vice chancellor for academic affairs, interim chancellor and chancellor; and

WHEREAS, President Stukel's vision during his ten-year tenure was to enrich undergraduate education, enhance quality throughout the University, strengthen the University's ties to the citizens of Illinois, and to free more dollars for academic purposes by streamlining government; he stressed the importance of providing a quality education to all students on the University's three campuses in Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana-Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Through his vision, President Stukel has been able to accomplish a great deal for the University; he ensured that the contribution of the University to the economic development of the State of Illinois was formally recognized and realized through the Venture Tech program; during his tenure, federal money more than doubled, bringing total federal grant and contract support to the University to over $500 million; he helped ensure major state capital and programmatic support during his tenure in the fields of high performance computing, post genomics, medical research, agriculture, engineering, and the arts and sciences; under his leadership, the University became the first public university to raise more than $1 billion in private donations; during his term, the University has instituted or expanded programs that foster greater personal and academic success among students; during his term, the University's commitment to public service on its three campuses has grown significantly; he initiated a process to completely overhaul the University's administrative computing facilities to a fully integrated system which will save the University millions of dollars a year; and

WHEREAS, Without President Stukel's strength, vision, imagination, and passion for the University, none of these accomplishments would have been possible; the University of Illinois, the students who attend the University, the people who work at the University, and the citizens of the State of Illinois owe President Stukel a great deal of gratitude for dedicating his career to improving their lives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and thank President Stukel for his tenure as President of the flagship university of the state, the University of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to President Stukel as an expression of our respect and esteem and with our best wishes for his retirement.