HR1546

LRB094 20739 HSS 59057 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois are pleased to congratulate Lake Land College 
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President Robert K. Luther on the occasion of his retirement; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, President Robert K. Luther will retire on June 30, 
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2006, after 18 years of service at the college; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Luther led a community college with a divided 
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staff at a school with a declining enrollment, a large deficit, 
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and a deteriorating campus to become a respected community 
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college that is fiscally sound; the faculty and board of 
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trustees are united, the school is now known for its beauty, 
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and it is one of the fastest growing community colleges in 
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Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, During his tenure, enrollment at the college has 
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increased by approximately 118 percent; this is due in part to 
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Dr. Luther leading the charge for Lake Land to be one of the 
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first community colleges in Illinois to incorporate distance 
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learning into its offerings and to implement an online course 
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delivery system that includes more than 160 courses developed 
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by Lake Land faculty; the school is also the largest provider 
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of postsecondary education to correctional centers in the 
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State, serving inmates at eight correctional centers in 
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Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Luther provided the leadership to develop an 
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Illinois Employment and Training Center/Workforce Development 
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Center that has been hailed by Illinois officials as the State 
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model; he is the recipient of numerous awards including the 
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Agriculture Education Advocacy Award of Illinois and the Coles 
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Together Person of the Year Award, and he was named the Mattoon 
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Chamber Citizen of the Year in 2005; and

 
 


 






HR1546
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LRB094 20739 HSS 59057 r




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    WHEREAS, He previously served as president of 
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Columbia-Greene Community College in New York and was acting 
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president and vice president of Carl Sandburg College in 
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Galesburg; he holds bachelor's and master's degrees from 
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Eastern Illinois University and a doctorate from the University 
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of Michigan; he and his wife, Judy, live in Mattoon and have 
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two grown daughters and four grandsons; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we congratulate Dr. Robert K. Luther on the occasion of his 
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retirement; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Dr. Luther as an expression of our esteem.