82R3520 MMS-D
 
  By: Naishtat H.R. No. 116
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, The Department of Government at The University of
  Texas at Austin marked a notable milestone in 2010 with the
  celebration of its centennial; and
         WHEREAS, The department traces its origins to 1910, when the
  UT School of Political Science was reorganized into the Schools of
  Government, Economics, and Institutional History; since that time,
  the Department of Government has made significant contributions to
  the field of political science, to the mission of the university,
  and to the development of the Lone Star State; and
         WHEREAS, Over the years, the department has been home to a
  number of eminent academicians; among those who helped to build the
  department's early reputation for excellence were V. O. Key, Jr.,
  Roscoe Martin, and Emmette Redford; in addition to producing their
  own scholarship, the department faculty created, in about 1920, the
  Southwestern Political Science Association (SWPSA) and its
  journal, the Southwestern Political Science Quarterly, the first
  social science journal to be published in the United States by a
  regional organization; today known as the Social Science Quarterly,
  the publication enjoys international stature; at the same time that
  faculty members established the SWPSA, they founded a political
  science honorary society, Pi Sigma Alpha, which now has more than
  700 chapters across the country; and
         WHEREAS, Together with promoting the study of political
  science, the department has sought to meet its responsibilities in
  the practical realm, in particular by helping state government to
  function more efficiently and by fostering better understanding of
  significant public issues; in its first half-century, the
  department helped to establish both the Legislative Reference
  Library and the Texas Legislative Council; more recently, it has
  created the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute, a research unit
  that focuses especially on issues that are relevant to the state's
  Latino population; the department also supports a remarkable
  undertaking called the Texas Politics Project; through a speaker
  series and extensive online resources, the project is designed to
  supplement college-level instruction about the workings of Texas
  government, as well as to help all Texans become more informed and
  effective participants in the political process; additionally, the
  department has instituted an internship program that enables
  students to gain meaningful experience in government and in the
  crafting of public policy; and
         WHEREAS, An integral component of one of the state's flagship
  universities, the department has helped to train countless Texans
  who have emerged as leaders in areas ranging from law and politics
  to education, business, and civic affairs; more broadly still, the
  department has educated generations of Texas citizens about the
  fundamentals of government and good citizenship; and
         WHEREAS, In a society founded on representative democracy and
  the rule of law, the UT Department of Government plays a crucial
  role in transmitting the values and knowledge that keep that system
  robust and vital, and the conclusion of its first illustrious
  century provides a fitting opportunity to recognize it; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
  Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of The University of
  Texas at Austin Department of Government and express sincere
  appreciation for its outstanding public service; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for The University of Texas at Austin Department of
  Government as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of
  Representatives.