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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The University of Texas at Dallas is celebrating its |
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50th anniversary in 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1961, three visionary founders of Texas |
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Instruments, Eugene McDermott, J. Erik Jonsson, and Cecil Green, |
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established the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest; it was |
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renamed the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies in 1967, and two |
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years later the founders transferred the center to The University |
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of Texas System; that same year, the Texas Legislature established |
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UT Dallas, with an effective date of September 1969; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Francis Johnson served as acting president |
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until Dr. Bryce Jordan took the helm in July 1971, and Dr. Robert |
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Rutford became the second president in May 1982; Dr. Franklyn |
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Jenifer was appointed president in July 1994, and during his |
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11-year tenure, the school's enrollment increased more than 61 |
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percent and many new buildings were constructed; Dr. David Daniel |
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became the fourth president in June 2005, and under his leadership, |
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UT Dallas doubled research expenditures, launched $300 million in |
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new construction, added 17 new degree programs, and raised $100 |
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million in private funds; Dr. Hobson Wildenthal was appointed |
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president ad interim in May 2015, and current president Dr. Richard |
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Benson was inaugurated in October 2016; and |
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WHEREAS, Under Dr. Benson's guidance, UT Dallas has achieved |
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top-tier status with its designation by the Carnegie Commission on |
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Higher Education as an R1 doctoral university of very high research |
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activity and its achievement of critical benchmark criteria |
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required to qualify for funding from the National Research |
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University Fund; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, more than 110,000 alumni have |
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earned over 122,000 degrees from UT Dallas, and today, the |
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university offers 140 degree programs and boasts an enrollment of |
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nearly 30,000 students; in 2018, 37 percent of entering freshmen |
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were in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class, |
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and 66 percent ranked in the top 25 percent; that same year, 172 |
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National Merit Scholars chose to attend UT Dallas, more than any |
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other university in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The university's faculty includes a Nobel laureate |
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as well as members of the National Academy of Sciences and the |
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National Academy of Engineering; in 2015, Dr. Aziz Sancar became |
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the first graduate of UT Dallas to receive a Nobel Prize, winning |
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the chemistry prize for his work detailing how cells continuously |
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monitor and repair damaged DNA on a molecular level; and |
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WHEREAS, UT Dallas is an economic driver for the North Texas |
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region; more than 4,500 internships have been awarded to UT Dallas |
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students, and 21 of the 22 Fortune 500 companies in the Dallas/Fort |
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Worth Metroplex have hired UT Dallas graduates; and |
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WHEREAS, For the past half century, UT Dallas has provided |
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its students with a strong foundation for achievement, and in so |
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doing, it has contributed greatly to the growth and prosperity of |
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the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of The |
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University of Texas at Dallas and extend to all those associated |
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with the university sincere best wishes for continued success in |
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their important work; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for UT Dallas as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |