Bill Text: IA SR106 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A resolution honoring the service of Briar Cliff University President Bev Wharton.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-01 - Resolution filed, referred to Rules & Administration. S.J. 411. [SR106 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2015-SR106-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution 106 - Introduced

PAG LIN




                    SENATE RESOLUTION NO.    
                            BY  ANDERSON
  1  1 A Resolution honoring the service of Briar Cliff
  1  2    University President Bev Wharton.
  1  3    WHEREAS, spring 2016 marks the culmination of
  1  4 Bev Wharton's 15=year tenure as president of Briar
  1  5 Cliff University, the longest among presidents in the
  1  6 university's storied history; and
  1  7    WHEREAS, under President Wharton's tenure, the
  1  8 university's endowment increased by nearly one=third,
  1  9 while the university's  net assets have grown from $18.6
  1 10 million to nearly $30 million; and
  1 11    WHEREAS, in President Wharton's 15 years, Briar
  1 12 Cliff has raised its academic status from that of a
  1 13 college to that of a university, has twice been awarded
  1 14 reaccreditation for the maximum 10 years, and has
  1 15 launched several new graduate programs, including the
  1 16 first and only doctoral degrees offered in northwest
  1 17 Iowa == a doctor of nursing practice and a doctor of
  1 18 physical therapy; and
  1 19    WHEREAS, in that period, Briar Cliff University
  1 20 established an online degree completion program and saw
  1 21 its graduate enrollment expand eightfold; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, in the past 15 years, the university has
  1 23 earned national recognition for academic excellence,
  1 24 including continuing distinction as a best regional
  1 25 college, a top military=friendly school, and a STEM
  1 26 jobs=approved college; and
  1 27    WHEREAS, during President Wharton's tenure, student
  1 28 experiential learning and service opportunities
  2  1 expanded locally, nationally, and abroad, further
  2  2 globalizing the student experience with the initiation
  2  3 of regular mission trips to Honduras and Guatemala and
  2  4 the initiation of an exchange program with the Catholic
  2  5 University of Korea; and
  2  6    WHEREAS, on campus during this period, the
  2  7 university has undertaken major renovations,
  2  8 established student learning communities, fostered
  2  9 the highest level of student achievement in
  2 10 entrepreneurship, and expanded student cocurricular
  2 11 opportunities, including the addition of football,
  2 12 dance, cheer, and men's volleyball programs; and
  2 13    WHEREAS, President Wharton's service has extended
  2 14 beyond the boundaries of the campus, having been
  2 15 appointed by the Governor of Iowa to the Rebuild Iowa
  2 16 Advisory Commission and having served as the first
  2 17 woman chair of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, as
  2 18 co=chair of the committee that led to Sioux City's
  2 19 designation as one of three "Great Places in Iowa",
  2 20 as chair of the United Way of Siouxland, as interim
  2 21 development director for the Catholic Schools of
  2 22 Sioux City, as co=coordinator of the Sioux City
  2 23 census project, as an advisory board member for the
  2 24 Sioux City Growth Organization, and as chair of the
  2 25 Council of Presidents for the Great Plains Athletic
  2 26 Conference, and currently chairing the board of
  2 27 directors for the Association of Franciscan Colleges
  2 28 and Universities; and
  2 29    WHEREAS, most importantly, President Wharton ====
  2 30 known by students simply as "Bev" ==== is known as the
  3  1 students' president, as evidenced by her familiarity
  3  2 with everyone on campus, her preference to eat lunch
  3  3 with students, her ardent support of and appearances at
  3  4 nearly every Briar Cliff University Charger athletic
  3  5 or fine arts event, her extravagant Halloween costumes
  3  6 (which have included the likes of Cher and Lady Gaga),
  3  7 and even her willingness to stop and take "selfies"
  3  8 with students, truly embodying the university's
  3  9 motto ==  "service, caring, and openness to all"; NOW
  3 10 THEREFORE,
  3 11    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate honors
  3 12 Briar Cliff University President Bev Wharton for her 15
  3 13 years of dedicated service to Briar Cliff University,
  3 14 to the greater Sioux City region, and to the people of
  3 15 Iowa, and wishes her an active, joyful, and engaging
  3 16 retirement.
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