Bill Text: TX HR1081 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled

Texas House Resolution 1081 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Congratulating James D. Spaniolo on his retirement as president of The University of Texas at Arlington.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Passed) 2013-04-04 - Reported enrolled [HR1081 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HR1081-Enrolled.html



	H.R. No. 1081



	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, James D. Spaniolo is retiring as president of The
	University of Texas at Arlington on May 31, 2013, drawing to a close
	more than nine years of outstanding service to that institution;
	and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Spaniolo earned his bachelor's degree magna cum
	laude from Michigan State University, where he was also the
	editor-in-chief of the student newspaper; he went on to earn both a
	master's degree in public administration and a law degree from the
	University of Michigan in 1975; moreover, during those years, he
	served his country as a medical corpsman in the U.S. Army Reserve;
	and
	WHEREAS, After handling libel and First Amendment cases for
	the law firm of Paul and Thomson in Miami, Florida, Mr. Spaniolo
	established the first in-house legal departments at the Miami
	Herald and the American Newspaper Publishers Association; from 1977
	to 1989, he held several positions with the Knight-Ridder newspaper
	chain, serving as general counsel and general executive at the
	Miami Herald and vice president for human resources and assistant
	to the publisher at the Detroit Free Press; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Spaniolo then went on to serve as vice president
	and chief program officer for the John S. and James L. Knight
	Foundation from 1989 to 1996, and from 1996 to 2004, he was the dean
	of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and a professor at
	the School of Journalism at Michigan State University; and
	WHEREAS, In 2004, Mr. Spaniolo became the seventh president
	of The University of Texas at Arlington, and under his
	administration, the university's research budget has tripled to
	more than $71.4 million; the university has also increased its
	investment in faculty recruitment and retention, creating more than
	100 new positions and establishing new endowed chairs and
	professorships; the number of private donors to the university has
	increased by 34 percent, and donations have grown from $5.8 million
	in 2005 to more than $23.2 million in 2012; the university's
	endowment has more than doubled, from $39 million in 2004 to $95
	million in 2013; and
	WHEREAS, During President Spaniolo's tenure, enrollment has
	increased at UT Arlington from 25,000 in 2004 to more than 33,800
	students in 2013, and new residence halls and apartments have
	increased the number of students living on campus to 5,300; in
	addition, President Spaniolo has played a leading role in making
	the university one of the most diverse in the nation, with a student
	population that is 21 percent Hispanic, 15 percent African
	American, 10 percent Asian, and 8.3 percent from foreign countries;
	the average SAT score of full-time students rose to a new high of
	1088 in 2012; and
	WHEREAS, The university's infrastructure and physical plant
	have also improved under President Spaniolo's leadership, with more
	than a dozen new or renovated buildings marking an increase of 1.5
	million square feet in the past five years; new facilities include
	the Engineering Research Building and the 20.5 acre College Park
	District, which incorporates parking structures, a residence hall
	and student apartments, a welcome center, retail space, and a
	7,000-seat events center; and
	WHEREAS, Despite his many professional responsibilities,
	President Spaniolo has found time to give back to the community as a
	member of the executive committee of the Arlington Chamber of
	Commerce and a member of the boards of the Arlington Tomorrow
	Foundation, the Center for Innovation, the Fort Worth Chamber of
	Commerce, the North Texas Commission, and the Van Cliburn
	Foundation; he has earned the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Star
	Award, the Sally Kallam Award for support of Leadership Arlington,
	and the Silver Eagle Award from the Boy Scouts of America for his
	service to Arlington; and
	WHEREAS, James Spaniolo's vision, energy, and commitment to
	excellence have greatly benefited The University of Texas at
	Arlington and earned him the respect and admiration of the entire UT
	Arlington community, and he may indeed reflect with pride on all
	that he has achieved; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
	Legislature hereby congratulate James D. Spaniolo on his retirement
	as president of The University of Texas at Arlington and extend to
	him sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and,
	be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for President Spaniolo as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.

	Patrick
	Burnam
	Burkett
	Branch

	______________________________
	Speaker of the House

	I certify that H.R. No. 1081 was adopted by the House on April
	3, 2013, by a non-record vote.

	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House