Bill Text: TX HR222 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Honoring Dr. Robert S. Nelsen, president of The University of Texas-Pan American, for his contributions to higher education in the Lone Star State.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-01-27 - Reported enrolled [HR222 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HR222-Enrolled.html
 
 
  H.R. No. 222
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         
  WHEREAS, Dr. Robert S. Nelsen, the president of The
 
  University of Texas-Pan American, is an outstanding educator and
 
  administrator, and he is most deserving of special recognition for
 
  his many notable accomplishments; and
         
         WHEREAS, Raised on a cattle ranch in Montana, Robert Nelsen
 
  was the first person in his family to attend college; in order to
 
  pay his tuition, he held a variety of jobs and at one point worked
 
  overnight as a janitor while attending classes during the day and
 
  holding down another job at a sporting goods store; even then, he
 
  was forced by financial difficulties to leave school for a year, but
 
  his wife, Jody, helped convince him to return to his studies; he
 
  went on to earn bachelor's and master's degrees in political science
 
  from Brigham Young University and received his doctorate from the
 
  Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago, studying
 
  with Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow and specializing in modern
 
  literature, modern philosophy, and modern political theory; and
         
         WHEREAS, Dr. Nelsen is fluent in Spanish and has published
 
  his fiction in numerous literary journals; a Texas resident since
 
  1990, he was a professor at The University of Texas at Dallas, where
 
  he initiated the school's creative writing program and nurtured the
 
  development of an arts and humanities curriculum; in addition, he
 
  won the Chancellor's Council Outstanding Teaching Award in 2005,
 
  served five terms as head of the faculty senate, and held the
 
  position of vice provost; he then accepted a position as the
 
  associate vice president for academic affairs at Texas A&M
 
  University-Corpus Christi, where he also served as a professor of
 
  English; and
         
         WHEREAS, This respected scholar was appointed the eighth
 
  president of The University of Texas-Pan American on January 1,
 
  2010; with an academic philosophy devoted to transparency and
 
  shared governance, he has laid out his goals for the university in
 
  the coming years, focusing on advanced manufacturing and
 
  engineering, bilingual education, border issues, entrepreneurship,
 
  and research into health care disparities; and
         
         WHEREAS, With his proven leadership ability and extensive
 
  experience, Dr. Robert Nelsen is uniquely qualified to build on the
 
  record of academic achievement established by The University of
 
  Texas-Pan American and to further its enduring commitment to
 
  excellence; now, therefore, be it
         
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
 
  Legislature hereby honor Dr. Robert S. Nelsen, president of The
 
  University of Texas-Pan American, for his contributions to higher
 
  education in the Lone Star State and extend to him sincere best
 
  wishes for continued success; and, be it further
         
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 
  prepared for Dr. Nelsen as an expression of high regard by the Texas
 
  House of Representatives.
 
  Pena
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 222 was adopted by the House on
  January 27, 2011, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
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