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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Arol Augsburger, OD, 
4on the occasion of his retirement as President of the Illinois 
5College of Optometry (ICO), the oldest and largest college of 
6optometry in the country and the largest provider of eye and 
7vision care in Illinois through its teaching clinic, the 
8Illinois Eye Institute; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger began his career with the Illinois 
10College of Optometry in 2002 after serving 30 years in a 
11variety of leadership positions in higher education including 
12as the Interim Provost of the University of Alabama at 
13Birmingham (UAB), Dean and Professor of the UAB School of 
14Optometry, and Professor of Clinical Optometry at The Ohio 
15State University College of Optometry; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has led ICO to more than double its 
17investable assets, resulting in $40 million dollars in campus 
18renovation and modernization; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has been honored by the American 
20Optometric Association as the Distinguished Service Awardee 
21and the National OD of the Year; he has been named Optometrist 
22of the Year in three states; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, The Ohio State University Optometry Alumni 
2Society named Dr. Augsburger as their 2011 Distinguished 
3Alumnus; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger was inducted into the National 
5Optometry Hall of Fame in June of 2014; he has served as 
6President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of 
7Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and 
8the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary One, the world's first 
9Rotary Club, and as the Immediate-Past Chairman of the 
10ROTARY/One Foundation; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served on the Special Medical 
12Advisory Group (SMAG) of the U.S. Department of Veterans 
13Affairs; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served as the 2014-2015 Chairman of 
15the Board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges 
16and Universities, on the Near South Planning Board of Chicago, 
17and on  the Jackson Park Hospital Foundation Board; and
  
 
  
18    WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger is a loving husband to wife, 
19Stephanie, a proud father, and grandfather to 11 wonderful 
20children; therefore, be it
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
2HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
3congratulate Dr. Arol Augsburger on his retirement after  over 
430 years of leadership in optometric education; and be it 
5further
  
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
7presented to Dr. Augsburger as a symbol of our respect and 
8esteem.