HR0921 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0921 LRB094 19585 HSS 55756 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Dr. James Walker, the first African-American person to serve as president of the two-campus, 35,000-student Southern Illinois University system (SIU), on Sunday, February 5, 2006; and

WHEREAS, An Alabama native, Dr. Walker was a graduate of Pennsylvania State University's doctoral program in education and was the co-author of a book, "Behavior Management: A Practical Approach for Education", which is in its eighth edition; he authored several journal articles related to special education and educational psychology; and

WHEREAS, He earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Alabama State University and a Masters in Special Education from Atlanta University; he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Alabama in Higher Education Administration and was also a graduate of the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Walker came to SIU from the president's job at Middle Tennessee State University in 2000; he was recognized as one of the most accomplished and dedicated higher education professionals in this country; he is remembered by his successor at SIU as a caring and decent man who accomplished a great deal for Southern Illinois University through his positive outlook on life and his wonderful sense of humor and is credited with providing stable and experienced leadership to the SIU system at a critical point in its history; and

WHEREAS, Upon arriving at SIU in 2000, President Walker formed a committee known as the "2020 Vision Committee" composed of an external group of nationally recognized educators and community leaders; chaired by the late Senator Paul Simon, the committee developed a set of recommendations designed to chart the way for SIU as it moved into the 21st century; in September of 2002 the "2020 Vision Committee" issued its report, which included 42 specific recommendations to move the University forward during the next two decades; the report guided much of the President's administrative planning and decision-making processes during his tenure at SIU; and

WHEREAS, President Walker's many visits to Springfield and Washington, D.C., gained him respect and stature among State and federal elected officials; key members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, working together with Dr. Walker, secured millions in federal research grants in the areas of coal, agriculture, bio-fuels, health care, and education during his tenure; and

WHEREAS, His discussions and relationships with key State officials assisted the University in securing more than $110 million in State appropriations for capital funding during his tenure; key projects included the $12 million renovation of Altgeld Hall and Old Baptist Foundation, the $35 million renovation of Morris Library, the new construction of the $30 million School of Medicine Combined Laboratory Facility in Springfield, the $21 million Cancer Institute that will break ground this year, and the $20 million Corn to Ethanol National Research Plant at SIUE; during his tenure at SIU, private contributions to the university's foundation rose by 30%; and

WHEREAS, President Walker was also instrumental in raising student scholarship funds; his Presidential Scholarship Fund annually rewarded academic excellence and resulted in some of the best young minds in the State enrolling at SIU's campuses; and

WHEREAS, He also initiated efforts to foster greater cooperation between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses; his Task Force for the Identification and Development of Collaborative Opportunities resulted in significant improvements in maximizing resources and strengths of SIU as one university; his work in this area resulted in successful joint coordination of federal research funding efforts in rural health care programs including medicine, nursing, dental medicine, and allied health work; in the area of budget, administrative, and legal services, President Walker's streamlining initiatives resulted in a 28% reduction in University administrative costs over the last two years of his service; and

WHEREAS, President Walker was also aggressive in working with the Chancellors of the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses in pursuing new programs and capital projects funded with university resources, including the new SIUE Pharmacy School and the recently approved expansion of the SIU governmental internship program; and

WHEREAS, President Walker was a member of numerous higher education professional organizations and served on the boards of several of these associations, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Council on Education; he also served as chair of the NCAA Division I Athletics Certification Committee; he was involved in Rotary International, the United Way, Boy Scouts of America, and the American Heart Association; and

WHEREAS, He spent more than three decades in higher education; he took the position at SIU after serving at Middle Tennessee State University, where he was president for ten years; prior to becoming president at MTSU, he was Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Northern Colorado; he moved through the ranks from assistant professor, department chair, dean, provost, and vice president for academic affairs to president; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. James Walker has been deeply felt by many lives that he touched, especially his wife, Gwenn, and his two daughters; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. James Walker, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.