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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Southern Illinois
4University on the occasion of its sesquicentennial
5anniversary; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In 1868, educators in southern Illinois held
7meetings throughout the area to discuss the need for a teacher
8training school in the lower half of Illinois; the General
9Assembly passed the charter establishing Southern Illinois
10Normal University on March 9, 1869, and the charter was signed
11by Governor John Palmer on April 9, 1869; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The University opened in 1874, and the first class
13had 54 students; the first graduating class consisted of 143
14students, including two African-American students; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Southern Illinois Normal University's enrollment
16grew, and by the late 1930s, the administration and alumni
17began petitioning the Governor and the General Assembly to
18expand the university's offerings to include liberal arts
19degrees in anticipation of increased enrollment following the
20conclusion of World War II; and
 
21    WHEREAS, On June 30, 1943, the General Assembly granted

 

 

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1Southern Illinois Normal University the ability to grant
2liberal arts degrees and master's degrees in education; in
31947, the 65th General Assembly dropped "Normal" from the
4university's name, and it became known as Southern Illinois
5University; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Over the next few decades, enrollment and academic
7programs grew substantially, and university officials took
8notice of the lack of opportunities for higher education in the
9Metro East area; in 1957, the university purchased the defunct
10Shurtleff College and began enrolling and educating students;
11in 1960, land was purchased, and classes began at the Southern
12Illinois University at Edwardsville campus in 1965; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The University continued to expand and
14established the Southern Illinois University School of
15Medicine in Springfield in 1970; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Today, Southern Illinois University is a strong,
17diverse, student-centered, research-intensive, comprehensive
18university that embraces a unique tradition of inclusive
19excellence, innovation, and outstanding teaching to transform
20the lives of students; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Southern Illinois University's 150th anniversary
22celebration includes a Day of Giving on March 6, 2019;

 

 

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1throughout the year, the University will celebrate with special
2exhibits, lecture series, and campus and community events;
3therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
5HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we congratulate Southern Illinois University on 150 years of
7service to southern Illinois and beyond; we admire their
8commitment to excellence in teaching and research and to
9providing a transformative educational experience for all
10students; we wish them 150 more years of excellence; and be it
11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to President J. Kevin Dorsey as an expression of our
14esteem and respect.