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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Gayle Saunders on the
4occasion of her retirement as President of Richland Community
5College in Decatur; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders became the 6th President of Richland
7Community College in August of 2001; she has more than 37 years
8of experience as an administrator in higher education, with the
9past 31 years spent specifically in community college
10administration; she served in a variety of administrative
11positions prior to being named President of Richland; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2002, Dr. Saunders selected the Academic
13Quality Improvement Program for the reaccreditation of
14Richland Community College; under her leadership, Richland has
15seen the addition of the Scherer Industrial Technology Center
16(2002), the Schrodt Health Education Center (2003), the Duane
17O. Andreas Agribusiness Education Center (2006), the Adele P.
18Glenn Early Childhood Education Center (2007), the Center for
19Sustainability and Innovation (2008), the Mathematics
20Enrichment Center (2010), the National Sequestration Education
21Center (2011), and the Workforce Development Institute (2013)
22and the relocation of the Heartland Technical Academy (formerly
23the Decatur Area Technical Academy) to the Richland campus

 

 

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1(2014); the College has seen curriculum additions in the areas
2of Culinary Arts; Auto Collision Repair; Diesel Medium/Heavy
3Truck Technology; Supply Chain Management; Healthcare
4Documentation; Sign Language; Commercial Drivers Tanker
5Vehicle Training; Engineering, with an emphasis in Carbon
6Capture Utilization and Storage; and Robotic Welding; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Under Dr. Saunders' presidency, Decatur was
8chosen in 2004 as one of the permanent sites for the Farm
9Progress Show; this past September marked the 10th anniversary
10of the Farm Progress Show being held on the campus of Richland
11Community College; the Richland Community College Foundation
12has flourished under her leadership and is ranked among the top
13community college foundations in the nation; in June of 2010,
14the Foundation announced it had reached its Major Gifts
15Campaign goal of $17 million, 2 years ahead of schedule; the
16impact of the Foundation is reflected at the local level by the
17hundreds of student scholarships it provides, representing
18over three-quarters of a million dollars in scholarship support
19annually; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders' passion for quality education has
21been proven through her efforts in the national arena with the
22Continuous Quality Improvement Network (Executive Secretary
23and Treasurer), the American Association of Community Colleges
24Commission on Economic Development and Workforce Training and

 

 

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1the Presidents' Academy Executive Committee, the Commission on
2Global Education through the American Association of Community
3Colleges, and the American Association of Community College
4Trustees Presidents' Advisory Committee; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders has served in various capacities
6throughout her career, including the Illinois Community
7College Presidents' Council (past President), the Illinois
8Leadership and Core Values Institute (Steering Committee), the
9Commission on Global Education through the American
10Association of Community Colleges, Rotary International, the
11American Red Cross - mid-Illinois Chapter, the United Way of
12Decatur and mid-Illinois, and Easter Seals Central Illinois;
13she currently serves as a member of Partners in Education
14(Steering Committee), the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce
15(past President), the Soy Capital Bank and Trust Board of
16Directors; Webster-Cantrell Hall, and the Economic Development
17Corporation of Decatur and Macon County; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders is a recipient of several awards for
19her leadership and community involvement, including the Athena
20Award (2004), the YWCA Woman of the Year Award (2006), the
21Salute Honoree for Partners in Education (2007), and the Herald
22and Review's 20 Over 50 - making a difference in our community
23(2014); and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders is a native of Harvard; she holds a
2Bachelor of Science in Education from Illinois State
3University, a Master of Science in Counseling and Student
4Personnel from Eastern Illinois University, and a Doctorate in
5Leadership and Educational Policy Studies from Northern
6Illinois University; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Saunders will officially retire in the spring
8of 2016; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
11congratulate Dr. Gayle Saunders on her retirement as President
12of Richland Community College and we wish her the best in all
13her future endeavors; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to Dr. Saunders as an expression of our esteem and
16respect.