HR1202 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1202 LRB094 20282 HSS 58285 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Zelema Harris has announced her retirement as President of Parkland College, effective June 20, 2006; and

WHEREAS, She has served as the college's president since July 1990; and

WHEREAS, She was previously president of Pioneer Community College in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1980 to 1987 and was president of Penn Valley Community College from 1987 to 1990; and

WHEREAS, President Harris worked to attract and retain many quality faculty, staff, and administrators during her tenure in order to fulfill the mission of Parkland College; and

WHEREAS, With her 26 years of experience as a chief administrator in various college campuses, she has earned a reputation for leadership, innovation, strategic planning, diversity education, organizational transformation, and embracing teaching and learning; and

WHEREAS, President Harris faced financially difficult times in her tenure at Parkland College and actively worked with the community to avoid cuts in valuable staff and programs; and

WHEREAS, Under President Harris' tenure, Parkland College has achieved the status of being one of the top two providers of online learning in Illinois; she has received national and state awards for college planning, developed vital relationships with area businesses and industries, established the award-winning Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to enhance faculty development, and designed a leadership development program for Parkland that has gained national attention; and

WHEREAS, Further Parkland College accomplishments during her term of service include establishment of the Parkland Business Development Center to serve short-term training needs of businesses; a $1.5 million Child Development Center to serve students, faculty, staff, and community members with young families; an Agriculture Technology Applications Center to meet the high-tech needs of farmers and agribusinesses as well as a state-of-the-art greenhouse expansion; and a $15 million new Academic & Instructional Services wing to provide additional classrooms and computer laboratory space for students and faculty; and

WHEREAS, President Harris also collaborated with local service providers to create Illinois' first One-Stop Center to better serve underemployed and unemployed district residents; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Parkland College President Zelema Harris on her outstanding contribution to Parkland College and the surrounding community and wish her well upon her retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Parkland College President Zelema Harris as a sign of our respect, esteem, and admiration for an exemplary career of service and with our best wishes for future successes.