HR0713 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0713 LRB096 15104 KXB 30135 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Jill F. Nilsen, Vice President for External Relations at Eastern Illinois University, on her retirement; and

WHEREAS, She joined the faculty of Eastern Illinois University in 1976 in what is now Communication Disorders and Sciences; she completed a PHD at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in Speech and Hearing Science and went on to become the department chair; she moved on to be the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, where she started the first ever Graduate Student Advisory Council, a group that still exists and provide a voice for graduate students at the University; President David Jorns tapped her to be his Special Assistant and thereby began her career in legislative affairs and outreach; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Nilsen is an ASHA member and holds a tenured full professorship in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences at Eastern Illinois University; she is currently serving as Vice President of External Relations; Dr. Nilsen is an effective and successful administrator with a thorough knowledge of business and administrative practices and procedures; and

WHEREAS, During her career at Eastern, as a department chair, associate graduate dean, and now as a vice president, she has demonstrated visionary leadership in every position; she demonstrates a great talent for analyzing situations and recognizing areas that need improvement and preserving those that are at the core of the institution’s culture; she is adept in strategic planning, setting priorities and goals, and demonstrating accountability as progress toward the goals is made; and

WHEREAS, Early in her career at Eastern, Dr. Nilsen was faculty advisory for the EIU NSSLHA chapter; as the Vice-President for External Relations, she developed the EIU Student Action Team which is an active group of EIU students who lobby the State legislature on behalf of the University; Dr. Nilsen works with the Action Team leadership to develop appropriate communication skills and messages for legislative visits; she accompanies the students to the State capitol and works closely with them as they meet legislators in their offices or on the House and Senate floors; and

WHEREAS, Her ability to work with students to develop professional skills and responses to professional issues is easily transferable to NSSLHA and the role of Executive Director; Dr. Nilsen is very experienced in working with boards, legislative bodies, and executive councils; she coordinates the Board of Trustee meetings at the University; and

WHEREAS, She is a member of the area hospital board and has also served on the board of the local domestic violence prevention council; Dr. Nilsen is also a former president of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association; she works well with diverse groups and has a talent for finding common ground even when significant diversity of opinion exists; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Nilsen will retire on December 31, 2009; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Nilsen on her retirement and wish her continued success in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Jill Nilsen as a symbol of our respect and esteem.