093_HR0497
LRB093 13546 HSS 18892 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, In the fall of 1968, the University of Illinois
3 at Urbana-Champaign initiated the Special Educational
4 Opportunities Program, more commonly referred to as Project
5 500, which was designed to increase and improve the
6 recruitment, admission, and graduation of students from
7 socio-cultural groups previously under-represented on that
8 campus; and
9 WHEREAS, Chancellor Jack W. Peltason, supported by the
10 endorsement of this effort by President David Dodds Henry,
11 encouraged students, faculty, staff, and the entire campus
12 community to actively support this enterprise which was
13 intended to expand the University's historical mission to
14 include social justice and the provision of equal access to
15 higher education of all of its citizens; and
16 WHEREAS, Thirty-five years later, this program with
17 community, State, and federal support has graduated thousands
18 of Illinois citizens of color who have achieved profitable,
19 successful, and contributing careers in the arts, sciences,
20 education, the law, and other professions in this State and
21 throughout the nation; therefore, be it
22 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
23 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
24 we recognize and honor the dedication, perseverance, and
25 vision of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and
26 those persons who were and are responsible for the remarkable
27 initiative that so well articulates the institution's land
28 grant mission and is known as Project 500; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
30 presented to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
31 as an expression of our esteem.