HR1361 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1361 LRB100 24461 MST 43838 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to thank Dr. Ann Rondeau for her service to the students, faculty, and staff at the College of DuPage and wish her well as she assumes a new position as the President of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau holds a B.A. from Eisenhower College in New York, an M.A. from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and an Ed.D. from the College of Education at Northern Illinois University, as well as an honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau is an honorable veteran of the U.S. Navy and served her country with distinction for 38 years; she retired as a three-star admiral in 2012 and is the second woman to ever achieve that rank; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau is a Fortune 500 Most Powerful Women panelist and speaker; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau is a past president of the National Defense University, a consortium of five colleges and nine research centers in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau's other previous positions include Deputy Commander of the U.S. Transportation Command in Illinois, Pentagon Director/Chief of Staff for the U.S. Navy Staff, Commander of the Navy Personnel Development Command in Virginia, Commander of the Naval Service Training Command at Great Lakes, Pacific Fleet Staff Chief of Staff in Hawaii, and Commanding Officer of Naval Support Activity in Tennessee; she served as a White House Fellow in 1985 in the Reagan administration; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau's dedication to service, education, community, and country was demonstrated through active membership on the Arizona State University Flag Officer Advisory Council, the National Museum of the American Sailor Foundation Board of Directors, the Naval Postgraduate School Board of Advisors, the Military Advisory Board, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, the Chicago Regional Growth Corporation Board, the Choose DuPage Board of Directors, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and the Executive Board of the U.S. Navy Education for Sea Power Study; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau joined the College of DuPage (COD) in July of 2016 during a tumultuous time at the school; she was the sixth president in the history of COD and the first woman to hold the post; and

WHEREAS, The College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; serving an approximately 25,000 students each term, it is the largest public community college in the State of Illinois; it grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau oversaw an annual operating budget of approximately $180 million and an annual revenue budget of close to $300 million; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau facilitated a comprehensive rebuilding of trust at COD as she navigated the school through multiple governance, financial, and personnel challenges; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure at COD, Dr. Rondeau took meaningful steps to restore internal and external confidence in the institution through dedication to individual and institutional integrity; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau fostered a culture that drove positive results by establishing and maintaining strong relationships based on collaboration and participatory governance; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rondeau will complete her service to the COD at the end of 2018 and assume a new role as the president of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where she will work toward transforming and modernizing education in the Navy and Marine Corps and bring a new emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Ann Rondeau on a job well-done at College of DuPage and further congratulate her on her new position at the Naval Postgraduate School; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Rondeau as an expression of our esteem and respect.