Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0317

HR0317 LRB104 13468 LAW 25899 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Cheryl F. Green, Ph.D., who passed away on April 23, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green originally hailed from Chicago; she received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Manchester College, now Manchester University, in North Manchester, Indiana, and she earned her master's degree and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale; she also obtained several National Incident Management System certificates from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Institute; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green served as the sixth president of Governors State University beginning on July 1, 2020, becoming the university's first Black president in the process; during her tenure, she built a lasting legacy of academic excellence coupled with successful accreditation while supporting the mission of Governors State University, serving as a visionary and an inspiring leader who was deeply committed to advancing programs, initiatives, and scholarship across Chicago's Southland and the State of Illinois, advocating for equity in funding and supporting social mobility; she was instrumental in fostering a campus-wide culture of inclusion and belonging, dedicating significant efforts to the establishment of a number of initiatives, including the Honors College, the College of Graduate Studies, the Latinx Center, and the Social Justice Initiative Building, while also supporting a wide range of educational and community outreach activities; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green led a distinguished career in higher education for more than 36 years, previously serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Oshkosh, interim chancellor for UW Whitewater, and assistant vice president for student affairs at Tennessee State University (TSU); before her time at TSU, she served Chicago State University in a variety of administrative and academic roles, including as director/chair of the counseling department, inaugural dean of first-year students, acting associate director of career placement, and as a tenured associate professor of counseling; she also served as the statewide representative for 2,700 faculty and staff of seven public universities in her role as grievance officer for the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green remained committed to making a difference through her service to the community, which spanned the United States and included serving on several different advisory boards or boards of directors, including the Manchester University Board of Trustees, the Association of Governing Boards (ABG) Council of Presidents, the inaugural Presidential Ambassadors Council of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), the Will County Center for Economic Development Board of Directors, the Southland Development Authority Board of Directors, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute STEM Grant Advisory Board of UW Madison, the Forward 50 Advisory Board for the National Association of Student and Financial Aid Administrators, and the Milwaukee-based Gift of Adoption Wisconsin Board of Directors; she was also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Will County Black Diamond Chapter of the Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., and she was a Silver Life Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green received a number of accolades, including being named to Crain Chicago Business's 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives list, a Woman of First Distinction by the Illinois Black Hall of Fame, one of the 2022 Top 50 Women Leaders of Illinois by Women We Admire, an honorary grand marshal of the 2022 Bud Billiken Parade, and a 2023 Business Leader of Color by Chicago United; she also received the 2022 Excellence in Education Award by the Central Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the 2023 Outstanding Commitment in Education Award by the Illinois State Treasurer; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green was widely respected and admired by Governors State University students, faculty, staff, administration, the board of trustees, professional colleagues, and the broader academic community for her exceptional servant leadership, steadfast dedication, and significant contributions to higher education throughout her tenure as president; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green was the mother of two adult children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Cheryl F. Green, Ph.D. and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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