HR0919

LRB094 19602 HSS 55815 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, State Representative Monique D. Davis and the 
3
members of the House of Representatives of the State of 
4
Illinois learned with regret of the death of Dr. James Walker, 
5
the first African-American person to serve as president of the 
6
two-campus, 35,000-student Southern Illinois University system 
7
(SIU), on Sunday, February 5, 2006; and

 
8
    WHEREAS, An Alabama native, Dr. Walker received his 
9
bachelor's degree in biology from Alabama State University in 
10
1963, his master's degree in special education from Atlanta 
11
University in 1967, and his doctorate in education in 1972 from 
12
Penn State University; he was also a graduate of the Harvard 
13
University Institute for Educational Management; and

 
14
    WHEREAS, Dr. Walker came to SIU from the president's job at 
15
Middle Tennessee State University in 2000; he was recognized as 
16
one of the most accomplished and dedicated higher education 
17
professionals in this country; he is remembered by his 
18
successor at SIU as a caring and decent man who accomplished a 
19
great deal for Southern Illinois University through his 
20
positive outlook on life and his wonderful sense of humor and 
21
is credited with providing stable and experienced leadership to 
22
the SIU system at a critical point in its history; and

 
23
    WHEREAS, During his tenure, SIU received millions of 
24
dollars in federal research grants involving coal, 
25
agriculture, biofuels, health care, and education; he also 
26
oversaw various big-money construction projects, including the 
27
$40 million renovation of the Carbondale campus' Morris Library 
28
and work toward the university's $21 million Cancer Institute 
29
planned in Springfield; during his tenure at SIU, private 
30
contributions to the university's foundation rose by 30 
31
percent; and

 
 


 






HR0919
- 2 -
LRB094 19602 HSS 55815 r




1
    WHEREAS, He spent more than three decades in higher 
2
education, his first job was as an assistant professor of 
3
education at SIU in Edwardsville; before serving as Middle 
4
Tennessee State's president for about a decade, he was provost 
5
and vice president for academic affairs at the University of 
6
Northern Colorado; therefore, be it

 
7
    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
8
NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
9
we mourn the passing of Dr. James Walker, and we extend our 
10
sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew 
11
and loved him; and be it further

 
12
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
13
presented to his family as an expression of our deepest 
14
sympathy.