HR1020

LRB096 21664 KXB 39118 r





  
1

HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2
    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3
Representatives are pleased to recognize and congratulate 
4
former Northern Illinois University President John E. La 
5
Tourette on the renaming of Faraday West on the campus of 
6
Northern Illinois University to John E. La Tourette Hall, as a 
7
tribute to his service and successful pursuit and defense of 
8
the University's doctoral mission; and
  
 
9
    WHEREAS, John E. La Tourette arrived at Northern Illinois 
10
University in 1979 and served as the University's Provost from 
11
1979 to 1984 and then as the tenth President of Northern 
12
Illinois University from 1986 to 2000; and
  
 
13
    WHEREAS, President La Tourette has been a leader in higher 
14
education and has cultivated graduate studies throughout his 
15
career at distinguished universities such as Rutgers, SUNY 
16
Binghamton, Bowling Green State, and Northern Illinois 
17
University; he studied economics and received his B.A., M.A., 
18
and Ph.D. degrees from Rutgers University; and
  
 
19
    WHEREAS, President La Tourette championed the doctoral 
20
mission of Northern Illinois University; three science 
21
doctorates and the doctorate in Mathematics were approved 
22
during his tenure; these programs have nurtured young and 
 


 






HR1020
- 2 -
LRB096 21664 KXB 39118 r




1
talented researchers and have been major suppliers to the 
2
high-tech workforce in the greater northern Illinois region; 
3
and
  
 
4
    WHEREAS, President La Tourette successfully lobbied for 
5
the facilities to complement the University's research and 
6
doctoral mission, highlighted by the completion of Faraday West 
7
(hereafter known as John E. La Tourette Hall), a $24.3 million, 
8
115,000 square foot facility to support the expansion of 
9
Chemistry and Physics; and
  
 
10
    WHEREAS, Additionally, during his tenure, Northern 
11
Illinois University established the College of Engineering and 
12
Engineering Technology, nurtured the growth of the new College 
13
of Law, developed a strong outreach effort, and secured funding 
14
for the restoration of historic Altgeld Hall and the 
15
Convocation Center; new buildings constructed during his 
16
tenure include the Campus Life Building, the Center for Black 
17
Studies, the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, the 
18
Child Care Center, the Engineering Building, the Hoffman 
19
Estates Education Center, the Naperville Education Center, the 
20
Public Administration Building, and the Rockford Education 
21
Center; therefore, be it
  
 
22
    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
23
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
 


 






HR1020
- 3 -
LRB096 21664 KXB 39118 r




1
congratulate former President John E. La Tourette on the 
2
renaming of Faraday West on the campus of Northern Illinois 
3
University to John E. La Tourette Hall, and hereby designate 
4
April 13, 2010 as "John E. LaTourette Day" in the State of 
5
Illinois; and be it further
  
 
6
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
7
presented to former President John E. La Tourette as an 
8
expression of our respect and esteem.