HR0850 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0850 LRB101 21506 LAW 72212 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Susan J. Koch Ph.D. on the occasion of her retirement as chancellor of the Springfield campus of the University of Illinois and thank her for her years of service to the university and within the Springfield community; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch earned a bachelor's degree with honors from Dakota State University in South Dakota; she earned her master's and doctoral degrees in Community Health and Education from the University of Northern Iowa; she delivered the commencement address at South Dakota State in May of 2016 and was also presented an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree during the ceremony; she holds a tenured faculty position at UIS in the College of Education and Human Services; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch previously served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Northern Michigan University, a large regional public university in Marquette, Michigan; she also served as associate provost and graduate dean at the University of Northern Iowa, where she was professor of Health Education and co-founder of the UNI Global Health Corps, a field-based organization that provides public health services for underserved populations in the U.S. and abroad; and

WHEREAS, Appointed as chancellor in July of 2011, Dr. Koch led the successful completion of the Brilliant Futures Campaign, which surpassed its $28 million goal and set new expectations for fundraising success; FY2014 and FY2015 were successive record years for fundraising with a new Student Union for the campus and student scholarships being top fundraising priorities; and

WHEREAS, As UIS Chancellor, Dr. Koch served as the chief executive officer of the Springfield campus, one of the top-ranked regional public campuses in the Midwest; she also served as a vice president of the University of Illinois and is a member of the University of Illinois President's Cabinet, assisting the president and board of trustees in guiding the overall operations of the University of Illinois system, an academic community that includes more than 80,000 students and almost 25,000 employees; and

WHEREAS, As chancellor, Dr. Koch provided leadership for the priorities, operations, and programs of UIS, a campus known for exceptional public affairs programs that align with the campus' state capital location, outstanding professional programs that serve regional needs, and high-quality liberal arts education that prepares effective citizens and leaders; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch and her leadership team worked in partnership with the faculty, staff, and students to ensure an intellectually rich and supportive educational environment while also collaborating with the community in mutually beneficial exchanges and activities; and

WHEREAS, A highly-visible campus leader, Dr. Koch established productive communication channels with students, faculty, staff, and alumni, including the popular "Chocolate with the Chancellor" events for students, regular faculty consultations and gatherings, and periodic "Letters from the Chancellor"; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch is an active member of the Springfield community, serving on the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce's Q5 Strategic Leadership Council, as well as on several boards including the Memorial Health System Hospital Board and the United Way of Central Illinois; she also writes a popular monthly column, UIS Perspectives, for the local Springfield newspaper, the State Journal-Register; and

WHEREAS, In October of 2015, Dr. Koch received the State Journal-Register Legacy Award presented to an educator, a recognition to honor extraordinary leadership in education in Sangamon County; and

WHEREAS, With her departure, Dr. Koch retires with her husband, Dennis, to four children and ten grandchildren after serving the Springfield Campus of the University of Illinois and the Springfield community in a public capacity for nearly a decade; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Susan J. Koch Ph.D. on the occasion of her retirement as chancellor of the Springfield campus of the University of Illinois, and we thank her for her years of service to the university and within the Springfield community; and be it further

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