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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Mattoon Chamber of Commerce has selected Lake 
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Land College President Robert K. Luther as its 2005 Citizen of 
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the Year; the Chamber and the community recognized Dr. Luther 
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as a contributor to the betterment of life in Mattoon;

and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Robert K. Luther was born and raised in 
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Charleston and moved back to Coles County to become Lake Land 
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College's fourth president; he plans to  retire at the end of 
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the 2005-06 academic year; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He previously served as President of 
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Columbia-Greene Community College in New York and Acting 
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President and Vice President of Carl Sandburg College in 
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Galesburg;  he received his Ph.D. from the University of 
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Michigan and his bachelor's and master's degrees from Eastern 
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Illinois University; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Luther's tenacious leadership and devotion to 
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the community college mission has made Lake Land College a 
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pacesetter throughout the state and nation; under his guidance, 
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Lake Land College has become one of the fastest growing 
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community colleges in Illinois and the nation; in 2005, Lake 
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Land was named among the top 20 (17th) fastest growing two-year 
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public colleges in the nation by Community College Week; and

 
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    WHEREAS, More than 10,400 students were enrolled by the end 
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of the spring semester in 2003; nearly 39 percent of the 2004 
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graduating class from Mattoon High School was enrolled last 
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fall, making it the largest number of students from any area 
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high school attending Lake Land; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Under his leadership, Lake Land College has 
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emerged as a leader among Illinois Community Colleges in work 
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force development by providing its students with the education 
 


 






HR0134
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and skills needed for jobs of the future; most local business 
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leaders will agree that one of the main assets of operating in 
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Mattoon is Lake Land College; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Luther has worked hard to ensure that the 
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College continues to be an asset and that the College's 
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programs and services, including the College's Center for 
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Business and Industry, Project PAL, and others benefit business 
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and industry; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Luther has received numerous awards and has 
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served on many boards, including Coles Together, East Central 
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Illinois Development Corporation, and the Coles County 708 
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Board; he is a past member of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health 
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Center Board of Directors and co-chaired the Coles County 
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Strategic Planning Committee; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Due to Dr. Luther's leadership and sense of 
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community, Mattoon and Lake Land College are much better 
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places; he is one of Mattoon's biggest assets; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we congratulate Dr. Robert K. Luther on his selection as 
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Mattoon's 2005 Citizen of the Year and commend him for his 
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dedication to Lake Land College and the community; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Dr. Robert K. Luther as an expression of our 
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utmost admiration and esteem.