Whereas the University of West Alabama, located in
Livingston, Alabama, in Sumter County, will celebrate its 175th anniversary in
2010;
Whereas the University of West Alabama was chartered in
1835 as a church-oriented female academy called Livingston Female Academy,
making it one of the oldest institutions for higher learning in the State of
Alabama;
Whereas the University of West Alabama now hosts over
5,000 male and female students who pursue associate, baccalaureate, masters,
and education specialist degrees through traditional and online
instruction;
Whereas Julie Strudwick Tutwiler, an educator from
Livingston, Alabama, joined the faculty of the Academy in 1881 as co-principal
with her uncle, Dr. Carlos G. Smith, and was the first individual named as
President and Chief Executive Officer;
Whereas in 1883, Miss Tutwiler succeeded in convincing the
Alabama State Legislature to provide a small appropriation to the Academy,
believed to be the first appropriations made by the State of Alabama
exclusively for the education of women;
Whereas following Miss Tutwiler’s retirement in 1910, Dr.
George W. Brock assumed the presidency and in 1915, under his guidance, the
school began to admit men as full time students;
Whereas following Miss Tutwiler and Dr. Brock’s terms as
Presidents, several individuals continued to contribute to the progress of the
University during the 20th century, Dr. Noble F. Greenhill proceeded Dr. Brock
from 1936 to 1944, Dr. William W. Hill (1944–1954), Dr. Delos P. Culp
(1954–1963), Dr. John E. Deloney (1963–1972), Dr. Asa N. Green (1973–1993), Dr.
Don C. Hines (1994–1998), Dr. Ed D. Roach (1998–2002), and Dr. Richard D.
Holland (2002–present), the first alumnus to serve in this office;
Whereas the Academy was renamed in 1929 as the State
Teachers College at Livingston and was given the authority to grant Bachelor of
Science degrees;
Whereas in 1947, further authorization was given to the
college to grant Bachelor of Arts degrees;
Whereas during World War II, the college experienced a
significant decline in enrollment and faced the possibility of closure;
Whereas in 1944, when Dr. William Hill assumed the
presidency, the institution made recruitment of returning service men a high
priority;
Whereas in 1957, the school became Livingston State
College;
Whereas it was during this phase of the college’s
development that the graduate division was established and the first masters
degrees were awarded;
Whereas in 1967, the college underwent another name change
to Livingston University;
Whereas in 1995, the University recognized its broader
mission as a regional university serving the educational needs of all the
citizens of West Alabama by changing its name to the University of West
Alabama;
Whereas under the current leadership of Dr. Richard D.
Holland and the Board of Trustees, the University of West Alabama has dedicated
itself to helping foster improvement in the educational, economic, and cultural
life of its community and region;
Whereas the University of West Alabama is now organized
into six instructional units, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of
Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the College of Business, the Julia Strudwick
Tutwiler College of Education, the Ira D. Pruitt Division of Nursing, and the
School of Graduate Studies; and
Whereas by providing an environment conducive to
excellence in education and encouraging students to learn by their own
initiative in addition to learning under the tutelage of an exceptional
faculty, the University of West Alabama is developing not only college
graduates, but responsible citizens and leaders for Alabama and the Nation:
Now, therefore, be it
That the House of
Representatives—
(1)commends and congratulates the University
of West Alabama on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and
(2)directs the Clerk
of the House of Representatives to transmit a copy of this resolution to
University of West Alabama President, Dr. Richard D. Holland for appropriate
display.