[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H5324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING LATE UNC-CHAPEL HILL CHANCELLOR MICHAEL HOOKER

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of 
Michael Hooker, the Chancellor of the University of North Carolina. 
This Nation has lost a great educator, and I have lost a good friend.
  Chancellor Hooker passed away Tuesday in the midst of his own service 
to the public after a courageous battle with cancer. He was just 53 
years of age. Our prayers go out to his family.
  In his 4 years at UNC, Chancellor Hooker established a reputation as 
a driven leader with a firm vision for North Carolina's future. He was 
committed to making UNC the best public university in the Nation. 
Hooker earned the respect of students, faculty and the citizens of 
North Carolina with his confidence and enthusiasm. Chancellor Hooker 
forged a strong bond with many students by meeting them on their own 
turf. He was a regular at UNC's dining halls and recreation centers and 
even was spotted crowd surfing in the student section during a UNC 
basketball game against their rival Duke University.
  Mr. Speaker, as the former superintendent of my State and as the 
father of a UNC graduate, I know firsthand what an outstanding man 
Michael Hooker was. I worked with him on many projects. His vision and 
leadership will have a lasting impact on both the University and the 
citizens of North Carolina for years to come. Rest in peace, Michael 
Hooker.
  He is survived by his wife, Carmen; his daughter, Alexandra; his 
mother Christine Hooker; and two stepdaughters, Jennifer and Cyndi 
Buell. Our prayers go out to his family.
  Michael Hooker grew up in the coal country of Southwestern Virginia, 
where he quickly leaned the value of education. Michael once said that 
his parents decided to have only one child to better commit their 
attention to his education. His parents' commitment paid off, as 
Michael earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from UNC in 1969. 
After his graduation, he went on to great success, rising from a 
teaching post at Harvard University to the Presidency of Vermont's 
Bennington College at the young age of 36. Hooker then spent six years 
leading the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and another three 
years as the president of the University of Massachusetts system before 
returning to North Carolina to lead his alma matter into the 21st 
century.

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