[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 151 (Monday, November 1, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H11178-H11181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN LOMBARDI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am here today along with other Members 
of the Florida congressional delegation to pay tribute to an 
accomplished leader and a very special man, Dr. John Lombardi. Today is 
Dr. Lombardi's last day as president of the University of Florida.
  I remember thinking to myself when Dr. Lombardi came on board in 1990 
that we were very lucky to have him. He came to the University of 
Florida from Johns Hopkins University where he excelled as provost and 
vice president for academic affairs.

                              {time}  1845

  Before that, he spent 20 years at Indiana University, where he held a 
variety of teaching and administrative positions, including Director of 
Latin American Studies, Dean of International Programs, and Dean of 
Arts and Sciences.
  These positions at distinguished universities helped to shape Dr. 
Lombardi into the innovative dynamic leader he proved to be while at 
the top post of the University of Florida.
  Just to highlight some of his accomplishments and to help explain why 
he will be missed so much, Dr. Lombardi led the University of Florida 
through a decade of great accomplishment. Following his vision, the 
University of Florida waged an amazing 5-year private fund-raising 
drive that brought in

[[Page H11179]]

more than $570 million by the end of September and the campaign is well 
on its way towards reaching its revised goal of $750 million by the end 
of the year 2000.
  Dr. Lombardi played an instrumental role in shaping the university 
into one of the country's best public research institutions. The 
university ranks 12th in the country in total research and development 
spending at public universities and under his leadership the research 
awards to the university increased from $161 million in 1990 to $296 
million in 1999.
  Clearly, the additional research dollars and the success of the 
private fund-raising campaign are due in large part to the tremendous 
job Dr. Lombardi has done in making the University of Florida one the 
country's leading public higher institutions of learning.
  This year, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of 
Florida 16th in the country in an overall rating of public universities 
and, according to the latest survey, Money magazine rated the 
university number 10 for schools offering the most value for the cost. 
Last year, Kiplinger's business magazine ranked the university fifth 
among State universities in the country for offering the most value for 
the tuition.
  Those are all ratings to be proud of, and Dr. Lombardi can take 
credit for these successes and many more for his commitment to an 
overall mission he coined: ``It's performance that counts.''
  I first had the pleasure of working with Dr. Lombardi while serving 
in the Florida State Senate. While under the leadership of the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), I had the privilege of working as 
the liaison between the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education 
and leaders of higher education in the State. During this time, I had 
the opportunity to work with the board of regents and the chancellor 
and I soon got to know President Lombardi.
  From the very start, he was a very impressive man. He came in with 
fresh ideas and had an uncanny ability to talk to people with great 
clarity and conviction. That enabled him to rise to the position of 
unofficial spokesman on behalf of higher education before the State 
Senate and House Committee on Appropriations and he earned my respect 
and admiration in the process.
  He was the idea man. He was the one who was able to go in with such 
force that people realized that what they were doing was important. I 
am grateful I was able to continue my working relationship with Dr. 
Lombardi after leaving the State Senate following my election to 
Congress in 1992 as the representative of Florida's 5th District, 
including the University of Florida.
  Since that time, I have watched him set many of his ideas into motion 
and make a difference. Among his many accomplishments, the university's 
enrollment, retention and graduation rates are way up. He has 
implemented very effective programs to help students graduate within 4 
years. He has increased the number of combined degree programs so 
undergraduates can now earn a bachelor and master's degree in 5 or 6 
years. He has led the effort to make computers accessible to all 
students, and even provided every student and faculty member with free 
e-mail and Internet accounts. The buildings on the campuses are new and 
improved because of him. The campus has new dorms, a new student 
recreational center, softball complex, dining room, chemistry building, 
physics building, vet school, cancer center and the Brain Institute.
  He also oversaw the transformation of the university's teaching 
hospital, Shands, into a multihospital health care system that spans 
communities throughout north central Florida, including Jacksonville, 
whose representatives are the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) and 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Fowler). These are just some of his 
remarkable accomplishments during his tenure.
  I've also come to understand and realize firsthand the love the 
students have for this man. Every year during the homecoming parade, 
thousands of students stand along the sidelines cheering as he passes. 
They adore him and he's earned their affection through his warmth, 
accessibility and understanding. He can walk through the campus and the 
students just know him, and I'm not sure I've seen that in many places 
over the years.
  For this reason, I'm pleased to learn Dr. Lombardi will be staying on 
at the university to direct the Center for Florida Studies in the 
Humanities and Social Sciences and teaching courses in the history 
department. Throughout his tenure as president, Dr. Lombardi always 
made time to teach a course every semester on campus, ranging from the 
history of intercollegiate sports to Latin American history to 
international business.
  He enjoys sharing his knowledge, and in this way, he will continue to 
influence students on campus and make a difference.
  I was trying to explain to someone in my office the other day exactly 
why Dr. Lombardi is so popular. And I have to admit, it can be hard to 
boil down to a few words. But sometimes you just meet someone and you 
just like them. You work with them and over time you become friends. 
You see something in them that you think is very special and that draws 
you to them. Perhaps it's their warmth or the way they approach life. 
That's how it is with both Dr. Lombardi and his wonderful wife, 
Cathryn.
  They are both very special people, and I am very appreciative of the 
work they have done for both the university and the community. I would 
like to thank them for helping the University of Florida achieve 
particularly ambitious goals through dedication, commitment and the 
general belief that indeed, ``It's Performance that Counts.''
  Mr. Speaker, before I end with my tribute I would like to make 
mention that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough) could not be 
here to pay tribute in person because of recent back surgery, but he 
will submit a tribute for the Record.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague 
from Florida, Karen Thurman, for calling this special order today to 
honor Dr. John Lombardi, the outgoing President of the University of 
Florida.
  Dr. Lombardi has served the University of Florida with distinction as 
president for the past 9 years. During this time, he has taken the 
university to new national levels of excellence, from the classroom, to 
the research laboratories, to the athletic fields.
  The number of National Merit Scholars attending the university has 
more than doubled during his presidency. Private gifts to the 
university have increased by almost two-thirds and research and 
development funds from Federal, State, and private sources have more 
than doubled. And we all know of the university's prowess on the 
athletic fields under Dr. Lombardi's presidency. The Gators won 
national championships in football, men's golf, women's tennis, women's 
soccer, and numerous Southeastern Conference championships in a wide 
range of sports.
  On a personal note, my colleagues should know how diligently Dr. 
Lombardi has worked with Congress on behalf of our great State of 
Florida and its university system. One dream of Dr. Lombardi, which I 
had the opportunity to assist with through my work on the 
Appropriations Committee, was the creation of the Brain Institute. 
Through his work and dedication on this project, the University of 
Florida now hosts an institute which will lead to critical new medical 
research and technological breakthroughs to help generations of people 
throughout our Nation and the world.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Lombardi has served our State, the University of 
Florida, its faculty and students honorably and with a conviction these 
past nine years. He has been an outstanding ambassador for the 
university with the Florida congressional delegation and I want to say 
how much we appreciate his dedication and how much we will miss his 
hard work and his friendship. Thank you Dr. Lombardi for your service 
and I join with my colleagues from Florida in wishing you and your wife 
Cathryn all the best as you continue your work to improve the quality 
of education for our Nation's students.
  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, on November 1, 1999, the citizens of 
the State of Florida will be losing a man who has dedicated the last 
decade to making the University of Florida one of the greatest public 
universities in the country. This gentleman has distinguished himself 
as a community leader, a dedicated educator, and one of our Nation's 
finest collegiate administrators. The man I speak about today is Dr. 
John Lombardi, president of the University of Florida.
  During Dr. Lombardi's 9\1/2\-year tenure as president, the University 
of Florida's enrollment increased to more than 43,000 students and its 
budget is now almost twice what it was when he arrived in 1990. UF was 
ranked the 16th-best public university in the United States by U.S. 
News & World Report earlier this year, buildings have popped up all 
over campus and an ambitious capital campaign is nearing completion. 
Since 1990, the number of degrees awarded annually from UF's graduate 
programs has increased from 1,613 in 1988 to 2,558 in 1998. Research 
expenditures have more than doubled since 1988, from $126 million to 
$271 million.
  In my opinion, Mr. Speaker, John Lombardi has gone above and beyond 
the call of duty

[[Page H11180]]

throughout this distinguished career in the field of education. His 
personality and genuine concern for the well being and intellectual 
development of students has been the key to his success. John was never 
the type of university president who governed from an ivory tower on 
campus. John was a president who could be seen on any given school day, 
walking to his office through the campus, all the while interacting 
with students and teachers. On rainy days in Gainesville, Dr. Lombardi 
would drive his old, red pick-up truck to work. On fall Saturdays, John 
could be seen cheering on the Fightin' Gators to another gridiron 
victory with 85,000 other fans and students.
  John's maverick attitude and dedication to public education has been 
a model in the lives of the thousands of students, parents, educators, 
and university employees that he has taught, supervised, and 
encouraged. His legacy will tell of a tireless man in black, horn-
rimmed glasses, who always fought for what he thought was best for the 
University of Florida and accepted no compromises.
  Even as John ends his tenure as president of the University of 
Florida, his dedication to education will remain a priority in his 
life. John will continue to remain on the faculty of UF as a history 
professor and as a co-director of the Center for Studies of Humanities 
and Social Sciences.
  So today, when that old, red pickup truck pulls away from the 
president's house in Gainesville, FL for the last time, let us think 
about the gifts that Dr. John Lombardi has given the students of the 
University of Florida. Gifts like leadership, imagination, greatness, 
and pride.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to join with 
my Florida colleagues in paying tribute to John Lombardi, who stepped 
down today as president of the University of Florida. Although Dr. 
Lombardi is leaving the administrative side of the university, he will 
return to teaching in the school's history department.
  When I took office in 1989, I represented Gainesville and the 
University of Florida until 1992. Although no longer in my district, 
the university is an important resource for the people of Florida, and 
I have continued to be involved with the school. Over the years, I have 
had the privilege of working with John Lombardi and I am proud of what 
we have accomplished.
  In 1990, Dr. Lombardi became the president of the University of 
Florida. Through his hard work and dedication, the University of 
Florida has heightened its educational reputation and enhanced its 
commitment to excellence. Under the guidance of Dr. Lombardi over this 
decade, academic standards have increased, student performance has 
risen, graduation rates have improved, and the modernization of 
equipment and facilities have flourished. The 1990's will long be seen 
as an era of developing a premier institute of higher learning at the 
University of Florida.
  Although an outstanding administrator and educator, John has other 
attributes that I am pleased to point out. I recall one of my first 
meetings with him. A number of us were in Gainesville for a school 
dinner and waiting for President Lombardi to show up. I was looking 
down the road and saw and old, odd looking truck lumbering up the road. 
I though it was probably the landscaper coming in to complete some 
final touches before the event.
  Instead, to my surprise, President Lombardi stepped out of his truck. 
This truck has become a Lombardi trademark around campus. Yes, this 
noted scholar does not require the pomp and trappings of his office. He 
is equally comfortable conversing with the erudite as with the common 
man, and this egalitarian quality marks all that he does.
  As with the truck, John is also well known for the red suspenders he 
wears to the football games. In addition to the arrival of President 
Lombardi, 1990 marked a significant turn around in Gator football. 
Steve Spurrier was brought in as coach. In the previous 56 years, no 
Florida team has captured an official Southeastern Conference 
Championship--the Gators won three in the early 1990's. The arrival of 
John Lombardi enhanced more than the academic standing of the 
university, it initiated the rise of a sports powerhouse.
  John is also a family man, and I always enjoy the time I spend with 
them. His wife Cathryn and I share an interest in science fiction, and 
I always appreciate the chance to compare notes and to exchange 
recommendations. This is a wonderful American family with two children, 
and I had the pleasure to have one of them work in my office part time.
  In the first century B.C., the Roman poet Horace urged that man 
``seek for truth in the groves of Academe.'' The brilliance of John 
Lombardi is exhibited through his efforts to seek the truth through 
learning. As president, he has taken many courageous stands--courageous 
because they have been controversial. However, the pursuit of 
enlightenment is not, and should not. always be easy. Avoiding 
controversy means accepting mediocrity--and that is not John Lombardi.
  Each of us is here in the world to accomplish something. During his 
tenure as president, John Lombardi has stood in the gap to make a 
difference. He has set an example of excellence in pubic and private 
service which should be an example for all.
  John, thank you for your friendship and for all that you have done 
for the University of Florida. We are sorry to see you leave office, 
but you have earned this return to the classroom where you will 
continue to help shape the minds of the future.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, today is the final day that Mr. John Lombardi 
will serve in his capacity as president of the University of Florida. 
Throughout the last 10 years he has served as not only a president, but 
as a teacher, mentor, historian, innovator, and architect of 
educational improvement throughout the State of Florida. I am honored 
to include him among the great leaders of my State.
  Though Mr. Lombardi's presidency has been characterized by conflict, 
it is through this conflict that he has exuded his abilities as an 
exceptional leader. Before Mr. Lombardi even began his term in 1990, he 
found himself in the midst of a a racial conflict on campus. Mr. 
Lombardi not only mitigated the crisis, but used it as a platform for 
promoting racial equality at the University of Florida. From that 
ordeal, he committed his administration to making UF more comfortable 
and accessible to minority students.
  While Mr. Lombardi's term of service can be characterized by 
challenges, it can also be characterized by innovation. Under Mr. 
Lombardi's administration, the University of Florida has excelled in 
technology and education. He has instituted an Integrated Student 
Information System (or ISIS) that allows students to on-line 
information on their personal finance, housing, grades, and curriculum. 
He has also created the UF Bank--a paradigm for collegiate financial 
processing, as well as an Integrated Healthcare System, Genetics 
Institute, Brain Institute, and numerous combined degree programs.
  When considering Mr. Lombardi's initiatives, one must also consider 
his university development at the University of Florida. President 
Lombardi has overseen and initiated the building of new dormitories, a 
student recreational center, Gator Dining, and buildings for chemistry, 
physics, veterinary medicine, and cancer research. His fundraising 
efforts have brought more than half a billion dollars to the university 
for further initiatives.
  Mr. Lombardi's most impressive characteristic, however, may be his 
ability to lead. Mr. Lombardi is a charismatic leader, a visionary, 
responsible for the actions of himself and his administration and adept 
at the often harrowing necessities of his occupation. When the 
Legislature of the State of Florida set forth budgetary restrictions 
that many thought would hinder the universities, Mr. Lombardi 
effectively managed to save 41 of 44 new programs to the astonishment 
of his peers at universities throughout the State of Florida. He has 
often dealt directly with the State legislature to serve the needs of 
the University of Florida.
  Mr. Lombardi has said that, ``to succeed we must perform, we must be 
efficient and we must produce first-rank quality in all that we do.'' 
His statement is certainly indicative of his tenure as president of the 
University of Florida. He has brought honor to his university, to his 
State, and to his country through his term of office.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor John 
V. Lombardi, who has served with distinction as the president of the 
University of Florida for over 9 years. In that role, he has taken this 
distinguished institution to new heights of academic performance.
  I had the pleasure of meeting John Lombardi shortly after his 
inauguration as president of the University of Florida. Since that 
time, I have come to know Dr. Lombardi well. I have seen firsthand the 
profound impact he has had at the university in the intervening years. 
Quite frankly, Dr. Lombardi has been unique among university presidents 
in his ability to relate to students, staff, faculty, and all those who 
support the University of Florida.
  As a Member of Congress, I am well aware of the difficulty in 
maintaining close contact with one's constituents. It takes work; it 
takes prioritizing--but it is vital to accurate representation. Dr. 
Lombardi has set as his priority the ``pursuit of ever-higher quality'' 
in every area throughout the University of Florida.
  To achieve this goal, he has made himself available to the students, 
to the faculty and to the staff, among others. He has been a leader of 
efforts to improve and diversify programs and to secure financial and 
community support.
  I want to publicly commend Mr. Lombardi for his dedicated service to 
the University of Florida. Throughout his commitment, he has helped to 
provide direction and positive growth for a generation of Floridians.

[[Page H11181]]

  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay 
tribute to retiring University of Florida president John Lombardi. Dr. 
Lombardi is departing his post today after a decade of service to our 
university, its students and the surrounding community. Dr. Lombardi's 
tenure was marked by his dedication to a mission of shaping the 
University of Florida into the world-class institution it has become 
today.
  As a member of the Florida State Legislature, I had the opportunity 
to develop a personal relationship with Dr. Lombardi as he worked with 
the legislature to ensure the university obtained the resources it 
needed to serve Florida's students and develop its reputation as a 
quality research institution. I have always been impressed by his 
tireless efforts on behalf of the university to raise academic 
standards and student performance and expand opportunities for the 
entire university community.
  Dr. Lombardi's commitment, however, extended beyond the boundaries of 
his campus, as the entire State of Florida has benefited from his years 
of service. The constituents of the Second Congressional District, in 
particular, have profited from Dr. Lombardi's support of the land grant 
university's concept of a ``People's'' university through its Institute 
of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Lombardi recognized the campus' 
critical role in developing research, teaching and extension programs 
to serve Florida's agricultural community.
  Most impressive, however, has been Dr. Lombardi's devotion to the 
University of Florida's most important resource--its students. At a 
time when higher education institutions are bursting at the seams, 
Lombardi has always put the needs of his students first, and as a 
result, he has earned the affection of the entire student body.
  On behalf of the Second Congressional District, I would like to thank 
Dr. Lombardi and send him best wishes for all his future endeavors. We 
will not forget the many ways he has made the University and the State 
of Florida a better place.

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