[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 54 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN TRIBUTE TO J. HANDEL EVANS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2001

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to J. Handel Evans, 
who came to my congressional district five years ago to found Ventura 
County, California's first four-year public university, and then 
retired as California State University, Channel Island's first 
president after a resounding success.
  The obstacles Handel faced were enormous. The campus was formerly a 
state psychiatric hospital. The buildings needed to be refurbished, the 
school needed a sound financial foundation to augment funding the state 
would provide, and it needed the support of the state's budget writers.
  With skill and patience, Handel built teams and coalitions to achieve 
his--and our community's--goal.
  One example of his skill and perseverance stands out. Last year, the 
university's ability to open on time was endangered because of a budget 
battle with the governor. Gov. Davis was withholding a $10 million 
state budget earmark for CSU Channel Islands because of a dispute over 
another CSU campus.
  Handel reacted by enlisting every state elected official in the 
area--from both political parties--and others to pressure the governor 
to release the funding. Without the funding, the university would have 
been unable to hire faculty and other staff necessary to run a 
university.
  Gov. Davis released the funds, and the university will open on time.
  How important is it to launch a new university with such skill and 
perseverance? It is crucial if you want to attract top professors to 
instruct our young men and women. The school will open with 23 
instructors. When the call went out for applicants, 2,300 responded. 
That's a huge number when one considers our nation still enjoys nearly 
full employment and the nation faces a teacher shortage.
  CSU Channel Islands will help with that problem as well.
  Once opened, the Channel Islands campus will serve public schools and 
educators by providing continuing education to current and future 
teachers. With annual student enrollments in California projected to 
grow at a steady rate of about 80,000 per year, it is estimated that 
nearly 300,000 additional qualified teachers will be needed in 
California classrooms over the next 10 years. CSU Channel Islands will 
help my community, the state of California and our nation meet teacher 
demand.
  Those teachers will provide quality education to our children. Our 
children will then be better prepared to compete in an ever-changing 
economic environment.
  Handel has handed the reins of the university to Richard Rush, 
formerly president of Minnesota State University at Mankato. He has the 
background and skills to continue building on the foundation Handel has 
laid.
  And, Handel and his wife, Carol, have decided to remain in Camarillo, 
near the university. I know he will continue to be involved in its 
continued growth.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in thanking J. Handel 
Evans for launching what will be known as a top-notch teacher's 
university and wish him and Carol a long and healthy retirement.

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