[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT 
                          SHIRLEY STRUM KENNY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Stony 
Brook University President, Shirley Strum Kenny, on the occasion of her 
being recognized as a Stony Brook University ``Star'' at the Tenth 
Annual Stars of Stony Brook Gala. In her numerous roles in the field of 
education, President Kenny has demonstrated her commitment to the 
principle that education remains the key to breaking down our own 
economic barriers and to securing our nation's standing in the world. I 
commend President Kenny for her commitment to public education and 
dedication to the egalitarian notion that a higher education should be 
affordable and accessible to all. This commitment is in the finest 
traditions of Stony Brook University and the State University of New 
York system as a whole.
  In 1994, President Kenny began her tenure as the first woman 
President of the University. Since that time, Stony Brook has 
experienced a renaissance with expansions in the opportunities it 
provides across the board: from Division I Athletics to major 
improvements to the Stony Brook University Medical Center. During her 
presidency, enrollment has increased from 17,500 to more than 23,000, 
faculty numbers are up 8 percent, and demand for a Stony Brook 
University education has increased exponentially. With President 
Kenny's leadership, Stony Brook University has undertaken major 
construction projects, including the Charles B. Wang Center, a Stony 
Brook Manhattan campus, the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, new 
buildings for Life Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering, and most 
recently, the Stony Brook University Southampton campus.
  Concerned about our nation's educational system as a whole, President 
Kenny has been a leader for national reform. She launched and chaired 
the Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research 
University, which produced a report advocating a dynamic model of 
education that would engage students and inspire them to conduct 
research consistent with the unique resources of each institution. She 
has served as Chair of the Association for American Colleges and 
Universities, and as a board member of the Carnegie Foundation for the 
Advancement of Teaching.
  President Kenny's impact on countless numbers of students, to whom 
she has dedicated her life and work, is immeasurable. For her selfless 
dedication to her students and commitment to advancing education for 
all, I ask all my colleagues in the House to please join me in honoring 
President Shirley Strum Kenny.

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