[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 57 (Monday, April 20, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4439-S4440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         TRIBUTE TO STAN JONES

 Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I wish to honor Stan Jones, a man who 
has dedicated his professional life to improving the quality of 
education for countless students across Indiana.
  Stan is Indiana's longtime commissioner of higher education and will 
unfortunately retire from our State's highest education post this 
month. Stan has led the Commission for Higher Education since 1995 and 
during his remarkable tenure was charged with planning and coordinating 
Indiana's State-supported postsecondary education system and giving 
students the ability to secure their personal futures.
  Stan's commitment to education began in 1974, when, at the age of 24, 
he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives. As a member of 
both the House Education and State Budget Committees, he developed an 
expertise in higher education and higher education finance that would 
be enormously beneficial in the years ahead.
  Between 1990 and 1995, Stan was one of my closest advisers when I had 
the privilege of serving as Indiana's Governor. He deserves credit as a 
primary architect of several landmark education-policy initiatives, 
including the 21st Century Scholars Program. This program promises at-
risk middle school students full tuition scholarships to Indiana 
colleges and universities in return for being drug, alcohol and crime 
free and maintaining good grades. I am proud to say that this 
groundbreaking program was the first of its kind in the Nation to 
successfully graduate students and has increased the number of low-
income students completing postsecondary education.
  In his current role, Stan has led several initiatives to increase 
adult participation in higher education, including the development of 
the Community College of Indiana. He has also worked relentlessly to 
increase the number of students pursuing higher learning and

[[Page S4440]]

to improve their preparation through a focus on raising Indiana's K-12 
academic standards. More recently, Stan has led a comprehensive 
campaign to significantly increase college graduation rates in Indiana.
  On a personal note, I have known Stan Jones for nearly 25 years. I am 
personally grateful to have had the benefit of Stan's wisdom for all 
these years.
  Throughout his public career, Stan has been a tireless advocate for 
moving educational policy issues to the forefront of Indiana's 
political agenda. On behalf of all Hoosiers, we thank Stan for a job 
well done, for his passion and commitment to education, and above all, 
for his service to the people of Indiana.

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