[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. ARNOLD SPEERT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, Jr.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2010

  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I would like to call to your attention 
the work of an outstanding individual, Dr. Arnold Speert, who was 
recognized on Friday, April 16, 2010 upon his retirement as president 
of William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, for his many years of 
dedicated service to not only the university, but the community at 
large as well.
  It is only fitting that he be honored in this, the permanent record 
of the greatest democracy ever known, for he has been a true public 
servant and educator and someone whose commitment to excellence has 
helped to enhance countless lives.
  Arnold began his journey in academia at the City College of the City 
University of New York. A Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Speert graduated cum 
laude with honors in chemistry. He went on to earn a doctorate in 
chemistry from Princeton University where he was a National Institute 
of Health Fellow. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and 
the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  Dr. Speert's career at William Paterson began in 1970 when he joined 
the university's teaching staff as an assistant professor of chemistry. 
Later that year he assumed his initial administrative responsibilities 
as assistant to the dean of graduate and research programs. Dr. Speert 
was named assistant to the vice president for academic affairs in 1971 
and became associate dean for academic affairs in 1978. In July 1979, 
he was named vice president for academic affairs. During the same 
period he rose through the faculty ranks and attained full professor 
status in 1980. On September 1, 1985, he became the sixth president of 
William Paterson University, reaching the pinnacle of leadership.
  Though the university has always been central to Dr. Speert, his 
reach has extended far beyond William Paterson's campus. He has been 
active in a wide variety of community service activities. He has served 
as chair of the New Jersey Presidents' Council and been a member of the 
Commission on Higher Education and the Board of Examiners for the New 
Jersey Department of Education. His spirit of volunteerism doesn't just 
focus on education--he currently serves on the board of the State Farm 
Indemnity Company. Throughout the years, he has also served on the 
boards of the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce, Barnert Hospital, the 
Ramapo Bank, the Better Business Bureau, the Jewish Federation of North 
Jersey, YM-YWHA of Northern New Jersey, and the Respiratory Health 
Association.
  Founded in 1855, William Paterson University is one of the nine state 
colleges and universities in New Jersey. During Dr. Speert's time as 
president, the university has continued to grow, striving to meet the 
need to prepare a growing student body to succeed in our rapidly 
changing world. The institution offers 30 undergraduate and 19 graduate 
programs through five colleges: Arts and Communication, the Christos M. 
Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social 
Sciences, and Science and Health. Located on 370 hilltop acres in 
Wayne, the university enrolls more than 10,500 students and provides 
housing for nearly 2,300 students. The institution's 363 full-time 
faculty are highly distinguished and diverse scholars and teachers, 
many of whom are recipients of prestigious awards and grants from the 
Fulbright Program, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment 
for the Humanities, the National Institutes of Health, the National 
Science Foundation and the American Philosophical Society.
  The job of a United States Congressman involves much that is 
rewarding, yet nothing compares to learning about and recognizing the 
impressive accomplishments of individuals like Dr. Arnold Speert.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, Arnold's family 
and friends, all those whose lives have been touched by his work, and 
me in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable service of Dr. Arnold 
Speert.

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