[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3784-H3785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF WOMEN AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1161) honoring the Centennial
Celebration of Women at Marquette University, the first Catholic
university in the world to offer co-education as part of its regular
undergraduate program.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1161
Whereas Marquette University was founded in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, in 1881 as a Catholic, Jesuit educational
institution;
Whereas Marquette University was created to educate first-
generation and low-income students under the premise that all
people should be able to pursue higher education;
Whereas Marquette University was the first Catholic
university in the world to admit women to be educated
alongside men in its regular undergraduate programs in 1909;
Whereas because of the courageous vision of its then-
president, the Rev. James McCabe, S.J. Marquette University
pioneered the inclusion of women;
Whereas today, 53 percent of Marquette University students,
7 of the 33 members of the board of trustees, and 12 of the
27 members of the university leadership council are women;
Whereas Marquette University is celebrating the 100th
anniversary of the admission of women during the 2009-2010
academic year through an alumnae memory project, guest
speakers and lectures, commemorative publications, and
faculty, staff, student, and alumni events;
Whereas Marquette University continued to expand access to
education in 1969 by creation of the Educational Opportunity
Program, which enables low-income and first-generation
students to enter and succeed in higher education;
Whereas Marquette University is celebrating the 40th
anniversary of the Educational Opportunity Program, which now
serves more than 500 high school and college students
annually through 4 Federally funded TRIO programs;
Whereas the Educational Opportunity Program continues
Marquette University's tradition of serving as a model of
success for more than 1,200 colleges and universities with
Federally funded TRIO programs;
Whereas Marquette University's continued focus on its 4
core values of excellence, faith, leadership, and service
challenges students to integrate knowledge, faith, and real-
life choices in ways that will shape their lives and those of
others in order to better society;
Whereas Marquette University recognizes and cherishes the
dignity of each individual regardless of age, culture, faith,
ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, language,
disability, or social class; and
Whereas Marquette University continues to adhere to its
tenet of asking who has yet to gain access to higher
education and who needs support in succeeding once through
the door: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the
Centennial Celebration of Women at Marquette University and
commends the largest independent institution in Wisconsin for
continuing to fulfill its Catholic, Jesuit mission of
offering premier higher educational opportunities to all
students who have a desire to learn.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days
during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous
material on H. Res. 1161 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1161, which
celebrates 100 years since Marquette University became the first
Catholic university in the world to admit women as part of its regular
undergraduate program.
Marquette University started as a dream of the Most Reverend Martin
J. Henni, the first Catholic Bishop of Milwaukee. At the time of its
establishment, Marquette University was Marquette College. It was a
small liberal arts school for men named for the Reverend Jacques
Marquette, a French missionary and explorer in North America. The
school was founded in 1881 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic
religious order established in 1540 by St. Ignatius Loyola.
Only 30 years later, Marquette University became a more inclusive
institution when it made the pioneering move to embrace coeducation. In
1909, Marquette University became the first Catholic university in the
world to offer coeducation as part of its regular undergraduate
program. This gallant move was led by the president of the college,
Reverend James McCabe, S.J.
Just one year after becoming president of the school, Father McCabe
saw the need to further the education of teachers, who were primarily
females, in Catholic elementary and high schools. While father McCabe's
significant action was met with opposition within the local Jesuit
community, Marquette prepared to open the first summer session in 1909
in Catholic higher education and to permit women to study alongside men
in their bachelor of arts program. Father McCabe's groundbreaking
decision was the introduction of coeducation to Catholic higher
education.
Since 1909, the role of women at Marquette University has changed
dramatically. Marquette now has a student body where women make up more
than half of the student population. In addition, seven of the 33
members of the board of trustees, 12 of the 27 members of the
University Leadership Council, and 39 percent of the full-time faculty
are female as well.
Mr. Speaker, once again I express my support for House Resolution
1161 and congratulate Marquette University on this remarkable
milestone. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this
resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1700
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1161,
Honoring the Centennial Celebration of Women at Marquette University,
the first Catholic university in the world to offer co-education as
part of its regular undergraduate program.
Marquette University was founded on August 28, 1881, as Marquette
College by John Martin Henni, the first Catholic bishop of the
Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The university was named after
17th-century missionary and explorer, Father Jacques Marquette, S.J.
The highest priority of the newly established college was to provide an
affordable Catholic education to the area's immigrant population.
Marqette College officially became a university in 1907. Marquette
University High School, formerly the preparatory department of the
university, became a separate institution the same year.
In 1909, Marquette University became the first Catholic university in
the world to offer co-education as part of its regular undergraduate
program. Since that time, the role of women at Marquette has changed
and expanded dramatically. In 1923 the first dean of women was
appointed. In 1936 the first female academic dean at Marquette provided
leadership for the all-female college of nursing. By 1944, the
enrollment of women at Marquette grew to
[[Page H3785]]
more than 40 percent of students during World War II.
Today, five of Marquette's 12 academic deans are women. Seven of the
17 key university leaders are women. Marquette's faculty is
considerably enriched by the presence of women, 42 percent of part-time
faculty and 39 percent of full-time faculty. In 2006, Marquette's board
elected its first female chair, Mary Ellen Stanek. Today, women make up
more than 50 percent of the student body.
With a student body of 11,500, Marquette is one the largest Jesuit
universities in the United States and the largest private university in
Wisconsin. It is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of
Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is accredited by the North Central
Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The university has 11
schools and colleges; and in 2009, Marquette ranked 84th overall among
undergraduate programs for national universities by the U.S. News and
World Report.
I want to extend my congratulations to Marquette president, Rev.
Robert Wild, the faculty, the staff and students on their 100th
anniversary. Today, we recognize Marquette University for focusing on
its four core values of excellence, faith, leadership and service, and
honor them for 100 years of service of offering premiere higher
educational opportunities to all students who have a desire to learn.
I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes
to the author of the resolution, the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms.
Moore).
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today I am so proud and honored
to be able to offer this resolution to my alma mater, Marquette
University, which, of course, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of
its admission of women during this academic year, 2009 to 2010.
Not only have we noted in this resolution that Marquette was the
first Catholic university in the world to admit women to be educated
alongside men in its undergraduate programs; but in doing so, it paved
the way for women's access to higher education in the United States of
America.
This, of course, was very controversial, the admission of women in
these programs, and the objections among the religious communities in
Milwaukee and elsewhere were rampant. But Father McCabe bravely
persisted in admitting women to Marquette University for 4 years before
he got word from Rome that it was okay to do so. And we certainly
applaud that legacy, as well, today.
In the century following this landmark event, the role of women at
Marquette has expanded and evolved. Not only is 50 percent of the
Marquette student population women, but the university offers a Women's
and Gender Studies major and minor. Marquette counts women among its
student body leaders, its most outstanding students and its
internationally recognized faculty and staff.
In the decades following this historic inclusion of women, the
university has become known for its commitment to expanding access to
higher education, not only to women, but also to low-income students,
to veterans and to students who are the first generation in their
families to attend college. This year, Marquette celebrates the 40th
anniversary of its Educational Opportunity Program, of which I am among
its first beneficiaries, which now serves over 500 high school and
college students every year.
I am so proud of my alma mater, and Milwaukee, that they were on the
front lines of change, and recognized long ago, before many other
similar institutions, that in order to grow and move forward as a
society we can't leave half our population behind. Expanding
opportunities and access to education for women benefits our families
and our society. I am so honored to recognize Marquette in this way.
I congratulate Marquette, its board of trustees, its student body,
all of its alumni, and urge passage of H.R. 1161.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I associate my remarks with the
gentlelady. I think it was a historic occasion; you're absolutely
right. Some would say more than 50 percent of the brain power, if women
are left out.
It's a historic time for them, and that was a big step for the
Catholic Church in 1909. And so I agree with you, it did pave the way
to the 19th amendment that occurred less than 10 years after that. So
this is indeed a pleasure to be on this bill, and I thank you for that.
I yield back the balance of my time
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, as a proud graduate myself of
Jesuit College, I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1161.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a
quorum is not present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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