[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 51 (Monday, March 31, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S1868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING JOAB L. THOMAS

 Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I wish to commemorate and 
celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Joab Langston Thomas of 
Tuscaloosa, AL, who served as chief executive officer of three of the 
country's well established public universities, including the 
University of Alabama, Pennsylvania State University, and North 
Carolina State University. We too often fail to appreciate the 
contributions our university leaders make to our State's and Nation's 
progress. We often think of these leaders as people unconnected to our 
States and constituents. But as I have known our university leaders in 
Alabama, such is not the case. They are men and women of stability, 
common sense, and management skills. Dr. Thomas was no exception.
  Dr. Thomas was a native of the wonderful small Alabama town of 
Russellville. His integrity, work ethic, and native ability were 
outstanding, and he translated those qualities into three degrees in 
biological science from Harvard University, where he was a member of 
the Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi academic honor societies. In 1961, he 
became a member of the biology faculty at the University of Alabama.
  In 1981, Dr. Thomas became the president of the University of 
Alabama. Dr. Thomas is credited with tripling UA's research funding, 
leading a major fund-raising campaign, raising admission and curriculum 
standards, building economic development initiatives that saved local 
jobs and improving relations with the State legislature, resulting in 
increased State funding for the university. He also established a 
university-wide honors program and initiated the highly successful 
Presidential Scholars program to help recruit top students to 
University of Alabama.
  In the words of University of Alabama's current chancellor, Robert 
Witt, ``From his days as a teaching fellow at Harvard to his tenure at 
the helm of three of America's premier public universities, Joab Thomas 
was at the forefront as a leader in higher education. His research 
focus and emphasis on excellence inspired all of us who were fortunate 
to follow in his footsteps.''
  Dr. Thomas was an outstanding university president and was held in 
the highest esteem and affection by the many people he served so ably. 
I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Thomas for his 
dedication and many contributions to public universities.

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