[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. KENNETH DOBBINS

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. JASON SMITH

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 18, 2015

  Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank 
Dr. Kenneth Dobbins for his significant contributions to Missouri's 
higher education system over the past two decades. After a 
distinguished fifteen year tenure, Dr. Dobbins has announced his plans 
to retire from his position as the president of Southeast Missouri 
State University at the end of this year's spring semester. His 
leadership will be difficult to replace and will undoubtedly be missed.
  During his tenure as president of Southeast Missouri State 
University, the university and its programs were nationally recognized 
by prestigious publications such as U.S. News and the Princeton Review. 
SMSU increased access to higher education for many Missourians, and 
enrollment increased steadily each year under Dr. Dobbins' leadership. 
In 1994, only about 7,900 students attended SMSU. But, as a result of 
his continued guidance, enrollment for the fall semester of 2014 has 
increased to 12,087 students.
  This gradual increase in enrollment is attributed to Dr. Dobbins' 
goal of making Southeast Missouri State University's enrollment 
representative of diversity of the state of Missouri. Moreover, 
throughout Dr. Dobbins' tenure access to higher education increased 
dramatically with record enrollments in the SMSU's 25-county service 
region as a result of regional campuses in Sikeston and Kennett serving 
place-bound students in and near those rural communities.
  Dr. Dobbins also served a two-year term as president of the Missouri 
Council on Public Higher Education, which is the organization for 
presidents and chancellors of Missouri's public colleges and 
universities. In addition, in 2007 he was selected to serve a three-
year term on the American Association of State Colleges and 
Universities Board of Directors, an organization which represents over 
420 U.S. public college and university presidents, which equates to 56 
percent of the enrollment at all public four-year institutions.
  I am extremely proud of all that Dr. Dobbins has done for Missouri's 
higher education system. It is my honor to recognize him before the 
U.S. House of Representatives.

                          ____________________