[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 6, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5251-S5252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT WITT

 Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure and the 
highest regards that I speak on the accomplishments of my valued 
constituent and friend, Dr. Robert Witt. On August 31, 2016, Dr. Witt 
retired after 4 years as chancellor of the University of Alabama System 
and 13 total years of service with the system.
  Dr. Witt served as the 26th president of the University of Alabama 
from 2003-2012, which were some of the most successful years in the 
history of the university. Indeed, I believe it will be difficult for 
any other president of the university to match his success. When Dr. 
Witt first arrived in Tuscaloosa, he pursued a strategy called for 
increasing enrollment, stimulating growth in research, supporting 
economic expansion in Alabama, raising faculty salaries, boosting 
financial aid, and expanding university facilities. And he accomplished 
it all.
  Dr. Witt's record of groundbreaking enrollment is unparalleled. In 
2003, there were less than 20,000 students on campus. His plan called 
for increasing student enrollment to 28,000 by 2013. This goal was 
achieved much sooner, as the university enrolled 28,807 students in 
2009. Throughout Dr. Witt's tenure, the University of Alabama 
experienced explosive growth with phenomenal increases in enrollment of 
both instate and out-of-State students.
  The university had a record-breaking year in 2012, when 33,602 
students registered for classes. Each subsequent year brought another 
record student enrollment, and today the student population exceeds 
37,000. The Washington Post recently named the university as the 
fastest growing flagship university in the Nation after finding it has 
experienced a stunning 92 percent rate of growth. The Post's analysis 
acknowledged that the growth at the University of Alabama has surpassed 
that of all the other growing Southeastern Conference universities.
  Even with this unprecedented and dramatic growth, academic quality 
and scholarship opportunities increased. This increase in student 
population was accompanied by new construction and renovations to 
campus buildings, such as new residence halls and dining facilities. 
Dr. Witt's vision positioned the University of Alabama as one of the 
fastest growing public research institutions in the Nation.
  Dr. Witt brilliantly created the university's honors college in 2003. 
It has grown today to more than 6,500 students. The honors college is 
rooted in four pillars of the educational experience: innovative 
scholarship, advanced research, civic engagement, and cultural 
interaction. It has been instrumental in attracting the very top tier 
of academic talent from all over the Nation and the world to the 
school.
  The growth of the student population was complemented by the athletic 
success. After several trying years on the football field, Dr. Witt and 
his administration selected Nick Saban as the head football coach in 
2007. Nine years and four national championships later, Coach Saban 
proved to be the best of his profession. Dr. Witt has stated that 
hiring Coach Saban was the best financial investment that the 
university has ever made. Sports success increased enthusiasm among the 
alumni, students, and prospective students. Dr. Witt used this 
excitement to further his goals. The university's capital improvement 
campaign goal was exceeded by several

[[Page S5252]]

millions of dollars. Bryant-Denny Stadium was also expanded from 84,000 
to 101,821 seats.
  His capital campaigns were highly successful. High-quality 
construction increased the size, beauty, and utility of the campus. In 
2003 when Dr. Witt began his career in Tuscaloosa, student enrollment 
was 20,333. The incoming freshman class that year was 3,075. Total 
enrollment has since grown to 37,100, and in 2015, the incoming 
freshmen class had 7,211 students, all the while raising academic 
scores.
  During his tenure, Dr. Witt also contributed to the prestige of the 
University of Alabama School of Law. The law school has been 
consistently ranked in the top tier of law schools and is currently 
ranked 28th of all law schools, State and private, in the Nation by US 
News.
  Dr. Witt's success has continued over these last 4 years in his time 
as chancellor of the University of Alabama System. As chancellor, he 
oversaw three university campuses, with a budget exceeding $5 billion. 
In this position, Dr. Witt endeavored to strengthen the system's 
support for economic development. During this time, total enrollment 
and total faculty continued to grow.
  Dr. Witt is chairman of the council of presidents of Alabama's public 
colleges and universities. His other leadership activities include the 
Governor's College & Career Ready Task Force; the American Cast Iron 
Pipe Company Board of Directors; the Alexis deTocqueville Executive 
Committee; and the Advisory Board, Elizabeth Project Care Board. He is 
past chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, a past member 
of the Tuscaloosa County IDA Board, and the Black Warrior Council Boy 
Scouts of America. In 2011, he was inducted into to the Alabama Academy 
of Honor, which is comprised of 100 living Alabamians elected on the 
basis of service to the State.
  On June 15, 2016, he was honored with a bronze statue on the 
Tuscaloosa campus's Presidential Village. Additionally, the dorms on 
the north side of campus and the activity center will be named in his 
honor. Upon his retirement, Dr. Witt plans to take a yearlong 
sabbatical before returning to the university to teach at his honors 
college.
  In light of these and all of his many accomplishments, I want to 
congratulate Dr. Witt on his outstanding career and to wish him the 
very best in his next endeavor. Dr. Witt's record of positive 
leadership at the University of Alabama must be recognized as perhaps 
the most successful in Alabama's history. Words fail to fully capture 
the enormity of his achievement. A fine, respected, and solid State 
university has been transformed. On behalf of the people of Alabama, 
let me express my appreciation.

                          ____________________