[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE CAREER OF DR. WATTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2017

  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. W. David 
Watts on his distinguished tenure at the University of Texas of the 
Permian Basin.
  For the past fifteen years, Dr. Watts has served as the President of 
UTPB. Under his leadership, UTPB has seen an unprecedented growth and 
the university's reputation has grown exponentially. Since 2001, the 
university enrollment increased from 2,200 to 6,315 students and the 
availability of student housing has increased from just six buildings 
with 96 beds to 37 buildings with 1,197. These additions have 
significantly impacted the local economy and transformed UTPB to an 
established university community.
   Early into his presidency, Dr. Watts made a commitment to expand 
educational opportunities by investing in online programs to allow 
students to earn a degree from a distance and allow for the development 
of career opportunities throughout the region. These efforts have led 
UTPB to be recognized by numerous outlets, such as BestColleges.com and 
U.S. News and World Report, as one of the most affordable online 
programs in the nation. In addition, Dr. Watts' vision of expanding 
access to quality education has also led to the creation of Texas' 
first entirely virtual Early College High School network. This network 
allows universities and colleges to partner with local school districts 
to offer at risk high school students to earn a high school diploma and 
up to sixty college credits at no cost. These accelerated courses 
reduce the barriers to college access and increased college readiness 
with these students. This program has allowed thousands of students to 
set out on their path to achieve their professional goals.
   Dr. Watts' commitment to quality education has allowed UTPB to be 
the first school in Texas to offer a $10,000 bachelor's degree in 
select majors and is recognized as the least expensive Texas public, 
four-year institution. Under his leadership, UTPB has received national 
accreditation in Art, Business, Education, Mechanical Engineering and 
Petroleum Engineering, Social Work, Music, Nursing, and Athletic 
Training Education. These initiatives have allowed UTPB to leave its 
imprint on the workforce, and it could not have been accomplished 
without Dr. Watt's leadership.
   Over the last few years, Dr. Watts spearheaded efforts to write a 
new chapter in UTPB's history by bringing college football to the 
university. Prior to this, UTPB was the only public university west of 
I-35 that did not participate in football. Now UTPB is in a more 
competitive position to attract new students to the Permian Basin. Last 
year, the Falcons kicked off the inaugural season and set the 
foundation for the program. The team looks to build off of that 
progress as they begin to prepare for next season.
   Dr. Watts' contributions to UTPB will always be remembered and his 
impact will surely be felt by generations to come. As he and his wife 
Denise embark on a new chapter in their life, I wish them all my best.

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