[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 25239]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY-EDWARDSVILLE ON ITS 50TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 329.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 329) congratulating Southern Illinois 
     University-Edwardsville as it celebrates its 50th 
     anniversary.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Southern 
Illinois University Edwardsville, SIUE, as it marks its 50th year as a 
center of educational advancement in Southern Illinois. Southern 
Illinois University Edwardsville marks its 50th anniversary this year 
with a year-long celebration that begins on September 24, 2007.
  SIUE is a public university built by the people of Illinois for the 
people of Illinois in response to the clear need for a campus of higher 
education in the Metro-East area of greater St. Louis. Fifty years ago, 
only three percent of the adult population had completed four years of 
college. Since there was no nearby higher education center and most 
families could not afford the cost of sending their kids far away for 
college, the community appealed to Southern Illinois University to 
establish a satellite campus at Edwardsville.
  Today, SIUE continues to serve the community that initiated its 
founding and has helped improve the quality of life for all citizens of 
the area. The university has grown from 1,776 students to nearly 13,500 
students from 101 Illinois counties, 43 other States, and 46 nations. 
It offers a broad choice of degrees ranging from liberal arts to 
professional studies. The university gives back to the surrounding 
community through programs, including its East St. Louis Center, which 
provides social services to families in East St. Louis and surrounding 
urban communities. Each year, more than 8,000 individuals benefit from 
the programs and services housed at the East St. Louis Center. SIUE 
also contributes to the economic welfare of the entire region as both 
one of the largest employers in Madison County and a producer of many 
graduates who remain in the area after college. The number of college 
graduates in Madison and St. Clair counties has risen from three 
percent to 20 percent, largely made up of SIUE graduates. These 
graduates give back to the community every day, and the highly 
educated, skilled workforce they form is one of the greatest resources 
in Southern Illinois.
  If you visit the campus at SIUE, you will see some of the truly 
exceptional and innovative educational programs taking place there 
today. The University's Senior Assignment Program, an integrative 
learning experience required of all seniors, was ranked as a national 
model for learning assessment by the Association of American Colleges 
and Universities in 2007. The SIU School of Dental Medicine, the only 
Illinois dental school outside Cook County, is rated among the top 
dental schools in the Nation on national board dental exams and serves 
as a primary oral healthcare provider for Southern Illinois. SIUE's 
University Park, an applied research and technology park, is the home 
to the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center which explores the 
viability of alternative fuels. In athletics, SIUE is currently 
transitioning to NCAA Division I status and proudly brought home the 
NCAA Division II championship in softball in 2007.
  Over the last half century, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 
has grown to become a tremendous asset to the students and citizens of 
Illinois. It's my honor to congratulate the University on its 50th 
anniversary, and I look forward to many more years of excellence in 
education in the future.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 329) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 329

       Whereas Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) 
     will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a year-long 
     celebration, beginning September 24, 2007;
       Whereas SIUE has grown from 1,776 students to nearly 13,500 
     students from 101 Illinois counties, 43 other States, and 46 
     Nations;
       Whereas SIUE has conferred more than 90,000 degrees in its 
     history and has more than 75,000 alumni;
       Whereas the SIUE School of Dental Medicine is rated among 
     the top dental schools in the Nation and provides more than 
     $50,000 in free oral health care to children annually through 
     Give Kids a Smile Day;
       Whereas the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to 
     improving the lives of families and individuals in East St. 
     Louis and surrounding urban communities;
       Whereas the University finished 4th nationally in the 
     United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup among National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association Division II schools in 2006;
       Whereas SIUE contributes roughly $356,000,000 to the 
     regional economy, and more than 37,000 alumni live in the 
     region and contribute to the economy;
       Whereas SIUE is the home of University Park, an applied 
     research and technology park located on the SIUE campus that 
     is home to the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center and 
     the Biotechnology Laboratory Incubator: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate congratulates Southern Illinois 
     University Edwardsville (SIUE) on its 50th anniversary, and 
     wishes SIUE success in its continued service to the Nation as 
     a center of educational advancement in Southern Illinois.

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