86R22344 BPG-D
By: Goldman H.R. No. 1049
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio is stepping down as
president of Tarleton State University at the end of August 2019,
concluding an exemplary tenure in office that has spanned 11 years;
and
WHEREAS, Under the skillful guidance of Dr. Dottavio, an
engaged and accessible administrator, Tarleton's enrollment has
risen by almost 70 percent, from under 8,000 students to more than
13,000; applications have increased by over 131 percent since 2012,
reportedly placing the school seventh in the nation for such
growth; retention and graduation rates have improved by 60 percent
during the last five years, and The Texas A&M University System has
recognized Tarleton as a model in this regard; donations to
Tarleton have increased by 78 percent, and the endowment is up by 81
percent; and
WHEREAS, Since 2008, Tarleton has added more than 30 academic
programs, and it has established a College of Health Sciences and
Human Services as well as a School of Nursing, School of
Engineering, School of Kinesiology, and School of Criminology,
Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies; a new doctoral program in
criminal justice is pending approval; Tarleton offers high-demand
academic programs in Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, and Bryan
through partnerships with other colleges and universities, and it
will open the first building of its planned Fort Worth campus in
August 2019; construction and expansion projects totaling over $400
million include the Memorial Stadium renovation, seven new
residence halls, and a state-of-the-art engineering building set to
open in 2019; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Dottavio previously served as president of
Heidelberg University in Ohio and as dean and director of The Ohio
State University at Marion; an Ohio State graduate, he holds a
master's degree in forestry and environmental sciences from Yale
University and a doctoral degree from Purdue University's College
of Agriculture and Natural Resources; he will continue to serve
Tarleton as a tenured professor in the College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, and he will assist the Division of
Institutional Advancement; and
WHEREAS, Through his visionary leadership and passion for
higher education, Dominic Dottavio has transformed Tarleton State
University, and in so doing, he has earned the deep respect and
admiration of students, his colleagues, and the wider community;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio for his
outstanding service as president of Tarleton State University and
extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Dottavio as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.