SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 773 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Chris King for his exemplary service as director of athletics at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; and WHEREAS, In over nine years of leadership in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Chris King has raised the standard of Division I Athletics and shaped a thriving department that proudly represents the Rio Grande Valley campus and strives to inspire excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community; and WHEREAS, Today, the university is ranked second in the Western Athletic Conference, and it has won a combined total of 36 individual and team championship titles since joining the conference in 2013; athletes have also set new records in hours of service and volunteering, outreach, and campus engagement while outperforming the general student body in both grade point average and graduation rates; and WHEREAS, Mr. King and his staff have made great strides in increasing general fund-raising, ticket sales, and corporate sponsorships; new funding streams have made possible extensive renovations to existing facilities and the construction of new, state-of-the-art playing fields and training centers; and WHEREAS, Chris King is a highly esteemed athletic administrator who has fostered a culture of integrity at the university and helped the intercollegiate athletics department establish a solid foundation for future prosperity; he is moving on to serve as vice president and director of athletics at his alma mater, Robert Morris University, in Pennsylvania; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th Legislature, hereby commend Chris King for helping to shape a leading athletics department at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and extend to him best wishes for continued success in the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for him as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Hinojosa, Lucio, Zaffirini ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 19, 2019. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate