H.R. No. 195
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The faculty and students of Stephen F. Austin State
University lost a beloved colleague and mentor with the death of
Dr. Ken Collier on June 14, 2020, at the age of 60; and
WHEREAS, The son of Joe and Betty Lyn Collier, Ken Collier was
born on July 7, 1959; he graduated from Longview High School and
went on to attend Kilgore College and then The University of Texas
at Austin, where he earned a bachelor's degree in government in 1981
and a Ph.D. in government in 1988; and
WHEREAS, After teaching at the University of Kansas, where he
also managed the athletic department's website, Dr. Collier joined
the faculty of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches in
1999; a well-respected scholar, he was the author of two books,
Between the Branches: The White House Office of Legislative Affairs
and Speechwriting in the Institutionalized Presidency, and the
coauthor of Lone Star Politics: Tradition and Transformation in
Texas, one of the leading textbooks on Texas politics; in addition,
he was the author or coauthor of some 15 peer-reviewed articles in
important academic journals; and
WHEREAS, A passionate advocate for his students, Dr. Collier
earned the SFASU Teaching Excellence Award in 2006; he supervised
the Texas Legislative Internship Program, which has placed 35
students over the years in legislative internships and helped
launch several careers in public service, and in his name, SFASU has
set up an endowment to assist in funding the program going forward;
he also served on numerous committees for the Department of
Government, the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, and the
university at large; moreover, he was Faculty Senate chair from
2010 to 2011, and from 2013 until his death, he was the program
coordinator for the political science program; and
WHEREAS, A regular presence at all Lumberjack games,
Dr. Collier was an enthusiastic supporter of the athletic program,
building strong relationships with many of the student athletes and
working to improve the athletic department's educational efforts
and mission; during his tenure as Faculty Athletic Representative,
he helped raise the department's average GPA to a record high of
3.22; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Collier shared a rewarding marriage with his
wife, Sandy Benavides Collier, that spanned more than three
decades, and he took great pride in their daughter, Nicole; and
WHEREAS, A loving family man and an admired scholar and
teacher, Ken Collier lived a rich and purposeful life, and memories
of his enthusiasm, dry wit, and dedication to service remain to
comfort and inspire those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Ken Collier and
extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many friends; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ken
Collier.
Clardy
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 195 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 18, 2021.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House