88R29677 CW-D
By: Howard H.R. No. 1724
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Paul Bestor Woodruff, professor emeritus at The
University of Texas at Austin, has enriched the lives of
innumerable people through his outstanding work as a philosopher,
educator, translator, and author; and
WHEREAS, One of America's foremost interpreters of Plato,
Thucydides, Socrates, and other classical thinkers, Dr. Woodruff
has illuminated complex societal issues through his scholarship on
the ideas surrounding the ancient Greeks' first steps toward
democracy; his translations are used as standard references in
academia, and he has also reached a broader audience via public
television and the pages of the Washington Post; moreover, he has
added to the prestige of the university as the author of such books
as Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue and The Necessity of
Theater: The Art of Watching and Being Watched; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Woodruff joined the UT Austin faculty in 1973,
and while rising in his field, he also made an enormous impact on
the university in administrative roles; during his tenure as
inaugural dean of undergraduate studies, he charted a new path with
the introduction of an interdisciplinary core curriculum and
improved student support services; as director of the Plan II
honors program, he helped deliver an Ivy League-quality education
to thousands of young Texans; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, Dr. Woodruff further served as chair
of the Department of Philosophy, Darrell K. Royal Professor of
Ethics and American Society, and Mary Helen Thompson Centennial
Professor in the Humanities; he is the recipient of numerous
accolades, among them the Harry Ransom Teaching Award, the
Civitatis Award recognizing outstanding UT faculty, and Pro Bene
Meritis, the highest honor bestowed by the UT College of Liberal
Arts; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Woodruff earned bachelor's degrees from both
Princeton and Oxford University before serving as a captain in the
U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, an experience that has informed
his perspective on moral conflict; he completed his doctorate in
philosophy at Princeton University; since his retirement in the
fall of 2022, Dr. Woodruff has continued to write and to meet with
former students to discuss life and philosophy; and
WHEREAS, UT Austin has benefited immeasurably from Paul
Woodruff's visionary leadership, and his wisdom, humility, and
willingness to engage have inspired generations of students to
observe more acutely and think more deeply; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby honor UT Austin professor emeritus Paul Bestor
Woodruff for his contributions and extend to him sincere
appreciation for his many years of dedicated service; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Woodruff as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.