| 12 | 16 | | |
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| 13 | 17 | | |
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| 14 | 18 | | |
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| 15 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Colette Sheehy, senior vice president for operations and state government relations at the University of Virginia, will retire on June 30, 2025, after nearly 43 years of service; and |
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| 16 | 20 | | |
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| 17 | 21 | | WHEREAS, a native of Freehold, New Jersey, Colette Sheehy earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Bucknell University and a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Rutgers University's Graduate School of Management; and |
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| 18 | 22 | | |
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| 19 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Colette Sheehy came to the University of Virginia (UVA) in 1982 as an entry-level budget analyst and assumed various roles in the university's budget office over the next 11 years prior to being appointed vice president for management and budget in 1993; and |
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| 20 | 24 | | |
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| 21 | 25 | | WHEREAS, one of the first two women appointed as vice president at UVA, Colette Sheehy was promoted to senior vice president for operations and state government relations in 2015, overseeing a large and diverse portfolio composed of critical support functions essential to the university's day-to-day operations, including business services, facilities management, the Office of the Architect, the Office of the University Building Official, real estate and leasing services, and state government relations; and |
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| 22 | 26 | | |
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| 23 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Colette Sheehy has partnered with colleagues across the university's grounds to support institutional priorities and UVA's mission by, among many other initiatives, executing the university's capital program; maintaining and caring for the university's physical plant, including the many historic buildings and the Academical Village, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site; developing and implementing ambitious sustainability plans; and creating a roadmap to construct additional on-grounds student housing to support the university's living and learning community; and |
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| 24 | 28 | | |
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| 25 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Colette Sheehy's expert diplomacy, collegiality, collaborative spirit, and deep understanding of the dynamics between state government and higher education in the Commonwealth have earned her the respect and trust of many members of the executive and legislative branches of the government of the Commonwealth and allowed her to work across party lines to advance higher education in Virginia; and |
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| 26 | 30 | | |
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| 27 | 31 | | WHEREAS, working with her colleagues across the Commonwealth, Colette Sheehy was the chief architect and negotiator of the Restructuring Act of 2005, pivotal legislation redefining the relationship between the Commonwealth and public institutions of higher education, as well as the university's subsequent management agreement with the Commonwealth; and |
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| 28 | 32 | | |
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| 29 | 33 | | WHEREAS, a respected leader in higher education across the Commonwealth, Colette Sheehy has been a longtime leading member of the Commonwealth's Council of State Senior Business Officers, including serving twice as president, and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's Finance Advisory Committee; and |
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| 30 | 34 | | |
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| 31 | 35 | | WHEREAS, beyond her service at UVA, Colette Sheehy has worked vigorously to enhance relationships between the local community and the university and to demonstrate the university's commitment to the health and prosperity of the Commonwealth by serving on various boards and commissions, including the board of directors for the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Emily Couric Leadership Forum, Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development, Virginia Retirement System, Virginia Discovery Museum, and Leadership Charlottesville Alumni Association; and |
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| 32 | 36 | | |
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| 33 | 37 | | WHEREAS, in recognition of her tireless efforts and her diligent stewardship of university and state resources, Colette Sheehy has received numerous awards over her remarkable career, including a Thomas Jefferson Award in 2021, the highest honor given to members of the UVA community who have exemplified the principles, ideals, and mission of the university in their character, work, and influence, and the Samuel R. Crockett Award from the University of Virginia's College at Wise in 2019; and |
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| 34 | 38 | | |
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| 35 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Colette Sheehy has enriched the lives of many across the UVA community and beyond through her mentorship, compassion, and dedication to the university; her generous support of colleagues and students will have an enduring positive impact on the university and its faculty, staff, students, and alumni for decades to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 40 | | |
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| 37 | 41 | | RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Colette Sheehy for her decades of exemplary service and devoted leadership, as well as a career defined by excellence and an unwavering commitment to advancing the University of Virginia and public higher education across the Commonwealth; and, be it |
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| 38 | 42 | | |
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| 39 | 43 | | RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Colette Sheehy as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration and gratitude for her commitment, leadership, and many extraordinary contributions to both the University of Virginia and the Commonwealth. |
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