HR0069 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0069 LRB104 10511 LAW 20586 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Cheryl F. Green, Ph.D. on the occasion of her retirement as president of Governors State University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green, who originally hails from Chicago, earned her master's degree and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and she received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Manchester College, now Manchester University, in North Manchester, Indiana; she also obtained several National Incident Management System certificates from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Institute, and she serves as a recognized leader in grievance mediation and conflict resolution; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green has served as the sixth president of Governors State University in Chicago's Southland, University Park since taking the helm on July 1, 2020; during her tenure, she built a lasting legacy of academic excellence coupled with successful accreditation while supporting the mission of Governors State University, serving as a visionary and inspiring leader who has been deeply committed to advancing programs, initiatives, and scholarship across the Southland and the State of Illinois, advocating for equity in funding and supporting social mobility; she was instrumental in fostering a campus-wide culture of inclusion and belonging, dedicating significant efforts to the establishment of a number of initiatives, including the Honors College, the College of Graduate Studies, the Latinx Center, and the Social Justice Initiative Building, while also supporting a wide range of educational and community outreach activities; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green has led a distinguished career in higher education for more than 36 years, previously serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, interim chancellor for the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, and assistant vice president for student affairs at Tennessee State University (TSU); before her time at TSU, she served Chicago State University in a variety of administrative and academic roles, including as director/chair of the counseling department, inaugural dean of first-year students, acting associate director of career placement, and as a tenured associate professor of counseling; she also served as the statewide representative for 2,700 faculty and staff for seven public universities in her role as grievance officer for the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green has remained committed to making a difference through her service to the community, which spans the United States and has included serving on several different advisory boards or boards of directors, including the Manchester University Board of Trustees, the Association of Governing Boards (ABG) Council of Presidents, the inaugural Presidential Ambassadors Council of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), the Will County Center for Economic Development Board of Directors, the Southland Development Authority Board of Directors, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute STEM Grant Advisory Board of UW Madison, the Forward 50 Advisory Board for the National Association of Student and Financial Aid Administrators, and the Milwaukee-based Gift of Adoption Wisconsin Board of Directors; she is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Will County Black Diamond Chapter of the Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., and she is a Silver Life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green has received a number of accolades, including being named to Crain Chicago Business's 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives list, a Woman of First Distinction by the Illinois Black Hall of Fame, one of the 2022 Top 50 Women Leaders of Illinois by Women We Admire, an honorary grand marshal of the 2022 Bud Billiken Parade, and a 2023 Business Leader of Color by Chicago United; she also received the 2022 Excellence in Education Award by the Central Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a feature in a Newsweek profile that discussed the Governors State University's 2022 ranking in U.S. News & World Report for being one of the top 25 best Midwest schools for social mobility, and the 2023 Outstanding Commitment in Education Award by the Illinois State Treasurer; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green is widely respected and admired by Governors State University students, faculty, staff, administration, the board of trustees, professional colleagues, and the broader academic community for her exceptional leadership, steadfast dedication, and significant contributions to higher education throughout her tenure as president; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Green will retire at the end of February 2025; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Cheryl F. Green, Ph.D. on the occasion of her retirement, recognize her extraordinary contributions to Governors State University and the State of Illinois, and thank her for exceptional guidance, unwavering dedication, and servant leadership; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Green as an expression of our esteem and respect.