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| | SR0396 | | LRB097 14290 GRL 59059 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to |
| 3 | | learn of the death of
Dr. Gregory C. James, who passed away on |
| 4 | | October 20, 2011; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James was born on February 29, 1956, |
| 6 | | in Chicago; he lived in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Ohio, |
| 7 | | and Massachusetts before returning to Chicago; upon his return, |
| 8 | | he became a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, where he |
| 9 | | was a gifted tenor in the sanctuary choir; and
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| 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James earned his master's degree in |
| 11 | | education from Southern Illinois University and his Ed.D. from |
| 12 | | Grambling State University in Louisiana; and
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| 13 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James served as the assistant vice |
| 14 | | president of student affairs at Oakton Community College in Des |
| 15 | | Plaines; he began his career at Oakton in August of 2005 as the |
| 16 | | college's dean of students; in June of 2009, he was promoted to |
| 17 | | Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Office of Access, |
| 18 | | Equity, and Diversity - the first to hold the position; and
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| 19 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James' commitment to social justice |
| 20 | | and anti-bias work made him a leader at Oakton Community |
| 21 | | College and throughout the region; he was regularly called upon |
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| | SR0396 | - 2 - | LRB097 14290 GRL 59059 r |
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| 1 | | to speak at events and conferences about his work; he also |
| 2 | | served on Oakton's Master Plan Steering Committee and on the |
| 3 | | steering committee of the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns |
| 4 | | in Higher Education; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James was the recipient of numerous |
| 6 | | awards and grants, including the Equity Award from the Illinois |
| 7 | | Community College Trustee Association, the Innovation Award |
| 8 | | from the Illinois Council of Community College Administration, |
| 9 | | the Pan African Connection Grant, the Office of Access, Equity, |
| 10 | | and Diversity Grant, and the Pan African Summit Grant; and
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| 11 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James is survived by his life partner, |
| 12 | | David DeCoursey-James; his daughter, Maurionna Minor; his |
| 13 | | father, Rev. Dr. Silas James; his brothers, Lt. Col. Cedric C. |
| 14 | | Minor-ret., Daryl K. Minor, Kevin D. Minor, and Maurice D. |
| 15 | | Minor and their spouses; his many nieces and nephews; and a |
| 16 | | host of extended family and friends; therefore, be it
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| 17 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL |
| 18 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with |
| 19 | | his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Gregory C. James; |
| 20 | | and be it further
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| 21 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 22 | | presented to the family of Dr. Gregory James as an expression |