2014 -- H 7782

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LC004862

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF BROWN

UNIVERSITY ON FEBRUARY 17, 2014

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Blazejewski, and Fox

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2014

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, In July of 1763, James Manning presented a plan for a college to a group of

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gentlemen in Newport. The plan was that the institution should be a Baptist one, but that other

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denominations should be included in its governance; and

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     WHEREAS, The charter was laid before the General Assembly in August of 1763, but

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postponed while it was redrafted. The General Assembly met in East Greenwich beginning on the

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last Monday in February in 1764 during which time the charter was resubmitted; and

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     WHEREAS, The "Act for the Establishment of a College or University within this

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Colony" was passed by the House of Magistrates on March 2, 1764, and on March 3rd the Upper

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House concurred. The Act was signed and sealed by the Governor, Samuel Ward, and the

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Secretary, Edward Thurston, at Newport on October 24, 1765; and

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     WHEREAS, The preamble of the Charter sets forth the purposes of the institution as

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follows:, "Whereas institutions for liberal education are highly beneficial to society by forming

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the rising generation to virtue, knowledge, and useful literature, and thus preserving in the

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community a succession of men duly qualified for discharging the offices of life with usefulness

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and reputation"; and

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     WHEREAS, The charter included a majority of Baptists among its trustees, as well as

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Quakers, Congregationalists and Episcopalians, reflecting the spirit of Roger Williams' vision of

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a colony with freedom of conscience; and

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     WHEREAS, The twenty-four original incorporators of "Rhode Island College" were

 

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sworn in as members in September of 1764 and included Governors Stephen Hopkins and Samuel

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Ward; and

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     WHEREAS, At its second meeting in September of 1765, the members named James

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Manning as its first President and Professor, whose parsonage in Warren served as the

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schoolhouse; and

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     WHEREAS, The college's first commencement was in September of 1769, and had only

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seven students; and

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     WHEREAS, The cornerstone of a college edifice was laid in May of 1770, on the east

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side of Providence; and

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     WHEREAS, In September of 1804, the College was renamed "Brown University in

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Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, Providence Plantations" in honor of Nicholas Brown,

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Jr., class of 1786, trustee and fellow of the University and benefactor; and

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     WHEREAS, The first master's degrees were granted in 1888, and the first doctorates in

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1889. Women were admitted as students in October of 1891; and

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     WHEREAS, Pembroke College was the name given to the Women's College in 1928. In

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July of 1971, the offices of Pembroke and Brown Universities were fully merged; and

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     WHEREAS, Today, Brown University is the seventh oldest college in the United States;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University was the first Ivy League school to accept students from

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all religious affiliations, a testament to the spirit of openness that still typifies the institution

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today; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University includes undergraduate and graduate programs, plus the

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Warren Alpert Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, Executive

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Master of Healthcare Leadership and the IE Brown Executive MBA; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University has sought to attract, challenge, and cultivate

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intellectually independent and creative scholars who are educated deeply about the history,

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knowledge and traditions of their respective academic disciplines, while being encouraged to

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advance knowledge at areas beyond disciplinary boundaries and make an impact on the world;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University accepts first-year domestic students on a need-blind basis,

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opening the opportunity for a higher education to thousands of applicants; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University's student body has grown from one student its first year,

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fourteen year old William Rogers of Newport, enrolled in 1765 to a student body with 6,182

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undergraduate students, 1,974 graduate students; and 463 medical students; and

 

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     WHEREAS, Brown University is among the most selective institutions of higher

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education in the United States, admitting only 9.2% of undergraduate applicants and 17% of

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graduate applicants; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University employs over seven hundred faculty and four thousand

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five hundred employees making it among the top private employers in the state; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University attracts and spends $170 million on research annually,

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making it the leading center of scientific research and development in the state; and

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     WHEREAS, The Brown University approach to research combines an unprecedented

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degree of multidisciplinary, integrative scholarship, porous boundaries between departments, a

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world-class medical school, a highly innovative engineering program, and a deepening

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partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design to create a unique academic culture of

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"constructive irreverence"; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University research contributes to innovations in brain science and

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rocket science, in biomedical engineering and computational molecular biology, in public health

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and population health, in physics, mathematics and archaeological discovery, in geology and

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planetary exploration, and in the visual, performing, and literary arts; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University generates 8,200 jobs in Rhode Island through direct

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payroll employees, purchasing, construction, student and visitor spending; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University is a national leader in providing support to its host

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municipality; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University is launching fifteen months of events and activities

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celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding with a weekend of celebrations, lectures,

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forums, conferences, discussions, exhibits and performances, music, anthology of writings, video,

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audio, web-based story corps of alumni perspectives, and open house on March 7th; and

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     WHEREAS, The events of March 7th will include bringing three hundred middle school

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students from across Rhode Island to campus for a day of learning and discovery to meet with

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professors and students; and

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     WHEREAS, Brown University continues to produce a succession of graduates "duly

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qualified for discharging the offices of life with usefulness and reputation"; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby encourages and supports the efforts of Brown University to

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commemorate and celebrate the 250th Anniversary of its founding; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House hereby conveys its collective wishes for continued

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research and discovery, innovation in education, enduring contributions to the state and service to

 

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the community; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House hereby welcomes this semiquincentenary celebration as an

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opportunity to celebrate Brown University's accomplishments, consider the Brown University of

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today, and imagine Brown University's future in the 21st century and beyond; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor and the Chancellor and President

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of Brown University.

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LC004862

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