2023 -- H 6364

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LC002918

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING MAY 4TH OF 2023, TO BE "COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE

ISLAND DAY"

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Noret, Chippendale, Rea,
Shallcross Smith, Cortvriend, Voas, Potter, and Cruz

     Date Introduced: May 04, 2023

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS The United States' Community Colleges, often called Junior Colleges, are

usually two-year programs that prepare students to either enter the workforce or continue their

education at a four-year college or university; and

     WHEREAS, The Community College Of Rhode Island (CCRI) was founded in 1964 as

the Rhode Island Junior College. Its first class consisted of 325 students who attended the Henry

Barnard School in Providence. In 1965, a section of the old Brown & Sharpe building was used

for classroom space and as the primary facility until 1972; and

     WHEREAS, In 1972, the Knight Campus in Warwick, donated by the Knight Estate,

became CCRI's flagship campus and first permanent building. In the ensuing years, new

campuses were opened in Lincoln, Providence, Newport, and Westerly; and

     WHEREAS, CCRI is the largest Community College in New England, serving more than

40,000 Rhode Islanders each year and has more than 80,000 alumni. Thanks to the outstanding

leadership provided by President, Dr. Meghan Hughes, and Dr. Rosemary Costigan, Vice

President of Academic Affairs, CCRI had its highest graduation rates in more than twenty years,

outpacing national junior college two- and three-year graduation rates. CCRI is also working

fervently and tirelessly to close the equity performance gap. In recognition of this success, in

2019, CCRI was named the two-year college of the year by Education Dive magazine; and

     WHEREAS, President Hughes advocated tirelessly in support of a free tuition program at

CCRI, and this program has become a model for other initiatives across the nation. In merely

three years, the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship program has resulted in a 15 percent increase

in the college student rate in Rhode Island with an attendant 146 percent increase in students of

color and a 71 percent increase in the enrollment of low-income students; and

     WHEREAS, Thanks to President Hughes's leadership, CCRI recently attained its first-

ever million-dollar donation to create Program Plus and CCRI also attained a 1.7 million-dollar

federal Title III grant to support its "Promoting Pathways to Progress" program to improve degree

completion; and

     WHEREAS, In her duties as the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rosemary

Costigan is the Chief Academic Officer of CCRI and is responsible for advancing the institution's

educational initiatives and goals, and for providing leadership, support and vision regarding

faculty development, educational policy, program review and institutional planning. To further

CCRI's mission, Dr. Costigan works closely with and has forged close relationships with

administrators, academic deans, members of the faculty and all CCRI stakeholders to ensure that

it offers the best possible education and community support to all of its students; now, therefore

be it

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

proclaims May 4th of 2023, to be "Community College of Rhode Island Day" in the State of

Rhode Island; and be it further

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

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Dr. Meghan Hughes, President, Community

College of Rhode Island and Dr. Rosemary Costigan.

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