Florida Senate - 2011 (NP) SR 194 By Senator Rich 34-00133-11 2011194__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing the students, faculty, staff, 3 board of trustees, and alumni of Broward College as 4 they celebrate its 50 years as an outstanding 5 institution of higher education. 6 7 WHEREAS, in 1960, Broward College opened its doors as the 8 Junior College of Broward County, with 73 students, and 9 WHEREAS, following accreditation by the Commission on 10 Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 11 Broward College became the primary point of access to higher 12 education in Broward County, and 13 WHEREAS, today Broward College enrolls 61,173 diverse 14 students, who hail from 157 countries, and offers an affordable, 15 high-quality education and the convenience of three campuses, in 16 Pembroke Pines, Davie, and Coconut Creek, and six centers: the 17 Willis Holcombe Center, the Pines Center, the Institute for 18 Economic Development, the Weston Center, the Broward College 19 Maroone Automotive Training Center, and Coconut Creek, and 20 WHEREAS, a number of outstanding Broward College graduates 21 have won prestigious scholarships, including Jack Kent Cooke 22 scholarships, have transferred to universities, and gone on to 23 attend graduate and professional schools, and 24 WHEREAS, a “branch campus” for Black students, which opened 25 in 1961 at Dillard High School, was merged with the main campus 26 during the 1963-1964 academic year and Broward College is 27 currently one of the nation’s top producers of associate degrees 28 awarded to minority students, and 29 WHEREAS, Broward College was the first community college in 30 the country to endow teaching chairs for its faculty members, 31 demonstrating commitment to quality instruction by recognizing 32 and fostering faculty excellence, and 33 WHEREAS, Broward College offers six online associate 34 degrees, 200 online course titles, and many blended programs 35 that combine the benefits of online and face-to-face classes, 36 and is accredited to award bachelor’s degrees in a number of 37 areas, including teacher education in critical-need fields, 38 supervision and management, information technology, and 39 technology management, and 40 WHEREAS, Broward College’s 56 certificate programs, 41 including digital media web production, dental assisting, and 42 marine technology, prepare men and women for rewarding careers 43 and are designed to lead directly into the workforce within 3 to 44 12 months, and 45 WHEREAS, Broward College boasts such popular courses of 46 study as accounting technology, aviation, graphic design 47 technology, legal assisting technology, marine engineering 48 management, massage therapy, and automotive technology, and 49 WHEREAS, Broward College offers 1,000 continuing education 50 classes for professional and personal development and just for 51 fun, and 52 WHEREAS, Broward College is one of the schools that make up 53 this state’s “Great 28” network of state colleges, educating the 54 teachers, nurses, public safety personnel, and other valued 55 professionals who make Florida a better place to live, NOW, 56 THEREFORE, 57 58 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 59 60 That the students, faculty, staff, board of trustees, and 61 alumni of Broward College are recognized and congratulated as 62 Broward College celebrates 50 years as an outstanding 63 institution of higher education.