HOUSE COMMEMORATION    NO.  1064  

Introduced by:    Representatives Solum, Blake, Bolin, Carson, Conzet, Cronin, Deelstra, Dryden, Fargen, Feinstein, Gibson, Gosch, Greenfield, Haggar, Hickey, Hoffman, Hubbel, Hunt, Jones, Kirkeby, Liss, Lucas, Lust, Miller, Moser, Munsterman, Nelson (Stace), Novstrup (David), Olson (Betty), Perry, Rausch, Romkema, Rozum, Russell, Schaefer, Scott, Sigdestad, Sly, Steele, Stricherz, Tulson, Turbiville, Van Gerpen, Vanneman, Venner, Verchio, White, Wick, Willadsen, and Wink and Senators Holien, Bradford, Frerichs, Heineman, Hunhoff (Jean), Johnston, Lederman, Maher, Rampelberg, Rave, Sutton, Tidemann, and Vehle
 

        
        A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION, Commending and honoring Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota, on receiving the designation as a Finalist With Distinction in the first annual Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Program.

    WHEREAS, a rigorous year-long effort by the Aspen Institute assembled and reviewed an unprecedented collection of data on over one thousand community colleges nationwide; and

    WHEREAS, Lake Area Technical Institute has long distinguished itself among the elite institutions of its kind, nearly doubling the national average in graduation and transfer rates and helping more than ninety percent of students find jobs; and

    WHEREAS, Lake Area Technical Institute has been named in the top five of community colleges in America by the Aspen Institute, surpassing the ranking of every community college in the Midwest; and

    WHEREAS, the commitment to excellence, coupled with tireless effort among administrators, instructors, and students at Lake Area Technical Institute, is integral to this elevated level of achievement; and

    WHEREAS, the people of South Dakota can rely on Lake Area Technical Institute to provide

exceptional training and instruction in fields of strong demand within our workforce:

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the Eighty-seventh Legislature of the State of South Dakota, that on December 12, 2011, Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota, was selected as one of the top five community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.