WHEREAS, The President of Eastern Washington University, Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo, who has tirelessly served his students, staff, faculty, and board of trustees for eight years will retire at the end of the 2013-14 academic year; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo, as the first Latino President at any public four-year university in the state of Washington, has brought Eastern Washington University to new heights in academic success, facility enhancement, and athletic prowess; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo is a tribute to his dedicated parents, whose sacrifices in the farm fields and their focus on the unlimited potential of education, combined with his own hard work, continues to be a living example of how education changes lives; and
     WHEREAS, Under Dr. Arévalo's leadership, Eastern Washington University developed degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, thereby becoming a leading institution providing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo guided Eastern Washington University to record enrollments, significantly increasing the university's profile as the institution of choice for underrepresented and first-generation students; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo works actively with university faculty on issues of shared governance and development of strategic plans aimed at improving student success, retention, and graduation rates; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo expertly guided Eastern Washington University through the great recession while strengthening the institution's commitment to civic engagement and community-based education; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo has overseen spectacular growth in Eastern Washington University's footprint, including a student-approved state-of-the-art recreation center, the first new residence hall in decades, and the complete remodel of Eastern Washington University's largest academic center; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo guided Eastern Washington University to unprecedented athletic recognition, showcased by the skill and dedication of the Eastern Washington University Football Team who earned the title "2010 NCAA FCS National Champions"; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo's installation of Eastern's iconic red turf at Roos Field has become a source of immense pride to students and athletes alike and a boon to ophthalmologists employed by countless FCS opponents; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo's enthusiasm for all things red and white is only surpassed by the love he has for his wife Nadine, his four children, and his five grandchildren; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Arévalo's tenure as Eastern's President may be coming to an end, but his legacy of absolute dedication to higher education will continue to live on through the countless students he has inspired and those who had the pleasure of working with him;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize and congratulate Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo for his steadfast guidance of Eastern Washington University, his dedication to limitless student achievement, his unyielding commitment to diversity, his forty plus years of dedication to shaping the minds of students worldwide, and most importantly, his humility and humanity; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo, Mrs. Nadine Arévalo, and to the Gallery of Presidents at Eastern Washington University.