LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating President Mark D. Gearan upon the
occasion of his designation as recipient of the New York State Senate's
Liberty Award

WHEREAS, New York State's commitment to education is unparalleled; its
history and stature are secured by the superlative caliber of its educa-
tional administrators and professionals and the students they inspire;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge the
significant milestones in the distinguished careers of those outstanding
educational leaders whose dedication and achievements have been instru-
mental in developing character and academic excellence in those attend-
ing higher education in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, President Mark Gearan has given not only of his time and
energies but also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and
consequently has been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratu-
late President Mark Gearan upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of the New York State Senate's Liberty Award on Friday, Janu-
ary 27, 2012; and
WHEREAS, Through his unique vision and skilled leadership, President
Gearan has led Hobart and William Smith Colleges through several
advancements including the establishment of The President's Forum
Series, which for the past 11 years has brought speakers to Hobart and
William Smith Colleges to share their knowledge and ideas; the events
are open to the public and many speakers have drawn audience members
from the local Finger Lakes community as well as the surrounding cities
of Rochester, Syracuse and Ithaca; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after joining Hobart and William Smith Colleges,
President Gearan developed a five-year strategic planning initiative,
HWS 2005; since then, he led the next two phases of the planning initi-
ative, HWS 2010 and HWS 2015, as well as Campaign for the Colleges which
is scheduled for completion in 2012; and
WHEREAS, Included in the planning initiatives was the creation of the
Finger Lakes Institute in 2002, which is dedicated to the promotion of
environmental research and education; its mission is the preservation,
promotion and protection of the Finger Lakes and surrounding environ-
ments; in collaboration with regional environmental partners and state
and local government offices, the Institute fosters environmentally-
sound development practices throughout the region, and disseminates the
accumulated knowledge to the general public; and
WHEREAS, One of President Gearan's most notable influences was the
development of the Geneva Partnership, an initiative to forge the
strongest possible ties with the community and enhance life for all who
work, study and live there; through this partnership, the Colleges work
with community members to identify challenges and brainstorm specific
ways that faculty, students and staff can work with local residents to
overcome particular obstacles; and
WHEREAS, These partnerships allow community members to explore new
ideas while giving students the kind of rich, real-world experiences
that set them apart when looking to start their careers after gradu-
ation; and
WHEREAS, Under President Gearan's leadership, during the spring and
summer of 2011, Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the Geneva City
School District (GCSD) held a series of meetings with community leaders
from both the nonprofit and for profit sectors in an effort to align the

greater Geneva community around the strategic priorities of the school
system; and
WHEREAS, Calling its efforts "Geneva 2020," the group seeks to harness
the resources of the Colleges and the Geneva community to provide
assistance in four key areas identified by GCSD as being critical to the
future of Geneva's children: graduation rate, career and college
preparedness, literacy, and communications; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, the students, faculty and staff of Hobart and
William Smith Colleges provided more than 190,000 hours of community
service in the Geneva area and raised a significant amount of funds to
support local non-profit agencies; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his contributions to Hobart and William Smith
Colleges, President Gearan is currently Chair of the Talloires Network
Steering Committee, an international association of institutions commit-
ted to strengthening the civil roles and social responsibilities of
higher education; and
WHEREAS, President Gearan is also a member of the Leadership Council
of Service Nation and is the past chair of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees national
service organizations like AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps, as well as the
past chair of the Annapolis Group, a consortium of American liberal arts
colleges; and
WHEREAS, Outside of the education and service arenas, President Gearan
has been active on the advisory board of The Presidential Appointee
Initiative, a project of the Brookings Institution that has worked to
revamp the process through which U.S. Presidential appointees are
chosen; and
WHEREAS, Educational administrators provide a tremendous service to
the future of our State and Nation, particularly President Gearan, who
has inspired the lives of students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
in their educational journeys and ensuring their success for years to
come; and
WHEREAS, President Gearan has clearly had an enduring impact on the
students, both past and present, of Hobart and William Smith Colleges,
as well as on the community-at-large, and accordingly merits recognition
and applause for 13 years of impressive dedication to others; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate President Mark D. Gearan upon the occasion of his desig-
nation as recipient of the New York State Senate's Liberty Award; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to President Mark D. Gearan.