2012
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 12-036
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Scheffel, Harvey, Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy,
       Cadman, Carroll, Foster, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Heath, Hodge,
       Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, King K., King S., Lambert, Lundberg, Mitchell,
       Morse, Neville, Newell, Nicholson, Renfroe, Roberts, Schwartz, Spence,
       Steadman, Tochtrop, White, Williams S., Shaffer B.;
       also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Holbert, Acree, Balmer, Barker,
       Baumgardner, Becker, Beezley, Bradford, Brown, Casso, Conti, Coram,
       Court, DelGrosso, Duran, Ferrandino, Fields, Fischer, Gardner B.,
       Gerou, Hamner, Hullinghorst, Jones, Joshi, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr A.,
       Kerr J., Labuda, Lee, Levy, Liston, Looper, Massey, McCann, McKinley,
       Miklosi, Murray, Nikkel, Pabon, Pace, Peniston, Priola, Ramirez, Ryden,
       Schafer S., Scott, Singer, Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper, Stephens,
       Summers, Swalm, Swerdfeger, Szabo, Todd, Tyler, Vaad, Vigil, Waller,
       Williams A., Wilson, Young, McNulty.
       
       
          CONCERNING ACHIEVEMENTS BY ROCKY VISTA
       UNIVERSITY, INCLUDING THE GRADUATION OF ITS
       INAUGURAL CLASS OF DOCTORS. 
       
       
          WHEREAS, Rocky Vista University will graduate its inaugural class
       of 127 Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at
       the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver; and
       
          WHEREAS, Rocky Vista University was established in 2006 as the
       nation's first private, for-profit health sciences university to offer a
       professional medical degree since 1910; and
       
          WHEREAS, Housed in a 145,000-square-foot, technologically
       advanced building in Parker, the University selected Colorado as its home
       due to the large number of counties designated as medically underserved
       areas and only having one medical school to serve the state; and
       
          WHEREAS, Osteopathic medicine was chosen as its first program
       because of the osteopathic emphasis on primary care and its
       mind-body-spirit approach to medicine; and
       
          WHEREAS, The University contributes significantly to the economic
       development of the Town of Parker, Douglas County, and the State of
       Colorado, without relying on state funding; and
       
          WHEREAS, The University matriculated its first students in the
       College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2008, and in the past five years, the
       College has experienced an 81% increase in the number of applications
       received; and
       
          WHEREAS, The College of Osteopathic Medicine has already
       distinguished itself in academic excellence, with board scores ranked at
       the top of all osteopathic medical schools and one of the highest residency
       match rates in the country; and
       
          WHEREAS, The College boasts the highest percentage of medical
       students on military scholarship of any civilian medical school, and 29
       students from the inaugural class will be commissioned as officers in the
       Armed Forces during the commencement exercises on May 19th; and
       
          WHEREAS, The College has demonstrated its commitment to primary
       care by developing an honors track in Rural and Wilderness Medicine,
       with more than 60% of the graduates of the inaugural class planning to
       enter a primary care field; and
       
          WHEREAS, The College's admissions process includes selecting
       candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to service, and its
       medical students continue to serve local, national, and global populations,
       including Nepal, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Honduras, and Costa Rica;
       now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of
       the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
       
          That the Colorado General Assembly congratulates the first graduating
       class of Rocky Vista University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, and
       recognizes the notable growth and achievements of the University.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
       the President of Rocky Vista University for transmission to its Board of
       Trustees, faculty, staff, and students.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Brandon C. Shaffer                     Frank McNulty
       PRESIDENT OF                    SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES
       
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Cindi Markwell                        Marilyn Eddins
       SECRETARY OF                CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES