TITLE: Honoring UT Austin professor emeritus Paul Bestor Woodruff.

SUMMARY: Honoring UT Austin professor emeritus Paul Bestor Woodruff.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Paul Bestor Woodruff, professor emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin, has enriched the lives of innumerable people through his outstanding work as a philosopher, educator, translator, and author; and WHEREAS, One of America's foremost interpreters of Plato, Thucydides, Socrates, and other classical thinkers, Dr. Woodruff has illuminated complex societal issues through his scholarship on the ideas surrounding the ancient Greeks' first steps toward democracy; his translations are used as standard references in academia, and he has also reached a broader audience via public television and the pages of the Washington Post;moreover, he has added to the prestige of the university as the author of such books as Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue and The Necessity of Theater: The Art of Watching and Being Watched;and WHEREAS, Dr. Woodruff joined the UT Austin faculty in 1973, and while rising in his field, he also made an enormous impact on the university in administrative roles; during his tenure as inaugural dean of undergraduate studies, he charted a new path with the introduction of an interdisciplinary core curriculum and improved student support services; as director of the Plan II honors program, he helped deliver an Ivy League-quality education to thousands of young Texans; and WHEREAS, Over the years, Dr. Woodruff further served as chair of the Department of Philosophy, Darrell K. Royal Professor of Ethics and American Society, and Mary Helen Thompson Centennial Professor in the Humanities; he is the recipient of numerous accolades, among them the Harry Ransom Teaching Award, the Civitatis Award recognizing outstanding UT faculty, and Pro Bene Meritis, the highest honor bestowed by the UT College of Liberal Arts; and WHEREAS, Dr. Woodruff earned bachelor's degrees from both Princeton and Oxford University before serving as a captain in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, an experience that has informed his perspective on moral conflict; he completed his doctorate in philosophy at Princeton University; since his retirement in the fall of 2022, Dr. Woodruff has continued to write and to meet with former students to discuss life and philosophy; and WHEREAS, UT Austin has benefited immeasurably from Paul Woodruff's visionary leadership, and his wisdom, humility, and willingness to engage have inspired generations of students to observe more acutely and think more deeply; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby honor UT Austin professor emeritus Paul Bestor Woodruff for his contributions and extend to him sincere appreciation for his many years of dedicated service; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Woodruff as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Howard Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1724 was adopted by the House on May 17, 2023, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House