Senate Concurrent Resolution 633

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING MARCH 23, 2017, AS "UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY IN MISSISSIPPI" TO EMPHASIZE THE VALUE OF SCHOLARLY INQUIRY AND THE APPLICATION OF RESEARCH TO THE EDUCATION OF FUTURE LEADERS.

WHEREAS, every year thousands of undergraduates at the universities, colleges, and community colleges in Mississippi pursue independent scholarship in collaboration with faculty mentors, providing invaluable experiences that will influence the trajectory of their intellectual and future professional development; and

WHEREAS, independent scholarship at the undergraduate level allows both students and faculty members opportunities for improving and assessing the academic and research environment at their institution; developing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and intellectual independence; increasing rates of graduation and retention; and promoting an innovation-oriented culture; and

WHEREAS, students and faculty engaged in undergraduate research contribute to knowledge and its applications across many disciplines, including arts and humanities, social sciences, and science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) fields; and

WHEREAS, undergraduate research is critical in shaping the State of Mississippi's future workforce needs by encouraging specialization in the crucial biomedical and STEM disciplines and cultivating aspirations of graduate education; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we honor these students who have brought honor to their universities, their communities and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby designate March 23, 2017, as "Undergraduate Research Day in Mississippi" to emphasize the value of scholarly inquiry and the application of research to the education of future leaders, and encourage all Mississippians to support their research universities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we do hereby recognize the importance of independent scholarship in collaboration with dedicated faculty and of providing such opportunities at the undergraduate level in the state to cultivate innovative, creative and enterprising scholars; encourage institutions of higher education, federal and state agencies, businesses and philanthropic foundations to support independent scholarship by undergraduates and their faculty mentors; encourage opportunities, including ones through existing programs, to include underrepresented groups to participate in undergraduate research; and support the role that undergraduate independent scholarship can and does play in crucial work that serves the state's economic, health, cultural, educational and security interests.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the students and faculty participating in the posters in the Rotunda exhibition, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.