MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 15, 2025
Title
MEMORIAL RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners celebrating the life of Dr. Cheryl Green
Body
WHEREAS, Dr. Cheryl Green, recently retired from being the first Black President of Governors State University, passed away in April after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and generosity, as well as a lifelong commitment to public service, equity, and a firm belief in the power of transforming lives through the power of higher education; and
WHEREAS, after witnessing educational disparities as a literacy tutor, Dr. Green decided to dedicate her life to education. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Manchester University in Manchester, Indiana, followed by a master’s degree and Ph.D in psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Dr. Green also held several National Incident Management System certificates from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Institute and served as a leader in grievance mediation and conflict resolution; and
WHEREAS, not just limited to Governors State University, Dr. Green has left her mark in numerous other areas of public service: she previously served as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at Tennessee State University, and fulfilled a variety of roles at Chicago State University, from chairperson of the counseling department to inaugural dean of first-year students. Even her scholarly research focused on helping students attain their goals, focusing on increasing student achievement and overcoming mental health challenges as barriers to academic success; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Green has been recognized with Chicago Crain’s 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives award, and in 2022, Dr. Green was the proud recipient of the Excellence in Education Award by the Central Regional Director of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby extend our condolences to the family of Dr. Cheryl Green; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to the family of Dr. Cheryl Green.
Dated: May 15, 2025