--- title: SR 351. McClelland, Dr. Charles F.; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr351 cite_as: SR 351, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr351 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr351.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr351/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71165 date: 2025-03-06 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr350.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr352.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr351.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 351 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-06 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - Harold Jones - Elena Parent - Nan Orrock - Jason Esteves - Kim Jackson - Nikki Merritt - Randal Mangham - Sally Harrell - RaShaun Kemp - Tonya Anderson - Kenya Wicks - Gail Davenport - Brandon Beach - Brian Strickland - Billy Hickman - Derek Mallow - Russ Goodman - John Kennedy - John Albers - Clint Dixon text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR351/2025 upstream_id: 1991497 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - legislative commendation - collegiate athletics - Southwestern Athletic Conference --- # SR 351. McClelland, Dr. Charles F.; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 351 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Jones II of the 22nd, Parent of the 44th, Orrock of the 36th, Esteves of the 35th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Dr. Charles F. McClelland on his outstanding service; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. McClelland has served as the Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) since 2018, providing visionary leadership to a conference that now includes 12 member institutions across six states competing at the NCAA Division I level; and WHEREAS, under his leadership, the SWAC has grown through the additions of Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman as well as through the purchase of a permanent office space to serve as its headquarters; and WHEREAS, prior to his tenure with the SWAC, he served as Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas Southern University, where he oversaw significant improvements in athletic facilities, academic progress rates, and student-athlete graduation rates as well as secured television broadcasting deals and a multi-million-dollar apparel partnership with Under Armour; and WHEREAS, he previously served as Athletics Director at Prairie View A&M University, where he led the program to 18 championships and played a pivotal role in revitalizing the football program, culminating in the team's first winning season in over 30 years; and WHEREAS, Dr. McClelland's contributions to collegiate athletics have earned him national recognition, including the AstroTurf Athletics Director of the Year Award in 2007—the first SWAC Athletic Director to receive this prestigious honor; and WHEREAS, his service extends beyond athletics through his involvement with the Prairie View A&M University National Alumni Association, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., the Rotary Club of Birmingham, and numerous NCAA leadership committees; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable and distinguished individual be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend Dr. Charles F. McClelland for his exceptional leadership and his many exemplary contributions to collegiate athletics as well as extend the most sincere best wishes for continued success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Dr. Charles F. McClelland. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution honors Dr. Charles F. McClelland, Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, for his career in collegiate athletics leadership. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial honor from the Georgia Senate rather than a change to state law. It recognizes Dr. Charles F. McClelland, who has served as Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) since 2018, for expanding the conference and strengthening its operations. The resolution recounts his earlier career, including leadership roles at Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University, and notes honors such as being the first SWAC Athletic Director to win the AstroTurf Athletics Director of the Year Award. The Senate formally commends him and directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide him with a copy of the resolution as a keepsake. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Dr. Charles F. McClelland for his leadership of the Southwestern Athletic Conference since 2018. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Dr. McClelland. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, since it is a commendatory resolution rather than legislation. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Dr. Charles F. McClelland. It has no regulatory effect on other Georgians, institutions, or agencies; it is a formal statement of recognition from the Georgia Senate. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic rather than legal weight. It creates a public, official record of the Georgia Senate's recognition of Dr. McClelland's career, but it does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose requirements on anyone. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe McClelland's tenure as SWAC Commissioner since 2018 and the conference's growth to 12 member institutions across six states. - The whereas clauses detail his prior roles at Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University and note his 2007 AstroTurf Athletics Director of the Year Award. - The resolved clause formally commends McClelland for his leadership and contributions to collegiate athletics. - The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy of the resolution available to McClelland. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-06) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-03-06) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, Harold Jones, Elena Parent, Nan Orrock, Jason Esteves, Kim Jackson, Nikki Merritt, Randal Mangham, Sally Harrell, RaShaun Kemp, Tonya Anderson, Kenya Wicks, Gail Davenport, Brandon Beach, Brian Strickland, Billy Hickman, Derek Mallow, Russ Goodman, John Kennedy, John Albers, Clint Dixon - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71165 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr351.md?full=1