IU welcomes Adam W. Herbert

In the lobby of the IU Auditorium Thursday, IU President Adam W. Herbert reflected on his first eight months as president only minutes after his inauguration. Mounds of his favorite oatmeal raisin cookies beckoned, but he only had time for one.\nThursday was a day to celebrate, as Herbert became the 17th president to be inaugurated at IU.\nThe ceremony filled the auditorium to near-capacity. The audience was a broad list of Indiana brass, as inauguration attendees included Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, U.S. Congressional Representative Baron Hill and IU President Emeritus Myles Brand.\nKruzan said the event gave him a chance to win a wager with his wife.\n"Amy bet me when I was inaugurated myself to be mayor of Bloomington that I would never appear in public wearing a gown," he said.\nBut he did, along with hundreds of others. IU alumni were flush in full academic regalia. Purple, green, red and yellow sashes were abundant, representing different disciplines. IU Grand Marshal Edwin Marshall held the symbolic golden mace a forearm's length from his chest. The mace has been an authoritative symbol used in academic ceremonies for hundreds of years.\nA team of proud trumpeters stood erect and cast their fanfare to ring in the ceremony. Then a team of state, city and University officials heaped praise on Herbert from behind the podium. \nThe inauguration came more than eight months after Herbert officially took the helm as IU's president. Ceremony planners have historically needed the lag to match the event to the personality of the new president.\nThe inauguration of an IU president is an unusually rare event: since the first inauguration in 1829, IU has had only 17 presidents, and in the same time span, the United States has had 36. Herbert also became the first black president to be inaugurated in IU's history. Brand, IU's last permanent president, served an eight-year term before leaving to take a position with the NCAA. \nBrand did not speak but sat on stage with three other past presidents to support Herbert.\nAfter many congratulatory words, the time came for the "moment of installation," the ceremonial bestowal of office. Marshall and IU Trustee Fred Eichhorn placed a gold chain bearing the "Jewel of Office," a medallion infixed with emeralds and diamonds, around the president's neck.\nDuring Herbert's inauguration speech, he made several references to IU as a "cathedral of learning," saying it is time for all those associated with IU to "commit to a shared vision and dedicate our talents and energies to its fruition."\nHe also focused on enhancing the quality of the University, even in the face of financial difficulties.\n"I will work closely with faculty in an effort to become increasingly more strategic in our major academic investments for the future," Herbert said, "with a priority focus on areas that offer the greatest potential for true distinction over time."\nAlong with promising to work to increase staff and faculty salaries, Herbert touched on the University's diversity policies and the reversal of the "brain-drain." He also stressed the importance of global understanding and a "mission-focused, multi-campus University."\n"I urge my faculty and staff colleagues to recall at all times that we are one institution," he said. "Every degree we award is from Indiana University. Thus, cooperation and collaboration must be our primary focus."\nTrustee Cora Breckenridge said she has faith in the president's leadership.\n"His vision is for this to become an even greater institution than it already is," she said. "And I think that's where we're headed."\nIU Student Association President Casey Cox said Herbert has helped make University administration a much warmer place than before.\n"I've watched the students' view of the administration as an ivory tower, virtually untouchable, give way to a far more approachable perception thanks to President Herbert's arrival," Cox said.\nAfter the ceremony, guests were invited to participate in the president's reception, which lingered in the lobby of the auditorium. At the wishes of the president, the crew served cranberry spumante punch and "Dr. Herbert's favorite old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies." But Herbert was so busy being congratulated, he only had time for one cookie.\n-- Contact staff writer Rick Newkirk at renewkir@indiana.edu.