Lee Bollinger will officially sprint into University history and the office of the presidency this September - literally.
Inauguration festivities for Bollinger's initiation as the 12th leader of the maize and blue have been scheduled for September 19, beginning with an 8 a.m. 5K run around campus.
"(Inauguration) is a time for celebration and renewal for the University community," said Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison. "It is to celebrate continuity and change. (There is a) change in leadership but the strong tradition of academics will continue."
The 5K run, although an unusual inauguration event, is a fitting reminder of the president's love for running. Following the run, an inauguration ceremony will be hosted in Hill Auditorium at 10:30 a.m., where Bollinger is scheduled to deliver his inauguration speech.
An outdoor reception from noon to 3 p.m., followed by an arts celebration to kick off the University's "Year of the Humanities and Arts," will wrap up the day's events.
Harrison, who chairs the inauguration planning committee, said there was heavy discussion as to whether the events should be held in April or September.
"In the end we decided September would be better for several reasons," Harrison said.
Harrison cited better weather, more time to plan, and scheduling conflicts in the spring as factors behind the decision to bump the festivities until September.
Bollinger was selected by the University Board of Regents on Nov. 5, 1996. He served as the dean of the University's School of Law for seven years before leaving to become provost of Dartmouth College in 1994.
The inauguration has traditionally served as an opportunity for the new president to formally introduce his goals to the University.
Harold Shapiro, the 10th University president, declared in his inaugural address in 1980 that the University is both a servant and critic of society.
"Even in these difficult times, society must commit resources sufficient to attract quality talent to these institutions - both as students and teachers," Shapiro said. "Society must continue to preserve the University's essential freedom to remain a critic of existing arrangements, whether in science or society."
Former University President James Duderstadt pledged his commitment to diversity by introducing the Michigan Mandate in his inauguration speech in October 1988.
Despite his pledge to diversity, Duderstadt's inauguration festivities were marred by protests calling for an end to racial tensions on campus.
About 30 protesters gathered outside of Hill Auditorium on the morning of Duderstadt's inauguration carrying signs that read, "Duderstadt is illegal," and "Duderstadt: Not our choice." The signs made reference to the search process conducted by the regents that the students alleged violated the state's Open Meetings Act.
Duderstadt served as provost before he was selected as the 11th University president.
"The Duderstadt inauguration was a very different time," Harrison recalled. "It was still a time of considerable unrest. Jim was an internal candidate, so there was not quite the sense of a new beginning."
Protesters also said they objected to the inauguration ceremony and party, which some called lavish, especially since it coincided with a 12-percent tuition increase for out-of-state students that year.
"I think the times are different," Harrison said. "Lee is not an internal candidate, there is no controversy surrounding his selection.
"We are looking forward to a much more traditional inauguration," Harrison added.
Additional details on inauguration activities will be announced later. Other members of the inauguration planning committee include School of Music Dean Paul Boylan, Chemistry Prof. Thomas Dunn and Rackham Dean Nancy Cantor.
Courtesy of News and Information Services
Former University President James Duderstadt gives his inaugural speech at Hill Auditorium in 1988.