SU to inaugurate new Chancellor Nov. 5 with public celebration and symposium

SU to inaugurate new Chancellor Nov. 5with public celebration and symposiumSeptember 10, 2004Matthew R. Snydermrsnyder@syr.edu

On Nov. 5, Syracuse University will officially inaugurate Nancy Cantor as the University’s 11th Chancellor and President. Designed around Cantor’s inaugural theme, “University as Public Good: Exploring the Soul of Syracuse,” the day’s events will include an inclusive morning celebration and lunch on the turf at the Carrier Dome, and an afternoon symposium on racism and genocide featuring some of the nation’s leading artists, journalists and social thinkers including SU faculty and Central New York community leaders. Both will be free and open to the public; the University welcomes participation by all members of the community.

The Carrier Dome ceremony, which will begin at 10:30 a.m., will mark Cantor’s official induction into the chancellorship, which she has held since Aug. 1. It will feature a traditional academic procession, performances and presentations by student groups, and other celebratory activities. All who attend the morning event will be provided with a picnic box lunch on the turf, where Cantor will be greeting students, faculty, staff and the public after the ceremony. Those who wish to attend in the morning should RSVP by calling (315) 443-7660.

Beginning at 1 p.m., SU will host a symposium on racism and genocide, featuring such participants as New York Times columnist William Safire ’51, HON ’78; David Crane LAW ’80, chief prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone; and Aaron Sorkin ’83, writer, producer and creator of “The West Wing.” A rich ensemble of scholars, artists and intellectual leaders will, in a series of rapid-fire conversations, examine the role of universities as power brokers in a world inextricably linked by knowledge. The discussions will be held in the

Goldstein Auditorium of the Schine Student Center; no RSVP is needed for the afternoon symposium. There will also be displays of work by internationally recognized artists including Syracuse’s Carrie Mae Weems; William Viola ’73, HON ’95; Sol LeWitt ’49; and Lonnie Graham, with the Menschel Media Center as a key location during the afternoon’s events.

“A central mission of this University is discovery, across the campus and across the nation and the world,” says Cantor. “The events of this day and the entire inaugural year are part of this mission, and we hope the entire campus and the community will join us.”

The Nov. 5 events represent the formal launch of Cantor’s yearlong plan for “Exploring the Soul of Syracuse,” which uses the opportunity of her inaugural year to engage the University and its extended communities in the exploration of four fundamental questions:

• What do we mean by “liberal education”?
• What critical societal issues can we tackle?
• How can Syracuse build on its unique historical landscape, which has served as an arena in the struggle for the rights of women, slaves and Native Americans?
• In a society where knowledge is power, how should the University serve as a power broker?

The yearlong discussion is expected to involve a diverse audience of alumni, community partners, faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders, and will bring the campus and community together for symposia, lectures, performing arts events and meetings. Near the end of the academic year, “Exploring the Soul of Syracuse” will culminate in a series of artistic and intellectual events in April and a major address from the Chancellor about the year’s outcome. In addition, the selection process for the speaker at SU’s 151st Commencement will take into account the inaugural themes.

Full details and schedules for the Nov. 5 events will be announced in coming weeks. An inaugural Web site is currently in development and will be launched as planning for the year moves ahead.