Herbert inaugurated today

Herbert to be inducted after first school year in office\nAdam Herbert will be formally inaugurated as IU's 17th president today, his 259th day in office. \nIU will mark the occasion with a week of inaugural celebrations highlighted by Herbert's formal investiture ceremony at 3 p.m. today in the IU Auditorium.\nBoard of Trustees secretary Robin Gress said a delayed inauguration is not unusual. \n"This was President Herbert's choice to have the ceremony now," she said. "He wanted to have a ceremony in the spring because it's given him a chance to become more familiar with the institution. Now he can begin to put together his vision for the University, and it takes a little time to be able to do that."\nThe inauguration ceremony will commence with a traditional procession of over 200 faculty members, IU campus representatives and numerous collegiate and societal delegates at Showalter Fountain and then the IU Auditorium. \nHerbert's niece, the Rev. Deborah M. Martin, will begin the ceremony with a prayer, and Ken Gros Louis, interim senior vice president for academic affairs and chancellor of the Bloomington campus, will deliver an opening address. \nOther speakers will include Congressman Baron Hill, D-Ind., Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita and Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan. \nBoard of Trustees President Fred Eichhorn will officially inaugurate Herbert. \nFollowing his formal investiture, Herbert will present his inaugural speech, "Extending the Reach of Knowledge," in which he will discuss his vision for the University. \n"I think he is going to outline some broad themes for the University and discuss his strategic vision for the University," said IU Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Jane Jankowski. \nThe service will also feature music by the IU Philharmonic Orchestra and the African-American Choral Ensemble. \nParticipants in the inauguration will don traditional academic robes. The symbolic Jewel and Chain of the Office of IU, which is worn by the University president on ceremonial occasions, and the Mace, which is embossed with the seal of IU and of the State of Indiana and worn by University grand marshal Edwin C. Marshall will also be featured, according to the Office of the President's Web site. \nThe ceremony will be followed by a public reception in the lobby of the Auditorium where Herbert will meet with guests, Jankowski said.\nHerbert was named president of IU in June 2003. Aug. 1, he assumed his post and now presides over more than 99,000 students on eight campuses statewide, offering 900 degree programs.\nIU will also host a ceremony today to unveil the presidential portrait of Myles Brand at 10 a.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union's east mezzanine. \nA special Lilly Library exhibit featuring inauguration ceremonies of past IU presidents will also mark Herbert's inauguration. The exhibit "From Andrew Wylie to Adam W. Herbert: Images of Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies," will kick off today and continue through April 22 and will feature photographs, programs, texts of speeches and congratulatory letters. \nEfforts are being made to include participants from all IU campuses in the inaugural events. Several IU satellite campuses, including Kokomo, Northwest, IUPUI and South Bend, are sending special buses for students, faculty, staff and other community supporters to Bloomington to attend the ceremony. The inauguration will also be available to the public through live stream, available at www.broadcast.iu.edu, and will be simulcast to various IU regional campus locations and the Columbus facility.\nFormer IU presidents John Ryan, Tom Ehrlich, Myles Brand and Gerald Bepko are expected to attend the inauguration ceremony, Gress said. \n"We're really encouraging everyone -- especially students -- to attend this ceremony," Gress said. "Inaugurations are relatively rare -- this is only our 17th in over 150 years of the University's history -- and it should represent a wonderful academic tradition. The auditorium seats 3,200 people, and I'd like to see it full."\n-- Contact staff writer Andrea Minarcek at aminarce@indiana.edu.