Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Wilmington -- As chair of the UNCW Board of Trustees, I want to express on behalf of the full board of trustees how proud we are to have Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo as our new chancellor.

Part of the process of bringing in a new leader is to hold an academic ceremony during the leader’s first year in office to celebrate the institution and provide an occasion to articulate the leader’s vision.

Planning for Chancellor DePaolo’s installation has been done carefully, with deep thought, and with full support of the board of trustees. Some in the community have expressed reservations about the cost of this event. I want to make several points clear.

First, UNCW’s installation is more than the installation of a new chancellor; it is a week-long series of multiple events designed to raise the visibility of the university, showcase the university’s faculty and students in a week of activities, and to provide new and exciting opportunities for our community at large. Many of the activities are being planned by volunteer boards such as the Friends of UNCW who are organizing the installation ball and the International Cabinet which is sponsoring the George Mitchell speech. These volunteer boards are raising the dollars to make the events possible without taking funds away from other resources. Ultimately, the intention is to yield proceeds to go to scholarships. The Friends plan to announce the net scholarship dollars raised from the ball during the event.

Secondly, each year, a prominent international speaker is brought to UNCW by the International Cabinet. This year, the volunteer board elected to bring someone of great national and international stature. George Mitchell’s visit will enlighten and broaden all of us, and give our community a greater perspective on the world. Mr. Mitchell’s involvement in the political and corporate arenas, recently having been elected as chairman of Walt Disney Company, should provide some thought-provoking insights. The International Cabinet is raising the funds to bring him here, and proceeds from tickets to the event will go toward scholarships in the Office of International Programs.

On behalf of the UNCW trustees, I invite all citizens of Southeastern North Carolina to learn about the activities going on during this week of celebration. Learn about UNCW’s escalating academic ranking in U.S. News & World Report. Experience the scholarly work of our faculty and learn about our student organizations. Learn where Chancellor DePaolo plans to take UNCW and how she plans to lead it to greatness.

This event is designed to showcase the campus and engage the community. Please come to the installation ceremony at 10 a.m., Friday, April 16, on the Hoggard Hall lawn. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable Channel 5 or Charter Cable Channel 19. I urge you to be a part of this.