Lee Bollinger Inaugurated As 19th President of Columbia University

By Timothy P. Cross

On a bright, unseasonably warm October morning, Lee C. Bollinger was formally inaugurated with full academic pomp as the 19th president of Columbia University.

Bollinger's inauguration was the highpoint of an entire day of activities that celebrated the University's diversity, traditions and commitment to academic excellence. The University cancelled classes in honor of the occasion. The festivities began with a morning 5K run/walk beginning at 7:30 a.m. A devoted runner, Bollinger led runners on a route from Riverside Park at 116th Street. The runners and walkers wound their way down Riverside Drive and through the Upper West Side before finishing on College Walk.

The formal investiture ceremony took place on Low Plaza at 10:30 a.m., starting with a processional from Butler Library to a stage on Low Plaza. University Professor and Nobel Prize Laureate Eric Kandel welcomed the students, faculty, staff and guests. Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Former NYC Mayor David Dinkins (who appeared on behalf of Congressman Charles Rangel, who could not attend) also offered their greetings to the new president. Mayor Bloomberg read a proclamation making October 3, 2002, "Lee C. Bollinger Day" in the city. Delegates from more than 150 other educational institutions - including presidents Richard Levin of Yale, Ruth Simmons of Brown, Mary Sue Coleman of the University of Michigan and John Sexton of New York University - attended the ceremony.

In the ceremony, David J. Stern, chair of the Board of Trustees, presented Bollinger with a scroll containing a copy of the University's charter, seven ceremonial keys (symbolizing the open doors of the academy) and the University's presidential chair, which was once owned by Benjamin Franklin.

In his address, Bollinger noted that the ceremony was taking place in "one of the great academic spaces" in the world. He also praised Columbia as the "quintessential great urban university" while outlining several "themes" that he hoped to pursue during his presidency, including finding more space for the University, globalization, preserving the University's "distinctive academic character" while engaging in the world and integrating the arts further into the life of the University, such as collaborating with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Apollo Theater. Bollinger also made an impassioned defense of affirmative action at American universities, arguing that affirmative action was the most important civil rights issue since Brown v. Board of Education nearly 50 years ago. “It would be an American tragedy,” he said, if the Supreme Court banned affirmative action, which has sought to “fulfill the promise of Brown.”

Immediately following the investiture ceremony, faculty, students and guests enjoyed a casual lunch beneath huge tents erected on South Field. During the afternoon, academic symposia, similar to those held on the College's popular Dean's Day, featured Columbia's distinguished faculty. Eric Kandel, Richard Axel, Hilary Ballon, and David Freedberg discussed "Perception, Memory, and Art." Ruth Fischbach, Philip Kitcher, and Kendall Thomas discussed "Ethics and Democracy." Bernard Tschumi, Kenneth Jackson, and Sheila Rothman spoke about "The 21st-Century City." And Allan Rosenfield, Jeffrey Sachs, and Jagdish Bhagwati analyzed "Global Perspectives."

Inauguration events concluded with a bang on Thursday evening with student carnival. The podium used for inauguration earlier in the day became a stage for student performers. The celebration included performances by a cappella groups Notes & Keys, Nonsequitur, Kingsmen, Jubilation, Uptown Vocal and the Glee Club, readings and performances by students in the School of the Arts Writing Program, a demonstration of Capoeira (a martial arts/dance form) and viewings of short films by film students.

Related Links

Lee Bollinger's Biography
Columbia Inaugurates President Lee Bollinger
Official Lee Bollinger Inauguration Web site