Carolina to hold chancellor installation on University Day

UNC-Chapel Hill will hold the installation of Chancellor Lee H. Roberts as part of its annual University Day celebration on Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. at Memorial Hall.

Classes will be canceled from 11-12:20 p.m. in honor of the ceremony.

University Day commemorates the 1793 laying of the cornerstone of Old East – the nation’s first state university building – and this year’s event marks Carolina’s 231st birthday.

Since 1957’s installation of William B. Aycock, University Day has also been the traditional inauguration day for new chancellors.

The UNC Board of Governors elected Roberts as the 13th chancellor in Carolina history on Aug. 9 following a sixth-month national search that attracted nearly 60 qualified candidates. Roberts had served as the school’s interim chancellor since January.

“There is no higher calling than supporting our mission every single day,” Roberts said after his appointment as chancellor. “To me, this University stands — above all else — for the ideal of public service, for helping the people of this state and all those who are touched by this place to achieve their greatest potential. As chancellor, I promise to be guided by that principle as we work together to carry North Carolina into the future.”

Held annually since 1877, University Day provides an opportunity to remember Carolina’s past while looking toward the future.

In addition to the installation of Roberts as chancellor, the ceremony will also honor the Distinguished Alumna and Alumnus Award winners. This year’s recipients are:

• Brian P. Golson ’92, co-managing partner and co-CEO of Parthenon Capital, creator of the Honors Carolina scholarship program and Honors Carolina advisor and volunteer
• Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence ’83, acclaimed actress and mentor for the Hollywood Internship Program in the College of Arts and Sciences
• Sallie Shuping-Russell ’77; leader in investment and financial management, former member of the University’s Board of Trustees and vice chair of the University’s Investment Board
• Gary J. White ’94 (MS), humanitarian and leader of Water.org and WaterEquity, global nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water

Awards will also be presented to deserving faculty and staff.

• Trenette Clark Goings, Sandra Reeves Spears and John B. Turner Distinguished Professor, UNC School of Social Work, will receive the Edward Kidder Graham Award.
• Shauna Harris, director of the Carolina Women’s Center, will receive the Rebecca Clark Award for Moral Courage.

After the ceremony, attendees are invited to stay and enjoy free LocoPops.

Please note that there will not be a formal processional this year. Faculty are still encouraged to wear academic regalia, but it is not required. Memorial Hall doors open at 10 a.m. Note the following policies to enter the ceremony, including clear bags:

• Guests may bring a clear plastic bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a small clutch purse no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
• Signs larger than 8.5 x 11 inches are not permitted.

For more information, please visit the University Day website.