On Sept. 18, DU students, faculty, staff, alumni and surrounding community members gathered to inaugurate Rebecca S. Chopp as the university’s 18th chancellor.
The inauguration consisted of several events that ran from about 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The first event was an opening ceremony outside of Schwayder Art Building hosted by Dr. George “Tink” Tinker of the Osage Nation, which was followed by a breakfast panel at the Gates Field House. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock moderated the breakfast panel focusing on the topic of “The Importance to Colorado of Increasing Access to Higher Education.” Four panelists participated: Chancellor Chopp; Tim Foster, president of Colorado Mesa University; Stephen M. Jordan, president of Metropolitan State University of Denver; and Nancy McCallin, president of Colorado Community College System.
After an hour-and-a-half break, the inauguration continued at 11:30 a.m. with a lunch panel, which also took place in the Gates Field House. This time, Governor John W. Hickenlooper was the moderator and the main topic was “How Research Institutions Affect Colorado’s Development.” Like the breakfast panel, several academic leaders from Colorado accompanied Chopp as panelists: Donald Elliman, chancellor of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Patricia Limerick, faculty director and chair of the board at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado; and Amy Parsons, executive vice chancellor of Colorado State University System.
Panelists stayed on topic throughout both the breakfast and lunch panels, but in the process they also touched on countless other subjects relevant to Colorado such as healthcare, the environment, the economy, culture, housing, arts and humanities, global collaboration, collaboration between universities in Colorado and diversifying student bodies. Despite a noticeable lack of student participation, both panels were highly-attended.
At 1:45 p.m., Chancellor Chopp, along with many members of the DU faculty and staff, took part in a procession through campus. Among those walking in the procession were former chancellors Robert D. Coombe and Daniel L. Ritchie. The procession started at Mary Reed Hall, and weaved through campus down to the Magness Arena where the Installation Ceremony would take place at 2:30 p.m.
The installation was the day’s second-to-last event, in which Chopp would be officially inaugurated as DU’s chancellor. Arthur Jones, DU’s president of the faculty senate, served as the master of ceremonies. He warmly welcomed attendees and called on Father John P. Fitzgibbons, president of Regis University, to carry out the ceremonial blessing. Following the blessing, several speakers took the podium to express their excitement about Chopp’s inauguration: Bruce D. Benson, president of the University of Colorado; Jill Tiefenthaler, president of Colorado College; Anne DePrince, professor and chair of DU’s department of psychology; Frank Lucero, clerk of DU’s shipping and receiving department; Richard Maez, DU graduate student at the Morgridge College of Education; and Katie Stanich Kramer, DU alumnus and vice president and assistant executive director for the Boettcher Foundation.
After the speakers finished up, DU’s chair of the Board of Trustees Douglas G. Scrivner, Daniel L. Ritchie and Robert D. Coombe officially inaugurated Chopp as DU’s chancellor. In the past, newly-inaugurated chancellors at DU received a red vest with gold buttons. This time around, however, Chopp received a red jacket on which has the original buttons from the vest. Chopp also received the medallion of office and the charter of 1864, both traditional gifts for chancellors at DU.
At last, it was time for Chopp to step up to the podium. She thanked attendees for joining her on a beautiful day in Denver and expressed her excitement about this new chapter for DU.
“For us [those working at DU], this is not a job—education,” she said. “For us, this is a mission. This is a passion. This is an adventure. And this is really a launching pad for transformation for individual lives and for society.”
Chopp then provided a preview of her strategic plan as chancellor, which is called DU Impact 2025. The plan is housed under the umbrella of the Imagine DU project, and it outlines where DU hopes to be ten years from now. A draft of the plan was released online on Sept. 21, and it can be found at imagine.du.edu. Chopp encouraged everyone to read the plan and provide her with as much feedback as possible.
“DU is stepping forward,” she said. “Over the last year, we’ve spoken with 2500 people in the Imagine DU project. We’ve done our research, we’ve interviewed numerous experts and, most importantly, we’ve worked with all of our stakeholders to craft a direction forward that allows us to sieze the moment for our own transformation and to pay tribute to new models of education and I love that we, in the west, will create them.”
Reverend Thomas V. Wolfe, president and chief executive officer of the Iliff School of Theology, and Dr. George “Tink” Tinker wrapped up the installation ceremony, giving their blessings to Chancellor Chopp as she enters this new role.
At 4:30 p.m., a community reception was held in a tent on Driscoll Green that featured light refreshments as well as music by the Lamont String Quartet. With that, a long, historical day for DU came to a close and a new chapter began for this university.
Memorable Moments:
“I’ve wondered, I’m sure like many people in this room and across the community, that after Dan Ritchie and Bob Coombe, whether we could ever find another leader who has that same vision and that same pride. How you do it, I don’t know, but DU has done it again.”
– Governor John W. Hickenlooper“She is brave, she is kind, she is agile of mind, and she’s earned every claim to the top.”
– Patricia Limerick, Faculty Director and Chair of the Board at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado“I really look forward to working with her to advance all higher education in Colorado. Chancellor Chopp is the best person to lead the University of Denver at this point in its history.”
– Bruce D. Benson, president of the University of Colorado“Our faculty looks with great hope to the future with Chancellor Chopp, a scholar and the first woman to serve in this role in this institution’s history.”
– Anne DePrince, professor and chair of DU’s department of psychology“I am honored to officially welcome Dr. Chopp to our University of Denver family. You can count on our expertise and support to make your vision a reality.”
– Frank Lucero, Clerk of DU’s shipping and receiving department“On behalf of the entire student population, I congratulate and thank you, Chancellor Chopp, with all of my heart. Your passion for the university of Denver and its students is infectious, in a good way, and I know that this institution is in caring hands for the future.”
– Richard Maez, DU graduate student at the Morgridge College of Education“DU now stands ready to embrace the future along with all the opportunities it will bring—opportunities to educate and empower students as they shape our world.”
– Jill Tiefenthaler, president of Colorado College
