Students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and local residents are invited to attend the installation of Carol L. Folt as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 11th chancellor on University Day, Oct. 12.
Since 1957, UNC has installed its chancellors on University Day, which commemorates the 1793 laying of the cornerstone of Old East, the nation’s first state university building.
The festivities on Polk Place will begin at 1:30 p.m. with special music and a processional of faculty, students, staff, alumni, visiting dignitaries and other leaders. UNC President Tom Ross will preside. Bringing greetings during the ceremony will be Gov. Pat McCrory; Peter Hans, chair, UNC Board of Governors; Lowry Caudill, chair, University’s Board of Trustees; Jan Boxill, faculty chair; Charles Streeter, chair, Employee Forum; Christy Lambden, student body president; and Robyn Hadley, chair, Board of Directors, General Alumni Association. Sarah Parker, chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, will administer the oath of office. After Folt delivers her installation address, the ceremony will conclude with the ringing of the South Building bell 11 times in honor of UNC’s 11th chancellor. A public reception will follow on Polk Place.
Carolina will present five Distinguished Alumna/Alumnus Awards. This year’s recipients are:
- Stuart Bondurant, professor and dean emeritus of the UNC School of Medicine;
- William Easterling III, dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State;
- Karol Mason, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs;
- Todd Miller, founder and executive director of the N.C. Coastal Federation;
- Gary Parr, vice chairman of Lazard Ltd., a global financial advisory firm.
In addition, the University will present the Edward Kidder Graham Award to Bruce Cairns, medical director of the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center since 2007 and director of research since 2003.
The UNC Board of Governors unanimously elected Folt as chancellor in April, and she started work on July 1. An internationally recognized environmental scientist and award-winning teacher, Folt served as interim president of Dartmouth College during 2012-2013. She also was Dartmouth Professor of Biological Sciences at the prestigious Ivy League institution. Folt is the first woman to lead Carolina.
For updates on University Day activities and more details about the award winners and other installation events Oct. 10-13, visit http://unc.edu/installation.
News Services contact: Susan Hudson, (919) 962-8415, susan_hudson@unc.edu