On Sept. 18, Rebecca Chopp will be inaugurated as the University of Denver’s 18th chancellor. The daylong series of inauguration events culminates with Chopp’s installation ceremony at 2:30 p.m. in Magness Arena, but earlier in the day, a pair of panel discussions will focus on two key issues: the effect of research institutions on the state’s economy; and the importance to Colorado of increasing access to higher education. To help underscore the role higher education plays in the Centennial State, Chopp has invited leaders from colleges and universities around Colorado to take part in the day, along with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
For more information on inauguration events, and to register, visit inauguration.du.edu. Watch a live stream of the events at inauguration.du.edu/live.
The celebration kicks off on Thursday, September 17, with a special lunch for students, hosted by the chancellor. At 4 p.m., the Crimson Classic 5K and 1.5-mile walk — open to University students, faculty, staff and alumni and their families, including children 8 years and older — begins at Sturm Hall, followed by a concert from 6–9 p.m. on the Campus Green.
Friday, inauguration day, begins with a ceremony by Dr. George “Tink” Tinker of the Osage Nation, followed by a breakfast panel moderated by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Chopp and fellow panelists Tim Foster, president of Colorado Mesa University; Stephen Jordan, president of Metropolitan State University of Denver; and Nancy McCallin, president of the Colorado Community College System, will discuss “The Importance to Colorado of Increasing Access to Higher Education.”
A lunch panel, “How Research Institutions Affect Colorado’s Development,” will be moderated by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, leading discussion among Chopp and fellow panelists Don Elliman, president of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Patricia Limerick, faculty director and chair of the board of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado; and Amy Parsons, executive vice chancellor of the Colorado State University System. Registration for both panels is full.
At 1:45 p.m., groups from all over the University will begin the procession across campus to the installation ceremony site, walking from the Mary Reed Building to Magness Arena. Guest speakers at the installation ceremony will be Bruce Benson, president of the University of Colorado, and Jill Tiefenthaler, president of Colorado College. The 2:30 p.m. ceremony will be followed by a community reception on Campus Green.
Rebecca Chopp has been a leader and administrator in higher education for many years. Most recently she was president of Swarthmore College from 2009 to 2014. For more information about her professional and personal background, read her full biography.