President Susan Hockfield's Inaugural Address
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MIT inaugurated Susan Hockfield as its 16th president on Friday, May 6, 2005. The Inaugural Ceremony is not only the investiture of a president – it is the participation by an institution in the traditions of academe. Delegates from the worldwide academic community joined faculty, students, staff, and trustees in the procession. Participants in the inauguration heard greetings from the Academy, Dr. Hockfield's inaugural address, and music composed for the occasion by MIT professors. The ceremony took place in Killian Court at 2:00 p.m., followed immediately by a reception for the whole community.
The Inaugural Committee planned a variety of events to Celebrate MIT during the inaugural week, beginning with the opening on Monday of White Noise/White Light and a community Block Party on Saturday afternoon. Please see Community Events for the list of specific activities which occurred throughout the week.
The word inauguration dates from the mid-16th century, and is defined as a rite of passage that marks a formal induction to an office. An inauguration often brings a new stage or phase of life to an institution. Official collegiate presidential inaugurations in this country originated in colonial colleges during the 17th century, and they established the custom of acknowledging formally a change in leadership at an institution's highest level.
The earliest roots of the word inauguration derive from ancient Roman culture and the Latin word auguratio – prediction of the future by the reading of what were thought of as signs or omens in nature. In ancient Roman times, official acts or civic enterprises were always preceded by an augury, the sacred ritual of observing patterns in the flight of birds. The priest conducting the ceremony would interpret the birds' flight patterns as they related to the future of the enterprise.
The procession of an inauguration has a traditional order: first, delegates of colleges and universities arranged according to their founding dates; second, delegates of learned societies and other associations, faculty, trustees, speakers and other dignitaries; and last, the person to be inaugurated.
During the inaugural ceremony, the essential components are the installation and the address by the new inductee. Representatives of government, church, and other institutions may make additional addresses preceding the inaugural address.
The groups listed above recess in reverse order, led by the newly inaugurated individual. |
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