A small but jovial crowd was on hand for President Larry Bacow's inauguration on Friday, with students noticeably absent from the ceremony. The event was followed by a well-attended Saturday night celebration at the Gantcher Center in honor of both the president and Tufts' 150th birthday.
At Friday's ceremony, the president's inaugural address was well-received, with a number of outbursts of applause and two standing ovations. At one point, Bacow pointed to his fourth grade teacher, Shirley Chandler, and thanked her for teaching him how to listen well - "because other people have very interesting things to say."
Bacow also thanked his sons and wife Adele, who have "made my life so much fun."
The audience was enthusiastic, encouraged by energetic speeches from representatives of other universities, including MIT President Charles Vest and President Emeritus of Dartmouth James Freedman. Among Tufts speakers, the most notable was Chair of the Department of Drama and Dance Barbara Grossman. Grossman read a poem, entitled "Ode to a Visionary Leader," which highlighted the faculty's appreciation of Bacow.
Jamshed Bharucha, Tufts' next provost, was also in attendance.
Bacow received a standing ovation after being formally inaugurated by Board of Trustees Chairman Nathan Gantcher. A sea of doctoral robes filled the first half of the audience, while the back, intended for students, was half empty. Some students attributed the low attendance to the inauguration being held on a Friday morning at a time when many were in class or asleep.
For those students who did attend, many met the Bacows for the first time and said the event was a success. "It was very inspiring," freshman Jennifer Lash said. "He has a good vision for the institution."
Others in attendance were impressed with the vast array of doctoral robes from all over the world, saying the diversity was a testament to Bacow's assertion that Tufts has grown "from an excellent regional university to an institution of truly international standing."
"I'm very excited," chemistry Professor Christopher Morse said. "I came from MIT and I liked his vision and the efforts he made to become a part of the campus. It was a very nice ceremony, just the right length, the right amount of pomp and circumstance and the right tone."
"[The inauguration] was very well done," alumna Marie Etchells (J'59) said. "I'm impressed with what [Bacow] says, it's a question of what he'll do."
On Saturday, hundreds showed up at the Gantcher Center to celebrate both Bacow's inauguration and the University's sesquicentennial anniversary. A video, interviewing various Tufts personalities about the president, was shown throughout the evening. Additionally, a photo gallery showcased images of the University through the years.
A number of alumni arrived to relive their Tufts experience along with current students. A makeshift cannon was presented to be painted by all members of the Tufts community. Charles and Hannah Tufts look-alikes were even present for the event. Tufts a cappella groups performed, and students, faculty, and administrators kept the dance floor generally full throughout the evening. Even the Bacows and University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) Dean Rob Hollister were seen doing their own rendition of the twist.
