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What to expect at inauguration

April 2, 2019

The inauguration of Dr. Ronald S. Rochon as USI's fourth president will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 5 in the new Screaming Eagles Arena on the USI campus. All guests are requested to be seated by 10:15 a.m. The arena will open at 8:30 a.m.

Prior to and throughout the inauguration ceremony, guests will hear musical offerings from the Tuskegee University Golden Voices Concert Choir (Rochon is a graduate of Tuskegee University), the University of Southern Indiana Chamber Choir and the Evansville Brass Quintet.

Additional special guests in attendance will include: Eric J. Holcomb, Governor of Indiana; Lloyd W. Winnecke, Mayor of Evansville; W. Harold Calloway, chair of the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees; Dr. Linda L. M. Bennett, USI president emerita and professor emerita of political science; and Dr. H. Ray Hoops, USI president emeritus and professor emeritus of business and education.

Several of Rochon's personal friends and mentors will also attend inauguration. They are: Arthur T. Dean, Major General USA (Ret.), chairman and chief executive officer, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA); Barrye L. Price, Major General USA (Ret.), executive vice president and chief operating officer, CADCA; Dr. Muriel A. Howard, president emerita, Buffalo State College and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU); and Derrick C. Young, traffic reporter for CBS 2 Chicago's morning newscast, motivational speaker and health coach. Young is godfather to Dr. and Mrs. Rochon's children.

In addition to members of USI's faculty, delegates from other colleges and universities around the country will participate in the academic processional. Many members of the USI community, including trustees, alumni and student leaders, will participate in the ceremony, as will several Vanderburgh County judges and area religious leaders.

Immediately following inauguration, all attendees are invited to a luncheon reception until 2 p.m. in the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center.

The inauguration is an official University function, and the campus community is strongly encouraged to attend the ceremony and luncheon reception between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. All faculty, staff and students who would normally have class during this time, are officially permitted to attend.

If all employees from a University office or department are attending the president's inauguration and/or luncheon reception, please ensure your voice mail indicates that normal operations and classes will resume at 2 p.m. The same information should be posted on any vacant office entryways.
 
Essential personnel should check with their supervisor before attending the day's events. Essential personnel are those vital to the operation of the facility, whose absence from duty could endanger the safety and well-being of the campus population and/or physical plant. Essential personnel are determined by their department heads based upon the incident, job function and level of operations to be sustained.

 

 

 

 

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