Escorted by a sea of about 400 of her robed colleagues, University President Amy Gutmann took to the stage in Irvine Auditorium yesterday morning to officially commence her tenure at Penn.
Gutmann outlined a three-part "Penn compact" during her 20-minute address, which was directed at the assembled audience of trustees, faculty, alumni, students and delegates from other universities. Surprisingly, about 100 seats remained empty during the ceremony, which was said to boast an exclusive guest list.
"Today, I want to emphasize how, guided by our broader social responsibility, we can indeed rise from excellence to eminence," Gutmann told the crowd, citing accessibility, integration of knowledge, and local and global engagement as the three prongs of her plan to elevate Penn to the next level.
In a ceremony steeped in tradition, Gutmann belted out the lyrics to The Red and the Blue, accepted the president's badge and received the keys to the University from Chairman of the Board of Trustees James Riepe.
"I don't know what they open, but we will find out," she said with a smile.
The speeches leading up to Gutmann's keynote address were infused with a sense of enthusiasm, humor and pride that denoted each constituency's clear confidence in Gutmann's leadership.
"Lucky us, and lucky Penn," Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Chairwoman Simi Wilhelm said on behalf of Penn's graduate students.
Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman spoke intimately about former Princeton Provost Gutmann for a few minutes, before the two embraced in a moment that sparked a standing ovation.
"If ever a marriage was made in heaven, I like to think this was it," Tilghman said of Gutmann's new role at Penn.
But Tilghman could not stifle a mention of the classic Penn-Princeton rivalry.
"Amy Gutmann will always be a true daughter of Princeton, even though her colors are now so clearly red and blue," she said, adding that although the inauguration "celebrate[d] Penn's gain at Princeton's expense," at least it was not occurring in the Palestra.
Undergraduate Assembly Chairman and College senior Jason Levine was also quick to remind Gutmann of her new loyalties.
"When we beat Princeton, perhaps we can coax you into helping us tear down the goal post," he said, sparking a fit of laughter from the new president.
Representatives from the University faculty and administration assured Gutmann that they are looking forward to following her lead and furthering her vision over the course of her presidency.
"Dr. Gutmann, the administration and professional staff is ready to roll," said Rodney Robinson, chairman of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly.
Faculty Senate Chairman Charles Mooney also embraced Gutmann as a strong leader.
"We the Penn faculty accept your challenges, and we accept them gladly," he said on behalf of the countless faculty members who, with their brightly colored hoods, filled in a large area of seats in the center of the auditorium.
Gov. Ed Rendell, a Penn alumnus himself, was also on hand to deliver a speech.
"When we learned Dr. [Judith] Rodin was leaving, we thought, 'Oh no, are we going to go back?'" he said.
"But we're going forward at warp speed," he added, citing Gutmann's energy and drive as the main propellant toward expanded greatness.
Though the ceremony focused on Gutmann's vision for the future, mentions of the past played a prominent role in many of the speeches.
"An inauguration is heavy with the weight of old traditions, but it also represents a new beginning," Riepe said. Keeping with that theme, Gutmann asked the four living former leaders of the University -- presidents Martin Meyerson, Sheldon Hackney and Judith Rodin, along with Interim President Claire Fagin -- to rise, prompting another round of applause from the audience.
Praise for Gutmann continued even after the ceremony's conclusion.
"I think it was extraordinary. Her speech was really inspiring," said Zane Wolf, dean of nursing at La Salle University.
University Museum Director Richard Leventhal noted the deep sense of purpose and vision that colored Gutmann's speech.
"She challenged us greatly," he said.
