UND honors newest group of endowed faculty

In a ceremony with roots that date back nearly a thousand years, 10 UND faculty members were celebrated on Aug. 23 for being named to endowed positions, one of academia’s highest honors.

Some 75 people attended the UND Faculty Investiture Ceremony & Celebration, which was held at the Gorecki Alumni Center on campus. Several of the guests were the donors who had endowed the positions. Many others were previously endowed faculty members, who wore – as did the 10 newly endowed scholars – their academic regalia: colorful caps, gowns and hoods whose lineage can be traced to the long robes worn by scholars in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Investiture has a long history. Investiture comes from the Latin words for “dress in robes,” and like the knighthood rituals it’s modeled after, the ceremony is meant to confer the authority and symbols of high office.

In this case, the 10 UND scholars were formally “invested” in their endowed fellowships, professorships or chairs. The group represents the endowed positions created over the past year. They bring UND’s total of such positions to 59; and the goal, said the lineup of distinguished speakers at the event, is for the University to reach 100.

“This is where the magic happens at a University,” said Eric Link, provost and vice president for academic affairs, in his remarks at the ceremony.

“An endowed position is one of the highest academic honors that the University can bestow on a faculty member. And the endowment itself is a legacy, for it will last as long as the University exists.

“It is an honor to the named holder of the position, as well as an enduring tribute to the donor who establishes the endowment,” Link continued. “I’m incredibly proud of the exceptional faculty at UND, and our endowed position holders are a testament to UND’s commitment to excellence.”

Read the full story at UND Today.