The University of Toledo has announced that the inauguration of Dr. Sharon L. Gaber as the University’s 17th president has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. in Savage Arena. The ceremony will be the culmination of a week of academic and student-led events celebrating UT and focusing on the selected theme of “Tradition, Collaboration and Transformation.”

“Our mission to improve the human condition is unwavering. Dr. Gaber led truly transformational change at the University of Arkansas and it is that degree of excellence that we need and expect for The University of Toledo,” said Sharon Speyer, chair of the Board of Trustees. 

Trustee Jeff Cole, who is leading the planning process for the inauguration, said he and members of the University community will be reaching out to the community to engage them as well.

“An inauguration is a university tradition but it is very much a community event,” Cole said. “This region and this institution are inextricably linked, and as we chart our course for the future, UT’s success will be measured in the positive impact we have on this region, this state and around the world.”

An urban planner by professional training, Gaber emphasized the strength the University will generate by collaborating with people and organizations in the region.

“Toledo is where we will create the opportunities that keep our graduates close, our alumni engaged and attract new talent and new ideas,” she said. “An inauguration isn’t about an individual. It’s a reaffirmation of the foundations and core beliefs of The University of Toledo and the recognition of where we need to go and what we need to achieve.”

Officials said a calendar of the week-long celebration, as well as the details of the inauguration, are still being finalized and will be released in the coming weeks. They also noted that private dollars from the UT Foundation, not tuition or taxpayer subsidies, will fund the celebration.

Media Coverage
The Blade (July 13, 2015)