Sul Ross State University
A Member of the Texas State University System
Presidential Inauguration of Ricardo MaestasEleventh President of Sul Ross State University About Ricardo Maestas
He arrived in Alpine from Socorro, N.M., where he served as Vice President for Student and University Relations and Dean of Students as well as associate professor with tenure at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Inaugural Events Friday, April 30, 2010 Inauguration Reception Attendance and Accommodations The inauguration is open to the public. There is no cost or tickets required and no limit on the number of guests. Seating will be on a first-come, first-seated basis. The doors will open 90 minutes before the ceremony. The Gallego Center is near Entrance 1 on Highway 67/90. General parking is in the lot just west of the center. Access for the handicapped is next to the Graves-Pierce Center, crossing to the Gallego concourse level. Wheelchair viewing sections for guests will be along the mezzanine level. A sign-language interpreter will be provided for the hearing impaired. Contact Information News Coverage & Press Inquiries Other Inaugural Event Inquiries
As is traditional at American universities, the ceremonial endowment of the presidential powers takes place some time during the year after the official appointment of a new president is made. This delay allows time for planning. An inauguration acts not only as an opportunity for a university to look ahead to its future while honoring its traditions but also as an official recognition of a president's entrance into the academic leadership. A successful inauguration will serve to unite those with a stake in the future of the university and the entire university family -- students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, friends and donors -- with a common understanding of the university and a vision of its future. As a celebration, the Sul Ross inauguration will:
The Installation CeremonyThe key event of an inauguration is the installation ceremony, during which a new president is formally endowed with the powers and responsibilities of the presidency. The ceremony gives the new president the opportunity to share his vision for SRSU. Attendees will include the SRSU community as well as reprentatives from the alumni, faculty, staff, student organizations, local community leaders, and elected officials. Traditions of the CeremonyRegalia The custom of recognizing the accomplishments of scholars through distinctive dress, color and ceremony began in the Middle Ages and has been adopted by various academic institutions throughout the world. American academic regalia has developed from the English traditions that originated at Cambridge and Oxford, and has been in continuous use in this country since colonial times. Each institution of higher learning in the United States has adopted a unique and well-defined system for identifying different academic degrees by use of specific gowns, hoods and colors. The baccalaureate (bachelor's) gown is identified by long pointed sleeves. The master's gown has a very long sleeve, closed at the bottom, and the arm of the wearer is placed through an opening in the front of the sleeve. Doctoral gowns are distinguished by velvet panels around the neck and down the front of the gown. Three horizontal velvet bars on each sleeve also may mark the doctorate. The colorful hoods worn by master's and doctoral graduates represent the specific degree earned and the degree-granting institution. The variety of regalia seen in the inaugural procession arises from the fact that each university has its own distinguishing customs. The differences in the regalia of the inaugural participants represent the variety of institutions from which they graduated. Regalia may be purchased or rented in the University Bookstore in the Vic and Mary Jane Morgan University Center. Faculty, retired faculty are invited to wear appropriate regalia and participate in the ceremony. Call the University Bookstore at (432) 837-8194 or visit www.sulrossbookstore.com. The University Mace The University Mace was commissioned by the Sul Ross Ex-Students' Association to be used at all academic ceremonies to symbolize the authority of the Board of Regents over the University. The mace was designed in 1985 by a university committee of students and faculty; the walnut and brass staff of the mace was shaped by Robert Bowden, Retired Assistant Professor of Industrial Arts. The university brand and the official seals of the State of Texas and Sul Ross State University decorate the head of the mace; the decorations were cast in silver by Rex Barrick, then a graduate student in the Art Department. The head and staff of mace are connected by brass collar on which are engraved the five important dates in the university's history: 1917, when the institution was chartered by the state legislature; 1920, when Sul Ross first opened as a Normal School for teacher training; 1924, when the school's name was changed to Sul Ross State Teachers College; 1949, when the school was renamed Sul Ross State College; and 1969, when the institution received its present name, Sul Ross State University. Below the collar of the mace are two brass handles which bear the names of the university's presidents. The mace is carried by the president of the faculty assembly during academic convocations. The Presidential Medallion The Presidential Medallion was donated in 1985 by the SRSU Student Body. The obverse side of the medallion includes the Sul Ross State University seal embellished with a Lone Star cut blue topaz, while the seal of the State of Texas adorns the other side. A silver chain, interlaced with red velvet, supports the medallion; eleven of the links of this chain have been engraved with the names of the university's presidents. Both silver chain and the topaz were donated by friends of the university in the Alpine area. The silverwork was done by former Watson's Jewelers in Alpine. |
Ricardo Maestas became Sul Ross State University's 11th president in November 2009.
An inauguration is not just the formal installation ceremony but a series of events organized around the ceremony which provide opportunities for members of the SRSU family to celebrate all elements of the university and move forward together.