Vincent Price has been officially installed as Duke University’s tenth president.
During a ceremony Thursday evening, Price spoke about his vision for the university, and its place in the community.
“We commonly think of an inauguration as a beginning, and for me and Annette, this does mark the beginning of a new life here as North Carolinians, as part of this vibrant university and wonderful city of Durham,” he said, before adding: “... and the complete conversion of our wardrobe to that luminous shade of blue that marks us forever as Dukies.”
Price began his duties on July 1. He has already made several high-profile decisions, including the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee from the Duke Chapel and setting a $15-an-hour minimum wage for employees on campus.
During his inaugural address, Price spoke about the history of the university and its future in a changing world.
“Let us think of today not so much as a beginning but as another renewal, both a renewed commitment to the values that guided the choices of our predecessors at Duke, and a renewed charge to make bold choices of our own," he said. "Choices that will permit this noble university in the forest to thrive and shape the course of a still-new century.”