Investiture of Renu Khator to be Celebrated in September

August 13, 2008

The University of Houston System will celebrate the investiture of Renu Khator as its eighth chancellor and UH’s 13th president at 2 p.m., Sept. 18 at Cullen Performance Hall.

The afternoon investiture is the official conferral of the symbols of the president’s office, and will be marked by all the pageantry of traditional academic ceremonies. Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the investiture. Faculty also are invited to march in the academic procession.

Events surrounding the investiture include The Farfel Distinguished Lecture Series and The Elizabeth D. Rockwell Ethics & Leadership Lecture Series with guest speaker Thomas L. Friedman, who will discuss “Green is the New Red, White & Blue.” Friedman, who has been The New York Times foreign affairs columnist since 1995, has won several Pulitzer prizes for his newspaper commentary. The free lecture is open to the campus community. Tickets, which are required for admission, are available by calling 713-743-2255.

Other scheduled activities include a Staff Council forum Sept. 16 and a forum with student government leaders Sept. 17.

Khator took the office of UH president and UHS chancellor in January. A noted scholar in the field of global environmental policy, Khator has published five books and several articles on this subject. Previously, she served as provost and senior vice president at the University of South Florida, capping a 22-year career at that institution.

For a list of events and more information, visit www.uh.edu/investiture.