IUS holds installation ceremony for new chancellor

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Ron Bath

Ray Wallace, the new Chancellor of Indiana University Southeast, is shown on the school's New Albany campus. He was formally introduced today during the school's installation ceremony, which recognizes a change in leadership.

Marty Finley

Reporter- Louisville Business First

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New Indiana University Southeast Chancellor Ray Wallace has been on the job since July 1, but he got a traditional welcome today in the form of the school's installation ceremony.

The ceremony was held at 2 p.m. on the New Albany campus at the Richard K. Stem Concert Hall of the Paul W. Ogle Cultural & Community Center.

The ceremony is a "centuries-old" academic custom that formally acknowledges a change of leadership, according to a news release from IUS. Today's ceremony was expected to attract numerous state and local officials.

"It is designed to introduce the new chancellor to the community, and to provide an opportunity to communicate his vision for the institution," the news release stated. IUS is one of seven campuses of Indiana University.

Wallace, 54, grew up in near the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast and came to the United States in 1978 on a track scholarship to Eastern Illinois University. There, he earned undergraduate degrees in English and physical education and a master's degree in English. He earned a doctorate in English at Illinois State University.

Since then, Wallace has held numerous roles as a professor, dean and provost at schools across the United States. He also has published five books, including two award-winning volumes on writing, and has completed research projects in South Africa and Japan, according to the news release.

I spent some time with Wallace recently on the IUS campus, and he will be the subject of our In Person feature in the Dec. 12 weekly edition. The profile story delves deeper into his educational and professional background, his management philosophies and how an embrace of education provided a way out of his war-torn homeland.

You can also read this story I wrote recently in which Wallace rejected the notion of taking pride in IUS being the "best kept secret" for education in the region.

Marty Finley covers economic development, commercial real estate, government, education and sports business.