Oh Canada
The new President of the Johns Hopkins University and Medical Megaplex is Ronald J. Daniels, a Canadian and former dean of the University of Toronto Law School. While I am sure he is going to do a great job just as he did as Provost of UPenn I just wanted to mention his Inauguration ceremony that I attended two weeks ago.
Unlike a presidential inauguration, this was much more ceremonial than practical as Daniels has been on the job since last March. This served mostly as a chance for various academic big whigs, influential alumni, University administrators, local politicians and assorted VIP's to get together and have a party. Also unlike a presidential inauguration this came equipped with a large tent full of desert stations, open wine bars and FREE CHAMPAIGNE!!! To ethically qualify for the free booz I actually sat through the entire proceedings whih actually wasn't that bad because in addition to all of the short remarks of greeting from the mayor, US senator and local Nobel laureate, there were more extended remarks from a number of prominent people Daniels had worked with over the years. These included a speech by current UPenn President Amy Gutmann and, more interestingly, Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella who actually was quite funny having written her own material in the form of a spoof judicial rulling XD
Anyway, the only baffling thing was the extreme lack of students at a free alcohol event with absolutely NO access control. Jesus, after a lifetime of helicopter parenting these kids have absolutely NO initiative.
Unlike a presidential inauguration, this was much more ceremonial than practical as Daniels has been on the job since last March. This served mostly as a chance for various academic big whigs, influential alumni, University administrators, local politicians and assorted VIP's to get together and have a party. Also unlike a presidential inauguration this came equipped with a large tent full of desert stations, open wine bars and FREE CHAMPAIGNE!!! To ethically qualify for the free booz I actually sat through the entire proceedings whih actually wasn't that bad because in addition to all of the short remarks of greeting from the mayor, US senator and local Nobel laureate, there were more extended remarks from a number of prominent people Daniels had worked with over the years. These included a speech by current UPenn President Amy Gutmann and, more interestingly, Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella who actually was quite funny having written her own material in the form of a spoof judicial rulling XD
Anyway, the only baffling thing was the extreme lack of students at a free alcohol event with absolutely NO access control. Jesus, after a lifetime of helicopter parenting these kids have absolutely NO initiative.