Syracuse UniversityChancellor Inauguration

Thank you for including me today in this special occassion.

I'm really happy for this University, for Kent Syverud and his family, and for all of us who care about having a new leader at the highest level of our educational instutions. Kent and the University are a great match, and you have some wonderful years ahead at this place.

I think even our God upstairs was paying attention. Did you notice out here when Kent first came to the podium, the sky cleared and we had this great burst of sunshine over there.

I have been telling Kent Syverud that he should be a University President for more than 15 years, and he finally listened to me. I first met Kent in 1983, forty one years ago. I was younger then, and he was a little thinner. 

I interviewed Kent to become my law clerk, and I hired him, along with Justice Scott Bales, who is here today.  Kent and Scott succeeded Stewart Schwab, who was also my clerk and who is now dean of Cornell Law School, and I think he may be here with us today, as well. 

Hiring Kent was a good decision for me, and it's a marvelous decision for you. Kent and I went through a great deal together when he was at the Supreme Court. Our docket at the Court was longer then, and the issues were very intense. Kent and his co-clerks worked seven days a week. Somehow, Kent found a little bit of time for Ruth, and he even started a family that year. His son Steven, who is here, was one of my first grand clerks and he was almost born in my chambers. 

The very night Steven was born, Kent was helping me with the final edits of a 5-4 dissent in the Aguilar case; a case involving the separation of church and state. And we did manage to get the opinion out the next day, despite you, Steve. A few years later I had the pleasure of writing a 5-4 majority opinion that made that dissent now the law of the land; that was the Agostini case. 

I have watched Kent throughout his career, and I want you to know that the important things about him have not changed in those years. He is very intelligent, he has wonderful values, he cares about people, and he can write and speak exceedingly well. He is going to serve you well and make you proud.

Syracuse University is a special place. I can tell by being here today that all of you care about it. You want it to be even better, and I think you will find Kent Syverud will help you achieve that, too. He is a good listener. He is a good doer. We always got the job done in my chambers, and we always remembered to have fun while we were doing it.

So I charge Kent and all of you to do that here, as well. Get the job done, educate these young people, and remember to have fun while you're doing it. 

Bless all of you, and bless this great university and your leader, Kent Syverud.

Thank you.