Wearing his full academic regalia, President David J. Skorton offered greetings April 17 at the inauguration of Ithaca College's new president, Thomas Rochon (ro-SHON).

One of six opening speakers, Skorton greeted the crowd on behalf of institutions of higher education. He praised Rochon's distinguished record of scholarly research and teaching, which focuses on European politics and social movements in Europe and the United States.

"'The presidency is not merely an administrative office,'" Skorton said, quoting Franklin Roosevelt. "That's the least of it. It is more than an engineering job, efficient or inefficient. It is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership. All our great presidents were leaders of thought at times when certain historic ideas in the life of the nation had to be clarified.'"

Skorton said, "Thomas Rochon is that sort of leader for Ithaca College and for our time.

"I extend a hand in friendship -- and in the spirit of cooperation and collegiality that has brought benefits to both our institutions and to the greater Ithaca community for more than a century."