Weber State College Comment, College inaugurate January 1986, page 3 9Th pres Editor's note: The following is the address delivered by President Nadauld during inauguration ceremonies Nov. 7, 1985. e welcome you and are honored by your presence on our campus this be- utiful fall day. I have been impressed and deeply touched by the proceedings thus far. 1 would like to thank Dean Hurst, the members of the Inaugural Committee and all those whose efforts have been expended to make this an exciting and enjoyable day. We are gathered as part of a rich academic tradition, not to honor any individual, but to honor the institution and the principles of learning for which ' purpose it was founded. It is our hope that this pause in our routine will serve as a period of reflection, renewal and recommitment to that purpose which brings us together; namely, education. As we reflect we realize that in four years this institution will be 100 years old. During our past 96 years, many thousands have labored with their might to bring us to this place and time. Looking back we will find that in 1892, three years after our inception, members of the Board of Education, with names like Shurtliff, Middleton and Moench, mortgaged their homes and personal property to construct permanent quarters for the infant school. In the early 1930's, circumstances were perhaps even more difficult. There were periods when college employees were paid not with money but with scrip. The scrip could be traded for goods which were brought to campus by students who paid tuition in kind instead of in dollars. The late President William P. Miller reported that he and his sister had been able to attend Weber College by bringing from the farm, products which were subsequently used in the cafeteria and Home Economics departments of the school. It should not surprise you to learn that every member of the faculty and staff was not enthusiastic about receiving paper scrip, cabbage and eggs as payment for teaching. As nearly as | can ascertain, if such were the case today, we would be paid in guitars, ghetto blasters and designer jeans. In spite of these challenges, or perhaps because of them, there are thousands of men and women, graduates of Weber College, whose accomplishments we can point to with pride and in whose reflected light we shine. We speak of individuals like: Willard Marriott, businessman and founder of the great enterprise that bears his name; Portia Nelson, star of stage and screen; Tracy Hall, scientist and inventor of the first man-made dia- mond; Phyllis Brown Marriott, youth leader and national Mother of the Year; David O. McKay, educator, religious leader, and prophet; Elizabeth Stewart, volunteer, benefactor, and philanthropist; and David M. Kennedy, banker, ambassador, and advisor to presidents. These and more than 100,000 other Top: Pres. Nadauld is greeted by Utah Governor Norman Bangerter. Above: WSC’'s ninth president, Steven D. Nadauld. Right: Color Guard leads inaugural procession through campus. vision have brought us to this point. Truly we stand today on _ the shoulders of giants. And from that vantage point what do we see: eWe see a student body that has grown from 98 students to over 11,000. We see a faculty and staff that now number over 1,000 — a considerable increase over the original two. eWe have a_state-appropriated budget approaching over 40 million (received in dollars, not cabbages). e—We have an absolutely beautiful campus whose buildings should serve as constant physical evidence of the commitment of the Regents, Legislators, and Governor to the education of our citizens. *Indeed we express appreciation to you, the taxpayers of the state whose funds support and sustain this institution. We believe your money has been alumni have benefited from the service wisely spent. of countless numbers of faculty, staff From our emotional vantage point members, administrators, and presidents whose efforts, sacrifice, and. | on the shoulders of giants, and from our physical position as we look out over this beautiful Northern Utah valley we also see great change. We see a state whose wealth has often been measured by its mines, its minerals, and its agricultural output. The difficulties faced by these industries are well known and are a continuing source of concern for us all. These difficulties should serve as a reminder — and we should never really need one on this point — namely that the true enduring resouce of our state is its people. And it has ever been so. From the first settlers of the land to the newest baby born in [McKay Dee Hospital] or [St. Bensedict’s] our success will always be measured by the accomplishments and character of our people. If we are going to take advantage of our most precious natural resource, if we are going to have people of all ages with the skills and preparation needed for the challenges we face, we must reaffirm our commitment to the development of that resource. Our mines, farms, and factories will not regenerate themselves. Our prosperity has been wrested from these mountains and valleys by the ingenuity and hard work of our people. It will be so in the future, — but — to perserverance and persperation we need to add preparation. We are faced with an increasingly complex society. Our world is a world of microwave ovens, space shuttles, computer circuits, and automobiles that can only be repaired by Clyde Houdini. Our future will not be assured by desire and hard work alone — we need preparation, we need training, we need the intellectual tools of a complex society. At stake is not only economic renewal but also the capacity for true resurgence in all dimensions of our personal, civic, and cultural lives. When faced with rapid changes in our environment, with the need for more and better training, and with the Please see “Inauguration” on page 11.