tl20020318-000 "The ToiliErriDlib Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com Monday, 3/18/02 Students lose sleep in midterm week 3 Razorback's ribs don't quite cut it 11 TU takes fourth quarter tumble 19 Tigers finish even with 13-13 season 21 Departments News 3 Nation 5 Taking Stock 6 Arts Sound Bites 12 Entertainment Briefs 17 Sports 19 In This Corner 19 Athlete of the Week 23 Classifieds 24 Opinion 26 Towson installs 11th president Perkins praised by inaugural speakers; students protest pricey ceremony Mike Morris The Towerlight Two former Towson University presidents placed a brand new $25,000 medallion over the regalia of Dr. Mark L. Perkins during a cer-emony held Friday in the Towson Center, formally installing him as the University's 11th president. Approximately 1,000 guests, not including those in the procession, were in attendance for the two-and-a- half hour event, which featured 18 speeches from friends, officials and dignitaries around the world. ""I think that the only thing I can be is touched and humbled,"" Perkins said of the inauguration while shaking hands with guests in a receiving line. ""It's an awesome responsibility to lead this University."" Perkins' inaugural address focused primarily upon last week's theme, ""A Celebration of 135 Years of Commitment."" He looked at the past, most noticeably when quoting Towson's 8th President Earle Hawkins' inaugural speech twice. He also emphasized current issues. ""We must remember that we are preparing our students for a world that we cannot define, and in many cases, cannot even begin to imag-ine,"" he said referring to Sept. 11. Dr. Donald N. Langenberg, University System of Maryland (USM) chancellor, pledged full sup-port to Towson from the USM ""fam-ily"" and charged Perkins with hon-oring Towson's unique history, among other things. ""I charge you to strengthen and grow [Towson's] academic pro-grams, particularly in areas of great need in the state of Maryland and of the nation,"" Langenberg said. During his turn at the podium, Perkins stated how he felt on that issue: ""While we must be concerned about the digital divide and the need for technology training, we must be careful to retain our focus on developing the potential of the Soul Stompanks 77w Tawwirist University President Dr. Mark L. Perkins wore a new $25,000 presidential medallion after being installed as Towson's llth president. In his speech, Perkins said that teachers should focus on the ""individual learner."" whole person, as we respond to workforce needs."" Governor Parris N. Glendening joked that Perkins' new position as president of Towson is a tougher job than being governor of the state, calling Perkins' role a complex and challenging task. He added that Perkins recognizes that higher education is essential in achieving both a thriving economy and a civil society. Glendening also took the oppor-tunity during his speech to give some personal commentary regard-ing current debates on the funding of higher education. State officials are considering whether or not to cut $31 million from Glendening's proposed USM budget. ""Unfortunately, some of the legis-latures have yet to shake off the old way of thinking, that higher educa-tion is a luxury that can be cut when times are tough,"" Glendening said. ""I say to my colleagues in the legislature, as Towson University and all of our colleges and universi-ties in our state are beginning to prosper, higher education must be fully and fairly funded."" Price brings protest While most in attendance were there to witness an inauguration, which hadn't taken place at Towson in 54 years, some were present to voice opposition to the event. About 25 protesters from the Student Worker Alliance of Towson See PERKINS, page 6 Today High 51 Low 40 Tuesday High 57 Low 51 Wednesday High 59 Low 36 Thursday High 49 Low 26 Friday High 42 Low 21 "
