SOMERS - There were no oaths of office for Debbie Ford as she became the sixth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday afternoon. Kevin Reilly, president of the University of Wisconsin System, simply lifted the silver chancellor's medallion from its stand and settled it on Ford's neck.

The university is marking the 40th anniversary of its founding this week, and Reilly noted that its founding coincided with the time when humans first walked on the moon, when the 747 airliner first flew, and when gasoline cost 35 cents a gallon.

"I know that for many of your younger audience members 40 might seem downright middle-aged or even old, but as institutions go, of course, UW-Parkside is just hitting its stride, and the best years are yet to come," he said.

In her inaugural address, Ford emphasized the four themes that she has spoken of already: academic excellence, student success, community engagement, and diversity and inclusiveness. As chancellor, she said, she would develop a shared vision for success, involve others, listen attentively, build new partnerships, lead by example, and exhibit courage.

That was a theme running through her speech. Courage, she said, quoting several people, is not always loud but may lie in the simple determination to accept a failure and to try again.

More than once she noted that Parkside's region is southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, and she pledged to make the university a comprehensive regional resource, a destination for first-generation students, and a center of excellence. UW-Parkside has the most diverse student body in the UW system, she said, "but we must work smarter to close achievement gaps for our students of color." That means increasing efforts to attract and retain a diverse faculty, she said.

"How will we - and again the focus is on we - embrace our future with courage?" We must collaborate, communicate, and cooperate, she said.

"As the sixth chancellor to serve this great university, I ask that you to join me in championing our shared vision and mission, I ask you to join me in building relationships and in collaboratively matching UW-Parkside's strengths with the needs our community and region," Ford said. "Walt Disney once said, 'All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.'"