SUNY Fredonia honored its President Stephen Kolison with an investiture ceremony at King Concert Hall Friday.

Traditionally held when the president takes office, Friday’s event was delayed by social distancing concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic. Kolison started as SUNY Fredonia’s 14th president in August 2020.

The ceremony was built around an installation which featured SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin and Frank Pagano, president of SUNY Fredonia’s College Council, adorning Kolison with a presidential medallion and chain of office. Performances by SUNY Fredonia music students and speeches sandwiched the installation.

Kolison started his speech with a crowd-pleasing reference to the Bills’ Thursday night victory over the Rams, which drew applause in the half-filled auditorium. He turned things somber mentioning the death of Queen Elizabeth II and got emotional when he spoke of his late father and mother, wishing they could be there.

He then spent a few minutes recognizing a slew of people, and noted the ceremony came together without the use of state funds.

“I am humbled and deeply affected emotionally by this,” Kolison said of the occasion, then introducing family members including his wife and children. He said others were watching in his native Liberia.

He said the COVID delay to the investiture “may not have been a bad thing. It gave me an opportunity to learn more about my institution and my institution to learn more about me.”

Kolison continued, “We are aware of the demographic changes. We have heard about the declining high school graduates headed to college. We have heard about the concerns about costs and the value of a college education. Those concerns keep getting louder.”

Drawing a bit of laughter, he said, “Kolison just presented a case to question why anyone wants to be president these days. I will provide my reason later.

“The biggest challenge we face here at Fredonia has to do with our declining enrollment. Of course, that is impacting other variables that adds to our challenges.”

However, he said the campus had “opportunities that far outweigh the challenges.”

He said, “This place is outstanding, powered by dedicated faculty and staff and our outstanding student body. During the last 10 years, more than $150 million has been invested in this university to improve our infrastructure. During the next five years, another $40 million will be spent to improve our facilities.”

Kolison added, “This fall and into the spring, we will work on our strategic plan and our academic master plan. I cannot think of a better time than now to do this, given that we are emerging from the COVID, which disrupted everything. These plans will be about our future, the place we intend for Fredonia in this rapidly changing world.”

A big part of his vision is a “Bicentennial Fund” started last fall, named to honor SUNY Fredonia’s upcoming 200th anniversary in 2026. It will assist first-generation and poor students.

“We educate students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Over 40 percent of our students come from financially challenged backgrounds. Then, about 20% are first-generation students, the first in their family to attend college.”

He spoke of a “well” of education that SUNY Fredonia offers and said the campus had an opportunity to enhance access to that well.

Kolison continued, “We must do all we can to address mental health and other wellness needs of our students. remaining true to our liberal arts heritage and interweaving it with experiences and learning opportunities demanded by students and parents and remaining a vibrant comprehensive university while divesting from programs that no longer hold promise for our future.

He soon added, “Institutions that embrace diversity and work hard for it will retain their relevance. They will be the institutions of the future… every student, every faculty and staff, that comes to Fredonia should feel they belong here.”

He then came back to the question of why he want to be would be SUNY Fredonia’s president.

“I believe in you. I believe in the work we do here. We are transforming lives for the better. What could be more important? The opportunities we have far outweigh the challenges.”