Portera inauguration set for February

Mississippi State's 16th president, Dr. Malcolm Portera, will be formally inaugurated during campus ceremonies on Saturday, Feb. 6, 1999.

Alumni and friends of the university are invited to the 10 a.m. program at Humphrey Coliseum, said Dr. Jack White, chair of the inauguration planning committee.

"Obviously we will be celebrating the fact that we have a new president, but Dr. Portera has made clear that he wants this to be a celebration of the university, its history, and its future," White said.

The inauguration also will pay tribute to former presidents of the university with the theme "From Stephen D. Lee to Malcolm Portera: A Legacy of Leadership." Music, decorations, and exhibits associated with the inauguration will reflect the university's history of service to the state of Mississippi, White said.

Portera officially assumed office as president of the university on Jan. 1, 1998.