Arthur N. Dunning will be officially installed as the 9th president of Albany State University at the Presidential Investiture Ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30.

The Investiture Ceremony will be held at the Albany Municipal Auditorium, 200 N Jackson Street, Albany, GA 31701. The ceremony will include a formal procession and greetings from elected officials.

Steeped in history and tradition, a presidential investiture symbolizes the embrace of a new era for the institution and acknowledges the authority of a new leader, as well as, the official rights and responsibilities of the office.

Dunning was named president of Albany State University in November 2015 by University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby. For two years, he led Albany State as the interim president, focusing on strategic direction, economic development and developing collaborations that enhance educational opportunities for the residents of Southwest Georgia. A veteran administrator, scholar and lecturer, Dunning has a distinguished track record in higher education in Alabama and Georgia.

Dunning is currently leading the consolidation process of Albany State University and Darton State College, along with DSC interim president Richard Carvajal. The new university will be the largest academic institution in the Southwest Georgia region, serving approximately 9,000 students.

Prior to Dunning’s appointment at Albany State, he served as vice chancellor for International Programs and Outreach for the University of Alabama System in Tuscaloosa.

During his 27-year career in higher education in Georgia, Dr. Dunning was vice president for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia in Athens, and a tenured professor. He also served as senior vice chancellor for Human and External Resources, acting executive vice chancellor and vice chancellor for Services at the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

The Alabama native earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Alabama.

Pre-ceremony events for the Presidential Investiture Ceremony include an inaugural reception Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m. The reception will be held at the Darton State College Student Center Ballroom, Building C, room 266. The reception is open to the public.

For more information about the Presidential Investiture Ceremony, please visit www.asurams.edu/RSVPinvestiture.