John Palmer worked in Washington D.C. for nearly two decades before he found his way to Syracuse University in 1988. On Friday, he will be formally installed as SU’s mace bearer.

When Palmer earned his Ph.D in economics from Stanford University, he never imagined he would take a job in academia. In Washington, he had conducted public policy research and served as an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services.

But then he became dean at SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a position he held for 15 years. It was a long but “wonderful” term, he said.

“I decided that moving to a university and being more involved in teaching and research would be more rewarding for me,” Palmer said.

In 2003, he gave up the deanship and became a professor, teaching public policy courses. Although his career has wound down, Palmer still teaches a graduate seminar on the federal budget, health care and social security reforms.

To honor Palmer’s time at Syracuse University, Chancellor Kent Syverud appointed Palmer as mace bearer earlier this month.

The honorary position of mace bearer began in 1949, when graduates were led into the now-demolished Archbold Stadium by a university registrar, according to an SU news release. A mace is an ornamented staff made of wood or metal. SU’s original mace was made of wood, but it has since been replaced by one made of sterling silver and precious stones.

Since the tradition began, esteemed professors, deans and administrators have held the position, per the release. SU’s previous mace bearer, Nancy Sharp, was given the role in 2004 after working at the university for 28 years. Sharp retired from the position following convocation last fall.

The chancellor appointed Student Association President James Franco and Graduate Student Organization President Jack Wilson as interim mace bearers while searching for a new mace bearer. This was the first time that students were given the role.

“To be one of the few ones that have been able to hold that, it was quite an honor,” said Franco, who wielded the mace at the installation of the Rev. Brian Konkol as dean of Hendricks Chapel last November.

Historically, the mace was a weapon of war, but it came to represent respect and authority, Konkol said. In England, maces were used by monarchs to symbol their authority. The U.S. House of Representatives has a ceremonial mace that is still used today.

Konkol said traditions like the mace bearer “help us point to the past and take stock of the present.” He added that sometimes “it’s very powerful” when a physical object symbolizes the university’s identity.

The chancellor believed the mace bearer should “epitomize our values of academic excellence and student engagement“ and “personify the power of research, teaching and the mentoring of other,” per the release.

There were no formal rules for choosing the mace bearer, so Syverud had to create his own, Palmer said. He looks forward to the ceremony, but Palmer said the focus should be on the faculty members being recognized, not on himself.

He will be formally installed at the One University Awards Ceremony in Hendricks Chapel. The ceremony, which starts at 4 p.m., will recognize a variety of campus community members.

A faculty member who has made extraordinary contributions to the university, their field of expertise or the community will receive the Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding Achievement at the event. Additionally, the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence will be awarded to a faculty member in recognition of their accomplishments in teaching, scholarship or creative work.

“One of the nice things about a university is these kinds of ceremonial occasions that really do celebrate the best of what we represent,” Palmer said.

Published on April 17, 2018 at 8:48 pm

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