LA JOLLA —— UC San Diego stood on considerable ceremony Thursday to formally install Marye Anne Fox as the seventh chancellor of the university. To a standing ovation from some 900 people at the Recreational Intramural Athletic Center Arena on the La Jolla campus, Fox received the chancellor's medal as what the school's president, Robert Dynes, called the "tangible evidence" of her office.

"Be it known," intoned Dynes in the somber and official language of the inaugural, "that I … do hereby install Marye Anne Fox as chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, and vest in her all the authority and rights appertaining thereto."

Turning less formal right afterward, Dynes, her predecessor as chancellor, said to Fox, "I can tell you, Marye Anne, from my experience, that you are in for the ride of your life."

The inauguration of Fox, 57,a physical organic chemist who arrived in San Diego in August from a post as chancellor of North Carolina State University, marked the centerpiece of a daylong celebration capped late in the afternoon with an address by cancer geneticist Alfred Knudson Jr. in the 2005 Kyoto Laureate Symposium.

Fox comes to San Diego as the university makes plans to grow to 30,000 students —— adding 10,000 more by 2012 —— and takes a key role in the stem cell research being financed statewide by $3 billion in bonds California voters approved in November when they passed Proposition 71.

"What a fabulous job I have," Fox told a reporter before the ceremonies began at 10 a.m. Later, in her inaugural address, she referred to the university as a "magical place."

Said university marshal Donald F. Tuzin, an anthropology professor and one of eight official greeters Thursday, "Let no fox but you ever guard our precious henhouse."

Fox caused the crowd to stir by choosing to quote in her address from the words of a professional hockey legend. "We will always look to the future," she said, "following the advice of National Hockey League star Wayne Gretzky, who wisely advised his teammates to 'skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is at the moment.' "

Led in a processional to the music of William Walton's "Crown Imperial" performed by the La Jolla Symphony, the chancellor had joined 70 others —— including student leaders, past and present University of California regents, and university officials —— around 10 a.m. on a raised stage with a lectern in the center.

In what Gerald L. Parsky, the chair of the board of regents of the University of California, called "one of the most colorful rituals" of academia, those on stage wore full academic regalia, caps and gowns with sashes in different colors to indicate their fields of study; kelly green, for example, for medicine and orange for engineering. Similarly regaled professors faced the platform in a seating section of their own.

A line of green ferns along the front edge of the platform was broken by yellow flowers in the middle, right below the lectern. A black curtain with the seal of the university in faint white coloring was the backdrop.

Fox, in her formal remarks, called American public research universities, such as the one she leads, "precious jewels that deserve the full protection and support of the state and of the American people."

"… What vision, what over-reaching goals, should we pursue?" she went on. "Quite simply, I believe we should promulgate a worldwide consensus to the reality of UCSD as one of the world's best."

She characterized herself as the "official dream catcher" with a responsibility to let the good dreams in and the nightmares out. And noting the University of California motto of "let there be light," Fox said, "Someone must secure and light the candle of truth and knowledge for the public. Let us together work to shine that light on important problems, because together, indeed, we achieve the extraordinary."

Contact staff writer Bruce Kauffman at (760) 761-4410 or bkauffman@nctimes.com.