How to Address a Chancellor

There are Many Types of Chancellors

There are many chancellors in the world, but on the site I just two types – the ones for which most people search:
—-#1)  Chancellor of a country (below) 
#2)  Chancellor of a a university or university system.

How to Address a Chancellor

#1) Chancellor of a Country

ADDRESSED BY OFFICE
—-Envelope, official:
—-—-The Chancellor of (full name of country)
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Chancellor:
—-—-Dear Mr./Madam Chancellor:

—-Conversation, initially:
—-—-Chancellor
—-—-—-or
—-—-Mr./Madam Chancellor

—-Subsequently in conversation:
—-—-Sir/Madam

ADDRESSED AS HIS/HER EXCELLENCY
—-Envelope, official:
—-—-His/Her Excellency
—-—-(Personal honorific if presented) (full name)
—-—-The Chancellor of (full name of country)
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Your Excellency:

—-Conversation, initially:
—-—-Your Excellency

—-Subsequently in conversation:
—-—-Sir/Madam

– Robert Hickey

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

President or Chancellor of a University, College or University System

________
—-
Envelope or address block on letter or email:
—-—-Dr. (Full Name)
—-—-President / Chancellor
—-—-(College/university)
—-—-(Address)

—-—-—-—-Which looks like:
—-————-—-Dr. G. Alexander Heard
——–————-Chancellor
——–————-Vanderbilt University
————-—-—-(Address)

—-————-—-Dr. Mark S. Schlissel
————-—-—-President
————-—-—-University of Michigan
————-—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Dr. (Surname):

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

Should I use President (Name) or Dr. (Name)?

Should I address our University’s president as a ‘Dr. (Full Name)’ for the ‘President (Full Name)’?
—-– Brian H.

Dear BH:
Chancellor and president are traditionally offices, not ranks that become part of one’s name. The holder is addressed as he or she is normally addressed: ‘Mr./Ms./Dr., etc. (Full Name)’. Then, after the name is identified to be  president of …   or chancellor of…

—-In writing to a university president:
—-—-Dr. (Full Name), (office listed after then name)
—-—-Dr. James E. Ryan, President, The University of Virginia

—-Orally and when referring to the president at institutions where there are many, many doctors – you will see frequent use of ‘president’ as an honorific:
—-—-“Today President Ryan will speak on the topic of….”
—-—-“President Ryan, what do you think about ….”

This is the same pattern as for a dean or chairman (of a department) where each is an office that one holds, departs, and is succeeded by someone else. This is just like in the corporate world, where being president is an office one holds – not a personal rank one receives and keeps as part of one’s name.

– Robert Hickey How to Address a President of a University or College

Related Links:—-—-—-Principal—-—-—-Headmaster—-—-—-President College University—-—-—-President of a School—-—-—-Chancellor—-—-—-Professor

Forms of Address: How a conversation begins can have a huge impact on how the conversation - even the entire relationship - develops.

How to List a University President (or Chancellor) and Spouse on an Invitation?

I am working on a wedding invitation for the child for the president of a university. On official invitations from the university, he and his wife are listed as ‘President and Mrs. John Jones request the pleasure . . .’

Should this private invitation be worded as
—–President and Mrs. (His Full Name)
—–Dr. and Mrs. (His Full Name)
—–President Dr. and Mrs. (His Full Name)

Do you write out ‘Doctor’ on formal invitations or do you use the abbreviation ‘Dr.’?
————– Evelyn Cotton

Dear Ms. Cotton,

On the host line of an invitation I vote for:
—–Dr. John Alexander Jones and Mrs. Jones
—–request the pleasure …

Another option – Dr. and Mrs. John Alexander Jones – is less formal but is useful when the name is long and space becomes an issue.

While the rule is to spell out everything –– the abbreviations Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms. are used on the most formal of invitations.

Definitely not President Dr. (Name). In the US style, two honorifics are not combined.

University presidents are not typically addressed as President (Surname) outside their official duties.

– Robert Hickey   How to Address a Chancellor How to Address a President of a University or College

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Couples: Same Sex

Forms of Address: How a conversation begins can have a huge impact on how the conversation - even the entire relationship - develops.

How to Address Former University President?

How does one address a former University President?
—-—-—-– PM-CA

Dear PM-CA.,
There is no special form of address for a former university president. On an envelope, in conversation, or on a place card, they go back to whatever they were before serving – which is most likely Dr. (Name). 

In a full introduction he or she could be identified in two ways: as the President of XYZ University from 1998 to 2006; or as the 18th President of XYZ University.  I like either of those better than describing your guest as former.  Fomer sounds so has been.

– Robert Hickey

chancellor

How to Address a Former Chancellor?

How does one address a former chancellor of a state university?

————– Agnes Martin

Dear Ms. Martin,
A former chancellor goes back to whatever form of address he or she was entitled to before serving as chancellor. Typically:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr. (Full Name) in writing
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr. (Surname) in conversation

There is only one chancellor at a time. It’s not respectful to the current office holder to address predecessors with the forms of address reserved for the current office holder.

If you want to identify the person as a former chancellor – e.g., in a document or in a program … identify him or her after his or her name:
—-—-The 12th Chancellor of XYZ University
—-—-Chancellor of XYZ University, 1999-2008
—-—-Chancellor, 1999-2008

I prefer any of these to ‘former Chancellor’.  Former can sound so has been.

If this sort of thing comes up often, I cover the forms of address for every type of academic official – dean, Dr. professor, etc. – in my book.

– Robert Hickey

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”