CBC's Shelagh Rogers sworn in as chancellor of the University of Victoria

Well-known CBC Radio host Shelagh Rogers has formally taken office as the chancellor of the University of Victoria, the 11th person to hold the position in the school's 52-year history.

Rogers, host of The Next Chapter, says she expected the role to be largely ceremonial, but has been proven wrong in her early days in the position.

"You do represent the university and you are the face of the university, the ambassador of the university," she told Gregor Craigie on CBC Radio One's On the Island.

"You seek to promote the welfare of the university. That was something I hadn't grasped fully when I accepted the invitation."

Rogers says her role as an honorary witness on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has informed her role as chancellor at UVic.

"It is one of the values of UVic to engage with the indigenous community and that was one of the things that attracted me to it. One in 20 students is aboriginal," she said.

"Even yesterday at my first convocation, seeing the number of aboriginal students crossing the stage and becoming graduates was absolutely thrilling and ... as far as truth and reconciliation goes, universities have a huge role to play."

Rogers' three-year term officially began on January 1 this year, but she was not formally installed as chancellor until the Spring Convocation on Monday. She will continue to host The Next Chapter while serving as chancellor.

To hear the full interview with Shelagh Rogers, listen to the audio labelled: CBC's Shelagh Rogers becomes chancellor of the University of Victoria.