Academic year begins Friday with three events

The new academic year at Grand Valley will get a formal welcome on Friday, August 23.

President Thomas J. Haas will give an opening address to faculty and staff members at 10 a.m. in the Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center.

Then, thousands of first-year, transfer and returning students will hear welcome messages from Haas, Provost Gayle R. Davis, Faculty Senate Chair Karen Gipson, Student Senate President Ricky Benavidez, and others. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Fieldhouse Arena.

Keeping with centuries-old academic tradition, faculty and staff members process into the arena wearing their academic regalia. People who plan to process will robe in the Fieldhouse Dance Studio.

An all-campus picnic lunch for students, faculty and staff members follows from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in parking lot C. RSVPs are not required.