SUBJECT:

Faculty Participation in the Academic Welcome Convocation

Dear Colleagues:

I write to invite your participation in the 7th annual Welcome Week Convocation for new undergraduate students from 5:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 24 on RIMAC Field. This important milestone serves as the inaugural academic event for our new freshmen and transfer students and welcomes them into our scholarly community. The 35-minute ceremony will feature brief welcoming remarks by Associated Students President Meggie Le, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, Executive Vice Chancellor Suresh Subramani, Vice Chancellor Penny Rue, and a keynote address by distinguished UC San Diego alumnus, Donald W. Murphy '75 former Deputy Director of the National Park Service and past CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. Following the Convocation ceremony, faculty and students will share a festive dinner on the field, providing a valuable and informal venue for students to interact with faculty. Robust faculty participation is essential in order to demonstrate to our students the value we place in this symbolic first step on their academic journey at UC San Diego. Signage will direct students to designated divisional and departmental areas where they can meet and chat with faculty members from disciplines of interest to them.

A strong faculty showing will send an unequivocal message to our students about our commitment to their education and our common academic mission. It is estimated that over 4,500 students and faculty attended last year's event and we expect this year's gathering to be even larger. Academic Affairs and UCSD Alumni will host a reception for faculty participating in Convocation from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Institute of the Americas Friend Plaza. Faculty participants will proceed as a group from the reception venue to the Convocation ceremony on RIMAC Field. Note that academic regalia is not required.

Please rsvp with your attendance plans to Gillian Hemingway (gchemingway@ucsd.edu or x40099) by Tuesday, September 18. We appreciate your support of this important event for our new undergraduates.

Suresh Subramani Executive Vice Chancellor