University-wide picnic continues inaugural festivities, celebrates new academic year

President Randel has already been honored with a civic dinner on Navy Pier, where more than 800 city leaders, including Mayor Daley, welcomed Randel and his wife, Carol, to Chicago. Inauguration festivities will culminate Tuesday, Nov. 2, when he will be inaugurated officially as the University’s 12th President.

The All-University Picnic will serve both to welcome Randel and to celebrate the first day of the new academic year, according to Kineret Jaffe, Secretary of the Board of Trustees and chair of the inauguration committee.

“The arrival of a new president seemed to call for a campus-wide activity early in the quarter,” Jaffe said. “We thought the first day of classes was ideal. That way, we could also celebrate something else: the coming together of our community to begin another year of teaching, research and scholarship.

The picnic may be the most heavily attended of the fall inaugural events. With food and music planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., thousands of students, staff and faculty members are expected to attend.

Because classes and university operations will continue normally all day, the picnic’s length was extended to allow more members of the University community to fit some time at the picnic into their schedules.

The following list offers a glimpse of the scheduled fall inaugural events:
• All-University Picnic
  11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 25 on the Main Quadrangles

  The University community will celebrate the beginning of the academic year and welcome all students, faculty, staff, and particularly President Randel, to campus.

• Inaugural Convocation
  2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 2
  Seating in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel by invitation; additional viewing will be available in the Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St.

  Faculty members, trustees, students, delegates from universities and learned societies and other guests will gather for the installation of Don Michael Randel as the 12th President of the University.

• Inaugural Party
  2 to 8 p.m., Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St.

  All members of the University community are invited to celebrate the inauguration of President Randel.

For additional information about Randel and other inaugural events, such as those scheduled throughout the city for alumni, visit the inauguration Web page at http://inauguration.uchicago.edu.