Parents Weekend to focus on world events

Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the changing climate of world politics, this year's annual Parents Weekend will feature various speeches and activities related to the theme "Our Changing World."

The theme was chosen in response to the nation's increased interest in international affairs. "There is a great focus on the world's situation since last September, and this will be reflected in the various speeches and events," Director of Parents' Programs Ellie Short said. Two sessions, each offering 12 presentations given by Tufts professors on current affairs, will take place in Tisch Library on Saturday.

Despite lower attendance rates last year because of hesitance to travel in the wake of the terrorist attacks, over 3,500 people are expected to attend this weekend, according to Short. "I came into work on Monday and couldn't believe all the calls I had gotten from parents inquiring about Parents Weekend," she said. "There were telephone calls, memos, e-mails... I've even had some parents come into the office."

Homecoming and Parents Weekend were held on two consecutive weekends last year, but this decreased the number of sporting events that fell on Parents Weekend. This year an agreement between the Athletics Department and Alumni Relations placed the two nearly a month apart. Home sporting events this weekend will include football, field hockey, and men's and women's soccer games against Williams College.

The weekend will offer an assortment of activities, from coffee with the deans to a tour of Dowling Hall. "Parents can be here all of the time, part of the time _ whatever they like," said Short. Performing arts events highlighting student theater, a cappella, and dance, will be held as well.

Plans for this weekend's events began soon after last year's Parents Weekend, which centered on Tufts' sesquicentennial. Once a theme was chosen for this year, Short began contacting officials and professors to speak at various events.

The author's talk, a new addition to the Parents Weekend offerings, will feature award-winning author Christopher Golden (LA '89) and will take place at 3:30 p.m. today at the Tisch Library. Golden's murder-mystery novel series, Body of Evidence, describes a university setting based on the Tufts campus. The writer has also done work for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and X-Men licenses.

The President's Run is another new activity offered this year. "For anyone that wants to get up early, take off is at 7:30," said Short about the campus-wide jog. The run will allow parents to run with University President Larry Bacow on a course which he has mapped out.

Mechanical Engineering Professor Chris Rogers will give this year's keynote address, "Technology Reshaping Education from Kindergarten to College." Rogers "teaches young people by means of the children's toy Lego(tm) in order to increase curiosity and interest in young children who think engineering might be for them," Short said.

Short expects Parents Weekend to cultivate new relationships between parents and the University. "Some parents love Parents Weekend so much that they end up retaining a relationship with Tufts," she said. "Even after their children graduate, they keep coming back to visit."