Media advisory: Convocation ceremony to be held Sept. 20

The 115th Opening Day Convocation to welcome the Class of 2009 will be held at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, on Stanford's Main Quad.

President John Hennessy will deliver the official welcome to 1,635 incoming freshmen and 50 transfer students. Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education John Bravman and Director of Admission Anna Marie Porras also will address the students and their parents. No special press credentials will be needed. A mult box will be available for broadcast reporters.

New Student Orientation lasts through Sunday, Sept. 25. Highlights include a roundtable discussion with alumni who wrote one of three works that freshmen were assigned to read over the summer: M. Butterfly, by David Henry Hwang, Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid, and Old School by Tobias Wolff. The event is set for Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium.

These events are not open to the public, but limited press seating may be available.

Stanford University has an interest in ensuring that the privacy of all of its students, faculty and staff is respected, and that no activities interfere with education, research or residential life.

The University is private property. However, some common areas of the campus typically are open to visitors. These areas include White Plaza, public eating areas (such as those at Tresidder Union), outdoor touring areas, and locations to which the public has been invited by advertised notice (such as for public educational, cultural or athletic events). Even in these locations, media representatives must not interfere with the privacy of students, faculty and staff, or with educational, research and residential activities. The University may revoke at any time permission to be present in these, or any other, areas. Media representatives are not authorized to enter academic or residential areas unless they have been invited for appropriate business or social purposes and have the express permission of the responsible faculty member, administrator, resident fellow, or the Stanford News Service. Moreover, when permission to enter student residences is secured, that permission is limited to common areas such as first-floor lounges and dining areas.

No commercial activity—including the taking of photos or similar audio or visual recordings that are sold to others or otherwise used for commercial purposes—may occur on the campus without the University's permission. Those involved in unauthorized commercial activity will be asked to leave campus immediately. Requests for permission should be submitted to the Director of University Communications or, as appropriate, the Dean of Student Affairs, the Department of Athletics, or the Office of Public Events. Recognized student groups and official units of the University will be granted such permission so long as they do not violate the privacy or property interests of others; so long as any sale of their products is predominantly on campus to students, faculty and staff; and so long as they comply with applicable University policies and procedures.

Violators of this policy may be subject to criminal and/or civil liability, as well as University disciplinary action.

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