June 4, 2008

TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Dear Colleagues:

UC Santa Barbara will continue the tradition of welcoming our incoming undergraduate students to the experience of higher education during New Student Convocation planned for Monday, September 22, 2008, from 3-4 p.m. on the Faculty Club Lawn. This event, attended by more than 4,500 entering students last year, constitutes a key component of broader campus efforts to communicate to students the values of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship. Our New Student Convocation is the University’s official induction ceremony for new students and the only campus ceremony for the entering class until Commencement.

This year’s ceremony will feature a keynote address by environmentalist and explorer Céline Cousteau, opening remarks by Executive Dean of the College of Letters and Science David Marshall, and greetings by 2008-2009 Associated Students President John Paul Primeau and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Michael Young. As in previous years, faculty members will be invited to attend the event in academic regalia. Our New Student Convocation is a special opportunity to create a sense of community for our new students in the first days of the fall quarter. I encourage you to join me and the academic leadership of our campus in welcoming our incoming class.

Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang