What is the Opening Day Convocation?
On the first day of class, in the fall, we have an opening day convocation. These are held in the Abbey Church at St. John’s and in the Auditorium in the Benedicta Arts Center at St. Ben’s. Faculty are encouraged to attend and to wear their academic regalia (if you need a gown, check with the bookstore or around your department; there are generally some spare ones); it is a nice celebratory way to start the year. The speaker is generally the faculty member who earned that campus’ teaching award the previous spring. Because of the convocation, classes on the first day of class are shortened to 45-minutes and start times are altered. There will a be a schedule somewhere in your department or ask a colleague.
