With the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning in the forecast for Saturday, Aug. 20, first-year and transfer students and their families should pay special attention to the details of the New Student Convocation rain plan. Read this note for essential details you will need to know.
UPDATE – The clearing of the forecast for Saturday, Aug. 20, means that New Student Convocation will be held outdoors Under the Oaks as scheduled. Other events scheduled on Saturday will proceed as planned.
Elon University will make every attempt to hold New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 20, outside Under the Oaks. However, rain with the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning is currently in the forecast for Saturday and could affect those plans. Please monitor Today at Elon, official Elon social media, and your email for adjustments to schedules on Saturday due to weather.
If rain makes it impossible to hold New Student Convocation outdoors, here is what you need to know:
The decision about whether to implement the rain plan will be announced at 6 a.m. on Saturday.
If the rain plan is implemented, it will be announced by email, on Today at Elon, via social media and on a pre-recorded message at 336-278-RAIN (7246). Since the weather is unpredictable, a decision cannot likely be made before Saturday morning. Remember to stay tuned to one of the information sources listed above.
Under the rain plan, New Student Convocation will be held in Schar Center and will be a ticketed event.
Doors at the Schar Center will open at 8:15 a.m. for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Each student will receive two tickets for New Student Convocation for family members. Those tickets will be included in the check-in packets students will receive on Friday during Move-In Day.
Limited parking will be available at Schar Center. Parking is available in other campus lots, with shuttles running to Schar Center.
Parking will be available at Schar Center, but the use of the Schar Center parking lot for Move-In Day on Friday means portions will be blocked off. Accessible parking will be available by Schar Center in Hunt Lot A. Visitors are welcome to park in other campus parking lots, and shuttles will be running from the Colonnades parking lot to Schar Center.
Alumni Gym will host additional guests as an overflow location.
Additional family members wishing to view New Student Convocation on campus can head to Alumni Gym. Doors will open at Alumni Gym at 8:15 a.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed to screens in Alumni Gym.
If the rain plan is implemented, the ceremony will be livestreamed at www.elon.edu/live.
Those wishing to view the ceremony from other remote locations can visit www.elon.edu/live. The ceremony will include a special musical performance which will not be broadcast due to copyright restrictions. The livestream will only be available if the event is held at the Schar Center due to rain.
The weather could also impact other events scheduled for Saturday after the conclusion of New Student Convocation.
If the rain plan is implemented, here is what you need to know about other event changes:
Students will meet with their Orientation Leaders in the meeting rooms listed on their name tags.
After the conclusion of New Student Convocation, students should exit Schar Center and go directly to the meeting room listed on their nametags to meet with their orientation leaders. These sessions will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by an 11:30 a.m. session with Elon 1010 instructors, as originally scheduled.
There will be one joint Family Advising Information session to be held in Schar Center.
In the rain plan, the family meeting with Elon 1010 instructors will not occur. Family members should remain in Schar Center following the ceremony for a joint advising session rather than going to the campus location they had previously been assigned. This session will begin at 10:30 a.m.
The Parents/Family College Coffee will be held in Schar Center.
Family members will move to the Schar Center concourse following the advising session for a special College Coffee gathering.
The Family Send-off Picnic will be moved indoors.
Those students and family members with tickets to the picnic can head to McEwen Dining Hall, Lakeside Dining Hall and Clohan Dining Hall for their meals. Additional indoor seating will be available in Koury Athletic Center, Alumni Gym, Moseley Center and other campus buildings will be open. Covered outdoor seating will also be available at Phi Beta Kappa Commons and the Koury Athletic Center’s West Lawn.