EUGENE, Ore. -- (Sept. 24, 2013) -- At the University of Oregon, convocation marks the start of the academic year and welcomes students to the university. The 2013 convocation will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at Matthew Knight Arena.

Convocation traditions go back several centuries and vary from university to university. In the 16th century, Oxford University used the term to describe an assembly of master's graduates, welcoming them to the order of scholars.

This year will mark both the introduction of the UO class of 2017 as well as a welcome to new university faculty. UO President Michael Gottfredson, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Scott Coltrane, and Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) President Sam Dotters-Katz will speak at the event.

The UO convocation includes many aspects associated with commencement exercises, including faculty wearing their academic regalia, banners to identify the academic schools and colleges, and music associated with the university such as the Oregon pledge song and the "Mighty Oregon" fight song.

About the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities. http://www.uoregon.edu/

CONTACT: Julie Brown, UO communication, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

LINK: http://oem.uoregon.edu/convocation

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