SAE Baja races, STEM groundbreaking and commencement ceremonies planned

With a number of high-profile events planned for this weekend, it promises to be a busy one at the university — and employee preparedness can also make it a positive experience for all campus visitors.

Among the events that will be attracting students and their families, dignitaries and other visitors to campus are the Baja SAE 2008 competition, groundbreaking for the construction of a new STEM Center building and spring commencement ceremonies.

"It's important for all of us to work together to help make the campus visit as pleasant and enjoyable as possible for our visitors," says Debbie Combs, coordinator of special projects for the President's Office.

"That means being welcoming to everyone, pointing visitors in proper directions, answering their questions, offering other assistance as needed and anything else to show the caring campus attitude for which we want to be characterized," she says.

Because of such a high volume of visitors expected on campus, employees are asked to especially be considerate of traffic and parking issues.

"Employees should be aware that they may not be able to park as near to their destinations as they normally can, but for commencement ceremonies, shuttle service will be available from the outer perimeter parking areas to the Willow Avenue entrance of the Eblen Center," Combs says.

Shuttle service will also be available to and from the course of the Baja SAE competition.

Another event that could potentially increase traffic congestion in this area of town and impact weekend campus and community parking availability is the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce's 9th annual Railroad Rendezvous Springfest, set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, on the Cookeville Depot grounds.

The weekend forecast also calls for periods of rain, Combs points out, which means preparing for an additional element of caution — not just in navigating campus traffic, but also in assisting pedestrians through the inclement conditions.

"Commencement ceremony preparations call for putting mats down on the floor around the entrances of the Hooper Eblen Center to absorb the rainwater that comes in on people's feet, umbrellas and coats, but the areas of floor not covered by mats can still be slick if someone steps on them in wet dress shoes," she says.

Therefore, employees attending the commencement ceremony or other campus events could prevent visitors from having falls and other mishaps by being aware and offering assistance to anyone whose mobility could be impaired because of the inclement weather conditions.

Providing information to visitors unaccustomed to the campus layout is also important, so highlights from each of the weekend events are provided below:

Baja SAE 2008

Nearly 100 teams from the United States, Canada, South Korea, Columbia, India, France, Venezuela and Mexico — about 1,000 people total — are signed up to compete in the event, which began yesterday and continues through Saturday.

The pond, jumps, trenches and other obstacles for the course are located between Ninth and 12th streets, between the intramural fields and Pine Avenue.

Ray Morris Hall/Millard Oakley Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Groundbreaking

Congressmen Bart Gordon, Lincoln Davis and other dignitaries are expected on campus for the groundbreaking ceremony of Ray Morris Hall, future home of the Millard Oakley Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Groundbreaking, at 3 p.m. today, and the public is also invited to attend.

Located at Seventh Street and Stadium Drive, about where the old School of Nursing building was located before its demolition a few years ago, the center will grow, improve and launch efforts to enhance the way teachers and professors — from preschool through college — teach science, technology, engineering and math-related subjects.

Commencement

This year's spring commencement, set for 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Hooper Eblen Center, is the largest in our history, with nearly 1,200 students earning their degrees.