FRED LEBLANC A traditional academic ceremony, colorful apparel of many different sorts, and a celebratory picnic will be the highlights of Mount Holyoke's convocation, which marks the beginning of the 2001Ð2002 academic year.

From academic pomp and the singing of the alma mater to spicy black bean salad, pony rides, and hot dogs, convocation, the ceremonial beginning of the academic year, will offer something for everyone on Wednesday, September 5, at Gettell Amphitheater at 4 pm (in Mary Woolley Hall's Chapin Auditorium in case of rain). The entire Mount Holyoke community is invited to be a part of the event, and College offices will close at 4 pm so that MHC staff can attend. A community picnic—complete with a "bounce house" (for children only), a disc jockey, an MHC logo tattoo booth, and burgers—will take place on Skinner Green immediately following convocation.

During the ceremonies, President Joanne V. Creighton will welcome students, faculty, and staff and give her thoughts on the upcoming academic year. Other speakers include Andrea Ayvazian, dean of religious life; Yvonne Nicholson, senior administrative assistant in the English department and head of the Staff Council; Donal O'Shea, dean of the faculty; Nicole Townsend '02, chair of the Student Government Association; and Becky Wai-Ling Packard, assistant professor of psychology and education. Devaki Nambiar '02, chair of the Student Judicial Board, will lead entering students in the MHC honor code pledge, and Jordana Harper-Ewert '03 and Lauren Snead '02, cochairs of the Multifaith Council, will offer closing remarks. In addition, choral director Catherine Melhorn Hammond-Douglass Professor of Music, will lead the Mount Holyoke Glee Club in a performance of Celebremus, a piece composed by Ramona Luengen, with piano accompaniment by Mark Gionfriddo.

The first mention of the honor code appears in the Mount Holyoke Student Handbook of 1918 in relation to behavior during examinations, and the first extended statement of "honor" that resembles the current honor code appears in the handbook of 1931–32. The current pledge, which reads, "I will honor myself, my fellow students, and Mount Holyoke College by acting responsibly, honestly, and respectfully in both my words and deeds," was created in 1996 and reflects an emphasis on "honor in cocurricular as well as academic life," says Rochelle Calhoun, associate dean of the College.

Following convocation, the MHC community will dig into hamburgers, tempeh burgers, vegan and traditional hot dogs, a variety of salads, brownies, and fruit.