Rice Day to feature president’s town hall meeting, Centennial Celebration countdown, picnic and more

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

On Oct. 12, faculty and staff are invited to don their blue and gray — in recognition of Rice Day, the anniversary of the university’s formal dedication — and come to President David Leebron’s semi-annual town hall meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Stude Concert Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall.

Attendees can hear about the latest news and developments at the university, participate in a question-and-answer session. Faculty and staff who want to suggest discussion topics for the meeting can submit them online at http://staff.rice.edu/townhall/pre_event_survey.asp.

Refreshments will be served at 9 a.m. in the foyer of Alice Pratt Brown Hall, and a Centennial Story Project booth will be set up, where attendees can record a one- to three-minute video of their personal Rice-related story or anecdote. The university is collecting thousands of private stories and memories from generations of staff, faculty, alumni and students to build a permanent digital archive.

From noon to 8 p.m. members of the Rice community can help build walls for the Centennial House Project at Rice Habitat for Humanity’s “Centennial House Wall Build” in the Central Quad. As part of Rice’s ongoing Centennial Celebration throughout the 2011-12 school year, Rice Habitat for Humanity, in conjunction with Houston Habitat and other student and alumni organizations, will work to build a commemorative Centennial House in honor of Rice University’s 100th anniversary.

Rice Day will be capped with the 2011 All-School Picnic from 5 to 7 p.m. in Founder’s Court near Lovett Hall.  Faculty and staff can purchase tickets for $7 each in the Housing and Dining Office through 3 p.m. Oct. 6. Families are welcome.

Members of the Rice community are also invited to wear their centennial gear and pose for Rice’s official “My Houston Is Here” group photo, in honor of Houston’s 175th anniversary. The photo will be taken in front of Lovett Hall at the picnic.