Homecoming planned for entire community

On behalf of the WPI Alumni Office, I would like to make this response to Joe Frawley. WPI's Homecoming program is intended for the entire WPI community. There is a comprehensive Homecoming committee made up of representatives from the following groups - Graduates Of the Last Decade, Greek Alumni Council, Student Alumni Society, Student Government Association and Tech Old Timers. In addition, there is a Homecoming Chair appointed by the Alumni Association and an Alumni Office staff representative.

This committee worked together on the Homecoming schedule. Events included the Pep Rally on Friday (a student event) on the Quad, the Hall of Fame Dinner (student athletes were invited including the women's basketball team who attended), and a Pub Night at the Irish Times (students of age were admitted with an appropriate ID). In addition, Saturday began with a food drive sponsored by a student organization (the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity) as well as department open houses. The Frank Sannella Road race was open to students, staff, faculty and alumni. True, the Class Boards event is geared towards the alumni, but the crew team was at the many events at the Donahue Boathouse. Likewise, there was music on the Quad provided by the student group LnL as well as WWPI - the WPI student-run radio station, in addition to the children's events. Floats were created by student groups on campus and paraded around the Quad Saturday at noon. Finally there was the football game, Freshman/Sophomore rope pull and the Pops Concert performed by the WPI Concert and Stage bands.

As the advisor to the Student Alumni Society, Spirit Committee and Goat's Head Rivalry, I am disheartened by Mr. Frawley's comments. First in reference to the football game, it says a lot about the lack of school pride amongst the current student body if they are not attending the football games on campus. Similarly, the Alumni Office works with Student Activities and SocCom in promoting the Saturday night Homecoming show. We too were disappointed that the bid put out by SocCom was not approved. Unfortunately, an alternative could not be found. I'll concede that the Alumni Reception can be reorganized as a Post-Game Celebration for the entire campus community and we will be sure to reorganize this as such in the future.

Please note that Homecoming was the first Saturday of the term. Therefore, we did not have a Tech News published during the last week of A-term or the first week of B-term, thus hampering some of our communications efforts. Also, in consideration of student participation, Homecoming is not held during fall term break.

In conclusion, while the focus of the Alumni Office is on alumni, our goal is to promote community interaction - that of students, faculty and staff as well as our alumni. Of course many of the Homecoming activities are going to be focused on alumni as they return to their alma mater, but we would also like as many students as possible to join in the many events on campus. Homecoming is designed to be fun and entertaining as well as an experience where students and alumni can learn from one another about campus life past and present.

Homecoming 2001 is scheduled for September 21 and 22. We hope to see everyone there.