"Bustle within the University, thunderstorms, bluebells and meadow larks without - these were the preliminaries to Commencement," remarked Jane Sewall, daughter of Joseph Sewall, CU's first president, on the first graduation preparations in June 1882.

Take Part in Commencement It's not too late to join the celebration. Come watch the magnificent processional of faculty and graduates at Norlin Quad at 8 a.m. Faculty interested in participating in the ceremony and in need of academic regalia can pick it up at Balch Fieldhouse on Wednesday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday, May 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Faculty and staff interested in participating as commencement marshals for the next ceremony should contact Jeanne McDonald, Commencement Coordinator, at Jeanne.McDonald@Colorado.Edu. For additional information, please refer to the commencement web site at www.colorado.edu/commencement.

It's hard to believe that another academic year is coming to a close, and we are now engaged in "the preliminaries to Commencement." We've come a long way since those early days. The first class consisted of six graduates receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In just a week and half from now, the Boulder campus will confer about 6,000 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and law degrees.

The May 7 commencement is a time of celebration for all of us. It's a time for reflection on recent campus accomplishments, and the successes of the students whom we've cared for during the past several years.

The University was established more than 126 years ago to educate young women and men to become intelligent, honorable and productive citizens. In other words, we are in the learning business. We discover and create new knowledge, analyze and integrate it, interpret and apply it, and distribute and disseminate it. To accomplish these goals, we engage in a synergy of research, teaching, learning, and outreach to the community,

As faculty and staff, this means being responsive to the communities we work with and serve. It means expanding the uses of technology in teaching and learning, and refining the university's human, capital, financial, and organizational infrastructure. It means asking at every juncture, "How do we enhance learning?" and "How do we help students prepare for the future?

Our faculty and staff have a remarkable track record for improving the quality of this university. As a leading institution of higher education with national and international renown, we can be proud of our accomplishments and we can celebrate them together.

As Dean Williams writes in the commencement e-memo announcement, faculty and staff participation in the ceremony represents to the students and their families the pride we share in their success, and our presence is an important acknowledgment of the significance of their achievements.

In addition to participating in departmental recognition ceremonies, I encourage you to attend the main event at Folsom Field. It's a very uplifting experience and a great reminder of why we work at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

I'm delighted to be a member of this wonderful community of such hard-working and dedicated faculty and staff. Thank you for your contributions to our students' success, and I hope to see you on May 7.