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BU provides weekend activities for families

Among the many events scheduled for the weekend are tours of the Anderson Center, the Nature Preserve, the Academic A building and Computing Services
Shefiu Azeez - Staff Writer

Parents and students will get to spend some quality time together this weekend during Family Weekend 2001.

The event will feature a mix of educational workshops and social programs on the Binghamton University campus. Among the many events scheduled for the weekend are tours of the Anderson Center, the Nature Preserve, the Academic A building and Computing Services.

Visiting parents can also get a taste of student life by having a meal in the dining halls during their stay or sample area restaurants.

After stuffing themselves, parents can make use of the school’s athletic facilities. Not only will they be able to use them, but they can watch Binghamton’s sports teams engage in some action on the field. In particular, men’s and women’s cross country teams, men’s soccer team and the swim team will compete against rival schools.

Other big events include the multicultural dinner in the University Union Mandela Room on Saturday night, which will feature food and performances from a number of groups that are hosting the event, and an a capella concert featuring a number of on-campus groups in the Anderson Center Concert Theater.

Geoffrey Gould, director of parent relations for alumni relations, said that events would keep students and parents occupied, and provide some entertainment..

“These events would make things easy for student and their parents when they visit,” he said.

Gould said family weekend was scheduled for this weekend because, “It is the middle of the semester before midterms. Student and their parents haven’t seen each other quite recently and especially for freshmen, it would be a good time to see their parents.”

Binh Tu, a freshman computer science major, doesn’t want his parents to come for safety reasons.

“I would love for my parents to come, but unfortunately they won’t take the trip because of the incident that occurred on the Greyhound bus several weeks ago. Their safety is in question. and I don’t want them getting hurt,” Tu said.

At least one student, whose parents are coming, is happy about the weekend.

“My parents are coming because they love and cherish me,” said sophomore computer engineering major Marc Brooks. “They want to see the school and the students. They will be here on Saturday and Sunday, and will probably be (staying) in the Holiday Inn.”