Faculty talk 9 a.m. commencement, website

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The 2012 graduating class will be setting their alarm clocks a lot earlier this year than they expected.

Traditionally at 1 p.m., this year's graduation is currently planned for 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 20.

Christopher Wells, vice president of communication and strategic development, described the reasoning behind the timing of commencement, stating that safety from harsh weather and access to the event for as many family members as possible are the priorities for scheduling.

In the event that the graduation needed to be moved indoors, the university doesn't have adequate space to accommodate the number of guests students might invite.

The university is considering a compromise time of 10:30 a.m. so guests may have time to attend religious services and drive to campus before the start of commencement.

The faculty also received a preview of what is soon to be the university's new website.

The project to revamp the site to attract prospective students began last February. The new website is slated to launch at the end of finals on Dec. 16. E-Services and Moodle will not be affected by the launch.

"The primary audience is smart 17 year olds," said President Brian Casey as he addressed the faculty Monday afternoon. "We're working really hard to get you good students."

According to Jon Coffin, director of strategic communications, the primary reason for changing the site was to make sure that there was a universal navigation system. With the new site, every page will have a universal header and footer.

Other features are a photo display, a new virtual tour and a feed to show tweets relevant to DePauw.

The university has also developed a new view book to send to prospective students, which presents a broader view of academic life.

Near the end of the meeting, Casey gave an update on campus climate conversations being held at fraternities. Sigma Chi fraternity and Beta Theta Pi fraternity have already hosted dinners at their houses. Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Phi Gamma Delta fraternity have volunteered to host discussions next.