The Collis Student Center will kick off its grand opening weekend Friday afternoon with a formal building dedication, to be followed by student performances, open houses and entertainment.
The Collis Center reopened January 3 after undergoing a year of renovations made possible by a $5.5 million donation from Charles Collis '37 and his wife Ellen.
The formal building dedication will be held at 2 p.m. today and will be hosted by Dean of the College Lee Pelton. The Dartmouth Intertribal Singers will perform, followed by speeches by Student Assembly President Nicole Artzer '94, Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Rosenwald, President James Freedman and the Collises. The ceremony will conclude with the unveiling of the building plaque.
"We chose the Intertribal Singers to perform because we thought it would be nice to show some of the various aspects of our community, since this is a whole community celebration," said Holly Sateia, dean of student life and director of the Collis Center.
"The audience will definitely remember our performance," Intertribal Singers Member Chris Newell '96 said.
Although the ceremony is scheduled two weeks after Collis opened, Sateia said this delay was necessary.
"We needed this week or two as a dry run to test the building. We wanted to get the glitches out before we had everyone in for a whole weekend of celebration," Sateia said.
"The grand opening of the first Collis Center in 1987 was so early that they were putting down the carpeting the morning of the ceremony. We wanted to avoid that," she explained.
Following the dedication, Barbary Coast, the Glee Club and the Rockapellas will perform.
Academic Skills, Career Services, Student Activities and other offices housed in Collis will have an open house Friday afternoon from three to five.
"Students are welcome to come in and check out our new facilities and see what we have to offer," said Sarah Spiegel, administrative secretary for the Academic Skills Center.
Today's ceremonies will end with the Friday Night Dance Club, to be held from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Grand opening festivities resume Saturday at 11 a.m. with a billiards tournament. Students can register today and immediately before the tournament begins on Saturday. It is a single-elimination competition and there is no entrance fee.
At 4 p.m., the World Affairs Council will host a discussion on "The Future of Bosnia-Herzegovina."
Instead, Sanir and Mahira Tanovic of Bosnia will speak about the war situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina from a first-hand perspective.
Entertainment on Saturday will include performances in Collis Cafe by the Dartmouth Aires at 2 p.m. and the Dodecaphonics at 3 p.m.
For Saturday night entertainment, Eleazar's Dungeon Comedy Club will be held at 9 p.m. and an alternative dance night featuring the band "Chucklehead" will begin at 11:30 p.m.
Sunday morning from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Collis Cafe will host an International Brunch. Cynthia Crutchfield, Manager of Collis Cafe, said the menu, which is not yet finalized, will feature foods from various ethnic backgrounds.
The Tucker Foundation, Students Fighting Hunger, Hillel and The Baha'i Club will hold a Global Dinner Sunday at 6 p.m., featuring various foods from developing nations.
"It should be quite an evenings experience. Were hoping to spark a discussion about world hunger, although this dinner is by no means a simulation," Volunteer Coordinator for the Tucker Foundation Randall Quan 92 said.
The Tucker Foundation is also sponsoring "Improvisational Theater" throughout the weekend.
"Basically, were just going to perform several short skits at random times, probably mealtimes," Quan said.
"The skits are aimed at making people think about the Tucker Foundation as part of the College community," he added.
The opening celebration will conclude Sunday evening with a showing of "The Princess Bride" at 8 p.m. and "When Harry Met Sally" at 10 p.m.
