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Here come the grads.

That’s right, with the University’s switch from quarters to semesters in 2001, spring semester runs from mid-January to early May. (The U holds a “May Term” short session before summer rather than the “J-Term” in January that some other schools prefer.)

Commencement is just around the corner, and more students than ever seem interested in participating. Institute of Technology communications director Rhonda Zurn reports that 637 students have signed up to participate in their May 9 graduation ceremony, up from about 550 the last several years. And those IT grads will hear a commencement speech from Eric Jolly, director of the Science Museum of Minnesota. Other commencements and notable speakers include:

College of Veterinary Medicine, May 3, primate researcher Jane Goodall

School of Nursing, May 15, Courage Center CEO Jan Malcolm

School of Dentistry, May 16, Gen. John William Vessey,

Dorothea Lau's Workers, from the upcoming Wiesman Art Museum exhibition.

Jr., former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

Law School, May 17, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, (B.A. ’83, J.D. ’86)

College of Liberal Arts, May 18, PBS News Hour commentator Ray Suarez

Carlson School of Management, May 19, CBS News political correspondent Jeff Greenfield

For all commencement dates, click here.

Thanks to the Weisman Art Museum’s Christopher James for pointing us to a cool art-music collaboration: ArtSounds. The annual contest encourages U students to create musical compositions in reaction to pieces in the Weisman’s collection. Those pieces are then available on iPods rented at the Weisman front desk.  Read Pauline Oo’s very interesting story about the project, which explains the concept and why it is so powerful for visitors and student composers. Currently online are verbal rections

The last solar vehicle, Borealis 3, and its team. The latest vehicle is to be unveield May 8 at the McNamara Alumni Center.

from students to pieces in special exhibitions, like the recent Paul Shmbroom: Picturing Power. Click here to llisten to students thoughts on the work.

Since you have to go to the Weisman in person, why not wait a few days and see the upcoming exhibit, By the People, for the People:
New Deal Art at the Weisman, which opens May 8.

The university's new Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center in North Minneapolis will rely on Alumni Association Vice President Archie Givens to lead renovations of the former shopping center into a collaborative center. Click here for the news release.

Although things have been quite so far, the new generation of the U’s “Solar Car” is expected to be unveiled Thursday, May 8 outside the McNamara Alumni Center. After several cycles of tinkering, new rules in the North American Solar Challenge designed to make vehicles more like real cars (for example, the driver must now sit up) ensure

LRT along the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis. A new line is proposed to cut through the U's Minneapolis campus, but the exact route is at issue. Photograph courtesy of Metro Transit.

that this year’s vehicle will have a very different look from the sleek and low slung Borealis series cars. Students are rushing to meet the deadline to unveil the car, which is perhaps why the Solar Vehicle Project's Web site is still under construction.

When Gov. Tim Pawlenty lined out Central Corridor light rail transit funding in the state bonding bill, it was widely seen as a political bargaining move. But no one quite anticipated just how hot the debate over the line would become. The Metropolitan Council has recommended a route that takes trains down Washington Avenue, turning that street into a pedestrian- and transit-only mall.

But worried about traffic tie-ups, hospital access, and the huge cost of rerouting ttraffic, the University is proposing that the route go north of TCF Bank Stadium and through an existing rail bed, crossing the Mississippi at Bridge 9, a former railroad bridge now converted for bike and pedestrian traffic.

Complicating the whole thing is the fact that matching federal funds are on the line if a complete proposal is not submitted soon.

For more background from the U of M, click here.

For

The beautiful Les Bolstad U of M Golf Course offers significant discounts to Alumni Association members.

the Met Council background, click here.

In sports, the men's golf team finished second at the Big Ten Golf Tournament and heads to the NCAA regional May 15-17 looking to qualify for the NCAA finals for the eighth time since 1998, far and away the most appearances by a northern school.

On a lighter note, the College of Continuing Education released its annual U Reads list for summer last week. The 2008 list includes a little bit of everything: fiction, poetry, biography, history, political analysis and even Watchmen, a groundbreaking comic book series. (Editor’s note: if you are into that sort of thing, Watchmen is awesome.) To see the recommendations and comments by the high-profile academics, students and administrators who made them, click here.

Speaking of Summer, here are two U News videos on how to treat your lawn: Lawn Care tips video

And, the Alumni Association has a package of benefits—indoor and outdoor,

The 2007-08 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients. Photograph by Patrick O'Leary

active and arty—especially for summer. Click here for the benefits of summer

Sixteen of the University of Minnesota's greatest teaching professors were honored at the Distinguished Teaching Awards ceremony and reception April 28 in the McNamara Alumni Center. Click here for biographies and photos and video from the ceremony.

The Alumni Association also helped honor great student leaders. Click here for more.

Finally, watch for the May-June issue of Minnesota magazine to arrive at members' homes next week: read about a National Geographic photographer who focuses on children, how diet soda might make people gain weight, a historical account of the state giving the U a second chance, a two-sport star athlete, a first-person essay, campus news, sports, books, arts and events, alumni news and more.