You don't need a psychic to see that fall will be a ball at the UO

It’s been quite quiet on campus lately. Too quiet.

But that’s all about to change with the start of fall term and a jampacked calendar full of fun, educational and historic events.

This is a sampling of what’s coming up, but it’s by no means comprehensive. Bookmark and regularly check out the UO events calendar to keep tabs on everything that’s scheduled and and things yet to be scheduled this term.

And to see what you may have missed over the summer, check out this wrap-up of goings-on from the past few months.

The academic year officially gets underway Sept. 28 with convocation, the university’s traditional welcome back to campus for new students and faculty members. Gather at Matt Knight Arena at 11 a.m. to get inspired for the new year.

The welcome back continues that day with the Flock Party — the Duck version of a block party — at the Erb Memorial Union. Get free stuff, find a group to join and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Transfer students are also invited to a gathering tailored specifically for them Sept. 29. On Oct. 3, a Flock to the Block Party for Portland students and faculty lands at the White Stag Block.

Later in the fall, a reception for first-generation students takes place Nov. 8 in the EMU’s Crater Lake Room. The gathering runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features a welcome from President Michael H. Schill, a panel of first-generation students and staff, networking opportunities, and lunch. The reception is open to all.

The campus community honors Latinx Heritage Month now through early November. One of the highlights is an Oct. 21 talk by Helena Maria Viramontes, author of the UO's 2019-20 Common Reading book selection “Under the Feet of Jesus,” who will speak about her work as an author and activist.

As part of Common Reading, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art will host “Resistance as Power: A Curatorial Response to Under the Feet of Jesus,” its fourth Common Seeing exhibition, which runs through Feb. 23.

A number of campus events are planned and still in the works to commemorate LGBT History Month in October and Native American History Month in November.

In commemoration of Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 14, Daryl Baldwin, director of the Myaamia Center at Miami University and of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, will give a talk on the strengthening relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University

The Oregon Humanities Center will host the 2019 Western Humanities Alliance conference on Nov. 8 and 9 with the theme of “Engaged Humanities: Partnerships between Academia and Tribal Communities.” The free conference will be held in the Ford Alumni Center.

The university will celebrate the opening of the Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center with a ceremony Oct. 12. The new center, named after alumna, longtime student advisor and activist Reynolds-Parker, will be open to the entire campus community as well as provide resources and a gathering place for African American students.

Following the ceremony, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History will host the grand opening of Racing to Change: Oregon's Civil Rights Years — The Eugene Story, which chronicles the civil rights movement in Eugene during the 1960s and 1970s.

Fall will also see the opening of Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall, which will be home to the new, integrated academic advising and career planning center, and the completed renovation of labs in Pacific Hall.

Looking ahead, next spring campus will celebrate the openings of the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact and Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.

The next Wings: UO Presidential Speaker Series will be Oct. 16 in Portland and will feature topics ranging from basketball to international law to geology and more. The speakers include UO women’s basketball coach Kelly Graves; professor of law Michelle McKinley; geologist Josh Roering; UO alum Matt Thomas, CEO of Townshend’s Tea Company, Townshend’s Distillery and Brew Dr. Kombucha; along with music by the JazzArts UO student ensemble.

Dr. Brian Druker, director of the Knight Cancer Institute, will give the 2019 Knight Campus Distinguished Lecture, the campus’ most high-profile talk, Oct. 7. Titled “Imatinib as a Paradigm of Targeted Cancer Therapies,” the talk takes place in the EMU’s Crater Lake Room.

Students can get a jump on post-university plans at the Fall Career Fair on Nov. 14 in the EMU. Or, for Ducks looking for a gig requiring a smaller time commitment, check out the Hire-a-Duck Part-Time Job Fair on Oct. 8.

The university is holding its first-ever Student Well-Being Fair on Oct. 23 at the EMU. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about available resources that are both on and off campus.

And don’t forget about the always tasty ASUO Street Faire, which runs Oct. 16-18 in the heart of campus.

Learn more about taking education off campus with the GEO Study Abroad Fair on Nov. 19. Find out what requirements need to be met and all the options available at this event at the EMU.

Show some Duck pride during Homecoming Spirit Week, which kicks off Oct. 21 and culminates with Saturday’s football game against Washington State University. A full slate of events, including the homecoming parade and Run with the Duck, are scheduled from Oct. 25-27.

Homecoming also includes Fall Family Weekend, which gets underway Oct. 25 and provides a great time for parents and families to reconnect with students who can share this new chapter in their lives.

The popular Quack Chats series — free pub talks where top researchers discuss their work in a relaxed setting — resumes Sept. 25 after its summer hiatus and continues in October. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History's monthly pub talk, Ideas on Tap, picks up Oct. 2. Other popular series include the Oregon Humanities Center’s Wine Chat, starting Oct. 10, and if history is your thing, catch History Pub, which returns Oct. 14.

Head over to gorgeous and historic Beall Concert Hall on Dec. 7 to catch a performance by the UO Chamber Choir and University Singers, and come back Dec. 8 for a concert by the UO’s gospel choirs. The Campus Band, which is open to all students, will play its fall show Nov. 20.

The University Theatre is finalizing its full lineup, but has announced a few selections for the coming year.        

Fall also presents numerous opportunities to catch student-athletes in action.

The football team has five home games in October and November, including the Civil War game Nov. 30.

The cross-country teams make their only local appearance Sept. 28 in the Bill Dellinger Invitational, held at the Pine Ridge Golf Club in Springfield.

Catch the soccer team on Oct. 10 against Cal, the first of a three-game home stand against Pac-12 foes.

The volleyball team returns home from an extended road trip Sept. 29 against Utah.

The men’s tennis team makes its lone local appearance Nov. 2-4 in the Duck Invitational.

The women’s basketball team looks to build on last year’s thrilling run to the Final Four when the Ducks open their campaign against Northeastern University on Nov. 11.

The men’s basketball team also aims to build on last season’s Sweet Sixteen showing as they square off against one another in the Green and Yellow Scrimmage on Oct. 30.