Middle Tennessee State University’s fall semester get underway Saturday, Aug. 24, with the first day of classes.

The Tennessee Board of Regents sets the academic calendars for its two- and four-year colleges and universities and designates Aug. 24 as the first official day for the 2013-14 academic year.

MTSU freshman Emily Baldwin, left, looks over dorm check-in paperwork with her mother, Meliz, as students moved into university housing Friday in preparation for the fall 2013 semester. Classes begin Saturday, Aug. 24. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

For many students, however, the first day of class will be Monday, Aug. 26.

MTSU enrollment officials say they anticipate more than 25,000 students will be taking regular and online classes this fall.

Final fall enrollment totals will be submitted to the TBR sometime after Friday, Sept. 6, which is the 14-day census date for schools to report.

Traffic and congestion in and around the MTSU campus also will increase this week as new-semester activities resume, including:

• New faculty orientation, which starts at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, in the east lobby of the Business and Aerospace Building.
• The Military Science Department’s annual swearing-in ceremony for new cadets at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, on the front lawn of Forrest Hall, the building that houses the ROTC program.
• The New International Student Welcome Picnic, hosted by the Office of International Affairs, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, in Pavilion One at Old Fort Park just off Old Fort Parkway. For more information, contact the Office of International Affairs at 615-898-2116 or email international@mtsu.edu.
• Students moving into campus housing beginning Friday, Aug. 23. We-Haul, the first of a number of Week of Welcome activities that run through Thursday, Sept. 5, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Friday and on Saturday, Aug. 24.
• The annual Fall Faculty Meeting, which begins at 10 a.m. Friday in Tucker Theatre inside the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Auditorium. President Sidney A. McPhee will deliver his annual address, and MTSU Foundation President Bill Mooningham will present the 2012-13 Foundation Awards, including the Career Achievement Award for faculty.
• University Convocation, which will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, in Hale Arena inside Murphy Center for the university’s entering freshman class. Guest speaker will be R. Dwayne Betts, author of “A Question of Freedom — A Memoir of Learning, Survival and Coming of Age in Prison,” which was MTSU’s Community Summer Reading Program 2013 selection and is required reading for freshmen. The campus community and the public are welcome to Convocation.
• The President’s Picnic, which will follow Convocation and will be held in Walnut Grove between Peck Hall and the Cope Administration Building.
• Comedian Chris Hardwick , who will perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, in Hale Arena in Murphy Center as part of the annual Week of Welcome events.

For more on Week of Welcome activities, visit www.mtsu.edu/nsfp/welcome_nsfp.php or click on the poster with this year’s events below.

Using their IDs, students can attend the Blue Raiders’ football season opener against Western Carolina at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, in Floyd Stadium. Visit goblueraiders.com to see the rest of the 2013 football schedule as well as fall 2013 schedules for other athletic teams.

For a complete calendar of campus events throughout the year, visit and bookmark the searchable University Master Calendar here.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Click on this poster for a printable version.