The Department of Convocations sponsors a wide variety of events including:

• chamber music groups
• individual virtuoso musicians
• various symphony orchestras and ballet troupes
• theatrical companies doing musical plays and revues
• individual performers as diverse as Rich Little and Marcel Marceau

Many of the events have ``big names,'' and most are worthwhile. However, boring convocations are not unknown.

Near the beginning of fall semester, slick brochures appear around campus describing the coming year's slate of convocations and the season ticket options available (these are usually cheaper; amounting to getting one or two of the tickets free when compared to the single ticket price). If you are buying season tickets, you must decide upon the series you want to buy (there are several and they sometimes change over time) or commit to a number of performances of your own choice. The brochures describing the coming events state which series contains which convocations. Also, several weeks before each event, ads appear in the Exponent (campus newspaper) stating when individual tickets will be sold.

With a student ID, you can buy Convocations tickets at the (lower) student rate. This also applies to season tickets. For further information, go to http://www.purdue.edu/convos or to the ticket office at the north end of the lobby in the Hall of Music or to the ticket windows in Stewart Center, located at the south end of the lobby with the mural.

SCC books popular musical groups as their tour schedules become known during the year. Copious, full-page advertising in the Exponent serves to notify the campus community of each concert as it is scheduled. For more information, contact the SCC at 49-62913 or visit them online at http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~scc.

For those of you who plan to be at Purdue in the summer, the Summer Theatre is highly recommended entertainment. Brochures are available at Loeb Playhouse box office.

Purdue Theatre offers a number of performances throughout the school year, both mainstage and studio plays. The brochures which list plays of the season are normally available by the ticket offices. You can obtain more information about the plays by phone 49-43933 (Loeb box office) or on the web www.cla.purdue.edu/theatre.

Purdue Repertory Dance Company performs Winter Works and Spring Works concerts at the end of fall and spring semesters, respectively. Tickets can also be purchased in the Loeb box office in Stewart Center (49-43939).

Information about other events may be found in Purdue Arts and Entertainment online calendar (available from the calendars web page http://calendar.purdue.edu). In addition, Purdue Student Union Board (PSUB) organizes student events on campus (sign up for the PSUB email events list at http://www.union.purdue.edu/PSUB/).

Purdue is part of the Big 10 conference and as such people around here go crazy for football and basketball. However, non-revenue sports events at Purdue are rather poorly attended. University fees include an activity fee which entitles students to reduced tickets for sporting events such as football, basketball, and volleyball.

With a student ID, you get reduced price season football tickets (for Fall 2005, the prices is $84 for all 6 home games). Single game tickets are also available, but in most cases they cannot be purchased at discounted price and run as high as over $40 per game. So unless you plan on attending just one game, you save by purchasing a season pass.

For ticket information or to place an order, call 49-43194 or 800-49-SPORT, stop by the Athletic Ticket Office (in the athletic facility between Mackey Arena and the stadium) between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday, or do it online at http://www.purduesports.com.

• Women's Basketball - As of fall 2005, student season pass is available for $42 (based on 14 games). Individual student tickets are $10 each.
• Women's Volleyball - Purdue has an excellent women's volleyball team. Students can buy a season ticket for fall 2005 for $33.00 (covers 14 games) or single tickets for $5.00 each.

The Purdue Student Union Board (PSUB) regularly schedules film series each semester. The movies are shown on Friday and Saturday evenings in Fowler Hall (which is part of the Stewart Center) for $3.00 with a Purdue Student ID (and it is $5.00 for general public). Show times are usually at 7:00 and 9:30 PM. For PSUB calendar of events, see http://www.union.purdue.edu/PSUB/.