Campus Life

After a year of restricted and virtual events, Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance is thrilled to unveil its new outdoor stage for “OU Outside the Box,” a performing arts festival running April 5 – June 27, 2021. The festival will feature performances by SMTD students, artists-in-residence and faculty in a safe, outdoor setting on the OU campus.

For a second straight election cycle, Oakland University has been designated a “Voter Friendly Campus” by the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project (CVP) and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The designation is valid through December 2022. 

Every spring Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance recognizes distinguished students and community members with MaTilDa Awards, which are named to honor Matilda Dodge Wilson, who donated the land on which Oakland University is built.

A majority of classes will be taught in person in sanitized classrooms, preventive health measures will be required, vaccinations will be encouraged, and student life will resemble a pre-pandemic atmosphere on campus, according to Oakland University’s plan to repopulate campus this fall.

Everything started with Matilda Dodge Wilson. She was a self-made, modern woman of the 20th century who lived an all-American success story.

Oakland University’s Pride Month, which celebrates OU’s diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity, is going virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon recommendation by the Office of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Britt Rios-Ellis, and with support of President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, the Oakland University Board of Trustees unanimously approved a request to appoint David Garfinkle, Ph.D.; Zissimos Mourelatos, Ph.D.; and Barbara Oakley, Ph.D. to the rank of Distinguished Professor at the formal February meeting. The appointment is effective August 15, 2021.

Oakland University’s Varner Hall will be undergoing some long-awaited and much-needed renovations over the next few years as part of a $45 million improvement project authorized by the Board of Trustees.

Oakland University is the third-safest college campus in the nation, according to a recent study by CollegeMagazine.com. The rankings are based on several factors, such as on-campus violent crime reported, on-campus housing availability, campus safety resources and total disciplinary incidents.

Oakland University’s Linguistics Department recently launched a new inter-departmental, campus-wide initiative to promote an agenda of celebrating linguistic diversity and advancing linguistic justice at OU and its affiliated communities.

In response to the state’s recent reallocation of $30 million in Michigan Capital Outlay funds toward the planned renovation and expansion of South Foundation Hall, the university will close the building and establish an associated construction perimeter on Monday, February 1.

Embarking on a campus-wide sustainability plan, building traditions to strengthen the OU brand, and establishing a higher standard for administrative effectiveness are among the breakthrough proposals of “Reimagining OU: Learning. Leading. Empowering.” (ROU).

Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance will present Inspire the Choir — a free virtual workshop featuring Eric Whitacre and Stacey Gibbs — from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 on Zoom.

The Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES) will host “Comorbidity & Autism – When ASD isn’t the only diagnosis of concern” — a free webinar for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), parents and caregivers, professionals, and anyone interested in learning how to support and keep people with ASD safe — at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11.

If you’ve been thinking about applying to Oakland University this year, Undergraduate Admissions Director Shane Lewis wants you to know that there’s still time to submit your application for the fall semester.

Dr. Alta Marie Boover, an assistant professor of voice at Oakland University, will present a virtual performance of Bon Appétit — a one-woman operatic scene by Lee Hoiby based on Episode No. 228 of Julia Child’s PBS television show “The French Chef” — at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16 on Zoom.

Give the gift of music this holiday season with Oakland University Community Music virtual lessons, which are currently being offered at a discounted rate.

Across the country and around the world, communities grapple with the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The same is true on OU’s campus. Every member of the OU community has seen their lives disrupted through either online classes, remote work, new demands for taking care of family members, or economic repercussions of the pandemic that reverberate throughout the entire region.

Professor Zexin (Marsha) Ma, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Communication, Journalism and Public Relations, challenged her External Public Relations (PR3510) students this semester to take on two real-world projects.

A 10-concert series celebrating the music, humanity and legacy of Ludwig van Beethoven through his 32 piano sonatas will conclude with a series of virtual performances on Dec. 15, 16 and 17.

To help protect campus from a COVID-19 outbreak, Oakland University is offering students, faculty and staff an advanced technology device called the BioButton, created by BioIntelliSense Inc. These wearable devices are now available to students, faculty and staff free of charge.

Oakland University percussion students, faculty, and alumni participated in the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), which took place Nov. 13-14.

FALL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:Our fall performance season kicked off with Mark Stone’s annual Peace Day concert on Sept. 20. The event happened live in the Varner Hall Courtyard and was livestreamed on the SMTD Facebook page. Professor Stone was interviewed by Civic Center TV, during which he discussed the return to campus and the Peace Day concert.

The Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES) and the Oakland University Department of Theatre will present a virtual, staged reading of The Marriage Spectrum at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 on YouTube.

Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., delivered the 2020 State of the University Address virtually on Thursday, Oct. 29 from Meadow Brook Theatre on the OU campus.

Throughout the fall semester, Oakland University’s Department of Theatre will present New Voices Rise Up!, a virtual play reading series featuring local artists, students, and award-winning playwrights.

Oakland University’s Healthology Symposium is going virtual this year and will focus on the creative solutions developed across different health sectors in response to the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oakland University students, faculty and staff can now pre-order food and beverages on campus using Boost, a convenient and contactless mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.

Nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) might question the possibility of completing their Bachelor’s Degree because of family obligations, hectic work schedules, and money being tight. Thanks to Oakland University’s new affordable, seamless pathway model for BSN degree completion, this opportunity has become a reality for many.

Oakland University’s PI Academy, which trains early-career faculty in the key aspects of becoming a nationally recognized researcher and scholar and then pairs them with prestigious scholars from across the nation, is going virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meaghan Barry, partner and creative director and Unsold Studio and associate professor of graphic design at Oakland University, has been selected as a Crain’s Detroit Business’ 2020 Notable Woman in Design.

At the request of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oakland University is supporting a new statewide public education campaign called “Spread Hope, Not COVID.” The goal of the campaign is to unite all Michiganders to take three simple actions that will contain the spread of the virus at levels that will enable the state to fully reopen — and stay open.

Annie Fuelle, an alumna of Oakland University’s Honors College, has been selected as the recipient of the inaugural Honors College Humanitarian Award, which was established to recognize students who have demonstrated “sustained humanitarian involvement” during their time at OU.

Now through Nov. 22, 2020, the Oakland University Art Gallery will present “Moving Forward,” an exhibition featuring the work of the full-time faculty of the Department of Art & Art History at OU.

Celebrate the International Day of Peace at Oakland University with Mark Stone, associate professor of world music and percussion, as he shares a program of globally-inspired percussion pieces beginning at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20.

The Graham Health Center is again leading the campus effort in providing influenza vaccines to the Oakland University community in hopes for a healthier, happier upcoming flu season.

Update: Due to inclement weather, all outdoor Welcome Week events are cancelled for Tuesday, Sept. 8.Oakland University will welcome new and returning students with a variety of on-campus and virtual events during Welcome Week from September 2-12. 

Oakland University's Department of Theatre hosted “A Candlelight Vigil to Honor the Lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Countless Others” on June 7 at The Elliott Tower at Oakland University. About 100 people attended the vigil, which was featured in an article in The Detroit News. “The diversity of our department is our greatest strength,” said professor Anthony Guest, chair of the Department of Theatre. “Something like this (event) is important. We are storytellers, and if we are not telling stories that represent all of humanity, then we are not doing our job.”

When the lights went dark in theatres across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland University Assistant Professor and Tony Award nominee Josh Young reached out to some of Broadway’s top talent and helped them connect virtually with OU’s musical theatre students as part of an innovative Summer Masterclass Series.

Oakland University’s First Year Advising Center, in collaboration with OU’s College and Schools, is hosting Campus Kickoff events to welcome new students to campus. Since the Summer 2020 orientation programs were all virtual, the Campus Kickoffs were created to provide students an in-person experience on campus before classes begin. 

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Oakland University faculty and staff are working to ensure that students have access to the classes and services they need, in an environment that protects health and safety. For the Fall 2020 semester, Oakland will offer a range of learning options, including in-person, online and hybrid classes. 

At its formal meeting on August 3, the Oakland University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Tonya Allen as chair and Robert (Bobby) Schostak as vice chair of the Board.

Following a successful national search, Brandy A. Randall, Ph.D., has been appointed to serve as dean of the Graduate School at Oakland University. Her position with OU will become effective on August 1, 2020.

Oakland University will celebrate its spring 2020 graduates during drive-in commencement ceremonies on August 28 and 29. The events will combine traditional elements of commencement with adaptations to protect the health and safety of attendees. 

Oakland University’s Six Fridays at 6 Summer Carillon Concert Series, which features carillonneurs from around the world, will celebrate its fifth anniversary this year with a series of outdoor concerts starting on Friday, July 10.

The Oakland Center is continuing a phased approach to reopening, and the latest news is that Subway in the food court will be opening on Monday, July 6 for lunch service. Over the course of July and August, Chartwells will be preparing to reopen more retail locations in the OC, with most locations open by the start of classes.