President John M. Dunn will preside over three commencement ceremonies Saturday, April 27, in University Arena. A total of 2,727 degrees will be conferred during ceremonies set to start at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held for "Wicked," coming to Miller Auditorium Wednesday, April 24, through Sunday, May 5.

Trustees approved a three-year contract with employees who are members of the Michigan State Employees Association. The contract affects 15 employees who work at the University power plant.

Trustees have approved a $5 per-semester increase in the Student Assessment Fee to support student media. The increase was student-initiated and was the subject of a campuswide vote earlier in the spring.

The WMU Board of Trustees adopted a formal policy outlining the responsibilities of campus employees who are part of programs and activities involving minors. A new Web page has been created to support the new policy.

Acting at its April 18 meeting, WMU's Board of Trustees approved a 3.25 percent increase in campus room-and-board rates for the 2013-14 academic year.

By voice vote at its April 18 meeting, WMU's Board of Trustees approved a resolution authorizing the development of an agreement for the University to affiliate with Cooley Law School.

Works from sculptors Sarah Lindley and Norwood Viviano are on exhibit through June 28 in the Monroe-Brown Gallery at the Richmond Center for Visual Arts.

Two WMU music students took top honors and three others were finalists at the Opera Grand Rapids 2013 Collegiate Vocal Competition earlier this month, competing against students from several other institutions.

Eaton has provided $8,000 to WMU in support of three student engineering teams that will design and develop vehicles to compete against other collegiate teams this year in solar, baja and formula-style races.

The Lee Honors College offers week-long summer classes for students entering grades six through nine as well as a class on writing college admissions essays for high school seniors.

WMU will stage the the 48th International Congress on Medieval Studies May 9-12. Kalamazoo County residents and members of the WMU community may attend the event for free if they register by Wednesday, April 24.

At their April 18 meeting, WMU Trustees will will consider room-and-board rates for 2013-14 as well as a new three-year contract that covers staff at the campus power plant.

WMU's 2013 Light Center research grant has been awarded to Dr. Ann Veeck for a project to examine how food-related behaviors and perceptions of urban Chinese families have changed in the last two decades.

Avis M. Sparks, a retired first cook in Draper Dining Service, died March 11 at age 92. Services were held March 14. Visit langelands.com to make a memorial guestbook entry.

Hanna Downs of Novi, Mich., is the sixth WMU student to receive a prestigious Richter Scholarship over the past decade. Downs and fellow 2013 scholarship recipients will be honored at an April 27 dinner.

MLive Media Group president Dan Gaydou will discuss "Strategies that Win in a Disrupted World" at 8 a.m. Friday, April 26, as part of a speaker series event in the Haworth College of Business.

The program, offers funding for travel expenses and honoraria to bring talented guests to campus, has an application deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday, April 18.

A blood drive, organized by the Department of Military Science and Leadership, will run from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, on the Oakland Drive campus.

Business major Sara Simic, working as an intern at Stryker Instruments, designed a website and mobile application that is helping Styker's national sales force.

A tree-planting ceremony, planned for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 18, has been postponed due to the forecast of strong thunderstorms in the area, and will be rescheduled as weather permits.

Comedian Ronnie Jordan and Last Bronco Standing winner Brendan Duffy are set to perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in 227 Bernhard Center. Admission is $1 with a valid student Bronco Card, and $2 without.

More than 80 school districts from 18 U.S. states as well as China, Japan and Korea will participate in the 25th annual Teacher Education Career Fair, set for Tuesday, April 16, in the East Ballroom of the Bernhard Center.

Senior engineering students will unveil their projects this month during the 52nd Conference on Senior Engineering Design, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 16.

"The Invisible War," a documentary about sexual assault in the U.S. military will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, in the Little Theatre. A panel discussion will follow the film screening.

Authors Jaswinder Bolina and Mandy Keifetz will read from their works starting at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in 208-209 Bernhard Center as part of the Frostic Reading Series.

Dr. Stephen C. Smith, George Washington University professor of economics and international affairs, will speak at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in 2028 Brown Hall.

The second annual SustainabiliBASH will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Gibbs House on Parkview Avenue near the Parkview Campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The WMU Orchestra, under the direction of Bruce Uchimura, will present the 54th annual Concerto Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14, in Miller Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.

Dr. Gordon J. Grinwis, emeritus associate professor of art, died Thursday, March 28, at age 81. He joined the WMU faculty in 1961, retiring in 1995 after 34 years of service to the University.