Classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 5, but fall opening activities officially begin when new students arrive on campus Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Sam Dunlap, WMU's first black student-athlete, struck fear in the hearts of gridiron opponents and racked up scoring records that lasted decades, all the while fighting racism on and off the playing field.

WMU's Bronco Force and Urban Alliance are joining forces to provide critically needed supply chain management industry support and training for unemployed and underemployed residents.

Business Insider, an online news organization with more than 70 million viewers, has named WMU the most affordable, highly ranked university in Michigan.

Dr. Edward B. Montgomery begins his tenure Aug. 1 with activities that include meeting with academic leadership and area media as well as reaching out to the campus community to offer some insights.

WMU President John M. Dunn's final weeks have seen him in a reflective mode as campus social media readers follow a "top 10" countdown of some of his fondest memories.

Research shows five high points during the 2016 season and Corey Davis' NFL draft selection were worth $84 million in media exposure. In addition, WMU football brand awareness is up to 68 percent in West Michigan.

Two Friday, July 28, visitations and a Saturday, July 29, memorial service are planned for Dr. Daniel Stufflebeam, who died July 23 in Kalamazoo at the age of 80.

Sam Dunlap, WMU's first black student-athlete, struck fear in the hearts of gridiron opponents and racked up scoring records while fighting racism. This week, his family will visit campus to honor his memory.

High school seniors competed for the Medallion Scholarships, the highest merit-based award WMU can bestow on an incoming freshman. All 45 runners-up were offered a separate $25,000 scholarship.

The 37th annual campus celebration will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, on the Sangren Pedestrian Mall. The early registration deadline for booth space is Monday, July 31.

Highlights include an International Ladies Sports Club, Garba Dancing Night, various art exhibits, and biking, blueberry picking and conversation circles with international students.

The Broncos will host their sole home tournament, the Bronco Super Challenge, Nov. 3-5. The spring season will include 12 home matches.

Dr. Paulo Zagalo-Melo, a Portuguese political scientist with a long track record in international education, has been appointed to lead WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education beginning Sept. 1.

This year's Kalamazoo Ribfest is set for Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 3-5, at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place downtown.

Celebrations of both the newest and one of the oldest of WMU's international education partnerships served as bookends for an early July trip to Malaysia and China by President John M. Dunn.

Janet L. Clubb, a retired WMU custodian, died July 9 at age 77. The visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, and the funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 13, both at the Mater-Ralston Funeral Home in Marcellus.

Herbert "Herb" E. Ellinger, professor emeritus of transportation technology, died Thursday, May 25. He was 96.

Shashanta James, a long-standing and active member of the campus community, has replaced Dr. Terrell Hodge as the interim director of WMU's Student Financial Aid Office.

Dr. Sherine O. Obare has been named WMU's interim vice president for research, effective Aug. 1. She replaces Dr. Daniel M. Litynski, who is returning to the engineering faculty.

Shirley Ann Lukens, WMU associate professor emerita of occupational therapy, died June 3 at age 82. Services and a private burial have taken place in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

SEMINAR 2017, which runs from Sunday, July 9, through Saturday, July 22, will bring music students from eight states and South America to Kalamazoo to learn and perform.

WMU will offer a number of global engagement opportunities in July, including Chinese language and culture camps and conversation circles to help international students practice English.

Grants to WMU passed the $3.7 million mark during April and May, bringing the year-to-date total for externally funded awards to more than $23.2 million.

Dr. Susan Stapleton, the dean of the WMU Graduate College, has been appointed to serve for a year as the University's interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, effective July 14.

Developing a balanced budget is not yet possible, as two significant elements—pay increases and health care plan design—are still to be determined due to ongoing contract negotiations.

After using rented space for 17 years, a senior day care program offered through WMU now will have a permanent location thanks to a purchase agreement approved by the Board of Trustees.

WMU's Board of Trustees approved the tenure of 24 faculty members and promotions of 36 faculty members, effective with the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year.

At its June 29 meeting, WMU's Board of Trustees opted to raise tuition for 2017-18 by 3.91 percent, staying within the state's guidelines for tuition restraint.

The new tuition rates were set during the WMU Board of Trustees' June 29 meeting. A summary of University tuition and fee rates is available online.