Fall 1999 enrollment at Old Dominion has climbed to a record 18,879, the highest in school history. It is up from 18,552 recorded in 1998.

According to John R. Broderick, vice president for institutional advancement, more than 1,600 freshmen and 1,800 transfer students are on campus this fall. He said the numbers are especially encouraging considering the university toughened its admissions standards for the second consecutive year. The minimum high school grade point average was raised to 2.5.

"Our admissions standards make Old Dominion more selective than 80 percent of the colleges and universities across the country," Broderick said. "We also believe that our academic programs and Career Advantage Program, as well as our commitment to offering classes at times and places convenient for students, are becoming more and more attractive to students."

As proof, Broderick points out that Old Dominion finished second among state colleges and universities in attracting the area's top high school seniors, according to a June 3 Virginian-Pilot supplement.

"The increasing number of scholastic achievers selecting Old Dominion further strengthens our commitment to be the school of choice for Hampton Roads' best and brightest," he said.

"Yet, we are equally pleased we have students here from all 50 states and about 110 countries. Plus, through our distance learning program, TELETECHNET, the university will reach students at more than 50 sites across Virginia and several other states, including Navy personnel aboard deployed ships."

Friends of Women's Studies will host a birthday and retirement party to honor Nancy Topping Bazin, as well as celebrate the founding of women's studies at the university, from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, in the North Cafeteria of Webb Center.

Bazin, eminent scholar of English and a faculty member at Old Dominion since 1978, was the first director of the women's studies program.Two faculty members from the English department, novelist Sheri Reynolds and poet Amy Tudor, will give a special reading, "Celebrating Women in the New Millennium."

For more information call 683-3828.

Friends of Women's Studies has issued a call for submissions of poetry, short fiction, short personal essays or nonfiction pieces, black and white photography and line art for an anthology of women's writing.

The book will be edited by English department faculty and poets Luisa Igloria and Renee Olander, and will be launched at the annual Friends of Women's Studies Dinner next March.

The general theme of the anthology is "Transforming Women." Suggested areas for exploring this theme are: reading, writing, language, education, gender, sexuality, spirituality, biology, health, reproduction, politics, art and creativity, music, family and relationships, self and body image, multicultural and border crossings, and formative figures (mothers, grandmothers, fathers, husbands, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, teachers, friends, etc.).

Only original, previously unpublished work will be considered. Submissions are due Nov. 30. For guidelines on submitting work call Igloria at 683-3929 or Olander at 683-2939.

Faculty, staff and students are invited to get their teams together for the annual Turkey Trot races, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, on the Foreman Field track.

Events will include a 440-yard relay, mile relay, three-legged race and turkey trot, with divisions for men's, women's and co-recreational teams. Turkeys and T-shirts will be awarded to the winners.

The entry deadline is Friday, Nov. 12. To enter or for more information call the recreational sports department at 683-3384.

The SPIC-MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth) student organization at Old Dominion will present an "International Musical Nite" at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, in room 104 of the Batten Arts and Letters Building.

Indian music, presented by various guest artists, will be featured during the free program, which is open to the public. Tickets will be sold for Indian snacks.

SPIC-MACAY began in the United States in 1989 and today there are are 35 chapters in North America.

For more information about the Nov. 6 program call Ushasri Ganla, vice president of the Old Dominion chapter, at 683-3244.

The Catholic Campus Ministry at Old Dominion will transform Webb Center into a "Winter Wonderland" the evening of Dec. 11 for a charity ball to benefit the Virginia Peninsula Council on Domestic Violence.

The magical evening, complete with seasonal music, dancing, live entertainment, beverages and hors d'oeuvres, will begin at 8 p.m. Formal to semiformal attire is requested.

Tickets, priced at $10 per person and $15 per couple, will be sold in Webb Center during activity hour and may be purchased by calling the Catholic Campus Ministry at 440-9065. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Virginia Peninsula Council on Domestic Violence.

Students can learn about new programs offered by the College of Engineering Technology and hear about career opportunities from Dean William Swart during a technology fair scheduled for 12:30-3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the Cohen Atrium of Kaufman Hall.

Swart will present "Unique Opportunities in Engineering and Technology" from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in room 100, Kaufman Hall.

The first 100 students attending the fair will receive an engineering college T-shirt.

Old Dominion's annual fall bus tour ends tonight with a reception for alumni and business and community leaders in "Old Town" Alexandria, Va.

Led by President James V. Koch, the tour started Nov. 4, taking more than 60 faculty, administrators and students to Northern Virginia to teach high school classes at several on a variety of subjects. The faculty are visiting Annandale High School, Centreville High School in Clifton, Edison High School and Hayfield Secondary in Alexandria, and Potomac Falls High School in Sterling.

President Koch will give his "Life After High School" talk to high school seniors at two schools today, discussing industrial and technological advances over the past three decades. The Old Dominion group hosted an admissions reception for prospective students and their families in Vienna the evening of Nov. 4.