Everything from a parade and semiformal ball to college open houses and "tailgate" parties for alumni will be a part of Old Dominion's student-sponsored Homecoming 2001, "Welcome to the Monarchs' Jungle," Jan. 25-28.

The parade, which gets under way at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, will feature floats, marching bands, the Old Dominion field hockey and basketball teams, members of the homecoming court and more. Busch Gardens and the Norfolk Botanical Garden will be among the community organizations and businesses that have floats in the parade.

Freshman Lattoya Tomlinson, chair of the Homecoming Committee, said she expects to have as many as 50 units in the parade.

Homecoming is sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership with assistance from the Office of Alumni Relations. Tomlinson said she hopes that this year's effort, as well as last year's activities sponsored by the Student Senate, will lead to a new tradition at Old Dominion.

"We need more school spirit and pride, and homecoming is one way we can make that happen," said Tomlinson, who is from Virginia Beach.

The parade will start on Elkhorn Avenue, go east on 49th Street, north on Bluestone, east on Bolling, and then head south on Hampton Boulevard from Bolling to 43rd Street. The southbound lanes of Hampton Boulevard will be closed temporarily for the parade; the northbound lanes will be converted for two-way traffic during this time.

Prior to the parade, the colleges will host events for alumni and prospective students. The schedule is as follows: Engineering and Technology, 10 a.m. to noon, reception and remarks by Dean William Swart, Cohen Atrium, Kaufman Hall; Business and Public Administration, 10 a.m. to noon, open house and information session, Virginia Rice Webb Room, Webb Center; Sciences, 10 a.m. to noon, open house and remarks by Dean Tom Isenhour, Oceanography and Physics Building; Education, 10 a.m. to noon, open house, Parenting Center, Lions Child Study Center; Arts and Letters, noon to 1 p.m., vocal jazz group performance, Webb Center lobby; and Health Sciences, noon to 3 p.m., symposium and remarks by Dean Cheryl Samuels, Suffolk Room, Webb Center.

The Office of Admissions will offer guided tours of the campus starting at 1 p.m., and the Alumni Association will have a tent set up on Kaufman Mall with hot drinks and treats for parade-goers.

Pregame "tailgate" parties, sponsored by the Alumni Association, will be held indoors prior to the men's basketball game against Richmond Jan. 27 and the women's game against Tennessee Jan. 28. The buffet reception for the men's game begins at 5:30 p.m. in Room 4 at Scope; the game tips off at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are $15 per adult, and $10 for new alumni (graduates from 1994 to 2000) and children 8 and under.

The buffet reception prior to the women's game starts at 1:30 p.m. in the North Mall of Webb Center, followed by the game against the No. 2-ranked Volunteers at 3:30 p.m. in the Field House. All tickets are $25.

The price for each event includes the reception and game ticket.

The Monarch Homecoming Ball is scheduled for 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, in the Athletic Administration Building gym. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Reservations for the tailgate parties and the homecoming ball are due Friday, Jan. 19, and may be made by calling 683-5454.

Other homecoming activities on Thursday, Jan. 25, include:

- Pep rally, South Mall, Webb Center, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

- Powder puff football, featuring women students, Powhatan Field, 4 p.m.

- Spirit fire, Whitehurst Beach, 6 p.m.