Executive Dean Bob Goodman and Rick Ludescher, dean of academic programs,

The Scarlet Knight greets students at Community Day

invite alumni to Community Day 2015, one of the year's most popular social events. Taking place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at Passion Puddle, the gathering draws upwards of 1,000 new and returning students eager to kick off the new academic year, along with faculty and staff who welcome them. Among the highlights are a traditional barbecue, music, giveaways, and more.

For the first time this year, alumni are encouraged to come out to meet the students and learn about the many activities and clubs that will have information tables lining Red Oak Lane that afternoon. Sure to be on hand are members of the Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club, individuals representing academic and social clubs, the Mounted Patrol, the Scarlet Knight, and some surprise visitors as well. Seating for the barbecue is limited, so be sure to register early.

The Rutgers Gardens "Party in the Gardens" honoring Executive Dean Bob Goodman is fast approaching, so be sure to make your reservation so you don't miss out. Running from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, it will feature a Long Table Dinner with a white linen-covered table for 150 guests who will sample some of the best food and wine offerings of the vendors of the Rutgers Gardens Farm Market. Dean Goodman will receive the Doc Hamilton Award for Dedication and Outstanding Commitment to the Gardens.

Billed as a "true foodie event," the party will showcase award-winning journalist and chef Rachel Weston, who will share her passion for making seasonally inspired meals from food grown locally. In addition, there will be a tour of the Gardens at 4 p.m., led by Director Bruce Crawford, for visitors who are unfamiliar with the setting.

What's in a name? In the world of horticulture, everything. Retired professor Elwin Orton spent decades of his Rutgers career developing two highly prized and successful hybrid dogwood species that are widely used commercially. However, they were never officially given proper scientific names until now. The names Cornus x rutgersensis and Cornus x elwinortonii have been published in the open-access journal PhytoKeys.

While the species are among the most commercially successful dogwoods, without scientific names, they were in a "taxonomic no-man's land" and could not be classified in horticultural databases. Co-authors of the journal article that named and described the dogwoods are Robert Mattera, a graduate student in plant biology; Thomas Molnar, a plant breeder and associate professor in the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology; and Lena Struwe, botanist and associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources. Read more about the process.

September 1, 2015 - Fall Semester begins. Welcome back students!

September 10, 2015 - Party at the Gardens, 5 to 8 p.m. at Rutgers Gardens (see story above)

September 16, 2015 - Community Day, 4 to 7 p.m., Passion Puddle Lawn (see story above)

September 16, 2015 - 8th Annual Pioneers in Endocrinology Workshop, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cook Campus Center (see details)

Every Friday through November 20, 2015 - Rutgers Gardens Farm Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 112 Ryders Lane, New Brunswick (see details)

Every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday through November - New Brunswick Community Farmers Market, various locations near the Cook Campus (see details)