"It's a great way for parents and students to bond," said Chad Barnhardt, coordinator of parent outreach and special projects in the Division of Student Affairs. "There are a lot of activities that will be fun for students and parents."

A highlight of the weekend takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, with the second annual "Rise and Shine with the 'Rents" Parents Weekend breakfast with three seatings at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. in the Baker University Center Ballroom. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults, and will be available for pre-sale online until Oct. 20.

Also on Saturday, the Ohio football team will challenge Kent State for the Parents Weekend game, which kicks off at 2 p.m. at Peden Stadium. This year, Ohio University was chosen as a participant in the inaugural Game Day Recycling Challenge, a friendly recycling competition for colleges and universities sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fans can recycle their waste as part of the challenge during Saturday's game.

"The bottom line is to get more recycling going and have fun doing it," said Ed Newman, recycling and refuse manager.

Representing the Mid-America Conference, Ohio will compete against eight schools, one from each athletic conference. The schools will report their recycling and waste data from a designated home game in October, and the winning schools will be announced in early November. Newman reminds Bobcats that nearly every consumption good from football games can be recycled: beverage containers, cardboard, food waste and napkins, to name a few items. Look for the recycling receptacles throughout the Green and White Club's alumni tailgate area, parking lots, Tailgreat Park, ticket gates and stadium.

Parents Weekend 2009 also marks the inaugural meeting of the Ohio Parent Advisory Council. The council is made up of 12 parent members, with two members representing each class year and four at-large members. Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi will participate on the council, as well as Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith. The group has an informal social gathering Friday evening and a formal meeting on Saturday morning.

Barnhardt said the council was created to help serve students and their parents better, and to address what the parents need from the university.

"Parents are really significant with students' satisfaction with [the university]," he said.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence, will occur at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, Participating fathers can sign up online at www.ohio.edu/communityservice/Walk-a-Mile-in-Her-Shoes.cfm. Walk-on registration also will be held at the Women's Center on the fourth floor of Baker University Center starting at 10:30 a.m. Sharon Romina, administrative assistant for the Women's Center, also encourages moms with size 10 or bigger shoes to donate shoes for the men to use.