Before University students give up their coveted spots by the pool for creaky desk chairs in lecture halls, the Department of Student Activities has several free events in store.

Big Dawg Welcome Week 2005 is a multitude of activities sponsored by the department in conjunction with several other University departments and organizations.

“Welcome Week is a great opportunity for students to get to know UGA,” said Jill Trawick, the Student Affairs Program Advisor and chairperson of the Welcome Week committee.

Friday at noon, International Student Life is holding a coffee hour in Memorial Hall.

Later, at 2 p.m. on Friday, the Asian American Student Association will have a meet and greet in Reception Hall.

“The event is open to everyone,” said Chen Lin, president of the Asian American Student Association.

The Black Affairs Council is hosting a party at the Oglethorpe House pool at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Tomorrow night at 9 p.m., the University Union is sponsoring a screening of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” at Legion Field as part of its Dawgs after Dark activities.

The theme for this Dawgs after Dark is ‘Wild West Welcome.’

According to Trawick, there will be a mechanical bull, antique photos, casino games, line dancing lessons and several other activities, with food provided by Shane’s Rib Shack.

On Saturday night the Ramsey Center is offering Screen on the Green with a showing of “Meet the Fockers” at 9:30 p.m.

At 10 p.m., in Georgia Hall at the Tate Center, the National Pan-Hellenic Council is having a Daze of Kaos welcome party.

On Sunday, the print and poster sale, where students can buy various pictures to hang in their rooms at reasonable prices, begins in the Tate Gallery at 9 a.m.

Welcome Week extends into the first full week of classes.

Meet the Greeks, a social and informational event sponsored by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, will be on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Tate Theater. The purpose of the program is to showcase the historically African American fraternities and sororities on campus.

On Thursday, Aug. 25, the Ramsey Center will have RecFest from 4 — 8 p.m. At this event, students can see what sports and recreational activities the University has to offer and can sign up for a flag football tournament that starts the next day, Aug. 26.

Finally, on Saturday, Aug. 27, Welcome Week activities will conclude with another movie at the Ramsey Center — “Hitch.”

Admission to all events is free for students with a valid UGA card; however, some are limited by venue capacity so students are advised to arrive early.