ANN ARBOR—Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission and former prime minister of Italy, will be the main speaker at the University of Michigan’s winter commencement Dec. 19.

The graduation ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. in Crisler Arena. Some 2,000 U-M students on the Ann Arbor campus expect their degrees this winter. Peter V. Katona, senior in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, will make remarks on behalf of the students.

Honorary degrees will be awarded to Prodi, Neeme Jrvi, music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Grace Paley, author and poet.

Winter commencement tickets will be distributed Dec. 13-16 in the Pond Room, Michigan Union. Up to six tickets per graduating student will be distributed. Extra tickets, if available, will be distributed on Dec. 17.

On the day of commencement, families and guests should enter Crisler Arena through the concourse level doors and are asked to be seated by 1:50 p.m. Graduating students should enter through the tunnel entrance and should be seated by 1:50 p.m.

The ceremony will be broadcast on U-M Public Television (WFUM-TV 28 in Flint), and over MediaOne on UMTV Cable Channel 22 and CTN Cable Channel 8/18 in the Ann Arbor area. Ceremonial coverage also will be on the Web at http://www.itd.umich.edu/umtv/

Neeme JrviWFUM-TV 28