Graduate Convocation

Congratulations on your achievement. We are delighted to share this important event with you.

Please note that registration is now closed.

To ensure that everything goes well, please read the following information carefully:

• Key Dates
• General Information, Quick Facts, and Traffic Advisory
• Agenda
• Convocation Instructions
• Photographs
    

Key Dates

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General Information, Quick Facts, and Traffic Advisory

* Students will assemble at Centennial Hall by 4:45 p.m. Your guests will be able to take their seats in the auditorium after 5:00 p.m.

Convocation Quick Facts

• All participants must wear academic regalia. You can purchase yours from UA Bookstores at the Student Union in person or online. Graduate student academic attire consists of a gown, cap, tassel, and hood.
• Personalized graduation announcements may be purchased online from UA Bookstores at the Student Union
• No tickets are required for guests. Please indicate the number of guests when you register so we may plan for the reception.
• All students must assemble in the backstage area of Centennial Hall no later than 4:45 p.m.
• Guests may take their seats in Centennial Hall at 5:00 p.m.
• The ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. and will last 60-90 minutes.
• Following the ceremony, hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served under the tent outside Centennial Hall
• Diplomas are not given at the Eller College Convocation. Your diploma will be mailed to you by the Graduate College approximately 3 weeks after the ceremony when all Spring grades have been processed and posted.
• Students whose official graduation date is August 2008 are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Spring convocation and will follow all the instructions applicable to Spring graduates.

Traffic Advisory

• Please note that exit and entrance ramps on I-10 and Speedway Boulevard are closed. For details, check the I-10 Tucson website at www.i10tucson.com.

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Agenda

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Convocation Instructions

Lining up on the Centennial Hall stage – 4:45 p.m. – 5:20 p.m.

• All candidates participating must wear academic regalia
• Arrive backstage no later than 4:45 p.m.
• Please find the department with which you will be seated – refer to seating chart after it is posted here on May 1, 2008.
• Departments will be organized in a prescribed order. Staff will be present to assist you.
• Master's candidates will line up alphabetically within their department.
• Doctoral candidates will line up with faculty.
• Keep the tassel on your cap on the right side until instructed to move it to the left. This will occur after the presentation of the graduates at the end of the ceremony.
• Carry your hood draped over your left arm and be sure it is unbuttoned.
• You will be given 2 cards with your name printed on it. (Ph.D. candidates will have 1 card) Take them with you when you are called to the stage for hooding. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
• At 5:20 p.m. the procession will proceed outside Centennial Hall and reenter the lobby in the front.
• Faculty and Ph.D. candidates will line up at the right door to the auditorium and Master’s candidates will line up at the left door.

The procession: 5:30 p.m.

• Look for the staff member who will cue you to start after processional music begins.
• Faculty and Ph.D. candidates will enter first and take their places on the stage.
• Wait for a staff member to give you the cue to enter the auditorium.Walk at a normal pace (not too fast) to your assigned seat — see seating chart available after May 1, 2008. Ph.D. candidates will have names on seats on the stage.
• Remain standing until everyone has entered and Dean Paul Portney invites the assembly to be seated.

During the “Hooding” portion of the ceremony:

Hooding of Ph.D. candidates. Ph.D. candidates will be hooded first in department order.

• The department head will speak and then invite you to stand.
• Carry your unbuttoned hood draped over your left arm and have your name card ready.
• Proceed with your advisor to the stage left podium and hand your card to the reader. Wait for your name to be read and then walk to the center of the stage. Hand your hood to the person who will hood you, then turn to face the audience and kneel, with your back toward him/her, so that he/she can place the hood over your head. Turn with your advisor toward the photographer, then continue across the stage to accept congratulations from the Vice Dean Stan Reynolds, the Keynote Speaker, and Dean Portney. Dean Portney will remind you to turn toward the camera when you are shaking his hand.Continue across the stage to receive your packet and gift and return to your seat.

Hooding of Master’s candidates. Following the Ph.D. hooding, the Master’s candidates will be hooded in department order.

• Each candidate will be called to the stage in the same order in which they are seated.
• A staff member will cue each row to stand and be ready to walk to the stage.
• You will proceed to the stair on the right side of the stage. Carry your unbuttoned hood draped over your left arm and have your 2 name cards ready.
• Give one of your cards to the staff member at the top of the steps.
• Upon reaching the stage, hand your name card to the reader who will be at the podium near the top of the steps.
• Wait for your name to be read, then walk over to your department head or designee
• Hand your hood to your department head, then turn to face the audience, with your back toward him/her, kneel so that he/she can place the hood over your head.
• Continue across the stage to accept congratulations from the Vice Dean Stan Reynolds, the Keynote Speaker, and Dean Portney.
• Dean Portney will remind you to turn toward the camera when you are shaking his hand.
• Continue across the stage to receive your packet and gift and return to your seat.

During the “Recessional” at the end of the ceremony:

• When the music begins, please rise and wait for faculty /Ph.D. candidates descend from the stage.
• As soon as the faculty/Ph.D. graduates have passed the section where the Master’s graduates are seated, please follow them in reverse order. You will process out on the opposite aisle from the processional. Those who are seated farthest back will leave first. A staff member will again be available to cue you. The audience will be the last to leave.

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Photographs

You will have the option of purchasing the individual portraits taken during the hooding ceremony and additional copies of the group photo taken from Thomas Veneklasen, a professional photographer. The photo purchase website will be available approximately one to two weeks after the ceremony. If you anticipate that your email address will change, please notify your department.

Department photographs are held on Saturday, April 26 at McClelland Hall. Note that date has changed.

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