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Guide to the 69th
Commencement
Exercises
Traditional
Undergraduate Ceremony
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Page 3
Application for Graduation
Line-up Cards/Cap and Gown Distribution
Pronunciation of Names
Baccalaureate Ceremony
Page 4
Commencement Day
Parking Info
General Seating
Disabled Guests
Closed Circuit Viewing
Page 5
Web Broadcasting
Weather Policy
Helpful Hints
Alcohol Policy
Area Accommodations
Page 6
Diplomas
Flowers
Photographs
Hometown Newspaper Announcements
Personalized Announcements
Alumni Information
Page 7
Important Dates and Deadlines
Page 8
Commencement Ceremony Site Maps
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Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Congratulations!
The countdown to your graduation is here. Congratulations on making it to
this point—a culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Just as your
studies required careful attention to directions and deadlines, participating
in Commencement activities requires advanced planning. The following
information is intended to help you and your guests enjoy Commencement 2015
exercises to the fullest. You deserve it!
Application for Graduation
By now, all candidates should have submitted a completed
Application for Graduation form to the Registrar’s office. Forms
are available in the Registrar’s office or on the Commencement
web site (www.marist.edu/commencement). If you have not
done so, please submit your application by March 20. The
information provided on the form will be used to order your
diploma and for the Commencement program.
Line-up Cards/Cap and Gown Distribution
All graduates must have a line-up card for cap and gown pickup, rehearsal, and the Commencement ceremony.
Line-up cards will be available on Thursday, May 21,
from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. in Donnelly Hall. Assigned time
slots to be announced. Signs will be posted throughout
the building directing you where to go. Students must
show a picture ID and sign the alcohol policy statement
in order to receive a line-up card. The Registrar’s office
should be contacted immediately if the line-up card
is lost.
Caps and gowns will be available for pick up in Donnelly
Hall after rehearsal on Friday, May 22, until 3:30 p.m. Please
note, regalia is not available for pick up prior to the rehearsal.
Students must present their line-up card and a photo ID to
pick up their regalia.
Caps are provided by the College to all graduates at no cost to
the student, and they may be kept as keepsakes. Gowns and
hoods are rented by the College for all graduates, and there is no
cost to the student if they are returned by the deadline. Gowns
and hoods must be returned to the distribution room after the
ceremony no later than 3:00 p.m., or the student’s account will
be charged for replacement of the rental unit ($400 – $700). If
students are interested in purchasing gowns or hoods, please
see the Registrar’s office for ordering information.
Rehearsal
All graduates are required to attend a mandatory rehearsal
on Friday, May 22, at 11:30 a.m. Students will convene on the
Lowell Thomas Quad between the Hancock and Dyson Centers
in the area designated for their School. School banners will be
prominently displayed. Line-up cards are needed for rehearsal,
which is expected to last approximately one hour.
Pronunciation of Names
Marist wants to make sure each name called on Commencement
day is pronounced correctly. For this reason, names are all prerecorded by the Dean of each school. Marist provides students
with the opportunity to record their own names so that Deans
may use those recordings as a reference.
To record your name, log into iLearn under your sites you will
find a course named Commencement Name Recording. Follow
the directions described in the assignment. You will need a
computer with a built-in microphone. If you don’t have one of
your own, stop by the Help Desk in Donnelly Hall or the Media
Center in LT 208 for assistance. The Commencement Name
Recording course will close April 20. If you have questions,
please contact the Media Center at (845) 575-3635.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
The College sponsors a Baccalaureate Awards program to
recognize the special achievements of graduating students in
academic and community affairs. Award recipients will be
notified at least one week prior to the ceremony. The ceremony
will be held Friday, May 22, at 4:00 p.m. in Our Lady Seat of
Wisdom Chapel. Seating at the ceremony is limited, and each
honoree will be allotted four guest tickets. Those holding tickets
must arrive at the ceremony by 3:45 p.m. in order to be seated.
After 3:45 p.m. anyone wishing to attend the ceremony will be
seated on a first-come, first-served basis. The program will last
approximately one hour.
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Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
for vehicles with handicapped license plates, handicapped
parking placards issued by a municipality, or special parking
permits issued by the Registrar’s office. The Foy lot is reserved
for the platform party, invited dignitaries, and handicapped
permits. Guests with handicapped permits should enter
the North Entrance only. There is no access to handicapped
parking from the South Entrance.
Once lots are full, the campus will be closed to vehicles until
after the ceremony. Vehicles parked off campus will not be
allowed to enter the main campus for at least 90 minutes after
the ceremony to allow parking lots to empty out.
Commencement Day
The Marist College 69th Commencement Ceremony will be
held outdoors, rain or shine, on Saturday, May 23, 2015 on the
Campus Green. Students, faculty, and staff will assemble for the
procession at 9:15 a.m. on the Lowell Thomas Quad between
the Hancock and Dyson Centers. Students will need their
line-up cards to participate in the ceremony. The procession
is scheduled to begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. Candidates and
faculty will march together, led by their marshal, and will
be seated by school. Graduates will be called to receive their
diploma covers in alphabetical order by school. Line-up cards
will be collected from students just before they approach the
platform.
Family and guests are encouraged to arrive before 9:45 a.m.
However, no guests will be permitted to enter the actual
ceremony site before 8:30 a.m. The ceremony is expected to
last approximately two hours. Immediately following the
ceremony, all graduates and their guests are invited to join
their fellow students at a reception tent on St. Peter’s Meadow.
Conditions at Commencement have varied from picture
perfect to extreme rain or heat. Graduates and guests are
advised to prepare for the weather. Family and guests may want
to bring umbrellas, appropriate rain gear, and a covering for
their chairs if it rains. Also, students should be cautious of the
clothes they wear underneath their gowns. Neither the College
nor the manufacturer guarantees that they are colorfast.
Parking Information
Parking on campus will be granted on a first-come first-served
basis for all lots. Family and guests are encouraged to arrive
before 9:45 a.m. to better ensure a parking space.
Vehicular access to the campus becomes increasingly difficult
as the parking lots become filled. Additional parking will be
available at The Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital of Westchester
Medical Center parking garage with shuttle service to the
graduation site. Final shuttle will return to the Medical Center
at 2:45p.m.
East campus lots, including Beck, Lower West Cedar, Upper
West Cedar, and Fulton Street lots will be available for guest
parking. The Mid-Rise, Dyson, and Fontaine lots are reserved
For a complete list of parking sites and instructions, please see
the Parking Information & Map link on the Commencement
web site (www.marist.edu/commencement).
General Seating
Admittance to the outdoor ceremony is by general admission.
Students are asked to limit their party to six guests out of
consideration for their fellow graduates.
During the ceremony please inform your guests to follow the
directives of the security staff and ushers. All persons must
stay within the roped-off areas to allow the best visibility for
everyone. There is no saving of seats. Please do not block the
view of others by standing on chairs or in the aisles.
In addition to the outdoor seating area, the College has arranged
for a special live-viewing of the ceremony to be broadcast
indoors in several campus locations. Please see Closed Circuit
Viewing for further information.
Disabled Guests
There will be a designated seating section to accommodate
disabled guests, and the ceremony will be interpreted in sign
for the hearing impaired. Graduating students may request
disabled seating tickets and parking permits in the Registrar’s
office starting Wednesday, May 6. A limit of one disabled
parking permit and two disabled seating tickets per graduate
will be issued.
Lots are reserved for vehicles with handicapped license plates,
handicapped parking placards issued by a municipality,
or special parking permits issued by the Registrar’s office.
Guests with handicapped parking permits should enter the
North Entrance only and should be prepared to show their
permits to the security guard, who will direct them to the
appropriate parking area. There is no access to the handicapped
parking areas from the South Entrance.
Closed Circuit Viewing
In addition to the outdoor seating area, the College
offers live-broadcasting of the ceremony in posted
campus locations. These locations offer air-conditioned
venues for guests who prefer to be out of the “elements.”
Please see site maps on page 8.
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Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Web Broadcasting
Family and friends of graduates who are unable to attend the
event can view the ceremony live on the Internet by visiting
Marist’s homepage at www.marist.edu and clicking on the
commencement link.
and celebration plans. Announcements will be circulated to
all local radio stations and made on the Marist web site (www.
marist.edu) and the Marist weather hotline, (845) 575-5500.
Indoor seating in the McCann Center Arena is
extremely limited and will be available by ticket only.
Severe weather tickets will be issued to each graduate with his or
her line-up card. It is the graduate’s responsibility to distribute
these tickets to his or her guests prior to the ceremony. Only
severe weather ticket holders will be permitted into the
McCann Center. Disabled seating in McCann will be available
only to severe weather ticket holders who prearranged disabled
seating. All other guests will be directed to live-broadcast
locations located throughout campus, all of which are handicap
accessible.
Weather Policy
Commencement is such an important occasion for graduates
and families that the College strives to accommodate as
many of your guests as possible. Marist College’s traditional
undergraduate Commencement ceremony is held outdoors,
rain or shine, on the Campus Green. There is no indoor facility
either on campus or in the Mid-Hudson Valley that can hold
the approximately 12,000 graduates and guests who attend this
event each year. Only in the rare event of extreme weather such
as dangerous lightning, tornado, or hurricane-like conditions
will the College implement the Severe Weather Contingency
Plan and move to smaller ceremonies held indoors.
Announcements will be circulated to all local radio stations
and made on the Marist web site (www.marist.edu) and the
Marist weather hotline, (845) 575-5500. Please check these
sources before traveling to campus.
Delayed Ceremony
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony may be
delayed from its scheduled start if clearing is anticipated within
a reasonable period. Families are encouraged to consider this
possibility when making post-commencement travel and
celebration plans. Announcement of a delayed ceremony
will be made as early as possible on Commencement day and
made on the Marist web site (www.marist.edu) and the Marist
weather hotline, (845) 575-5500. Please check these sources
before traveling to campus.
Severe Weather Contingency Plan
If hazardous weather conditions prevent us from holding the
ceremony outside, the ceremony will be divided into morning
and afternoon ceremonies and moved inside the McCann
Center. This is not a rain plan but rather a plan for dangerous
weather only.
Families are encouraged to consider the possibility of an
afternoon ceremony when making post-commencement travel
As with outdoor exercises, Marist will have the ceremony
professionally recorded and have professional photographers
on hand to capture graduates as they receive their diploma
covers.
Helpful Hints
• Your tassel should be worn on the right until President
Murray confers all graduates’ degrees.
• Only one honor cord should be worn with regalia.
• The weather can be unpredictable, so remember both your
umbrella and your sunblock.
• Remember the grass can be wet even if it isn’t raining, so
consider your footwear carefully.
• Leave ample time for parking.
• All graduates and guests must turn off cell phones. Please be
considerate of others.
Alcohol Policy
Alcohol is not permitted before or during the Commencement
exercises and will be confiscated if brought to the ceremony.
Please advise all guests of this policy. Graduates participating
in the Commencement ceremony will be required to sign a
statement to acknowledge that they understand the College’s
alcohol policy. An email will be sent to your Marist account
regarding the distribution and collection of these statements.
Area Accommodations
A list of local hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants
is available on the Commencement web site.
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Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Diplomas
Diplomas will be mailed by June 19 to all who have met
graduation requirements. Graduates must be clear of all
financial obligations, including loan exit interviews and library
fees, before a diploma will be mailed. Questions about financial
obligations should be directed to the Office of Student Financial
Services (845) 575-3230.
Flowers
Bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres can be purchased in
advance courtesy of the Alumni Office and picked up on
campus on graduation day between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Please
download the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM order form found on
the Commencement web site.
Photographs
Professional photographers from Island Photography (www.
islandphoto.com) will photograph all graduates as they receive
their diplomas from President Murray. To receive proofs
online, please provide an e-mail address on the back of your
line-up card, and you will be notified when they are available
for viewing. Graduates will also receive two complimentary
proofs and an order form by mail.
Due to the large number of people attending Commencement,
it is necessary to restrict access to the platform and the
graduates’ seating area. Guests will not be able to walk or stand
in the aisles to take photographs or videotape. However, there
will be designated areas for families to take pictures following
the ceremony. The Commencement program, which you will
receive on Commencement day, will show these locations.
Hometown Newspaper Announcements
The Office of Public Affairs would like to tell the world about
your graduation … or at least your hometown newspaper.
Public Affairs receives a list of graduating students, and the
office is able to match your hometown with your local paper
automatically and to send the release out electronically.
Graduates who do not wish to have a news release sent to their
hometown paper must opt out of this process. To opt out, please
e-mail publicaffairs@marist.edu or call (845) 575-3174 by
Friday, April 10. If Public Affairs does not hear from graduates
by April 10, releases are sent to hometown newspapers.
Marist cannot guarantee that newspapers will print the release,
but we will make sure the newspaper gets it.
Personalized Announcements
Students may wish to order announcements to alert family
and friends about their upcoming graduation. Orders for
personalized announcements can be placed online at www.
herfjones.com/college/graduation.
Alumni Information
The Marist College Alumni Association is a worldwide
network of more than 37,000 Marist graduates with 15 regional
chapters, spanning from Boston to Los Angeles. The chapters
are designed to keep you involved and connected with your
alma mater and fellow alumni, and can be a lot of fun. A list
of regional chapters is available at www.maristconnect.edu.
The best way we can keep you updated on Marist events and
send the Marist Magazine, the Marist Minute e-newsletter,
invitations, and other communications, is if we have your
correct contact information. We have no way of knowing if
you’re using your Marist E-mail for Life account or a different
account unless you tell us.
You can easily update your personal and business contact
information online by logging into your personal profile at
www.maristconnect.edu. Please feel free to contact the Office
of Alumni Relations at any time at maristalumni@marist.edu
or (845) 575-3283.
Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Important Dates and Deadlines
Friday, March 20
Friday, March 20
Monday, April 20
Wednesday, May 6
Application for Graduation forms are due to the Registrar’s office
Last day to place cap and gown orders
No changes will be made after this date to prerecording of names
Disabled seating/parking permits become available in the Registrar’s office
Thursday, May 21
4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Line-up card distribution in Donnelly Hall (photo ID required)
Friday, May 22
11:30 a.m. Mandatory rehearsal. Line up on Lowell Thomas Quad (line-up card required)
12:45 - 3:30 p.m. Cap and gown distribution in Donnelly Hall (line-up card required)
Commencement Day: Saturday, May 23
9:00-11:00 a.m. 9:00-3:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. 9:15 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00-1:00 p.m.
Flower tent open (see order form on Commencement web site)
Bookstore open
Guests allowed to enter ceremony site
Graduates line up on Lowell Thomas Quad
Procession begins (guests should be seated)
Commencement Ceremony ~ Reception follows immediately after the ceremony
Friday, June 19 Diplomas mailed to all eligible graduates
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Traditional Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2015
Commencement Ceremony Site Maps
Upper Map
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1. General Admission Seating
2. Graduate Seating
3. Reserved Seating (tickets required)
4. Disabled Seating (tickets required)
5. Restricted Area/Steep Ground
6. Student Center - Bookstore/Live Broadcast/ Restrooms
7. Marian Hall - Health Services Station/Restrooms
8. Water Tent/Flower Tent
9. James A. Cannavino Library - closed during Commencement
Lower Map
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11.Ceremony Site
12. McCann Center - Live Broadcast/Severe Weather Contingency Site
13. South Gate
14. Donnelly Hall - Restrooms
15. Pedestrian Walkway
16. Saint Peter’s Meadow - Reception Tent / Photo Opportunity Area
17. Lowell Thomas Communications Center - Live Broadcast/Restrooms/Refreshments
18. Dyson Center—Live Broadcast/Restrooms
19. Main Gate - Open to pedestrians
20. North Gate - Handicapped parking entrance