Commencement Information for Faculty
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Summer 2008 Commencement Information for Faculty
Faculty will assemble in the Architecture Building and line up outside to march into the gym. (That's the same plan as Spring Commencement.)
Commencement Marshals
A number of faculty members have volunteered to serve as commencement marshals. The marshals not only serve during the ceremony, they attend "after action" meetings after each Commencement and participate in planning for upcoming Commencement ceremonies. The marshals are identified by green academic stoles with the University seal on the right. Please work with them to make this ceremony run as smoothly as possible.
Dress
Faculty should wear academic regalia appropriate to their degrees.
We have asked the candidates for graduation to dress for a formal ceremony in addition to wearing appropriate regalia, and we ask the faculty to set a suitable example. Here is what we have told the candidates:
Gentlemen should wear dark dress pants, a light-colored dress shirt, tie, and dark shoes and socks. No jeans or athletic shoes please. This is a formal ceremony and you should dress appropriately.
Ladies should wear a dress or skirt shorter than their gown (with pocket for car keys) or dark slacks and dark shoes. You will be walking up and down stairs, and should choose your shoes accordingly. Heels over one inch are a hazard for tripping.
You can read everything we've prepared for candidates and the public the Commencement article of the SPSU Wiki.
Assembly
Faculty will gather in the robing room on the lower level of the Architecture Building at 1:30. At 1:50 PM, under the direction of the Marshal of Faculty, the faculty will exit the robing area and assemble in line eastward along the north sidewalk of Hornet Drive. (See the illustration.) At 1:55 PM the Assistant Marshal of Faculty will count off the faculty and take his place in the middle of the line. For that reason, it is important that you be in line before 1:55 PM.
Processional
The Marshal of Faculty (Dr. Mills) will lead the faculty across Hornet Drive following the last candidate for graduation and into the east side door of the gym. The line of faculty will pause briefly in the vestibule on the lower level until the last student is in the seating rows, then follow the Marshal of Faculty up the east aisle. The Marshal, holding the University Mace, will stop in front of the platform. The rest of the faculty will keep going across in front of the platform and fill seats on the west side of the gym, starting from the front. Remain standing at your seats.
The Assistant Marshal of Faculty, in the middle of the faculty line, will stop at the first row of faculty seats on the east side. Faculty will fill in the east side seats beginning with the second row. Remain standing at your seats.
All faculty will be seated at the direction of President Rossbacher.
Recessional
Faculty will exit from the front, following the platform party. When the last member of the platform party has passed the first row of faculty seats, commencement marshals on both sides will lead the faculty down the aisles, up the stairs, and out the side exits. Follow the marshal out the side exit and keep moving until you have reached the street. There will be over 200 new graduates behind you!
When you have reached the street, which will have been closed to traffic, your formal participation in the ceremony will be at an end. However, you are encouraged to attend the reception in the gallery of the Architecture Building.
Rain Plan
In case of rain, faculty will line up and count off in the robing room. (This may take some rearrangement of furniture.) When the last student has entered the gym stairwell, faculty, under the guidance of the Marshal, will exit the lower door of the Architecture Building, cross the street as quickly as possible, enter the gym through the east main door, and proceed down the east stair.
If it is raining at the time for the recessional, the marshals will lead you all the way up the stairs into the lobby area on the upper level of the gym. Please exit the gym as soon as you reasonably can because there will be over 200 students and 1,500 guests behind you.
