I U Bl o omi ng ton
December
Commencement Handbook 2014
Dear Graduate,
IU Bloomington Commencement
Please accept our heartfelt congratulations on your upcoming graduation. This occasion will be a public celebration and recognition of your
accomplishments. Your degree reflects years
of dedication and hard work, and it will be a
valuable indication that you have prepared well for the challenges of our ever-changing world. As a graduate of Indiana University, you will be joining a group that is now more than 600,000 strong, and your success in future endeavors
will enrich the life and the history of this
great institution.
We look forward to joining you at Commencement, and, again, we extend our sincere congratulations and best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
is on the web at
www.commencement.iu.edu
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Michael A. McRobbie
President
facebook.com/IndianaUniversity
twitter.com/@IUCeremonies
Lauren Robel
Provost and Executive Vice President
www.commencement.iu.edu
Contents
Get Ready . . .
Get Ready . . .
The December 2014 Commencement Ceremony 3
Determine Your Eligibility 3
Apply to Graduate 4 Get Set . . .
Caps and Gowns 4
Fall GradFair 5
Honor Cords 6
Picking Up and Returning Apparel 6
Go!
Travel and Lodging 7 Visas for International Guests 7
Assembly Hall Accessibility 8
Guests in Wheelchairs: Prior Arrangements Required 8
Guests with Limited Mobility: Prior Arrangements
Not Needed 9
Parking for Cars Bearing State-Issued Accessibility
Tags 9
Guests with Hearing Impairments 9
Your Graduation Checklist 10
Commencement Day 11
Where Do We Go? 11 Where Do We Park? 11
What Time Should We Arrive (and Where)? 12
How Do I Find My Place in the Processional? 12
Where Do We Sit? 12
What Happens at the Ceremony? 12
What Happens after the Ceremony? 12
For Doctoral Candidates: Hooding How-To 14
Capturing the Moment: Photos and Videos 15
Diploma Covers and Diplomas 15
Contact Information 16
You Don’t Need Tickets!
The December 2014
Commencement Ceremony
The December Commencement ceremony, also
known as Winter Commencement, will be held
Saturday, December 20, at 10 a.m. in Assembly
Hall, 1001 E. 17th Street. It is open to all candidates for undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Candidates for Ph.D.’s and other doctorates will
be introduced during the ceremony, and all will
be hooded on the floor in front of the stage.
Candidates for all undergraduate and master’s
degrees will be introduced by school, but will not
be individually introduced.
The ceremony will last about 90 minutes.
You do not need tickets, and there are no
reserved seats. You may invite as many guests as you wish.
Determine Your Eligibility
You are eligible to graduate at the 2014 December
Commencement if you are an undergraduate
or graduate student who will complete the
requirements for graduation between September 1 and December 31, 2014.
Candidates completing degree requirements
between January 1 and August 31 participate in the May ceremony. There is no summer ceremony.
www.commencement.iu.edu 3
Apply to Graduate
Fall GradFair
Degree candidates must apply to graduate in order
for school recorders and the registrar to confirm final grades. Each school or department has its own
procedures and deadlines for applying for graduation. See your recorder or advisor for more information.
GradFair will take place 10 a.m.–5 p.m.,
October 15, in the Frangipani Room of the
Indiana Memorial Union. At GradFair you can:
• Rent your cap and gown
If you miss established application deadlines,
your name will not appear in the Commencement program booklet. No exceptions. If you don’t apply
at all, you won’t graduate. If you haven’t yet applied
to graduate, contact the recorder of your degreegranting program as soon as possible. If you applied
to graduate on a previous date, you need to change your graduation date with the recorder.
• Purchase graduation announcements and
diploma frames
School-by-school application information, with
email addresses and/or phone numbers, is on the IU Bloomington Commencement website, under
“Student Info.”
Order by Friday, November 7, to get the
Get Set . . .
Caps and Gowns
All candidates for degrees must wear custom IU
apparel at Commencement. Most students choose
to rent their apparel and return it after the ceremony.
It can be purchased, however. All students keep their
caps and tassels, and undergraduates keep their
stoles of gratitude.
There are two opportunities to order:
• In person at Fall GradFair on October 15.
• Online at the website of Herff Jones, IU’s licensed Commencement vendor: www.herffjones.com/iu.
• Order class rings
• Drop by the Commencement
information table
best price. Prices go up on November 8.
The rental fee for bachelor’s and
associate’s caps and gowns is $53.90,
and $75.63 for master’s, plus 7% sales
tax. A late fee of $75 takes effect
November 8. The rental fee for doctoral
apparel is $92.00 plus 7% sales tax. There
is no late fee.
All online orders close Friday, November 14.
Students who fail to order by November 14
may be able to rent a cap and gown from
limited supplies on hand during Apparel
Distribution Week, December 15–19.
Caps and gowns will be available on a
first-come, first-served basis. Sizes vary,
and lines are potentially long. Late fees
will be charged during Distribution Week.
4 You Don’t Need Tickets!
www.commencement.iu.edu 5
Honor Cords
Many undergraduates are entitled to wear honor cords. Eligibility is usually determined in the fall, and students are notified thereafter by their schools.
There are several different cords. Students who are graduating with the designation of Distinction, High
Distinction, or Highest Distinction receive notification from their schools and must pick up their cream and crimson cords from their school recorders the week before Commencement.
Students who have earned departmental or school honors may qualify to wear gold cords. They, too,
will receive notification from their schools.
National Guard and active duty personnel, reserves,
and veterans of the United States Armed Services,
including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and
Coast Guard, are entitled to wear a twisted cord
of red, white, and blue. ROTC graduates who will
commission on or immediately after graduation are
also eligible. Armed service cords may be worn only
by the individual in service; relatives, friends, and
beneficiaries are not eligible. For more information,
contact (812) 856-1985 or [email protected].
Students who are members of qualifying national
honor fraternities are entitled to wear the organization’s cords, which they order and pay for themselves.
Additional information on honor cords is available
on the Commencement website.
Picking Up and Returning Apparel
Caps and gowns will be distributed Monday,
December 15–Friday, December 19, in the IU
Bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union,
8 a.m.– 6 p.m.
On Saturday, December 20, distribution will start at
7:30 a.m. in Gladstein Fieldhouse, but this option
should be regarded as a last resort because time will
be short, supplies limited, and lines potentially long.
You must have a picture ID to pick up your apparel.
If someone else is picking it up for you, that person
must have a copy of the receipt you received either
in person or via email, and a note from you indicating permission to collect your cap and gown.
All apparel must be returned after the ceremony
on Saturday, December 20, by 1 p.m., at Gladstein
Fieldhouse. Failure to return apparel may result in
a penalty fine.
6 You Don’t Need Tickets!
Go!
Travel and Lodging
The Bloomington area has more than 2,000 hotel
rooms, plus a number of suites, cabins, and
guesthouses to accommodate the several thousand
guests who come for Commencement. Each lodging
property has specific reservation policies for
Commencement, most taking reservations a year in
advance and requiring a two- or three-night stay, with
an increase in rates. Rooms go quickly, so visitors
are encouraged to call as soon as reservations can
be made. The inventory does change throughout
the year, however, as cancellations are made.
The “Visit Bloomington” website keeps track of
availability and can provide assistance in finding
rooms. Visit www.visitbloomington.com, or call
(800) 800-0037.
Hotels also may be available in nearby communities
such as Bedford, Nashville, Columbus, and
Martinsville (all less than 40 miles away). In addition, downtown Indianapolis and Greenwood are within
50 miles of Bloomington and have a wide selection
of hotels. Please allow 60–90 minutes of drive time to
get to Bloomington. Additional information is available
on the Commencement website.
Visas for International Guests
The Office of International Services (OIS) helps
guests who will be traveling internationally to attend
Commencement. Go to iStart.iu.edu on the OIS
website. Log in to the secure server. Follow the links
to “Letter of Invitation.” A notarized letter of invitation
is then prepared for international family members.
You will receive an email message when the letter
is ready, and any questions you have can be
answered when you pick it up from OIS. Please
allow sufficient time to receive the letter and apply
for a visa.
www.commencement.iu.edu 7
Assembly Hall Accessibility
Specially trained Commencement organizers
provide a number of services for guests who need
a helping hand. We strive to meet all needs of those who require assistance on Commencement day, and we ask your patience. With thousands of people
attending the ceremony, it can take a little extra time and effort to make sure that guests in wheelchairs
and with limited mobility enjoy the day and
are comfortable.
Guests in Wheelchairs: Prior
Arrangements Required
•
Special parking and seating arrangements
are available for guests in wheelchairs, but
reservations must be made in advance.
To make reservations, contact University
Ceremonies at [email protected] or
(812) 855-3762.
•
Parking for guests in wheelchairs is available
in a designated lot off Fee Lane; use gate 13.
Only drivers presenting the appropriate IU
Commencement passes will be admitted.
•
Drivers are advised to drop off patrons in
wheelchairs at the north door of Assembly Hall,
then park their cars and rejoin their parties.
Uniformed ushers will assist persons in
wheelchairs while they wait, and will then
escort complete parties to their seats.
• Seating in the wheelchair section is extremely
limited. Some members of large groups will be
directed to other seating.
• IU requests that persons in wheelchairs use their own wheelchairs.
Guests with Limited Mobility: Prior
Arrangements Not Needed
• Patrons who have any difficulty walking, going up and down ramps, or climbing stairs, and individuals who use walkers or canes should be dropped off
at the north door of Assembly Hall.
• The needs of these guests will be accommodated on the day of the ceremony; advance
arrangements are neither needed nor taken.
• Drivers should enter the Assembly Hall parking lot via gate 4 off 17th Street and follow the directions of the uniformed parking attendants.
• Chairs will be available in the north lobby, where
guests may wait while their drivers park their cars
and rejoin their parties. Uniformed ushers will then
escort parties to their seats.
•
Once inside Assembly Hall, convenient special
seating for patrons with limited mobility will be
available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Patrons will not have to climb stairs or go up
ramps to reach this section.
•
Parties must be complete before being seated.
To accommodate everyone’s needs, large parties may be asked to separate, with some patrons
watching the ceremony from a general seating area. Saving seats is not allowed in Assembly Hall.
• Elevators are available in the north lobby only.
Parking for Cars Bearing State-Issued
Accessibility Tags
• Guests arriving in vehicles bearing state-issued accessibility tags have a choice of walking from
the accessibility parking area or being dropped
off at the north door of Assembly Hall before the
car is parked in accessibility parking. If mobility
is challenging, we recommend the north door
drop-off.
Guests with Hearing Impairments
• Closed captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided.
• On request, ushers will direct hearing-impaired
guests to designated seating.
8 You Don’t Need Tickets!
www.commencement.iu.edu 9
Your Graduation Checklist
Commencement Day
n Apply to graduate by contacting the recorder of
your school. See page 4.
Where Do We Go?
IU Bloomington holds its Commencement
ceremonies in Assembly Hall, which is on the
northwest corner of 17th Street and Fee Lane.
The address is 1001 E. 17th Street, Bloomington,
Indiana 47408. Graduates line up next door in
Gladstein Fieldhouse (enter via the north door).
Where Do We Park?
Please use the following gates to enter the
Assembly Hall parking lot (uniformed attendants
will assist you):
Gates 2, 5, 6, and 8: For all guests.
Gate 4: For cars bearing accessibility hang tags and
license plates, and for access to the north door to drop off guests who have mobility impairments (see pages 8–9). All other guests may also use
gate 4.
Gate 12: For graduates who are unaccompanied
by friends or family.
Gate 13: For vehicles with persons in wheelchairs only. Special pass required. See page 8.
Parking is free on Commencement day. Allow plenty of time. Traffic will be heavy, and Bloomington’s streets are narrow.
There is no reserved guest seating, and tickets
are not required. You may invite as many guests as you wish.
n Order your cap and gown at GradFair on October 15 or online at www.herffjones.com/iu. Order by
November 7 to get the best price; rates go up on
November 8. See page 5.
n Have your Commencement portrait taken by
contacting
www.myseniorportrait.com.
n Check to see if your school is holding a special
recognition event before or after the ceremony.
A number of programs, including Education,
Journalism, Public and Environmental Affairs,
and the Kelley School of Business, do so.
n Book hotel and restaurant reservations as soon
as possible. Submit visa applications for
international guests.
n Make prior parking and seating arrangements for guests who use wheelchairs. More information is
on the Commencement website and on page 8.
n Pick up your apparel December 15–19. See page 6.
n Keep up with current Commencement news
at www.commencement.iu.edu, on Facebook
at IndianaUniversity, and on Twitter at
@IUCeremonies.
DUNN ST.
BYPASS
JOHN MELLENCAMP PAVILION
GATE 12
NORTH DOOR
HARRY GLADSTEIN
FIELDHOUSE
GATE 8
GATE 6
GATE 5
GATE 13
FEE LANE
ASSEMBLY HALL
MEMORIAL STADIUM
WOOD
10 You Don’t Need Tickets!
N
SR 45/46
COLLEGE AVE.

n After the ceremony, return your gown to
Gladstein Fieldhouse by 1 p.m.
COOK HALL
GATE 4
17TH ST.
TENTH ST.
GATE 2
www.commencement.iu.edu 11
4
Guest seating is on a first-come, first
served basis, and fills all available seating
in Assembly Hall. Indiana University Bloomington is proud of the fact that it
does not limit the number of guests a student may invite to Commencement,
and we ask for everyone’s help in
maintaining this tradition.
What Time Should We Arrive (and Where)?
Assembly Hall opens at 8 a.m. Friends and
family should proceed to the seating area; they
will not be permitted to accompany their students
to Gladstein Fieldhouse.
All graduates should report to Gladstein
Fieldhouse at 8 a.m.
How Do I Find My Place in the Processional?
Graduates are directed to their specific school locations (designated by bright red banners,
such as “Business” and “Arts and Sciences”)
to form the procession, which begins at 8:45 a.m.
Graduates should not bring bags, umbrellas,
purses, or any other personal items, as they cannot
be stored in the fieldhouse.
Where Do We Sit?
Graduate seating is arranged by school and
occupies the floor and some of the stands in
Assembly Hall. Students do not line up
alphabetically, and they process through
multiple doors, which means a grad may wind
up anywhere in a school section. Please refer
to the map on page 13 to see where graduates
from each school are seated, keeping in mind
that locations are approximate and subject to change. Guests are seated in the stands of
Assembly Hall, surrounding the graduates.
What Happens at the Ceremony?
Commencement is rich in tradition and pageantry. The ceremony includes the procession of the
platform party, a Commencement speaker,
the conferral of degrees, and the hooding of
doctoral candidates (see page 14).
What Happens after the Ceremony?
■
Grads must return apparel on Saturday,
December 20, by 1 p.m., at Gladstein Fieldhouse, where they can wait for family and friends after
the ceremony.
A student may be seated anywhere in the
area(s) designated for his or her school.
If possible, friends and family are encouraged to
contact graduates before the processional to
designate a meeting location in or near the fieldhouse.
Friends and family can enter the fieldhouse via
the north entrance. Photo stations will be available
in the fieldhouse for a great photo opportunity.
Uniformed ushers will be stationed
throughout the building to direct all guests
to the best possible seats. Given the size
of the Commencement audience, guests
are not allowed to save seats. Instead,
we ask groups to gather outside and then come in together, asking an usher to help them find seats.
N
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Saturday, December 20, 2014, 10 a.m.
■ COLL: Arts and Sciences
Audience
Entrance
To Balcony
(more audience seating)
■ BUS: Business
■ EDUC: Education
■ UGS: University Graduate School
Wheelchair
Seating
ow
DOC: Doctorates outside the University
Graduate School
Ph.D.’s: Doctor of Philosophy
FACULTY
■ SPH: Public Health
AUDIENCE
INFO
SPEA
OPT
SPH
MUS
■ SPEA: Public and Environmental Affairs
Emergency Exits
■ OPT: Optometry
Procession
Entrance
UGS
Ph.D.’s
DOC
BUS
COLL
INFO: Informatics and Computing
■ MUS: Music
EDUC
■
FACULTY
UGS
Ph.D.’s
DOC
STAGE
12 You Don’t Need Tickets!
w2
Procession
Entrance
Map is tentative and subject to change.
Wheelchair
Seating
To Balcony
(more audience seating)
Audience
Entrance
www.commencement.iu.edu 13
For Doctoral Candidates: Hooding How-To
All candidates for Ph.D.’s and other doctorates
will be introduced during the ceremony, and all will be
hooded on the floor in front of the stage.
Students will process into Assembly Hall and be
seated by school. In most cases, they will walk and sit
with their faculty mentors. Students who do not have
mentors present will be hooded by Commencement marshals.
• You will carry your own hood, unfolded and draped over your left arm.
•
When you arrive at Gladstein Fieldhouse on Commencement day, you will recieve two cards,
which will be used to introduce you during the
ceremony. Print legibly, and provide pronunciation
if your name may be unfamiliar to the announcer.
•
When candidates from your school are called forward by the provost, stand and follow the
directions of the marshals, who will lead you to
the stage.
• Students will take the stairs to the stage. If you
have access needs, please phone (812) 855-3762 before December 15 for accommodation.
• After your introduction, you will greet the president, the provost, and your deans onstage.
•
On leaving the stage, meet your mentor or marshal in front of the stage, face away from the stage, remove your cap, and wait as the faculty member places the hood over your head from behind.
• Return to your seat, along with your faculty mentor.
Touch Base With Your Mentor
Candidates for Ph.D.’s and other doctorates
are responsible for reminding their mentors to
order their own apparel and to meet up with
them in Gladstein Fieldhouse before the
ceremony.
Capturing the Moment: Photos and Videos
Audience members are welcome to take
photographs throughout the ceremony and in
Gladstein Fieldhouse afterwards. In addition, the
IU Alumni Association hires photographers to take
photos of the ceremony and portraits of graduates
on Commencement day. Ordering information will
be available to graduates during lineup in Gladstein Fieldhouse. You can also register in advance at
www.gradimages.com.
DVDs of Commencement are available at
www.shopwtiu.org. The ceremony can also be viewed online at broadcast.iu.edu.
Diploma Covers and Diplomas
Graduates receive handsome diploma covers
during the ceremony. Whether you attend Commencement or not, your diploma will be
mailed to your permanent address six–eight weeks after Commencement (pending verification of
degree completion). Be sure to update your STUDENT HOME address in OneStart.
• You’re encouraged to watch the video “How to
Wear a Doctoral Hood” on the Commencement website at http://go.iu.edu/8p6.
14 You Don’t Need Tickets!
www.commencement.iu.edu 15
Contact Information
IU Office of University Ceremonies and Commencement Services
1000 E. 17th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47408
(812) 855-3762
[email protected]
16 You Don’t Need Tickets!