Commencement and Convocation
For Graduate Students planning to participate in
May Commencement Ceremony (for degrees conferred August 2008,
January 2009 and May 2009)
Commencement
Commencement will take place this year during the day on Friday,
May 22 at the IZOD Center (Formerly Continental Airlines Arena). Students expecting to
graduate in May (or have graduated in August 2008 or January 2009)
and planning to attend the Commencement ceremony, must
order their academic attire (cap, gown, hood and tassel) no later
than March 29, 2009.
To distinguish graduate students from undergraduate students
during the ceremony, master's commencement attire will be red in
color. Master's degree candidates must order their regalia through
Herff Jones at
www.herffjones.com/college/graduation by March 29th, 2009. Master’s
robes are $61. They may pick up their order at the University
Bookstore during regular store hours beginning May 7,
and continuing through May 19. They will be available
again from 12-7pm May 20 and May 21. Master's degree candidates
must present a valid student I.D. or driver's license at the time
of pick up. No orders will be accepted after March 29, 2009, and
all purchases of academic attire are nonrefundable.
Please watch your MSU e-mail from now until the end of May, as
messages will be sent to those on the graduation list regarding
Commencement.
For more information regarding Commencement, including times,
guests, etc., please visit the
University Commencement page. For general graduate student
questions regarding Commencement, please contact the Graduate
Admissions & Support Services at
gradstudentservices@mail.montclair.edu.
Graduate Convocation
Date & Time
Graduate Convocation
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Amphitheater, Montclair State University
Student Reporting Time: 6:00 PM
Line Up In Place: 6:00 PM - 6:40 PM
Procession: 6:45 PM (Latecomers will not be able to participate)
Ceremony: 7:00 PM
Rain Dates: Monday, May 18th and Tuesday, May 19th
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Ticketing
Please note that while you are not required to register to participate in Commencement, all graduate students who wish to participate in Convocation. The Convocation RSVP system has closed, and ticket allocations have been made. Tickets can be picked up in the Graduate Office, College Hall, Room 203 beginning Tuesday, May 5th through Friday, May 8th. Office hours this week are:
Tuesday: 8:30-5:30
Wednesday: 8:30-5:30
Thursday: 8:30-7:00
Friday: 8:30-4:30
Tickets which are not picked up will be reallocated on Monday, May 11th. Additional tickets for Kasser Theater (televised viewing) will be available on Thursday, May 14th on a first-come first-serve basis. Should any of your guests require special accommodations, please call us at 973-655-5147 or email at gradstudentservices@mail.montclair.edu.
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Location
- Graduate Convocation will take place outdoors in the
Amphitheater. The Amphitheater is not
covered, so guests should dress according to the weather.
Montclair State University Amphitheater |
 |
 |
| The Amphitheater here at Montclair State
University was constructed in 1936. It was built with federal
funds from the Works Progress Administration. This organization
was responsible for allocating funds to state schools for
creating jobs for the unemployed. The amphitheater became a
symbol for this organization on campus. During its early years,
the amphitheater was used for assemblies, rallies, picnics,
social gatherings, movies, concerts, graduations and festivals.
With hope of bringing life back to this piece of MSU history,
the Alumni Association has restored the Amphitheater to how you
see it today. |
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Attire
- STUDENTS MUST HAVE ACADEMIC ROBE, CAP AND TASSEL to
participate (students without the red MSU graduate student
academic robe will not be able to participate, there will be no
exceptions). Academic hoods are NOT to be worn for Convocation
but will be worn at Commencement at Continental Airlines Arena.
- Pocketbooks or other carried articles (including water
bottles) are not permitted in
the ceremony. Please leave pocketbooks or other items at home,
with a guest or in the car.
- Due to the natural construction of the Amphitheater, we ask
that all students wear flat, comfortable shoes.
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Check-in
- STUDENTS ARE TO REPORT TO CHECK-IN AT 6:00 PM
- Check-in is in front of Alexander Kasser Theater by the main
entrance to the theater.
- At check-in, students should go to the table of the
college/school of their degree program. At check-in, students
will be given an index card with the student’s name, phonetic
spelling, college/school and program of study.
- The number on the index card will indicate the ORDER you are
to line-up by program and college/school.
- The Graduate School staff will be available for assistance, and
will be wearing staff badges for identification. Guests are not
permitted in the check in or line up area.
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Guest Seating
- Guests will be able to enter the Amphitheater no earlier
than 6:00 PM
- GUESTS WITHOUT TICKETS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED - see "Ticketing"
- NO strollers are allowed in the Amphitheater (Families that
bring strollers will be required to leave strollers unattended
as they cannot be brought into the Amphitheater.)
- Due to the physical requirements of the seating area and
safety reasons, we suggest that babies are not carried in the
arms of guests. Please see photos of Amphitheater by scrolling
up; guests may be seated anywhere above the first 5 rows,
where the graduates will be seated.
- If a graduate or a graduate's guest has a physical
disability and/or needs wheelchair accommodations, an email must
be sent to
gradstudentservices@mail.montclair.edu
by April 30th, 2009 with
the special accommodation request. If a graduate or a guest has
a handicap hang tag, park on the 4th floor of the Red hawk Deck
in the handicap specified parking area. There is a ramp from the
4th floor to the Amphitheater.
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Line-up
- Students will LINE-UP no later than 6:40 PM Latecomers will
not be able to participate.
- Line-up will be by program and college/school in the order
indicated by your index card.
- The Graduate Admissions & Support Services staff will organize and supervise line-up.
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Procession/Recession
- Procession will begin promptly at 6:45 PM. Latecomers will
not be able to participate.
- Students will process into the Amphitheater from line-up.
The Graduate Admissions & Support Services staff will oversee procession and recession.
Please listen to instructions carefully on the day of the event.
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Ceremony
- The Ceremony is expected to last 1 1/2 hours.
- The Convocation Ceremony will begin with a welcoming address
by President Susan Cole. A
processional of graduating graduate students will then be called
to the stage (your name will be announced) to be congratulated
personally by the dean, your department chair and faculty.
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Photos
- Due to the physical requirements of the seating area and
safety reasons, it will not be possible for family members to
take photos during the ceremony. Please plan to take photos with
family and/or faculty following the ceremony.
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Parking
- Students with surface lot permits may park in those same
lots during the Convocation Ceremony.
- Guests without permits may use the Red Hawk Deck, whose fee
schedule may be found on the Parking and Transportation Services
web site.
- There is also FREE parking available at Quarry Lots 18, 19,
20A, 20B, 21, 22, 23, 26 (short walk required to Convocation
site - see campus map). Parking in these lots will be allowed
without a permit only during the Convocation.
- Shuttle bus service will run as normal during the day of the
Ceremony.
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