For Graduate Students planning to participate in
May Commencement Ceremony (for degrees conferred August 2011,
January 2012 and May 2012)
Commencement
Commencement will take place this year during the day on Friday,
May 18 at the IZOD Center, Meadowlands Sports Complex. Students expecting to
graduate in May (or have graduated in August 2011 or January 2012)
and planning to attend the Commencement ceremony, must
order their academic attire (cap, gown, hood and tassel) no later
than March 30, 2012.
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 30, 2012. Master’s
robes are $70. They may pick up their order at the University
Bookstore during regular store hours beginning May 3,
and continuing through May 17. 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 30, 2012, 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.
Ticketing for the Graduate Convocation will open on April 16th. You can register by visting the MSU Convocation RSVP form.
The RSVP system will shut down at 4:30 on Friday, April 27th. The determination for extra tickets will be made at that time. Tickets will be available for pick-up (*Except for School of Business graduates*) in College Hall Room 226 from May 1- May 11 between the hours of 8:30-4:30. Additionally, we will have late pick up hours on the following dates:
Tuesday, May 1 8:30-6:00
Thursday, May 3 8:30-6:00
Monday, May 7 8:30-6:00
Thursday, May 10 8:30-6:00
Graduates from the MBA and MS in Accounting will pick-up tickets from the MBA office in Partridge Hall.
Graduate Convocation will take place outdoors on Sprague Football Field. Sprague Field is not covered, so guests should dress according to the weather.
Students expecting to graduate MUST pre-order and pay for their academic attire online by the March 30, 2012 deadline. There will be extremely limited options to purchase master's academic attire at the bookstore in May, and graduates may not participate in either ceremony without it.
To order your academic attire, please visit https://www.herffjones.com/college/graduation/. For those who pre-order via the web site by the March 30, 2012 deadline, academic attire may be picked up at the University bookstore in May during normal operating hours. Graduating students are required to show their MSU ID for pick up, and all purchases are nonrefundable.
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.
As student seating will be located on the metal bleachers, please wear appropriate footwear.
Guest access to the stadium will be at Gates 5 and 7.
Guests will be able to enter Sprague Field no earlier
than 6:00 PM
GUESTS WITHOUT TICKETS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED - see "Ticketing"
NO strollers are allowed on the Sprague Field bleachers (Families who
bring strollers will be required to leave strollers unattended
as they cannot be brought onto the bleachers.)
Please note that from the entrance gate to guest seating there is an approximate 50 yard walk and 2 flights of stairs.
Please make sure all guests are made aware of the seating arrangements.
If a graduate has a physical
disability and/or needs wheelchair accommodations, an email must
be sent to
gradstudentservices@mail.montclair.edu
by Friday, May 4, 2012 with
the special accommodation request.
Graduate students should go through Lot 7 to enter Panzer from the field side, for registration and line- up at 6:00 PM.
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 and important directions about the ceremony.
Students will then proceed to line-up. Line-up will be by program and college/school in the order indicated by your index card. Please remain at all times in the number order indicated on your index card at all times.
Students must line-up no later than 6:40 PM. Latecomers will NOT be able to participate.
The Graduate School staff will organize and supervise line-up. Please listen to all instructions carefully.
Guests are not permitted in the registration or line-up area.
Please note students will remain in line before the procession begins. There is an approximate 50 yard walk and 2 flights of stairs to student seating on the bleachers. Graduates who require special accommodations should contact The Graduate School at gradstudentservices@mail.montclair.edu or call 973-655-5147.
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.
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.
Gate 7 is the most convenient access for guests with special need or accommodations.
Lot 42 will be reserved for handicapped parking. Click here to view the campus map indicating the location of Lot 42. Lot 42 is located directly next to Gate 7.
Handicapped parking is also available in the Red Hawk Deck. A shuttle will make stops at the Red Hawk Deck and the Gate 7 entrance throughout the duration of the event.
The first 2 rows of the bleachers will be reserved for special accommodations, wheelchairs and less mobile guests.
