Commencement 2020

Print out your Commencement Program before the ceremony and bring it with you. Or share it with friends and family. The printable programs below include the order of exercises as well as the names of degree recipients and honors recipients.

• To ensure the safety of all attendees, please follow signs, arrows and verbal instructions from event staff
• Guests should bring umbrellas (or wear a hat). Guests will be far enough apart for the use of umbrellas.
• All guests must wear face coverings throughout the event (even outdoors)
• Any attendees who do not feel well on the day of the ceremony are asked to stay home
• Any attendees not feeling well will not be permitted to enter
• All guests must keep 6 feet of distance from others throughout the event
• Guests will be seated in the bleachers. Guests may only sit in the designated seating areas marked on the bleacher seats. Event staff will help direct guests to the seating areas
• ADA seating will be available. Event staff will help direct guests to these locations
• All guests must have a valid ticket to enter Sprague Field. Please review the guest registration information section above for more information
• Concessions will not be available. Students and guests must bring their own water bottles
• Sprague Field is an outside venue. Please dress according to the weather and bring a poncho in the event of inclement weather. Please visit this page for any updated weather information
• All guests will have their bags checked upon entering Sprague Field
• Strollers and wagons will not be permitted on the bleachers. Families who bring strollers or wagons must leave them behind prior to entering the bleachers. The University is not responsible for lost or stolen items
• The length of the ceremony will be approximately 50 minutes and it will be streamed live

Important Safety Information

Stay Home If You Might Be Infected
For everyone’s safety, if you or your guests might be infected with COVID-19, you must not come to the ceremony. We will not admit people who have, within the last 14 days:

• Tested positive for COVID-19
• Been directly exposed to someone with COVID-19
• Been directed by a medical professional to quarantine or isolate due to exposure to COVID-19
• Have had or currently have symptoms of COVID-19
• Returned in the last 14 days from travelling to another country or to one of the 31 states: View List of States

• Graduates must report 60 minutes prior to their ceremony start time. Commencement staff will direct students to graduate check-in and line-up area
• Guests and/or children will not be permitted in the student line-up or seating areas
• Graduates must wear face coverings and keep 6 feet of distance from others throughout the event
• To ensure the safety of all attendees, please follow signs, arrows, and verbal instructions from the event staff
• Concessions will not be available. Graduates must bring their own water bottle
• Any graduates who do not feel well on the day of the ceremony are asked to stay home
• Any graduates not feeling well will not be permitted to enter

Why did Montclair State decide to hold commencement ceremonies?
Commencement is an important milestone for Montclair State students, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college. Our graduates have asked for an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments together with their loved ones. The University decided to hold multiple smaller ceremonies in accordance with state guidelines for outdoor events in order to give our students that opportunity.

When are they? And what will happen at the ceremonies?
The University will hold multiple ceremonies between July 18 and 23. The events will take less than an hour, and extensive safety protocols will be observed throughout.

Graduates will line up and march in (socially distanced). They will be seated on Sprague Field (socially distanced). There will be brief remarks from the platform, and students will walk across the stage (socially distanced) to be individually acknowledged. Graduates will recess (socially distanced).

What will be done to reduce the health risks?
The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and guests is always our top priority. The University will follow state and federal public health guidelines. Specifically:

• Holding the ceremonies out of doors, in the football stadium, where graduates, guests and the platform party can be spaced widely apart
• Holding numerous ceremonies to limit the number of persons attending
• Separating graduates by 6 feet on Sprague Field
• Separating guests by 6 feet in the bleachers (except for those from the same household)
• Allowing graduates only two guests each, to reduce the number of people in attendance
• Keeping the size of the platform party small and seating them 6 feet apart
• Requiring everybody to wear face coverings
• Disinfecting all surfaces, including chairs and bleachers, before and after each ceremony
• Providing hand sanitizer
• Live-streaming the ceremony for those who cannot attend in person
• Separating those in the procession and recession by 6 feet
• Installing plexiglass between the name reader and graduates
• Providing separate microphones for each speaker
• Requiring advance registration and using a ticketing system to assure that only pre-registered persons are admitted
• Advising graduates and guests not to attend if they are sick, and refusing admission to anyone who is sick
• Prohibiting handshakes, hugs and exchanging of diplomas, flowers and other items
• Asking attendees to bring their own water bottles

Is this allowed by the State of New Jersey?
Yes. Governor Phil Murphy has announced that outdoor graduation events are allowed, with a limit of 500 attendees. The University is following the health and safety guidelines issued by the Office of the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education.

Are faculty required to attend?
No. Faculty are always invited to commencement ceremonies, but they are not required to attend.

Are staff being required to work at the events?
No. All of the employees and volunteers who have been asked to help at the events will be there because they want to be.The University would never force an employee to do something that they felt was dangerous.We appreciate their willingness to help make these events a wonderful experience for our graduates and their guests.

Are graduates required to attend?
No. Participation is entirely voluntary. As of July 7, nearly 1900 students have registered to attend the 23 planned ceremonies.