The University Commencement Assembly is filled with pageantry, honors recognition, individual recognition, and conferring of degrees by President Elson Floyd.   The event is open to the public, tickets are not required.   All students that have applied to graduate are encouraged to attend.    

Ceremony Schedules

Commencement will be held twice a year in the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.  Student line up starts ½ hour prior to all ceremonies.

The Fall Commencement ceremony will be on

            Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 10 AM.

Spring ceremonies will be on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at the following times:

 8:00 AM  

Colleges of Business and Education

11:30 AM  

Colleges of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences;Engineering/Architecture; Nursing; Pharmacy; Sciences; and Veterinary Medicine

3:00 PM   

Colleges of Communication and Liberal Arts

Assembly Instructions

Visit the website at www.commencement.wsu.edu or contact the Commencement Coordinator, Teri Hansen, 509-335-2531, nelsont@wsu.edu, with questions.   Personal items should be left with family members or at home during the ceremonies.   All ceremonies are approximately 2 hours in duration.

Academic Regalia

Traditional caps and gowns are recommended.   The Pullman Bookie will host a Graduation Salute on Thursday, October 22, 2009 for the fall ceremony and again in the spring on Wednesday/Thursday, March 24-25, 2010 for the spring ceremonies from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lewis Alumni Centre.  Graduating students can register to walk in the ceremony, pick up caps and gowns, order personalized announcements from Jostens, purchase class rings or diploma frames, meet with campus offices such as the Registrar, Financial Aid, Alumni Relations and others.   Graduate students wishing to purchase their own regalia must place their order with the Bookie 8 weeks prior to the commencement ceremony in which they plan to participate.   Contact the Supply Department at the Student Book Store 509-332-2537/800-937-4978 ext 193 or supplies@mail.wsu.edu for more information.

Application for Degree

To be eligible to graduate, you MUST complete an Application for Degree with the Registrar’s Office (French Ad 346) by the deadline listed in the Schedules of Classes for the semester you plan to graduate.

Parking

Parking, subject to availability, will be allowed in WSU lots during the weekend and after-work hours.    Overnight RV parking for Commencement is only permitted in the Red 2 lot east of the Indoor Practice Facility on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  During the December commencement ceremony a shuttle bus will operate between the Alumni Centre parking lot and the coliseum.   For more information on campus parking visit: http://www.parking.wsu.edu/Commencement.          

Airline Information

Alaska Airlines 1-800-252-7522

Delta Airlines 1-800-221-1212

Horizon Air 1-800-547-9308

Northwest Air 1-800-225-2525

Southwest Airlines 1-800-435-9792

United Airlines 1-800-241-6522  

Lodging

For Pullman and surrounding areas see the Washington State University Visitors Center home page at http://visitor.wsu.edu or call 509-335-8633 to receive a hard copy of the area listings.

Photographs

The Pictureman, Inc., a commercial photographer, will take a photo of each graduate receiving his or her diploma cover as well as a still shot with the cover and a WSU backdrop.   A proof will be mailed to each graduate and photos can be viewed on-line at www.gradwsu.com   Photos and videos may be purchased at reasonable rates on-line, by mail or by calling the Pictureman, Inc. at (509) 332-0964.   Only official photographers will be allowed on the floor with the graduates.  

Disability Access

Students who need special accommodations should contact the Commencement Coordinator, Teri Hansen, at 509-335-2531 or nelsont@wsu.edu.  

General university guests who have a disability or have difficulty walking will find easier access if they enter the coliseum through the North entrance off Orchard Drive where there is some handicap parking and a drop off area.   Extra disability parking will be available around the coliseum.  Limited seating is set aside in the first three rows of seating from the concourse level all around the coliseum.  

Real-time captioning is used in all ceremonies.

Guest Seating

Admission tickets are not required for the ceremonies and seating for guests will be available on an unreserved basis.   Doors will be open to the public 1 hour prior to each ceremony.

Reader Cards 

All candidates will receive a card (yellow for undergraduates, burgundy for graduates) and a pencil when seated.   Names will be read aloud from this card prior to the student receiving the diploma cover from the college dean.  Phonetic spelling can be added to this card if the pronunciation of the student’s name is not obvious.

Commencement Speakers

Information about speakers will be posted on the commencement website when available.

Honor Cords

Students can obtain honor cords through their individual colleges.

Platform Party

The commencement platform party is made up of the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, members of the Board of Regents, Graduate Professional Student Association and Associated Students of Washington State University Presidents, the Faculty Senate Chair, the Alumni Association President, college deans and the commencement speakers.