Spring Commencement
Family & Friends

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Parking
Parking will be available in all University Parking lots designated by “Event Parking” signs. Parking lots are designated gold in color on the parking map. Shuttle buses will transport guests from outlying lots to drop-off points closer to the ceremonies throughout the weekend. We strongly urge you to take advantage of the shuttle service rather than attempting to move your car to find parking for each event you attend.

Personal vehicles will not be allowed to drop graduates at the Physical Education building on Sunday.
Campus shuttles from parking lots will be the only vehicles allowed into the SEFCU driveway for drop-off.

For the Undergraduate Ceremony
Base your parking lot choice on the seating chart and the following information. If the graduate marches in one of the lines on the East side (right of the diagram), he/she will sit on the East side. Families of those particular students will have an easier time of finding their graduate if they park on the East side of campus in the Indian and State Gold parking lots. Those whose graduates are in the West two lines (left of the diagram) will have a better chance of seeing their graduate if they park in the Colonial or Dutch Gold parking lots on the West side of campus.

Handicapped Parking 
Located west of the Campus Center, between the Campus Center and the Science Library and will be clearly marked. Entry will be via the service road across from Tricentennial Drive and the Health Center. Follow the signs. Only vehicles with handicapped license plates or hangtags will be allowed into this area and the other designated handicapped areas around campus.

Accessibility
Golf carts will be available to transport those who have trouble walking. This service will be provided the hour before and the hour after the campus-wide undergraduate ceremony on Sunday. Transport will be from the library lawn to the following locations: handicapped parking area, Dutch gold lot, and the shuttle stop near Indian Gold East parking lot.

Commencement staff will be available to provide wheelchair assistance between the disabled parking area and the library lawn for the Campus-wide Undergraduate Ceremony and from the bus drop-off/disabled parking area to the disabled/frail seating area at the Campus-wide Graduate Ceremony. Wheelchairs for personal use are not available. The ability of the commencement staff to provide assistance in reaching other ceremonies is minimal. The campus is expansive so if you have your own wheelchair we recommend that you bring it. Please contact the Disability Resource Center at 442-5490 for further information.

University Shuttle Service – Main Campus
The University at Albany will provide free bus transportation from various parking lots on the main campus to locations closer to the scheduled ceremonies all day Saturday and from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Shuttles run only between parking lots on the uptown campus. Shuttles from the State parking lot will stop at the Indian East lot for guests to disembark and then continue to the Physical Education building to drop off graduates. Shuttles from the Colonial lot will stop at the Dutch lot to allow guests to disembark and then continue to the Physical Education building to drop off graduates.
Please allow 15-20 minutes to get from your car to the library lawn.

Shuttle routes are different each day, so be sure to look for the symbol that refers to the appropriate day. On both days, shuttles will be marked “A”, “B”, “C”, with each responsible for a specific route. You must remember which shuttle you took from your vehicle to the ceremony site because the routes the shuttles drive do not overlap. If you take the “A” shuttle to the ceremony, only the “A” shuttle will return you to your vehicle.

Photography
The University at Albany will offer the services of a professional photographer at both of the University-wide Graduate & Undergraduate ceremonies. As it is virtually impossible for parents to get close enough to the stage or procession to get a good photograph of their graduate, we have found that parents appreciate the opportunity to have a high quality photo of their students taken. Students will be professionally photographed at the graduate ceremony as they cross the stage and when they exit the stage, and at the undergraduate ceremony, as they line up in the Physical Education building prior to the start of the ceremony. Following Commencement, the photographer will mail proofs to the students’ permanent address, and families will have the option to purchase prints if they wish. Any student who does not want to receive proofs will have an opportunity to remove their name and address from the photographer’s mailing list.

Public Restrooms
All University buildings are equipped with public restrooms, and most of these will be available throughout the weekend. In order to accommodate the large number of people in attendance, we will also set up portable toilets near the academic podium, parking lots and near the undergraduate ceremony site. Many of these will be accessible for persons with disabilities.

Concessions
Retail options in the Campus Center will be open for business on Sunday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Concessions, consisting of light refreshments & snacks will be available at the SEFCU Arena for the graduate ceremony Saturday.

Flowers
For your convenience, flowers will be available for purchase at the main entranceways to both the university-wide graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. Arrangements will include single, half dozen, and full dozen roses, as well as mixed bouquets.

Commencement Programs
Official Commencement Programs will be distributed at the university-wide graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. The program will list the names of May 2008 degree candidates who have met the application deadlines: February 17 (undergraduate students) and March 31 (graduate students), not those that attend the ceremony. Therefore, students who received their degrees in May or December 2007, or who plan to graduate over the course of the summer 2008, but participate in the May 2008 ceremony will not be listed in this program.

The Registrar’s Office will be happy to mail a Commencement Program upon request to those who are listed therein but who are unable to attend the May ceremonies. Requests should be made to:          

Office of the Registrar
Campus Center B-25
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
Attn: Commencement Program

Access for Disabled Guests/Students 
Most University buildings are equipped with handicapped accessible rest rooms, telephones and drinking fountains. At the university-wide undergraduate ceremony, a large seating area will be reserved for frail or disabled guests and two family members. Please note that this is an outdoor event that will be held rain or shine. Please be sure any frail or elderly guests are dressed appropriately. At the university-wide graduate ceremony, a large seating area will be reserved for frail or disabled guests and two family members.

At both locations, the disabled seating area is, understandably, limited. We appreciate your cooperation in having no more than two able-bodied guests accompanying the disabled person. Wheelchairs will be available for both ceremonies courtesy of the University (for transport only) if requested in advance. Sign-language interpreters will also be provided at these ceremonies. Interpreters will be present at the individual school/department ceremonies, only if requested in advance.

Guests with hearing impairments, graduating students who wish to sit in close proximity to the sign-language interpreters, and guests and graduating students requiring wheelchairs, wheelchair access and/or special seating should contact Carolyn Malloch by April 28, 2008 at:

Office of Disabled Student Services
Campus Center 137
Albany, New York 12222
518/442-5566 or 442-5490

Please note that Ms. Malloch will not be able to arrange special seating, wheelchairs or sign-language interpreters for the school/department recognition ceremonies. To request such arrangements for a school/department recognition ceremony, please call the department number listed in the master schedule.

Alcohol Policy
The University at Albany requests the cooperation of all participants and visitors in complying with the policy prohibiting alcoholic beverages at the Commencement ceremonies. No one with alcoholic beverages will be allowed to enter or participate in any of the weekend’s events.

Directions

Questions can be directed to the following email address: commencement@uamail.albany.edu

Please send questions or comments about this site to:
commencement@uamail.albany.edu