Know Before You Go

Take the Northway (I-87) south to Exit 1E and stay to the left onto I-90 east (Albany/Boston). Take Exit 2 (Washington Ave/UAlbany) which leads directly through the traffic light into UAlbany.

Take the Thruway north to Exit 24. After the tollbooths, go onto I-90 east towards Boston to Exit 2 (Washington Ave/UAlbany) which leads directly through the traffic light into UAlbany.

Take I-90 west (towards Buffalo) to Exit 2 (Fuller Rd/UAlbany). At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto Fuller Road. At the next traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto the Washington Avenue ramp, then merge onto Washington Avenue at the traffic light. At the next traffic light, UAlbany will be on your right.

Take the Thruway east to Exit 24. After the tollbooths, go onto I-90 east towards Boston to Exit 2 (Washington Ave/UAlbany) which leads directly through the traffic light into UAlbany.

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• There is no drop-off location; instead be sure to stay with your guests to check in together as a group within your 15-minute arrival window.
• Graduates and guests may park in the Dutch Quad lot. Accessible shuttles will be available from this lot to Broadview Center, as well as a paved sidewalk.
• Accessible parking will be available adjacent to the Broadview Center bus turn-around for vehicles with a valid municipal-issued tag. Additional accessible parking is available at the Dutch Quad Commuter Lot with wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses to the Broadview Center. 
• Please follow relevant event signage once on campus.
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• All parking lots on the Uptown Campus will be available, with the State Faculty Lot reserved for accessible parking for vehicles with a valid municipal-issued tag.
• Colonial Student parking lot and State Student lot are about a 3-5 minute walk to the Entry Plaza. 
• Shuttles: Wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses will be available between the Entry Plaza and the Dutch Student parking lot before and after the ceremony.

• All graduates and guests must arrive together to the Broadview Center (formerly SEFCU Arena) lobby for check-in within your 15-minute arrival window. 
• From there, your full party will be directed to start the walk through the upper level of the Broadview Center, down a set of interior stairs and to your assigned stage on the arena level.
• You will exit the venue via a set of interior stairs to the main lobby (where you entered).
• See ‘special accommodations’ for information regarding the elevator, seating, etc. 

• The Undergraduate Ceremony will be held outdoors on the Entry Plaza Lawn, rain or shine.
• Graduates should report to the academic podium for check-in and line-up 60 minutes prior to the ceremony start time.  
• Guests should go directly to the Entry Plaza Lawn where seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The seating area will open 1.5 hours before the ceremony.
• Grads and guests should plan to meet up on the lawn after the ceremony as there is no formal recession.  

Only Registered Service Animals are permitted. The Americans with Disabilities Act stipulates that "service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities."  Pets are not allowed at any commencement venues.

Throughout Commencement weekend, a limited number of handicapped parking spaces for vehicles with a valid municipal-issued tag are available. 

Stage Crossings - Accessible parking will be available adjacent to the Broadview Center bus turn-around, as well as in Dutch Commuter lot, for vehicles with a valid municipal-issued tag. Wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses will be available from the Dutch Commuter lot to the Broadview Center.

Undergraduate Ceremony - all parking lots on the Uptown Campus will be available. Limited accessible parking will be available in the State Faculty Lot reserved for accessible parking with a valid municipal-issued tag. (with wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses from Dutch Student Lot)

At all times, please follow any special event signage and/or directions from University Police Officers. Vehicles parked illegally in unmarked parking spots may be ticketed and/or towed.

All Commencement venues, and shuttle buses, are wheelchair accessible. The Broadview Center has an elevator and the Entry Plaza is on flat ground. Please note that guests in need of a wheelchair are required to bring and use their own.

The Stage Crossings will consist of grads and their guests walking along a pre-defined path. While there is no seating as part of this event, a limited number of chairs will be available near the stage for guests who need them.

The Undergraduate Ceremony will have an accessible seating section, located at the top left corner when you are facing the stage. This section is designated for disabled/frail/elderly guests, along with up to ONE escort, available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Live captioning will accompany the livestream of all Commencement events, and the Undergraduate Ceremony will feature an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.

Accessible restrooms will be available at the Stage Crossings, and accessible portable restrooms will be available outdoors at the Entry Plaza for the Undergraduate Ceremony.

University policy prohibits alcoholic beverages at Commencement events and in all public areas.

The University's Tobacco and Smoke-Free Campus Policy prohibits smoking and the use of all tobacco and vaping products on all University property (indoors or outdoors).

Pets and other animals, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted on University property or at any Commencement activity. The Americans with Disabilities Act stipulates that “service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”

When you attend any Commencement event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to such media recording and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for UAlbany promotional purposes. Read our full photo release here.