Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - University Commencement: Commencement Instructions

Marshaling

Advanced Degree Candidates Receiving Their Diplomas

Who:	Candidates for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy, Master of Arts, Master of Arts for Teachers, and Master of Science from the Graduate School–New Brunswick Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Education from the Graduate School of Education Candidates for the degrees of Doctor of Psychology and Master of Psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the Mason Gross School of the Arts
When:	Arrive by 12:30 p.m.
Where:	Kirkpatrick Chapel College Avenue Campus New Brunswick, New Jersey

At Kirkpatrick Chapel, you will pick up your diploma and name card prior to the ceremony. You will carry your diploma in the procession. (Advanced degree candidates who received their diploma prior to this ceremony should also report to Kirkpatrick Chapel. You will be provided with a "mock" diploma to carry during the ceremony.) Faculty marshals will assist you in locating the marshaling area for your academic unit on the Old Queen's lawn.

Representative Candidates from All Schools and Campuses

Who:	Representative candidates are all those from the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick undergraduate and graduate/professional schools who have received or will receive their diplomas at other ceremonies.
When:	Arrive by 12:30 p.m.
Where:	Old Queen's Building Lawn College Avenue Campus New Brunswick, New Jersey

Faculty marshals will assist you in locating the marshaling area for your academic unit on the Old Queen's lawn.

Degree Candidates with Special Needs

Reserved parking and seating are available for candidates or their guests with special needs. Special arrangements can be made for any candidate physically unable to march in the academic procession or requiring assistance to move on and off the stage. Sign language interpreters will be located in front of the stage, and assistive listening devices are available for the hearing impaired. For all special arrangements, please contact:

Instructions for All Degree Candidates

All degree candidates are required to wear appropriate academic regalia.

In no case will guests be permitted to enter the marshaling area or the graduates' seating area. It is suggested that you make arrangements to meet after the exercises at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Voorhees Mall.

Please do not leave valuables in the marshaling area during the ceremony.

All cell phones and electronic noise-producing devices must be turned off during the ceremony.

University Emergency Medical Services personnel will be present throughout the ceremony.

The Procession

The faculty marshals, wearing university medallions, will direct the academic procession. The procession will move from the marshaling area in front of the Old Queen's Building to the ceremony area on the Voorhees Mall. Each school or college will be led by its gonfalon bearer and the dean, followed by faculty, and then the degree candidates. The dean and gonfalon bearer will proceed to the stage, while the faculty and degree candidates will turn into the rows of seats in the ceremony area. Faculty and candidates will remain standing in place until the procession is completed and the platform party has reached the stage, at which time the ceremony will begin.

The Conferring of Degrees

Representative Candidates

Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree representative candidates from the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick academic units will rise according to instructions for the conferring of degrees as announced from the stage and will remain standing while President Richard L. McCormick confers degrees. Immediately following the conferring of the degree, President McCormick will indicate that the graduates may be seated.

Master's Candidates Receiving Their Diplomas

The Graduate School–New Brunswick and Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology master's candidates will be escorted to the stage by faculty marshals. Each candidate's name will be announced and individual congratulations extended by President McCormick or Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Philip Furmanski. Master's candidates should carry their diplomas in their left hand and color-coded name card in their right hand as they approach the stage. Candidates should present their name cards to the reader on the stage and proceed toward center stage to shake hands. They should then follow the directions of the faculty marshals to exit from the stage.

Please do not carry any additional items onto the stage.

Doctoral Candidates Receiving Their Diplomas

Upon direction from the faculty marshals, doctoral candidates will move forward to the stage to be hooded. Candidates will carry the appropriate hood over the right arm, extend that arm toward the person doing the hooding, turn quickly to face the audience, and, as soon as the hood is in place, walk across the stage with the diploma in their left hand, and, with the right hand, shake hands with President McCormick and Executive Vice President Furmanski. Candidates will then proceed across the stage, shake hands with the dean, and return to their seats as directed by the faculty marshals.

Please do not carry any additional items onto the stage.

The Alma Mater and Recession

The exercises conclude with the singing of the Alma Mater. Men will remove their caps at this time. After the Alma Mater, caps will be replaced, and the graduates will remain standing. The platform party will recess down the center aisle. Graduates are requested to remain in place until directed to recess by the faculty marshals.

Outstanding Library or Financial Obligations

All candidates are reminded that they must return or account for any items withdrawn from the university libraries and clear all outstanding financial obligations to the university before graduation. Candidates who have been certified for graduation but whose accounts are not clear will not receive diplomas at commencement.

If You Cannot Attend

Advanced degree candidates who are to receive their degree at the University Commencement exercises, but are unable to attend, should write to the University Registrar at the address below as soon as possible and request that the degree be conferred in absentia. Indicate the school in which you are enrolled, the degree to be conferred, and the address to which the diploma may be mailed during June, following commencement.

Copies of the University Commencement program may be obtained after June 1 by writing to: