WINTER COMMENCEMENT 2009

Saturday, December 19, 2009

10:00 a.m. Assembly Hall, IU Bloomington

Ordering Your Cap and Gown

Degree candidates who plan to participate in Winter Commencement can rent apparel in person at the IU Bookstore, or online at Herff Jones, IU's Commencement supplier. The deadline for online orders is midnight, November 20, 2009. It’s a good idea to order your apparel as early as possible.

Rental charges for academic apparel are as follows: bachelor’s and associate degree apparel, $71.98; master’s, $81.98; doctoral/Ph.D., $96.98. Indiana’s 7 percent sales tax will be added to these charges. Associate and bachelor’s degree candidates have the option of purchasing additional stoles of gratitude for $22.65 each plus Indiana sales tax of 7 percent.

Schedule for Commencement Day

8:00 a.m.	Assembly Hall doors open
8:30 a.m.	Candidates begin lining up in the adjoining Gladstein Fieldhouse
9:15 a.m.	Procession of Graduates into Assembly Hall begins
10:00 a.m.	Commencement ceremony begins

Once You Arrive at Gladstein Fieldhouse

	Look for your school banner, such as “College of Arts and Sciences” or “School of Continuing Studies”.
	Line up by school and then by degree. Candidates for the highest degrees are at the front of each line (doctoral/Ph.D., master’s, bachelor’s, associate). School marshals will be on hand to assist with the lineup.
	The ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes.

Tickets Are Not Required

Your family and friends do not need tickets, and is no reserved seating. Though participation in Commencement isn’t mandatory, you’re encouraged to take part in this singular celebration of achievement. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Who Is Eligible to Participate?

	Undergraduates who have completed the requirements for graduation by December 2009
	Graduate students who have completed University Graduate School requirements from September through December 2009

Application for Graduation

You must apply to graduate. If you have any questions about the process, please contact the recorder’s office in the school(s) that will be granting your degree(s). Additional information is available at the Apply to Graduate link.

Caps, Tassels, Gowns, Stoles, and Hoods

All candidates for degrees must wear caps, tassels (colored to reflect school), and gowns at Commencement. If you’ll be earning a bachelor’s or associate degree, your apparel will also include a stole of gratitude to keep as a memento or give to someone who has helped you in your academic career. If you’re a doctoral/Ph.D. candidate, your apparel will also include a hood.

Apparel Pickup and Return

Your apparel will be available for pickup December 16, 17, and 18 on the upper level of the IU Bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union. You may pick up and pay for your apparel there from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Even if you’ve previously used a credit card number to reserve apparel, you pay for it at pickup time.

Apparel will also be available on Commencement day, Saturday, December 19, in Gladstein Fieldhouse. Apparel distribution will begin there at 7:30 a.m., but this option should be regarded as a last resort because time will be short and lines long.

Graduates keep caps, tassels, stoles, and any honor cords that they’ve earned. You’ll return your rental gown at Gladstein Fieldhouse immediately after the ceremony. If you’re a doctoral/Ph.D. candidate, you’ll also return your rental hood.

Recognition of Doctoral/Ph.D. Candidates

Candidates for doctoral and Ph.D. degrees will be presented onstage. They will then be hooded by their faculty advisors, who will carry the hoods for the candidates until hooding takes place. Faculty marshals can provide further details in Gladstein Fieldhouse.

Diplomas and Covers

Graduates will receive a keepsake diploma cover, courtesy of the IU Alumni Association, on Commencement Day as they proceed into Assembly Hall. Diplomas will be approved, printed, and mailed after the ceremony. Expect to receive the diploma at your designated permanent address within three months of December 19.

Visiting Bloomington and Accommodations

Hotels and bed and breakfasts take reservations up to a year in advance, and many fill up early for Commencement weekend. Many families stay in Indianapolis and drive to Bloomington on Graduation Day. Book your accommodations as early as possible. The Indiana Memorial Unionand the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau are good places to start planning your visit.

Arrangements for Guests with Disabilities

Seating will be provided for those who would like sign language interpretation, and space will be available for wheelchair users. Guests must bring their own chairs. More information is available in Frequently Asked Questions. Please make prior plans for accommodation with the Indiana University Alumni Office by calling (812) 855-4664.

Parking

Parking can be challenging on Commencement Day. Our best advice is to arrive early and allow enough time to make your way inside from the Assembly Hall parking lot. For information about handicapped drop-off and for other parking tips, see Maps and Parking.

Questions?

Please see Frequently Asked Questions or call (812) 855-4664.