Purdue University North Central Commencement 2010

Monday, May 17, 2010, 7 p.m. Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC) at Valparaiso University All candidates MUST be in their place with their degree group by 5:45 p.m.

Instructions for Participants
The Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC) will be open at 5:30 p.m. Once the academic procession begins at 7 p.m., no guests will be seated until the procession is concluded, so urge your family and friends to be in their seats early. Also, please ask your guests to remain in their seats until the conclusion of the ceremony. In deference to other guests, persons with small children are asked to take them out of the ARC if they begin to create a disturbance.

Grades
If you have questions about your eligibility as a Commencement candidate, you should contact the Office of the Registrar. If you fail to qualify for your degree due to a failing or incomplete grade, it may be necessary for you to register for the summer session or fall semester in order to complete your degree requirements. You may still participate in Commencement; however, an empty diploma cover will be presented to you in lieu of your diploma.

Announcements
Commencement announcements may be purchased in the bookstore to send to family and friends.

School Songs
Candidates are encouraged to learn the Purdue University official songs that are sung at Commencement. The music and words to “Hail Purdue” and the “Purdue Hymn” are available at www.pnc.edu/cd/media.

Parking
Both Purdue North Central and Valparaiso University police will direct individuals to parking. There is handicapped parking available by the ARC. In addition, space will be reserved in front of the ARC to allow cars to drop off those who have difficulty walking. A shuttle service will also be provided between the parking lots and the ARC.

Persons with Physical or Hearing Impairments
Candidates having guests with physical or hearing restrictions that require special consideration should contact the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible to make special arrangements. Candidates who have physical or hearing disabilities that require special consideration also should contact the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.

Photography
Camera and videotape equipment are allowed. However, we ask that you not create a distraction for other guests with your use of this equipment. An independent professional photographer will be taking pictures of each graduate as they receive their diploma. Copies of this photograph will be made available to you for purchase a few weeks following the exercises.

Academic Attire
All candidates who participate in the Commencement exercises must be in the appropriate academic attire. For associate degree candidates, academic attire is a dark gray, full-sleeved gown and cap. For baccalaureate degree candidates it is a black baccalaureate gown and cap. For master’s degree candidates, it is a full-sleeved, black master’s gown and cap. An appropriate master’s hood will also be worn. When you pick up your academic attire at the campus bookstore, examine it immediately to be sure that you have the correct gown, cap, hood (if appropriate), and proper color tassel for the cap. Caps and gowns will be available in the bookstore after the middle of April. Gowns must be returned immediately following the ceremony. Representatives from the gown company will be collecting gowns in the Hilltop Gymnasium at the ARC (the same location where you will line up for the processional).

All candidates participating in the commencement exercises wear a tassel on the cap, the color of which indicates the school of the University from which they are to receive their degrees. The proper tassel colors are as follows:

Graduate School - Black
Education - Light Blue
Liberal Arts - White
Nursing - Apricot
Science - Golden Yellow
Technology - Red
Business - Olive

The tassel for the cap, which you may keep, is included with the rental of the cap and gown. Be sure to indicate the correct degree on the order form.

Order of Exercises
The order of exercises will be as follows:

Commencement Procession
National Anthem
Introduction of Platform Party and Honored Guests
Chancellor’s Address to Candidates
Singing of the “Purdue Hymn”
Conferring of Degrees
Welcome of Class into the Purdue Alumni Association
Student Response
Announcements
Singing of “Hail Purdue”
Commencement Recessional

(Women are not required to remove the cap at any time during the exercises)

Suggestions for Dress for Candidates
Candidates for degrees are encouraged to wear dark clothing and shoes. Corsages should not be worn. The cap (mortarboard) should be worn horizontally with the point directly in the center front and the tassel on the right.

Robing
The graduates are urged to arrive at the ceremony already dressed in their academic attire. Restrooms are located on both floors of the ARC.

Honor Cords
University honor cords will be distributed to those graduates who will be graduating “with distinction” or “with highest distinction.” No other decorative materials (e.g., shawls, society cords, corsages, etc.) may be worn on the gown or mortarboard cap.

The Commencement Exercise Procession
All candidates MUST be in their place with their degree group by 5:45 p.m. The student processional line will form in the Hilltop Gymnasium in the ARC. No candidates maybe added to the procession once it begins to form at 5:45 p.m. Candidates will be lined up in the following order: Master’s candidates, baccalaureate candidates and associate candidates.

Remember: The processional forms promptly at 5:45 p.m.

Seating for Candidates at the ARC
All degree candidates will be seated on the main floor of the ARC. Family and friends will be seated in the remainder of the ARC both on the floor and upper bleacher area.

Conferring of Degrees
All degrees will be awarded on the center platform. Candidates for the master’s degree will be hooded prior to the processional. Marshals will usher the candidates to the front for conferral of degrees. As soon as the first row of graduates has cleared their seats, the second row of graduates will rise and follow, and so on. Candidates will line up to the right of the platform area, wait until the public orator calls their name, ascend the ramp for diploma presentation, descend the ramp on the left side of the platform and return to their seats. They are to remain standing at their seats until the entire row has returned, and then sit down.

Conclusion
Following the awarding of all diplomas, the welcoming of all graduates into the Purdue Alumni Association, and the response by the student representative, the graduates will rise for the singing of “Hail Purdue.” A formal recessional will then conclude the ceremony. All guests will remain seated during the formal recessional.

Post Commencement Reception
Following the commencement exercises, a reception is held for graduates and their families at the Harre Student Union at Valparaiso University. This reception is sponsored by the Purdue North Central Alumni Association. All graduates are encouraged to attend.

Questions? Contact the Office of the Registrar, room 40 of Schwarz Hall, (219) 785-5341.