FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many tickets will I receive?
How long does the ceremony usually last?
Where and what time should I arrive?
Do I need to wear a cap and gown?
Is there a graduation rehearsal?
Where should I have my guests park?
How do I request special seating for a guest in a wheelchair or with other special needs?
Is there a snow date?
When do I receive my diploma?
How do I join the Alumni Association?

THE DAY OF THE CEREMONY

UMBC’s Winter Commencement will be held on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 10 a.m. in the Retriever Activities Center (RAC) Arena.

Out of courtesy to your fellow graduates, you are expected to arrive on time and stay for the entire program, which will last approximately 90 minutes.

There is no Commencement rehearsal. Instructions for line-up, marching and the awarding of degrees should be followed carefully on the day of the ceremony.

Undergraduates must line up in the lower level (basement) of Sondheim Hall by 9 a.m. Be sure to bring your gold floor pass, which you will receive with your regalia. No one will be allowed to participate in the ceremony without a floor pass, so please keep it with you at all times and remember to bring it on stage. When you arrive at Sondheim Hall, follow signage to the area designated for the department your major is in. Undergraduates march in alphabetical order by department. You will be given additional instructions during line-up. The procession begins promptly at 9:40 a.m.

Important Note: Please leave all valuables at home or with a friend or family member when you arrive at the RAC. There will be no secured area for personal belongings, such as coats, cameras, purses or book bags. Smoking is not permitted inside the RAC.

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Academic Regalia (CANDIDATES)

Each undergraduate student attending the Commencement ceremony MUST purchase the academic regalia that can only be ordered from the Bookstore Graduation Center. Candidates participating in the ceremony are prohibited from wearing a borrowed cap or gown from an alumnus/a or another student. NO EXCEPTIONS.

The dates for ordering regalia at the Bookstore Graduation Center are Monday, October 6 and Tuesday, October 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, October 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.   Regalia can also be purchased online through Friday, October 17.  (The Web site will not operate after this date.)  The cost of undergraduate regalia is $37.99.  Beginning October 13, candidates who order regalia will be assessed a $20 late fee. All forms of payment usually accepted in the Bookstore are allowed. 

Regalia must be picked up in the Bookstore Graduation Center on Monday, December 1 through Wednesday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bookstore will not be responsible for regalia or tickets unclaimed by Tuesday, December 9, the last day of classes.

The tassels given to undergraduates are worn on the right side at the beginning of the ceremony and then switched to the left after the degrees are conferred. The cap should be worn so that the mortarboard is level. It should not be tilted to the back or side of the head. The crown should be approximately one inch above the eyebrows. The front of the cap is indicated on the inside of the crown. Men remove their caps during the playing of the National Anthem.

After the ceremony, all undergraduates can keep their regalia as keepsakes. Candidates for summa, magna and cum laude honors will be given a keepsake gold stole, along with their regalia from the Bookstore Graduation Center to be worn at Commencement. If you have earned University Honors (at least 45 UMBC credits with a 3.50 or higher GPA) by the end of spring 2008 semester, you will receive a stole. Please call the Registrar's Office at 410-455-3158 for more information.

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

As a graduate of UMBC, you are automatically a member of the UMBC Alumni Association. There are no dues or fees. We hope you’ll stay connected with your alumni friends, classmates and University associates by taking advantage of the many events, programs and services offered by the Association and the Chapter of Young Alumni. Be sure to check out all of the special Alumni benefits that you’re eligible for – everything from great rates on consumer services to short-term healthcare coverage – by visiting the Alumni Association Web site and online directory, Retriever Net, at www.umbc.edu/alumni.

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APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

The Office of the Registrar coordinates the graduation application and review process.  The application deadline has passed.  The following timeline outlines the review process:

December 2008 Graduation Application and Deadline:   September 15
General Education and Major Department Review:  October 1 through 31
Notification of Graduation Status:  November 1 through 15

For questions regarding the graduation review process, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 410-455-3158 or graduation@umbc.edu.

The May 2009 graduation application deadline is February 15, 2009.  Applications for bachelor's degree candidates are obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

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BOOKSTORE GRADUATION CENTER

In addition to ordering academic regalia through the Bookstore, you may purchase standard (non-personalized) graduation announcements and order diploma frames, featuring a mat border with the University seal. The Bookstore is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday until 4 p.m. The Bookstore's telephone number is 410-455-3807.

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CAMPUS MAP

Campus maps are available on the online UMBC Visitor's Guide.

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Career Services Center

Career Services is your "one-stop" avenue for exploring career options, sharpening your job search strategy and connecting with employers from all over the country that want to hire UMBC talent! Visit the Career Services Center (Math/Psych building, Room 204) and meet one-on-one with a career specialist who will help you clarify your motivated strengths and career objective, as well as plan a targeted job search. Walk-in sessions are available from 2 to 4 p.m. every Monday through Friday for quick questions and resume critiques. The Career Services Center also affords you the opportunity to interview and meet with employers through job fairs, on-campus interviews and a multitude of job listings that are accessible through UMBCworks.

The Career Services Center also collects information on what UMBC students do with their degrees via the annual Graduating Student Report. Graduating students are asked to complete the short survey via email or at cap and gown pick-up. Information collected allows the campus to compile relevant and recent data about employment offers, graduate/professional school acceptances, and salary averages to share with faculty, employers and perhaps most importantly, current and future UMBC students. Check out www.careers.umbc.edu for a comprehensive view of programs, events and opportunities to create career satisfaction. For more information, e-mail careers@umbc.edu or call 410-455-2216.

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CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Undergraduates should notify the Registrar's Office at 410-455-3158 if your mailing address after December 18 will be different from the one listed on your application for graduation.

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CLass RingS

You may order your class ring from the Herff Jones Company for discounts that range from $50 to $150. Company sales representatives will be on campus at the Bookstore on December 1 through 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A $25 deposit is required at time of order.

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Commemorative Video

This is the day you’ve dreamed of, worked toward and eagerly anticipated. Now, you can revisit the memories of your 2008 commencement anytime you’d like—and share the memories with those closest to you. To purchase a VHS or DVD copy of the graduation ceremony, please click here to order online from VPC, Inc. The deadline to order a copy of the ceremony will be January 25, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact VPC, Inc. at 410-526-9100 x307. Order forms are available at the Bookstore and will be available at Commencement.

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DIPLOMAS

Undergraduate diplomas are not distributed at the ceremony. Instead, they will be mailed the week of February 9, 2009. Undergraduates who anticipate a change of address or have any questions regarding their diploma should call the Registrar's Office at 410-455-3158 or e-mail graduation@umbc.edu.

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GUESTS

The front doors of the RAC will open at 9 a.m. All guests entering the Arena must show their general admission tickets. These tickets are for unassigned open seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Commencement procession begins promptly at 9:40 a.m., at which time the doors to the RAC will temporarily close. In observance of the National Anthem, guests will not be seated while the anthem is performed. When the doors reopen following the singing of the National Anthem, guests will be seated as space permits.

Guests sitting in the overflow area should go to Lecture Hall III in the Administration building, where there will be a closed-circuit broadcast of the Commencement ceremony.

Please allow adequate time to drive to campus, park and walk to the RAC Arena. Remember that rush hour traffic in the Baltimore area may be heavy, as the ceremony is being held on a weekday morning.

For information on hotels near campus, click the link below.
Hotel Accommodations.

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INCLEMENT WEATHER

There is no alternative date for the December 18 ceremony.

For the most reliable information during inclement weather, consult UMBC’s homepage under the “Events” or “What’s New” sections or call the Hotline Telephone Numbers at (410-455/8881/8882/8883/8884/8885).

Although the University distributes closing information to regional news outlets, do not depend on the news media for complete, accurate and up-to-date information.

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PARKING

Please allow time to park and walk to the RAC arena.

Signs will be posted on campus to assist you in locating appropriate parking lots.

General parking for graduates and their guests will be available along Hilltop Circle and in any non-gated parking lots including The Commons Garage. You will not need to pay any metered parking on campus if you elect to park at a metered parking space on Commencement day.

The top deck of the Administration Drive Garage will be reserved for handicapped parking only. All guests must display either handicapped hang tags or license plates. Permits are required for other handicapped parking spaces on campus as well.

There will be a designated drop-off area in front of the RAC on Administration Drive for those family members and guests who may not be able to walk long distances.

Commencement participants and guests are strongly encouraged to share rides to alleviate parking difficulties. Parking is not permitted at fire hydrants, in fire lanes or along yellow curbs.

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PHOTOS

Your friends and guests are welcome to bring cameras to the ceremony; however, the use of tripods for video and camera equipment is not permitted. A professional photographer from Chappell Studios (1-800-247-3435) will photograph each graduate during the ceremony. You will receive color proofs by mail within approximately two weeks after Commencement. If you wish to purchase prints you may do so, but there is no obligation. Undergraduate students need to notify the Registrar's Office (410-455-3158) if their address will be different after December 18.

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SPECIAL AccomModationS SEATING FOR GUESTS

When you pick up your Commencement tickets from the Bookstore Graduation Center on December 1 through 3, you will be able to exchange up to two general admissions tickets for special accommodations tickets. (The second ticket will enable one family member or friend to sit with and assist the person requiring special accommodations.) Special accommodations seating includes reserved seating for people with mobility or hearing impairments.

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Tickets

Guests are required to present general admission tickets for admittance into the RAC. When you pick up your regalia from the Bookstore, you will receive FOUR tickets admitting your guests to the Commencement ceremony.

If you have guests with special needs, such as hearing or mobility impairments, you will need to exchange general admission tickets for special accommodations seating tickets at this time. (See "Special Accommodations" above.) Up to two general admission tickets may be exchanged.

Students should pick up their regalia and tickets from the Bookstore Graduation Center on December 1 through 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bookstore Graduation Center will not be responsible for regalia and tickets unclaimed by Tuesday, December 9, the last day of classes.

In addition to the ticketed seating in the RAC Arena, overflow seating will be available in Lecture Hall III, located in the Administration Building, with a closed-circuit broadcast of the Commencement ceremony. Tickets will not be required at this location. When you pick up your regalia and tickets at the Bookstore Graduation Center, please also indicate the number of additional guests (if any) who may need seating in this area. We will use this information to plan for seating.

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For more information, contact Laura Arnwine in the Office of Institutional Advancement at 410-455-5897 or at lmarnwine@umbc.edu.

Provost's Office: 410-455-2333
Bookstore Graduation Center: 410-455-3807
Registrar's Office: 410-455-3158