Fall Commencement Instructions for Students

FALL 2023 COMMENCEMENT
Saturday, December 16, 2023
11:00 a.m.
Pershing Arena

Please read these Commencement Instructions carefully as there is no rehearsal for Commencement.

During Commencement, all degree candidates (undergraduate and graduate) will be recognized individually while walking across the stage to receive a diploma cover. Candidates will be seated by degree, not alphabetically. Diplomas will be mailed about six weeks following Commencement to your permanent address. Please ensure your address is accurate!

Each degree candidate needs to enter Pershing Building through the main entrance on the east side of the building. Candidates need to bring to Commencement the green reader card with your name printed legibly on it. Please also provide the phonetic spelling of your name if it is pronounced differently than it looks when spelled. You will hand this card to the Reader before crossing the stage to receive your diploma cover. Additionally, once you receive the email from NameCoach, please use the link emailed to record your name. Recording your name using NameCoach allows our commencement reader the opportunity to practice pronouncing your name prior to commencement.

Procession

Degree Candidates

Degree candidates need to assemble in academic dress on Saturday, December 16, inside the east entrance of Pershing Building by 10:00 a.m. Candidates will be directed to the gathering area in the small gym.

Candidates will be seated by degree, not alphabetically. Since you will be in the waiting area for only a short time before the procession begins, please be on time. While waiting, candidates have the opportunity to get additional photos taken by GradImages. At the appropriate time, the Grand Marshal will declare that the “ranks are closed” and anyone not in place will be excluded from the graduation procession. The east doors will open at 9:30 a.m. for candidates to enter Pershing.

Academic Procession

Degree candidates will follow the Junior Marshals from the small gym and proceed in the Procession to the seating area in Pershing Arena.

When prompted, each degree group will proceed to the stage single file on the right side of the student seating area. Before approaching the stage, candidates will hand the green reader card with their name on it to the Reader. The Junior Marshals will guide the candidates to and from the stage to their original seat.

Procession Order

The academic procession will form by the east doors at 10:50 a.m. in the following
order:

Truman State University ROTC Color Guard (separate from the processional and located off the east side of the stage)
Grand Marshal
Sue Thomas, President and Eric Freedman, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Commencement Speaker
Members of the Board of Governors
Vocalist
Reader
Two Junior Marshals
Administration
Faculty
Marshal
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Master of Accountancy Degree
Candidates for Master of Arts Degree
Candidates for Master of Arts in Education Degree
Candidates for Master of Athletic Training Degree
Candidates for Master of Science Degree
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Music Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Arts Degree
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Bachelor of Science Degree

Granting of Degrees

Degrees will be granted as follows:
All undergraduate degree candidates will rise at the request of Provost Freedman and remain standing while the degree is conferred en masse by President Thomas.

Undergraduate degree candidates will be recognized in the following groups:

Group 1: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Arts
Group 2: Bachelor of Science

After the degree is conferred en masse Group 1, students will be requested to proceed to the stage to receive their diploma covers. Group 2 students will sit and remain seated until Group 1 students receive their diploma covers and are seated. Group 2 will then be asked to proceed to the stage to receive their diploma covers. After all the undergraduates receive their diploma covers, all master’s degree candidates will rise at the request of Provost Freedman and remain standing while the degree is conferred en masse by President Thomas. After the degree is conferred en masse, all master’s degree candidates will proceed to the stage to receive their diploma cover.

Before approaching the stage, candidates will hand the green reader card with their name on it to the Reader. At this time, candidates will walk across the stage to receive their diploma cover, take a photo with the President, and take a posed photo off-stage. Once the second photo has been taken, candidates will return to their seat. The Junior Marshals will direct the candidates to and from the stage to their original seat.

Students Receiving Two Degrees

Students receiving a degree in Group 1 (e.g., BA, BFA, BM, BSN) and Group 2 (e.g., BS) may elect to receive a diploma cover with both groups. To do this you will need to complete two green cards. Sit with Group 1 initially and when returning from receiving your first diploma cover go sit at the rear of the BS degree recipients. Leave your first diploma cover on your BS chair when you go to get your second diploma cover. Return to the BS chair after taking the second photo.

Recession

Participants will depart in the following order during the playing of the recessional:

Platform Party
Administration and Faculty
Master’s degree recipients
Undergraduate degree recipients

Please continue out of the arena area and proceed upstairs to the east entrance following the ceremony. Due to limited space to congregate on the main floor, you are welcome to utilize the third floor if needed or move outside. Please do not stop/block the stairs or east entrance area.

Academic Dress

• Bachelor and Masters degree robes, hats and tassels are available for purchase at the Truman Bookstore. Masters degree hoods can also be purchased at the Truman Bookstore.
• MA, MS, MAE, MAc, MAT and BA candidates wear white tassels; BS candidates wear yellow tassels; BM candidates wear pink tassels; BFA candidates wear brown tassels; and BSN candidates wear apricot tassels.
• If you are receiving two degrees, choose the color of the one tassel you prefer to wear.
• Caps should be worn straight, not tilted or tipped back.
• Tassels should be worn on the right side. Do not change your tassel from the right side until after receiving instructions from the President during the ceremony.
• If you received a medallion for a GPA of 3.50 or higher, please wear it.

Honor Regalia

(Undergraduates Only)

Students with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 to 3.74 on a 4.0 scale have earned the honor of graduating Cum Laude and receive a bronze medallion on a white ribbon. Students with a grade point average of 3.75 to 3.89 have earned the honor of graduating Magna Cum Laude and receive a silver medallion on a purple ribbon. Students with a grade point average of 3.90 to 4.0 have earned the honor of graduating Summa Cum Laude and receive a gold medallion on a purple and white ribbon.

Honors for Commencement will be determined based on the student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the summer 2022 semester. Final honors will be based on your complete academic record once degrees have been verified and officially conferred. If you do not participate in the commencement ceremony and do not pick up your medallion, it will be mailed with your diploma in January. If you have any questions regarding your GPA, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (660) 785-4143.

Miscellaneous Information

Seating

There is NO reserved seating for guests. Special disability seating is available by requesting it in advance per instructions in the following paragraph. The doors to Pershing Arena open at 10:00 a.m. for family seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. Family and guests should enter Pershing through the Arena Entrance on the southwest side of the Pershing Building.

For Degree Candidates and Family Members With Disabilities

Candidates unable to march in the procession because of physical reasons should notify Julie Sneddon in the Disability Services Office at jsneddon@truman.edu as soon as possible and no later than 5:00pm on December 12th.

If disability accommodations (e.g., signing, wheelchair access)are required for graduates or guests, please contact the Disability Services Office by completing the Disability Seating Accommodation Request. This notification site will open in November. There will be no wheelchairs available to use in Pershing Arena. Guests requiring wheelchairs should bring them. The handicapped parking and entrance is located on the east side of Pershing Building. An elevator is accessible through the east entrance.

Graduation Pictures

GradImages will be taking photographs of each graduate at the moment the diploma cover is awarded and immediately after leaving the stage. Arrangements have been made to take an optional posed photo in the waiting area in Pershing before the ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. Proofs and ordering information will be emailed from GradImages to graduates within two weeks after graduation.

Posting of the Graduates for Media Purposes

Once degrees are certified by the Registrar’s Office, names of the graduates will be posted on the University website at dev.truman.edu/honors/fall-2022-graduation-list/. Emails will be sent to Missouri media to let them know the names have been posted, and the media can announce the names. For those out-of-state graduates who would like to have their newspaper alerted, send an email to pr@truman.edu with the name of the newspaper and email address, and we will send that newspaper a link to the page. Keep in mind that major metropolitan newspapers will normally only consider running announcements for those students graduating with honors. For more information email pr@truman.edu or call (660) 785-4016.

Broadcast of Commencement

Truman State University’s Public Relations Department will live stream the Commencement Ceremony on Truman’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page. A link to the live stream will also appear on the Truman website at https://dev.truman.edu/registrar/commencement/commencement-broadcast/.

COVID-19/Inclement Weather Plans

There is a chance that social distancing measures may need to be implemented due to COVID concerns. This may result in two ceremonies being held instead of one, with social distancing and mask protocols. More details will be provided later if needed.

The weather in Northeast Missouri changes quickly during the winter months. The December ceremony will be held indoors, but in the event of inclement weather, an announcement regarding parking and walking on campus will be posted on the Truman State University webpage.

Mailing of Diplomas

Diplomas will be mailed via USPS to each graduate’s permanent address in approximately mid-January following the verification of degrees. Diplomas mailed to International addresses may take several weeks to months to be received.

Questions

Please contact the Registrar’s Office, McClain Hall 104, registrar@truman.edu, or (660) 785-4143, with any questions concerning Commencement or emergencies affecting commencement.