The planned May 12, 2014 Commencement for IU Southeast was cancelled prior to completion of the full program due to unsafe weather conditions.
Our students have studied, worked and sacrificed for years in preparation for this well-earned celebration of their achievement. We know that their friends, family and loved ones are eager to join with them in celebrating this milestone.
Although degrees were conferred, our students deserve their moment to stand proudly on the stage as their names are called.
In order to give our students this recognition, we will hold five school-level alternate ceremonies next week.
The schedule will be as follows:
- Monday, May 19th – Social Sciences and General Studies
- Tuesday, May 20th – School of Business
- Wednesday, May 21st – School of Nursing and School of Natural Sciences
- Thursday, May 22nd – School of Education
- Friday, May 23rd – School of Arts and Letters
Timing of events will be:
- 5 p.m. – Doors open
- 6 p.m. – Graduates will line up for procession
- 6:30 p.m. – Ceremony will begin
Graduates will be guided to a room and fitted with a gown, and we ask that graduates bring their caps with them to wear in the ceremony.
All ceremonies will be held in Stem Hall of the Paul W. Ogle Cultural and Community Center. Since school ceremonies will be much smaller and more intimate than the all-campus ceremony we had planned, we hope to be able to accommodate all of our guests for each ceremony in the 500 seats available in the Ogle Center. Should more seating be needed, however, we will have overflow seating for an additional 350 people available in Robinson Theater, with a video feed to the ceremony. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
We will also have a photographer available to take graduate photos in academic regalia.
After each ceremony we will have a reception in the Ogle Lobby where graduates may introduce their family to faculty members and campus administrators.
The program will include all the key elements of the ceremony that was planned for May 12. There will be many fewer graduates at each ceremony, however, so we anticipate the full program will take somewhere around 1.5 hours.
Again, please know that we share your deep disappointment with regard to the outcome of events on Monday. The population of graduates at IU Southeast has grown so much in recent years that we’ve outgrown the space we have on campus to accommodate our graduation needs. University and campus administration are working together to address this situation, and significant changes are already underway so that in future years we will be able to have all the space we need for all graduates to invite as many guests as they desire and still be protected from inclement weather.
For complete commencement ceremony details, visit the Commencement website.