university of florida - college of fine arts


	SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Commencement Day 2008

College of Fine Arts Spring Commencement (Fine Arts undergraduate and graduate students)
Saturday, May 3, 2008 2:00 p.m.
University Auditorium

Graduate Degrees Ceremony (ALL University of Florida graduate students)
Saturday, May 3, 2008 9:00 a.m.
Stephen C. O'Connell Center

Although all Graduate Degrees will be conferred at the University’s Graduate Ceremony on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 9:00 a.m., the College of Fine Arts will also recognize all graduate students at the College of Fine Arts ceremony later that afternoon. You may attend either ceremony; however degrees are conferred at the University ceremony. Graduate students are seated on the stage along with faculty and honored guests and ALL students receive individual recognition as their name is read when they walk across the stage and shake hands with Dean Lucinda Lavelli. We hope you will join us.

More information: http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/commencement/schedulespr.html

Commencement Deadlines (Subject to Change)

We suggest you make your hotel reservations as early as possible. Most local hotels are fully booked within a month or two of commencement. You will find some helpful Gainesville lodging information at: http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/commencement/gvillehotels.html

February 1, 2008:
Deadline to apply for degree. If you missed this deadline, you can apply late at: http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/currents/latedegreeinfo.html

March 7, 2008:
Deadline to order regalia from UF bookstore

Deadline for College of Fine Arts graduates to RSVP online if you plan to participate in commencement. Graduating students MUST RSVP in order to have a guaranteed seat at the ceremony.

April 7 – 11:
Pick up your commencement tickets at your School’s office (photo ID required)

April 14 – 24:
Pick up regalia at UF bookstore (Gator 1 card required)

May 3, 2008:
CFA commencement is at 2:00 pm in the University Auditorium. Graduating students should arrive at the School of Music in their regalia at 12:30 pm. Doors to the University Auditorium will open at 1:00 pm.

May 5, 2008:
Return regalia to UF bookstore by 5pm

Mid-Late July:
Diplomas will be mailed by the University. Please be sure to update your permanent and home addresses with the University before you leave Gainesville!

Commencement Instructions

The Ceremony
The actual commencement ceremony will last approximately 1 1/2 hours. Commencement programs will be available as you enter the auditorium. There will not be a rehearsal. Please carefully read the following information.

Faculty Information
The College encourages its faculty to participate in the Commencement ceremony. The College will pay for your regalia once again this year. Click here to order your regalia before the March 7, 2008 deadline.

Faculty members who order regalia through our link will pick up their own regalia from the UF bookstore between April 22 and May 2 and must return the regalia to the bookstore by May 6 at 5pm.

Student Information - (See Below)

You must RSVP by March 7, 2008 if you plan to participate.

Assembly Time & Locations
Student participants and their faculty escorts should assemble, in full regalia, in the Music Building no later than 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2008. Faculty marshals should assemble in the Music Building no later than 12:15 p.m. Other faculty who are participating in the processional should assemble in the Music Building no later than 12:45 p.m.

Guest Seating
University commencement protocol does not permit seating of guests during the processional. Consequently, late arrivals will not be seated until the processional ends. Please ask that your guests be on time. Please recall, you must have tickets to enter the University Auditorium.

Ticket Information
Tickets will be available April 7-11 in your School's office. Your will need to show your photo ID. Each graduate will be allowed 4 tickets.

Dress Code
Men should wear dark trousers and dark shoes. Women should wear dark clothing and dark shoes. Coats and jackets are not recommended. Please do not carry such items as backpacks, purses or helmets; there is no place to store them. Proper dress and decorum are required. This will be enforced.

Tassels
Candidates for baccalaureate degree should place their tassels on the right side of the mortarboard until the degree is conferred. Tassels may be moved to the left upon conferral. All other candidates should place their tassels on the left side at all times.

Graduation with Honors
Graduation with cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude is awarded upon meeting the requirements specified below and a recommendation by the college faculty. The student must have completed at least 45 semester hours of credit in residence at the University of Florida. Only the junior / senior level GPA exclusive of internship / student teaching will be considered. Credit earned through correspondence or extension courses shall not be included in computing grade point averages.

Cum Laude
To graduate with honors, a student must have earned a GPA of 3.40 or higher for all course work completed in the junior / senior years.

Magna/Summa Cum Laude
Students in the college are eligible for magna cum laude or summa cum laude by earning a 3.75 GPA or higher and completing a senior paper or creative work. The student's faculty makes the recommendation for magna, summa, or cum laude. This recommendation is based upon an evaluation of the work submitted.

Students will be notified by their academic advisor of the probability that they will have a 3.75 GPA or higher upon graduation. This notification will describe the process to be followed if the student is interested in meeting the requirements for graduation with magna or summa cum laude. Students may request information from their academic advisor.

Announcement of Your Name
All participants will be recognized individually. Please print your name with phonetic spelling (to ensure correct pronunciation) on the lower portion of the regalia order card.

Ordering Regalia
All graduates must wear a University-approved cap and gown. All caps and gown are black, advanced degree candidates may have a different gown, but will wear hoods. Ph.D. hoods will be delivered to the University Auditorium. All gowns are to be ordered through the UF bookstore by March 7, 2008. It is your responsibility to request your gown. You will need to provide the bookstore your height, weight, and gender. The rental fee is due when you place your order.


Photographs
A photographer will take your picture as you cross the platform and will contact you approximately two weeks after the ceremony with ordering information. So that all guests have the opportunity to see their degree candidate cross the platform, the college requests that all commencement guests remain in their seats while taking photographs or video. Guests may take photographs or video outside after the ceremony.

Parking
If you need special accommodations for parking, please contact cfacommencement@arts.ufl.edu

UF Information for Degree Candidates

Please visit www.registrar.ufl.edu/commencement to read the university's commencement information.

Contact Information

Questions
If you have any questions, please email cfacommencement@arts.ufl.edu