Faculty Processional

Procedures for participating in Commencement ceremonies

Arrival time

Plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes before the time your ceremony begins.

Order of procession

 

1. Mace bearer and honor guards (Faculty Senate chair, ASWSU and GPSA presidents)
2. Vice provosts, associate deans, designated faculty, ROTC Cadre
3. Hooding faculty
4. Candidates for advanced degrees
5. ROTC cadets
6. College gonfalon bearers
7. President’s platform party
   • College deans
   • Honored guests
   • Vice presidents
   • Regents
   • Provost
   • President
8. Color guard

Processional

Mace bearer and honor guards

From the southwest stairwell, the 2 honor guards (the GPSA and ASWSU presidents) walk side by side down the center aisle followed ten paces behind by the macebearer (the Faculty Senate chair). Stopping in front of the podium at the small table, the honor guards will take a stand, one on each side of the table while the mace bearer stands in front holding the mace.

Vice provosts, associate vice provosts, associate deans, designated faculty, and ROTC cadre

This group will be released in two lines down both outside aisles of the floor to the first rows on the floor. At the same time, hooding faculty are ushered to their seats. (Faculty, look for your name on the program to locate your seat).

Gonfalons

After all students have entered, the college gonfalons will be presented.

President’s platform party

Members will be introduced individually as they march down the center aisle. Each will walk to the center aisle, turn and pause slightly while their name is announced, then proceed down the center aisle and around to the stairs on the right side of the stage.

Scripts will be placed on all the chairs for the stage party. Party members, look for your name on the script binder to locate your seat.

The president will enter last.

Macebearer and honor guards

After the president is on stage, the macebearer places the mace on the stand. Followed by the honor guard, the macebearer proceeds to stage using the right side stairs.

Recessional

• The honor guard lead the mace bearer back to collect the mace from the stand.
• Then they lead the presidential party out through the southwest stairwell (the same direction from which they marched in).
• The hooding faculty immediately follow (in 2 lines), and then the front row (in 2 lines).
• General faculty will be dismissed with the students by ushers.

Instructions for faculty

Stage party #1 (Room 40)

The president, provost, regents, vice presidents, honor guard, mace bearer, ASWSU and GPSA presidents, and Alumni Association president assemble in Room 40. The line-up area will be in the lower corridor of Beasley Coliseum.

How to find the room

• From the parking area, enter through the southeast tunnel doors located off North Fairway Drive (facing the baseball field).
• Take an immediate left up the corridor.
• Proceed to the far end of the hall to Room 40 on the right.

Line up

• Line up one half hour prior to the ceremony’s scheduled start time.
• Line up next to your name on the wall in the corridor. Members of this group (excluding the mace bearer and honor guard) will be the last to enter the processional after all the students.
• The honor guard (ASWSU and GPSA presidents) and mace bearer (Faculty Senate chair) will be at the start of the line-up in the stairwell. They will be the first to enter the processional.

Stage party #2 (Room 41)

All deans, commissioning officer, and APAC chair assemble in Room 41. The line-up area will be in the lower corridor of Beasley Coliseum.

How to find the room

• From the parking area, enter through the southeast tunnel doors located off North Fairway Drive (facing the baseball field).
• Take an immediate left up the corridor.
• Proceed to the far end of the hall to Room 41 on the left.

Line up

• Line up one half hour prior to the ceremony’s scheduled start time.
• Line up next to your name on the stairwell wall.

Front row faculty (Room 39)

Vice provosts, associate vice presidents, associate deans, ROTC cadre and other designated faculty assemble in Room 39. This room can be used to change and store personal belongings during the ceremony. (It will be locked.)

How to find the room

• Enter through the southeast tunnel doors located off North Fairway Drive (facing the baseball field).
• Take an immediate left up the corridor.
• Proceed to the dressing room on the left (Room 39), past the stairs and the Cougar Lounge.
• You will be the first group in the processional after the mace and honor guard are in place.
• Line up

• Line up next to your name in the stairwell at the far end of the corridor.
• You will join the first group in the processional after the mace and honor guard.

Hooding faculty (Room 36)

Plan to attend hooding practice at 2 p.m. the Friday prior to Commencement day.

Use Room 36 to change and store personal belongings during the ceremony. (The room will be locked or will have an attendant.)

How to find the room

• Enter through the southeast tunnel entrance. Doors are located off North Fairway Drive (facing the baseball field).
• Take an immediate left up the corridor.
• Proceed to dressing room #36 on the right past the stairs.

Line up

• Line up one half hour prior to the ceremony’s scheduled start time.
• Line up next to your name on the corridor wall. Names are taped on both sides of the wall in the proper order for the hooding ceremony.

When the ceremony starts

• You will be escorted by marshals to the angled section of seats located on both sides of the stage.
• Remain standing.
• During the hooding ceremony, stand as doctoral candidates are directed to come forward.
• Advance single file to the designated area in front of the hooding table.
• Names will be read alternately from the left and the right side of the floor. When an assistant hands you the hood, move to the marked place in front of the table. Place the hood over the student’s head and offer congratulations.
• After hooding and congratulating your candidate, immediately return to the end of your original row, and rotate back to your seat.
• During the recessional, follow the stage party down the center aisle and off Friel Court.

General faculty

Departmental faculty play an important role in the student processional, assisting with the lineup and keeping the students focused and moving.

General faculty will assemble with undergraduate candidates in the seating areas.