Family Information Letter

This letter was sent to family of the 2010 graduates.

April 2010

Dear Family and Friends of Graduating Students:

On behalf of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, the 2010 Commencement Committee extends a most sincere “Congratulations” to all of the family and friends of our graduating class. This is an exciting time for our graduating students and we strive to make this day memorable to mark this milestone in our students’ lives. Please read this information carefully and ensure that your student knows what s/he needs to do well in advance of the big day.

Since Commencement participation is determined prior to final degree completion certification, it is possible that some of our seniors and graduate students may not, in fact, have finished all of their graduation requirements by May. Nevertheless, our policies permit some students who are close to graduating to participate in the ceremony. To be certain about Commencement participation eligibility and the deadline for completion of all graduation requirements, we recommend that your student contact his/her College Dean’s office or the University Registrar.

There will be two separate Commencement ceremonies this year - one for students receiving Master’s and Doctoral degrees on Saturday, May 22, 2010 and another for students receiving Bachelor’s degrees on Sunday, May 23, 2010. For those of you planning to join us for graduation, please make special note of the following information:

• The Graduate Commencement ceremony begins promptly at 2:30 pm on Saturday, May 22, 2010. Graduate students are expected to arrive no later than 1:00 pm in their academic regalia to check-in and line up for the procession in the Quadrangle off the patio in front of the Campus Center. Family and friends should plan to arrive no later than 1:45 pm to take a seat in the Amphitheater.
• The Undergraduate Commencement ceremony begins promptly at 10:15 am on Sunday, May 23, 2010. Undergraduate students are expected to arrive no later than 9:00 am in their academic regalia to check-in and line up for the procession in the Quadrangle off the patio in front of the Campus Center. Family and friends should plan to arrive no later than 9:30 am to take a seat in the Amphitheater.
• The University welcomes all of our students’ family and friends. There is no limit to the number of guests that may join us to recognize this wonderful achievement. However, space in the Amphitheater is limited, so families bringing more than 3 people may need to make use of our additional indoor viewing location—the Library Browsing Area and the Campus Center Commuter Dining area. Each of these additional indoor viewing locations will have a live feed; so all guests will see the ceremony in real time as it occurs. These locations also serve as a wonderful alternative for family and friends who choose to be away from the direct sunlight or those who arrive late or after the Amphitheater is full.
• There will be a large number of ushers on site to help make the Commencement run smoothly. We expect several thousand people in attendance during the two days, and ask that you comply with the direction of the police officers and the ushers with regard to parking, seating, keeping aisles clear, and ensuring that the ceremony is enjoyable for all.
• Commencement is a formal ceremony and as such, our ushers will not take messages, flowers, or gifts to any graduate. There will be many opportunities to take pictures at the reception following the Commencement ceremony, so we expect that all graduates and family/friends will remain seated throughout the ceremony.
• Each Commencement ceremony at UMass Dartmouth begins at the Amphitheater and includes a welcome from the Chancellor and other dignitaries, student speakers, a special Commencement speaker, awarding of honorary degrees, and the conferral of all degrees. Each student will have his/her name read aloud and will cross the stage to receive his or her diploma. We expect the Graduate Commencement to conclude at 4:00pm and expect the Undergraduate Commencement to conclude at 12:30 pm. At the end of each ceremony, students, family, and friends will be invited to join the faculty for an informal reception under a large tent located near the Campus Center. At this time, students will have the opportunity to thank their favorite professors and deans, introduce their family and friends, and have pictures taken.
• Water will be available at the Commencement ceremony, but given the length of the day, we encourage you to bring your own bottled water and necessities such as sunscreen, hats, etc. We have reserved special seating for people with physical disabilities and ask that you contact the Department of Public Safety to inform us of such needs (508-999-8107).
• The Commencement is scheduled to take place outdoors as noted. In the rare event of rain, the rain plan listed on the website and on the bottom of the Commencement tickets that students will receive will be in effect. In the event of rain, because the Campus Center Commuter Dining Area and the Library Browsing Areas will be utilized for College ceremonies, all additional guests will be directed to a special building to enable them to view their family member or friend walk across the stage with the classmates from their specific College of study. Please visit our website for more information regarding Rain Plans: http://www.umassd.edu/commencement/rainplans.cfm.
• In addition to the information shared in this letter, we have posted a great deal of information regarding Commencement Day on the UMass Dartmouth website at http://www.umassd.edu/commencement/. There is a section called “Commonly Asked Questions,” a schedule of the day’s events, a map to campus, and even the University’s alma mater! For those of you who prefer the telephone, we have developed a Commencement Hotline at 508-910-6971. You may call this number 24-hours a day to access information that is also posted on the website.
• As a special gift to you and your graduate, we have arranged to mail a DVD copy of the entire Commencement ceremony to each graduate a few weeks following these events. We hope you will treasure these moments and that our graduates will fondly remember their special years at UMass Dartmouth.

We look forward to seeing you at Commencement on May 22 or 23!

Sincerely,
Dr. David Milstone
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Chair, 2010 Commencement Committee