UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS

Fall 2009

The deadline for applying for a degree for Fall 2009 semester has now passed. Students who missed the deadline can appeal through their dean for approval to apply late. Paper applications are available in the college offices. The Office of the Registrar will only accept such applications if they have been approved by the dean of your college, in the form of a written letter. All students must be prepared to pay any associated fees at the time the application for a degree is submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

The Fall 2009 commencement will be held at the UNO Lakefront Arena at the following dates and times:

Sunday, December 20, 2009

2:00 P.M.

Please click on the following link for the Commencement Photograph Instruction.

COMMENCEMENT INSTRUCTIONS

CANDIDATE INFORMATION:

1. In order to graduate, students must be active in their program.  This means that if you have completed all your coursework prior to the semester in which you plan to graduate, the Office of the Registrar or your college will have to enroll you in a “degree only” course in order to maintain your active status.  The fee for this course is $30.00.  It is non-refundable, and it must be paid along with any other fees in order for you to graduate. 
2. All fees and other financial obligations to the University must be paid 48 hours prior to commencement in order to graduate and receive your diploma. If you think you are delinquent in any manner, contact the Bursar (280-5500 or 280-6504) (fees and traffic fines) and/or the Library (280-6355) (library fines). If at any time you have ever received any type of Stafford or Perkins student loan through the University, you must complete an exit interview prior to graduation. Stafford exit interviews can be completed online at http://mappingyourfuture.org/oslc/.  Perkins Loan exit interviews must be completed online at http://www.signmyloan.com/. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid (280-3270) if you have any questions about this requirement for Stafford loan recipients. Students with Perkins loans should call 280-7384 or e-mail jcuevas@uno.edu. All telephone numbers are area code 504.
3. Transcripts with degrees posted will be available once all work has been evaluated. Transcript requests should be made through the Transcript on Demand at http://registrar.uno.edu/transcript.cfm. Indicate in the comment column “to hold for degree.” Transcript requests with degrees posted will be available beginning December 21, 2009 for students who do not have any pending transfer work.
4. Graduation regalia will be available for purchase during our Fall Grad Fair on October 6, from 10 am to 6 pm in the Alumni Center Ballroom.  If you are unable to attend Grad Fair, graduation regalia will be available for purchase in the bookstore Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm beginning two weeks prior to commencement.  Please consult the Academic Costume Guide provided at the end of this document for the items of apparel you will need.  If you (the student) are unable to purchase your regalia in person you can send someone for you to purchase your items. Bookstore personnel will need to know your height and weight along with the type of degree you are receiving such as a bachelor, master or doctoral and your major. Graduation regalia will not be available at the commencement ceremony!!  Hoods will be presented to doctoral candidates by the University during the commencement ceremony.
5. Orders for personalized announcements will be taken during the Grad Fair on October 6, from 10 am to 6 pm in the Alumni Center Ballroom .  You may order personalized announcements online through www.balfourcollege.com or you may call toll free to place your order at 1-877-225-3687. Blank announcements will also be available at the Grad Fair and any time after in the Bookstore at the same times listed above for the caps and gowns. If you choose to purchase blank announcements, you will need to stop by the Campus Copy Center located in the UC to have them printed for a fee of 0.07 cents each.
6. Class ring representatives will be on campus periodically, and they will be at Grad Fair on October 6, from 10 am to 6 pm in the Alumni Center Ballroom. Inquire at the Bookstore for future dates and times. You may also order your official UNO class ring by visiting www.balfourcollege.com
7. No unauthorized costume or ornamentation should be worn during the commencement ceremony. This includes cords, pendants, and tassels from social organizations/clubs. Candidates may wear honor cords from authorized academic honor societies. Candidates will not be able to participate in the commencement ceremony if academic apparel is altered in any way.
8. Please do not bring cell phones, umbrellas, purses or other items of extra apparel with you to the UNO Lakefront Arena as you are not permitted to carry or wear these in the Procession. Academic apparel should be worn to the commencement site.  There will be no place to secure items you bring with you.
9. Bachelors, masters and doctoral candidates should report in academic cap and gown, with tassel hanging from the right front of the cap, to the Stage Door entrance located on the eastside of the arena atleast forty-five (45) minutes prior to the ceremony. The area designated for line up is limited to graduates, so do not bring friends and family into this area. Only candidates will be permitted to enter the area.
   Candidates needing special services or accommodations due to a disability should identify themselves prior to commencement by emailing graduation@uno.edu. Such notice must be received no later than December 14, 2009.
10. The Candidate Procession will be organized by the College with assistance from the Registrar's Office. When you enter the lobby area, designated staff members will direct you to the staging area. You will be given a card with your name and your seating number on it. This card is to be presented to the speaker in order for your name to be announced as you cross the stage. It is very important that you do not lose or destroy this card.
    When directed to do so you will line up in numerical order behind the sign for your college. Graduate students will line up together in the Graduate School section of the Student Procession. Doctoral candidates will form a separate line from the other graduate students. The candidates will process in pairs led by marshals into the commencement area. You need only to follow the person in front of you. When you reach your seat please remain standing until the Invocation is complete. Gentlemen should remove their caps during the National Anthem and during the period of silent reflection.
11. During the ceremony candidates will rise when requested to do so by their dean and will remain standing for the conferral of degrees. After the conferring of degrees, candidates will be instructed to take their seats.
12. The names of doctoral candidates will be announced individually from the podium by the Dean of the Graduate School or his designee. Each candidate will advance to the center area of the platform to be hooded by their major professor and to receive his or her diploma from the Chancellor. When this is completed the candidate will return to his or her chair.
13. Marshals will direct the movement of other candidates to the platform to receive their diploma covers.
    When you get to the top of the stairs leading onto the platform you must give your name card to the announcer. Then, when your name is announced, you will enter the platform area and receive your diploma from the Chancellor. A professional photographer will take your picture with the Chancellor. As you cross the platform, shift your tassel to the left front of your cap.
14. In the Recession, the official Platform Party and the faculty will move first, exiting as directed by the marshals. All graduates will follow the faculty as directed by the marshals.
15. Diplomas will be available at commencement for pick up immediately following the conclusion of the ceremony. Diplomas will only be given out to those students for whom their college/program has been able to complete their graduation checkout. Students who have transfer work to be evaluated will not receive their diplomas until all work has been posted and reviewed. Students planning on not attending graduation or who desire to have their diplomas mailed should update their mailing address utilizing WebSTAR and the Student Self Service link to addresses. This should be completed not later than the day of commencement. The photographer at commencement will also be utilizing this information.
16. If you do not plan to attend the Commencement exercises, you must notify the Registrar's Office by completing an Absentia Form at https://secure.uno.edu/registrar/absentia_form.cfm. Diplomas for Fall 2009, will be available in the Office of the Registrar from Monday, Decmber 21 in our office. If you wish to have your diploma mailed to you, fill out the Diploma Mailing Form at https://secure.uno.edu/registrar/diploma_mailing_form.cfm including the exact physical address to which the diploma should be mailed (NO P. O. BOXES) and full credit card information to cover the ten dollars ($10.00) mailing costs.

GUEST INFORMATION:

1. Parking is available on both the North and South sides of the Lakefront Arena .
2. The doors will be open to the public approximately 60 minutes before the exercises are scheduled to begin.