Undergraduate Commencement Guide 2011
Event Information
The 2011 Western Connecticut State University graduating class will hold Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at the Westside Athletic Stadium on the Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 12:30 p.m. Please consider parking at the Midtown campus and taking a convenient, air conditioned, coach shuttle to the ceremony.
Academic Dress – Academic Regalia
All participants in the academic procession are required to wear academic regalia. There will be only one day for graduates to pick up their academic regalia:
Friday, May 20, 2011
3 to 7 p.m.
Westside Campus Center
Westside campus
Fill out the order form available here and return it to the Alumni Office by 5 p.m., Thursday, April 21, 2011, to avoid a $20 late fee.
If you are unable to pick up your regalia, please ask a friend or family member to do it for you. Due to space limitations, regalia will not be available for pickup on the day of Commencement.
Commencement Procedure
A continental breakfast will be provided for all candidates and faculty from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Candidates should arrive at the Feldman Arena in the O'Neill Center no later than 9 a.m. to line up for the procession. Look for the banner with your school name and proceed to that area to pick up your name card.
You will need to keep your name card with you to assemble for the procession and to have your name announced during the ceremony. Candidates will assemble in the large blue chair area in the arena. Please find your seat with your school. This is the order in which you will process to the field. The procession will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
Staff members will direct all candidates to the appropriate areas to line up. University marshals will lead the procession onto the field and direct you to your seat. Remain standing until the University President asks you to be seated.
When the dean says, “Candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, please rise,” all B.A. graduates are to stand.
The marshal will guide you to the stage. Hand your name card to the announcer who will read your name. Shake hands with your dean and the University President, then proceed back to your seat. Remain standing until the University President officially confers the degree upon your group. At this time, you may officially move the tassel on your cap to the left side.
Respective deans will give the same cue to each graduating degree group.
At the conclusion of Commencement exercises, all candidates rise for the Recessional. Following is the order of the Recessional: Dais party, faculty, and then graduates, beginning with the first row. March out two-by-two, using the center aisle.
Ceremony and Facility Protocol
Please have respect for the other graduates and their guests. Do not leave the Commencement ceremony early.
To preserve the dignity of the ceremony and the safety of those in attendance, air horns, beach balls, and other inflatable items are prohibited and will be confiscated by the campus police.
Alcoholic beverages are not allowed at the ceremony. Campus police will confiscate any alcoholic beverages brought onto the field.
Please inform family members that Commencement is held outdoors and suggest they consider wearing a hat for sun protection and flat-heeled shoes for walking on the grass.
The use of cellular phones is disruptive to both participants and guests. Please silence all phones and pagers during the ceremony.
Graduation Honors for Baccalaureate Degree
Graduation honors for the baccalaureate degree recognize high academic achievement at Western Connecticut State University as demonstrated by the following cumulative grade-point averages:
Cum laude (honors) |
3.50–3.69 |
| Magna cum laude (high honors) | 3.70–3.89 |
| Summa cum laude (highest honors) | 3.90–4.00 |
January graduates and May candidates for Graduation Honors, who will be recognized at the May Commencement ceremonies, are identified at the conclusion of the January Intersession semester preceding graduation. Students who have earned a minimum of 45 credits toward their graduation requirements in residence at Western Connecticut State University with a cumulative earned GPA of at least 3.50 are considered to be Graduation Honors candidates eligible for recognition at the May Commencement. Candidacy for May Graduation Honors does not guarantee the award of Graduation Honors upon completion of degree requirements.
Graduation honors, which appear on the transcript and on an honor’s certificate, will be awarded only to students who complete their graduation requirements with a minimum of 45 credits in residence at Western Connecticut State University and have a cumulative earned grade-point average of at least 3.50. The residency requirement for honors may not be waived. Students with questions regarding academic honors should consult the Academic Dean of their major.
Honors Cords
Undergraduate honors cords are provided by the Registrar's Office and are based off of the last overall GPA recorded not including the current semester. They are distributed by the Registrar's Office prior to graduation. If you have any questions about your eligibility or when/how to obtain honors cords, contact the Registrar's Office directly at (203) 837-9200.
Access Ability Needs
Any student or a member of the student’s family that requires special accommodations for the May Commencement ceremony must contact the Office of University Events (203) 837-8800 no later than Friday, May 6th.
Accommodations
Room blocks have been reserved for May 20 & 21, 2011, at the following hotels, all within a mile of the Westside campus. For special rate information or to make your reservation, call the hotels directly. When booking your reservation, identify yourself as being with the WestConn Commencement Block.
Danbury Maron Hotel & Suites
42 Lake Avenue Ext.
Danbury, CT 06811
203-791-2200
www.maronhotel.com
$89/night (standard room) $99/night (suite)
Located off Exit 4 of I-84.
Features Connecticut Limousine drop off and pick up.
Includes complimentary continental breakfast.
Ethan Allen Hotel
21 Lake Avenue Ext.
Danbury, CT 06811
203-744-1776 x136
800-742-1776
www.ethanallenhotel.com
$109/night
Located off Exit 4 of I-84 near the Westside Campus.
Danbury Holiday Inn
80 Newtown Road
Danbury, CT 06810
203-792-4000
www.danbury-hi.com
$79/night; $149/two-night stay
Kids stay and eat Free
Includes $25 gift card to Art & Frame of Danbury (Diploma framing)
Residence Inn (Marriott)
22 Segar Street
Danbury, CT 06810
203-797-1256
www.marriott.com/dxrri
$119/night
Located off Exit 4 of I-84, near the Westside Campus.
Includes complimentary full hot breakfast.
Parking
Parking is limited at the Westside campus. Every student scheduled for graduation, as well as the student’s family, will be mailed a special one-day hang-tag parking pass on the 3rd week of April.
These passes are for use by graduates and guests and must be displayed from the rear view mirror of all vehicles. No vehicle will be admitted without this pass. Please note that most parking is in campus lots and not all are close to the stadium where commencement will take place.
Danbury and WestConn Police will be stationed at the entrance and various Westside campus locations to direct traffic and instruct visitors.
Parking will be available in the garage off University Boulevard and at any other surface lot. Parking will not be allowed along the sides or on the median strip of the divided end of University Boulevard. Pedestrians are encouraged to use the sidewalks and cross only at pedestrian crosswalks to avoid accidents.
There is only one entrance to the Westside campus. Traffic can be congested along Mill Plain Road and University Boulevard. It is a good idea to arrive early, as parking areas fill up quickly. Please note that businesses along Mill Plain Road and Lake Avenue Extension will be open. Non-customers parking there may be towed at their own expense
Handicapped Parking and Services
While this parking is closer to the stadium than general parking, it is not immediately adjacent to the Commencement field. No transportation will be provided from the parking area to the Commencement field so it is important that the individual have a wheelchair or be able to walk this distance. The university does not provide wheelchairs.
Persons with a state handicap permit or requiring handicapped or easily accessible parking should request a handicapped parking request form for this designated area by contacting:
Catherine Cote
University Relations
WCSU
181 White St.
Danbury, CT 06810
Tel: (203) 837-8486
Fax: (203) 837-8530
Requests for special parking must be received no later than Friday, May 13.
Shuttle Service
Convenient shuttle service to and from the Midtown parking garages will be provided for guests, beginning at 9 a.m. We strongly suggest attendees consider parking at Midtown. Please inform your guests about this service.
Directions to the Campus
Click here to view directions to our campus
Driving directions following the ceremony
Cars leaving the campus after the ceremony will be directed West along Mill Plain Road. Interstate-84 can be accessed both eastbound and westbound at Exit 2, about three miles from campus.
University Fees
All fees (cashier, library, parking, etc.) must be paid prior to Commencement or your diploma will be withheld.
Graduate Portraits
Photographers from GradTrak Graduation Images will be on stage to photograph graduates. Proofs will be mailed to you after the ceremony. You are under no obligation to purchase. Visit www.gradimages.com or call (800) 424-3686 for information.
Video
WCSU Media Services will record the ceremony. You can buy a DVD copy for $19.95. To purchase your copy, please complete the order form.
Invitations and Announcements
The WCSU Bookstore works with Balfour to provide WestConn invitations and related materials. Go to http://www.balfour.com for more information.
Campus Bookstore
The campus Bookstore will operate a sale area near the Commencement site.
Flowers
Flowers will be available for purchase at the field.
Diplomas
Diplomas will be mailed from the Registrar’s office approximately eight weeks after your graduation date.
WCSU Official Diploma Frames
Graduation from college is a huge accomplishment. What better way to display this great achievement than in an official
WCSU diploma frame. For years to come, your diploma will remain safe and look impressive.
You can find WestConn's Diploma Frame Gift Guide online at www.wcsu.edu/alumni (click on Alumni Marketplace). As you will see, there are several diploma frame styles to choose from depending on your taste. We also offer several desk accessories that feature an attractive and rich-looking two-toned engraved medallion with WestConn's seal. Some of the pieces can even be personalized with your name.
You can order your diploma frame and desk accessories online at the Web site above or by phone with a credit card at (203) 837-8298. You can also download an order form at the Web site above and mail it in along with your payment to the WCSU Alumni Office, 181 White St., Danbury, CT 06810. If you would like us to send you a brochure, please call us at the number above.
Engraved Brick
Leave your mark at WestConn by engraving your name and a special message on a 4 x 8 brick located in the Alumni &
Friends Circle. The Alumni & Friends Circle, located in between Old Main and Fairfield Hall, houses an ensemble of inscribed
bricks, trees, benches and light posts donated by alumni and friends of the university. Several brick paths now lead into the
circle making it highly visible to students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors. For more information on our Alumni & Friends
Circle or to download an order form, visit www.wcsu.edu/alumni (click on Alumni & Friends Circle) or call the Office of Alumni
Relations at (203) 837-8298.
Short-term Medical Insurance
After graduation, many students lose their health insurance coverage under their parents' plans, making them vulnerable to
high healthcare costs. GradMed provides protection from the major expenses associated with an accident or unexpected
illness, providing coverage while job searching or waiting for new employee benefits to begin. An ideal product for new
graduates, with GradMed you can choose a coverage period and deductible that meets your needs. Coverage can begin as
early as the day after receipt of your application. For more information, visit www.wcsu.edu/alumni (click on Grad Med).
