Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
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The Baccalaureate Service of 2013 will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, in Cowan Hall. Members of the graduating class and faculty will constitute a major part of the program. You and your guests may take any unreserved seats in Cowan Hall. Academic regalia and a procession are not part of the Baccalaureate Service. Both undergraduate and graduate degree students are invited to attend.
Commencement Ceremony
The Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony of 2013 will witness approximately 500 graduates receiving degrees. The ceremony will be held at the Rike Physical Education-Recreation Center.
The march line-up will start promptly at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, on the front lawn of Towers Hall. The march from Towers Hall to the Rike Center will begin at 11:45 a.m.
In the event of inclement weather, the line formation will be moved to the Clements Center's indoor track area. Notices regarding this will be posted at Cowan Hall, Towers Hall, Battelle Fine Arts Center and the Campus Center.
The Commencement procession and ceremony will start at 12 noon and end at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Where to Report on Sunday
All in the procession should gather in front of Towers Hall at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, with academic regalia. All graduates should report to the appropriate divisional/departmental station for the attaching of medallions.
Next, the graduates will form a double line on the sidewalk in front of Towers Hall. Procession should begin marching at 11:45 a.m. promptly.
INCLEMENT WEATHER: The graduates will form a line in the Clements Center's indoor track. There will be notices posted in Cowan Hall, Towers Hall, Battelle Fine Arts Center and the Campus Center of the location change.
Processional March
The graduates will face in while the rest of the academic processional marches between them. The Class of 2013 follows the faculty.
Once at the Rike Center, the left line will fill the east section and the right line will fill the west section of seating. The left line will go up the east section of the seating, turn in and be seated. The right line will go up the west side of the seating, turn in and be seated.
Marching Instructions
Review marching instructions here (PDF).
Conferring of Degrees
When the time to confer degrees arrives, all degree candidates will be asked to stand. President Krendl will confer the degree. Graduates will then go to the platform to receive their diploma case. Graduates will be invited to move their tassels from the right to left at the proper time during the ceremony.
An usher will lead the first row of candidates down the west aisle to the platform area. All other candidates should sit down again, and rise to go to the platform when an usher instructs them to do so.
When the graduate's name is called, he/she steps forward. President Krendl will place the diploma case in the graduate's left hand and shake his/her right hand. All movements should be unhurried since this is when the professional photographer takes the graduate's picture.
The graduate will exit off the east end of the platform and return to his/her seat, using the rows for the most direct route. The process will be repeated for each degree group.
Recessional March
When the music begins, ushers will lead each section of the recession to the indoor track area. In the same order as you entered, platform party, trustees, faculty, and the Class of 2013 will exit to the stadium field. The platform party, trustees, faculty will stop, part lines, face in, and permit the graduates to march through them. After all have passed through the faculty, the recessional will end. The audience is to remain seated until all graduates leave the main floor.
Etiquette
Men should remove their caps for the invocation, benediction, and the Otterbein Love Song. Graduates are urged to wear dark shoes and other articles of visible apparel should be of dark colors that harmonize with the academic costume. This is the recommendation of the Inter-Collegiate Bureau of Academic Costume. It is a long-standing Otterbein tradition that additions (signs to caps, etc.) or alterations not be made to the academic regalia. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.