Commencement

Candidate Information

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 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.

Fees

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 Office (504-280-5500 or 504-280-6504) for inquiries about fees or traffic fines. Contact the library (504-280-6355) for library fines.

Student Loan Exit Interview

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. To sign your Exit Counseling for Federal Direct Stafford loans, please visit: studentloans.gov. In order to access your account, you must use your FAFSA PIN number. Federal Perkins Loan exit interviews must be completed online at uasexit.com. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid (504-280-3270) if you have any questions about this requirement for Stafford loan recipients. Students with a Federal Perkins loans question should call the Perkins Loan Coordinator at 504-280-6506 or e-mail jcuevas@uno.edu. You can also contact UNO’s Federal Perkins Loan administrator University Accounting Services at (800) 999-6227 for questions.

Transcripts

Transcripts with degrees posted will be available once all work has been evaluated. Transcript requests should be made through Transcripts on Demand. Indicate in the comment column “to hold for degree.” Transcript requests with degrees posted will be available beginning May 20, 2013 for students who do not have any pending transfer work.

Graduation Regalia

Graduation regalia will be available for purchase during our Fall Grad Fair on March 12, from 10 am to 6 pm in the University 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 for the items of apparel you will need. If you (the student) are unable to purchase your regalia in person you may send someone on your behalf 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.

Personalized Announcements

Orders for personalized announcements will be taken during the Grad Fair on March 12, from 10 am to 6 pm in the University Center Ballroom. You may order personalized announcements online through balfour.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 Privateer Prints located in the UC to have them printed for a fee of 0.07 cents each.

Class Ring

Class ring representatives will be on campus periodically, and they will be at Grad Fair on March 12, 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 balfour.com.

Academic Apparel

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.

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.

Bachelors and masters candidates should report in academic cap and gown, with tassel hanging from the right front of the cap, to the North entrance facing the lake at least one hour prior to the ceremony. Please park in the North lot. 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.

Special Services or Accomodations

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 May 1, 2013.

Procession

• 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. 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.
• 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.
• 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 President. When this is completed the candidate will return to his or her chair.
• 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 President. A professional photographer will take your picture with the President. As you cross the platform, shift your tassel to the left front of your cap.
• 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.
• 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.

Absentia Form

If you do not plan to attend the Commencement exercise, you must notify the Registrar's Office by completing an Absentia Form. Diplomas for Spring 2013, will be available in the Office of the Registrar from Monday, May 20 in our office. If you wish to have your diploma mailed to you, fill out the Diploma Mailing Form including the exact physical address to which the diploma should be mailed (no PO boxes) and full credit card information to cover the ten dollars ($10.00) mailing costs.