MA Convocation Schedule
	Academic Regalia (Caps and Gowns)
	MA Convocation Tokens and Tickets
	Name Cards
	Convocation Booklet
	Photography
	Parking
	Valuables & Baby Strollers
	University Commencement - May 20th, 2009, 10:30 AM
	Diplomas & Alumni Gifts
	FAQ

Remember to bring your Convocation Student Token and Name Card

9:30 AM

9:45 AM

10:30 AM

10:30 AM

Convocation begins. The ceremony includes brief speeches by faculty members, deans, and the student speaker; awards are given and students are announced individually and congratulated by Dean Pinkham.  Students are photographed before they cross the stage and as their names are announced (see the section Photography below).

12:00 Noon

Champagne reception for students and guests hosted by Dean Pinkham in 301 Philosophy and on Kent and Philosophy Hall Lawns.

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All students must wear academic regalia (caps and gowns) at the Convocation.  Academic regalia may be purchased (not rented) through the Columbia University Bookstore for approximately $54.00.  The form may be sent or taken to the Columbia University Bookstore, 2922 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, phone: 212-854-4132, fax:212-854-8713, columbia@bkstore.com. 

If you are not in the NYC area, the bookstore will accept orders by mail or fax and will ship via UPS in April through the beginning of May.  Information regarding academic regalia, class rings, and announcements is available here.

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Reservations accepted March 16-May 1

All students must present a "Convocation Student Token" to march in the procession and participate in Convocation.  This token system allows us to allocate more seats and tickets to guests.

Graduating students receive one token each.  Guests cannot use tokens for entrance to Convocation. 

All guests attending the MA Convocation must have a ticket.  All MA students graduating in October 2008, February 2009, or May 2009 may reserve no more than two guest tickets each.

Reservations

Students may reserve one convocation student token and up to two guest tickets by emailing gsasmaconvocation@columbia.edu.  In your email, you must include:

1. Student name
2. Student UNI
3. M.A. program
4. Number of student tokens and guest tickets requested for reservation

Reservations must be made between March 16 and May 1.  No reservations will be accepted after May 1. 

University Commencement and the M.A. Convocation are two separate events and both require guest tickets.  See below for more information about University Commencement.

Picking-Up Convocation Tokens and Tickets

Tokens and tickets available for pick-up May 4-13.

Reservations do not guarantee tokens and tickets.  Reservations are used by the Graduate School to help prepare for the ceremony.  In order to receive tokens and tickets students must pick up their tokens and tickets from the M.A. Office, 109A Low Memorial Library, between May 4 and May 13, 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.

Students must present their Columbia ID cards in order to receive their tokens and tickets.  Students may also pick up their Commencement tickets from the M.A. Office between May 4 and May 13.  No one but the student can claim his or her Convocation token and tickets and Commencement tickets.

Tokens and tickets will not be mailed.  Tokens and tickets are not guaranteed if not picked up by May 13^th.

Extra Guest Tickets

Extra guest tickets available for pick-up May 14, 15, and 19.

Any Convocation guest ticket not picked up by May 13^th will be made available to all M.A. students on a first-come first-served basis.  Students are limited to one extra guest ticket available from the M.A. Office, 109A Low Memorial Library, on May 14^th and 15^th 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.

Students must present their Columbia ID cards in order to receive their extra guest ticket.  No one but the student may claim his or her extra ticket.

After May 15^th any remaining Convocation guest tickets will be made available on a first-come first-served basis on the morning of Convocation, May 19th, from 9:00 to 10:30  AM at the Lerner Ticket Office located on the first floor at the campus entrance to Lerner Hall.  Students are limited to one additional guest ticket on Convocation morning.

Questions

See below for information about Commencement tickets.

Questions about Convocation tickets may be directed to the M.A. Office, 109A Low Memorial Library, at gsasmaconvocation@columbia.edu or 212-854-4933.

Convocation Guests with Disabilities

Disabled MA students or students with disabled guests who have tickets should contact Elizabeth Silberman at ee2015@columbia.eduor 212-854-5052 to discuss the arrangement of special seating or needs at MA Convocation.

Note: Students with disabled guests need to reserve tickets before contacting Ms. Silberman.

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Students present their name cards to the reader so their names can be announced as they cross the stage. Professional photographers who are photographing the students use these name cards to correctly identify the subjects of each photograph.

Name cards are mailed to students in March; please fill them out before you come to Convocation.

BRING YOUR NAME CARD to Convocation. In case of lost or forgotten name cards, you MUST pick up a duplicate name card at the information table outside the entrance to Lerner Auditorium at 9:30 a.m., one hour before Convocation.

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General Information about University Commencement

University Commencement is held outdoors in the space between Butler Library and Low Library on the morning of May 20th.

All Columbia University degree recipients for academic year 2008-2009 (October 2008, February 2009 and May 2009 conferral dates) and post-defense PhD candidates are invited to take part.

May 20th, 9:30 a.m.: GSAS students arrive by 9:30 a.m. to line up on Low Plaza at the designated location point. Commencement lasts from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 Noon.

Students in academic caps and gowns or in possession of a Columbia ID do not need tickets to enter the campus. Guests must have tickets.

You should plan ahead of time where you will meet your family and friends afterwards - even if you have cell phones it is difficult to locate people in a crowd of some 30,000 without prearrangement.

Commencement is held outdoors, rain or shine. Be prepared; if the weather is seasonably warm you should not forget sunblock and water.
For more information on Commencement, visit http://www.commencement.columbia.edu.

Further information, including the designated assembly point for the academic procession, will be sent to MA students by email in March and posted here when it is available.

Guest Tickets for University Commencement

Convocation and Commencement are two separate events. Both events require separate tickets for guests.

Commencement guest tickets available for pick-up May 4-13.

All MA students graduating in October 2008, February 2009, or May 2009 are allowed a maximum of four guest tickets for University Commencement.  Reservations are not required and will not be taken for Commencement tickets.  Guest tickets for Commencement must be picked up in the M.A. Office, 109A Low Memorial Library between May 4th and May 13th from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.

Students must present their Columbia ID cards to pick up their Commencement guest tickets.  Only the student may pick up his or her guest tickets.

If you have questions concerning guest tickets for University Commencement, please contact the M.A. Office in 109A Low Library at gsasmaconvocation@columbia.edu or 212-854-4933.

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On May 20th between the conclusion of the Commencement ceremony and 2:00 p.m., please come to 301 Philosophy to pick up your diploma (bring your Columbia ID). Officers of the Alumni Association will be there to welcome you with gifts commemorating the day.

The Registrar’s Office will begin to mail diplomas on the day after Commencement, but this process takes several days to complete.  Until it is mailed, you may (with your Columbia ID) pick up your diploma in 205 Kent Hall. Please contact Sheila Kelly in the Diploma Division at 212-854-8319 or sdk1@columbia.edu if you have questions about the availability of your diploma.

If you were awarded a degree in October 2008 or February 2009, your diploma was already mailed. Please contact Sheila Kelly (see above) if you have not received it.

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I graduated in October 2008 or February 2009.  I would like to reserve my student token and two guest tickets for the M.A. Convocation, but I can't pick them up before May 19 because I no longer live in NYC and will not be on campus.  What should I do?

You must arrange for your student token and guest tickets to be placed in an envelope with your name on it to be picked up on Convocation Day.  Please include this request in your initial reservation email to gsasmaconvocation@columbia.edu.  The deadline to make this request is May 1.  Reserved tokens and tickets will be available on May 19 at 8:30 AM at the Lerner Ticket Office on the first floor of the campus-side entrance to Lerner Hall.  Please note that the M.A. Office in 109A Low Library will be closed on May 18 and students cannot pick up tokens or tickets that day.

I need a letter from the school now so my parents/family can obtain a visa to enter the U.S. to attend Convocation and Commencement.  Who should I contact?

Students needing a letter for visa purposes should contact the M.A. Office in 109A Low Library at gsasmaconvocation@columbia.edu or 212-854-4933.