Convocation for PhD degree recipients in Engineering, the Biomedical Sciences and
all GSAS-affiliated schools
Monday, May 18, 2009, 3:30 p.m.
St. Paul’s Chapel - Morningside Campus
Reception immediately following Convocation on Philosophy Hall Lawn
NOTE: One need only to have defended successfully to be eligible to participate in the Convocation and Commencement ceremonies.
PhD Convocation Schedule
Remember to bring your Convocation Student Token and Name Card.
2:30 PM - Arrival of Students
Students arrive by 2:30 p.m. outside Room 109 in Low Library to line up in advance of the academic procession next to the student’s home department sign.
2:30 PM - Arrival of Guests
Ticketed family and friends of students line up between Low Memorial Library and St. Paul's Chapel and view convocation in the chapel or lawn areas.
3:15 PM - Academic Procession
Academic Procession of Students, Faculty, and Administration into St. Paul's Chapel. Students are led over to the Chapel and seated inside by GSAS officials.
3:30 PM - Convocation Begins
Convocation ceremony includes brief speeches by students, faculty, and administrators and various awards for graduating students, faculty, and alumni are given.
Between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM - Presentation of Graduating Students
Doctoral Candidates are directed by GSAS marshals to proceed left of stage, where each is photographed by professional photographers from Island Photographers. Next, students ascend the stage to present the Name Card to the Faculty Reader. The Faculty Reader uses it to announce each degree candidate’s name and department. Next, students are greeted by Dean Henry Pinkham and a second professional photo is taken. After this, students return to their seats. Island Photographers contacts candidates later regarding photos (see the section Photograpy below).
4:55 PM - Academic Recession
Faculty process out of Chapel followed by students.
5:00 PM - Reception
Reception in 301 Philosophy and on Kent and Philosophy Lawns hosted by Dean Henry C.Pinkham.
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Academic Regalia (Caps and Gowns)
All students must wear academic regalia (caps and gowns) at the Convocation. Academic regalia may be rented or purchased through the Columbia University Bookstore. The form may be sent or taken to the Columbia University Bookstore, 2922 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, 212-854-4132, fax: 212-866-8713, email: 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 (caps and gowns), class rings, and announcements is available here.
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Student Token and Guest Tickets For PhD Convocation
Reserving a Convocation Student Token:
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.
Between April 17 and May 1 you may reserve your Convocation Student Token for the Convocation by going to 301 Philosophy Hall between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Pick up your Convocation Student Token between April 17th and May 1st in 301 Philosophy Hall between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Reservations do not guarantee tokens. You must pick
up your Convocation Student Token by May 1st to attend Convocation. Bring your Columbia ID to pick up your token. Tokens may
not be reserved after May 1st. Tokens will not be mailed.
Reserving Guest Tickets for PhD Convocation:
Convocation and University Commencement are two separate events. Both events require tickets for guests. Please read carefully the directions below.
Your guests at the GSAS Convocation must have tickets. All PhD students graduating in October 2008, February 2009, or May 2009 are guaranteed two guest tickets for the PhD Convocation, provided they pick up their tickets by May 1st (see below).
If after reading the directions below you have
questions concerning guest tickets for PhD Convocation, please contact Craig Knobles at jck2@columbia.edu or 212-854-2889.
Between April 17th and May 1st you may reserve two guest tickets maximum for the PhD Convocation by going to 301 Philosophy Hall between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Bring your Columbia ID to pick up tickets. No one but the student can claim his or her guest tickets. Tickets will not be mailed.
Students who do not pick up guest tickets by 6:00 p.m. on May 1st are not guaranteed guest tickets to Convocation.
Additional Guest Tickets:
Additional ticket requests (maximum of two) should be made before May 1st and are placed on a waiting list. After May 1st, tickets not reserved or picked up by other graduating students will be distributed between May 11th and May 15th to those who requested to be placed on the waiting list for additional tickets.
Convocation Guests with Disabilities:
A location will be designated for ticketed guests with special needs. Please contact Elizabeth Silberman at ee2015@columbia.edu by April 24th with the number of ticketed guests who need a space in this area. Upon arrival at Convocation, please ask our staff wearing a blue and white button for directions to this area.
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Name Cards
Name Cards for degree recipients are used during Convocation for the following two reasons:
1. Each candidate presents to the faculty reader a name card so that the faculty reader can announce the candidate’s name and program or department during Convocation.
2. Professional Photographers will be taking photographs of the candidates, and they use name cards to identify the subjects of each photo.
Name cards are sent to candidates in March.
Bring your Name Card to Convocation. In case of lost or forgotten name cards, a duplicate name card will be available at the Low Library Information table one hour before Convocation.
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Convocation Booklet
Names of degree recipients appear in the Convocation Booklet distributed at Convocation. Only those who have deposited their dissertations are listed in this booklet (NOTE: one need only have defended successfully to be eligible to participate in the Convocation and Commencement ceremonies).
The deposit deadline to be included in the booklet is Friday, May 1st.
The deadline to be included in the addendum insert is Thursday, May 14th.
Those who deposit after May 14th are listed in the 2010 Convocation Booklet.
Aside from booklet inclusion concerns, the deposit deadline for the May 20th, 2009 conferral date is Friday, May 15th.
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Photography
Professional photographers stand near the stage to capture the moment when candidates process up to the stage to shake hands with the Dean.
Two professional photos of each degree recipient—one alone and one with the Dean on the stage—will be available for purchase after convocation.
Island Photographers http://www.islandphoto.com will contact graduates a few days after Convocation using information on the NAME CARDS that the student gives to the faculty reader.
So that all candidates are ensured an individual photograph, family and friends wishing to take photographs are asked to remain well behind the professional photographer.
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Parking
The following web sites are useful in deciding where to park during Convocation and Commencement week: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ceremonies/commencement/ and http://www.columbia.edu/about_columbia/parking.html
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Valuables & Baby Strollers At Convocation
Please do not bring valuables to Convocation as there is no place to keep them safely. GSAS cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items.
Strollers will not be allowed in or near the Chapel and we strongly advise against bringing them. For those who leave strollers well outside the Chapel, they do so at their own risk and GSAS cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items.
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University Commencement - May 20th, 2009 10:30 AM
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.
Those in academic caps and gowns or in possession of a Columbia ID do not need tickets to enter campus.
You should plan ahead of time where you will meeting your family and friends afterward-- 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 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 PhD 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. Each student must present a Convocation Student Token to participate in PhD Convocation.
All PhD students graduating in October 2008, February 2009 and May 2009 are allowed a maximum of four guest tickets for Commencement. Pick up your guest tickets for Commencement between April 17th and May 1st in 301 Philosophy Hall between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
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Diplomas & Alumni Gifts
Diplomas can be picked up on the afternoon following University Commencement on May 20th, from 12:00 Noon until 2:00 p.m. in 301 Philosophy Hall.
Graduates may also pick up gifts from the GSAS Alumni Officers who will be available to welcome new graduates into the Alumni Association. Please bring your Columbia ID to pick up gifts.
On May 21st, the Registrar’s
Office will begin to mail out diplomas which were not retrieved on Commencement
Day. Since it will take some time to complete the mailing, many diplomas will be
available for pick up in 210 Kent Hall for a few weeks after May 21st. Questions
about availability should be directed to Sheila Kelly in the Diploma Division
at 212-854-8319 / sdk1@columbia.edu.
October and February diplomas were mailed to the addresses provided by the
recipients; please contact the Diploma Division at registrar@columbia.edu if you have not
received yours.
Only diplomas for dissertations deposited on or before April 9th are available on Commencement day. Diplomas for dissertations deposited on or after April 10th will not be available for pick up on Commencement day; the Registrar orders diplomas on May 21st for students who deposited between April 9th and May 15th. These diplomas will be available for pick up at the Registrar's office toward the end of May, or they will be mailed out during May - August.
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