Policy on Participating in Commencement
Students who have completed all degree requirements may participate in the college’s annual Commencement exercises.
Students who have not satisfactorily completed all academic requirements for graduation at the time of Commencement may also participate if they meet or exceed the criteria described below. They will receive a blank diploma. They may also opt out and choose to participate at a subsequent Commencement. Students may only participate in Commencement once. Requirements for participation in Commencement are not subject to appeal.
A determination of eligibility occurs at the end of the drop/add period in the spring semester or other final academic term preceding Commencement. At that time, the registrar will calculate each student’s expected credit total, which is the number of credits earned plus the number for which a student is registered.
Students may participate in Commencement if their expected total is no more than eight credits less than the minimum credit requirement for their degree program. The minimum number of credits is 124, so bachelor’s degree candidates whose expected total is at least 116 credits may participate. Students in a master’s degree program requiring 36 credits may participate if their expected total is at least 28 credits.
In all cases, the credit count will be based on the official record in the registrar’s office. Students with pending transfer credits are responsible for ensuring that those credits have been recorded by the registrar’s office by 5 p.m. on the Friday nearest Feb. 15.
No diploma will be awarded until the student has been certified by his or her major department(s) as having completed all academic requirements.
