For Families and Guests of the Graduate

Commencement at Ohio State is a festive and joyous occasion at which family and guests are welcome. The following information is provided to answer questions about the ceremony and to help you prepare for the day.

Spring Commencement is Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. in Ohio Stadium. The ceremony will last approximately 2 1/2 hours. No tickets are required.

Parking

Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in any of the permit zones around Ohio Stadium, St. John Arena, Ag Campus, Schottenstein Center, the student residence halls, or on West Campus. No permit is required. The Arps, Ohio Union, Lane Avenue, and Tuttle Park parking garages will be available at no charge.

Shuttle buses will run from West Campus parking lots to the Sisson Hall footbridge beginning at 9:00 a.m. until one hour after the ceremony concludes. Due to the construction taking place around the Stadium and on Woody Hayes Drive, guests are strongly encouraged to use the West Campus parking and shuttles. It is a very efficient way to get to and from the ceremony.

Disability parking is located in the East Stadium Lot on a first come, first served basis. A permanent or temporary Ohio or other state-issued Disability Placard is required. The East Stadium Lot is accessed from Tuttle Park Place. Please plan to arrive early as reserved parking is not guaranteed. Contact the Office of Commencement and Special Events at (614) 292-9051 with questions.

Visit the Transportation and Parking web site at www.tp.ohio-state.edu for further information about commencement parking.

Security Precautions

Certain items are prohibited in Ohio Stadium as a security precaution. No alcoholic beverages, coolers, backpacks, large handbags, chair-back seats, noisemaking devices, mace or similar substances, signs, sticks or poles, or weapons of any type are permitted. Neither graduates nor guests may bring any of these items into Ohio Stadium. Guests are subject to visual inspection of person, bags, and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Items that are permitted include cameras, video recorders, uncased binoculars, small handbags, pagers, cell phones, seat cushions, and clothes for weather conditions.

Seating

Ohio Stadium opens at 10:00 a.m. commencement morning. The following Stadium gates will be open to the public: Gates 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, and 23 on the West side; Gates 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 on the East side; all North Rotunda gates. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ohio Stadium provides easy access for guests with permanent or temporary disablities. Seating for those guests is located at entry level and throughout the stadium. Guests in wheelchairs, as well as those unable to climb stairs, and one companion, are permitted in these areas. Guests must contact the Office of Commencement and Special Events by June 1 to make arrangements for disability seating. Click on the Disability Accommodations link for further information.

An American Sign Language interpreter will be present during the ceremony. Guests requiring seating near the interpreter should contact the Office of Commencement and Special Events by June 1 to make arrangements. Click on the Disability Accommodations link for further information.

Live captioning of the ceremony will also be available on the north Stadium scoreboard, which can be viewed from seating areas directly on the east and west sides of Ohio Stadium.

View graduate seating chart.

View Ohio Stadium facility diagrams.

The Ceremony

Graduates must arrive on campus by 10:30 a.m. and assemble in French Field House and RPAC no later than 11:15 a.m. The Prelude in Ohio Stadium is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Class Processional leaves the assembly sites at 11:40 a.m. and moves into Ohio Stadium at 12:00 p.m. Guests must remain in the stands and off of the field throughout the ceremony.

It is a long-standing tradition at Ohio State for graduates to personally receive their diplomas from their college deans. With the exception of the Ph.D.s, graduates' names are not called as the diploma is awarded. Graduates will not return to their seats after receiving their diplomas.

Photographs

Photographs must be taken from the stands. Only press photographers with proper credentials are permitted on the field.

A professional photographer will take a photograph of each graduate as diplomas are awarded. A complimentary photograph will be mailed to the graduate's permanent address within one month after graduation. You are not obligated to order photographs; this is merely a service.

Inclement Weather Plan

If commencement cannot be held in Ohio Stadium due to inclement weather, the ceremony must be canceled. No indoor facility on campus can accommodate the graduating class and 50,000 guests. Every reasonable effort will be made to hold commencement as planned.

If it is raining or rain is forecast on commencement day, graduates and guests should come prepared with appropriate rain gear. Ponchos, raincoats, and something to cover wet bleachers are advised for guests. Umbrellas are permitted in Ohio Stadium, but their use during the ceremony is discouraged. If weather conditions are uncertain on commencement morning, listen to WOSU-AM (820 AM) for updates.

If weather is severe enough (heavy rain, thunderstorms, tornado watch/warning) to necessitate a delay in the start of the ceremony, instructions will be announced on site to graduates and guests. After delaying the ceremony for as much as one hour, if the forecast indicates no change in the severity of the weather, cancellation of the ceremony will be announced, and diplomas will be distributed from various campus locations. Instructions will also appear in the commencement program.

If the ceremony is underway but is interrupted by severe weather, graduates and guests should follow instructions as announced. It is advised that you prearrange a meeting place with your graduate in case the ceremony is canceled. Guests will not be admitted to diploma distribution areas. St. John Arena, Drake Event Center, and various locations on West Lane Avenue are suggested meeting sites.

Accommodations

Hotel reservations can be made on a space-available basis at the university's The Blackwell Inn and Conference Center, 2110 Tuttle Park Place, 1-866-247-4003 or the University Plaza Hotel, 3110 Olentangy River Road, 1-877-677-5292. For a list of other hotels located in Columbus or the campus area, click on the Local Hotel Listing link or visit the Greater Columbus Visitors Bureau website. Hotel reservations should be made well in advance of commencement.

Announcements and Yearbook

Graduation announcements are available for purchase from UniPrint at Station 88, located in the Ohio Union, (614) 292-2219. Announcements can be ordered through the Barnes & Noble - The Ohio State University Bookstore on-line partner, www.CBGrad.com. Call (614) 247-2000 with questions.

The Makio yearbook is a wonderful keepsake of your student's Ohio State experience. To order, call (614) 292-8763 or visit the Makio web site.

For More Information

For further information about Spring Commencement, call the Office of Commencement and Special Events at (614) 292-9051. Visit this website for updates, as all information is subject to change.