Graduation and Commencement Participation

Graduation

Students must take ultimate responsibility for academic planning—of each semester, of each academic year and of degree completion. The Self-Service Degree Progress Report provides all students and advisors with an accurate list of core and major requirements required for the degree. The Registrar’s Office begins monitoring degree progress in the spring of the student’s junior year. Students must meet with their faculty advisors on a regular basis to review degree requirements and plan senior year registrations. Bachelor degrees are conferred in January, June and September.

Seniors must complete the Application for Graduation in the fall of the senior year by the established deadlines posted to the College's academic calendar to ensure they appear as candidates for the graduation date intended. The College, however, reserves the right to confer a degree on a student who has completed all of the requirements for a degree even though the student has not petitioned to graduate; such an individual would then be subject to the College's usual rules and restrictions regarding future enrollment or registration.  In such cases where the College confers a degree for a student who has not petitioned to graduate, the diploma will convey the legal name listed in the student record.

Commencement Participation

Students who have completed all degree requirements by the date grades are due for the second semester may participate in the May commencement.

Students graduating in January participate in the May commencement ceremony. Students completing degree requirements in September participate in the May ceremony the following year.

Students may not participate in commencement unless all degree requirements and all financial obligations to the College have been met.