Fall Commencement Instructions for Faculty

FALL 2023 COMMENCEMENT
Saturday, December 16, 2023
11:00 a.m.
Pershing Arena

Please read these Commencement Instructions carefully as there is no rehearsal for Commencement.

Print Instructions (PDF)

During Commencement, all degree candidates (Undergraduate and Graduate) will be recognized individually while walking across the stage to receive a diploma cover.

The doors at Pershing open at 10:00 a.m. for family and guest seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Procession

Degree Candidates

Degree candidates will assemble in academic dress on Saturday, December 16, in the small gym in Pershing by 10:00 a.m. Candidates will be seated by degree, not alphabetically. At the appropriate time, the Grand Marshal will declare that the “ranks are closed” and anyone not in place will be excluded from the graduation procession.

Faculty Members

Faculty members will assemble in academic dress on the second/main floor of Pershing Building at 10:30 a.m. by the Health & Exercise Science (HES) Department Office. Please use the east entrance doors to enter Pershing. There will be staff members available to help with robing, questions, etc. Please be prompt. Additionally, Deans will be asked to provide an estimate of faculty planning to attend commencement in order for the Registrar’s Office to optimize the setup of chairs for all attendees.

Academic Procession

The Platform Party will assemble in the HES Department Office. The faculty will follow two Junior Marshals and will proceed behind the Platform Party (led by the Grand Marshal). The procession will walk down the east stairs and turn north to enter the arena from the north side.

Degree candidates will follow the Marshal and the Junior Marshals out of the small gym (PB130) behind the faculty. The faculty will form two lines (like a tunnel) along the north side of the east bleachers and north wall for the students to process through on their way to their seats. Once the students are at their seats, the faculty will follow the students to proceed to their seats in the arena.

Procession Order

The academic procession will be in the following order:

Truman State University ROTC Color Guard (separate from processional and located by the east side of the stage)

Grand Marshal
Sue Thomas, President and Charles McAdams, Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Commencement Speaker
Student Commencement Speaker
Members of the Board of Governors
Vocalist
Reader
Two Junior Marshals
Administration
Faculty
Marshal
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Master of Athletic Training Degree
Candidates for Master of Accountancy Degree
Candidates for Master of Arts Degree
Candidates for Master of Arts in Education Degree
Candidates for Master of Science Degree
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Music Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree
Candidates for Bachelor of Arts Degree
Two Junior Marshals
Candidates for Bachelor of Science Degree

Granting of Degrees

Degrees will be granted as follows:

All undergraduate degree candidates will rise at the request of Interim Provost McAdams and remain standing while the degree is conferred en masse by President Thomas. After the degree is conferred en masse, all undergraduate degree candidates will proceed to the stage to be recognized individually and receive their diploma cover.

Undergraduate degree candidates will be recognized in the following groups:

Group 1: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Arts
Group 2: Bachelor of Science

After the degree is conferred en masse Group 1 students will be requested to proceed to the stage to receive their diploma covers. Group 2 students will sit and remain seated until Group 1 students receive their diploma covers and are seated. Group 2 will then be asked to proceed to the stage to receive their diploma covers. After all the undergraduates receive their diploma covers, all graduate degree candidates will rise at the request of Interim Provost McAdams and remain standing while the degree is conferred en masse by President Thomas. After the degree is conferred en masse, all graduate degree candidates will proceed to the stage in one file to be recognized individually and to receive their diploma cover.

Recession

Participants will depart in the following order during the playing of the recessional:

  • Platform Party
  • Administration and Faculty
  • Graduate degree recipients
  • Undergraduate degree recipients

We will have ROTC cadets lined up in Pershing Arena to help keep the crowd back so the recessional can move easily to the foyer on the second/main floor. Faculty may exit through the east doors or may return to the HES Department area if needed.

Miscellaneous Information

Parking

Parking will be available in the Ryle Hall, Pershing Building, Stokes Stadium, Violet Hall, and Magruder Hall parking lots.

Guest Seating

There is NO reserved seating for guests. Seating is first-come, first-seated. Pershing opens at 10:00 a.m. for seating. Guests are encouraged to enter Pershing via the main Arena Entrance on the west side of Pershing.

Broadcast of Commencement

Truman State University’s Public Relations Department will live stream the Commencement Ceremony on Truman’s YouTube Channel and Facebook. A link to the live stream will also appear on the Truman website at https://test.truman.edu/registrar/commencement/ commencement-broadcast/.

Questions

Please contact the Registrar’s Office, McClain Hall 104, registrar@truman.edu (subject line Commencement Questions) or(660) 785-4143, with any questions concerning Commencement.