Spring 2013 Commencement

May 4, 2013, Saturday 10:00 am on the Great Lawn

CHECK-IN
for candidates promptly at 8:00am in C225

Rehearsal is mandatory and starts right at check-in.
Light snacks will be provided.
Do not bring large bags or valuables to rehearsal. There is no secure place to leave them and you cannot carry them during the ceremony.
Guests are not permitted to enter C225.
Please bring any necessary supplies (combs, cosmetics, etc.) in a small bag which fits under your gown. There will be no time to secure your supplies between the rehearsal and the ceremony.

REHEARSAL
Black caps, gowns and tassels are required to be worn by all graduates. These can be purchased at the West Shop. Wear lightweight attire under your gown. Whatever shows above/below the gown should conform to the following:

MEN should wear collared shirts (short sleeves are acceptable), dark trousers, and closed shoes.
WOMEN should wear dresses or dress slacks and sandals or shoes. Muʻumuʻu are not recommended. The graduation gowns for women include white collars which may be omitted.
Jeans, shorts, t-shirts and slippers are not considered appropriate attire.
There is symbolism in the flat mortarboard cap that should be respected by the wearer; it should sit flat on your head like a crown, not like a halo pointing up from the back of your head. The soft front of the cap rests on your forehead with the ‘v’ pointed toward your nose. The tassel hangs to your right.
Name pronunciation instructions are available at this link.

GUESTS
May arrive at 9:30am. This is a ticketed event – any guest who needs a seat, needs a ticket. All are welcome to attend, however seating is limited to those with tickets. Candidates for graduation will be provided with eight tickets each (six for the great lawn and two in C208). The event will be projected live on the big screen in C208 and we encourage students to direct their guests with possible lawn access issues there (ie., elderly, disabled, etc). Parking is limited, so please encourage families and guests to carpool and arrive early.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Graduation announcements are available for purchase at the West Shop and can be personalized with your name and degree/certificate. Students who would like to order announcements may visit the bookstore or contact them for online ordering information.

REGALIA
Commencement regalia is available at The West Shop. The full graduation gown set is $36.00. The black cap, gown and tassel are included in the set and each is required for the commencement ceremony. If you already have a black cap and gown, the tassel can be purchased separately for less than $10.

PHOTOGRAPHY
The audience may take photographs and videos from their seats. The Pictureman of Hawaiʻi will also be taking professional quality photos which will be available for order.

LEI VENDORS
Several vendors selling flower lei will be on campus during the commencement ceremonies. The vendors will be located on the grass area in front of the Dining Commons.

DISTINCTION
Candidates who meet the criteria for Graduation with Distinction (current 3.75 UH West Oʻahu GPA and on track for completion of 45 UH West Oʻahu credits) will be provided with a gold honor stole to wear during the ceremony. To see if you might be eligible to wear the stole, visit star.hawaii.edu. Click on transcripts, then campus transcripts by semester.

DIPLOMAS
Most students receive their diploma at the commencement ceremony. All others* will be notified by February of diploma pick up date at Student Services via their UH email.

*Students may not receive their actual diploma on May 4th if they:

choose not to participate in the commencement ceremony
submitted the application for graduation after the deadline
have not completed all graduation requirements
have grades which cannot be verified by their instructors a week prior to the commencement ceremony
live on a neighbor isle (diploma will be sent to the mailing address listed in MYUH)

CLASS RINGS
Class rings may be purchased through Jostens (www.jostens.com). Please direct questions and orders to the Jostens Representative, Patrick McNichols at (808) 261-6444.

If you have guest who need special accommodations, please contact Student Services at (808) 689-2900 by April 19, 2013.