College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony 2012
Friday, May 11
1 p.m., Center for the Arts
Graduation Ceremonies
Remember: All undergraduate students, and certain graduate students, must apply for their degree via the HUB Student Center before February 15, 2012. Exceptions: Law, Medical (MD), and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) students do not need to fill out the Graduate School's degree forms. However, Law students graduating with dual degrees (e.g. MBA, MSW), or MD students graduating with dual degrees (e.g. MBA, MPH) need to apply for these graduate degrees via the HUB Student Center. Please check with your other department or school. Visit the registrar's site 
for more information
Recognition of Latin Honors
Students earning baccalaureate degrees (including those awarded as part of combined degrees) are eligible to receive Latin honors based on their UB cumulative grade point average (GPA) on the following scale:
| Average (based on 4.0 = A) | |
|---|---|
| 3.20 | cum laude |
| 3.50 | magna cum laude |
| 3.75 | summa cum laude |
To qualify for Latin honors, students must present a minimum of 60 credit hours of UB undergraduate coursework, at least 54 of which must be graded credits (i.e., not satisfactory or unsatisfactory [grades of 'S' or 'U']).
To receive the Latin honors designation in the printed 2012 Commencement programs, and to be eligible to wear the honorific Gold Cord (magna or summa cum laude ONLY) during these ceremonies, candidates for the June 2012 degree conferral date must qualify based upon their UB cumulative GPA through the Fall 2011 semester and projected UB credit hours through the Spring 2012 semester. Standings for Latin honors MAY change once final grades are posted or degrees conferred.
These Commencement 2012 recognition elements are only intended for students who have had or will have their degrees conferred in Sept. 2011, Feb. 2012, or Jun. 2012.
The Gold Cords will be available for purchase ($11) at the University Bookstore (N. Campus) beginning Mar. 6. Students must present UB ID at time of purchase.
Candidates for graduation are encouraged to wear on their robes any insignia, emblems or pins signifying membership in honorary societies or academic organizations, or special honors received for academic or extracurricular activities.
The College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 11, 2012 at 1 p.m. in the Center for the Arts, Mainstage Theatre on the North Campus. Eligible candidates will receive notification via email in mid-February regarding commencement details. Additional commencement ceremony information will be available throughout the spring semester at 2012 College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony
.
Participation Policy
Requests for ceremony participation exceptions are subject to approval by the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office as presented in the policy below:
This ceremony is for College of Arts and Sciences Master's and Doctoral students with degree conferral dates of September 2011, February 2012 and June 2012. It is expected that students participating in graduate commencement ceremonies will have completed all degree requirements. In extraordinary circumstances, a department chair, with the written agreement of the student’s graduate committee, may petition the CAS Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs to allow a student who has not completed all requirements to participate in commencement ceremonies. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, in consultation with the cognizant Associate Dean for the student’s academic area, will decide on the petition.
Registration
Eligible candidates are required to register online by Friday, March 23, 2012 to participate in the ceremony. Online registration begins in mid-February. Please visit 2012 College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony
for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Do I have to register to participate in the ceremony?
- When is the ceremony registration deadline?
- How do I register for the ceremony?
- Is online registration the only way to register for the ceremony?
- Can I still register to participate in the ceremony if my degree conferral date is not September 2011, February 2012 or June 2012?
- When will I receive information on commencement details?
- How do I order academic apparel for the ceremony?
- Will there be a professional photographer at the commencement ceremony?
- Do my guests need tickets to attend the ceremony?
- Where should my guests park?
- Is the Center for the Arts – Mainstage Theatre handicapped accessible and is special handicapped seating provided?
- Do I need to make prior requests for handicapped guest seating?
- What if I am a participating candidate or faculty member with special needs (visually or physically impaired, etc.)?
- Are baby strollers permitted?
- How long is the ceremony?
- Are all candidates announced during the ceremony?
- When will I receive my diploma?
Do I have to register to participate in the ceremony? Yes.
When is the ceremony registration deadline? Friday, March 23, 2012.
How do I register for the ceremony? Beginning in mid-February, visit
2012 College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony >
There you will find a link to the online registration form with complete instructions.
Is online registration the only way to register for the ceremony? Yes. Paper-based registration is not available.
Can I still register to participate in the ceremony if my degree conferral date is not September 2011, February 2012 or June 2012? Not without approval from the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. For details on the exceptions approval procedure, please see the Participation Policy.
When will I receive information on commencement details? Eligible candidates will receive initial notification via email in mid-February. A second email notification will be sent out to registered candidates in April (after the registration deadline). Details will also be available at 2012 College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony
.
How do I order academic apparel for the ceremony? Through the University Bookstore located on the North Campus. For out-of-town orders, call 716.636.6290 (ext. 19 or 25). Credit cards are accepted. Note: The College of Arts and Sciences does not handle student academic apparel orders.
Will there be a professional photographer at the commencement ceremony? Yes. Chappell Graduation Images
is the contracted photography studio. Photography information will be included in an email notification to registered candidates in April. Proofs will be mailed to each student about one week following the commencement ceremony. All post-ceremony inquiries must be made directly to Chappell Graduation Images
.
Do my guests need tickets to attend the ceremony? No. Tickets are not required and there is not a limit on the number of guests you can invite.
Where should my guests park? In any of the public lots surrounding the Center for the Arts building. Passengers can be driven directly to the Center for the Arts main entrance to disembark before parking. Note: Please advise guests not to park in handicapped parking areas unless appropriate.
Is the Center for the Arts – Mainstage Theatre handicapped accessible and is special handicapped seating provided? Yes. Center for the Arts staff will be on site to help facilitate seating in the handicapped seating sections. Assistive listening devices are also available. For additional information, please see the "Guests with Disabilities" page. Questions can be directed to Center for the Arts staff at 716.645.6259.
Do I need to make prior requests for handicapped guest seating? No. Once your guest arrives on site, any of the Center for the Arts staff can be asked to assist with seating.
What if I am a participating candidate or faculty member with special needs (visually or physically impaired, etc.)? Please notify the commencement contact person as early as possible to help facilitate the necessary arrangements. In most cases, questions and/or special requests can be directed to Center for the Arts staff at 716.645.6259.
Are baby strollers permitted?- Graduates and guests with small children may bring a baby stroller into the Center for the Arts. However, strollers are not allowed in the seats or aisles of the theater due to the hazards they create in the event of an emergency. Strollers may be left in the entrance of the theater at your own risk; ushers inside the theater can direct you to appropriate parking areas for strollers.
- Please note that guests with children who are talking, crying or moving around in a manner that is distracting to other guests or the ceremony may be asked to step outside of the theater.
How long is the ceremony? Approximately 90 minutes.
Are all candidates announced during the ceremony? Yes. Each candidate is announced as he/she crosses the stage. Doctoral candidates are also hooded and their dissertation titles are read while onstage.
When will I receive my diploma? The Office of the Registrar
will mail your diploma to your PERMANENT ADDRESS approximately six weeks after the conferral date. Note: Students are responsible for making address changes
.
Contact
Joe Syracuse
Phone: 716.645.2711
Email: jcs32@buffalo.edu