School of Public Health & Health Professions
Saturday, May 12
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.
Eligibility
Students who have processed application to candidacy forms, filed for degree with an expected conferral date of September 2011, February 2012, or June 2012, and who remain in good academic standing may participate in commencement.
More information regarding School of Public Health & Health Professions (SPHHP) commencement activities may be found on their website: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/commencement/2012/
Contact Information
Michelle Incorvia, 829-5705 mmi@buffalo.edu
Registration
Students participating in this ceremony must register online
. Please register online by May 7.
*Attention Rehabilitation Science students graduating in 2012: You will need to register twice; once for your departmental hooding ceremony and once for the SPHHP school ceremony. These are two separate events. Please refer to the school website for more information.
FAQs
How long is the ceremony? Approximately two hours.
Do I need to purchase tickets? If so, how many is each student allowed? There are no tickets for this event. Graduating students will each receive three invitations for keepsake purposes only. You may invite as many guests as you'd like.
If I am the guest of a graduate and I have a disability, what accommodations will be available? Please refer to the "Guests with Disabilities" page; there you will find specific information regarding disability accommodations at the Center for the Arts.
What if I (graduating student) have a disability which impacts my ability to participate in the SPHHP Commencement Ceremony? Please note if you have a disabling condition and what accommodations you require, as you register for the ceremony. Registration is done online. The SPHHP commencement coordinator will contact you to discuss and finalize your accommodations.
I am a GUEST OF a graduate and have small children attending; can I bring a baby stroller?
- 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.
What time should I arrive? The SPHHP ceremony begins at 1 p.m. sharp. All students must arrive no later than 12 noon to being assembling in the robing room. Signs will be posted in Center for the Arts to direct students to the Drama Theatre (robing room for students).
When should my guests arrive? Guests should arrive no earlier than 12 noon to avoid crowds in the atrium as another ceremony will be concluding at that time. Ushers will inform guests when the Mainstage doors open for seating.
Will there be a reception following the ceremony? Yes; there will be a reception in the atrium immediately following the ceremony. All students and their guests are invited and no ticket is required.
What if I do not have a cap and gown? Can I still march? No; all students MUST wear proper attire (cap and gown) in order to march across the stage.
How do I order my cap and gown? You must order your cap and gown through the University Bookstore. You will receive an email in mid-January with instructions and deadline dates for ordering your cap and gown. Please be sure to order your cap and gown before the deadline as the bookstore may run out of stock before commencement.
Are individual names announced? Yes; the program director for each program will be calling students up to the stage by name.
I will not have my degree conferred by May 2012. Can I still march in the ceremony? That decision is left to the discretion of each department.
Will all graduate students be hooded on stage? No; only the doctoral students will be hooded on stage by their mentor. All master students must be hooded prior to the procession into the theater. Please note that all DPT students will be hooded in a separate ceremony the night before the school commencement ceremony.
Will professional photographs be taken at the ceremony? If so, how can I order pictures? Yes; SPHHP will have a professional photographer taking pictures before, during and after the ceremony. The pictures will be downloaded to the school website and an email will be sent out to all graduates with the link. Once downloaded, you will be able to print out the pictures. Should you wish to order a professional package, SPHHP will provide the contact information for the photographer on their website.
Will further instructions be received by students? Students will receive emails throughout the spring semester regarding commencement. Students may also visit the school website
for the most up-to-date information. Students must register online
.