Commencement Q&A
Q: Is there is a personal charge (i.e., cost, expense) to faculty and staff members for regalia (cap, gown and hood) ordered for the upcoming commencement ceremony?
A: No. There is no charge to individuals for ordering regalia. Items are rented for each individual placing an order with me with the campus picking up the round-trip shipping expense as well as the garments' rental fees.
Q: What is the deadline for ordering the regalia?
A: The deadline was March 20. If you have special or extenuating circumstances, contact me.
Q: I don't know my hat/cap size; how do I get that info?
A: I have a cloth and paper tape measure provided to me by the cap & gown vendor; I can meet with you and quickly measure your head to determine your cap size. Cap size measurement is preferable to getting the circumference of your head.
Q: When will my regalia arrive?
A: Generally, it's delivered in a bulk order several days prior to the commencement ceremony, which is May 17. It will probably be here between Friday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 15. I will notify the campus when the regalia arrives, and have individuals' packets arranged alphabetically on tables outside my office door in the administrative wing of the campus. It’s a very good idea to pick up your regalia several days prior to the ceremony so you can unpack it, and hang the robe to let gravity (or an iron) help smooth out the wrinkles.
Q: Where should I don my regalia? Where should I put on my robe/cap/hood? How do I return my regalia?
A: On May 17, please report to room #1012, the Bacteriology/Genetics Lab at the intersection of the science wing and the Barlow/WESM lobby. You'll robe there beginning at approx. 6:30 p.m. (or earlier if you prefer) and de-robe after the ceremony is over.
You can also choose to wear your regalia to the commencement reception that takes place in the Thrivent Lobby immediately after the ceremony. After the ceremony, you can wear or carry your regalia back to where the faculty and staff robed, i.e., room #1012.
Please arrange to leave your regalia in room #1012 prior to leaving the campus on May 17; don't take it home with you after the ceremony. Just leave all of your regalia neatly piled on the counters in room #1012. You don't need to pack it all back inside the plastic bags that it comes in; in fact, I prefer that you don't repack the items. The day after commencement, I organize all the regalia by category (caps, gowns, hoods, tassels, pack it all up in shipping boxes provided, and send it back to the rental company. If your regalia isn't there the morning after the ceremony ready to be packed up, I have to arrange for special packing and shipping, adding to overall expense of time and money.
Q: Can I use or buy my own regalia?
A: Yes, I would have to provide you with the details for the account exec to provide you with that sales information. The rental regalia is not available for purchase and is of a different level of quality than the personally purchased regalia.
Q: Do I have to wear the cap for the ceremony?
A: One of the most frequently asked questions. Simply said, wearing the cap completes the ceremonial attire. Some colleagues have issues with the cap staying in place; hairpins come in handy and we'll have some handy for the robing activity.
Q: How long will this year's ceremony last?
A: For the past 13 years that I've produced the ceremony, the running times have been between 1.5 hours and 2.0 hours. The amount of time for the ceremony is dependent on so many variables: how many graduates will show up to have their name read and walk across the stage? How long will the faculty, staff and student presenters speak when introducing the various faculty, staff and student award winners? How long will the commencement speaker take presenting his keynote address? How long will any special presentations take? Please keep in mind that this is a recognition ceremony that takes place once a year and is not designed to be a sprint.
Q: What if there are mistakes with my regalia order?
A: It happens. The orders are filled by human beings who can occasionally misread or miss-fill an order. Contact me ASAP if there is a problem. Sometimes, I can get the correct replacement(s) shipped to us within several days. Sometimes we can work exchanges with other colleagues here at the campus.
For more questions, please contact Dave Hager at (920) 832-2611 or david.hager@uwc.edu.