Faculty and staff

Faculty and staff play an important role in the various commencement activities.

Baccalaureate
Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend baccalaureate. All participating faculty are asked to meet at the Norman Worthington Conference Center at 4:40 p.m., dressed in regalia. Faculty and staff may begin robing in the Charneski Recreation Center at 4:00 p.m. The processional into Marcus Pavilion will begin at 4:55 p.m. Members of the monastic community will lead the procession, followed by faculty, and then the graduates.

Masters hooding ceremony
Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the masters hooding ceremony. All participating faculty are asked to meet in the Abbey Church courtyard at 9:00 a.m., dressed in regalia. In the event of rain, faculty will meet on the second floor of Old Main. The processional into Abbey Church will begin at 9:25 a.m. Members of the monastic community will lead the procession, followed by faculty, and then the graduates.

Commencement
All faculty and staff officially participating in the commencement ceremony wear regalia. Faculty and staff may begin robing in the Charneski Recreation Center at 1:00 p.m. Volunteers will help participating faculty, staff, trustees and stage party members prepare and line up, and will notify them when it is time to depart for Marcus Pavilion, around 1:40 p.m.

Processional
As a group, participating faculty, staff, trustees and stage party members, dressed in regalia, proceed from Charneski Recreation Center toward Marcus Pavilion, gathering outside the Norman Worthington Conference Center. Faculty form two lines, creating a "tunnel," through which graduates process into Marcus Pavilion. This tradition gives faculty the opportunity to welcome and congratulate graduates as they enter. The students' processional into Marcus Pavilion begins at 1:50 p.m.

After all graduates have entered Marcus Pavilion, the two lines of faculty proceed in, followed by the stage party. Volunteer ushers will direct faculty into seats, which are in front of the graduates, and will assist in organizing the recessional.