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Commencement Office

Commencement Conduct Guidelines

Commencement Conduct Guidelines

Welcome to the University of Memphis Commencement Conduct Guidelines. We are dedicated to ensuring a memorable and respectful ceremony for all graduates and guests. Graduates and attendees are requested remain for the entire ceremony to ensure a dignified and seamless experience for all participants. Commencement decorum mandates a formal, respectful environment celebrating academic achievement for the duration of the two-hour ceremony. Adherence to rules is mandatory.

Public Event: These large-scale, free public events involve high attendance, traffic congestion, and wait times beyond our control. We strongly recommend planning your arrival in advance and anticipating delays. Patience and understanding are essential for a positive experience. Remember: An idea you have may be shared by someone else. Someone will be first and someone will be last, and someone will be waiting.

Registered Graduating Student: As a part of your Step 4 submission of commencement attendance and the submission of your application to graduate, you agreed to the following:

By attending Commencement as a current graduate or past graduate, I agree to everything outlined on this page and associated with my conduct and the conduct of my guests. I will follow all procedure and understand that if I violate this in any way including but not limited to disrupting the event in any way, leaving my chair without permission, swapping seats, getting out of order, screaming, or yelling or the like, I will be escorted out by Police/Law Enforcement and not allowed to participate in the ceremony. Diploma, Photos and videos and the like will be withheld from me or cancelled automatically and without warning.

Graduates and Guests must follow these Guidelines:

  • Respect graduates, staff, and guests.
  • Please respect all graduates by cheering quietly. This ensures every family hears their loved one's name called. Celebrate respectfully!
    • Honor the moment: Allow each graduate's name to be clearly heard without loud background noise.
    • Be considerate: Keep applause brief and polite so the next name is audible.
    • Support all families: Give every student the quiet respect they deserve on stage.
  • No air horns, cowbells, or the like.
  • Do not throw things into the air.
  • No excessive, lengthy yelling.
  • No guests are allowed on the event floor.
  • Only the degree candidates are permitted in the graduate seating area, on the event floor, and on stage (no parents, guests, children, families, friends, or others). This ensures an orderly processional, the correct reading of names, and the smooth flow of the ceremony.
  • No proposals or disruptive behavior:Actions that might disrupt the ceremony's dignity, such as marriage proposals, excessive cheering/screaming, dancing, pranks, and using noisemakers.
  • Guests are not permitted to save seats: Seating is usually first-come, first-served, and saving seats is prohibited to ensure fair access for all guests. Security or ushers will guide guests to open seats.
  • Guests must remain in designated areas: Family members and guests should stay in their seating areas and are not allowed to rush the stage or block aisles for photos. Official photographers capture the moment each graduate crosses the stage. 
  • All attendees must pass through security measures.
  • Unauthorized items, weapons, and disruptive items are prohibited.
  • Disruptive behavior, such as excessive noise, and pranks are prohibited.
  • Anyone in violation can be escorted out by law enforcement and the graduating student’s diploma will be withheld along with possible disciplinary actions.
  • Guests and graduates will go through separate security lines and be seated in separate areas.
  • Guests are not allowed on stage with a graduate.
  • After leaving the stage, the graduate returns to their seat as guided by crew officials.
  • No interacting with guests from your seats.
  • Stay in numerical order as indicated on your Pronouncer Card.
  • Ushers and staff will be present to assist guests and graduates upon arrival.
  • No waving or tossing up any items on the floor, lineup, or stage.
  • No banners, flags, or any other items should be brought with you or hidden! If you are found in violation, you will be escorted out by law enforcement.
  • No jumping, leaping, dancing, or the like are permitted. If you are found in violation, you will be escorted out by law enforcement.
  • Be respectful of other graduates and the audience by staying in your seat before and after you receive your diploma and until those on the commencement platform exit during the recession.
  • Inappropriate behavior for this occasion includes taking selfies while on the commencement platform, pranks, stepping or dancing, and/or vocal or visual disruptions.
  • The use and/or possession of outside beverages, food, alcohol, or drugs is strictly prohibited.
  • We cannot and do not hold personal items. Bring only the items you need.
  • The Commencement Program is available digitally. Each graduating participant receives one in their chair. Guests are encouraged to view our online/digital program available at https://www.memphis.edu/commencement/pdfs/program.pdf.pdf.
  • The university expects to conduct a meaningful, dignified ceremony. Disorderly and/or disruptive conduct, including, but not limited to the examples provided above, may be grounds for immediate ejection, and may result in your diploma and/or transcript being retained by the university.
  • All provisions of the University of Memphis Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities apply to commencement ceremonies.

 

Diploma Card/Duration Card

  • At the end of the ceremony, all graduates and participants MUST turn in their diploma card to ensure diploma will not be withheld or fee accrued.
  • Find Blue Baskets at end of ceremony.
  • Drop your card in the basket.
  • Do not turn in another individual’s card.
  • At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates/participants will exit through the stands.
  • All graduates/participants MUST remain for the duration of the ceremony.

 

Service Animals

Service Animals are allowed as by the ADA Guidelines. For more information, visit https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/.

 

Notice: We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or items left behind, theft, damage to vehicles, or personal injury of any kind. No property should be tampered with, destroyed, or mishandled in any way by any graduate or guests attending. Attendance in the commencement ceremony and events is completely optional. Graduating students and guests choose to attend these events of their own free will. No unauthorized items, or weapons of any kind are permitted.

Live Stream Option: If you have guests who are unable to stand in long lines, etc., we do record and live stream our ceremonies. 

These rules are in place, so everyone has an opportunity to celebrate this significant academic achievement in an organized and respectful environment.