2008 Commencement Ceremony

The University Commencement Ceremony for New Jersey Institute of Technology will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at the Prudential Center in Downtown Newark. The processional will start promptly at 8:40 am. The ceremony will start at 9:00 and is expected to last approximately 3 hours. During the ceremony, honorary doctoral degrees and earned doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees will be conferred on the Class of 2008. All participants should plan to arrive by 7:30 am.

To participate in the May ceremony, you must have applied for graduation within the past academic year. Exceptions can only be made in special circumstances by the Dean of Students (for undergraduate students) or the Dean of Graduate Studies (for graduate students). 

Any commencement information that needs to be mailed to you will be sent to your address of record. If you have had or anticipate a change in address, please notify the university by updating your address through: Highlander Pipeline. This address will also be used to mail  your diploma to you after the ceremony.

For any graduates who have special needs, please contact Special Events by May 9, 2008 via email. Outside of the Arena, wheelchairs will not be accessible. Once inside the Arena, a wheelchair can be provided.

 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 
Who can participate in the Commencement Ceremony?
All graduates who received their degree in either August 2007 or January 2008 are automatically included in the list for participation in the Commencement ceremony. Everyone who applied for May 2008 graduation, and is thus on the Registrar's list for May graduation, is also eligible to participate. (Note that doctoral degree candidates must also check in with the Graduate Studies Office to demonstrate that they meet certain additional requirements.)

Anyone else whose name does not appear on the above lists, and who wants to participate, will need special permission to do so. Bachelors degree candidates should visit the Dean of Students office on the second floor of the Campus Center. Graduate degree candidates should visit the Graduate Studies Office on the first floor of Fenster Hall. Please note that in general it will not be possible to include the names of the individuals who are participating by special permission in the commencement program.
 
Will there be a rehearsal session?
No. This is one reason why it is very important that everyone arrive by the designated time so that everyone knows what is happening and when. We want you to have a memorable ceremony that your family and friends will talk about for years!

Where do I go and how do I get there?
The ceremony takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. You may click on the above link to go to the Prudential Center website which contains directions on how to get there. Please be mindful that you need to arrive before 7:30 am and allow some extra time for the heavy traffic that is normal for that time in the area.

Can I park nearby?
Parking will be available for a charge at the commercial lots near and next to the Prudential Center  for everyone who attends. A map of the parking available near the Prudential Center can be found here. Any information about discounted rates will be posted here, if and when it becomes available. Everyone is advised to allow extra time to arrive at the Prudential Center on schedule.

Are there any alternatives to driving my car downtown and paying for parking?
The Prudential Center is within walking distance of campus. It is also within a block or two of Newark Penn Station. It is also just a couple blocks from the Military park subway stop.
 
Where do I go on arrival? 
You should enter the Prudential Center through the Verizon Tower entrance on Mulberry Street, located at the southeastern corner of the building (the tower on the left as viewed from Mulberry Street). Check-in desks for most students will be in the Verizon Tower. After check-in, you will need to follow the signs to your appropriate assembly area. You may need to show your academic attire in order to enter these areas. It is imperative that you arrive inside the Arena NO LATER THAN 7:30 A.M. This will allow time for you to don your academic attire, to pick up your reader card, and to line up for the academic processional that will start promptly at 8:40 am.

What is a reader card? 
Every graduate should have their own reader card that identifies them. During the ceremony, each graduate goes on stage to be recognized. The reader card has your name and e-mail address printed on it. When you go on stage, the card is collected and your name is read. The cards are also used to identify you for the professional photographers, who will take pictures of you while on stage. They will contact you by e-mail reagarding the photographs. If your name is difficult to pronounce, you should spell it phonetically on the reader card.

Where do I go to line up? 
After checking in, every graduate will be directed to report to their designated assembly area. Here, everyone will line up according to their degree and major (except for Honors College graduates - they  will march in as a college, but will then sit with the other students earning degrees from the same college). Staff will be on hand to assist you if necessary.

What does the ceremony consist of? 
The ceremony begins with a formal processional. There will be a program waiting for you when you get to your seat. There are then welcoming remarks, followed by awarding of honorary degrees. Following the remarks, graduates will be called to stage in groups by level and college (e.g., all bachelors candidates from the School of Management). Please do NOT bring anything - other than your reader card - with you up on stage (leave purses, program booklets, etc. at your seat.) When you go on stage, your card will be taken and your name announced to the audience. You will then shake hands with the dean (or his/her representative), receive your degree folder, and return to your seat. At the end of the ceremony, there will be a formal recessional.

PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES DURING THE CEREMONY.

Where will I be sitting? 
With somewhere in the neighborhood of 1800-2000 graduates anticipated to take part in the ceremony, it is impossible to be specific. However, as you look at the stage, the BS graduates from NCE will be in the left two sections, with the MS graduates from NCE behind them. The third section will have the NJSOA bachelors near the front and and the masters graduates behind them, followed by the bachelors and masters graduates from CCS. The final section will have the CSLA bachelors and masters candidates near the front, then the SOM bachelors and masters graduates, and finally additional masters graduates from CCS.

Can I get announcements to distribute to family and friends?
A package of announcements was sent to everyone eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. If, you after you receive them, you feel that you need additional announcements, please stop by the Dean of Students office on the second floor of the Campus Center.

How many guest tickets can I obtain?
Tickets are not being distributed this year, and are not required.  However, please limit your guests to 10.
   
How are seats for guests assigned at the Prudential Center?
All seats for guests are general admission and available on a first come basis.
    
When and where can I get my cap and gown?
This year, caps, gowns and stoles (hoods for graduate degree recipients) are covered by the graduation fee. Caps and gowns for all students, stoles for bachelors graduates, and hoods for masters graduates, will be distributed through the campus bookstore beginning May 1. Doctoral graduates receive their hoods during the ceremony. In all cases, you must present identification in order to pick up your attire from the bookstore. The bookstore will compare your identification to the list of approved names for participation in the Commencement Ceremony (see the first question above).

As we get nearer to Commencement, the bookstore hours during which attire may be picked up will be posted here.
 
The attire package for Bachelor’s degrees will include ONE EACH: bachelors gown, stole, mortarboard cap and tassel.  You will need to show your student ID when you pick up your attire from the NJIT Bookstore, so please bring it with you. Please note that the colors of the tassels and stoles will be different dependent upon the college or school to which your major belongs. You may NOT opt for a different color. You do not receive a hood. Students in the Albert Dorman Honors College should also pick up their Honors College cord from the Honors College office beginning May 1st. All attire is yours to keep.
 
The attire package for Master’s degrees will include ONE EACH: masters gown, mortarboard cap, tassel and hood.  You will need to show your student ID when you pick up your attire from the NJIT Bookstore, so please bring it with you.  Please note that the colors of the tassels and hoods will be different dependent upon the college or school to which your major belongs. You may NOT opt for a different color. You do not receive a stole. All attire is yours to keep.
 
The attire package for Doctoral degrees will include ONE EACH: doctoral gown, mortarboard cap and tassel. You will receive your PhD hood during the ceremony. Please go to the Office of Graduate Studies in Fenster Hall, Suite 140, to pick up your permission form to take to the bookstore to pick up your attire. You will need to show your student ID to pick up your attire from the NJIT Bookstore, so please bring it with you. All attire is yours to keep.
 
COMMENCEMENT ATTIRE WILL NOT BE DISTRIBUTED AT THE ARENA, so make sure you obtain your attire from the NJIT Bookstore prior to the ceremony.  STOLES ARE ONLY DISTRIBUTED TO BACHELOR'S CANDIDATES. HOODS ARE ONLY DISTRIBUTED TO MASTER'S CANDIDATES.
 
Can I purchase additional stoles?
Any additional stoles can be purchased by the students at the NJIT Bookstore for a fee. Students receiving dual degrees will receive a second stole without charge.  Double majors may opt to purchase a stole representing their second major.
 
What stoles may be worn at the Commencement Ceremony?
BS graduates may wear only one stole for each college they are in. Honors College students will receive Honor Cords.  Honors students are to pick up their cord at the Honors College office. Students with double degrees (from two different colleges) may wear more than one stole in the ceremony. They will need to decide with which degree they will line-up, process and sit during the ceremony. Stoles with the university color (red) may be purchased at the bookstore, but should not be worn during the ceremony.

Other groups may also have special attire; please inquire with the group (examples are the EOP program and Tau Beta Pi).
 
Where do I pick up my honors medal?
If you are eligible for a GPA 3.4 or higher honors medal (BACHELOR'S CANDIDATES ONLY), you can pick up your medal from The Dean of Students Office in the Campus Center (2nd floor) beginning May 1st.

Will I get my diploma at Commencement?
No, due to the very short time this year between final exams and the ceremony, diplomas will be mailed. For May 2008 candidates who have applied for graduation by the cut-off date,  who have completed all of their degree requirements, and who have no holds on their record, your diplomas will be mailed to you the week following the ceremony. Please note that if you are currently taking coursework at another institution as part of your degree requirements, you must arrange to have the transfer credit processed in sufficient time to be posted to your record before the the department reviews your file for certification. Those who can not be certified in a timely fashion and those with holds will receive their diplomas by mail once all the requirements have been met. August  2007 and January 2008 graduates should have already received their diplomas in  the mail.  If you have not  received yours, please contact the Registrar’s Office.
 
Who can tell me if I have completed my degree requirements?
Contact your academic department or advisor. 

How can I inform my local hometown newspaper of my graduation?
Please print the attached press release form and send it to your town’s local paper.
 
How do I obtain my graduation photos?
Chappell Graduation Images will contact you at your home address with specific  information about your photographs.  Should you need to contact them, please call  1-800-424-3686.
 
How do I get a copy of the yearbook?
You may order a copy of the Nucleus by completing and submitting the order form at the special table in the check-in area on the day of Commencement.
 
How do I obtain visas for my family living outside of the United States?
Please visit the Office of International Studies in Fenster Hall, 1st Floor to request the visa request letter.
 
How can I find out more about hotels and restaurants in the area?
For further information on lodging, restaurants and Newark destinations, check the  website at http://gonewark.com.
 
PLEASE SHOW COURTESY TO YOUR FELLOW GRADUATES DURING THE CEREMONY.
Do not make excessive noise or otherwise disrupt the solemnity of the occasion for your fellow graduates. All Students are REQUIRED to stay.

Please note the following items are NOT ALLOWED in the Prudential Center
 

• Beach Balls, Silly String, Balloons
• Large Bags, Backpacks, Briefcases
• Coolers
• Glass Bottles, Cans
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Thermoses
• Recording Devices
• Pets (only service animals are permitted)
• Aerosol Cans
• Firearms, Knives (incl. pocket knives), Box  Cutters or Weapons of any kind
• Chains
• Hanging Banners, Signs, Sticks, Poles
• Laser Pointers
• Noise Makers, Whistles, Air Horns, Bull Horns, Cow Bells
• Fireworks
• Clothing containing vulgar language
• Drugs, Narcotics, Illegal Substances
• Pepper Spray, Mace