Frequently Asked Questions



					What is Commencement? What is the date of Commencement? Where is Commencement held? What time does Commencement start? End? Who participates? What is the difference between Commencement and the diploma ceremonies? Suggested guest attire? How many tickets will each student receive? Who is the Commencement speaker? What happens if it rains? Should I reserve rooms for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday or Saturday, Sunday, and Monday? Where may I park? What happens at Baccalaureate? What is Class Day? Who attends the "Boola Ball?" How do I obtain tickets for the "Boola Ball?" How do I obtain tickets for the Whiffenpoof-Whim'n Rhythm concert, Glee Club concert, Dramat? If I have questions about on-campus dining, where can I find more information? If I have a question regarding my diploma, whom should I contact? Whom may I contact for additional Commencement information?


					What is Commencement? All University degrees are formally conferred during the Commencement ceremony on Old Campus. The name of every degree candidate has been submitted to the Yale Corporation earlier for approval; during the Old Campus ceremony, the Dean of Yale College and deans of the Graduate and professional schools formally present their approved candidates to the President. The President, in turn, confers the degrees and admits new graduates to each degree’s “rights and responsibilities.” Student marshals from each residential college and school accept symbolic diplomas from the President on behalf of their colleagues. Candidates for honorary degrees are presented to the President by the Provost. By tradition, the identity of Yale honorands is kept a secret until the day of Commencement. Click here for information regarding Yale honorary degrees.
					What is the date of Commencement? Yale's Commencement takes place on the Monday before Memorial Day. Future Commencements are as follows: Monday, May 20, 2013 Monday, May 19, 2014 Monday, May 18, 2015 Click here for Yale College calendars 2013 to 2015.
					Where is Commencement held? Commencement takes place outdoors, regardless of weather, on Yale's historic Old Campus. Guests may enter Old Campus through gates on College, High, and Chapel Streets. Gates on Elm Street are closed to guests.


					What time does Commencement start? End? Streets surrounding Old Campus are closed to traffic at 9:45 am, and students and faculty step off from Cross Campus promptly at 10 am. Seniors process through the New Haven Green and enter Old Campus through Phelps gate on College Street. Graduate and professional school degree candidates enter Old Campus through gates on Elm Street and High Street. The ceremony on Old Campus begins at 10:30 am and lasts until about noon. Diploma ceremonies follow immediately in the residential colleges and the Graduate and professional schools and last until approximately 1:30 pm. See separate schedules for the Graduate School and professional schools.
					Who participates? All degree candidates—undergraduates, as well as candidates from the Graduate School and the University's professional schools—participate in the ceremony on Old Campus on Monday. The ceremony is outdoors, rain or shine, in order to accommodate the more than 15,000 friends and family members who wish to attend. A more intimate atmosphere—under cover if the weather is bad—exists in the separate diploma ceremonies for each residential college, the Graduate School, and the professional schools. These ceremonies follow the Old Campus ceremony.
					What is the difference between Commencement and the diploma ceremonies? Degrees are conferred upon all candidates during the Commencement ceremony, but students do not receive individual diplomas. At the Old Campus ceremony, symbolic diplomas are presented to student marshals, who accept them on behalf of fellow degree candidates. Individual diplomas are distributed at a separate ceremony in each residential college and professional school. Diplomas for the Graduate School are presented in Woolsey Hall and Luce Hall. Diploma ceremonies in some colleges and schools may last until 1:45 pm, so lunch could be later than usual for many guests. A packed snack might be prudent, especially for younger or older family members.
					Suggested guest attire? It can be mild and sunny or cold and rainy in Connecticut in May. Recent Commencement weekends have had both weather extremes, so flexibility and practicality are good planning principles. Dress with an eye to the weather and comfort. Low heels or flats are appropriate for navigating the grass and mulched pathways of Old Campus. Rain gear, including water-impervious footwear, is important. Sunglasses and hats may also be useful. Woolsey Hall, site of Baccalaureate services for undergraduates and the Graduate School's diploma ceremony, is not air-conditioned; layers of clothing is a suggested strategy. A jacket and tie or collared shirt and sports jacket is appropriate men's attire for most events.
					How many tickets will each student receive? No tickets are required for Commencement, Baccalaureate, or Class Day.

					Who is the Commencement speaker? By tradition, Yale does not have a Commencement speaker, although an exception is made when a sitting president is awarded an honorary degree, as was the case in 2001. Class Day, which takes place the Sunday before Commencement, features a notable speaker chosen with suggestions from the senior class. The 2013 Class Day speaker will be Cory Booker, mayor of Newark and a graduate of Yale Law School. Recent Class Day speakers have included Barbara Walters, Tom Hanks, Bill Clinton, Christopher Buckley, Tony Blair, and Anderson Cooper.

					What happens if it rains? Rain, unfortunately, is not an infrequent occurrence in Connecticut in May. Unless weather conditions are dangerous or severe, Commencement and Class Day will take place outside on Old Campus, although processions and programs may be shortened. Diploma ceremonies in some residential colleges and schools may be moved to alternative locations listed in the section "Rain"; other diploma ceremonies will take place under courtyard tents or in previously announced interior locations. Ponchos are the raingear of choice, both for unimpeded sightlines and for the comfort of guests who would otherwise be on the receiving end of umbrella runoff. The Commencement ceremony and Class Day exercises are carried live on Yale cable television, as well as the local Comcast channel. In addition, Class Day and Commencement are streamed live from the Commencement website. Many residential colleges and schools have arranged for their guests to watch the Old Campus ceremony in classrooms or common rooms. Guests are advised to check with the master's office in the residential colleges or dean's office in the professional schools for viewing locations. Battell Chapel is available for simulcast viewing of Class Day and Commencement ceremonies. Guests in wheelchairs and all accompanying family members may view Class Day and Commencement simulcasts in Linsly Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street. For additional information, contact Lauralee Field, 203 432-2317.
					Should I reserve rooms for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday or Saturday, Sunday, and Monday? Commencement events for seniors begin Saturday afternoon, with the first of three Baccalaureate services (click here for college assignments). This is followed by a reception for all seniors and their guests hosted by President and Mrs. Levin. Saturday night offers the "Boola Ball" for seniors and their families. Sunday's events include back-to-back Baccalaureate services in the morning and Class Day in the afternoon. Monday's ceremonies begin at 10:30 am and end at approximately 1:30 pm, although seniors are permitted to stay in their rooms until noon on Tuesday. Guests reserving rooms in dormitories on campus may stay Saturday, Sunday, and Monday evenings. See "Accommodations" section of Commencement website for details.

					Where may I park? University lots will be open to the public from 4 pm Friday through Sunday. Satellite parking with wheelchair-accessible shuttle service to Old Campus will be provided from designated campus lots on Commencement morning. See "Directions and Parking" for locations of satellite parking lots.

					What happens at Baccalaureate? Since Yale's first century, students and faculty have gathered on the Sunday before Commencement for Baccalaureate ceremonies. This repeated service, at 2:30 pm Saturday and at 9:30 and 11 am Sunday, features an address by President Levin and remarks by the Dean of Yale College.The University Chaplain offers the prayer; and, continuing tradition, hymns and an anthem are sung. Each Baccalaureate service lasts one hour. Seniors and their guests are assigned to one of three services, depending on residential college affiliation. Students wear academic regalia and process from Cross Campus to Woolsey Hall, which is located on the corner of Grove and College Streets. The wheelchair-accessible entrance to Woolsey Hall is via Wall Street and Beinecke Plaza. Following are Baccalaureate assignments for 2013: 2:30 pm Saturday, May 18, 2013 Timothy Dwight, Morse, Pierson, Saybrook 9:30 am Sunday, May 19, 2013 Berkeley, Calhoun, Davenport, Ezra Stiles 11 am Sunday, May 19, 2013 Branford, Jonathan Edwards, Silliman, Trumbull
					What is Class Day? Class Day, which takes place on Old Campus on Sunday at 2 pm, includes the awarding of academic, artistic, and athletic prizes; the celebration of undergraduate traditions; and an address by a notable speaker. Seniors wear academic gowns with headgear of choice and process from Cross Campus to Old Campus. Class Day lasts approximately two hours. The 2013 Class Day speaker will be Cory Booker, mayor of Newark and a graduate of Yale Law School. Barbara Walters was Class Day speaker in 2012.

					Who attends the "Boola Ball?" This traditional event, sponsored by the senior class, is enjoyed by family members and students alike. The dance takes place in Payne Whitney Gym, and cocktail or business attire is suggested.
					How do I obtain tickets for the "Boola Ball," Whiffenpoof-Whim'n Rhythm concert, Glee Club concert, Dramat? Parents of seniors will be mailed ticket information for the "Boola Ball," as well as for Commencement meals and performances by the Glee Club, the Yale Dramatic Association, and the Whiffenpoofs-Whim 'n Rhythm, in early March. Check the Yale College schedule for online ordering options.
					If I have questions about on-campus dining, where can I find more information? Yale Dining will offer brunch in Commons on Sunday and lunch in residential colleges following the diploma ceremonies. Menus and ordering information will be sent to parents of seniors in March and may be found at www.yale.edu/commencementdining in February.
					If I have a question regarding my diploma, whom should I contact? Click on the following link for information about diplomas and translations: http://www.yale.edu/secretary/programs/diplomas.html. You may also email Nan Cunningham or call 203 432-2311.
					Whom may I contact for additional Commencement information? Email Assistant Secretary Lauralee Field or call 203 432-2317.