Candidate Information
Have you informed the Office of the Registrar of your intention to participate in the Commencement ceremony?
If you plan to attend the commencement ceremony, registration is required.
Registration for Commencement XXIII will be conducted online through Gulfline and will begin October 5th. The system will close on October 30th at 5:00 PM.
| IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL CANDIDATES |
Because of growing demand and limited space, it is necessary to strictly adhere to deadlines concerning participation in FGCU Commencement. This fall we will be continuing the ticketing of all guests planning to attend the ceremony. Your cooperation is needed to ensure you do not miss this opportunity. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE CEREMONY WITHOUT A TICKET.
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE STEPS.
- Applications to graduate this fall must be submitted to your advisor for approval no later than September 18th. If you fail to meet this deadline, you will not be allowed to register to walk at Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll.
- Once your application is approved by your advisor, you must register to participate in Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll and to request tickets for your guests.
- Registration for Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll (Saturday, December 12th at Alico Arena) will be conducted online through Gulfline and will begin October 5th. The system will close on October 30th at 5:00 pm.
- Registration for Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll is mandatory and the deadline (October 30th) will be strictly adhered to.
- When you register for Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll, you will be able to request a limited number of tickets for guests to attend the ceremony. The number of available tickets will depend on the total number of participating graduates and the capacity of Alico Arena.
- After you have completed registration, you will then be able to go to the Alico Arena Box Office to pick up your tickets between November 2nd and November 20th, Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm.
- No guest will be admitted to the Fall 2009 Commencement XXlll Ceremony without presenting a ticket.
- If you cannot pick up your ticket allocation, you may have the tickets mailed to an address you have submitted on a self-addressed stamped envelope. Please send this envelope to the following address no later than November 16th. The Alico Arena Box Office will mail the tickets, on November 23rd, 2009.
Alico Arena Box Office
Fall 2009 Commencement XXIIl Tickets
10501 FGCU Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
Should you have any questions concerning the steps outlined above, please contact the Registrar’s office by telephone at 590-7980 or by email at orr@fgcu.edu. Thank you.
The ceremony will be held Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at the ALICO Arena at 9:00 AM.
Candidates will use the Main Entrance to FGCU and will be directed to the parking areas. Shuttle service will be provided to and from ALICO Arena. Parking at ALICO Arena will be restricted to commencement officials and those with special mobility needs. Be sure to arrive early and allow time for the shuttle service to the arena.
If not already done, all students with disabilities are asked to contact Adaptive Services by calling 239-590-7956 or by e-mailing us at adaptive@fgcu.edu immediately. Special accommodations for check-in and ceremony events will be made through Adaptive Services.
Candidates are required to check-in at the time of arrival. Candidates will need to report to the 2nd floor Auxiliary Gym by 7:15 AM. Due to the expected large attendance, we want to encourage candidates and guests to arrive early to facilitate seating and registration. Alico Arena doors will open at 7:15 AM. It is important for all candidates to arrive on time for robing, line-up and ceremony instructions. Signs will provide directions to the Auxiliary Gym area upon arrival to Alico.
- The ceremony is meant as a celebration for candidates and their family and guests. With this in mind, all in attendance should be courteous of others in their actions. Please do not bring balloons, horns, canned string, beach balls, etc. They are not suited for a commencement ceremony and will be removed promptly.
- This is a candidate’s ceremony and not a degree conferral ceremony. Participation in the ceremony does not guarantee degree certification. Degrees will be certified by the appropriate college once the term is officially closed and it is determined the candidate has met all the degree requirements.
- Candidates who are denied will receive notification by mail from the appropriate college. Denied candidates are required to re-apply for graduation once all degree requirements are met.
- Students approved to walk early are not eligible for honors designations nor will their name appear in the program. Honor designation and name will be listed in the appropriate Commencement program based on the term for which they apply for their degree.
Candidates must be robed in an FGCU issued gown and cap in order to attend commencement. Master candidates please remember to bring the hood provided with your regalia. Undergraduate and graduate candidates tassels will be worn on the right side of the mortarboard until such time you are instructed to move it to the left.
Personal Items - Please leave personal items such as purses, cameras, cell phones, etc. with family members.
We strongly recommend female candidates NOT wear high-heel shoes.
Shorts, t-shirts, halter-tops, sandals/beach wear, etc. are not considered appropriate nor allowed for the event.
This information will be posted as it becomes available.
COB = College of Business
CHP = College of Health Professions
CPS = College of Professional Studies
CAS = College of Arts & Sciences
COE = College of Education
Masters = Candidates receiving a Masters degree
Bachelors = Candidates receiving a Bachelor degree
TBA
Candidates, led by the University Marshal, will be called forward to the stage by degree and college. At the top of the stage ramp candidates will hand their name card to the reader (Name Cards are provided to candidates at the Check-In area prior to the ceremony). Once the name is read aloud, the candidate will move toward the College Dean for greeting and then to the President. Diploma covers will be presented to candidates as they shake the President’s hand. A photo will be taken at this time. Candidates will exit the stage and have another photo taken. Bob Knight Photographers has been providing commencement photos to FGCU candidates since 1998 and has provided quality service. Proofs will be mailed to the address provided on the Name Card.
Once the candidate’s college certifies the degree, diplomas will be ordered.
The name you provided on the application will appear on your diploma. Every effort will be made to contact the student regarding any discrepancies. If you have had a name change, please be sure to submit a name change form to the Office of Registrar no later than Friday, November 20th, 2009 for changes to diploma name. Changes to names for the commencement program must be submitted prior to October 2nd, 2009.
The address provided on the graduation application will be used to mail diplomas. If candidates have changed their mailing address since completing the graduation application, immediately advise the Office of the Registrar of the new address to be used for diploma mailing. Diploma orders take approximately 8 to 10 weeks.
The college degree certification process may take up to 6-8 weeks; however, some colleges clear degrees sooner. Degree information is posted to the academic transcript approximately 1-3 weeks once received in the Office of the Registrar.
An official transcript is provided and will be mailed with diplomas. Transcripts needed prior to the arrival of the diploma must be requested through the normal procedures. When requesting transcripts prior to the receipt of the diploma, candidates are asked to check the “Hold For Degree Statement” box located on the transcript request form or note this on the written request.
Members of recognized national honor societies that are affiliated with the University, will need to contact the society faculty/advisor for information regarding their honor society cord, or sash.
Undergraduate students who have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA as of the last prior term of enrollment at FGCU (GPA based on Fall 2007or last term of enrollment) are eligible to purchase and wear an honor cord. The cords are available at the University Bookstore and can be purchased with regalia. During the ceremony undergraduate candidates having received Honors at Graduation will be asked to stand for recognition. NOTE: Candidate’s academic transcript and diploma will reflect honors based on your FINAL GPA. Candidates graduating with a final cumulative GPA of 3.5 – 3.7 will receive the designation of Cum Laude. Students with a final cumulative GPA of 3.71 – 3.89 will receive Magna Cum Laude and those with a final cumulative GPA of 3.9 – 4.0 will receive Summa Cum Laude. Transfer course work DOES NOT affect the FGCU GPA and will not be considered for honors.
