As you know, Commencement is scheduled to take place at Butterfield Stadium at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 20th. The Academic Procession forms at 8:30 a.m. on the Academic Quad. The Procession to Butterfield Stadium begins at 9:00 a.m.
Regarding our Severe Weather Plan, severe weather is defined as conditions that make holding an outdoor ceremony dangerous or impossible. In an effort to accommodate seating for family and guests, we will always attempt to hold the Commencement ceremony outdoors, even if it is raining. In the case of severe weather in the morning, the outdoor ceremony may be postponed until 1:00 p.m. based on the weather forecast. If the ceremony is delayed until 1:00 p.m., the Academic Procession will form at 11:30 a.m. and the Procession to Butterfield Stadium will begin at 12:00 noon.
In the event that severe weather is predicted for the entire day, Commencement will be moved into the Athletics and Events Center (A&E Center). Graduates and Faculty will need their caps and gowns (these will serve as your tickets) to enter the A&E Center. Graduates should report directly to the floor of the Glazer Arena where you will be seated by School. Faculty should report to the Hall of Champions just off of the concourse to form the Academic Procession. Graduates should be in their seats by 9:30 a.m. at the latest, and faculty should be at the Hall of Champions by 9:30 a.m. as well. A shortened Academic Procession (to include Student Marshalls with School Banners, Faculty, Platform Party) will take place at the beginning of the ceremony at 10:00 a.m.
Family members and guests are required to have a ticket in order to attend the ceremony in the A&E Center. Three tickets per graduate will be distributed to students in advance for use in the event that we are forced to use the A&E Center. Tickets can be picked up by graduates at the Bookstore at the same time that you pick up your cap and gown and medallion. Family members and guests without tickets will be encouraged to watch the ceremony on local cable channel 16 from an off-campus location, or from any of the cablecast/webcast locations on campus. https://www.ithaca.edu/commencement/cablecast/. Receptions and diploma cover distribution will take place after the ceremony at the publicized locations.
Any decisions regarding changes to the Commencement schedule will be made as early as possible and will be announced on campus, through the Campus Center information desk at 607-274-3201, via Ithaca.edu, and on radio station WICB FM 91.7.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20120514125109943