Regulations & Policies

Academic Affairs - Enrollment Services

I. OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

To establish procedures that will make commencement ceremonies as efficient, secure and accessible as possible.

II. STATEMENT OF POLICY

Commencement ceremonies are held each term and are coordinated through the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The number and schedule of ceremonies per semester will be determined by student participation numbers, venue and the Academic Calendar.

III. STATEMENT OF PROCEDURES

1. Associate in Arts (AA) degree and certificate-only recipients are not eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies.  Colleges and Departments may have separate specific certificate or other non-degree credential ceremonies.
2. Only students who have applied and have been pre-certified as meeting degree requirements may participate in commencement ceremonies.
3. Students’ names will be announced individually at the ceremony.  UNF will make every effort to ensure accurate pronunciations of student names.  Students may use documented preferred names during their ceremonies.
4. An ADA compliant digital program will be available to guests and graduates on the day of the ceremony and via the commencement webpage. UNF will make every effort to include all graduate names in the program, but names of students who have applied for graduation after the term’s published application deadline may not appear in the program.
5. Latin honors recognition for the ceremony is based on overall, cumulative UNF GPA and credit hours at the point of graduation application as outlined in the Latin Honors Policy 2.0120P.  Honor cords will be available to eligible students for purchase prior to the ceremony.  Latin Honors will be recognized in the commencement program and on student diplomas.
6. All platform, faculty and student participants will wear approved UNF academic regalia.   Master’s candidates will wear their hoods with mortarboards and gowns during the ceremony.  Doctoral candidates will wear tams and be hooded on stage by their department/dissertation chair.
7. Students are invited to participate in the ceremony that coincides with the term in which their degree requirements are met. Students needing to walk in a ceremony different from the term in which their degree requirements are met (also known as an “out-of-term walk”) must submit a Student Petition of Academic Policy (SPAP) and be approved by that committee.
8. Graduating students will receive an allotment of free tickets to commencement based on participation numbers and venue capacity. It is against UNF policy to sell commencement tickets. Extra tickets may be distributed based on student allotment claims.
9. To ensure safe and secure ceremonies, all students, faculty, administrators, staff, volunteers, guests, and vendors will be subject to a security screening for entry into the event. Security protocols for personnel and guests will be available on the Commencement webpage.
10. Commencement ceremonies will be accessible to deaf, hard-of-hearing, limited mobility, and other persons with disabilities. Accommodations will include reserved seating, ASL interpreters, closed-captioning, a video livestream, event safety and security personnel, and ADA-compliant facilities.
11. Ceremony dates and times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or severe and/or unanticipated natural events.
12. Every effort will be made to have in-person commencement ceremonies; however, severe and/or unanticipated natural events or emergencies may prevent this. Alternative ceremony plans may be necessary to ensure the safety of guests and UNF personnel.

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