Saturday, May 10, 2008,
10 a.m.
Gulf Coast Coliseum
Highway 90 in Biloxi, Mississippi
| Date/Time
A commencement ceremony will be held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi, on Saturday, May 10, 2008, at 10 a.m. |
| Ceremony
Information
The ceremony is approximately one hour in length. Degree candidates and guests are asked to remain for the entire ceremony. All candidates are encouraged to be present at the ceremony. Doctoral candidates must be present or be excused by the president. Seating of guests will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors will be open to the public approximately one and one-half hours before the exercises are scheduled to begin. Guests should enter the coliseum through the west entrance. On Saturday, May 10, 2008, candidates should arrive at 9 a.m. and must be in their seat by 9:45 a.m. Candidates should enter the coliseum through the south entrance. Candidates do not participate in a processional march. No candidate can be seated after the ceremony begins. There will be no rehearsal for the ceremony. Candidates for graduation who use a mobility device (e.g., scooter, walker, wheelchair) are asked to provide this information on the seating card and/or on the RSVP commencement that is returned to the Department of Customer Services. This information is needed to ensure appropriate seating assignments on the Coliseum floor. All guests and candidates for graduation with physical disabilities may contact the Office for Disability Accommodations at 601.266.5024. |
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) Candidates will be seated in designated areas on the coliseum floor in the following order:
Doctoral candidates and their major professors will receive additional reporting information from the Office of Graduate Studies. Students may check www.usm.edu/graduatestudies to view this information. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for additional information at 601.266.4369. Specialist's and master's degree candidates will be seated alphabetically by degree. Bachelor's degree candidates will be seated alphabetically by college. Assistant will be positioned at each row to indicate when to stand and move to the stage. All candidates must have a seating card. Seating cards will be provided the day of the ceremony. When you start across the stage, hand your seating card to the announcer. After your name has been called, you will walk across the stage to receive your diploma case. NOTE: Guests are asked not to enter the stage area during the ceremony. Failure by guests to remain in the stands causes obstruction of the walk area and is disruptive to the ceremony. |
| Cap
and Gown Information
Candidates for all degrees must go to the Barnes and Noble at Southern Miss Bookstore, no later that April 25, 2008, for cap and gown rental. Questions regarding cap and gown rental fees should be directed to the bookstore at the Gulf Coast Student Service Center, room 132, and phone 228.865.4504. You will need to know your chest, height, and cap sizes. All candidates must wear caps and gowns to participate in the ceremony. Approximate rental fees are:
Doctoral graduates have the option to rent black caps and gowns or purchase The University of Southern Mississippi custom doctoral regalia. Available for purchase by all holders of Southern Miss doctoral degrees (Ph.D., Ed.D., D.M.A., Au.D.), each custom doctoral gown and tam is made to fit the measurements of each graduate. The custom doctoral regalia is made of stately Southern Miss Academic gold crepe fabric and features the seal of the University embroidered on each of the velvet front panels. Interested graduates can purchase the gown and tam from Oak Hall Cap and Gown at 1.800.223.0429. The deadline to order for spring commencement is April 15, 2008. Note: Doctoral graduates should not rent or purchase a hood. Doctoral graduates will be allowed to keep their hood as a gift from the University. For more information, pictures and a full description of the custom doctoral regalia, visit the Doctoral Regalia section of www.SouthernMissAlumni.com. Barnes & Noble at Southern Miss Bookstore and the Department of Customer Services will host Grad Fest for the spring graduation ceremony. This is a time in which graduating students order caps and gowns, invitations, class rings, and meet with University representatives to finalize the graduation process. Grad Fest for May 2008 graduation ceremony will be held Thursday, March 27, 2008, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Gulf Coast Student Service Center in Gulfport. For additional information about Grad Fest, contact 228.865.4565. Under their gowns, men should wear white shirts with dark ties, dark pants, and dark shoes. Coats are not necessary since gowns have long sleeves. Women should wear dark clothing and dark shoes. Women are advised not to bring purses to the seating area and will not be allowed to carry them across the stage when receiving diplomas. Rental caps and gowns for all students should be left in the chairs on the floor area at the close of the ceremony. Invitations to the commencement ceremony may be purchased through Balfour at 1.866.225.3687 or online at www.balfour.com. Please contact Balfour prior to March for the deadline to place an order. Caps and gowns
will be available at the Barnes and Noble at Southern Miss Bookstore
at the Gulf Coast Student Services Center, Gulfport: Caps and gowns will be available at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on Saturday, May 10, 2008, from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. |
Academic Regalia Any deviation or additionn to the current academic regalia must be approved by the academic department (if applicable) and presented to the University Commencement Committee for final approval. |
| Seating
Card
Specialist’s, master’s, and bachelor’s degree candidates must return their seating card so that seating assignments can be made. Candidates may also reserve seating online here. Candidates must return their seating card or reserve seating online by April 11, 2008. Specialist's, master's and bachelor's degree candidates will have an assigned seat number. Name cards bearing the seat number will be prepared and provided the morning of the ceremony. NOTE: You will not receive confirmation in the mail that we received your seating card, nor do we mail your assigned seating number. |
Graduation Pictures |
| Diploma
Information
Since commencement will be held prior to the reporting of final grades, degrees will be conferred conditionally. After the final check of all degree requirements has been completed, diplomas will be mailed to the degree address listed on the application for degree. Diplomas are typically mailed within four to six weeks after the ceremony. NOTE: If you have an outstanding balance to settle at the Business Office, your diploma will not be mailed until this matter is resolved. Financial Aid exit interviews are required for Stafford and Perkins loans. |
| General
Information
Parking for
the candidates is available in Lot A, south of the coliseum.
Parking for the family members is available west of the coliseum.
Family members are asked to enter the coliseum through the west
entrance. |
If
you are participating in a Hattiesburg campus ceremony, click
here. |