IB Graduates
Information about Commencement
Please fill out the Commencement Survey if you are planning on attending the 2014 commencement or if you filed your dissertation during Summer 2013, Fall 2013, or Spring 2014.
Information about commencement
The IB commencement ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 2 PM at the Greek Theater. Note that there is unlimited capacity at the Greek, so you will be able to invite as many friends and family members as you'd like.
General timeline for sign-up and tickets:
March - Email will be sent to all eligible students, inviting them to fill out a survey and earn 2 free tickets. April 1- This will be the final day that students will be able to earn 2 free tickets by filling out the survey. Tickets will be on sale through Cal Performances for $8/each.
April 18 - Last day to sign up to be listed in the program.
April 30- Online ticket sales will end.
Mid-May - Tickets (free and purchased) will be distributed out of the Graduate Advising Office.
May (Date TBA) - Ticket distribution will end. All tickets not picked up will be available at Will Call.
20 May - Tickets will be on sale at the gate for $10/each.
If you would like to attend the Commencement Convocation, tickets can be purchased here: http://graduation.berkeley.edu
Commencement FAQ
Detailed information will be provided as updates become available.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMENCEMENT CONVOCATION AND DEPARTMENTAL COMMENCEMENT? The Commencement Convocation 2014 and the IB Commencement Ceremony are two different events. The Convocation celebrates all majors who are graduating at UCB and the IB Commencement Ceremony is restricted to IB majors only. The following information pertains only to our departmental ceremony.
DO I NEED A TICKET FOR MYSELF? Graduates do not need a ticket; your ticket is your name card! Please bring the name card that will be inside the envelope we give you with your tickets!! If you wish to receive proofs of the professional photos taken, fill in the info on the back with your contact information. Anyone who misses the opportunity for the two free tickets, you can still pick up the envelope with your name card and information about the ceremony. Tickets for sale: Additional tickets will be on sale through Cal Performances beginning in April. More details to follow. All seating, regardless of what the tickets say, is General Admission - no designated seats.
WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE? Graduates please arrive at 1:00 PM backstage wearing your regalia. You will receive additional instructions when you pick up your tickets. The ceremony will be approximately two hours in length. IMPORTANT: We ask that you turn off your cell phones and refrain from using them for the duration of the ceremony. We also ask you to stay seated until the very end of this celebration. Each student is on stage for only a brief moment, and we want to make sure that their fellow students and loved ones can hear their names being called. Please extend the same courtesy to the families and friends of the students at the end of the list that you would want to have extended to you.
WHERE SHOULD I GET MY REGALIA? You are welcome to buy or rent your regalia. Information will be sent to the IB listserv as it is received. Please plan in advance.
HOW DO I GET MY DIPLOMA? Diplomas will be sent to all graduating seniors for no charge. If you have not already done so, please log onto Bearfacts to designate a specific address for your diploma.
VISITOR INFORMATION AND PARKING: Visitors from out of the Bay Area may wish to contact UC Berkeley Visitors Services at 642-5215. Information on local accommodations can be found at the Berkeley Visitors Bureau. Information on the campus's Disability Access Services. In general, during commencement ceremonies, visitors may park in lots that are typically designated for student parking (s permits) for a fee of $8. Parking and Transportation will SELL parking spaces near the Greek Theater. Fee is $10 during daytime commencement events at these lots : Foot Hill (Hearst Ave, east of Highland Ave.) and Upper Hearst Structure (Hearst Ave. and Gayley Rd.). Please observe and obey parking signs and regulations. Each campus lot will display the most up-to-date information on the sign at the entrance. See the Parking & Transportation site for more info.
GUESTS WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS: Guests with specific needs (mobility issues, etc) are eligible for the special seating. Special seating is the available in two areas of the Greek (on both sides of the stage). The area will be roped off and guests will be directed to designated areas when they arrive. For guests needing to be dropped off at the Greek, drivers will be able to pull into the Bowles parking lot up to the entrance to the Theater to unload. Drivers will be directed to find parking elsewhere on campus.
PREPARE FOR ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS: The Greek Theater is a large outdoor amphitheatre built into the Berkeley hillside. We will hold the commencement ceremony, rain or shine, so come prepared. We suggest that you bring warm clothing, blankets, and an umbrella if rain is likely. Since the seating is on concrete benches, we also suggest that you bring along a cushion to sit on. (This will help with both cold and comfort.) Wear comfortable shoes, the location is hilly and there are steep steps in the theatre.