SP 07-05 - Policy on Commencement Participation

Policy File:
SP 07-05 Policy on Commencement Participation

Drafted By: Student Academic Policies and Procedures (SAPP) Committee 2007-2008 (membership: Amy Denton, chair; Nancy Mozingo, Donald Rodriguez, Kimmy Kee-Rose, Geoffrey Buhl, and Damon Blue)
Purpose: To establish the population of students who may participate in Commencement exercises.

Background: Currently, participation in Commencement is governed by Senate Policy (SP02-05): Students may participate in commencement ceremonies if they have no more than 10 units pending toward completion of their degrees. This policy is currently unenforceable due to resource limitations. Furthermore, it would be problematic were it to be enforced, as undergraduate student enrolled full-time (12 or more units) in their final semester would not be eligible to participate in commencement.

Accountability: University Registrar; VPSA; Provost.

Applicability: Bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates and graduates, and students who have completed teaching credential requirements.

Definition(s):
Commencement - The official University ceremony held in May of each year to recognize the achievements of graduates, degree candidates and teaching credential recipients
Graduation - The process of verifying completion of degree requirements and conferring the degree.
Published Deadline - Deadline to apply for graduation as published in the Schedule of Classes and on www.csuci.edu.

Policy:
Commencement is held annually at the end of the spring semester. Students who have completed degree or credential requirements the previous summer or fall terms are eligible to participate in the ceremony along with those who plan to complete their work in the spring or subsequent summer and have filed an Application for Degree and Diploma. Names of graduates and degree candidates who have applied for graduation by the published deadline will be published in the Commencement Program.