Info, Protocols, and Key Roles
Faculty are encouraged to participate in the commencement ceremony. If you wish to participate in the commencement ceremony, please let your college's commencement steering committee member know as early in the semester as possible. Your representative will inform you when the deadline is to declare your participation. University Events staff must have an accurate count of attending faculty from each college so that appropriate seating can be arranged.
Sign up to participate. Questions? Please contact Ebony Drayton.
Doctoral Advisors
Doctoral advisors who are hooding their advisees should plan to meet their advisees in the doctoral line-up area in the hallway near Chik-Fil-A in Webb Center one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. If you cannot attend, please contact a colleague to arrange for someone to hood your advisee. In the event of inclement weather, students will robe in the Mitchum Basketball Performance Center at the corner of Monarch Way and 43rd Street behind Chartway Arena.
Reporting Place and Time
Ceremonies at S.B. Ballard Stadium
Faculty and alumni association representatives will assemble for robing in S.B. Ballard Stadium. Please follow directional signs to enter through the Northwest Gate and come dressed in academic regalia.
Please arrive no later than one hour prior to the start of the ceremony.
Ceremonies in Chartway Arena
Faculty, readers, and alumni association representatives will assemble for robing in the Big Blue Room of Chartway Arena.
Please arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.
Regalia
Faculty, doctoral advisors, readers, and alumni association representatives are responsible for providing and bringing their own academic attire. Academic Regalia is available for purchase from Herff Jones and at the University Bookstore.
Processional
The faculty portion of the processional will follow the platform party. Readers will lead, followed by faculty, then alumni association representatives. In the case of inclement weather, faculty will process inside the Chartway Arena. The academic processional across campus will be canceled.
Marshals
Each college or school will identify a team of marshals to serve in the ceremony. If you are interested in serving in this role, please contact the Commencement Office at commencement@odu.edu.
Roles include:
- University Marshal: Leads the commencement processional and serves as convener of the ceremony.
- Deputy Marshal: Assists in leading the faculty marshal team and student seating for the processional, degree presentation, and recessional.
- Assistant Deputy Marshal: Supports the Deputy Marshal and assists in troubleshooting to include student accommodation requests.
- Lead Marshal: The college lead marshal assists in the assembly of candidates, line up of the processional, seating candidates in the arena, and directing candidates to the stage.
- Trailing Marshal: Assists the lead marshal in the assembly of candidates, line up and movement of the processional, seating candidates in the arena, and directing candidates to the stage.
- Doctoral Marshal: Assists in lining up, seating, and directing doctoral/MFA candidates to the stage.
- Faculty Marshal: Assists in lining up, seating, and directing faculty out of the seating area.
- Reader: Reads students names as they cross the stage. Must complete a reader training.
- Floater: Can step into any position on the day-of if another Marshal needs to drop out last minute. Floaters may also be assigned to assist with other positions as needed.
- Substitute: Stay on the roster until the week of Commencement. These marshals will be notified of participation a few days before the ceremony.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, details of the weather plan will be provided to all participating faculty at least 24 hours ahead of the ceremony.