MAY 2005 COMMENCEMENT

February 14, 2005

The University of Alabama will celebrate both May and August Commencements May 6-7 this year. The ceremonies will be held in Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time in decades.

The move offers a festive return to tradition for faculty and alumni who recall the picturesque outdoor ceremonies of the past, although it gives those planning the event the challenge of unpredictable weather. Also creating excitement for the event, actress and UA alumna Sela Ward will return to her alma mater to give the commencement address.

The venue change is due to renovations in Coleman Coliseum. The larger stadium setting will also allow for August graduates who choose to participate in the May ceremony to do so. Students completing degree requirements this summer may choose between the May event or December's commencement which will be held indoors in Coleman Coliseum.

"Having the ceremony in Bryant-Denny Stadium — one of the best known landmarks on our campus — will make this Commencement particularly memorable," said Dr. Judy Bonner, UA provost and vice president for academic affairs. "We have scheduled the large undergraduate ceremonies for early morning and evening out of consideration for our graduates and their families. We hope to enjoy the most pleasant times of day to be outdoors."

May Commencement will include four separate ceremonies, all in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The ceremony for the Graduate School will be Friday, May 6, at 6 p.m. Two undergraduate ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, May 7, at 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Students in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Human Environmental Sciences and the School of Social Work will graduate at the morning ceremony. Students in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, College of Communication and Information Sciences, College of Education and Capstone College of Nursing will graduate in the evening. The Law School ceremony will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Ward will speak at both undergraduate ceremonies.

The decision to allow August graduates to participate in the May or December ceremonies, rather than hold an August ceremony in the stadium, was also based on concern for the graduates and their families, especially elderly family members and young children, Bonner said. "The weather in August is just not conducive to a pleasant outdoor ceremony," she said.

Many August graduates may appreciate the opportunity to participate in Commencement in May before finishing their degrees with Interim courses or internships, Bonner said. Having four ceremonies May 6-7 will accommodate the larger number of graduates, while keeping the events at a reasonable length.

Until the mid-1990s, UA held only one Commencement ceremony each year. Those who completed their degrees in August, December and May all participated in the May ceremony.

The stadium has been the site of graduation exercises in the past, most recently in 1985 but more commonly in the 1960s and earlier. Built in 1929, Bryant-Denny Stadium celebrated its 75th birthday this academic year.

If weather conditions are uncertain on the days of the ceremonies, graduates and families should listen to WUAL 91.5 FM or check this Web page for updates.

Students who plan to complete degree requirements in August must complete a form requesting participation in either the May or December Commencement ceremony no later than March 25. Forms may be picked up at divisional student services offices. An online form is under construction and should be available within a week at www.tideguide.ua.edu.

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Update from Provost Judy Bonner — Severe Weather Backup Plans

February 22, 2005

The times set for the Commencement exercises scheduled for May 6-7 were purposefully selected so that a ceremony can be rescheduled for a time later in the day or evening in the event of severe weather. If the weather is a problem, those attending should listen to WUAL, watch WVUA-7 or check the UA web site to receive updated information regarding the time for the ceremony.

The Commencement exercise for graduate students is scheduled for Friday, May 6 at 6 p.m. If it is storming at 6 p.m. and the storm is passing over, the ceremony will be held later Friday evening. If it is impossible to hold the ceremony Friday evening, the ceremony for graduate students will be folded into the first ceremony on Saturday which is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

In the event that it storms all day Saturday and it is impossible to hold one or more of the Commencement ceremonies, any ceremonies that cannot be held Saturday will be postponed until Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m.

Every effort will be made to hold the Commencement exercises on Friday and Saturday. For many years, Commencement was held in Bryant Denny stadium. We are unaware of ever having to cancel Commencement. May weather patterns for rain usually involve periods of rain that move through the area fairly quickly.

The Commencement Planning Committee has considered many alternatives as a backup in the event that severe weather prevents an outdoor ceremony. We expect 15,000 to attend the Commencement exercises. The concert hall in the Moody Music Building holds 1,000 and Sellers Auditorium holds 1,000. Rescheduling Commencement for these venues would necessitate limiting the number of guests which we prefer not to have to do. We want all family members to come and celebrate with our graduates.

We also considered reserving the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center as a backup. However, we did not want to require several thousand guests and students to have to drive to Birmingham on short notice.