Tips to help you enjoy 2010 Commencement, come rain or shine

Visitor tips and services

The following services will be in effect at the University on Commencement Day, May 27.

Restrooms
Restrooms for the general public are located in Weld, Thayer, and Sever halls. These restrooms are wheelchair accessible.

First aid stations
First aid stations will be situated in the following locations: Weld Hall (Room 11), Thayer Hall (Room 106), and Sever Hall (Room 112).

Water stations
Clearly marked water stations will be located along the perimeter of Tercentenary Theatre: on the Widener Library steps, at Weld Hall (north porch and northeast entrance), Thayer Hall (south steps), Sever Hall (main entrance), and at the College Pump (near Hollis Hall).

Large-screen viewing
Large-screen televised viewing of the Morning Exercises will be available for ticketed guests at the Science Center, the undergraduate Houses, and most of the graduate and professional Schools.

Televised viewing
Morning Exercises and the afternoon annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association will be televised live for guests who are unable to attend. The broadcast times are 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 to 4:30 p.m. These events will be aired on Comcast Cable (Channel 283 in Cambridge/Greater Boston area and Channel 12 in Boston/Brookline).

Webcast viewing
A live Webcast of the day’s events can be viewed at the following Harvard Web sites: commencementoffice.harvard.edu, commencement.harvard.edu, and uis.harvard.edu.

Video services
Broadcast-quality, multiple-camera DVD and VHS recordings of Commencement Morning Exercises and the afternoon Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association held in Tercentenary Theatre will be available. Class Day Exercises (held the afternoon of May 26) will also be available. Recordings of the morning and afternoon Commencement Day activities will include commentary during the processions. Single-camera recordings are made of the diploma ceremonies at all of the Houses and some of the graduate/professional Schools.

To purchase videos, or for more information, contact Commencement Video at 617.884.6000; for audio only, call the Media Production Center at 617.495.9440.

Parking
Parking at the University during Commencement Week is extremely limited. Please view updated information regarding Commencement parking at the Transportation Services Web site.

In case of rain
The Morning Exercises will be held rain or shine in Tercentenary Theatre.

Commencement schedule
On Commencement morning the Harvard gates will open at 6:45 a.m. Parents and guests of degree candidates who have tickets to attend the Morning Exercises should plan their arrival accordingly. All guests will be required to show their tickets at the gates in order to enter Tercentenary Theatre. All guests should be seated by 8:30 a.m. for the start of the academic procession, which begins at 8:50 a.m.

8:00 a.m. Senior Chapel in the Memorial Church begins.

8:05 a.m. Formation of advanced-degree candidates in the Sever Quadrangle.

8:15 a.m. Senior Chapel ends. Formation of seniors in the Old Yard.

8:30 a.m. Alumni Procession begins.

8:35 a.m. Procession of advanced-degree candidates begins.

8:50 a.m. Academic Procession begins. President’s Division begins processing through the open ranks of seniors. All alumni have ended their procession and have taken their seats in the theater.

9:25 a.m. President’s Division ends its procession into the theater.

9:45 a.m. Commencement ceremony begins.

11:30 a.m. Commencement ceremony ends.

Noon Luncheons and diploma-awarding ceremonies at the undergraduate Houses, and graduate and professional Schools.

1:30 p.m. Formation of the Alumni Procession in the Old Yard.

1:45 p.m. Alumni Procession begins.

2:30 p.m. The annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association in Tercentenary Theatre begins.

4:15 p.m. The annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association ends.