Day-of Instructions
In-Person Commencement:
Spring 2021 commencement will be held at Ralph Korte Stadium. To adhere to the Restore Illinois Plan as well as SIUE's safety protocols, we have split ceremonies into smaller groups. This spring we will host upwards of 14 ceremonies on Saturday, May 1 and Thursday-Sunday, May 6-9.
- Doors open to graduates and guests 45-minutes before the start of each ceremony.
- All graduates are welcome to bring two guests to their ceremony.
- The two-guest limit ensures capacity will be at or below 20% and adheres to the Restore Illinois mitigations if we have to move inside due to inclement weather.
- Electronic tickets will be provided to each graduate at a later date.
- We encourage guests to have their tickets ready on their phones upon entry.
- Graduates should arrive dressed in their regalia with their electronic marching card ready on their phone at check in.
Inclement Weather Plan:
If faced with inclement weather, a photo opportunity has been planned in the First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center. Dates and times remain the same as in-person ceremonies. We will actively watch the weather and make announcements about venue changes 2-3 days before each ceremony. In case of a last-minute venue change due to sudden weather, we will initiate a text through the e-lert system and display messages on digital parking signage around campus.
- Two guests are allowed to accompany graduates for the photo opportunity.
- The guest tickets mentioned above must be presented to enter the photo opportunity.
- Guests and graduates will park in Lot A and enter at the Northwest entrance of the building.
- Graduates will be assigned a five-minute time slot for the photo opportunity and are asked to stay in their vehicles with guests until 15-minutes prior to their time slot to keep capacities low inside the building.
All graduates and guests are required to complete a COVID-19 self assessment before coming to campus and must wear masks the entire time on campus. Masks can be removed while crossing the stage and for the photo opportunity.
