Ceremony Overview and FAQ
Following is a brief list of frequently asked questions regarding the Commencement ceremony for SF State graduates.
- When is Commencement 2010?
- What if it rains?
- Who will speak at Commencement?
- Who will be honored at Commencement?
- How long is the ceremony?
- How early should my guests and I plan to arrive?
- How do I obtain tickets for my guests?
- When and where are other ceremonies or receptions?
- What about photographs?
- What other things should I know about the ceremony?
- Where can I get copies of the Commencement video?
- When will I receive information about Commencement?
- How do I get a commencement program?
- Is there anything else happening before the ceremony begins?
- Where can I get more information?
When is Commencement 2010?
Commencement 2010 will be held on Saturday, May 22, in Cox Stadium on the main SF State campus (see map) . Here is a timeline overview:
- The gates to Cox Stadium open at 10:30 a.m.
- Graduates line up at noon and march into the stadium at 12:15 p.m.
- Ceremony begins at approximately 1 p.m. and will end at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Due to the size of the event, you will not be able to get close to your graduate or family in Cox Stadium. Please make arrangements to meet somewhere on campus after the ceremony ends.
What if it rains?
The ceremony will be held rain or shine.
Who will speak at Commencement?
We will announce the Commencement speaker as soon as we know.
Who will be honored at Commencement?
Typically a number of people are honored for their contributions to SF State and the wider Bay Area or world community, including: The Alumnus of the Year, honorary degree recipients, and the Presidential Medal awardees. Honorees of the past have included baseball great Willie Mays, actors Jeffrey Tambor and Danny Glover, and singer humanitarians Neil (and Peggy) Young, and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary).
How long is the ceremony?
Once all the graduates are in the stadium and the President's party has taken the stage, the ceremony generally runs from about 1 p.m. to approximately 3:30 or 3:45 p.m.
How early should my guests and I plan to arrive?
Students must line up at noon for the processional (see processional information on the Graduates page). The processional begins promptly at 12:15 p.m. Guest seating in Cox Stadium is on a first-come, first-served basis so your guests should plan to arrive early (entrance requires a ticket, you will find an overview below and more information can be found on the Guests page). The gates to Cox Stadium will open at 10:30 a.m. on Commencement day.
To beat the traffic it is wise to arrive early or, better yet, take public transit. The Muni light rail "M" line and the #28 bus from the Daly City BART station both stop at 19th and Holloway avenues at the south-east corner of campus (be sure to get the free transfer inside the Daly City BART station for the roundtrip bus ride).
For the convenience of guests arriving early, food and soft drinks will be on sale at locations around the campus, near and in the stadium. Also, many of the food vendors in the Student Center will be open on Commencement day.
If you drive to campus, allow extra time for traffic, especially following the main ceremony.
How do I obtain tickets for my guests?
Once you apply for graduation your name appears on a list at the Bookstore that will allow you to, when the time comes in May, rent your regalia. Each gown rental comes with five guest tickets for the main Commencement ceremony. Please see the Graduates and Guests pages for Information on renting gowns and how to get tickets .
When and where are other ceremonies or receptions?
Many colleges (or departments and programs within a college) hold receptions or ceremonies for graduates and their guests either before or following Commencement. Some events are by invitation only. Graduates attending receptions held after Commencement may want to meet family members there after the ceremony to reconnect and relax before facing traffic out of the area.
Pre- and post-Commencement receptions will be listed here as they become available (there is also a "Receptions" link in the navigation box on the top left of every page on this site). The post-ceremony events will also be listed in the Commencement Program that is given to guests as they enter Cox Stadium and to graduates as they line up or as they begin to march into the stadium.
Please note that all events are subject to change. Check here for any up-to-Commencement-day changes or, better yet, confirm with the department arranging the event in question.
What about photographs?
The Commencement ceremony does not provide good close-up photo opportunities for your family and guests. Guests are asked to remain in their seats throughout the ceremony and will not be allowed on the field or near the stage. Please be courteous of other guests and sensitive to their sight lines from their seats.
Because of this, we have made arrangements with a professional firm, Chappell-Aardvark Studios, to record the moment you are awarded your diploma cover. You will receive a passport-sized, full-color proof from Chappell-Aardvark by mail approximately one week after Commencement.
You have no obligation to purchase anything. You may place orders by:
- Phone: (800) 424-3686
- Fax: (515) 472-1830
- E-mail: client@chappell.com
- Web information: www.chappell.com
- Web registration: www.gradimages.com/Register.cfm
Graduates can preregister their own e-mail address and those of friends and 
family (up to six e-mail addresses total) and Chappell Graduation Images willcontact them as soon as their photos are available foronline viewing and ordering.
A professional photographer will also be available to take graduation photographs of you with your family and friends in the Student Center lobby before the main ceremony, from 8 a.m. - noon, and immediately following the main ceremony. Photographers for hire will also be at other locations on campus that day.
What other things should I know about the ceremony?
First aid: A medical station with a doctor, a nurse, paramedic, and an ambulance will be at Cox Stadium during the ceremony. Contact the closest usher or police officer if someone needs assistance.
Baby strollers: Please be advised that because the majority of guest seating in the stadium is on bleachers with steep steps, the use of baby strollers is not recommended.
Flowers: Starting at 9 a.m. Commencement day, vendors will sell flowers at various locations on campus and around Cox Stadium. A map link will be provided here closer to the ceremony.
Please note: Alcoholic beverages, balloons, coolers/ice chests, banners, signs, silly string, beach balls, and fireworks are not allowed in Cox Stadium. Smoking is not permitted in or around Cox Stadium. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas on campus. See the Smoking Areas Map.
Where can I get copies of the Commencement video?
A DVD of the Commencement ceremony is provided to the Media Access Center (MAC) so that students can make copies. Come anytime during their normal hours. It takes about 15 minutes to copy (you do it yourself on their computers) and fits on one blank DVD-R disk. If you can't make it to campus, send a blank DVD-R and a stamped, self-addressed return envelope to MAC and they will make a copy and send it to you. Call (415) 338-1229 for MAC hours and information (or see the link above).
When will I receive information about Commencement?
All Commencement-related information will be provided on this website. The information provided was the best available at the time of posting but is subject to change. Please check back, especially as we get closer to the date of the ceremony.
How do I get a commencement program?
The Commencement program, with the names of graduates and program details, will be distributed to graduates when they line up to enter the stadium and handed out to guests as they enter Cox Stadium. If there are any extra copies following Commencement, they will be made available at the SFSU Bookstore for a limited time in June.
Your name will be listed in the program if you have completed degree requirements for August 2009 or January 2010, or have filed a timely graduation application for May 2010.
Please note: The presence of your name in the program does not, in itself, testify to completion of your degree.
Is there anything else happening before the ceremony begins?
In celebration of your graduation, the Cesar Chavez Student Center is hosting a festive and musical Commencement morning throughout the Student Center and on the Malcolm X Plaza and West Plaza for you and your guests.
Featured for purchase will be special brunch menus at all our food services. No reservations are necessary.
There will be live music, flowers, balloons and a special commemorative gift at the Information Desk for each graduate wearing regalia. The food and festivities begin at 9 a.m.
Where can I get more information?
This Web site will be updated frequently, especially as we get closer to the day of the event. We have made every attempt to be thorough but if there is something we have missed or you need clarification, please e-mail commence@sfsu.edu
