College Convocation to move outdoors

For the first time in 75 years, College Convocation will be held outdoors.

To accommodate a larger number of College students than usual marching in the June 13 ceremony, as well as their guests, the University will hold the 452nd College Convocation of the University in Harper Quadrangle at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 13.

"After making all best efforts to give each graduating College student two tickets for Rockefeller Chapel, it became clear that it simply would not be possible to accommodate everyone in the chapel," said John Boyer, Dean of the College.

"Many College students expressed the desire to have all of their guests attend the actual ceremony and to avoid the difficulty that they face in choosing who sits in the chapel. By moving the ceremony to the quadrangles, all six of their guests will be able to attend the actual ceremony and sit together."

Convocations for the College were regularly held outdoors in the first decade of the University's history. This will be a return to that early tradition, Boyer said.

If inclement weather forces the Convocation inside, it will be held in Rockefeller Chapel and transmitted to large screens in Mandel Hall, Breasted Hall, Kent Hall, Max Palevsky Cinema, the Law School Auditorium and the Biological Sciences Learning Center. The first 660 students who requested tickets for the chapel will receive two tickets designated for seats in the chapel.