It’s almost time to celebrate an important milestone in each student’s academic journey: commencement. Whether you’re a graduate, family member, or employee, we’ve compiled a list of things you need to know for CU Denver’s spring commencement on Saturday, May 16, at the Denver Coliseum, 4600 N. Humboldt St. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the CU Denver commencement website.
Day-Of
Arrival: There are two ceremonies, and your attendance is based on your school or college (you can find the schedule here). The morning ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. and the afternoon ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m. Please arrive at the Denver Coliseum no later than 8:15 a.m. for the morning ceremony or 1:15 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony. Make sure to allow time to go through a magnetometer or be wanded upon entrance into the facility.
Faculty: For more information on where you need to go on the morning of commencement and other FAQS, click here.
Clear Bag Policy: Employees, students, and guests must carry their belongings in a clear bag per the venue’s clear bag policy. Bags will be checked upon entry into the building. For additional details, visit the safety and approved items webpage.
Parking: Please note that the student entrance is located on the south side of the building and the guest entrance is located on the east side. Free parking for attendees is available on the west side of the Denver Coliseum. Parking is first-come, first-served. We encourage guests to drop off their friends and family members with limited mobility at the accessible entrance prior to parking as the walk from the parking lot is uphill and can take five to 10 minutes.
Safety: We fully anticipate a safe and joyous ceremony and to assist with safety throughout commencement, please alert the Denver Police Department of anything suspicious. If you see something, say something.
Ceremony
Lineup and Seating: There is no rehearsal for the ceremony. At 9 a.m. or 2 p.m., faculty marshals and staff will begin lining students up. If you wish to sit with a friend, you should pair up and walk side-by-side into the arena. The marshals will tell you what color-coded line to follow during the processional. Follow your line leader and fill in every seat in each row. Graduate names will be announced in the order in which they are seated, not alphabetically.
Each ceremony will last approximately two hours. In consideration of the audience and the significance of this event, all guests and graduates must remain seated for the entire ceremony. Please plan to be at the Denver Coliseum until at least 11:30 a.m. for the morning ceremony and 4:30 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony.
Programs: The program link will be active in advance of the ceremony. When the program is live, graduates and guests can view or download it digitally at ucdenver.edu/commencement/program.
Regalia: Graduates should wear the tassel noting their degree type, not the black and gold souvenir tassel. Undergraduates wear tassels over the right front of the cap before their degree is conferred. A CU regent will instruct you to move the tassel to the left at the appropriate time. Doctoral candidates do not wear their hoods during the processional. Hoods should be draped over the left arm until officially presented on stage during the ceremony.
Reader Cards: Your reader card shows how your name will be announced as you cross the stage. Bring your reader card with you to the ceremony to bypass check-in and proceed immediately to the graduate lineup. If you lose your reader card, extras will be available. Graduates who elected to ship their regalia to themselves will pick up their reader card at their school or college table on the day of the ceremony. One side of the reader card has the name on it that you provided when you registered for the ceremony. You will hand this card (name side up) to the presenter on the stage to announce your name.
To ensure names are pronounced correctly, we invite you to indicate a phonetic spelling of your name on your card (example Christopher: kris-tuh-fer). You may also refer to this phonetic spelling guide when filling out your reader card. The other side of the card contains your name, mailing address, and email address. GradImages will use this address to send you proofs of their professional photographs. To receive your proofs faster, please ensure that your email address appears on the card.
Note: Updating your address on the reader card does not update your mailing address for your diploma. If you need to update your diploma mailing address, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
CUDenverGrad & Livestream: Celebrate your accomplishments on social media! Use the hashtag #CUDenverGrad and join the commencement conversation before, during, and after the ceremony. The ceremony will be live streamed via the link posted to the commencement website for your friends and family to celebrate with you from afar.
Post-Ceremony
Recessional: At the conclusion of the ceremony, faculty marshals will direct you to exit your row and leave the room in the same formation as the processional. Please be patient to allow everyone to exit in an orderly fashion.
Regalia Return: Return your rented gown (and hood, if applicable) to the Herff Jones tables near graduate lineup immediately following the ceremony. Caps, tams, and tassels are yours to keep. If you shipped your regalia to yourself, you can return your regalia after the ceremony to the Herff Jones tables or ship your rented items back using the prepaid shipping label that was included in your package. Through updated technology in the regalia, you will be charged for any robes and hoods not returned.