UNL finalizes Saturday commencement plans with changes to ceremony

            The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has finalized plans for an abbreviated May 4 undergraduate commencement ceremony to be held in Memorial Stadium by making adjustments to the ceremony schedule so that graduates can walk across the stage during the ceremony.

            University officials made the decision to shorten the ceremony earlier this week because of unseasonably cold and wet weather forecast for Saturday.

            Saturday's ceremony is still set to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Memorial Stadium. Students are asked to be at the Hawks Championship Center, in cap and gown, between 8 and 8:30 a.m. to be issued identification cards by commencement staff. They will then enter the stadium for the ceremony -- but will not take part in a formal procession.

            Graduating students may sit anywhere in their reserved sections, which are sections 3 through 7 in the East Stadium.

            During the ceremony, deans will be introduced by college and degrees will be conferred to everyone in each college by UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman. University marshals will escort graduates to the stage, where each student will cross the stage and shake hands with university officials as they receive a UNL diploma cover. Each student will be photographed at this time.

            "We understand the importance of family and friends seeing their loved ones be recognized on stage for their academic accomplishments," Perlman said. "This arrangement, while maintaining the abbreviated nature of the program, allows these important moments to occur on Saturday."

            Guests may enter Memorial Stadium via gates 3 and 11.

            Former U.S. Sen. and Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson will deliver the commencement address. A Builders Award will be conferred to Lance Morgan, and recognition of ROTC commissions will take place. The ceremony will be live-streamed on the UNL website at http://www.unl.edu.

            Following the ceremony, graduates will be asked to return to the Hawks Center to pick up their diploma. By eliminating the formal processional and distribution of actual diplomas on the stage, the actual diplomas will be protected from the weather and the ceremonies should be shortened by one hour.

            If weather becomes severe and the ceremony must be canceled, graduates and their families will be able to come to the Hawks Center at a staggered designated time by college to receive their degrees. A list of assigned times for each UNL college will be posted at http://commencement.unl.edu.

            In such an eventuality, graduating students may wear their gowns. Professional photographers will be present and the diploma will be presented by a representative of the graduate's college. Parking may be available to the west of the Hawks Center.

            Graduating students and attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather under their gowns and wear flat shoes to avoid injury in Memorial Stadium. Parking is available in campus parking garages. For details and directions, visit http://commencement.unl.edu/2013-parking-map.

            The May 3 graduate degree ceremonies will proceed as announced in Kimball Recital Hall (doctoral degrees) at 4 p.m. and the Lied Center for Performing Arts (master's degrees) at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to the commencement website, http://commencement.unl.edu, or see the May 1 news release announcing changes to those ceremonies at http://go.unl.edu/s4d.