10:00 AM
College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
College of Business and Industry
1:00 PM
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
4:00 PM
College of Education and Professional Studies
College of Health Professions and Wellness
Fall 2023 Commencement Day Instructions
When and Where to Report: Arrive one hour prior your ceremony. Follow the signs to enter Pete Mathews Coliseum through the doors on the east side into the Auxiliary Gym.
Apparel: It is recommended that you wear apparel appropriate for the weather and occasion under your regalia. Candidates will walk downstairs during the processional; therefore, comfortable shoes are recommended. To request accommodations, please contact Disability Resources at (256)782-8380 (voice or TTY).
Upon Arrival:
The Processional:
When it is time for the processional, a staff member will direct you to start lining up by college. You will line up numerically behind the marshal for your college. The marshal will lead your college onto the main court and to your seats. Please be sure to stay in numerical order.
During the Ceremony:
Graduate Degree Recipients: Hooding will take place prior to entering the stage.
Doctoral Degree Recipients: Hooding will take place on the stage.
After Crossing the Stage: You will exit the stage and have a photograph taken between the flags. Once the photograph is taken, please return to your seat.
The Recessional:
Platform members will exit first in the recessional, followed by faculty, and then graduates. Student marshals will release students by rows to exit the court. You will not be allowed back onto the court after exiting; therefore, prior to the ceremony, you will need to establish a location to meet with your family and guests following the ceremony.
Caps, gowns, and all other regalia may be preordered on the Oak Hall website at https://jsu.shopoakhalli.com/purchasewizard/Welcome. All preorders will be shipped directly to the student. Regalia may also be purchased on campus at the JSU Bookstore.
Master's, EdS, and Doctoral Hood Colors with Corresponding Degrees:
View the Hood Color Guide Graphic
Hood Color Guide (Text)
Contact the JSU Bookstore at (256)782-5283 or email sm278@bncollege.com for information regarding purchasing regalia.
Announcements and accessories can be ordered online at https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1000739/Jacksonville-State-University/.
For information regarding the JSU custom diploma plaque, call the Office of Alumni Affairs at (256)782-5404.
Please complete the Reserve Your Seat for Graduation form by December 5th, 2023.
The Grad Team will photograph every graduate as they cross the stage and receive their diploma cover. A posed individual photo will also be taken of each graduate as they exit the stage. Free proofs will be sent by mail and email to graduates and their families within one week of the ceremony.
The Grad Team
www.thegradteam.com/events
All Diplomas Are Mailed After Graduation
Official diplomas will be mailed within 3-4 weeks following graduation. Email notification will be sent to the graduates’ GEM email accounts once diplomas are mailed. Diplomas are mailed in flat cardboard mailers. For added protection, diplomas are placed in a red, paper folder with the university’s seal embossed in gold foil. Diplomas are printed in standard sizes so that they may be easily framed. Students mus meet all financial obligations prior to the release of the diploma.
Diploma Sizes:
8X10 Undergraduate and Graduate Diplomas
11X14 Doctoral Diploma
Candidates who have had an address change since completing the online Application for Degree will need to submit the Diploma Mailing Address Form by December 8, 2023. The diploma mailing address can be verified by viewing the graduation application under the Student Profile tab on MyJaxState.
Information on the Diploma
The JSU diploma reflects the graduate's name, degree awarded, Latin honors, special honors in major, and the date the degree was conferred. Majors, minors, and concentrations are not listed on the diploma, but they are listed on the academic transcript. Please note that graduates with double majors are being awarded one degree; therefore, one diploma will be issued.
Diploma Covers
Graduates who participate in the commencement ceremony will be presented, on stage, with a red, padded diploma cover with the university’s crest embossed in gold foil.
Graduates who do not participate in the commencement ceremony, and wish to receive the diploma cover, may pick up the cover in the Registrar’s Office the week following graduation.
Graduates wishing to request a diploma cover be mailed, may submit the Diploma Cover Mailing form, along with payment for shipping and handling, to the Registrar’s Office.
JSU welcomes your family and friends to the commencement ceremony. To ensure that all graduates are appropriately recognized, guests are asked to remain seated throughout the ceremony unless otherwise noted in the electronic program. Jacksonville State Athletics’ Clear Bag Policy will be followed at graduation.
Parking for those with Accessibility Needs: Parking for graduates and guests with accessibility needs is available in the north and south sides of Pete Mathews Coliseum parking lots. This parking areas are accessible from the Nisbet Street North West (Hwy 204) and Park Ave NW entrances and will require a state or university issued accessible parking placard, hangtag, or license plate.
Drop Off for those with Accessibility Needs: Drop-off areas are at the north and south entrances for guests with accessibility needs or mobility impairments. Once the guest is dropped off, those not utilizing accessible parking are directed to utilize the other general parking available as identified in the general parking information section above.
Coliseum Entrance and Accessible Seating: Persons with accessibility needs may enter the Coliseum from any of the guest entrances on the North and South side of the Coliseum. University staff will be available to assist you with seating. Seating for guests using wheelchairs or other mobility aids is on the main level at each corner of the arena on a first-come, first-serve basis. We request that only one person accompany the individual requiring accessible seating.
Accessible Bathrooms and Facilities: Accessible restrooms are located on the main floor (second floor) of the arena.
Wheelchair/Mobility Aid Availability: Guests in need of wheelchairs or other mobility aids should make provisions to bring those with them to the ceremony. Wheelchairs and other mobility aids are not provided at the Coliseum or parking locations.
Auditory Assistance: Accommodations for those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing will be provided in two formats. An American Sign Language interpreter will be located on the commencement stage during the ceremony. We will also offer seating with access to a screen providing captioning available in a section at the northwest corner of the arena. Staff will be present to assist you in accessing this area. We request that only one person accompany the individual requiring accessible seating.
Degree Candidates: A ramp is available to graduates to access the commencement stage. Graduates requesting the need of a wheelchair or other mobility aid may contact Disability Resources at 256-782-8380 or disabilityresources@jsu.edu. Graduates, please request these at least 48 hours in advance to allow time for our Specialists to work with you.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue will have an ambulance on site during the event. Assistance is available through the JSU’s UPD at 256-782-5050. UPD officers are stationed in the Stadium before and during the ceremony.
For additional accessibility information or other accessibility requests, please contact Disability Resources at 256-782-8380 or by email at disabilityresources@jsu.edu.
