Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there a rehearsal?
2. Are tickets issued for seating?
3. If I am a graduate, what do I do?
4. If I am a parent, what do I do?
5. Where do I get a cap and gown?
6. What time do graduates and guests need to arrive?
7. What about parking?
8. Which ceremony do I attend?
9. What about the Ring Ceremony?
10. How long will the ceremony last?
11. What other events are planned?
12. What do the different honor designations mean?
13. Will photographs be taken at the ceremony?
14. Is a video or DVD of the ceremony available?
15. What arrangements are available for guests who are in wheelchairs?
16. Is there a guest speaker?
17. Where do I order announcements?
18. May I wear an honor cord or sash with my cap and gown? May I decorate my mortarboard?
19. What is Ring Out?
1. Is there a rehearsal?
No. Graduates will be lined up by school/college, degree, major and last name and placed in the correct order by faculty marshals prior to each ceremony. For this reason we recommend that graduates arrive no later than one hour before their ceremony start time.
2. Are tickets issued for seating?
No. Tickets are not issued for attendance. However, for May ceremonies, graduates are encouraged to bring no more than ten (10) guests to the ceremony.
3. If I am a graduate, what do I do?
Arrive, cap and gown in hand, no later than one hour before your ceremony is scheduled to begin. Ushers will direct graduates to the correct area of the concourse. Faculty marshals will be on hand to line graduates up for the processional, answer questions and give instructions.
4. If I am a parent, what do I do?
Remember to carpool - parking is often at a premium. Arrive early to allow sufficient time to get into Ferrell and find seats. Seats may be saved until 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony, at which time all seating is made available to guests.
5. Where do I get a cap and gown?
Academic regalia is first available each semester at the Bear Faire, which is scheduled for October 23 for winter 2012 commencement. After that date, regalia may be purchased from the Baylor Bookstore. Bachelor's regalia is priced at $48 plus tax. Master's regalia is priced at $98 plus tax.
The bookstore will sell gowns, mortarboards and tassels for bachelor graduates. The master's regalia will include the gown, hood, mortarboard and tassel. Doctoral students must contact the Graduate School office at 254-710-3588 to purchase or rent the unique Baylor regalia for the ceremony.
6. What time do graduates and guests need to arrive?
The building opens 90 minutes prior to each ceremony. Graduates need to arrive no later than one hour before the start of the ceremony. We encourage friends and family to come at the same time as the graduate in order to find adequate parking and seating at Ferrell Center.
Guests with disabilities or health concerns should plan to arrive at least an hour before the ceremony to allow sufficient time to be seated.
As guests enter the parking lot, ask the parking attendant for curbside drop-off for any guests with special needs.
7. What about parking?
Parking is available at Ferrell Center. There is no charge for this service. Parking attendants will be available to direct you to parking. If there is a need for curb-side access or handicap parking, please inform the parking attendant. For August and December ceremonies, there should be no parking issues. In May, parking may be limited due to the size of the graduating class, so guests are encouraged to carpool. If necessary, Baylor will route guests to a nearby parking garage and provide shuttle transportation to Ferrell. Look for signage to direct you to the remote parking, if that is needed.
8. Which ceremony do I attend?
Friday afternoon ceremony will be for the Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Louise Herrington School of Nursing and the School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Saturday morning ceremony will be for the Arts and Humanities programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Music and the School of Social Work.
Saturday afternoon ceremony will be for the Hankamer School of Business and the School of Education.
Go to the homepage for Baylor commencement and a link to the full listing by ceremonies is available.
More Information: http://www.baylor.edu/commencement
9. What about the Ring Ceremony?
The Ring Ceremony is held at the end of the fall and spring semesters. All students who order their rings during Ring Week, a week early in the semester, will receive their rings in a special ceremony.
The official Baylor University ring may be ordered by students who have completed 75 hours. A selection of ring styles is available. Orders should be placed with Balfour, the official supplier for the rings. Contact Balfour at 1-800-542-8648 or order during Ring Week.
10. How long will the ceremony last?
Generally each ceremony is about two hours in length.
11. What other events are planned?
Some of the colleges and schools have pinning ceremonies, hooding ceremonies, or other activities. Please contact the Dean's office of your school to determine if there are other activities.
For university-wide events for commencement, check the events tab on this commencement site.
12. What do the different honor designations mean?
With a minimum of 94 hours of credit earned at Baylor:
Cum Laude – 3.75 GPA
Magna Cum Laude – 3.85 GPA
Summa Cum Laude – 3.95 GPA
With 61-93 hours of credit earned at Baylor:
Cum Laude – 3.80 GPA
Magna Cum Laude – 3.90 GPA
With 60 hours of credit earned at Baylor:
Cum Laude – 3.85 GPA
Magna Cum Laude - 3.95 GPA
These honors will be noted in the commencement program and diplomas will be ordered for the graduates with this designation.
13. Will photographs be taken at the ceremony?
Baylor works with Flash Photography, the official photographer for commencement. Flash will photograph each graduate as they receive their diplomas and and take one additional shot after the graduate leaves the stage. Pictures are in color and different packages are available. Proof sheets and rates will be mailed to the graduate's Baylor e-mail and permanent mailing address by Flash Photography, or you may contact Flash at 1-800-410-8070.
14. Is a video or DVD of the ceremony available?
Videotapes and DVDs of the Commencement program and memorable scenes of the Baylor campus are available from Dub-L Tape, a Waco video production company. To check costs or to place an order, please click here for information.
Order forms will also be available the day of the ceremony at the Dub-L Tape table in the Ferrell Center concourse.
15. What arrangements are available for guests who are in wheelchairs?
There are seating areas designated for guests in wheelchairs. Ask the parking attendant on duty to direct you to curb-side access to the building. Ushers will be able to assist once you are inside Ferrell Center.
Guests who have difficulty climbing steps should arrive in sufficient time to find seating near the concourse-access level.
16. Is there a guest speaker?
We do not have a guest speaker, but the President of the University will present a message to the graduates.
17. Where do I order announcements?
Anouncements may be ordered at the Bear Faire October 23. After that date, you may order directly from www.jostens.com.
Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of completed announcements.
18. May I wear an honor cord or sash with my cap and gown? May I decorate my mortarboard?
Traditionally, only undergraduate students wear cords or sashes.
Baylor will allow a student to wear a maximum of 3 adornments of any kind for the ceremony. The preference is that these adornments represent academic achievement or involvement in an academic-specific organization.
Students should not decorate their mortarboard.
19. What is Ring Out?
Ring Out and the Passing of the Key is held each Spring prior to May Commencement ceremonies. This spring, it will be held in Burleson Quadrangle on Thursday, May 2 at 6 p.m. More information on the ceremony and how to register to participate is available at http://www.baylor.edu/student_life/index.php?id=86608.
The Senior Ring Out Ceremony is an annual tradition at Baylor University and was first a part of the Commencement activities in 1927 when the senior class was invited to participate. The symbolic ceremony signifies the passing of the guardianship of the Baylor spirit.
Historically, the ceremony has included primarily women. Graduating senior women, dressed in traditional graduation gowns, pass a chain of ivy to junior women wearing white. Forming a circle near the Baylor bells in Burleson Quadrangle (the smaller bell from Baylor's first campus at Independence, Texas and the larger bell from Waco University where Baylor now exists), the seniors pass the charge of leadership to the next graduating class.
Since 1946, the men of the senior and junior classes have participated in the Passing of the Key ceremony during Ring Out. Senior men are in graduation gowns and junior men are dressed in dark suits. A representative of the senior class, who has been designated the "Custodian" of the key to the box of relics buried under the Centennial monument in the center of Founders Pleasance, passes the key to a junior representative. As with Ring Out, the ceremony symbolizes the binding of classes in loyalty to the traditions of Baylor.
