Faculty & Staff Commencement Information

Faculty & Staff are invited to celebrate our graduates through involvement in Commencement.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Commencement, please contact our office at commencement@uni.edu.

Office of the Registrar

Commencement Marshals

Marshals play a critical role in helping students navigate the pomp and circumstance of the day. The ceremony would not be the event it is without the help of faculty and staff marshals.

If you wish to spend time with graduates, this is the BEST way to do it!

Marshals do the following:

  • Greet students and guide them to their seats
  • Assist students in lining up
  • Lead the graduates in the processional
  • Guide students to and from the stage for individual recognition
  • Lead students up the stairs to meet their friends and family

Anyone that assists with marshaling receives training prior to the ceremony as well as written instructions. In addition, special robes are provided for you to wear as a marshal.

If you would like to volunteer your services as a Marshal, please notify Susan Moore: susan.moore@uni.edu.

Attend as a Guest

All faculty and staff that intend to attend Commencement must RSVP to attend so that seating is reserved accordingly. Please do so by completing the Faculty & Staff Commencement RSVP by the deadline.

  • Fall 2023: November 1, 2023
  • Spring 2024: April 1, 2024

General Information:

  • Parking for the McLeod ceremonies is available in the lots west of the McLeod Center. The McLeod loading dock will not be available.
  • For the ceremony, faculty will assemble thirty (30) minutes before the ceremony in the lower level tunnel between the UNI-Dome and the McLeod Center.  
  • Please refer to the Commencement website for additional information.

Regalia Rentals:

  • Regalia is required to attend the ceremony in the faculty seating area. If you do not have your own commencement apparel, it will be rented for you at no charge. You MUST RSVP by the deadline for regalia to be rented on your behalf.
  • As part of the RSVP, you will be directed to reserve your regalia through Herff Jones.
  • Regalia will be available for pick up the week of Commencement and must be picked up by the Thursday of that week.
  • The Bookstore will email you when your regalia is ready for pick up.
  • All apparel must be returned immediately after the commencement ceremony to the area where you staged.

Graduation-Related Events

Many organizations and departments recognize graduating seniors in the final weeks before the end of the semester. In an effort to streamline information for graduates, the Office of the Registrar is requesting departments and offices with graduation recognition events complete this Qualtrics survey to identify those events: https://uni.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6nkbCleHTumY2BE