• Baccalauareate Mass:  10:00am in the Athletic and Wellness Center
• Commencement:  1:30pm in the Rock Bowl Stadium (rain site:  Athletic and Wellness Center)

SCHEDULE FOR COMMENCEMENT DAY
 

Baccalaureate Mass
 

The day will begin at 10:00am with the Baccalaureate Mass.  This celebration will be held in the Athletic Wellness Center, 1600 Cox Street.  The Baccalaureate Mass is a liturgical ceremony offered in thanksgiving for the blessings God has bestowed upon the graduates and their families.

• The graduates, faculty and administrators will gather in the Athletic Wellness Center and will form an academic procession into the center.  The graduates will wear full academic regalia (cap, gown, medallion) and will sit together. Students will line up by 9:40am.
   

• Family and friends of the graduates may gather in the Athletic Wellness Center after 8:30am.  The procession into the center will begin at 10:00am.  Baccalaureate Mass will last until approximately 11:30am.
   

• Seating will be available on the main floor and on the upper level for guests with special needs or anyone not comfortable climbing bleacher steps. The Athletic Wellness Center is handicapped accessible from all levels.

Lunch

Following Baccalaureate Mass, lunch will be available (advanced purchase required) in the Graber Center across the street from the Athletic and Wellness Center from 11:30am-1:00pm.  Cost is $12.50/person and includes:

Assorted Croissant and Wrap Sandwiches

Pasta Salad

Assorted Chips

Fresh Fruit

Assorted Cookies and Dessert Bars

Canned Soda and Bottled Water

Tickets for the lunch MUST be purchased in advance at the Cashier Window in the Business Office (Keane Hall).  Only cash and checks will be accepted.  Tickets are not numbered and will not be replaced if lost.  Due to City of Dubuque health code regulations, no food may be removed from Graber Center.

COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS:

Commencement will be held in the Rock Bowl Stadium. 

Students gather on the lawn in front of Rohlman Hall by 1:00pm. 

Students wear full commencement apparel and have assigned seating based on degree earned and name.  A seating chart/directions for lining up will be emailed to graduates prior to commencement practice. 

In case of inclement weather, Commencement will be held in the Athletic and Wellness Center, 1600 Cox Street.

Students gather in the lower level of the Athletic and Wellness Center corridors based on last name. 

Students wear full commencement apparel and have assigned seating based on degree earned and name.  A seating chart/directions for lining up will be emailed to graduates prior to commencement practice. 

INFORMATION FOR GUESTS:

Commencement will be held in the Rock Bowl Stadium.  Because seating is limited, guests are encouraged to arrive early.  The Rock Bowl is a stadium with plank seating only; guests are encouraged to bring cushions and seat backs.  There is limited handicapped and wheel chair seating.

In case of inclement weather, Commencement will be held in the Athletic and Wellness Center, 1600 Cox Street.  The Center, which seats approximately 2000, is air-conditioned, and handicapped accessible.

Seating will be available on the main floor for guests with special needs or anyone not comfortable climbing steps.  Handicapped seating and wheel chair seating is also available on the upper level.

COMMENCEMENT PRACTICE
Rehearsal for commencement will be held at noon on Friday, May 16, in the Athletic and Wellness Center. Graduates will be emailed a seating chart and direction  for commencement prior to practice. Commencement practice will last approximately 45 minutes. 

GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Standard Loras graduation announcements may be purchased in bundles of ten through the Barnes and Noble Bookstore located in the Academic Resource Center.

The deadline to order personalized announcements is April 12, 2008. Students wishing to order custom invitations after April 12 may do so; however, the bookstore is unable to guarantee delivery prior to graduation.  You may order personalized graduation announcements (including graduate's names, major and degree) by going to www.herff-jones.com/college/graduation.  A Heff-Jones representative will be on campus April 9 at the Graduation Event in the Ballroom. 

The Bookstore's telephone number is 563.588.7130 and the web link is http://loras.bkstore.com.  Students interested in ordering diploma frames (custom imprinted with the Loras seal and the Loras College name on the matte), may contact the Barnes and Noble Bookstore or go to www.framingsuccess.com. 

COMMENCEMENT APPAREL 
Commencement apparel may be picked up during the Barnes and Noble Bookstore Graduation Event or anytime after April 9 in the Barnes & Noble Bookstore. The commencement apparel does not need to be returned to the Bookstore - it is yours to keep.

To receive your apparel, you must have an authorization form from the Business Office.  Authorization forms will be emailed to eligible students after March 25. The student must print the form and present it to the Bookstore personnel in order to receive commencement apparel. If you do not receive an authorization form, please contact the Business Office, 563.588.7232.

If the commencement apparel needs to be replaced prior to graduation, a charge of $75.00 will be assessed for replacement apparel. 

DIPLOMAS
Students will receive a diploma cover during the ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed to students approximately three to five weeks after commencement to the address indicated on the Application for Graduation form.

If the diploma is to be sent to a different address, notify the Registrar's Office by one of the following methods:

      1) in person in Room 135 Keane Hall
      2) by mail at Mail #1, Loras College, Dubuque, IA 52004-0178
      3) by fax at 563.588.4962 
      4) by email to registrar@loras.edu

Note: Participation in the commencement ceremony does not signify graduation from Loras College. Diplomas will be held for students who do not complete the academic requirements for graduation or who have an outstanding balance due the college.

GUEST SEATING
Open seating will be available for guests at no charge in the Rock Bowl Stadium and/or the Athletic Wellness Center. Tickets are not required for Baccalaureate or Commencement. Seating will be available on a first-come first-served basis. 
 

PARKING
There is no charge to park on the Loras College campus on commencement day. All parking lots will be open for use.  For the safety and comfort of everyone, students and guests are reminded not to park in posted NO PARKING areas as well as in any roadway or turnaround on the campus property. Cars parked illegally will be ticketed and towed. If you have questions regarding parking, please contact the Loras College Office of Safety and Security, telephone 563.588.7114.

PICTURES
Jolesch Photography will photograph each graduate twice: once as the graduate receives the diploma cover and a second pose with the diploma after exiting the stage. The proofs and an order form will be mailed to the graduate. No pre-ordering or pre-payment is necessary.

ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER AND BARNES AND NOBLE BOOKSTORE
The Academic Resource Center and Barnes and Noble Bookstore will be open on Saturday, May 17 from 11:30am to 4:00pm The bookstore carries Loras logo clothing, Loras College rings, and other college memorabilia.
 

REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to participate in commencement a student must:

• Complete all degree requirements as stated in the Loras College Undergraduate Bulletin.

• Submit a completed Application for Graduation Form to the Registrar's Office no later than December 1, 2007. Students applying for graduation after this date may not be eligible to participate in commencement but will graduate in absentia.

• Pay account balance and graduation fee in full.

LOCAL HOTELS
If you are traveling to Dubuque and plan to stay overnight in the Dubuque area, we recommend that you call early to reserve a hotel room. For information on local hotels and attractions, please feel free to visit the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce and Galena Chamber of Commerce websites:

http://www.dubuquechamber.com
http://galenachamber.com/index.html