BACKGROUND

Ohio State's 352nd commencement ceremony is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., June 9, on the Oval, the large area of grass and trees in the heart of the campus. Spring commencement--the university's only outdoor graduation ceremony -- was held on the Oval last year for the first time since 1918. Ohio Stadium, site of spring commencement nearly every year since 1928, is being renovated and is unavailable for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 spring commencements. The Oval offers an academically appropriate, yet festive, atmosphere for the event as graduates march directly through area where their families and guests are seated.

Planning for commencement on the Oval has been under way since last June. In order to allow guests to sit closer to the graduates and the speakers, the platform has been relocated to an area between Derby and Hopkins halls along the north side of the Oval. This arrangement will also mean that graduates and guests will not face directly into the sun.

PREVIEW INTERVIEWS/MEDIA AVAILABILITY ON TUESDAY, JUNE 6

Commencement officials will hold a media availability on the Oval on Tuesday, June 6, from 1-2 p.m. Workers will be setting up 30,000 chairs, finishing construction of the speakers' platform, installing sound system and making other preparations that should provide good photos. Key commencement planners will be on hand to conduct one-on-one interviews. This is the only guaranteed time that these people will be available for media interviews.

Rehearsal for graduates on Thursday morning, beginning at 9:30 a.m., provides another story opportunity.

MEDIA PARKING ON FRIDAY, JUNE 9

Live trucks: There will be limited parking for TV live trucks on South Oval Drive in front of Orton Hall. Each station may park one truck in this area and must be in place by 8 a.m. Reservations are necessary. Please call Amy Murray, 292-8385, by Tuesday, June 6, to ensure a parking space.

Other vehicles: Other media vehicles displaying the Ohio State media parking pass may park on South Oval Drive between the Faculty Club and Mirror Lake. Enter via Neil Avenue then east on South Oval Drive. A traffic officer will direct vehicles displaying the permit into the parking area.

FRIDAY, JUNE 9, SCHEDULE

Public parking lots open at 6 a.m. Shuttle buses will transport guests between the West Campus lots and the Oval. Graduates are to arrive by 8 a.m., form lines on College Road and Hagerty Drive at 8:45 a.m., step off at 9:10 a.m. and process onto the Oval at 9:30 a.m.

President William E. Kirwan will preside, and the commencement address will be given by Rep. J.C. Watts, (R-Okla.) Recipients of Ph.D.s will receive their diplomas from President Kirwan; all other graduates will receive their diplomas from the deans of their colleges. The ceremonies should conclude about noon.

CREDENTIALS & MEDIA ACCESS

A commencement media badge is necessary to gain entrance to the platform/graduate seating area. THESE ARE INCLUDED IN THIS MAILING. THEY MAY BE USED ONLY BY WORKING MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA. Cameras on tripods must stay within the marked media area; hand-held cameras may move anywhere except the platform, which is off limits to all photographers. No live cables may be brought onto the Oval after 7:30 a.m. (This is a safety precaution as there will be very heavy pedestrian traffic. You may go live from the parking area or from outside the Oval if you wish.)

MEDIA MATERIALS, MULT BOX, ASSISTANCE

University Relations staff and press kits will be at the Orton parking lot and the photo area near the platform. An audio mult box will be located in the media area. WOSU will provide a head-on video feed from their platform (between student sections D and E).