Ohio State’s 356th commencement ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m., June 8, 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 – has been held on the Oval for the last two years while Ohio Stadium is renovated. Approximately 5,000 graduates will receive degrees during the ceremony. 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 continued throughout the year. The platform will again be located between Derby and Hopkins halls along the north side of the Oval, which means graduates and guests will not face directly into the sun.

The commencement speaker is actor and comedian Bill Cosby. Cosby will not be available for media interviews. He will fly into Columbus on Friday morning and depart immediately following the ceremony to deliver the commencement address at the University of Cincinnati.

Workers will begin preparing the Oval for commencement on Monday (6/4). Preparations involve unloading and setting up more than 30,000 folding chairs for graduates and guests, constructing a speakers platform, and installing a sound system.

Graduates will rehearse for the ceremony on Thursday morning, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

MEDIA PARKING ON FRIDAY, JUNE 8

There is limited parking for TV live trucks and other marked media vehicles on South Oval Drive in front of Orton Hall. Each station may park one vehicle in this area and must be in place by 8 a.m. Media vehicles should enter via Neil Avenue and then east on South Oval Drive. Posts that normally restrict traffic will be removed. Reservations are necessary! Please call Amy Murray, 292-8385, by Tuesday, June 5, to ensure a parking space.

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, SCHEDULE

With about 5,000 graduates and 30,000 guests expected, we anticipate very heavy pedestrian and automobile traffic on campus beginning around 7:30 a.m. In preparation for the commencement line-up, College Road will be closed between 12th Avenue and 17th Avenue, and 17th, 18th and 19th Avenues will be closed as well.

Public parking lots open at 6:30 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 9:15 a.m. and process onto the Oval at 9:30 a.m.

The ceremony will get underway at approximately 10:10 a.m. President William E. Kirwan will preside, and the commencement address will be given by comedian Bill Cosby. Recipients of Ph.D.s will be announced individually and receive their diplomas from President Kirwan; all other graduates will receive their diplomas from the deans of their colleges. The ceremonies should conclude at 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 media section located to the west of 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).

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