Spring 2013 Graduation and Commencement Information

Applying to Graduate

Honors and Awards

Commencement Details

Diplomas

Miscellaneous

Completing Your Degree Requirements

Completing your degree requirements means that all course work and all departmental graduation requirements (e.g., comprehensive examinations, internships, student teaching, correspondence work, departmental defense, internship, and thesis, dissertation, research paper, project, recital, etc.), that are part of your degree program, are completed.

You can track your progress towards your degree by utilizing your Academic Advisement Report, which provides information on how the courses you have completed, and are currently enrolled in and/or registered for, apply to your degree requirements.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your academic progress or your Academic Advisement Report, please meet with your advisor or with your Record Analyst.

Applying to Graduate

If you are completing your final degree requirements this semester and plan to have a degree awarded in May, you MUST apply to graduate. A $60.00 Graduation fee will be assessed to your account EACH TIME you apply to graduate.

The deadline to apply for Spring 2013 graduation is April 1, 2013. Applying by this date ensures that your name will be included in the Commencement Program. Please note that late applications may be assessed a late Application for Graduation Fee. 

Students who have multiple majors need to only apply once. You will attend the ceremony associated with your first major. If there are extenuating circumstances that would cause you to want to attend a ceremony associated with a different major, please contact Irene Elbert.

The Application for Graduation is completed within your Student Center within MyUNIverse. Below are the steps:

  • Log into MyUNIverse. If you have forgotten your password, please contact the Computer Consulting Center to have your password reset.
  • Click on the "My Page" tab.
  • Within the "Student Center" pagelet, click on the "Go to my Student Center" link.
  • Along the left-hand side of the screen, you will see a drop down that says "Other Academic...". Change that to "Apply for Graduation", and then click on the "Go" button (purple circle with two arrows).
  • Select the appropriate Program and Plan.
  • Follow the directions that are provided, and then submit your application.

You will be able to use the "View My Graduation Status" link to check your status throughout the process. Nothing much will change until AFTER final grades have been posted at the end of the semester, and the Record Analysts have verified that all of the degree requirements have been met during Graduation Check-Out. Graduation Check-Out does take a few days to complete, so please do not be alarmed if your status does not change immediately upon grade submission.

Deficiencies

If you are not planning to meet requirements for your degree this semester, and you applied to graduate, please notify your Record Analyst as soon as possible.

All deficiencies must be taken care of before final Spring 2013 graduation closing on June 14, 2013.

If materials are not completed prior to the appropriate date, you will then need to apply to become a candidate for graduation the next term. Please note that a non-refundable $60.00 Graduation Fee is automatically assessed to your U-Bill each time an Application for Graduation is filed. 

Graduating with Honors

Three levels of honors are awarded to students upon graduation from a bachelor's degree curriculum. To receive an honor rating, the student must earn no less than 55 semester hours of credit at UNI. Only credit earned in residence at this university is considered in making honor awards, except for students graduating with the Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree, in which case, both residence and non-residence credit taken at this university is considered.

The names of the students receiving honors are identified in the commencement program and on their academic transcript. Students will be notified by letter from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost that they have qualified for the Summa Cum Laude Award or for the Purple and Old Gold Award. The student may then pick up the award at the Office of the Registrar the week prior to commencement. If the student is unable to pick up their award at this time please contact Irene Elbert (irene.elbert@uni.edu) directly via e-mail.

  • Summa Cum Laude: Students whose cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 3% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Summa Cum Laude.
  • Magna Cum Laude: Students who cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 4% through top 8% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Magna Cum Laude.
  • Cum Laude: Students whose cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 9% through top 15% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Cum Laude.

Honors/Awards

Students who have been notified by the Executive Vice President and Provost's Office that they are receiving a Summa Cum Laude award or a Purple and Old Gold Award may pick those up the week prior to Commencement at the Office of the Registrar in Gilchrist Hall 115 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. If the student is unable to pick up their award at this time please contact Irene Elbert (irene.elbert@uni.edu) directly via e-mail.

Commencement RSVP

The Commencement RSVP was due by Friday, April 26, 2013. Students who have not yet submitted a Commencement RSVP, but who would still like to participate in a Commencement ceremony, will need to contact Irene Elbert (irene.elbert@uni.edu).

All degree candidates, whether or not they were planning to attend the Commencement ceremony, SHOULD have submitted a Commencement RSVP.

Those students wanting to walk through the Spring 2013 commencement ceremony, but who are completing their degree requirements in another semester, should have also filled out and submitted a Commencement RSVP so that a reader card was prepared. 

 

Spring 2013 Commencement Date, Time, and Location

The Spring 2013 Commencement dates, times and locations are as follows:

  • Friday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the McLeod Center
    • Graduate College
  • Saturday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m. in the McLeod Center
    • College of Business Administration
    • College of Education
    • Division of Continuing Education and Special Programs
  • Saturday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m. in the McLeod Center
    • College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
    • College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. While there is not a limit to the number of guests who can be in attendance, we encourage students to keep in mind a seating ratio of approximately six guests per student. 

Commencement Streamed Live

For your convenience, the Commencement Ceremony will be streamed live at http://live.uni.edu

Please share this information with your family and friends! Congratulations on your up-coming graduation!

Participating in Commencement

Undergraduate Students:

Undergraduate students who are completing their degree requirements in another semester may be allowed to walk in a commencement ceremony if they consult with their Record Analyst in the Office of the Registrar regarding their intention to walk. However, their name will only be published in the commencement program of the semester they actually complete their academic degree requirements. All Summer graduates will automatically be included in the Fall Commencement Program since there is no summer commencement ceremony.

Graduate Students:

Graduate students may participate in Commencement at the end of the Fall or Spring term that their final degree requirements are completed, or the next later term. There is no summer commencement ceremony. Summer degree candidates may participate in Spring or Fall Commencement as indicated below.

Although Application for Degree Conferral may be submitted until the end of the term, in order to ensure inclusion in the Commencement Program and to avoid a late application fee, Applications for Graduation must be submitted by the following deadlines:

  • Spring Graduate Degree Candidates must submit their Application by April 1.
  • Fall Graduate Degree Candidates must submit their Application by November 10.
  • Summer Graduate Degree Candidates: The application deadline to avoid the late application fee is July 1. For deadlines for commencement participation, see the appropriate paragraph immediately below.

Summer Graduation - Master's and Specialist Degree Students: Students who will complete their degree requirements in summer, and who apply by April 1 for summer graduation (degree conferral), are eligible to participate in Spring Commencement. Students who will complete their degree requirements in summer, and who apply after April 1 for summer graduation (degree conferral), are only eligible to participate in Fall Commencement.

Summer Graduation - Doctoral Degree Students: Students who complete their degree requirements in summer may apply for summer or fall graduation (degree conferral), but they will only be eligible to participate in Fall Commencement. Exceptions for summer doctoral candidates to participate in Spring Commencement will only be made if the student applied for Summer Graduation by April 1 and has completed all degree requirements, including defense and final submission of the dissertation to the Graduate College, prior to the end of classes of the Spring term.

Parking and Entrances

Parking will be in the lots around the UNI-Dome, McLeod Center, and Wellness-Recreation Center (WRC), as well as the Latham Field, Hagemann Hall, Campbell Hall, and other lots on the East side of Hudson Road.

For a UNI Parking Map, including special needs parking, please click here.

Caps and Gowns

Our provider for eco-friendly commencement apparel is Herff-Jones. Students can purchase commencement apparel locally from University Book and Supply.  For additional information regarding the "Making a Difference One Gown at a Time" program please click here.

Prices are listed below.

  • Undergraduate Students:
    • Cap, Gown, and Tassel: $35.99
    • Tassel Only: $6.99
  • Masters Students:
    • Cap, Gown, and Tassel: $42.99
    • Hood: $39.99
    • Tassel Only: $6.99
  • Doctoral Candidates:
    • Cap, Gown, and Tassel: $63.99
    • Hood: $47.99
    • Keeper Tam: $31.99

Photography

Individual commencement photos will be taken by Jolesch Photography, Des Moines, Iowa. Photos will be available on the Jolesch Photography website one week after the ceremony, and proofs will be mailed to you.

Diplomas and Outstanding Bills

Your diploma will be mailed to your permanent home address approximately six weeks after graduation or after grades have been reported by the faculty and eligibility for graduation has been determined. You can check MyUNIverse for the accuracy of your permanent home address or make changes to your permanent home mailing address through your MyUNIverse account by clicking on the "Update My Personal Information" link and selecting the "Home Address" tab. If you wish your diploma to be mailed to a different address, please notify Irene Elbert via e-mail (Irene.Elbert@uni.edu) and include your student UID.

A diploma will not be mailed to any student who, at the time of graduation, is in financial arrears with the University. Once the financial hold has been removed, please notify Irene Elbert (Irene.Elbert@uni.edu) in the Office of the Registrar to indicate the hold has been removed, and provide a current mailing address for the diploma.

Foreign students who wish that their diploma be sent to their home country, or to an address outside of the U.S. border, please send an e-mail to Irene Elbert (Irene.Elbert@uni.edu) with your complete address and international phone number. Foreign diplomas will be sent out by express mail service.

Diploma Covers

Diploma covers are received at either the Fall or Spring Commencement ceremonies (no Summer ceremony is held). If you will not be attending a ceremony and would like a diploma cover, please notify Irene Elbert via e-mail (Irene.Elbert@uni.edu). Additionally, you may stop by the Office of the Registrar to pick one up Monday through Friday during regular office hours.

Perkins Loan Borrowers

If you borrowed under the Perkins Loan program while attending UNI, you are required to complete an exit interview before leaving the University. For more information pertaining to borrowing under the Perkins Loan program, please see Frequently Asked Questions for Perkins Loans. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with any questions.

Attention Teaching Majors

If you are a Teaching major, please navigate to our Common Questions about Teacher Licensure at UNI webpage. Additionally, you will want to review the information regarding Accessing Your Information on the BOEE Online Licensure Application.

Office of Career Services

Registration with the Office of Career Services is recommended for all individuals who expect to graduate from the University of Northern Iowa. You should register with their office the semester prior to the date you expect to graduate. Moreover, you are advised to register no matter what post-graduation plans are, since it is difficult to compile a set of credentials, including references, following graduation.

UNI Alumni Association

The mission of the UNI Alumni Association is to encourage and support a life-long relationship between the University of Northern Iowa and its alumni and friends; to promote the interaction of alumni with each other; and to promote and advance the interests of the University and its alumni.

The Alumni Association's Membership Program allows UNIAA members to choose from an exciting series of benefits and premiums. There are three levels to the membership program. Each supports the Association's endeavors and programs. Each strengthens our university. Each has different types of premiums and benefits. You decide at what level you would like to participate. For more information, you can e-mail info@unialum.org or call (319) 273-2355.