GRADUATION INFORMATION
REGISTRATION: All graduating students must be registered at AUM during the term of graduation. You
should be registered for “REGL - Registration Only” if:
 you are not taking coursework at AUM this term or
 are resolving a grade of incomplete in a course or
 are taking a comprehensive examination
GRADES OF INCOMPLETE: Resolve all incomplete grades and ask your instructor to please submit a
grade change to the AUM Registrar’s Office by 8:00 a.m., Thursday, May 8th.
 You may not graduate with an incomplete on your record.
 Grades will be changed to “F” or “U” if not resolved by graduation.
 No grades can be changed after the degree is awarded.
FINAL GRADES: All grades for graduating students are due by 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 8th. Please
remind your instructors that you are planning to graduate. All AUM faculty members are notified of the
requirements for early grade reporting and the possible necessity for early final examinations.
TRANSFER WORK: If you are taking coursework at another institution this term, the AUM Registrar’s
Office must receive official verification of the course(s) and grade(s) from the other institution(s) by 8:00 a.m.,
Friday, May 9th.
 If you cannot get an official transcript mailed to us before the deadline, please have a school official fax the
grade to AUM Registrar’s Office, Attn: Faye Brooks at (334) 244-3125.
 Your diploma will be placed on hold until we receive the official transcript.
 We must receive the official transcript from the school within ten working days after graduation to award
the degree.
 You may be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony and receive a blank diploma cover as you
cross the stage.
HONORS: Undergraduate academic honors. Graduate students do not receive academic honors.
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A minimum of 50 resident hours at AUM is required to be eligible for academic honors.
All undergraduate coursework, including repeated & forgiven courses, is counted in honors determination.
Honors are based on both the AUM and OVERALL GPA. The lower of the two GPAs determines the
honors designations.
We will determine honors after all current grades are received.
AUM RESIDENCY HOURS: Candidates for graduation must complete at least 30 hours at AUM to meet
the graduation requirement.
GRADUATION CONFIRMATION: Confirmation of degrees does not begin until all grades are
submitted (10:00 a.m. the Thursday before Graduation). Candidates should not call the AUM Registrar’s
Office to inquiry about graduation qualifications being met. Please contact your advisor if you have
concerns.
DIPLOMAS: Diplomas are given after the Commencement ceremony. If you are not planning on
participating in the ceremony, diplomas may be picked up the week after graduation in the Taylor Center. They
may not be picked up before the actual ceremony. We will mail the diplomas out a week after graduation.
Please check your account to ensure we have your correct mailing address.
Instructions for the Commencement Ceremony
The ceremony will be held at the AUM Physical Education Complex (Gym), Saturday, May 10th
There will be two ceremonies lasting approximately 1 ½ hours:
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
A Reception will follow after each ceremony. We would like to invite the graduates and families
to the reception.
SPECIAL NEEDS
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If a candidate for graduation has a disability that may require specific materials, services, or assistance,
please contact the Registrar’s Office at 334-244-3125 or records@aum.edu.
If a guest has a disability that may require specific materials, service, or assistance, call the Registrar’s
Office at 334-244-3125 or records@aum.edu. This would include reserved seating for guests who are unable
to climb the bleachers and the hearing impaired. These requests should be made by the Thursday before
commencement to assure that requests may be honored.
REHEARSAL – PRE-CEREMONY
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There will be two ceremonies for Spring 2014 Commencement
o 10 a.m. ceremony: students must be at 230 Taylor Center by 8:30 a.m. for pre-ceremony
instructions/rehearsal.
o 2 p.m. ceremony: students must be at 230 Taylor Center by 12:30 p.m. for preceremony instructions/rehearsal.
During this assembly, candidates will be provided with all the information they need to know
regarding the ceremonial procedures. Please be prompt.
If you are not present for the pre-ceremony rehearsal, you may be denied participation.
Personal belongings may be left in 230 Taylor Center during the ceremony, where a security guard
will be on duty. We ask that all belongings be removed immediately after the ceremony.
APPROPRIATE DRESS FOR THE CEREMONY
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Candidates are requested to wear appropriate black clothing under the gown with sensible black dress
shoes. Ladies, please remember, you will be on your feet for an extended length of time. Please do not
wear high heels in which you cannot stand or walk for long periods.
Your cap and gown must be picked up before the day of graduation. Please pick them up in the Bookstore in
time to assure the correct size and style and to allow time to steam out the wrinkles. The Bookstore is not
open on the day of graduation.
The gown for a candidate receiving a bachelor’s degree should fall to the knee and has long bell sleeves.
The gown for a candidate receiving a master’s degree should fall to the knee and has a sleeve that requires
the wearer to poke the arms out through a slit at the elbow. The rest of the sleeve dangles to about the knee.
A hood is worn over the master’s gown. Registrar’s Office staff will assist with its placement.
The cap for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees is the mortarboard with tassel. ***The mortarboard is
to be worn level on the head, not pushed back. Hairstyles should be chosen to complement the proper
placement of the cap. *** The tassel hangs on the right of the cap as candidates proceed into the ceremony.
During the ceremony when the degrees are conferred, the tassel is moved to the left side of the cap.
Undergraduate students qualifying for academic honors designation may pick up their cords at the
Commencement Assembly prior to the ceremony. If a candidate is to receive a cord from any other
organization, these cords must be picked up from the sponsor before the day of commencement.
DIPLOMAS
Diplomas will be given out after graduation in front of the bookstore area. The major reasons that a diploma
would be unavailable are: administrative holds or graduation requirements not being met. If the diploma is
unavailable, the graduate will be handed a blank diploma cover that subsequently should be returned to the
AUM Registrar’s Office.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Village Photographers will be available at the Commencement Assembly and for a short time after the
ceremony for portraits. A photograph of each graduate will be made as he/she is handed the diploma and again
when he/she exits the stage. Proofs will be sent to all graduates, but there is no obligation to purchase any
photographs. You may contact Village Photographers at 1-800-444-7427.
PROGRAM
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Your name will appear in the program as it appears in your files at the AUM Registrar’s Office.
If you applied for graduation after the deadline, your name may not appear in the program.
Additional programs are available from the AUM Registrar’s Office for the first few weeks after graduation.