Commencement Protocol
A guide for faculty and academic staff
Commencement is a very distinguished occasion at University of Wisconsin-Stout. This event is
made possible through your hard work and commitment to excellence. The following protocol will
help ensure that graduation is the most rewarding and memorable experience possible for our
graduates and guests.
Academic Regalia
The university commencement ceremony is an academic ceremony; therefore all participants must
wear traditional academic regalia. Recommended attire is dark dress shoes and dark clothing worn
with the appropriate gown and cap or hood per degree. Only cordons or other insignia that represent
academic achievement or academic honors may be worn on the standard attire. No other
decorations, including flowers, may be worn.
Pre-Ceremony
Faculty and Staff that would like to march in the processional at commencement, please contact the
Professional Education Programs and Services Commencement Coordinator one week before the
ceremony so appropriate seating is available. Contact Angela Sieg-Bruhn, siegbruhna@uwstout.edu,
715-232-5169 or profed@uwstout.edu, 715-232-2793. More information can be viewed by visiting
the commencement website at www3.uwstout.edu/commencement.
Retired and Emeritus faculty are welcome to join the faculty for the ceremony. Individuals are asked
to contact the Professional Education Programs and Services Commencement Coordinator one week
before the ceremony so appropriate seating is available. A request to be seated with the stage
guests must have prior approval from the Chancellor.
Faculty may come to the base of the ramp to congratulate specific students with a handshake. Overt
displays of affection are discouraged.
The chancellor provides refreshments for participating faculty and academic staff at 8:45 a.m. and
1:15 p.m. in room 247 A&B in the Sports and Fitness Center.
Assembly
Please line up at approximately 9:15 a.m. for the first ceremony and 1:45 p.m. for the second
ceremony in the upper East corridor of the Sports and Fitness Center.
Marshal
A university marshal and two university assistant marshals are elected by the
members of the Faculty Senate from among the members of the full-time faculty and
academic staff. Of those elected, the senior person in years of service to UW-Stout
shall be the university marshal with the others named assistant university
marshals.
The duties of the university marshal shall be to serve as the chief protocol officer of the faculty at
ceremonial academic events such as inaugurations and commencements. It shall include duties such
as the carrying of the university mace while leading academic processions.
The duties of the assistant university marshals shall be to assist the university marshal in fulfilling the
university marshal's duties and to substitute for the university marshal as needed.
The university marshal and two assistants lead the processional and recessional at commencement.
Vocalist
Applicants who would like to be considered for the vocalist position at commencement may submit an
application and demonstration tape to the UW-Stout choir director. The choir director then selects
potential candidates and conducts an interview and audition. The choir director is responsible for
selecting the best applicant based on interview and audition results.
Ushers
Students are recruited to serve as ushers at commencement. Ushers are provided with written
instructions prior to commencement day and verbal face-to-face instructions on the day of
commencement prior to the ceremony.
Processional
Processional order:
1. Lead marshal with MACE
2. Assistant marshals
3. Candidates receiving graduate degrees
4. Candidates receiving undergraduate degrees
5. Faculty and academic staff
6. Platform guests
Processional Instructions:
1. At the beginning of the ceremony the lead marshal, with Mace, enters the fieldhouse using
the East door.
2. One assistant marshal follows the lead marshal until he/she reaches the front end of the
bleachers.
3. The assistant marshal at the West door enters the fieldhouse and stops at the front end of
the bleachers.
4. The lead marshal continues to the center aisle.
5. When the lead marshal reaches the center aisle the assistant marshals start to walk to the
graduate seating area.
6. The lead marshal stands front and center with the Mace.
7. Candidates are seated by college. Ushers will assist the candidates into the rows.
8. As candidates are seated the assistant marshals work their way back toward the bleachers.
9. Faculty follow the candidates and stop at the front end of the bleachers until escorted by
the assistant marshalls.
10. When the candidates are all seated the assistant marshals return to their respective sides
of the bleachers to meet the waiting faculty and lead them to the faculty seating area.
11. The stage guests process in following the faculty.
12. After the faculty and stage guests are seated the two assistant marshals go to their
reserved seats.
13. The lead marshal places the Mace on the table and goes to his/her reserved seat.
Undergraduate Degree Candidates
Undergraduate degree candidates are the first to proceed to the stage. The dean of each college will
ask the candidates from his/her college to stand for the conferring of degrees. Ushers will then direct
the candidates to the stage.
A reader is stationed at the head of the stage ramp. The first candidate for a major will hand the
reader a card with the major identified. All candidates give the reader a 3x5 card with their name
spelled phonetically for the reader to announce.
Candidates proceed across the stage to the chancellor to receive their degree and return back to their
seat and are seated.
Graduate Degree Candidates
The Associate Vice Chancellor will present the graduate degree candidates. The candidates will be
asked to stand for the conferring of degrees. Ushers will then direct the candidates to the stage.
Graduate degree candidates proceed to the stage carrying their hood over their right arm. Candidates
hand their name card to the name reader. As their name is read, they start toward the podium, stop
between the two graduate school representatives, hand their hood to the representative on their right
and face the audience while the graduate school representatives, place the hood over the candidates
head.
Candidates will then proceed across the stage to the chancellor to receive their degree and return
back to their seat and are seated.
Educational Specialists Degree Candidates
Educational Specialists are the last graduates to receive their degrees. They will be presented to the
chancellor by the associate vice chancellor and the chancellor will confer the degree. Candidates will
carry their hood over their right arm. The ED.S. candidate’s faculty advisor or committee member will
escort them to the stage ramp to be announced and hooded.
While the ED.S. candidate is on stage, the faculty advisor or committee member will walk to the left
side of the stage on the floor of Johnson Fieldhouse to meet and escort the candidate back to their
seat.
Candidates hand their name card to the name reader. As their name is read, candidates start toward
the podium, stop between the two graduate school representatives, hand their hood to the
representative on their right, face the audience while the graduate school representatives, place the
hood over the candidates head.
Candidates then proceed across the stage to the chancellor to receive their degree. After the
graduate receives the degree, their faculty advisor or committee member will escort them back to
their seat and are seated.
Ceremony Order
Welcome - Provost
National Anthem – University of Wisconsin-Stout Concert Band and vocalist
Welcome to the Stout Alumni Association – Vice Chancellor of University Advancement and
Marketing
Musical Selection/s – Stout Symphonic Singers (choir exits following the performance)
Charge to the Graduates – Chancellor
Conferring of Graduates – Chancellor
Presentation of Diplomas – Chancellor
Alma Mater – University of Wisconsin-Stout Concert Band
Presentation of a posthumous degree
A request for conferring of a posthumous degree must be made to the Dean of
Students. The request must either come from or be approved by the family. The Dean of
Students will work with the family and appropriate department to respond to the request. The
Provost will determine the final approval of the request. Upon approval, the student’s name
will be listed in the appropriate commencement ceremony program and the degree awarded.
The graduate application fee is waived for the posthumous degree. With the family’s
permission, the degree will be awarded at the commencement ceremony. The family will be
seated in the VIP section at the front of the auditorium. Following the address to the
graduates, the Provost will announce the posthumous degree and have a representative of the
family come forward to receive the degree. An usher will escort the family to the stage.
Script for presentation of posthumous degree
Chancellor:
“By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin
system and on recommendation of the faculty, I hereby confer upon (name), the (degree), in
witness whereof we now award the diploma.”
Ceremony Script for presentation of diplomas:
Presentation of degrees
Provost introduces the dean of each college
Dean of the College:
“Will the candidates for the degrees from the College of (college name) please rise?”
Chancellor moves to the podium.
Dean of the College:
“Mr. Chancellor. It is my pleasure as Dean of the College of (college name) to present to you
the candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of (degree) with majors as listed in the program. I
recommend that you now confer the degree upon them.”
Chancellor:
“By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin
system and on recommendation of the faculty, I hereby confer upon you, each of you, the
degree of Bachelor of (degree) with major fields as listed, in witness whereof we now award
you the diploma. Please be seated and come forward by row as directed by the ushers.”
The ushers direct the graduates to the stage.
Hand sanitizer is available on the ramp and in the podium on the stage.
Chancellor is seated after the last diploma is awarded.
Dean of the College:
“Congratulations, Graduates!”
Dean is seated.
Recessional
Recessional order:
1. Lead marshal with MACE
2. Platform guests
3. Faculty and academic staff
4. Graduates
Recessional Instructions:
1. The lead marshal stands, retrieves the Mace and leads the chancellor and provost followed
by the other stage guests down the center aisle out of the fieldhouse.
2. At the same time, the assistant marshals walk over to the faculty and lead them out directly
behind the stage guests.
3. After the last faculty member passes row one (1), the graduates follow the faculty out row
by row, starting with row one (1)
Reception
A reception for graduates and their guests is held immediately following the ceremony, in the
Multipurpose Room 50, on the lower level of Sports and Fitness Center. Faculty and academic staff
are invited to join in the festivities.
Close of Final Ceremony
The bells at Bowman Hall are rung.