Commencement FAQs and Additional Information

Academic regalia is available for purchase starting at the University Bookstore.

Graduation with distinction is conferred at commencement exercises upon eligible students earning a first or second baccalaureate or associate degree. Eligibility is based on both the resident and the total GPAs as defined under Grade Point Requirements. A student must earn in both computations (resident and total GPAs) the minimum GPA required at each of the three levels of distinction listed below and a minimum of 30 credits in residence to be eligible. Candidates who have met the requirement will be recognized during the ceremony and may purchase a gold cord.

• Summa Cum Laude, 3.8 GPA or higher
• Magna Cum Laude, 3.5 GPA or higher
• Cum Laude, 3.2 GPA or higher

Additional information on cords can be found here.

Your transcript is a legal document and must contain your legal name. Information on how to update your legal name can be found on the Student Forms webpage.

Your name and the degree information on MyBlugold CampS will be used to produce your diploma, commencement program and news releases. Please check your information on MyBlugold CampS:

• Self Service > Campus Personal Information > Names
  • for your diploma name
• Self Service > Student Center > My Academics
  • for your major, minor and degree information

Contact Degree Review to request a name change on your diploma.

You can expect your diploma to be be mailed approximately 6 - 8 weeks after semester grades have been submitted. Please be sure to update your home address in MyBlugold CampS to ensure your diploma reaches you at the correct address. View instructions for updating personal contact information.

Visit the Grad Images website to find photos of your favorite graduate.

Students who complete their coursework during the Winterim session will be invited to attend the previous Fall Commencement Ceremony held in December. Students must file an application for graduation for the correct term and meet at least one of the following conditions:

1. Completion of all requirements for the degree, or
2. Current enrollment in the courses necessary to complete all requirements, or
3. Graduate candidates only: completion of all degree requirements with the exception of a mandatory internship or other field placement course requiring no more than six credits.

Students who complete their coursework during the Summer Session will be invited to attend the previous Spring Commencement Ceremony held in May. Students must file an application for graduation for the correct term and meet at least one of the following conditions:

1. Completion of all requirements for the degree, or
2. Current enrollment in the courses necessary to complete all requirements, or
3. Graduate candidates only: completion of all degree requirements with the exception of a mandatory internship or other field placement course requiring no more than six credits.

Accommodations can be made for extenuating circumstances. To request participation in an alternate ceremony, please email degreereview@uwec.edu and commencement@uwec.edu to make your request.

Your name and the degree information on MyBlugold CampS will be used to produce your diploma, Commencement program and news releases. Please check your information on MyBlugold CampS:

• Self Service > Campus Personal Information > Names
  • for your diploma name
• Self Service > Student Center > My Academics
  • for your major, minor and degree information

If any changes or corrections are needed, contact Degree Review.

If you do not want the News Bureau to share your name with your hometown newspaper,
or if you do not wish to have your name included in the Commencement program, use MyBlugold CampS to exclude that information. Information on editing this information is available here. All corrections and exclusions for December 2022 Commencement must be made no later than 4 weeks prior to the end of the semester.

For more information consult the Student Rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act page.

Graduation at UW-Eau Claire is one of the most important milestones in the life of our students. To assist students in preparing for graduation and to continue to offer a memorable commencement ceremony, a one-time, non-refundable processing fee will be assessed to all students using the following fee schedule.

Senior Processing Fee: $85
Assessed to undergraduate students who have accumulated 90 credits.

Graduate Processing Fee: $85

Assessed to graduate students who have accumulated 21 credits.

• What will the processing fee be used for?
  • The costs of graduation and commencement includes extensive staff time to plan and organize multiple events that involve thousands of students, parents, friends and guests along with the costs of processing and mailing of diplomas and transcripts. The processing fee contributes to these rising costs.
• Is UW-Eau Claire the only university to have this fee?
  • For many years UW-Eau Claire was one of the few universities in the UW System without a graduation fee. Fees for graduation at regional comprehensive universities in the UW System range from $45 at Green Bay to $100 at Stout. This fee applies to all students and is nonrefundable.
• What if I do not intend to participate in commencement? Do I still need to pay the fee?
  • Yes, the processing fee supports not only the commencement ceremony, but also assists all students in better preparing and celebrating their graduation.
• What if I do not pay the fee?
  • Like any other university fee, registering for classes and receiving academic transcripts requires that your outstanding balance is paid.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Commencement Protocol _1/27/2026

Commencement at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is important to the preservation of our tradition and history. The ceremonies serve primarily as recognition of our graduates’ achievements during their time on our campus. The purpose of this protocol is to provide a set of standards that guide the ceremonies.

Commencement ceremonies are held at the completion of each of the fall and spring semesters. Information regarding the commencement ceremonies is available from the Commencement Office. Information regarding requirements to graduate and application is available from Blugold Central.

Student Eligibility

Candidates for graduation are invited to participate in commencement in the term that they complete all degree requirements. Candidates who participate will attend the college’s ceremony in which they are receiving their degree.

Students who complete their final requirements during the summer session will be invited to participate in the previous spring ceremony. Similarly, students who complete their final requirements during the winter session will be invited to participate in the previous fall commencement ceremony. Although these students participate in earlier ceremonies, the degree and diploma will be awarded only after all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

Candidates who wish to participate in an alternate commencement ceremony must apply to graduate and write a letter of appeal. Appeals should be emailed to degreereview@uwec.edu and commencement@uwec.edu. In consultation with the commencement office, a degree auditor will review the appeal, approve or deny the request, and send notification to the student. Students who request to participate in an alternate commencement must follow the published commencement participation deadlines for the term they are appealing. Degrees and diplomas will be awarded only after all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

Graduating in Absentia

If you do not want to or are unable to graduate in person, you will graduate in absentia. You will be able to watch a live broadcast of your ceremony online. Graduates in absentia will receive the diploma and diploma cover by mail to their home address on file with the university. It will not be possible to receive your diploma, diploma cover, or program prior to the ceremony.

Academic Regalia

The purpose of the regalia worn at academic ceremonies is to recognize the academic accomplishments earned by the wearer. If participating in the ceremony, candidates must wear a cap and gown. Approved academic regalia is available for purchase at the university bookstore.

Faculty and members of the platform party must wear the regalia to which they are entitled based on their individual academic accomplishments, which may include a hood representing the institution of the highest degree earned. The chancellor is entitled to wear a fourth velvet arm stripe regardless of the highest academic degree earned and will also wear the university medallion. Members of the Board of Regents may wear the regalia of office regardless of the academic degree earned.

Baccalaureate candidates

• Wear a blue mortarboard and blue bachelor’s gown.
• The blue and gold tassel should be worn on the right side of the mortarboard until the degree is conferred during the ceremony.
• Candidates may choose to wear approved cords, stoles, or medallions if the criteria for such items have been met. Criteria are available on the commencement website.

Master’s candidates

• Wear a black mortarboard and black master gown with oblong shaped sleeves and a master’s hood.
• The blue and gold tassel should be worn on the left side of the mortarboard, signifying a previously earned university degree.
• Hoods are trimmed with the colors of the institution and the color of your degree.
• It is not customary for master candidates to wear cords or stoles.

Specialist candidates

• Follow the same regalia guidelines as master’s candidates.

Doctoral candidates

• Wear a black tam and black doctoral gown with bell-shaped sleeves and velvet bands, and a doctoral hood.
• The gold tassel should be worn on the left side of the tam, signifying a previously earned university degree.
• Hoods are trimmed with the colors of the institution and the color of your degree.
• It is not customary for doctoral candidates to wear cords or stoles.

Additional regalia notes

Candidates may decorate their mortarboards. Personal adornments and decorations must remain respectful, inclusive, and free of offensive, or otherwise inappropriate content. Decorations should be flat or low‑profile to ensure safety and should not obstruct visibility or interfere with walking, hooding, or other elements of the ceremony.

Military graduates from UW-Eau Claire’s ROTC program may wear the appropriate military uniform if they are swearing the oath of office at the ceremony.

Indigenous or religious exceptions may be allowed, but prior approval must be obtained. Appeals for indigenous or religious exceptions should be sent in writing to the Commencement Office at commencement@uwec.edu.

Processional and Recessional

The order of the processional should remain consistent, although there may be cases where doctoral, specialist or master’s candidates are not present for the ceremonies. During the recessional, the reverse order is taken. The chancellor should be the last to enter the arena and the first to leave the arena.

Processional order (to music)

1. Doctoral candidates
2. Specialist candidates
3. Master’s candidates
4. Baccalaureate candidates
5. Head commencement marshal with university mace
6. Faculty
7. Platform party led by the provost

Ceremony

The order of the ceremony should remain consistent, although there may be cases where doctoral, specialist, or master’s candidates are not present for the ceremonies.

If graduating ROTC cadets are in attendance, they swear the oath of office as a group at one of the ceremonies.

Regents and Student Body Presidents are invited, as a courtesy, to provide brief congratulatory remarks. The Student Body President may be invited to give remarks during the term in which they are slated to graduate. Honorary doctorates are awarded in accordance with regent policy document 4-20 and are presented, conferred, and hooded before any other degrees.

The dean of graduate studies invites the doctoral, specialist, and master candidates to come forward to the stage to receive their diplomas. The dean of graduate studies presents the diploma cover, and the dean of the college, assisted by the associate dean hood the graduates. In the case of doctoral candidates, the student’s program advisor will assist the dean.

The dean of each of the colleges invites the baccalaureate candidates to come forward to the stage to receive their diplomas. The dean of the college, assisted by the associate dean, hand out diploma covers.

It is customary for the provost and chancellor to congratulate the graduates as they leave the stage. The UW System regent may also join the chancellor to congratulate graduates.

Guests are not permitted onto the stage with a graduate unless necessary to meet accessibility or accommodation needs. In the case of a posthumous degree, the family of the deceased graduate will be invited to attend and accept the diploma on the deceased’s behalf.

Order of the ceremony

1. Greetings from the head commencement marshal
2. Processional
3. National Anthem
4. Welcome and introduction of platform party
5. Remarks by student body president (by invitation)
6. Greetings from a UW System regent (by invitation)
7. Chancellor’s address
8. Charge to the class
9. Presentation and conferral of honorary degrees (if awarded)
10. Presentation and conferral of doctoral degrees
11. Presentation and conferral of specialist degrees
12. Presentation and conferral of master's degrees
13. Presentation and conferral of baccalaureate degrees
14. Presentation and conferral of posthumous degrees (if awarded, last in that career)
15. Blugold reflections by student speaker
16. University Alma Mater
17. Recessional

Resources

American Council on Education. (n.d.). Academic ceremony guide. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://www.acenet.edu/Programs-Services/Pages/Academic-Ceremony-Guide.aspx

American Council on Education. (n.d.-b). Academic regalia. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://www.acenet.edu/Programs-Services/Pages/Academic-Regalia.aspx

Harris, A. L. (1999b). Etiquette and protocol: A guide for campus events. Council for Advancement & Support of Education.