UW Commencement

Lineup Marshals NE

All marshals listed below are to be in position on the north half of the Outdoor Practice Field by 12:00 p.m.

Marshal Name Postion/Assigned Area
Lincoln Johnson Lead Lining Up Marshal
Chief Marshal #5/Faculty & candidates lineup area
Asst. Chief Marshal #3/Faculty & candidates lineup
Grand Marshal North/Faculty & Candidates
Briana Randall Faculty Marshal N1/Faculty Area
Faculty Marshal N2/Faculty Area
Entr. Guide, Lining Up Mar./as assigned by Lincoln
Lining Up Marshal/as assigned by Lincoln
Lining Up Marshal/as assigned by Lincoln

ALL LINING UP MARSHALS:

Following check-in and brunch at the Touchdown Terrace, report to the Lead Lining Up Marshal on the north side of the Outdoor Practice Field at 12:00 p.m. He will assign you a position inside the facility and provide any additional instructions. Review the information below for your general duties.

You will assist in lining up the graduates and members of the academic procession. Graduates with purple tickets line up on the north half of the Outdoor Practice Field. Graduates with gold tickets line up on the south. This chart will tell you which graduates are lining up on the north and south. The NE Lineup Chart and NE Academic Procession chart illustrate how the line up should be arranged. A marshal will head up each of the lines represented on the chart.  Candidates line up in four lines, each of equal length, behind the college marshals, as noted on the chart.  Gonfalonieres carry the gonfalon for each of the schools and colleges and march in front of each group of four lines. Candidates should select a line and stay in it.

Please make sure that the students in your doctoral and master’s lining up areas are from the correct Schools and Colleges and send any strays to the south side of the Outdoor Practice Field.

When the lines begin moving out towards the stadium, encourage the candidates stay in their lines.

The four lines are stanchioned all the way down the track and around the turn at the northwest corner. East End Marshals will be positioned at the top of the ramps to the field. They will direct equal numbers of candidates into each of the stanchioned rows. West end marshals are positioned at the back of the student seating section. They will direct the students down the proper aisles towards the stage once the students reach the end of their stanchioned route.

East End Marshals will also take their positions at the top of the ramps to the field at approximately 1:15 p.m. The Grand Marshal, followed by the Seating Marshals, Diploma Marshals, Faculty Marshals, faculty and West End Marshals, will enter first. They will process in two parallel lines to the west end of the stadium, turn south, and walk to the center aisle, where they will meet their counterparts coming from the south side. They will then walk down the center aisle towards the stage. Seating marshals will take up their starting positions in front of the stage and help guide the rest of the faculty up the correct ramps to the stage.  West End Marshals will take their positions at the west end of the field. The doctoral, master’s, and bachelor candidates will march in four lines and will be directed by the stanchions and westend marshals to the appropriate aisles when they reach the west end of the stadium (see the Lineup Chart).

After the last group has entered the stadium, lineup marshals in academic attire may join the seating marshals, who will be coming to the stage on the north side of the field, and march with them up the outside aisle to the stage. You’ll sit in the faculty seating section at the back. Stage marshals can assist you if necessary. Marshals not in academic attire may take a seat in the stands to view the Commencement proceedings.

LEAD LINING UP MARSHAL – ANNOUNCEMENTS TO GRADUATES

  • Do not leave personal belongings in line-up area.
  • If you are wearing high heels be very careful walking anywhere on the stadium floor that is not covered with carpet. There are holes in the floor that might catch your heels.
  • Graduates need to use the bathrooms before the procession begins. Once they reach their seats they are not to leave them until the conclusion of the national anthem. Bathrooms will be closed during this time.
  • The middle aisle must remain clear at all times during the ceremony. Graduates should be in their seats when the deans’ and President’s parties enter. Graduates should stay out of the center aisle except when they are returning from the stage after receiving their diploma covers and mementos.
  • Graduates need to be in their seats just before the speaker begins his address to the students. This occurs right after the presentation of the honorary degree.
  • Each student’s photo is taken as they cross the Commencement stage.  There will be a program on each seat.  Within that program there will be a photography card and pencil. Before they are called to the stage they need to complete this card. When they walk they need to bring the filled-out card hand it to the photographers.
  • In the event of an emergency, please follow the directions of the faculty marshals.
  • Special Announcement: “All graduates must return to their seats after walking and remain there until all graduates have walked and the stage party has left the stage. If you have a plane to catch, if you have dinner reservations, if you have any reason you cannot stay until the conclusion of the ceremony, you need to leave now.” (This requirement is in the student instructions and is also something the students read as part of the online registration/regalia ordering process.)

NOTE REGARDING ACCESS MARSHALS:

If you need to direct anyone to the access (disability) marshals, they are located at the Faculty/Disabled Student Entrances.

NOTE REGARDING VOLUNTEER HELPERS:

You will have 20 adult volunteers from the Nathan Hale boosters club to assist you. They will be introduced to you on Commencement Day.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLEGE MARSHALS:

Instruction cards for College Marshals will be posted on the main stanchions in the lining up area. These cards cover the basic duties of these marshals as listed below.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRANCE OF THE DEANS’ AND PRESIDENT’S PARTIES:

After the last bachelor candidate has entered the stadium, you can take your seats in the back of the master’s section or in the faculty seating in the back row of the stage. Use the stairs at the back of the stage.)