Commencement

Campus Information for University Commencement (May 18)

May 16, 2016

The Columbia University Commencement ceremony of the 262nd Academic Year is this Wednesday, May 18, at 10:30 a.m. The Morningside campus will be extremely busy leading up to and during the ceremony. To help us guarantee a safe and comfortable experience for all, the following adjustments to normal campus access will be in effect. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with this critical information.

Entry Procedures

Faculty and staff, including participants in the academic procession, must present their University ID to enter campus.

  • Temporary staff members must have a photo ID and a printed letter on University stationery authorizing campus access.
  • Anyone who is not participating in the event is encouraged to enjoy the proceedings via our live webcast http://totalwebcasting.com/live/columbia/commencement.

Graduating students who wish to participate in the ceremony must wear their caps and gowns and carry their University ID in order to gain entry through one of the designated upper campus entrances.

  • Graduating students must line up for the procession by 9:00 a.m.
  • Those who graduated before May 2016 and no longer hold University IDs should bring a photo ID and their Commencement registration confirmation email or a letter from their school on University stationery indicating their participation in the ceremony.

Guests with general admission tickets may enter campus starting at 8:30 a.m., and must present their tickets for scanning or collection.

  • Guests with general admission tickets will enter campus starting at 8:30 a.m. via the gates on 114th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave. for outdoor seating or the entrance to the Levien Gymnasium at 120th Street and Broadway for indoor seating.
  • Those with disabilities or limited mobility, elderly guests needing assistance, or guests needing sign language interpretation should use the gates on Amsterdam Avenue either at 116th Street or 115th Street. They can also use the entrance on 120th Street and Broadway for the indoor seating location in the Levien Gymnasium.
  • Tickets are required for entry. Tickets can only be scanned once, and guests will not be permitted to reenter campus after exiting.

Campus Entry Points

After 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18, campus access is limited to the following entrances:

For access to upper campus:

  • Earl Hall gate at 117th and Broadway. (Please note between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. this gate may be temporarily closed while the Barnard degree candidates enter campus.)
  • The Grove entrance at 119th and Amsterdam
  • 120th Street Gates (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
  • Northwest Corner Building entrance and staircase (120th Street east of Broadway)

For access to College Walk:

  • The South Pedestrian gate at 116th and Amsterdam

For access to lower campus:

  • Taint Gate (Amsterdam at 115th Street between Hartley and Wallach Halls)

All other campus gates will be closed at 6:00 a.m. on May 18. Movement from upper to lower campus within campus gates is restricted until after the ceremony. The entire campus will reopen at approximately 12:30 p.m. Click here for a map of campus on Commencement Day.

Building Access

  • Butler Library will be closed from 6:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
  • Low Library may be accessed through the northeast or southeast entrances only. The area from the front doors down to Low Plaza will be secured with authorized access only from 6:00 a.m. until after the University Commencement ceremony has concluded.

Delivery Access

If you are coordinating ceremonies or events taking place on May 18 following University Commencement, please arrange for deliveries to arrive before 6:00 a.m. or after 12:30 p.m. No deliveries to Low Library will be accepted until after the ceremony concludes.

Bags

For security reasons and to save time, we ask that everyone refrain from bringing bags to campus on Commencement Day. Any bags or packages brought to the Commencement ceremony will be subject to search and must be kept in the owner’s possession at all times.

Street Closures

For those planning to drive and park near campus on Commencement Day, please note that the New York Police Department will close certain streets to both parking and traffic. These street closures will begin late on Tuesday and continue through Wednesday and are detailed on the Commencement website. Please do not park your car near campus overnight on Tuesday.

Your cooperation during this busy day is greatly appreciated. On the night of Commencement, from dusk until after midnight, the top of New York’s iconic Empire State Building will be lit in blue and white in honor of Columbia’s graduates. Please join us in wishing our graduates warm congratulations on their achievement and the best of luck in the future.