Faculty & Staff

We encourage faculty and staff to volunteer at events during Commencement Week, especially on Commencement Day.

Event Hosts

Event Hosts play a key role in providing service to graduates and their guests attending events on campus. They wear Commencement polo shirts (provided by the Commencement Office) so that they can be easily identified.

Morningside Ceremonies

To volunteer as an Event Host for ceremonies held on the Morningside campus, including University Commencement, please complete the Event Host Form.

Medical Center Ceremonies

To volunteer as an Event Host for ceremonies held at the Medical Center, please fill out the Commencement Host Volunteer Survey or contact Clara Leon at cnl7@cumc.columbia.edu.

Marshals

Marshals play an important role in the University Commencement ceremony and the Baccalaureate Service, organizing and ushering both the academic procession and the degree candidate procession. They wear academic attire and participate directly in the program. Please note that no degree candidate may serve as a Marshal unless appointed as a Student Marshal by his or her school.

To volunteer as a Marshal for University Commencement or the Baccalaureate Service taking place on the Morningside campus, please complete the Marshal Form. The deadline to sign up is to be determined.

All Columbia University faculty and officers of administration are invited to march in the academic procession at the University Commencement ceremony.

Participants in the academic procession should enter campus through an upper campus gate and assemble at the designated areas in Low Memorial Library by 10:00 a.m. on the morning of University Commencement. The academic procession will follow the degree candidate procession at around 10:15 a.m., formally beginning the exercises for the University Commencement ceremony.

Register to participate in the academic procession.

Full academic attire is required. Learn more about regalia.

If you would like to request tickets for school ceremonies, including Class Days or graduation ceremonies, please contact the individual school.

Space for the University Commencement ceremony is extremely limited. Seats on campus are reserved for ticket holders and degree candidates only.

Movement around campus will be restricted during Commencement Week.

On the morning of Commencement Day, all faculty and staff must show a University ID to enter campus, including those participating in the academic procession. Temporary staff members must have a photo ID and a printed letter on Columbia University stationery authorizing campus access. Please reference Campus Maps to navigate campus during Commencement Day.

For those planning to drive or park near campus during Commencement Week, please note that many streets surrounding the Morningside campus will be closed to both traffic and parking by the New York City Police Department.

Columbia University is committed to making the events and activities of Commencement Week accessible to all guests. Disability Services coordinates these efforts for all individual school ceremonies, the Baccalaureate Service, and University Commencement.