Saturday, April 26, 2008, 10:00 a.m.
The Diag
5-5-08 Update
Download the Graduate Slide Show (70 MB, Powerpoint) »
4-30-08 Update
Please visit the following website to access video of the Spring Commencement ceremony online:
http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/
A survey for graduates and guests who attended Spring Commencement is available through Friday, May 16. The survey can be accessed on the commencement home page:
Click here for home page
Update 4-8-08
Please click on the following link for a presentation of the Diag preparation plans, scheduled to begin on April 14.
http://www.ur.umich.edu/0708/Apr07_08/00.php
Update 4-2-08
Further details regarding the following have been posted on the website:
TRANSPORTATION
PARKING
SECURITY
SEATING
MAPS
Please forward this information to your guests attending Spring Commencement.
Thank you!
Update 3-17-08
A subgroup of the Commencement Advisory Committee is currently working on a slideshow of pictures highlighting the graduating class’s experiences at the University of Michigan. The Commencement Slideshow will be played for guests before the graduate procession begins. The review committee is looking for a wide variety of pictures that are appropriate for viewing by guests of all ages. Additionally, the review committee requests that all submitted pictures have a high resolution (so that resized pictures for the 1024x768 slideshow do not appear grainy). If you have any pictures that you think might be appropriate, please consider submitting them as attachments to photos.commencement@gmail.com by midnight on April 9, 2008. Thank you for your help.
Update 2-25-08
Spring Commencement will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. on the Diag. More detailed information has been posted about commencement; please click on the links on the left for further details.
Update 2-8-08
The Commencement Advisory Committee wishes to thank the 3002 students who took time to complete the second survey. The results state that holding the commencement ceremony on the Diag is the preferred choice, with 66.7% voting for the Diag and 33.3% voting for Elbel Field. (View PDF of survey results)
The Commencement Planning Advisory Committee has shared these results with the executive officers with our unanimous recommendation that they confirm that the ceremony take place on the Diag.
The following e-mail was sent to the U-M graduating class:
Dear graduating students,
We are pleased to report that the results of the Spring Commencement
survey are in, and the Diag received 66 percent of the 3002 votes cast.
Based on this clear preference, the President and the executive officers
have endorsed the Diag as the venue for the 2008 Spring Commencement.
As a next step, we would like to encourage graduating students to share
their ideas on how we can make this event at the heart of our campus
special for all. Please send your suggestions to the events planning
team by Friday February 15th.
We will host a student forum on Wednesday February 13 at 7:00 PM in the
Angell Hall Auditorium B to gather additional ideas and suggestions.
Please continue to check the Commencement website for details on
ticketing and ceremony logistics.
Thank you all for your support and involvement. We look forward to
working with you as we finalize the plans for this year's graduation.
Sincerely
Teresa A. Sullivan, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic
Affairs
E. Royster Harper, Vice President for Student Affairs
Update 2-1-08
After careful study of a number of locations and the results of the first commencement survey, the advisory committee has identified two campus venues for commencement – Elbel Field and the Diag.
Information about each venue option, including number of guest tickets, photographs and diagrams of the sites, sightlines, and the pros and cons of each, are posted at the links below. Graduates are encouraged to review these options with their families, friends, and other guests who will be attending commencement.
Both venues are located on the University of Michigan campus, enable students from all schools and colleges to participate in the same live ceremony, and provide a route for a graduate procession. Both venues meet safety and accessibility requirements.
Option 1: Elbel Field (allows each student 8 guest tickets) »
Option 2: The Diag (allows each student 6 guest tickets) »
On Monday, February 4, graduates will be sent a link to a second survey, asking for their preference between these two options. The survey will be open until 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 7.
Update 2-1-08
Letter from Provost Sullivan and Vice President Harper:
To the graduating class,
We are writing to update you on the status of Spring Commencement planning.
After hearing the numerous concerns from our graduating students and recognizing the deep significance of commencement ceremonies and the special affection we all hold toward Michigan Stadium, President Coleman and the University's executive officers asked staff to analyze in even greater detail the feasibility of holding commencement at the stadium. Architects, engineers and event planners were pulled off regular duties and spent 220 person hours exploring how we could hold the ceremony at Michigan Stadium. Staff were assisted by input from the recently established Commencement Planning Advisory Committee. All of the people working on this effort either graduated from U-M or have family or friends who did, so they understand your strong desire to have your commencement in the Big House.
At a meeting this week, President Coleman and the executive officers re-examined the issue in light of the latest information. We concluded that the stadium is not a viable option for the commencement ceremony. In our judgment, the number and magnitude of risks, uncertainties, problems and costs associated with holding an event for 25,000 people in the midst of a major construction zone are simply too great. A more detailed account of the issues involved is provided at the end of this message.
The Advisory committee is now preparing presentations of two alternative on-campus venues, the Diag and Elbel Field. Both are accessible sites that make possible a single commencement ceremony attended by all graduating students, with guest seating that meets the level of interest and need expressed in last week's survey results. There are important differences between the sites, and details including the pros and cons of each will be available on the Commencement website by late Friday, February 1. An additional survey about these venue options will be sent to the graduating class on Monday, February 4, to assess preferences. The survey will stay open until Thursday, February 7. Results of the survey will be presented to the executive officers, and we expect that a decision will be announced by Tuesday, February 12. Another student forum will be held on Wednesday, February 13.
We know it is disappointing not to be able to hold commencement at Michigan Stadium, but we are strongly encouraged by the availability of two possible on-campus venues. With you, we look forward to receiving a fuller account of these venues from the Advisory committee. We greatly appreciate all of the input received so far through letters, forums and last week's survey and look forward to your further participation in the process. We are confident that working together we can create a commencement that, though not in the Big House, is worthy of the University that you have called home these recent years.
Sincerely,
Teresa Sullivan, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
E. Royster Harper, Vice President for Student Affairs
Our decision on the stadium:
We arrived at the decision by considering the number and magnitude of problems and risks in total. No one issue took precedence over others. The rationale for this decision includes the following:
*Conversion and shifting nature of a construction site: A construction site by its nature is a hazardous place. Construction activities at the stadium currently include an average of 98 construction workers per day, working six ten-hour days each week through August. The concourse has been effectively removed and the site is filled with a massive amount of equipment and holes -- some, for caissons to support the structural steel, as deep as 80 feet. A construction project of this magnitude and complexity is a dynamic process. Given the construction schedule, we expect the number of workers on site to rise to a level of 200 per day at around the time of commencement. Delays, such as those caused by weather, that could occur between now and commencement make it impossible to plan with certainty or to understand fully in advance the problems that will be entailed by halting construction at the point needed, or the difficulties that might ensue in preparing the venue for commencement. We do not believe it is sufficiently feasible to plan for an event the size of commencement under these circumstances.
*Safety considerations: Holding an event for approximately 25,000 people in the midst of a construction zone during the peak activity expected in April raises serious safety concerns. Addressing these safety concerns would entail pouring an extensive amount of asphalt, fencing off construction areas as required by law, setting up barriers to ensure that individuals cannot migrate from safe to unsafe portions of the bowl, and taking other measures. The threat of "crowd crush" in the event of emergency evacuation must be taken seriously. Safety regulations absolutely require a fourth distinct point of egress in addition to the three that would be available at the time. In essence, the tunnel would have to be made available, which would entail additional construction delay and significant direct costs to build appropriate walkways capable of handling a mass exodus in case of emergency.
*Accessibility and ease of access: Because of egress requirements and construction activity (including thirty-foot-deep trenches around the east and west sides of the stadium), certain sections of the north end zone are the only feasible areas for possible commencement seating. There are 21,745 seats available in these sections of the north end zone (plus an additional 4,000 on the field). Historically over 100 wheelchair accessible seats are likely to be requested for Spring Commencement. The available sections of the north end zone could accommodate fewer than half of these requests. Emergency vehicular access would itself be restricted. In addition, 150 restrooms would have to be set up thereby further limiting open space.
*Environmental impact: Safety and accessibility concerns can only be met by pouring approximately 65,000 square feet of asphalt 5 inches thick -- amounting to 1,955 tons, or 40 semi-truck loads -- to ensure a safe approach to the venue, and that surface would then have to be torn up and disposed of immediately after the commencement ceremony.
*Risks caused by delay in construction: A construction project of the scale of the stadium renovation is a complex undertaking. As noted above, commencement comes at a peak in construction activity, and a delay of 1-2 weeks at that point runs a number of risks. There are financial risks from claims made later by the contractor because of the interruption in the agreed schedule; there are legal risks whenever a contract of this size is altered; and there is a risk that the stadium would not be ready for the opening game, disrupting the expectations of more than 100,000 fans. These risks cannot be predicted with certainty, but the harm incurred to the University's reputation and finances could easily top many millions of dollars. We believe that the major reworking of the construction schedule necessary in order to hold commencement does not represent responsible stewardship of the institution's goodwill, human, and financial resources.
Update 1-30-08
The Commencement Advisory Committee began meeting Monday, January 21 to identify questions for a survey of students' priorities in regard to commencement and to re-investigate possible campus locations for the ceremony. 4022 students completed the survey, and results, along with the names of committee members, are now posted on the web site.
Using the survey, graduating students confirmed several criteria discussed at the forums, especially the overwhelmingly desire to hold commencement on the U-M campus and a willingness to require fewer family and guest tickets if necessary. On Monday, January 28, it was determined that Spring Commencement would be held on the U-M campus instead of the EMU Rynearson Stadium.
Many offices are involved in providing the commencement advisory committee with information that they are collecting so the committee can complete the analysis and assessment and provide the executive officers with recommendations on the viability of Michigan Stadium and several other campus venues. The advisory committee is working on an aggressive schedule to define two or three viable options for their consideration.
Prospective graduates will have another opportunity for input before the final decision is made. Please continue checking the web site for current information.
Update: 1-25-08
The Commencement Advisory Committee wishes to thank the 4022 students who took time to complete the survey. As promised, here are the results presented by schools and colleges for undergraduates, Master’s, PhDs, and professionals. (Breakdowns have not been provided for the schools of Information, SNRE, Dentistry, and Law, which had fewer than 10 respondents, nor for schools with no respondents.) Also presented is an aggregate of undergraduates not in LSA.
The Committee is reviewing these findings as well as information and ideas to support a number of possible campus venues. Please check this web site often for the most current information.
Update: 1-22-08
Thank you for your continued feedback regarding Spring Commencement. Based on the feedback, all venue options are currently being re-explored.
To assist in that exploration, the Spring Commencement Advisory Committee has been formed. Members of the committee include:
Gary Krenz (Chair), Office of the President
Linda Green, Division of Student Affairs
Sue Eklund, Division of Student Affairs
Gretchen Weir, Office of the Provost
Michelle Pate, Office of University and Development Events
Julie Ashley, Office of University and Development Events
Kate Haessler, Office of University and Development Events
Hank Baier, Facilities and Operations
Peggy Burns, College of Literature, Science & the Arts
Kelly Cunningham, Office of Communications
Plus 3 students appointed by the President of MSA:
Justin Benson, Senior, College of Literature, Science & the Arts
Ray Walling, Graduate Student, School of Information
Stella Binkevich, Senior, College of Literature, Science & the Arts
The first meeting was held the morning of Monday, January 21, 2008. The Spring Commencement Advisory Committee is working with an aggressive timeline.
A survey to elicit student priorities regarding Spring Commencement will be sent out to those eligible for graduation.
The link to the survey will be sent via email to those eligible for graduation on Tuesday night (Jan. 22). The survey will be open until Thursday morning (Jan. 24) at 9:00 am. Results from the survey will be posted on www.commencement.umich.edu as soon as they are available.
For accessibility issues when taking the survey, please call the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at 734-763-3000.
If you experience difficulty logging on to the survey, please e-mail commencement.advisory@umich.edu. (Please note that the survey is open only to prospective graduates.)
The committee will then analyze and assess the survey results, the research on the viability of Michigan Stadium for commencement, and additional information regarding campus venues.
There will be another opportunity for input from graduates before the final decision is made.
Please continue providing ideas and suggestions through the Commencement website. All information will be shared with the committee.
Please check the website regularly for updates.
Update: 1-17-08
All venue options for Spring Commencement are currently being reviewed. Please check the website regularly for updates. Additional information about Spring Commencement and the Spring Commencement Advisory Committee will be posted as soon as it becomes available. Graduating seniors will also receive e-mail communication regarding an upcoming poll.
Graduates: Please utilize the Spring Commencement suggestion form to submit your ideas for Spring Commencement.
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