Winter commencement is approaching quickly and with approximately 600 students graduating this semester, Moscow will soon be filled with parents, friends and family from across the world gathered to celebrate. What can Vandals, community members and visitors expect from the weekend?
Parking on campus
Stuart Rob, field operations manager for Parking and Transportation Services, has worked 26 commencements for PTS. He said he has not seen any major parking problems at commencement and does not expect anything major this weekend.
PTS is working to create a map specific to the event to help attendees park in the correct locations. The parking lot west of the Kibbie Dome will be reserved primarily for commencement attendees. There will be space for RVs to park in lot 110 near the Kibbie Dome on a first come-first served basis.
To accommodate friends and family of graduates that may need parking closer to the Kibbie Dome, UI-specific disability parking permits will not be required on evenings or over commencement weekend, Rob said. State permits alone will suffice.
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Rob and PTS Information Specialist Robert Mitchell expect more traffic to come through town on Friday and Saturday.
In addition to commencement this Saturday, Festival Dance and Performing Arts Association will host their annual Holiday Showcase Winter Performance in the Physical Education Building, Vandal Men’s Basketball play California State University Bakersfield in the Memorial Gym and the Theatre Arts Department presents two performances of Little Women at the Hartung Theater. These events will add additional traffic to campus.
“(We want) to make coming to the event a non-event,” Rob said. “We want people to be able to get there easy, to get to the event and enjoy the event and not have to worry about parking and how they’re getting there. We’re the last thing we want people to have to worry about when they’re coming to campus.”
Specific information about closures and parking can be found on the PTS website.
Safety in Moscow
Captain Tyson Berrett, the campus division commander of Moscow Police Department, said Moscow should not expect anything out of the ordinary from the police department. He said there have been no major problems at commencement before, except for medical issues and falls, so he does not expect any problems.
The police department will work with UI Public Safety and Security, Allied Universal and StaffPro; groups hired to manage safety at large campus events.
MPD will search the Kibbie Dome before commencement, support StaffPro during bag checks and maintain officer presence throughout the building and at all doors during the event. The group will also check social media in advance to keep an eye out for possible threats.
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“It’s going to be more crowded than it usually is and there is the potential for snow and inclement weather,” Berrett said.
Berrett recommended visitors and community members alike ensure they give themselves ample time to travel, make sure their vehicles are in working order and tell others when to expect their arrival.
Commencement Ceremony
Assistant Registrar Biljana Jovanovska is part of the team that organizes commencement. She said there will be a brunch at 10 a.m. honoring those receiving honorary degrees. The Kibbie Dome doors will open at 11 a.m. and the event will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m.
“The community can expect that town will be a little bit more vibrant and busier,” Jovanovska said. “It will feel like there is a little bit more people in our community. School spirit increases for that weekend and you will see families ready to celebrate.”
Jovanovska said the Office of the Registrar, Event Services, the Office of the President, Communications and Marketing and more work together to create the ceremony. Preparation for the event begins at the start of the semester. She described the team that brings commencement to life as a “well-oiled machine,” with clearly defined roles.
She encourages graduates to share with their family why they chose UI and share the community of Moscow and memories from their time here. She welcomes families and friends of graduates to have fun and celebrate the accomplishments of their graduating loved ones.
Members of the team disseminates relevant information about commencement as widely as possible, but if there are unanswered questions, she encourages anyone to reach out and ask questions. More information about the ceremony itself is available at www.uidaho.edu/events/commencement/winter-commencement
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]