Tips for Attending UMaine’s Commencement May 10

The University of Maine’s 2014 Commencement is May 10, with ceremonies at 10 a.m. (College of Education and Human Development, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Division of Lifelong Learning and Maine Business School) and 2:30 p.m. (College of Engineering and College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture) in Harold Alfond Sports Arena.

Motorists in the Orono area will encounter heavier traffic than usual throughout much of the day. Anyone attending Commencement should plan to arrive early. Doors open at 8 a.m. for the morning session and noon for the afternoon session.

Both ceremonies are ticketed events. All students marching were offered up to five guest tickets, provided they were picked up by the April 25 deadline.

Guests attending Commencement are urged to park in the following parking lots: Collins Center for the Arts, Belgrade, Steam Plant, Hilltop and Buchanan Alumni House, where six shuttle buses will transport them to and from the arena.

Captioned, live video streaming will be available for both the morning and afternoon ceremonies.

Backpacks, large tote bags and strollers are not permitted in the Alfond Sports Arena.

Spectators are not allowed on the arena floor for any purpose, including photos. Only professional photographers hired by the university with proper credentials are permitted to photograph the ceremony from the floor.

Vehicles with handicapped plates or placards can be parked in the Satellite Lot behind Alfond Stadium. There will be a designated handicapped drop-off area on the side of the Alfond Arena, where University Volunteer Ambulance Corps personnel will be available to assist attendees.

Visitors are reminded that the University of Maine is a tobacco-free campus.