Tips for attending UMaine’s 214th Commencement ceremonies
The University of Maine’s 2016 Commencement is May 14, with ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Alfond Sports Arena.
Motorists in the Orono area will encounter heavier traffic than usual throughout much of the day. Guests attending the Commencement ceremonies should build in extra travel time due to possible road construction delays in Orono and Old Town, and plan to arrive early.
Doors open at 8 a.m. for the morning session; 1 p.m. for the afternoon.
Primary parking for Commencement will be in the Collins Center for the Arts lot, where three shuttle buses will transport attendees to the arena. The Collins Center is easily accessed via Rangeley Road off Park Street.
Shuttle buses also will provide transportation to Alfond Arena from the following parking lots: Steam Plant parking lot on College Avenue, Belgrade lot on Belgrade Road, Hilltop lot on Rangeley Road and Buchanan Alumni House at College Avenue and Munson Road.
Backpacks and large bags of any type are prohibited in Alfond Arena during Commencement. People are strongly encouraged to leave large bags and any unnecessary items in their vehicles. Strollers may not be set up in the aisles of Alfond Arena.
Guests with special needs are the only spectators allowed on the Commencement floor. Only professional photographers hired by the University of Maine 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.
Entrance to the drop-off area will be the same as the Reserved Sky Box Parking Area. The entry point will be plainly marked from College Avenue.