Accessing The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

When & Where

The University of Oklahoma community looks forward to celebrating your academic accomplishments at 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, 2009, at The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, 180 W. Brooks Street. Stadium gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The pre-commencement concert will begin at 6:15 p.m. Guests are asked to be in their seats by 7 p.m. for the processional.

Parking and Shuttle Services
Parking is available at the Lloyd Noble Center, located at 2900 S. Jenkins Ave. Free shuttle services to the stadium will begin at 5 p.m. and run continuously until 11:30 p.m. Shuttles will drop off and pick up guests on Jenkins Ave on the east side of the stadium at Gates 7 & 11/12. For disability accommodations involving the shuttle, please call the CART/Metro Transit office at (405) 325-CART (2278).

Accessing the Stadium
Please allow sufficient time for accessing the stadium and finding a seat. Guests are asked to be in their seats by 7 p.m. for the processional. Shuttle service and entrance to the stadium will be halted at 7 p.m. for the processional and will resume once all graduation candidates have been seated.

Guests should enter through Gates 1, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12. Guests and graduates will be seated on the east side of the stadium. For a map of the stadium click here. Guests may rent chairbacks for five dollars each.

Guests with seating passes for the Special Services sections may enter through Gate 9. Seating in the Special Services section is reserved for guests with a disability, limited mobility, or other special needs and one additional guest. Special Services seating and reserved parking passes may be obtained by contacting the Graduation Office at (405) 325-0841. For more information concerning special services for our guests click here.

Prohibited Items and Searches

Entrances to the stadium will be staffed with security officers in order to secure a safe and enjoyable Commencement experience for all. All bags will be searched upon entry into The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Commencement.  Prohibited items must be returned to the owner's car or discarded. Any unlawful items are subject to confiscation, and the person in possession is subject to arrest.

Prohibited items include:
• Alcoholic beverages
• Backpacks
• Balloons
• Banners, Signs
• Beach Balls
• Coolers or containers
• Explosives
• Fanny Packs
• Folding chairs or stools(stadium seats with armrests without pockets are allowed; stadium seats will be available for rental for $5.00 each)
• Food and beverages
• Ice chest
• Laser pointers
• Noisemakers of any type (i.e. air horn, plastic horn, whistles, etc.)
• Pets (with the exception of service animals used by disabled guests)
• Personal heaters
• Weapons

Admissible items for Commencement and Convocations only: Baby Strollers, Baby Seats, Umbrellas, Still Photography Cameras and Video Cameras.

Tickets
Tickets are not required to attend Commencement. The University community would like for you to share this special occasion with all of your family and friends.
However, in the event that Commencement exercises are moved to Lloyd Noble Center due to inclement weather, tickets will be required for guest admittance into the Lloyd Noble Center. Guests without Lloyd Noble tickets will be able to watch Commencement exercises from one of the simulcast locations. (click here for the full Commencement rain plan)

Commencement Programs
Commencement programs will be available to guests at each entrance ramp into the stadium seating. Students will receive a Commencement program when they arrive at Brooks Mall for the processional. Programs will include names, major(s), and honors of the summer and fall 2008 graduates and the spring 2009 graduation candidates.

Seating
Click here for a seating diagram (requires Adobe Acrobat for viewing).

Commencement Ambassadors will be located at each ramp entrance to answer questions and direct traffic. The Commencement Ambassadors will display signs noting when a section has filled and direct guests to open
seating. When a section has filled, please move to the next available open seating.

Guests will not have assigned seats. Arriving early will help ensure guests will locate desired seating.

Pre-Commencement Concert
For the enjoyment of our Commencement guests, the University Chamber Ensemble directed by Professor Mark Lucas and the OU Wind Ensemble directed by Professor William K. Wakefield will perform a concert starting at 6:15 p.m. During the Pre-Commencement concert, guests can enjoy watching a presentation of photos taken for the Sooner yearbook.

Destination Graduation
Students gathered on the Brooks Mall will have an opportunity to win great prizes during Destination Graduation which takes place between 6:30 and 7 p.m. Please check back soon for a list of prizes to be given away during Destination Graduation!

Graduate Processional
Commencement will begin when the graduates process into the stadium, accompanied by flags, banners and music.
Doctoral degree candidates and their hooding faculty will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the top of the south oval, outside of the south entrances of the Bizzell Library.
Bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the Brooks Mall. Signs and assistants will direct candidates to where their college will be forming a line. OU alumni pins will be distributed to graduation candidates at this time.

Commencement Ceremony
During the Commencement ceremony, your degree will be conferred by President David L. Boren. Doctoral degree candidates will be individually recognized during the ceremony and all other graduation candidates will be recognized with their college as a whole. The ceremony will conclude with remarks from the 2009 Commencement Speaker and a firework display!