Nearly 10,000 to receive degrees at Ohio State spring commencement

For the third consecutive year, Ohio State will graduate the largest spring quarter class ever on Sunday (6/12), with the awarding of 9,699 degrees. The class of 2011 surpasses the 2010 class (8,652) by more than 1,000 graduates. The record size graduating class can be attributed to university efforts to attract the state’s brightest students, higher student retention rates, along with programs to support those students as they select majors and schedule classes.

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Representative John A. Boehner from Ohio's 8th Congressional District, will deliver the commencement address.

Honorary doctorates will be presented to Boehner, J. Lyle Bootman, one of the foremost experts in pharmacoeco¬nomics; and Ohio State alumnus Carter G. Phillips, among the most dynamic and successful Supreme Court litigators in U.S. history.

Distinguished Service Awards will be presented to Barbara Snyder, president of Case Western Reserve University who earlier had a long and distinguished career at her alma mater, Ohio State; and Joel Weaver, emeritus professor in The Ohio State University College of Dentistry who founded the first master’s degree residency in anesthesiology for dentists in the U.S. and became one of the preeminent leaders in the field of dental anesthesiology
The ceremony will last approximately two and one-half hours. Approximately 50,000 guests are expected to attend commencement. No tickets are required. Additional information is available at http://commencement.osu.edu/

Traffic Alert

There are many ongoing construction projects on campus and near Ohio Stadium that may impact traffic and parking on commencement day. Major campus roadways that are closed include College Rd. between Woodruff and Tuttle; 17th Ave. between Neil and College Rd.; and 12th Ave. between Cannon (Harding Hospital) and the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute.

Please visit the Transportation and Parking website (http://tp.osu.edu/alerts/springcommencement.shtml) for information and updates.

Traffic on Woody Hayes Drive and Cannon Drive (near the stadium) will be restricted from approximately 11:30 a.m. to noon to make way for the graduates’ procession from French Field House to Ohio Stadium.

Parking

Free parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in any of the permit areas around Ohio Stadium, St. John Arena, the Ag Campus, Schottenstein Center, the student residence halls, or on West Campus. The Arps, Ohio Union, Lane Avenue, and Tuttle Park parking garages will also be available at no charge.

Shuttle buses will run from West Campus parking lots to the Sisson Hall footbridge beginning at 9 a.m. until one hour after the ceremony concludes. Guests are strongly encouraged to use the West Campus parking and shuttles. It is a very efficient way to get to and from the ceremony.

Disability parking is located in the East Stadium Lot on a first come, first served basis. A permanent or temporary Ohio or other state-issued Disability Placard is required. The East Stadium Lot is accessed from Tuttle Park Place. Please plan to arrive early as reserved parking is not guaranteed.

The Ceremony
Graduates assemble in the French Field House by 11:15 a.m. The class processional leaves French Field House at 11:40 p.m., crosses Woody Hayes and Cannon Drives, and moves into Ohio Stadium at noon. The processional will last about 30 minutes. The commencement address will be delivered at approximately 1 p.m.

Following the conferring of honors and commencement address, diplomas will be awarded. It is a long-standing tradition at Ohio State for graduates to personally receive their diplomas from their deans. Ph.D. candidates are first, and their names are announced as they are hooded and presented with their diplomas. After the singing of Carmen Ohio, all other graduates will move in eleven lines to the diploma boxes on the field and receive their diplomas. After receiving their diplomas, graduates remain in line, proceed to the south end of Ohio Stadium, and disperse outside.

Security

Certain items are prohibited in Ohio Stadium as a security precaution. No alcoholic beverages, hard coolers, backpacks, large handbags, chair-back seats, noisemaking devices, mace or similar substances, signs, sticks or poles, or weapons of any type are permitted. Neither graduates nor guests may bring any of these items into Ohio Stadium. Guests are subject to visual inspection of person, bags, and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items.

Items that are permitted include cameras, video recorders, uncased binoculars, small handbags, pagers, cell phones, seat cushions, and clothes for weather conditions.

Commencement broadcasts

For family members and friends of graduates who are unable to attend commencement, the university offers a live web streaming of the ceremony at