The schools and colleges of New York University join together in celebrating one Commencement ceremony each year. This invitation is extended to all graduates and degree candidates for the 2007-2008 academic year.

The New York University All-University Commencement has been held in Washington Square Park for the last 32 years. Because of the extensive renovations the City of New York is conducting in the park, this year's ceremony is being moved to Yankee Stadium. The University Senate composed of faculty, students, and administrators voted to conduct the ceremony at the stadium.

On Wednesday, May 14th, the NYU community will join together to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2008 in historic Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. The Stadium has been home to the 26-time World Series Champion New York Yankees since 1923.

With banners flying and wearing their purple caps and gowns, the Class of 2008 will make history as it enters Yankee Stadium for New York University's 176th Commencement Exercises.

The ceremony includes a presidential address, an undergraduate and a graduate student speaker, the awarding of honorary degrees to a number of distinguished individuals, and the conferring of degrees and certificates. The program concludes with the ceremonial passing of the University torch.

The University will continue its tradition of officially announcing the names of the honorary degree recipients shortly before the Commencement. Because over 5,000 students are expected to attend, it is not possible to recognize each individual by name. Instead the deans will introduce each class as a whole and a representative selected in advance will receive a symbolic diploma for each degree category. (Diplomas are mailed to the graduates' permanent addresses by the Office of the University Registrar approximately eight weeks following the date of graduation.)

In addition to the All-University Commencement, each of the 13 schools and colleges host individual school graduations. These smaller, more intimate ceremonies are held at various venues at the University and around New York City.

The University welcomes the friends and families of the Class of 2008 and extends heartfelt congratulations to our graduates.

1. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED INTO THE STADIUM: LAPTOP COMPUTERS, BACKPACKS, BRIEFCASES, ATTACHE CASES, COOLERS, GLASS OR PLASTIC BOTTLES, CANS, LARGE PURSES, BAGS, VIDEO CAMERAS AND SUCH OTHER ITEMS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE RISK OF INJURY.
2. THERE IS NO CLAIM CHECK OR STORAGE FACILITY AT THE STADIUM FOR ITEMS WHICH ARE DENIED ENTRY.
3. DIAPER BAGS, SMALL CHILDRENS BACKPACKS, SMALL WOMENS PURSES & BACKPACK PURSES MAY BE PERMITTED IN THE STADIUM, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN SCREENED AND DETERMINED THAT THEY DO NOT CONTAIN ANY ITEMS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE RISK OF INJURY.
4. NO RE-ENTRY WILL BE PERMITTED.
5. NO ALCOHOL WILL BE SOLD IN THE STADIUM FOR THIS EVENT. SMOKING IS PROHIBITED IN THE STADIUM.

SCHEDULE

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Wednesday Morning, May 14, 2008

	Time		Event
	9:30 a.m.		Candidates admitted at Gate 4 only (behind home plate)
	9:30 a.m.		Guests admitted at Gates 2 and 6 only (left and right fields respectively)
	10:45 a.m.		Candidates seated in their assigned school areas
	11:00 a.m.		Ceremony begins
	1:00 p.m.		Ceremony concludes

EXIT/RE-ENTRY

Guests are not permitted to leave the Stadium and return on the same ticket. Re-admittance to the Stadium will be allowed only in the case of an emergency. Those needing to exit the Stadium for this purpose must proceed to the Stadium Lobby for consideration. Guests will only be permitted to return into the Stadium through this entrance with their signed ticket.

RAIN PLAN

There is no rain date. Commencement will take place rain or shine. If rain is heavy, the ceremony will be abbreviated. Participants should come prepared if inclement weather is expected on Commencement Day.

Students and Guests with Disabilities

The following services and accommodations are being provided at Commencement.

Each person wishing to enter the stadium must have a ticket for the stadium. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. You must present your admission ticket to Yankee Stadium personnel at your assigned gate. Candidates may enter only at Gate 4; guests may enter only at Gate 2 or 6.

The Access Service Center, a customer service booth dedicated to guests with disabilities, is located on the Field Level at Sec. 2.

FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• Wheelchair accessible seating is available.
• Assistive listening devices (ALD's) are available at no charge in the Stadium Lobby, located on the Field Level at Sec. 2. A driver's license, credit card or some other acceptable form of picture identification is required as a deposit. Please allow time to obtain the ALD before the ceremony begins. Closed captioning is not available at Yankee Stadium. On request, interpreters may also be located in the school sections where graduates will be seated. You may request interpreters by calling 212-998-4977 prior to Thursday, May 1, 2008.

GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES

• If you have a guest with a mobility impairment and/or who requires the services of a sign language interpreter, you must reserve a ticket in advance. CALL CHANDRA OSBORNE AT 212-998-6864 BY THURSDAY MAY 1 TO RESERVE THIS TICKET BEFORE GOING TO THE COLES SPORTS CENTER TO PICK UP COMMENCEMENT TICKETS.
• Wheelchair accessible seating will be available. See Yankee Stadium personnel for directions.
• Assistive listening devices (ALD's) will be available at no charge in the Stadium Lobby, located on the Field Level at Sec. 2. A driver's license, credit card or some other acceptable form of picture identification is required as a deposit. Please allow for time to obtain the ALD before the ceremony begins. Closed captioning is not available at Yankee Stadium.

ARRIVING BY SUBWAY
The Yankee Stadium/161st Street Station (4, B, and D trains) is wheelchair accessible.

ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Electrical outlets are available for recharging wheelchairs and other medical equipment. Please ask Yankee Stadium personnel for assistance.

ELEVATORS
The Yankees provide permanently stationed elevator operators in each Stadium elevator used by the general public.

• Elevator No. 1: Located at Sec. 15. Guests with disabilities may use this elevator to access the Field, Main, Loge and Tier Levels.
• Elevator No. 5: Located at Sec. 24. Primarily used as a service elevator, Elevator No. 5 also services guests with disabilities to access Monument Park.

RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms can be found in the following locations:

Male
Field Level: Sec. 2, 18, 19, 32 and 333
Main Level: Sec. 1, 13 and 183
Loge Level: Sec. 11 and 183
Tier Level: Sec. 16 and 233

Female
Field Level: Sec. 5, 18, 19, 31 and 34
Main Level: Sec. 5, 22 and 23
Loge Level: Sec. 11 and 18
Tier Level: Sec. 22 and 25

Family Restrooms
Proceed to the Stadium Lobby on the Field Level, Sec. 2, where a Yankee Stadium representative can escort you to an appropriate restroom.

Call the Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212-998-4980 (Voice/TTY) with ceremony-specific needs. For Yankee Stadium-specific information, see the Yankee Stadium Guide for Guests with Disabilities.

YANKEE STADIUM-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

The "Bat"
The Bat is a 120-foot high boiler stack located outside Yankee Stadium, adjacent to Gate 4. It is a popular pre-game meeting place.

Cameras & Video Equipment
Single-frame flash photography is allowed. All forms of video and motion-picture cameras are strictly prohibited. Guests are also forbidden to use lighting or camera support pods at the Stadium.

Prohibited Items
No backpacks, briefcases, large purses, bags, coolers, glass or plastic bottles, cans, laser pens, video cameras, laptops, firearms or knives are permitted in the ballpark, and there is no claim check area to store any such items. Beach balls, blow horns and all other distracting noisemakers are also not permitted.

Guest Services/Information Booths
The Access Service Center, a booth dedicated to guests with disabilities, is located on the Field Level at Sec. 2, and the Guest Services Center is located on the Loge Level at Sec. 3. Additional information booths are located in the following locations:

Field Level, Sec. 32 and 33
Main Level, Sec. 7
Tier Level, Sec. 4